F-ZERO RISING: REVENGX Part 1/Original Story

"It took two years of hard work for me to gather enough funds to build my own F-ZERO machine. It took four months of practice getting ready for my first Grand Prix. And three seconds was all it took for that Grand Prix to start.
"Two seconds of decision or hesitation can be the difference between surviving or crashing. One second is all it takes to steal the lead, if you boost fast enough. And the outcome of a race can be decided even faster than you can blink. That's all the time it takes to change a life completely. When you see the world through eyes like these... well, you can imagine how excruciating fifteen years might feel.
"It's a long enough time to forget who you are, and feel like there's nothing left to go for and fight for.
"I had continued my bounty hunting work since then. Taking down criminals and scum... but, I never felt like a hero. Certainly, not the selfless type you'd want to read stories about, that's for sure. Deep down I didn't care about my impact on the galaxy. My passion had always been for the glory of victory. I just wanted the thrill. And my heart only cared about winning. Many times I found myself asking: was I just in it for myself?  And the more time I spent trying to find the answers to questions like that, the more questions I ended up asking.
"I realized at some point I was living solely for the race. I existed to keep racing, and to stand in the first place spot. So when the F-ZERO Grand Prix came to a stop... it may as well have been my identity that died with them. Just like that, faster than you could blink, my life came to an abrupt close.
"I was no longer me. I was suddenly that one Super Smash Bros. character from an old, dead series. No values, no purpose. I wasn't a person anymore, I was an idea. And I resented the fact that I had always been looking out for my own interests. I didn't even have a heart anymore. A new question added itself to the list: would things would have been different had I been selfless instead of self-centered?
"But th day I received that e-mail was the start of a big change. I didn't realize it at the time, but opening that message was precisely one of those blink-and-you-miss-it life changers. I had never heard of anything as ridiculous as a joint intelligence group. And I had no idea what they wanted with a washed up speed-junkie like me. But when I met that man, Tito... it was a blessing in disguise. What he proposed to me was an offer. And that offer seemed simple enough: that I could be rewarded by lending my skills to a greater good. But what he was truly offering me was the chance to help others rather than just myself. He was offering a chance to become the hero I never thought I could be.
"A long time ago, I was asked a question. 'What is the most important requirement for a racer?' And I didn't think much of it. 'Heart!' I said. At the time, I thought it would make me sound cool.
"So many years later, I discovered that my answer was right."

---Music: Prologue ~ The Beginning of the Night---

Even in a utopia like Mute City, there were alleyways and back streets through which no one would want to venture. They were cold, with the noises of drips of rainwater striking dumpster lids amplified by dense echoes between the walls. They were dark, threatening any passing through with the uncertainty of what sort of dangers could lay in wait. But, they were secluded, far and away from prying eyes. In other words, the perfect locations for secret meetings between secret agents.
On a late night just like any other, a tall man who looked to be a member of a gang waltzed into one of these areas. As he walked, his gold chains hanging from his neck dangled loudly with each step. It was an empty lot, rather spacious, but fenced in and surrounded by large buildings in all directions. It seemed to be an abandoned construction area, with mounds of dirt piled up and heavy machinery left discarded and unused. The trash and debris rolling across the ground from the wind perfectly illustrated how empty and forgotten this area was from the rest of society.
A portable temporary home left on the edge of the perimeter could have easily been looked past as just another element of this scrapyard, but the gang member walked directly to it and entered, locking the door behind himself.

---(Music Fade Out)---

It was pitch black inside, at least until he flicked a pocket lighter on, holding his head close enough to the flame that it could be visible through the orange haze.

---Music: Ray ~ A Beam of Light---

A few seconds later, someone else within the home flicked a small lighter on as well, illuminating an orange face of their own. It was a man with purple rings underneath the sunglasses covering his eyes, as well as a pointy pink nose. He wore purple pimp clothing, including a hat with zebra stripes and an upside down L. "Yo, whatchu want, playa?" he spoke with a combination of caution and aggression, "Whatda they call ya by?"
The gang member flipped out several hand signs and body gestures, creating incredibly loud noise from all of the gold necklaces, bracelets, belt chains, and other extravagant jewelry. "Swag Falcon, home skillet. Least, that's how they call me in the streets."
The pimp seemed to ease up a bit, but there was one last formality to cover. "Hit me up with that password, young cous'."
The gangsta smirked. "Operation: Super Mafia Party," he spoke with certainty.
The pimp took off his glasses and pimp hat, to put on his regular purple hat, revealing himself to be Waluigi. The man's speaking patterns normalized, as he was now out of character. "Phew. What a relief. Good to see you are alright, Captain."
The gang member instantly dropped all of his jewelry to the ground. As if it had been Piccolo's weighted training clothing, the piles of gold hit the floor with a crash, shaking the home slightly and unsettling dust into the air. Underneath it all, it was the famous racer and bounty hunter, Captain Falcon. "Glad to see our disguises worked," he commented pridefully, despite the fact that the two men were dressed literally the same as they always do--down to Captain Falcon keeping the same helmet on--just, accessorized.
"I was meaning to ask you about that," Waluigi commented, "You're a whole lot more famous than me, I'm surprised nobody recognized you."
"Well, Blood Falcon is a clone of Captain Falcon, so I told them that there was some third clone who got cloned from Blood Falcon, who eventually left to start a family, and had a clone baby which was the fourth clone, Swag Falcon. They never suspected a thing."
"Nice cover up," Waluigi praised. "It was really dangerous for us to go so deep undercover, and I'm sure the believable backstory helped."
"So, what do we do now?" Falcon asked, "Weren't we supposed to meet someone here?"
"That's right, we're set for further mission briefing, as soon as my boss gets here-"
A short distance away, another lighter flicked on, revealing the orange-glowing face of Uncle Tito, with his usual smile. "Glad to see the two of you alright," he spoke warmly.
"Got any new info for us, boss?" Waluigi asked, getting to the point.
"That I do, bruddah," the head director verified. "As you know, the biggest event this side of the galaxy is underway."
"The first F-ZERO Grand Prix in fifteen years..." Captain Falcon elaborated, feeling wary, yet nostalgic.
Tito nodded. "That's right. It's a different time now than it was when the industry took its hiatus. There are lots of changes to the format, and rules. On top of that, there's no limit to the number of applicants. I've heard estimations the number of participants could be in the hundreds."
"That's insane!" Waluigi exclaimed, flabbergasted. "How the heck is it going to work?"
"The tracks are hugely widened from how they used to be, to accommodate the higher volume," Tito explained. "And to save themselves hassle, everything will be contained within a single race, rather than multiple, individual tracks."
"A single, incredibly long marathon behemoth of a race course," Falcon inferred.
"Yet, it'll have all the variety as if it had multiple tracks," Tito added, "They will just all be interconnected, and the scenery and terrain will fluctuate naturally as racers progress from sector to sector."
"Now, allow me to explain why I'm here," Waluigi began, "I'm a part of this operation for intelligence gathering purposes. You see, Captain, everyone is excited to see the Grand Prix come back... that includes nefarious individuals, too. Not all is going to be hunky dory out on the track this time."
Falcon seemed neither excited nor deterred. "Great. Black Shadow at it again? Deathborn? Or Goroh? That guy never knows when to quit."
Waluigi substantiated his claim by holding up a mugshot of a portly man wearing an expensive, white suit. His hair was matching white, and spiked to the sides like Heihachi from Tekken. His most defining feature, however, was the large scar across his right eye, which was covered by a monocle. He even had some sort of absurdly large, green gemstone on his chest.
"You ever head the name 'Don Genie?'" Agent W asked, "Behind his public face of a rich trader, he's secretly an influential mobster. We infiltrated the Bloody Chain Gang to confirm that Genie is indeed dealing with all kinds of criminal groups. If he can gain the prestige and rewards from winning the Grand Prix, we have intelligence leading us to believe he's going to use the victory for some pretty bad shit. With his ugly mug plastered on all kinds of merchandise, it'll be easy for him to expand his smuggling operations under the guise of marketing."
"Hmm. Looks familiar. I think I may have arrested him before," Falcon tried to recall, thinking back to his decades of bounty hunting experiences.
"Well, it's time for you to do it again," Waluigi asserted, "That's why my agency contacted you. He keeps a low profile, and it's nearly impossible to find someone who could be hiding anywhere in the galaxy. So let's get right to the mission briefing. This race is the best chance we have to get him, while he's out in the open. We need your expertise to bring him in, alive, for questioning. I know we'll be able to pin his crimes back to him and give him his just deserts."
"Your target will be his personal machine, the Fat Shark," Tito elaborated.
Captain Falcon chuckled. "Sounds easy enough. Is there anything else I should know about?"
"Not that I'm aware of..." Waluigi said through the side of his mouth while holding his chin.
"Hate to burst your bubble, bruddah," Tito spoke up, "But there's one other complication you must have missed in your investigation."
Waluigi was genuinely surprised. "Eh? What would that be?"

---(Music End)---

Tito held up a photograph of his own, this one a mugshot of Wario.

---Music: Amiibo Theme - Wario (Wario Land: Shake It! - Stonecarving City) - Mario Party 10---

"Aw geeze," Waluigi sighed, slapping his face.
Tito's smile finally gave way to a frown. "Unfortunately, it seems like a familiar face of ours is getting involved in the shady happenings. Agent Double W has gone rogue. We've lost all contact with him."
"Heh. I know him. He's been on the Smash roster with me since Brawl," Captain Falcon explained, slightly hurting Waluigi's feelings, "What, don't tell me he's bringing his motorcycle to this race, is he? He better not fart to fly around or some other gross Nickelodeon crap like that..."
"We aren't sure how this will all play out, yet," Tito admitted, "All we know is that when there's one billion space credits in prize money at stake, Agent Double W is going to be there."

---(Music Fade Out)---

"Any other rules we should know about?" Waluigi pressed for more.
"You bet, bruddah," Tito confirmed, having resumed his normal smile. "This time around, they are going by 'Double Dash!!' rules. Racers have to enter in pairs."
"Hrm..." Falcon hummed to himself, "I'll have to have the Neo Blue Falcon modified to seat a second person..."
"Not necesarily, bruddah," Tito corrected, "If two racers are openly affiliated, they can participate in separate vehicles from one another."
"Heh," Captain Falcon grinned, "That solves a lot of complications. Well, Agent W, I hope you can keep up," he boasted in a friendly manner.
"Oh, I'm not racing," Waluigi disagreed.
Captain Falcon blinked. "Wait... huh?"
"I don't have a license," the purple man explained regretfully.
"I... but... ok," Falcon conceded.
"Don't worry, Captain," Tito reassured, "We have contacted a specialist for the purpose of tagging along with you in this Grand Prix."
Directly next to Tito, a fourth lighter ignited with a click, revealing a platinum-blond-haired man with sharp, angular facial features. He looked mostly normal, but some sort of markings extended out from his lips across his face, as if his lower jaw were separate from the rest of his head, and giving him an almost artificial appearance. "The name's Raiden."
"Have you... just be standing there in the dark this whole time?" Waluigi questioned.
"I guess," Raiden shrugged.
"Raiden here is a real professional, with tons of combat experience. He should be more than qualified to work as your partner through this race."
"Well, Raiden," Falcon addressed, "Combat is one thing, but at the end of the day, it's still a race. Do you have an F-ZERO of your own?"
Raiden shook his head. "Not quite. but don't you worry about a thing. I've got everything covered on my end."
"Well, if you say so," Captain Falcon accepted, prepared to formally enter a partnership. "Glad to have you, Raiden."
A light switch was located, and finally their true appearances were revealed. Naturally, Waluigi was in his usual overalls and Tito rocked his casual Hawaiian attire. However, this was their first time seeing the other two associates in person.
Captain Falcon was a tall, muscular man with a trendy blue uniform, a yellow scarf, a shoulder pauldron, and a laser pistol holstered at his side. And, of course, he had his signature red helmet with a gold falcon emblem on it, along with the black visor attached to it which obscured his upper face leaving nothing but two white triangles which vaguely resembled eyes.
Raiden was also quite tall, though much more slender, and his outfit consisted of what was unmistakably a black tuxedo with a yellow tie, strictly business. He carried a very long, narrow suitcase with him at his side, which looked to be about the right shape and length to hold a sword.
Needless to say, it was quite the quartet.

---Music: Connected Hearts---

"Everyone?" Tito announced, gathering attention to himself. "Put your hands together, and I'll mark us with a special sign."
As each of the four put their hands into the center of the circle, Uncle Tito used a marker to draw a unique pattern atop all of them.
"What gives, Tito?" Raiden asked.
"It's a symbol of our friendship, so that when the race starts, no matter how tough it gets, you two will know you're not alone. We're all right there with you."
When their hands were together in place, like pieces of a puzzle, the true symbol was visible. Together, the four of them formed the Rocket Power logo.
"Well, I will see you at the starting line, then, Raiden," Captain Falcon spoke with uplifting encouragement, finally making good on the handshake he attempted earlier. The two racers shook on it, and with that their partnership would be in motion.
For then, they would simply have to wait until the fated day.

---(Music End)---

---Music: Super Mario 64 Opening---

From high above the planet, Lakitu soared through the open skies. He made his descent dramatically, aiming right for the pillowy bed of clouds blanketing the sky below. As he entered them, he was surrounded on all sides by a momentary obscurity of view. The very moment he exited the clouds, he was greeted to confetti falling from the air like snowflakes, and the thunderous cheers of millions of fans within an extremely large, horizontal stadium seating. He had his trusty camera on hand, and through its lens he saw the sight of the starting line of the next F-ZERO Grand Prix.

---Music: Menu (Melee) - Brawl---

Through the entirety of the race track, from start to finish, there were hovering robots fitted with cameras, tv screens, and loudspeakers. From those speakers boomed the crisp and clear first words from the most iconic F-ZERO commentator in history, Mr. Zero himself. The green haired half-cyborg was perhaps the face of F-ZERO as much as the racers themselves.
"WELCOME, ONE AND ALL! My name is Mr. Zero, and I'm here today in front of perhaps billions of fans both here on the side of the track as well as at home, watching this broadcast. We're all gathered here today for one very special reason... the FIRST F-ZERO GRAND PRIX IN FIFTEEN YEARS!!"
Mr. Zero was in a special, hovering commentator ship high above the track. Inside of the orb-shaped room, he sat in front of his desk, which housed many microphones and other expensive recording equipment. This floating room was fitted with the best propulsion systems modern science could provide, and from this bird's eye view, Mr. Zero and this room would be following the F-ZERO racers down the track from start to finish. "We still have a short hour before the spectacle begins, but I'll try my best to keep you all entertained in the meantime!"
The race track was enormous, and more vehicles than could be counted lined up neatly in their starting spaces. Some of the most famous faces known to the galaxy populated the track below the stands, and in close proximity to their machines they occupied their time. Some waved to their fans, performed maintenance on their cars at the last minute, meditated to mentally prepare for the race, or even chatted amongst themselves. Some of that chatter was that of old friends meeting for the first time in over a decade, and some of it was acidic antagonism from bitter rivals, determined to defeat one another.
"Many early birds have already lined up in their starting spots--and who can blame them! These racers have been waiting for a lifetime to get a new chance at taking the title of Grand Prix champion! However, many racers are still making their ways onto the track as we speak! Allow me to start off the pre-race festivities by introducing the racers who we will be watching today!"

---Music: Cover of Big Blue's Theme---

"Rounding out the very back of the pack, we have a man who hardly needs an introduction, but I'll give one anyway..." Mr. Zero narrated dramatically, "A man who helped to turn F-ZERO into the spectacle it became. A man who has stayed at the top of the scoreboards since his debut. A man who, fifteen years ago, put us all on the edges of our seats as he crossed the finish line and won the last Grand Prix! Coming in with machine number 07, let's give it up for, CAPTAAAAAIN FAAAAALCOOOOON!!!"
As Mr. Zero spoke, Lakitu focused his camera on getting clear footage of each racer as they were introduced by the announcer. Captain Falcon's charismatic smirk filled every tv screen across the universe, and the audience went insane. "Though he is still the superstar we all know and love, he has come this time with a brand new vehicle at his side. This will be the Grand Prix debut of his newly upgraded machine, the 'Neo Blue Falcon!' I've heard this baby is back and badder than ever, ready to take this track by storm!"
Lakitu's camera shifted its attention to the deep blue F-ZERO next to the captain. It was a machine not too dissimilar from the famous Blue Falcon he was always known for racing in. However, this version was a tad shinier and a bit more streamlined. Most of the differences and upgrades were under the hood within the inner workings. "And let's hope the Neo Blue Falcon's maiden voyage can prove successful. Being the previous Grand Prix winner, Captain Falcon has been assigned the very last starting position in the race... he and his machine have got a long way to go to the top! I, for one, can't wait to see how he will perform this race! However, it seems like Captain Falcon's racing partner hasn't yet arrived! We've yet to meet whichever mysterious person will be pairing up with the captain himself... how exciting!"
"So, Falcon..." a gruff voice caustically announced.

---Music: Theme of Samurai Goroh---

It was a man approaching Captain Falcon, walking with a Chad-like stride. He was a stout but shredded man, wearing circular sunglasses and dressed like some sort of desert bandit. His most iconic accessory was definitely the decal of the Japanese flag on his helmet, but his most defining physical feature had to be how his face was constantly in a state of furious frowning. "We meet yet again."
"What's this? It looks like another famous face is down on the track, talking it out with Captain Falcon!" Mr. Zero continued, moving his attention to the next personality. "An equally famous figure is approaching Captain Falcon, as if time has stood still and the two are still locked in a duel that never ended! A duel they have been waging nearly since the sport has existed! Its the pilot of vehicle number 05, the speed-crazy shogun, the off-the-rails ronin, the last samurai himself... SAMURAAAAAI GOOOOOROOOOOH!!!"
An equally monumental show of cheers and cries greeted the samurai, as his well-known rivalry with the captain in blue solidified his place as the ultimate underdog, which the audience would always love.
"Samurai Goroh is coming here from the 2nd place position at the last Grand Prix. And wherever Goroh goes, his trusted machine goes with him; right next to him we see the famous 'Fire Stingray!'" Mr. Zero announced. It was bright pink, and on the edges of the back had flames painted on for style. A unique feature was the single fan sticking up vertically from the back, near the engines. "Back in the early days of the sport, this machine had been unquestionably the fastest F-ZERO around. Have the years been kind to the Stingray? Or, has Goroh secretly put in some upgrades of his own? Only time will tell, once this Grand Prix gets off to its explosive start!"
"Long time no see," Falcon returned with amicable antagonism, clearly more amused to see an old friend than upset to see a hated enemy.
Goroh wasn't going to have it, and he sounded just as bitter as the day he watched Falcon take the 1st place on the podium fifteen years ago. "I see you finally upgraded that hunk of junk."
"Ah, thank you for noticing," Falcon smiled, patting the side of his machine lovingly. "I can guarantee you the Neo Blue Falcon is the fastest machine on the circuit."
"You wish!" the samurai snickered. Goroh's own car, the Fire Stingray, was a compact beast of a machine, more than ready to take on the daunting challenge of racing against the former champ. "I'll make you eat those words like cheap beef jerky. My partner and I are going to put you in your place."
Another head popped out from inside of the Fire Stingray. Goroh's copilot had been waiting patiently inside for the race to start, but he appeared once he heard himself mentioned.
Falcon looked surprised. "Hey... I know you." Sure enough, it was an instantly recognizable man. "You're... you're..."
"It looks like Goroh's partner for this race has shown himself, at last! He wears a white gi and walks around barefoot, constantly training his body to become stronger and stronger. One could argue that this man is THE original street fighter! And in the world of martial arts, he is undoubtedly a legend who rarely--if ever--knows defeat in unarmed combat. Give it up for a kung fu legend, a master of the satsui no hado... the balding karate master with a big heart and a bigger nose... KARATE JOE, from RHYYYYYTHM HEAVEEEEEN!!!"
The pale skinned, almost two-dimensional looking man smiled with blushing cheeks to confirm his identity. He didn't seem to be much of a talker.
"Speaking of which... where's YOUR partner, Falcon?" Goroh scoffed his enemy, "Heh heh heh... don't tell me he's a no show!"
"He'll be here, just you wait," Falcon ensured.
Goroh sneered. "He better be. I'm not about to finally beat you on account of a technicality."
"Now, let's keep the energy moving, folks..." Mr. Zero continued, not skipping a beat.

---Music: Corneria (Brawl)---

"Our next racers are new to the circuit, for sure, but you've surely heard tales of their grand exploits around the cosmos. These two have ended wars, saved planets, and done it all in style. If these two ace pilots are even half as good behind the wheel of an F-ZERO as they are in the cockpit of their iconic Arwings, then everyone else on this track is in for a tough race! Sporting the number 64, put your hands together for FOX MCCLOUD and FALCO LOMBARDI!!!"
"Fox? Falco?" Captain Falcon repeated, "What are you two doing here?"
"Well, we were told there was going to be a 'Star Fox: Grand Prix,'" Falco answered with his tone bringing humor to acknowledge the mix up. "Needless to say, that isn't the case... but we won't turn down a chance to enter anyway!"
"Well, it's nice to see you two again," Captain Falcon nodded with a smile. He was quite familiar with the two of them, as they had been fighting in Smash Bros tournaments for longer than either of them could remember. "I look forward to taking you on."
"Likewise, Captain," Fox smiled with a salute. "I hope you're ready for us. We aren't going to make this an easy victory for you!"
"I'd expect no less from you two," the captain returned with a thumbs up. "Good luck out there."
"Fox and Falco will be joining one another in the same vehicle for this race," Mr. Zero detailed, "They will be riding down the speedway on their very own Landmaster tank! It has been modified and outfitted to change it from a weapon of war into one hell of a race car! This huge machine can boost, swerve, and barrel roll all the way through this circuit, and many fans of this well-known mercenary unit are anxious to see how the next generation of Team Star Fox will perform at their debut race!"
Mr. Zero's attention turned to a new vehicle slowly cruising across the track to its starting spot. "Speaking of, it looks like the FIRST generation of Star Fox is here as well!"

---Music: Theme of James McCloud---

An F-ZERO with a similar color pattern to the Landmaster and a shape reminiscent of an Arwing pulled up right into the spot next, and the cheesiest 90s rock music theme blared through all of the speakers, which many members of the audience head-banged to. "Pulling up in another war machine converted to F-ZERO, we have the 'Little Wyvern,' proudly displaying the number 10, piloted by none other than the original leader of team Star Fox, JAMES MCCLOUD!!!"
The glass of the cockpit of the machine lifted up, allowing a human male with sunglasses and spiky hair to jump out and shake his fists in the air triumphantly in response to the audience's hype.
"That's your dad or something, Fox?" Captain Falcon asked.
"Don't be stupid," Goroh insulted, "James is a human, and Fox is a Fox. He couldn't possibly have fathered him."
"How is he related to Star Fox, then?" Falcon further questioned.
"Hi, dad!" Falco waved.
"Hey, there, sport!" James waved back, with a cheery grin, "Seeing you finally out here on the circuit makes your old man proud!"
Even through his black visor it was clear that Captain Falcon's eyes widened slightly. He walked over to his vehicle and slumped against it, sliding down to a sitting position on the ground. He immersed himself in deep thought, but no matter how hard he struggled, he just couldn't make sense of anything he had just heard and witnessed.
"We've barely even started listing today's competitors, and we've already seen all kinds of unexpected faces! Let's keep the ball rolling as we introduce our next racers..."
Mr. Zero continued talking, giving short biographies of each of the competing pilots, commenting on the aesthetics or specifications of their machines, and hyping them up with his energetic manner of speech and choice of words. It would take him nearly the full hour to make his way through the entire roster, but he never once lost any passion in his thrilling introductions.

---(Music End)---

Quite some time passed as the introductions continued, and the longer they waited, the more uneasiness crept upon the dispositions of both Captain Falcon and Samurai Goroh. "Your partner still isn't here yet? They're going to disqualify you, at this rate," the samurai eventually exclaimed with simmering frustration.
"I'm sure he'll be here, soon," Captain Falcon answered.
"You don't sound all that convinced, yourself," Goroh leered.
Captain Falcon chuckled. "Well, on the bright side, if I don't get to enter, at least you'll actually have a chance of winning first place."
Goroh grit his teeth. "Is this... is this as game to you?!" he began, before firmly stomping his foot and taking an aggressive stance. "This is no game! My butt is on the line!*"*"Of course it's not a game. Nintendo is never going to release another F-ZERO game," Captain Falcon chuckled in cynical acceptance.
Goroh couldn't truly get mad at that statement, because it honestly wasn't even a joke. For the first time in his life his eyebrows curved outwards and his face mellowed into an expression of sadness rather than fury. "Wow. Guess you've gone through the stages of denial faster than I have."

---Music: Theme of Don Genie---

As the two were still talking, Falcon noticed an important F-ZERO pull up to the track. The vehicle's designated starting position was further towards the front and quite a ways away from Falcon's own, so the driver of the vehicle had no intention of stopping as it would drive right past Falcon. As the bounty hunter saw the car approaching, he was certain he saw exactly what he was looking for. It was a lighter-blue machine with two noses on either side of the front, both of them displaying painted teeth. Between the rows of spiked fang facsimiles and the numerous "fins" pointing upwards from various points on the vehicle, the F-ZERO looked like a group of mechanical sharks grouped together to form a car. There was no doubt about it; that was the Fat Shark, and Don Genie was certainly the driver.
"Are you even paying attention?" Goroh spoke, getting irritated and snapping his fingers for attention. Captain Falcon was so focused on the target of his mission that he zoned out of listening to the samurai in front of him.
Captain Falcon took a short walk away from his car and stood right in the path of the Fat Shark, forcing it to slow down to see what Falcon wanted. The glass of the cockpit opened, letting out steam from the inside as it flipped upwards. Out stepped a large man identical to the one in the picture Falcon had been shown by Tito. Don Genie's appearance matched the stereotypical imagining of a wealthy criminal, dressed in a fine suit with jewelry and giving off the impression of authority, not unlike a Mafia Don. "Ah. Captain Falcon," Genie announced in a deep, sophisticated voice, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Nothing in particular, Mr. Genie," Falcon spoke in his usual tone, but sounded slightly more formal than usual. "It's just been a while, so I wanted to say hello to all of the familiar faces after all of these years."
Don Genie laughed a single time in a vaguely condescending way. "How charming. I didn't realize you were the type to be sentimental."
"I'm actually more curious than anything," Falcon lead the conversation, "What does a successful businessman like yourself need all of the prize money for?"
The mobster chuckled heartily. "Oh, nothing in specific. With such a large sum, I could just do all sorts of devious--I mean, *charitable* things. Like distributing drugs to criminals--I mean, distributing drugs to children--I MEAN," he paused to cough, "I could distribute all sorts of toys to children! Or something."
"Thanks for sharing," Falcon spoke politely.
Now that the good captain knew Genie's rather transparent goals were indeed evil, he would have no reservations bringing the man to justice.

---(Music End)---

"What about YOUR partner, Genie?" Goroh asked, trying to jump into the conversation so as not to be ignored.
Captain Falcon was curious as well to that question. He had thought he saw a second head in the back seat of the Fat Shark, but wasn't quite sure because the shape would have been odd for a normal head.
There was indeed a person there, and they stood up, revealing themselves to have a mushroom-shaped head with red circles.
"Who are you, stranger?" Falcon asked the co-pilot. His appearance looked vaguely familiar, but he wasn't quite sure where he had seen the person before.

---Music: Black Jewel (Japanese Version)---

It seemed to be a male of rather short stature, wearing a vest and puffy white pants. Judging by body type, he had a similar roundness to Don Genie, giving the two a somewhat similar appearance despite Genie being significantly taller. The vest on the man was colored black with puffy, yellow-orange seams on the edges of the fabric, and it just barely covered enough of the man's chest to hide his chubby moobies. The man's arms were significantly more muscular and in much better shape, however, giving a very strange look. The man had a large, pink nose, somewhat like Waluigi's and he also had a mustache as well. Finally, he had small, ovular, black beads for eyes, and he carried a constant smile on his face.
As he spoke, he sounded as if he were two voices merged into a single one. One was gruff and carried an Italian accent, and the other was scratchy and shrill. "Wario and Toad together... guess that makes me Wariod," the man answered.
Wario was someone Captain Falcon was indeed familiar with, and he certainly remembered Wario's inclusion in the mission briefing. Being confused and slightly concerned, Falcon slid his hand underneath his helmet to scratch his head. "You're somehow two people fused together? How in the heck did that happen?"
"Wario was out collecting various treasures in ancient ruins, and he stumbled upon two magical earrings... I believe they were called 'Potara,'" Wariod explained, "Some stuff happened, and the earrings ended up combining us into one entity."
Captain Falcon had been almost positive that discovering Falco's father was going to be the weirdest shit he had seen this day, so the added existence of Wariod left him nearly speechless. "So, uh, Wariod... what is your stake in all of this?"
With the same genuine smile on his face at all times, Wariod spoke with an empty tone which did not at all match the emotion in his expression, in fact coming out quite bland and almost monotone despite the cheery grin. "There is no purpose in this world, nor is there material value in possessions. Winning or losing doesn't matter in the cosmic scope of eternity. Money is the only concept with any meaning in this meaningless existence. That prize money will be ours."

---(Music End)--

Evidently, Samurai Goroh had been trying to talk to Captain Falcon the entire time, but the man was so taken aback by the happenings in front of him that he didn't even hear his rival. Samurai Goroh's blood was boiling. "What, you care more about those schmucks than me or something? You got some new rivals, huh?! You don't even take me seriously anymore, is that it?!?!?"
In an instant, less than a second, he drew his katana and dashed so fast towards his rival that he appeared to teleport. Before Captain Falcon could even react, Goroh's blade threatened to come down with a single, decisive slash. The attack was executed, and there erupted a blinding flash with the two racers at the epicenter, along with the sharp noise of metal upon metal.

---Music: Dark Skies (Low Key)---

Captain Falcon found himself pushed back several feet as if he had been hit by the force of a tornado. Even before he fully regained his senses, he could hear the buzzing of high voltage, and through his momentary disorientation he could recognize the sights and sounds of sparks of lightning. His vision normalized, and in front of him stood Raiden, who had drawn a red sword and met the samurai's attack head on, holding it in place. Raiden wore the same tuxedo outfit from yesterday, but instead of running his arms through the sleeves, he left the black jacket hanging loosely over his shoulders. He wore no shirt underneath, revealing the mechanized body of a cyborg. Electricity surged from Raiden's joints, matched by the crimson electrical emanations coming out of the blood-red blade he held. Eventually, he and samurai Goroh mutually disengaged in a rather underwhelming manner, simply loosening their stances and taking a few steps back without any aggression.
"Sorry I'm late to the party," Raiden spoke, sheathing his scarlet katana onto his back. When serious or focused, Raiden's usually mellow voice carried a scratchiness to it, as if he were growling.
"Sorry as well. I get a little snappy when I'm hungry," Goroh grumbled. "I apologize for the outburst," he continued. He reached into a satchel around his belt and took out two cans for nourishment; one a can of spaghetti-os, and the other a can of brisk and refreshing Georgia tea. He held one of the cans to his mouth and chomped right into the metal, rending it and crunching it as he chewed to get to the food inside. Holding the can sideways so as to not spill the contents out of the hole his teeth left, he went to the can of tea and did much the same. He went back and forth between cans, being sure to mix the flavors.
"Well, with all of this excitement out of the way, we've certainly killed some time," Don Genie mentioned, looking at his surely expensive watch. "I'm sure the race will be beginning any minute now. I bid you all adieu, gentlemen."
As the conversation ended, both Don Genie and Wariod returned to the Fat Shark and started the engine, resuming their short drive to reach their starting place in the far distance. Raiden and Captain Falcon looked at one another. "So, where's your ride, Raiden?" Falcon asked.
"You don't need to worry about that," the cybernetic man responded. He put his sunglasses on, and he pointed to the ground, directing Captain Falcon's attention to the sleek, black Soap shoes he was wearing. "I be sure to keep up."
Falcon thought he himself was fast, but he never imagined he'd see the day where someone would be racing on foot at over a thousand miles per hour. "Well, uh... if you say so."
Raiden nodded and held out his fist. "Trust me on this."
Captain Falcon reciprocated the nod, and the two fist bumped.
It seemed like everything had been put in order for the race to begin shortly.

---(Music End)---

---Music: Wings for my Way---

"Alright, F-ZERO fans across the galaxy!" Mr. Zero cried with infectious excitement, "As we're winding up to get this race started in just a few short minutes, I'd like to get a few formalities out of the way. First and foremost, let's give a rousing round of applause to our faithful cameraman who will be covering the racers today! He's going to be living the dream, flying right alongside all of the pulse pounding excitement, all so the fans can watch the race up close and personal, no matter how fast it goes! Let's show some love to our friend LAKITUUUUU!!!"
The short buddy riding on a cloud gave a peace sign and took a bow as the audience roared in reverence for him. Before the race would begin, a few flying drone robots brought him a miniaturized version of the hyperspace ring from Star Wars: Episode II, the one that allowed ships to make the jump to light speed. With this modification to his cloud, he'd be able to keep up with the race just fine to provide constant footage the the viewers.
"Lastly, I would like to introduce you to two more guest panelists who will be joining us today for this Grand Prix. These two are veritable experts on the sport of F-ZERO, and they're sure to have plenty of interesting and informative things to say as the race goes on. These two have come all the way from Mushroom City to take seats next to me here at the table, and there will be no shortage of topics for the three of us to discuss! Let's give them a warm welcome, everyone: here they come now. Our first guest will be... BULLET BILL!!!"
The large projectile with arms slowly flew through the air to hover above the empty seat directly to Mr. Zero's left. The only difference to his usual attire was a small bow tie. Speaking into a microphone of his own, he adjusted himself briefly before addressing the viewers with his signature Brooklyn style of speech. "Hello, one and all! Are you guys ready for the long awaited return of the fastest race in the universe?!"
The endless crowds of fans screamed in anticipation of the race.
Mr. Zero laughed lightly. "And our last guest today is Bullet Bill's roommate and best friend, SHY GUY!!!"
The masked man entered the room as well. He still had his usual red hood on, but his body below the shoulders was garbed in a beige colored suit, with a red bow tie of his own. He took a seat next to Bill in the third and final chair. From the perspective of the camera viewing them, they sat from left to right as Mr. Zero, Bill, and Shy Guy. "Great to be here, Mr. Zero!" Shy Guy cheerily announced in his own signature, Nate Bihldorff-y voice. "I'm ready when you all are. Let's get this show on the road!"
The response was equally thunderous to the red hot reception that Bill had received moments prior.
"Now there's some enthusiasm I can get behind!" Mr. Zero spoke while chuckling warmly. "Well, folks, it looks like every participant is ready and waiting down on the track. They've all taken their spots, and they still have a few minute left to jump into their cockpits, rev up those engines, prepare to blast from the starting line and into the fastest, and most punishing race in the history of the galaxy... in order to compete for the most glorious and coveted victory circle in the history of the mankind itself!"

---(Music End)---

The audience cheered so loudly at such a high decibel that it began to distort into a sharp ringing noise for a moment.
Inside of the Neo Blue Falcon, the previous champion gripped the wheel of his car tightly, clenching it enough to produce a soft, rubbery noise.
Raiden stretched his arms and legs before taking a sprinter's stance with the tips of his hands against the ground, and one leg propped up and ready to kick off to give him an explosive start.
This was going to be a bumpy ride.

*To Be Continued...*