Author's note
This spinoff from JusSonic's Cars has been a long time coming, folks. I cannot wait to work on it big time so here we go.

Prologue: Pilot's Dreams

Dream Sequence

"Okay, look alive, folks! Contact appears to be heading 315 miles." A voice said from out of nowhere it seems. "The speed is 430, Angels; Approximately 2,000!"
Rock music is heard as two zooming jets flew in the sky through the forest with ease. This is a great day for flying in this amazing world

"World of JusSonic Cars"

As the jets zoomed high in the sky, they flew around eagerly, leaving behind steam trails and zoom through some more. These guys are experts in what they do!

"JusSonic's Planes"

Feel the passion ignite me
Feel it burning inside me

Two pilots in their jets look around, looking for a third member of their squadron. He is supposed to be catching up by now.
"So what is taking this guy so long? Is he really good like they told us that he is?" The first pilot asks his colleague puzzled.
"Nope, even better," The second pilot remarks with a nod; If what he heard is true...
"OOOOOH YEAH," A voice laughs madly. An orange plane zooms past the jet pilots, much to their shock. That must be him right now! But it can't be!

I won't let this life just pass me by
Gonna start a revolution

"Hey, whoa! Who was that?" The first pilot asks his colleague in surprise.
The plane in question is an orange crop dust-looking like one that twirls around a bit then flew near the jets. A figure inside smirks eagerly at the two pilots; It is a brown spiky hair Hispanic-looking boy with brown eyes and missing tooth who wears a aqua green shirt, blue jeans, and gray/white shoes . His name is Mike.
"Hey, hello ladies," Mike taunts the pilots with a devilish smirk, "Ready to eat my dust?"
"Last one to the water buys a round of fuel." The second pilot responds to Mike arrogantly. He can't wait to make this rookie lose!

Go by the name hero
Take back control

"How about this? I will let you rookies get a head start?" Mike suggests to the pilots, wanting to give his competition a head start. He then adds in a sing-songy like voice, "You're going to need it."
"Later loser," The first pilot taunts to Mike eagerly.

Yeah, here I go-o-o-o-o

The jets zooms away from Mike. He smirks while waiting a bit, saying, "1,100, 2,1...okay, that's enough; Time to kick some butt!"
Mike now zooms downward as the three flying vehicles flew above the fields. They twirl around, going past a mountain and zoom by the river. These guys are determined to give it their all to win.

Today I've gotta make a change
Straight to the top I'm on my way-y-y-y-y
And I was meant for so much more
And I found a dream worth fighting for
And nothing can stop me
Nothing can stop me now

Finally Mike came closer, releasing crop dust and flew high. He smirks eagerly while calling out, "Later, suckers! Eat my..."
"MIKE!" A voice came from out of nowhere, startling the pilot. This isn't part of the dream!

End Dream Sequence

Mike woke up, sitting at the wheel control and yelps a bit, tumbling a bit while almost losing it. As it turns out, his race with the jet pilot was a dream that he was having...and it was a good one too.
"Wait, what?!" Mike yelps a bit, snapping out of it.
"Hey, Mike, lad, what are you trying to do?" The voice snaps in annoyance from the radio. Mike groans as he looks down to his employer Jack Sparrow who is coughing from the dust that the boy is putting onto the crops, using his own on his own place. His boss always ruins his daydreams like this. Jack spoke into his own radio to Mike, "Pay attention! You're daydreaming again!"
"What, me? No way, nah, forget it! I...okay yeah, you caught me. But come on, Jack; Really? How hard is this? Fly straight, turn around, repeat. Blah, blah, blah! I get the idea!"
"Lad, tell me that you aren't disrespecting the sweet science of aerial application. I don't need that on the job."
"Hey, I am more than just a crop duster, Jack." Mike remarks to Jack with a frown. As long as the boy could remember, he wanted to do more dusting crops all days.
"Arrr! Don't you go yapping about that Flings Around the Planet air racing nonsense again." Jack snaps to Mike in frustration. Why can't his pilot just accept who he really is and put an end to that foolishness?
"FYI, it's called 'Wings around the Globe Rally' and it isn't nonsense! It's cool!"
"Oh, for the love of Davy Jones!"
"Stop that. I've got a tight turn radius and a high power-to-weight radio!" Mike explains proudly to Jack while recalling what his plane has got. As long as the pilot keeps to his practicing and dreams, he could do the impossible, right?
"Well, you know what else you got?" Jack asks Mike in an unamused tone of voice.
"What's that?"
"A screw loose, worse than every pirate I've known! I mean, why would you want to give up crop-dusting, lad? You got blue skies, no air traffic and that tangy scent of Vita-minamulch!" Jack explains as he sniffs the dirty being released. The boss smiles at this. "Awww, like me mom used to spray."
"Ugh, disgusting." Mike remarks in disgust. He can't believe that Jack would even like that stuff.
"Delicious."
"Well, they say that the sense of smell is the first thing to go."
"Oh really? Have you smelt it?" Jack asks, challenging Mike to actually smell the stuff.
Suddenly a loud whistle is heard from the building, making Mike smiles. He cheers, "All right! Quitting time! And I'm outta here!" With that, he flew off, happy that his shift is now over. Jack watch on, frown in disapproval.
"Honestly. A crop dust wanting to be a racer; Heh; if you ask me, more racers should want to be crop dusters." Jack remarks in annoyance. That will be the day if Mike becomes a racer. He begins singing, "I got some minamulch, yeah; Minamulch."

Author's note
Yeah, good start. Poor Mike, his dreams are being laughed at by his boss. More to come so read, review and suggest.

Mike is one of the contestants of the Total Drama series.

Chapter 1: Intense Training

Mike grins as he flew his plane to his hometown of Pilotwash Junction, passing the sign while doing so. The place doesn't seem much but this is the best place to be when it involves planes and their pilots. Mike saw a lot of folks going about their day.
At a fueling and repair station, Rob 64, a robot working at the same flight school that taught a hillbilly beast known as Fuzzy Lumpkins how to fly, was listening to a fat boy named Owen who is filling up the robot's fuel tanks. Two figures are with him listening. One of them is a Goth Girl with black eyes and blue hair. She wears a black teal/shirt, black pants and black boots . Her name is Gwen, one of Mike's friends next to Owen.
The other is a African boy with brownish hair and blue eyes wearing glasses, a red hoodie sweater, yellow shorts, white with blue stripe topped socks, and orange sneakers. Hisname is Cameron, another one of Mike's friends.
"Yuck, nowadays, they got soybean fuel, switchgrass fuel, algae fuel!" Owen comments. "Cool but a bit gross."
"Right, healthy." Rob 64 remarks with a light chuckle, "No 'tank' you; Ha ha ha!"
"Yeah, what's next; Pistachio propane?"
"Well, they are just saving some energy." Gwen comments to the boys in concern. "I mean, there are ways of using alternative fuel."
"What, you nuts?" Rob 64 asks Gwen in amusement. "Only fools would do that.
"When it comes for my money, give me that good old fashioned corn fuel." Owen chuckles as he pats the fuel that is filling up the tanks right now.
"You betcha!"
"Heck, I even made up a slogan."
"Really; what slogan is that?" Cameron asks Owen curiously.
"Right, slogans are good." Rob 64 remarked, wanting to know what slogan that Owen has made.
"I got a keeper. Ahem...'Corn, it gives you gas'. Owen said, revealing what the slogan is. Gwen and Cameron look a bit uneasy by it, though Rob 64 gave that an pondering thought.
"Yeah; sounds catchy. I like it."
"Yeah, same here! Whatcha think, Gwen, Cameron?"
"Well, it's catchy and something all right." Cameron said, giving an uneasy smile to Owen, not wishing to harm his feelings
"Right, a bit disgusting but it works" Gwen said with a quick nod. The slogan sounds gross though but what else do you expect from a gross fat boy like Owen?
"Yeah, awesome," Owen cheers at the approval, well, some of it anyway. Once the tanks are filled, he gives them to Rob 64. "Okay, Robby, got you all set."
Rob 64, taking his tanks, grins as he head off, sayings, "Thanks, Owen. Catch you guys later!"
"Right, say hi to Peppy for us." Cameron remarks to ROB 64 who nods as he leaves, "Weirdest conversion ever!"
Suddenly Owen's ham radio is turned on; a familiar voice calls out from it, "Hey! This is MP Mike to Goth Girl, Brainiac Bubble-Boy and Canadian Boy, over!"
"Oh yeah, he's done!" Owen cheers on wildly as he, Gwen and Cameron rush over to the radio. Mike is done with his work which means that the gang can get to practice for the tryouts for the rally.
Gwen turns the radio on, speaking into a mike in annoyance, "Uh, Mike? You know Cameron and I are with our nicknames."
"Awww, come on, Gwen! It makes this sounds cool!"
"Yeah, but 'Bubbleboy Brainiac'," Cameron ask Mike unimpressed. "Who came up with that?"
"I did! Woo-hoo, awesome," Owen cheers wildly, making Gwen and Cameron sighs a bit. Of course, they should've known.
"You guys are ready for practice?" Mike's voice came from the radio. The trio nods as they put their hats on, time for practice for the rally.
"You betcha, Mal." Gwen responds into the mike to Mike in amusement.
"Uh, Gwen; I thought we talked about this. I don't like using the name of my evil alter-ego."
"Oh, sorry. I meant to say 'The Big Boom'."
"Hey, Mikey," Owen calls out into the radio in eagerness, "Ready to make some clouds?"
"You betcha! You guys ready for practice?" Mike asks his friends who put their hats on; Time for practice or the competition to participate in the rally. If all goes well, Mike will be in!
"You betcha, Big Boom," Gwen said with a smirk into the radio, "Okay, fellow; Time to get into your positions!"
Gwen and Cameron got into their cars while Owen got into his truck; everyone drove off to the practice area.
Mike meanwhile smiles eagerly as he chuckles and passed by the pirate looking flag in the sky, cheering, "Yahoo! Ha ha!"
During Mike's showing off, at the flight school, a window open as Peppy Hare, the old pilot who once taunt Fuzzy how to fly, watch him show off. The hare shake his head, mumbling, "Ugh, young pink is going to get himself killed one of these days."
In the crop fields below, Mike's friends watch their friend flew by them. Cameron speaks into a headset to his friend, "All right. We got you in sight, Mike."
"Now then, start with some corn-row springs." Owen comments with a chuckle. "Right, drop and give me 20...spin or bucks whatever works!"
Mike smirks, zooming his plane down a bit then flies around. Peppy peeks behind his curtains to see the boy in action. To him, the boy is going to get smashed if he keeps this up.
"All right, buddy; keep it going!" Gwen calls out to Mike with a smile.
"Nice turn!" Cameron's voice remarks through Mike's radio.
"Too easy, what else you got?" Mike asks his pals with a smirk. The wannabe pilot needs a good challenge if he wants to succeed at the tryouts.
The group looks through a book which is labeled 'Air Racing for Morons'. Owen spoke to his pals, speaking, "Now try some treeline moguls." Mike did as he flew above the trees a bit.
"Yeah!"
"Okay, all the way up and down. Don't dog it, that's how you do it."
"Ooh, yeah!" Mike exclaims with a grin. He is doing well so far.
"Looking good," Gwen's voice came from the radio impressed.
"Right, uh huh."
As his pals chuckle on the ground below, Cameron reads the next instruction though is having difficulty, "Now adjust your angle of bank with your alien irons.
"Oh, don't you mean 'ailerons'?" Mike asks Cameron puzzled.
"Hey, you try reading this!" Cameron exclaims to Mike with a frown. Suddenly without warning, part of Mike's plane's engine blew up a bit. The boy groans in alarm.
"Ugh! Oh man! Audrey is going to kill me."

Audrey Ramirez is the head mechanic at 'Owen, Audrey & Crew's Fill & Fly' where Mike and other pilots usually go to get their planes repaired. The girl is a tough one but a fair friend to Mike but disapproved of his flying, mostly because she believes his crop-duster plane is not built for racing. He does his best not to let her know but she always figured it out.
Audrey, a black-shouldered hair woman, was checking out Mike's plane while her crew which consists of Dr. Joshua Sweet, Vincenzo 'Vinny' Santorini and Gaton Moliere AKA the Mole helps her out. The girl mumbles, "Okay, the oil lines and oil cooler check out."
"Right," Mike said, nodding as he, Cameron and Gwen wait for the results.
"Right, so far, the AN-fittings look fine." Joshua said with a nod, cleaning the plane up a bit.
"Wait, wait, dirt, dirt," The Mole laughs he swipes the rag that Joshua is using, much to his annoyance.
"Mole! Put that back!"
"Well, so far, things appear to be doing fine." Mike said with a sigh of relief. His plane is fine...he can only hope that Audrey doesn't know what he was doing.
That is until Audrey notices something, lifting her goggles up, frowning as she said, "Hang on. You've worn out your main oil-seat."
"Wait, really?" Gwen asks Audrey in concern. That doesn't sound good.
"Right, which happens during engine burn outs." Vinny remarks with a nod as he get some tools. "No prob. It will be fixed in no time."
"Right, of course, that kind of damage comes from extremely." Audrey remarks dryly as she almost slams the engine hood near Mike's fingers.
"Wait, hey!" Mike exclaims in alarm. That almost broke his fingers.
"High speeds; pushing the engine to the red line for prolonged periods of time."
"Hee hee hee; I don't get it." The Mole remarks to his pals puzzled.
"She means that that engine stuff only happens when it involves major situations like racing, flights and all that." Joshua comments as he opens the hood again, helping on fixing the thing.
"Well, that would be unwise to do something like that." Mike said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.
"Ooooh, but you won't do that." Audrey remarks sarcastically to Mike. "After all, you're only a crop duster and you only dust crops at very low speeds."
"Right, low and slow." Cameron remarks, chuckling a bit but a glare from Audrey stops him.
"Unless you, Mike, have been racing again! We've talked about this!"
"What? No, what, me? No way," Mike remarks nervously to Audrey. Not good, she figured him out. Now the boy got to work hard to conceal his secret.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Audrey." Joshua said, patting Audrey in the back. "What's wrong with racing? He wants to be a racer like certain people."
"His plane isn't built for racing, Joshua, you know that!" Audrey scowls in irritation to the doctor. "If it blows up, then Mike is going down with it."
"Well, come on, if Mike said he isn't racing, then who are we to disbelief him, huh?" Vinny ask with a smirk, secretly knowing what Mike has been doing.
Suddenly a truck is heard honking as everyone saw Owen arriving. He smirks and got out of his truck saying, "Yo guys! Hey, Mike, you were really in the zone earlier! A Saturn rocket couldn't catch ya!"
"Err, Owen?" Cameron asks Owen nervously, noting Audrey's frown.
"Ballistic, ha ha ha," Owen chuckles as he flickers his lights. "We're talking light speed, light speed big time!" Mike's group meanwhile yelps as they try to shush the fat boy. If Audrey finds out what Mike has been doing, she is going to go ballistic. "Oh, I know you're going to tear it up at the qualified this weekend, Mike."
"Argh, no, no," Gwen exclaims to Owen frantically. The crew looks concerned as Owen notices Mike doing some motions, signaling him to stop talking.
"Oh, charades! Oh, this is awesome! Well, you're..." Owen said, seeing Mike zips his lips, much to the fat boy's confusion, "Uh...putting some lipstick on. You know that's weird." The pilot quickly waves his arms around to make buzzing sounds. "No, wait, wait. You're...trying to hit flies, yeah!"
"No, no!" Mike insists, making a 'cut' motion across his throat frantically.
"You're cutting your head off?" Owen asks confused. Mike covers his head, then clenching his arms and groans loudly. "You're...using the bathroom? Can you do that here?"
"Ha ha ha! You stink at this game!" The Mole laughs madly. "It's..."
"No ruining the game!" Vinny snaps in irritation to the Mole. "Especially since that isn't what Mike is doing and..."
"Ugh, Owen! Aurey's standing right here!" Cameron exclaims in annoyance.
Owen blinks and saw Audrey, crossing her arms. He chuckles nervously, "Oooh, right. Sorry, I didn't notice ya."
"Busted," Joshua remarked with a sigh, shaking his head.
Audrey gave an accusing glare to Mike who said sheepishly, "Wow, that's awkward. I don't know."
"You were racing again, weren't you?! Mike, your plane is not built to race! It's built to dust crops! I mean, do you even have an idea as to what would happen if you push it too far?" Audrey scowls as she holds the wrench and hits Mike and Cameron a bit, "Wing flutter, metal fatigue, turbine failure!"
"Turbine failure," The Mole gasps in shock and uncomfortingly.
"It means boom." Gwen explains, making the Mole blinks and smirks mischievously.
"Oooh, I like boom!"
"Not with this boom!" Audrey remarks dryly. She then begins to imitate as if the boy is in a terrible situation. "Oh no, I'm going down!" Owen and the Mole gasp in alarm, "Oh, why didn't I listen to Audrey?!"
"Hey, ain't you overreacting a bit?" Vinny ask Audrey with a frown.
"Yeah, why didn't you listen to Audrey?" The Mole asks Mike in worry while frowning a bit.
"Wow, she's the smartest mechanic in the world!" Audrey remarks as she continues imitating Mike in a nasty situation. The girl gasps, "Whoa!"
"What? What's wrong?" Owen asks Audrey frantically.
"The orphanage!'
"No! Not the orphans!"
"Out of the way," Audrey exclaims frantically, still overreacting. She slams the wrench down onto a part of the plane to make a crash, "BOOM!"
"The kids, not the kids," Owen whines a bit.
Audrey's wrench meanwhile hits the lights, causing sparks to shorten a bit. She made some more explosive noises while mimicking dying before the girl falls to the floor, pretending to be dead. Mike's group gasps a bit as she lies still.
"Wow...both vivid and specific." Mike remarks in concern to Audrey.
"Right, a bit overreacting of course," Cameron said in concern concerning Audrey’s performance.
Joshua sighs, shaking his head while saying, "Audrey, you're overreacting. Look, I'm sure Mike will do fine."
"Right, that is why I need you and your crew to come with us to the qualifier." Mike said with a smile, making Audrey getting up, glaring at the others. "I need a good crew to help me out."
"Yeah, and maybe to make some more TNT for special effects, you know?" Vinny ask Audrey with a chuckle.
"Ugh! You boy are unbelievable!" Audrey remarks in disgust to the boys. She is trying to help Mike from killing himself from a dangerous risk and no one is taking her seriously...well, almost no one.
"Oh, you hear that, guys? I'm unbelievable." Mike remarks to his friends with a light chuckle.
"I think that was an insult." Gwen explains to Mike in concern.
"Ooooh, the orphans," The Mole sobbed a bit while covering his face on the plane, "Why, oh why?!"
"Okay, calm down, calm down or I will use this!" Joshua snaps as he hold a bar of soap to the Mole, making him hiss and runs off.
Audrey rolls her eyes as she heads off. Why must she put up with these people?!

It was nighttime as Mike, Owen, Cameron and Gwen are in Mike's home, watching TV. On it, there is the news about the upcoming Wings around the Globe Rally which is being explained by Jet Hawk, who did some commentating for other races involving cars.
"All right, tune in for in 2 weeks, it will be the start of the Wings around the Globe!" Jet exclaims to the camera with a smirk.
"Guys, you know I think we've got a really good shot at this." Mike said in confidence.
"Right, we do!" Cameron exclaims with a smile. As long as Mike sticks to his training and confidence, he could be able to make it.
"Especially since we finish this book by then," Owen remarks as he checks out the book that the trio were reading to Mike during his flight.
"I'm concerned, Mike." Gwen remarks to Mike in concern. "I mean, we may need more help and experience in this."
"Come on, what could go wrong, Gwen?" Mike asks Gwen with a frown. "I mean, I didn't crash and hit the ground yet! Yeah, I got some engines problems here and there, but nothing too biggie."
"Audrey may have a point. We may need to find a way to keep your engine problems from happening during the tryouts and the rally if you make it there."
Suddenly a show called 'Top 10 Crashes' appears on the TV. Owen exclaims eagerly, "Sweet! I love this show!"
The number 10 logo appears on the TV as a voice booms, "The best 10 best air crashes ever of all time!"
The four watches as planes are being lifted before one tilted, falling right onto the ground. Mike cringed a bit while saying, "Whoa, yikes!"
"Not good." Owen remarks in concern.
The ninth crash appears as a bewildered Cameron asks, "How does that happen?" Sure enough, the TV shows pilot flying by cone balloons, but one of them hits one, crashing right in front of the camera.
"Ooooh," The four remarked, cringing at this sight.
"Wow; that is going to hurt big time, especially for wannabe pilots." Gwen remarks. Mike looks a bit worried. If those crashes happen due to some problems or inexperience, he may not last out there.
"Huh." Cameron said as he looks at the Flying for Dummies book. "This book might not cover everything that you could run into out there.
"What are you on about?" Mike asks Cameron nervously.
"I don't know, I think Gwen is right about Audrey being right. I am wondering...maybe we need some help."
"Help; from who? Who would bother?"
"How about that hare who trained that hillbilly beast how to fly?" Gwen suggests thoughtfully, thinking about Peppy Hare. After all, if he could train Fuzzy how to fly, then maybe the old hare could help out with Mike.
"Yeah...what is his name again?"
"Let's see...oh yes, Peppy Hare." Cameron said in realization, recalling the hare's name.
"What; Peppy? You mean the old hare whose lives at the end of the runway?" Mike asks his pals, knowing what they're talking about now. Everyone in town knows about Peppy, his school and the obvious fact that he trained Fuzzy.
"Sure, he's a war hero. He flew with Star Fox before, even the original team."
"Cameron, look, the hare did some flight schooling for the money, but come on! He's an old crankshaft rabbit!"
"Is that so? Well, my buddy Rob 64 says that he was also a legendary flight instructor in the navy." Owen explains to Mike with a smile. "That can't be different from that school he teaches at sometimes."
"Right, come on. Give him a chance." Gwen comments, making Mike frown a bit. "He taught that beast without leaving the ground. He knows stuff."
"Guys, face it. Peppy's been grounded for decades and hasn't flown ever since, even after teaching certain people how to fly!" Mike remarks in frustration as he slumps to the couch. "Anyway, why would I want to be coached by someone who can't even fly?"
"At least he was a pilot." Cameron points out to Mike with a sigh.
The four drank some soda, watching the TV as the voice booms, "And the number 1 crash ever of all time..."
The four cringes as the crash occurs on TV. Owen remarks in alarm, "Aw, man!" That airplane crash looks like it could kill someone.
"Yeah, I'm okay." A weak voice is heard. Well, the injured pilot was hurt but then the TV begins to flash flame colors, making the Viewers gasp in alarm. That really REALLY hurt.
"Oooh, that's gotta hurt!" The voice remarked. "I hate to be a rookie who wanted to be a flyer who doesn't learn from that!"
Mike begins to look frightened, saying, "Yeah, on second thought, we should ask for Peppy's help after all..."

Peppy's school/home is closed for the night but the four went over to the darkened area anyway. Hopefully, Mike can talk the hare into teaching him to fly in hopes to be ready for the tryouts and/or the rally.
"You know, I heard that he shot down 50 planes." Owen explains to his planes quietly. "I heard stories about his squadron, the original Star Fox and the new."
"Yeah, we know that already, Owen." Mike said to Owen, reminding the fat boy that everyone heard about Peppy's involvement with Star Fox by now.
"Those guys were the roughest, toughest, meanest flyers in the navy; Ruthless killers who don't show any mercy...unless that goes to the enemy, not the good guy."
"Wait, so..." Cameron said, beginning to get a bit nervous.
"No mercy!" Owen booms, making Cameron gulp a bit. "Why, won't they see you, they would rather shoot then continue looking at you!"
"Come on, I'm sure that was just exaggeration." Gwen comments as she rang the doorbell near the door, "Anyway, I betcha if Peppy could teach those guys, he would have no problem with you, Mike."
"Hope you're right about this." Mike said nervously as he closes his eyes.
But when Mike opens his eyes, he, Gwen and Cameron saw Owen rushing off into hiding, making them snap, "Owen!"
"I will wait here!" Owen exclaims as he hides behind a bush.
Just then the door opens up as a stern-looking Peppy walk out, approaching the visitors with Rob 64 peeking out from behind. Cameron nervously spoke, "Uh..."
"Say, hey there, Mr. Hare. Uh, hey, I'm trying out for that Wings around the Globe Rally thing...and yeah, while I know you can't fly anymore..." Mike said nervously. Of course, Peppy just glare at him as if the boy has said the stupidest thing ever.
"Smoooooth move, Mike," Gwen remarks sarcastically to Mike.
"Errr, I mean, you know what they say: 'Those who can't do, teach'. Right; so...what I'm going for is...you're not a truck pushing boar. Okay, let me cut to the chase: Cameron, Gwen and I were wondering if you could train me."
Peppy however frowns as he slams the door shut right in the trio's face. Cameron groans, "Awww, geez. That didn't work hard."
"Hey, go on! He's warming up to you!" Owen calls out, peeking out to Mike and motioning him to go on.
Gwen rang the doorbell once more. The door slams open as a frowning Peppy glares as she spoke, "I think we came out on the wrong foot, so can we do this again?"
"Right, I heard you shot down 50 planes...err, I meant planes, not the pilots." Mike said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Peppy finally spoke but not in a nice way, "So what? You want to be number 51?"
"Gah! Errr, no..."
Peppy was about to close the door again but Cameron quickly yells out, "No, wait, stop, wait!" He quickly stops the door with his foot though it ends up getting scrunched, making the African boy screams. "OUCH!"
Peppy opens the door once more, getting a bit irritated. As Cameron frees his foot, groaning while holding it, Mike said, "Hey, look. You got to help. I figured that...with my guts and your glory."
Peppy however just sighs, explaining sternly, "Look, you guts would just be a grease spot on a runway somewhere. Just go home and forget about it, kid. You are in over your head."
"Look, you flew all those..."
Sadly, Peppy slams the door shuts before he shuts the lights off for the night. The trio groans a bit in defeat; Looks like the hare isn't going to help Mike out after all. Why can't he?
"How about we try the back door?" Owen calls out to his pals, much to their annoyance.

Author's note
Well, so much for asking Peppy for help. In the next chapter, Mike goes to the tryout as we meet champions Scott and Courtney as well as other pilots. Can Mike be able to make it through the tryouts when there's doubt against him? Read, review and suggest.

This chapter has references to shorts of 'JusSonic's Cars' starring Fuzzy Lumpkins.

Cameron is from the Total Drama series.

Mal is Mike’s evil alter-ego that was the main antagonist of ‘Total Drama All-Stars’.

Audrey and her crew came from the Atlantis movies.

Chapter 2: The Road to the Rally

"Lincoln, Nebraska: Latitude 40' 48' n, Longitude 96' 40' W"

Mike and his groups took the next flight to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the tryouts for the rally are happening. The gang got off the plane at the Lincoln Airport where the tryouts are happening, some of them is a bit excited.
"Yeah, hello, Lincoln," Gwen cheers on eagerly.
The four looks puzzled to see Owen, Audrey and her crew in the fat boy's truck, using cables to carry Mike's plane. Owen honks his horn while calling out, "Hey guys and gal!"
Once Mike, Gwen and Cameron got into the truck, the gang heads through the airport; Audrey frowns in concern as she remarks, "Honestly, I got no idea why you all talked be into coming to this."
"Awww, come on, Audrey!" Mike remarks to Audrey with a light chuckle.
"Just relax, Mike will be fine." Joshua said to Audrey making her shake her head. She wishes that the woman got his confidence...lack of the 'over' part.
"Check that out." Vinny said with a smile as the gang saw pilots doing work on their planes, preparing themselves for flight or the tryouts.
"Ooooh, nice and dirty," The Mole exclaims eagerly as he glances at some of the dirty parts being put into the hood.
"Whoa, I cannot believe it!" Owen exclaims as he checks out an airport, "A Red Tail P-51!"
"That's nothing! It's a Sea Fury!" Cameron exclaims as the boy points to an airplane nearby. "It's like living a dream."
The gang looks up in time to see a bi-plane flying up high. Joshua remarks with a laugh, "Check that out, everyone!"
As the biplane zooms passed the group, Mike, Cameron and Gwen exclaims at once, "Wow!"
"Geez, this is going to be one tough competition." Gwen said in concern, glancing at the tough places. "I just hope Mike is up to it."
"He trained hard, I'm sure Mike will be fine." Cameron said. Though upon noting Audrey's skeptic look, he adds nervously, "Well, fine is overrated; Heh heh."
"Ladies and gentlemen! May I have your attention, please?" A voice calls out. The crowd turns to two figures holding mics. The competition is getting closer to beginning. "Kindly direct your attention to the heavens above to give a warm welcome to our special guests." Everyone saw a green stream come coming from a green jet that passes by, "The Prince and Princess of Propellers! When these two are speeding, they are so speeding!"
"Make sure to get my good side, fellows." The other figure said with a smirk. Cameraman soon begins snapping photos as the jet zooms around before landing. The duo of the hour is about to reveal themselves.
"When these two are grinning, they are definitely winning. The ones and only..."
Once the jet screeches down to a stop, two figures, a boy and a girl, came out, smirking. One of them remarks, "Scott!"
"And Courtney," The girl calls out. Fireworks shot out as the crowd cheers. They know of these two, big time celebrities in the airplane world!
"You are caught in the riptide! Yeah! Thanks for coming out." Scott laughs. A few folks coughs from the smoke as they passed by the group, wanting to take pictures. "Right, who wants a picture? Okay, one at a time!"
"Get my good side."
"Well, got to say with that self-promotion, at least those two are modest." Audrey remarks dryly yet amused as to how Scott and Courtney is getting their attention.
"So who are those two?" Joshua ask Mike, Owen, Gwen and Cameron curiously.
"Oooh, that's Scott and Courtney." Cameron explains with a smile. "Two of the biggest plane racing champions ever!"
"They are captain of Team RPX." Owen remarks excitedly. "They also call them..."
The trio of boys spoke in a sing-songy like voice, "The Green Tornadoes; OOOOOOOOHHHHH!!"
"Say, wasn't Courtney your best friend?" Vinny ask Gwen, realizing something. It's true. The Goth girl used to be best friends with Courtney.
"Yeah, but then she went famous. We haven't spoken since then." Gwen remarks dryly to Vinny, "All that fame really gone to her head."
"Oh yeah, but isn't she awesome? Ha ha ha," Owen laughs madly while smirking a bit. He then points to three dog anthro like critters speaking with Scott and Courtney, "And those guys?"
"Yeah, they are Big Time, Bouncer and Burger." Mike remarks with a sly grin of anticipation.
The trio of boys begins speaking in a sing-songy like voice once more, "The Beagle Boys."
"Yeah! They are world class racers."
"I don't know, they used to be world class burglars until it was said that they begin working for the two on community service." Audrey explains to her friends seriously. "That and those Beagle Boys used to be one dog until they were separated at birth."
"Wow, I wish I was separated at birth." The Mole remarks with a smile of anticipation, dreaming of being separated at birth.
Joshua chuckles a bit, remarking, "Mole, face it. You probably were without knowing it."
"You know, those guys are going to be tough to be." Gwen said to Mike seriously, "Scott and Courtney of course."
"Right, but I gotta try my best." Mike remarks in determination. He can't let two hotshot racers discouraged without Scott and Courtney even trying.
In the plane booth, a mouse announcer named Mickey smiles as he spoke to the crowd, "Ha ha, okay, folks! This is the last of the four time travels being held worldwide." It's show time. Mike glances at the competitors gathering while waiting. "Today's qualifying round is one lap around the pylons. The top 5 finishers while qualify for the Wings around the Globe Rally."
The crowd cheers wildly as Mickey laughs, "Ha ha ha; Yeah," The mouse motions to the first competitor who is waiting for anything, "Well, Dagur the Deranged, you're up! "The Viking spits to the ground, got into his plane and starts it up. "Yuck. Nasty!"
Regardless, Dagur begins flying as he touches the line on the cone balloons. The timer starts, only the first five times will move on to the rally itself.
"And he's through the start gate!" Mickey exclaims with a nod. As Dagur's plane goes through the course, the mouse reminds the crowd, "Remember: the racers must pass through the blue pylons on the horizontal and around the red ones on the knife-edge."
Dagur's plane turns while Mickey continues commentating on the pilot's performance, "Yeah! He's coming back to Gate 3." The plane twirls around quickly as it continues on, "Nicely done, Dagur! He is setting himself up a little high through the blue pylons here. Ha ha. He's lining up for the quadro."
Now the plane goes through the quadruple turn, going around it as Mickey continues onward, "Wow, now he's taking a hard right with a 270 degree high-G turn! Wow; Back all the way around, whoo; cleanly through, look at ya."
As Mike's group watch on, the leader grins as he said, "That guy's good."
"Yeah too good," Gwen remarks in suspicion while noting Dagur's performance, "He sounds too good to me."
"Folks, it doesn't get any better than that! Right, good speed! Lining up for the 3-pylon chicane! Amazing pitch control! Smooth, fast, and clean too!" Mickey comments. The mouse watches the final turn on his TV as Dagur's plane begins to fly high, "Now Dagur is in the final turn, into the half-Cuban, pulling an aggressive 9.2. Gs. He is attacking that climb! Gosh! That's some speed!' Soon the plane turns straight while going to the finish line, "Ha ha! He's coming out of the Cuban 8 at the end of a fantastic first run, folks!" Soon Dagur heads through the red line. A scoreboard shows his results. "Wow; A 0.24.16; one good and maybe tough time for the other racers to try beating!"

The rest of the tryouts has some contestants either managing to make it or blowing it, even literally! One pilot is seen going through the course as everyone else watches.
"Fast, tight through the pylons! Oh, he got a great pace going here, folks! He's just half a second behind." Mickey comments on the pilot's performance. Suddenly an engine is heard bursting, forcing the plane to land. "Yikes! Engine failure!"
"Oh!" The crowd cringes at this. And that pilot came so close!
"Out of the race; see ya later!"
"Yikes." Cameron said as he and the others watch on. That is not a pretty sight at all!

Another pilot is trying in the sky with Mike watching anxiously.
"Great performance so, folk; Watch the clock here." Mickey comments on this pilot's performance. Mike looks worried. How will he beat these guys? There're probably professionals!

Soon more flyers made some results while another one manages to beat out Dagur's time. But not everyone is a winner.
"Can't wait; He's lining up for the Blue Gate." Mickey comment on another flyer trying out...that is until he crashes right into a cone balloon, "Oh no! He did not! That is a major penalty!"
Soon another lane lands as the pilot's results are shown. Mickey shakes his head as he comments, "Sorry, pal. Eighth place," This cause the pilot to groans a bit. So close!

Soon it comes down to the next few contestants. The next pilot now took his turn. Mickey comments during this, "Now that's fast; coming out the Cuban 8."
Mike looks concerned. His turn is coming up. He saw Owen filling his plane up, saying, "Okay! Your plane is ready and filled up!"
"Okay, kid, you're up." A man spoke to Mike, informing him that it is now his turn.
Audrey got the wing ready. She sighs while speaking to Mike, "Okay, you're good and tight. All set...though I wish you didn't have to do this."
"Break a leg, kid, though not literally huh?" Vinny remarks to Mike without saying 'good luck' to jinx it. Mike sighs, nodding as he gets into his plane. He himself will need all the good luck that he could get!
"Folks, it has been a wonderful day here at the airport and we got one competitor last!" Mickey announces to the crowd happily.
"Okay, this is it." Mike said in determination.
"From Pilotwash Junction, the Big Boom!"
"'Big Boom'," Audrey ask Gwen, Cameron and Cameron in disbelief. That's the best nickname that Mike's friends could give him?
"Yeah, awesome Call Sign huh?" Owen responds to Audrey proudly, "My idea!"
"Yeah, figures."
Mike smiles as he drives his plane right into the area, lying in his chair eagerly. Of course, when Mickey and the crowd saw him, they look rather confused or disbelief. This cannot be 'the Big Boom'. What is tis?
"Hey, kid! You in the ag-plane! Landscaping was yesterday!" Mickey calls out to Mike with a frown. "Get off the runaway. We're racing here!"
"What? Oh, come on!" Mike exclaims to Mickey in disbelief. This mouse doesn't even know that he's the last contestant?
"Second call for the Big Boom!"
"No, wait! No!"
Mickey, still not realizing who's talking to, continues calling out, "Okay, looking for..."
"Hey! I'm the Big Boom, mouse boy!" Mike exclaims to the mouse. Mickey looks at him in disbelief. This dust cropper is 'the Big Boom'?
"Wait, you're the Big Boom? You're pulling my leg, right?"
"Yes and no. As n, yes, I'm the Big Boom and no, I ain't pulling your leg!"
"Gee, kid, not to be mean or anything...but you in a crop dusting plane? What's going on here? Is anyone going to fly today?" Mickey asks in disbelief while some folks in the crowd and the other pilots just laugh at this dumb idea of a joke. "Wow, your mom must have had high hopes for you. Sorry, but your plane is built for seed, not speed"
"Hey, come on, give him a chance!" Gwen calls out to Mickey while frowning. Isn't anyone going to give Mike any support besides his friends?
"Oh, you got to be kidding me." Scott remarks to Courtney and the beagles in amusement. "That farmer boy is trying to race here?"
"Ha ha ha ha. Seriously, especially with a prop that small," Big Time ask his fellow beagles with a cruel laugh in agreement.
Bouncer nods as he adds while motioning at Owen and his truck, "Maybe the bum races that leak, rundown truck run by fat boy over there."
"Hey, watch what you're calling 'leaky'!" Owen snaps at Bouncer, offended by the crack towards his truck. "I'll leak on you I you don't check your intake!"
Owen was about to charge at Bouncer and the rest of the Beagles, only for Audrey to hold him back, saying, "Owen, calm down. Don't lower yourself to their level."
"Right, those goons aren't worth it." Joshua remarks to Owen in agreement, though half of him agrees with his POV of beating up the Beagle Boys for the cruel remarks as well.
"Go on Mi...I mean Big Boom! Ha ha ha," The Mole calls out to Mike, supporting his friend.
Some of the crowd is still a bit skeptic. One of them comments, "Gee, who is that guy?"
"Are you honestly going to try out?" Another crowd member remarks to Mike tauntingly.
"A crop duster," Scott ask Courtney in disbelief. "Can you believe anything so ridiculous?"
"I don't know. My former friend Gwen is on his side." Courtney said, realizing her former fried Gwen from before the former's pilot days. "Perhaps she knows something we don't."
"Yeah, that kid is a loser!"
"Hey, the cornfield is that way!" A reporter known as Braeburn taunts at Mike who tries his best to ignore the taunting and the cruel remarks. These people just don't believe that he could do it.
"Yeah, nice of ya to take the day off just to lose," A worker jokes at Mike. The crowd continues chuckling cruelly as Mike turns his airplane on. He'll show them.
"Come on, Mike! Show them what a crop duster like you can do!" Owen cheers on Mike in determination.
Mickey shrugs a bit. If Mike wants to give this his all, who is he to stop him? The mouse continues commentating as usual, "Okay, it's going to be a tall order for him to knock Dagur out of fifth place."
Soon Mike's plane takes off into the sky. A concerned Gwen asks Cameron, "You think he could to do it?"
"I can only hope he doesn't crashes." Cameron remarks in concern, hoping that Mike would at least survive this whole ordeal.
Mike's plane zooms off, hitting the laser to start the record. As the timer starts, Mickey calls out, "And he's off! The boy is starting a little conservative."
"Oh yeah, this's going to be rich." Scott remarks to his girlfriend in amusement. He would be surprised if this Mike kid would even impress this crowd than make it to the Top Five.
"193 miles per hour," Mickey comments. Mike's plane zooms onward as he passes Gate 2. "He's into Gate 2, clean through the horizontal." The plane twirls as his wing hits the ground partially "Yikes, he's practically mowing the lawn! Hey, come to my house when you can, kid. Ha ha ha! Ahem, at the first split, he's a full second behind Dagur."
Mike continues going through the course. His friends watch on, hoping that their friend will be able to make it. The crowd, even Mickey, is getting impressed at Mike's determination. This kid is giving it his all!
"That's a lot of time to make up here but this guy's aggressive." Mickey remarks in amusement. "Now he's making that hard 270-degree high G-turn; Whoo!"
"Yeah, that's it, buddy!" Owen cheers on his friend eagerly. Everyone watches Mike's performance. Even those who once mocked him look amazed and/or shocked at what he's doing.
"Setting himself up; Left vertical turn; Lining up for the 3-pylon chicane. This kid's gaining speed! Now he's only a half a second behind Dagur and this kid is closing rapidly."
Scott looks stunned at what he's watching here. This farmer boy is really good! Soon Mike's plane goes up into the air as Gwen and Cameron cheers him on willy, "All right, yeah!"
"Now he's back on that stick. Up he goes!" Mikey exclaims in amazement by Mike's performance "Only two-tenths of a second behind Dagur!"
"Yeah, come on! You can do it, Mike!" Joshua cheers on Mike wildly. He could actually do it and beat out Dagur for the fifth slot!
"Yeah, yeah, beat the Deranged one!" The Mole cheers on Mike. The rest of the boy's group cheers on their friend in anticipation.
"It’s going to be close." Mickey said as he observes Mike's plane twirls a bit.
"He's going to do it, guys. I just know he will." Owen said to the others excitedly. Soon, Mike's tryout is done as his plane hit the finish line laser.
"Wow! What a finish, folks! That's what you call flying!"
The crowd that used to mock Mike is now cheering for him as his plane lands on the ground. Cameron cheers on, "Yeah; Way to go, dust master!"
Mike pants a bit, sweating as he got out of his plane. At least the crowd stopped mocking him; Now to see if he has succeeded o not.
"Oh right!" Owen laughs as he slaps Mike right on his back. "That's what we're talking about."
Everyone look at the results, waiting to see what will happen now. They were shown as Mickey announces, "Big Boom, the official time is 1 minute, 24.26 seconds." To the group's disappointment the top five shows Mike's fake name in sixth place, "Sixth place; Shame, but a close one, folk."
"Oh man! You mean after all that, we lost?" Gwen asks her friends in disappointment; All that training and Mike ends up in sixth place.
"Aw, man." Mike groans while looking down in disappointment as well. So close too.
"Well, folks, that wraps up the trials for the Wings Around the Globe rally." Mickey announces, bringing the trials to a close.
"Well, it was good while it lasted, Mike." Cameron said, wanting to cheer his friend up. "To be honest, I thought we were going to get in too."
Just then Dagur came to the group, fixing his helmet while saying to Mike, "Hey pal. Sixth place isn't anything to be ashamed of. That is one heck of a run you did there."
"Yeah, thank." Mike said half-heartedly. His friends look at him, feeling depressed.
It will take a miracle for something to happen to Mike now.

A while later, the gang returns to Pilotwash Junction to do what they normally do; Especially Mike who sadly continues dusting the crop fields, looking more sullen. He has high hopes in making it into the rally...now the boy got nothing.
At the flight school, Peppy watch Mike through his binoculars then glances at a saddened Rob 64. Even the hare felt sorry for the boy whose dreams were dashed thanks to being in sixth place. It seems nothing will cheer Mike up now.
That is until the miracle I mentioned soon arrives. On the outskirts of town, a truck is heading towards it, hitting a bump in the road. A familiar mouse is heard shouting, "Ouch! Hey, come on. At least let me drive if you're going to do that!"
During this time, Owen was filling up a fire truck being pulled by a Charizard. Once he's done, Owen announces, "Okay, there you go. Topped off and ready, Charizard!" As the Pokémon leaves, the truck chose that time to show up.
"Oh, show right now! This is crazy!" Mickey snaps angrily. The truck came to a screech halt before a door opens, revealing the mouse getting out with a frown. In sarcasm, he adds, "Why not go back, feller?! I think you actually missed a pothole!" Mickey slaps the truck in anger, coughing a bit. "You got to be the worst ever; the worst delivery person to ever make a delivery!"
As Mickey grumbles and came up to Owen, Joshua appears, asking, "Yeah, can I help you?"
"Please tell me this is Pilotwash Junction. I went through a nightmare of a ride just to get here."
"Oh, you got the right place." Owen said with a smile. "And I know you. You're the mouse who announces the tryouts for the race rally."
"Thanks for noticing. Anyway, finally I'm here." Mickey said, sighing in relief. "Do you know how hard it is to finish this place? You aren't even on the map and I thought Townsville Springs was hard to find one time before Tommy Pickles came across it!"
"Right, pretty drive though, right?" Joshua asks Mickey with a chuckle.
"Right, especially if you're looking at dirt and corn." Mickey sighs as he looks at a clipboard. "Okay, I'm not here on vaca, I'm here on business. I'm looking for a Big Boom."
"Uh, who," Owen ask Mickey in concern. He knows that 'Big Boom' is Mike's call name/nickname but the fat boy is worried that his friend may be in trouble.
"Big Boom, the Big Boom. That boy who participated in and made it in sixth place at the tryouts the other day."
"Oh ha ha ha ha ha...uh, no, doesn't ring a bell. Got a photo?"
"Oh right. I got one right here." Mickey remark sarcastically, then he snaps, "No, I don't have one! I got documentation which says that the Big Moon lives right here in Pilotwash Junction."
"Oh, whoa, yeah, wait a minute! Okay, uh..." Owen said, in pretend ponder. He continues, "Errr, no, gosh, I..."
Just then, Mike, Gwen and Cameron shows up, the pilot spoke up, "Hey, I'm the Big Boom."
"And we're his friends Cameron and Gwen." Cameron said with a nod while Gwen watches on.
"Oh right! Big Boom, right here, that's right!" Owen remarks to Mickey in pretend realization. Motioning to Mike, he adds, "Right, I knew I'd remember! There he is, strutting on over here."
"Right, but you actually mispronounce it slightly." Mike said to Mickey with a sigh. If the mouse came here to congratulate him despite making it in sixth place; may as well break the news to him.
"Oh really?" Mickey ask Mike, arching an eyebrow at this.
"Yeah, it's actually pronounced 'Mike'."
"AKA Chester AKA Svetlana AKA Vito AKA Manitoba Smith AKA Mal," Gwen explains, counting off some names. Mickey gave an odd look to her. "He used to have a Multiple Personality Disorder."
"Okay then, Mike." Mickey said with a frown at the name, especially his MPD ones.
"Right, it's Canadian as far as I know." Mike said to Mickey, rubbing the back on his head.
"Yeah...and I'm Disney."
"Well, that sounds cool considering you look like something a cartoonist make up." Cameron laughs a bit, but stops as Mickey frowns at him. "Sorry, bad joke?"
"Nah, I heard that a lot, it got boring." Mickey remarks a bit. He sniffs Mike then almost gags from the stench. "Whoa! Gosh, in the name of Walt Disney, what is that smell?!"
"It's Vita-minamulch." Gwen explains dryly to Mickey.
"Vita-mina-what-now?"
Jack chose that time to pass by, explaining eagerly, "It's the finest-smelling stuff this side of the Mississippi, lad! Original, creamy and chunky style!" The pirate sniffs and grins, "Aye. Smell that? Yeah, it's like bad fish and Sunday dinner. I really love it, I love it." As he laughs, Jack begins to sing while leaving, "I got some minamulch, yeah! I got some minamulch, yeah!"
As Jack leaves, Mickey gave an uneasy look to the others, saying, "I think that pirate breathe in too much of that stuff. You know that, right?"
"Yeah," Mike's group remarks with nods. That Jack Sparrow is an odd one indeed.
"Anyway...'Mike', are you family with the racing fuel additive, nitro methane? Or even steroids used by athletes?"
"Steroids; Oh yeah, heard of that stuff but never used it." Owen remarks with a shrug of innocence. "I also know of the nitro stuff! Zip juice for vehicles, go-go punch! That stuff is awesome while steroids can mess up your vision and slur your speech."
"It is also illegal to use in races, especially using nitro methane in vehicles." Mickey explains to Owen, making some of the others yelp a bit.
"Right, totally illegal." Gwen remarks a bit, rolling her eyes.
"Err, wouldn't know what it looks like." Owen said sheepishly, whistling a bit.
"Wait, hang on. You aren't accusing Mike of using steroids or that substance stuff, are you?" Cameron ask Mike in worry, fearing that his friend could be in trouble for the allege use of the mentioned illegal stuff.
"No, but one of the competitors in the tryouts did." Mickey explains to Mike's group sternly. "The nitro substance was found in the tank of the qualifier for fifth-place Dagur the Deranged. Also, certain drug tests reveal him to be using steroids on the day of the tryouts. Illegal fuel and steroid intake is a nasty combination which leads to an automatic DQ. Rules state that when that happens, the racer that is in a rank behind that disqualified racer moves up."
"Wait, hang on." Mike spoke in a stunned sort of way but also getting hopeful. "Does this mean..."
"You got it. He's out; you're in; Congratulations, Mike."
The trio gasps in surprise and excitement. Cameron asks Mike eagerly, "You're in?!"
"Yeah, I guess." Mike answers Cameron with a smile while nodding. He couldn't believe it!
Owen ponders a bit, then exclaims in realization, "YAHOO! HE'S IN!" The fat boy turns to everyone else, including Audrey and the rest of the crew, "Hey, everyone! You aren't going to believe this in a million years, but do so now! Mike is in!" The crowd gasps and cheers. Audrey is shocked. Mike actually made it?! "Yeah, Mikey is in the race!"
"Whoa, you hear that, Audrey?" Vinny ask Audrey, grinning at the good news. "He's in!"
"Wait, are you serious?" Audrey asks Vinny in disbelief. She thought that Mike wouldn't make it but he did?!
"Yeah, all right, Mike!" Rob 64 cheers as he and the others go over to congratulate Mike for his success in making it into the rally.
"Yeah, all right! You made it!" The Mole laughs madly, slapping Mike on the back wildly.
Audrey smiles a bit, shaking her head while saying, "Well, at least don't do anything crazy, okay? Fly safe." She as a friend would want to at least support Mike in this crazy race he's in.
"Oh, another thing, Mike. Find yourself a navigator, Mike. You will need one and it's mandatory." Mickey said, remembering another important rule. "Also, you can bring in extra help if you wish."
"No prob." Mike said eagerly as he turns to Cameron and Gwen. "So how about it, guys? Wanna join me on this one?"
"Only if I get to be navigator," Cameron chuckles as he hugs Mike, accepting his invite to join him on the race.
"Hey, we're in this together, Mike." Gwen said to Mike with a smile. She wouldn't miss helping Mike in this race for the world.
"Man, it's going to be awesome." Owen remarks to Mike eagerly. "You're going to cross a lot of oceans, thousands of miles wide, freezing your butt off one day."
"And burning it off on the next," Rob 64 said with a smile.
"Wait, huh?" Mike asks in alarm by what Owen and Rob 64 just saying. Cameron and Gwen notices their pal's worried look as the ones that alarmed him continue on.
"Oh, and crazy hurricanes," Owen remarks eagerly, worrying Mike out some more.
"Cyclones too," Rob 64 remarks, not realizing that he's scaring Mike out some more.
"Typhoons," The Mole laughs, joining in on the fun, not seeing Gwen and Cameron signaling him, Owen and Rob 64 to stop; what they're saying is starting to scare poor Mike.
"Monsoons!"
"Tornadoes," Owen exclaims with a laugh of excitement.
"Let's not forget the sandstorms!" Rob 64 remarks, making Mike sweat a bit like mad.
"Gale force winds, ha ha ha!" The Mole laughs devilishly, causing Mike to get dizzy now.
"Yeah! Woo-hoo," Some of the crowd cheers on...but stop as Mike faints to the ground, unconscious by the dangers of flight that he's hearing.
"Not helping, guys, not helping." Gwen remarks to the others in annoyance.

Author's note
All right, Mike is in the Wings around the Globe Rally, but is he ready to face the dangers? In the next chapter, the boy is finally trained by Peppy Hare to participate but will he be able to be ready in time? Read, review and suggest.

Dagur the Deranged is one of the bad guys in the Dreamworks' Dragons TV series.

Braeburn is Applejack's cousin from 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'.

Chapter 3: Veteran's Help

Mike check out the world map outside the flight school. He looks worried. How the boy be able to make it across a lot of ocean ad deal with a whole lot of dangers?
"Oh man." Mike mumbles a bit as Cameron and Gwen watches from nearby.
"Hey, Mike, stop worrying. You will do fine." Cameron assures Mike with a smile...though part of him is worried about the dangers that his friend is facing as well.
"Bad idea, kid," A familiar voice spoke up. The trio turns to see Peppy looking concerned and concerned as he came into the house. "You will end up a smoking hole on the side of a mountain with your plane parts scattered all over 5 countries."
"And what gave you that idea?" Mike asks Peppy who glances at the plane figures on his self. The boy collects them. Racing is kinda Mike's life.
"You will end up going against the best racers all over the world. And trust me; some of them won't even finish at all."
"What?" Gwen asks Peppy in surprise.
Peppy nods as he continues speaking to Mike as if a teacher reprimanding a student for a lot of mistakes, "You see, you're sloppy on your rolls, wide on your turns, and slow on your straightaways."
"So wait, have you been watching me?" Mike asks Peppy in shock. He wasn't aware that this hare was watching his performance all this time!
"Right us, watching you make a fool right out of yourself."
"Peppy, I know you and some people don't think that Mike has a chance but please, teach him." Gwen insists as she points to the sign. "It say 'Can teach anyone to fly, guaranteed'. You taught that Fuzzy Lumpkins character how to fly."
"Yes, that's true...but I was lucky that time." Peppy explains to Gwen seriously, recalling that time. "And as they say, don't press your luck."
"Gotta agree with Peppy, guys," Rob 64 said as he came up, looking concerned. "Fuzzy is one thing. This is another."
"Come on, give Mike a chance!" Cameron insists to Peppy. How will the hare know that the boy won't do it unless h tries?
Peppy sighs in irritation, shaking his head as he explains, "Kid, you need t be tighter getting in and out of your knife-edge.”
“Yeah.”
“Any extra control input could cost ya speed and seconds.”
“So wait, you think I’m overcorrecting, right?” Mike asks Peppy, pondering what the hare is saying.
Peppy nods as he adds, “That’s correct. A common rookie mistake,” It was at this time that the gang realize what’s going on and what the hare is going.
“Hang on. Are you giving me pointers?”
“What? No, actually not! I am telling you to forget all this racing nonsense! Your plane isn’t built for it and you aren’t the right person! You are a crop duster!”
“Oh, what? You think I don’t know that? Huh? You think I don’t KNOW THAT?! I’m the one who has flew back and forth across the same fields day after day, every months and for a lot of years! I have flown a lot of miles and…haven’t been anywhere.” Mike said sighing as he glances back to the globe map before looking back to Peppy who looks surprised. “Not like you though. You were built to fight and look what you did.”
“He’s right; you’re one big hero like your pals the Star Fox.” Gwen said to Peppy, much to his surprise and amazement.
“Yeah, some people think that a rookie like Mike won’t make it…and I betcha deep down, they said the same thing about you.” Cameron comments, making Peppy looks surprised and touched.
“I’m trying to prove that maybe, just maybe, without a doubt, that I can do more than what my plane and I were built and born for.” Mike explains, but he sighs, looking down. “But then again, why bother? Better forget it. You won’t understand. You and mostly everyone else don’t.”
Peppy pauses to do some thinking then he looks seriously as he spoke, “0500, tomorrow. Try not to be late.”
“Wait, what?” Gwen ask a bit surprised, wondering what Peppy is talking about.
“It means 5:00 AM in military talk.” Rob 64 explains to the trio. Mike and his friends look surprised and eager as they smile. Could this mean what they think it means?
“Are you…going to teach Mike after all?”
“Correct. And Cameron; don’t forget your navigator manual.” Peppy points out to Cameron sternly. “You’ll need it.”
“Yes, sir,” Cameron exclaims, saluting Peppy; It’s official: the hare is now teaching Mike, time for some training for the rally!

It was the next morning as the rooster is heard crowing. The training has truly begin. Mike’s plane zooms through the fields while Owen, Vinny and the Mole watches as Rob 64 shines Peppy’s binoculars. This oughta be interesting.
“Rob 64, binoculars.” Peppy said to the robot who nods and gives it to the hare who uses the binoculars to look at the plane to assist Mike in his training.
“Wow, those must be some mighty clean optics there.” Owen said, impressed at how Rob 64 clean the binocular, “Whatcha use? Some kind of shammy>:
“Actually no, it’s a special microfiber cloth.” Rob 64 explains to Owen with a nod.
“Ah…microfiber…mind putting that in deal?” Vinny ask Rob 64 while motioning to the Mole. “Mole here can’t handle it, you know?”
“In other words, lint-free and scratch-free, I will get you guys some.” Rob 64 said to Owen with a smile. In the plane, Gwen and Cameron are preparing to assist Mike who saw a small light, spotting the group near the flight school. “Heck, I got an ex-Navy buddy who could sell them to me wholesale! I helped him set up his web…”
“Okay, knock it off.” Peppy snaps to the others sternly. He needs concentration and focus with the task at hand. As the others stood in attention, Rob 64 spots the cloth in air before snatching it, the hare continues, “We got a lot of work to do here so no dawdling!”
“I will make sure to hook you up, Owen.”
“Hey, thanks.” Owen said, smiling at Rob 64’s offer.
Peppy chose to ignore the comment as he took the radio, looking at the plane as he speaks to Mike’s group in it, “Now don’t forget, Mike. It isn’t how fast you fly, it’s how you fly fast.”
“Roger that.” Mike said, nodding in understanding.
“Show me what you got, kid.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Mike.” Cameron said in concern, hoping that Mike knows the risks of taking Peppy’s training.
“Yeah…my thoughts as well,” Mike said to himself in concern. Cameron cling the map, doing his best to help Mike out as the new navigator. As the boy flies his place, he exclaims eagerly, “Hey, watch this, oh yeah!”
As the plane swerves, Peppy’s voice came from the radio once more, “Great, so you can go up and down. So what else you got? Show me your turns.”
“Here we go!” Gwen exclaims as the plane turns a bit. Needless to say, Peppy isn’t a bit impressed by that display.
“You call that good? That stunk! Knife-edge those elm trees,” Peppy orders Mike sternly. This is making the boy a bit nervous as he twirls his plane a bit then passes the trees though barely. “Come on, keep your nose up!”
The others below are also using binoculars to view the action in the sky. Rob 64 spoke to Peppy, saying, “Hey, Peppy.” The hare saw the robot pointing upward to the sky, finding something that Peppy can use in the training.
“Okay, you want speed, right?” Peppy ask Mike through the radio.
“Yeah, I do.” Mike’s voice said in determination.
“Serious, bolt rattling speed?”
The ones in the plane grin eagerly as they call out in determination, “Yeah!” Mike and his friends definitely need some speed!
“All right, look up.” Peppy instructs Mike, causing him and his pals to look at the sky. “See those clouds? That’s highway in the sky, kid. Tails winds like nothing you’ve ever flown.”
Hearing that made Mike concerned and worried as if…that was a bad idea; Gwen and Cameron notes this and looks worried as they both know of a secret that their friend doesn’t want anyone to know ever.
“Come on, what are you waiting for? Power up, firewall thrust,” Peppy instructs Mike, not sure why the boy is hesitating. The pilot gulps as he moves his plane upward, “Max torque, max torque!” The plane keeps on going upward, “All right, looking good!”
On the ground, the others watch Mike’s progress through the binoculars; he’s doing good so far. Peppy continues his instructions, “Hold V-7, Mike. Max rate…now.” The boy begins to look down a bit. “Your nose is too high, keep it down!”
Mike gasps in terror as he saw himself, Gwen and Cameron too high in the sky! What is he thinking?! The boy is going to get everyone in this plane killed!
“You’re going to stall, Mike.” Peppy warns Mike in precaution. “Ease off the pitch, nose down.”
Finally Mike then screams in a panic then groans as he faints a bit. As a result, the pilot begins losing control of his plane, causing it to go down like mad.
“No, Mike!” Cameron cries out in terror at Mike’s fainting. He and Gwen were scared that this would happen! His fear is coming back to haunt back!
Gwen speaks into the radio in alarm, “Mayday, mayday! We’re going down!”
“What are you doing?!” Peppy ask in shock as he and the ones on the ground watch Mike’s plane going downward like mad.
“Mike fainted, we’re in big trouble!”
Mike finally opens his eyes and yelps, realizing that the plane is going to crash. Frantically, the contestant grabs the wheel and lands the plane safely in time. The trio pants a bit, that was a close one.
“Mike, are you crazy?! You almost got us killed!” Cameron scolds a bit, holding his hand to his heart in a panic. “Now you know why we told you to conquer that fear of yours!”
“I know, I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Mike said, panting in regret and worry.
Of course, Mike was interrupted as Peppy came up, frowning in disappointment as he demands, “What just happened up there?! I want answers.”
“Errr, I was…low on fuel?”
“Kid, do I look like I came out of the burrow yesterday?”
“More like Planet Corneria.” Gwen comments to Peppy dryly, causing him to look at her in annoyance. “What?!”
“Hmph!” Peppy scoffs a bit at this. Mike better have a good reason for almost getting himself and his crew killed with that stunt.
“Look, no, it’s…it’s a long story.” Mike said in sadness, rubbing the back of his head. How will he explain his problem to the toughest hare in the navy.
“Oh, I got time.”
“Hoo boy,” Cameron and Gwen said at once and in concern. Mike is going to have one heck of a time explaining his biggest fear to a brave hare like Peppy.
“Well, just so you know…I feel like having some problems with my aerial compressor…so…” Mike said, making up some sort of excuse instead of telling right out.
Peppy however shakes his head, saying sternly, “In Star Fox, we have a lot of sayings. One of them is this ‘Volo Pro Veritas’.”
“What?” Cameron ask a bit puzzled.
“It means ‘I fly for truth’ and Mike, you don’t.”
“Wait, are you calling Mike a liar?” Gwen asks Peppy in concern. Of course, she and Cameron knew that this is true. Their friend isn’t being honest with the hare as to why he freaked out like that.
Peppy sighs as he explains, “Your friend is hiding something and unless he faces it, Mike is never going to make it out there.”
“What,” Mike ask Peppy in shock and alarm. The hare is sounding like he is quitting the training until the boy comes clean with his fear.
“Rob, take me back to the hangar. We’re done here forever.”
Rob 64 nods as he begins to escort Peppy back to the hangar. Mike looks stunned, trying to speak. He got to tell Peppy the truth or the pilot may as well give up on his dreams.
Make has difficulties at first but finally what he said to Peppy making him and Rob 64 stopped in their tracks, “Okay! I’m afraid of heights.”
The others leaving stopped, looking surprised and disbelief; Owen spoke up, “Wait, what? You’re afraid of heights?”
“I…I’m a crop duster after all. I’ve never flown over a thousand feet.”
“It’s true. Mike has a trouble involving heights for a long time.” Cameron explains to Peppy and the others with a sigh. “Gwen and I were trying our best to help him with that fear.”
“Right but so far, Mike is still Chicken Little. No offense.” Gwen said to Mike, causing him to shake his head, saying ‘no offense taken’.
“So what, you’re kidding?” Peppy ask Mike in disbelief. “You are scared of heights and yet you want to race around the world?”
“Yeah, that pretty much sums it all up.”
Rob 64 looks concerned then he speaks to Peppy about a subject, “Say, Peppy; during the attack of Venom Harbor, why, even some best of the pilots had trouble at high altitudes; Right?”
“That’s true, but they didn’t have to fly over the Himalayas, did they?” Peppy reminds Rob 64 of that fact.
“I will still be low to the ground…just not so high up.” Mike admits to Peppy in concern. The boy can still be in the air as long as he’s close to the ground.
“Plus, after the war, those pilots went on to be big time racers.” Rob 64 said with a smile. The robot has fond memories of those pilots making it to the big time.
“Really; is that true?” The Mole ask Rob 64 in amazement.
“You betcha, just like in the Cleveland race of 1946!”
“Wow, seriously? For real,” Owen ask Rob 64 eagerly. It must be cool for wartime pilots to become flying racers later on in light!
“Oh, get better.” Rob 64 said with a smile, getting ready for the next part. “In 1948, the P-38 Sky Ranger averaged 337 miles per hour.”
“Wait 337?”
“Okay, it’s actually 337.4, but still, that is good enough to make it to the record books.”
“Why would you do that?” Owen asks Rob 64, bewildered by the lack of a decimal point in the actual speed.
Rob 64 shrugs as he explains, “Folks nowadays don’t have any respect for decimal points.”
"Whoa, tell me about it."
"Yeah, couldn't they just round it up?"
"Seriously, he..." Owen begins to say. However two certain people cuts him and Rob 64, not wanting to hear anymore.
“Okay, okay, enough, boys!” Peppy snaps to the two boys in annoyance. Now is not the time for that, now the time’s to help Mike.
“Right, we’re going off focus here.” Gwen said in agreement.
“Okay, Mike, so you’re a flat hatter, right. We’ll work on that. But for now, time to see if we can turn low and skippy into low and fast.”
Mike smiles, saluting his mentor in determination while saying, “Yes, sir!”

A while later, Peppy and Rob 64 shows a training plan to Mike and his crew. If they want to be ready in time for the big rally, they must be prepared and able to deal with the problems waiting for them.
“It will go like this.” Peppy said as he shows the paper that has the first lesson marked ‘Lesson 1: Shadow Sprints’. As he continues speaking, the scene shows a flag being placed up along with the results of the actual scene. “Now that flag marks the startling line. Across the cornfield, 3 silos are waiting for you. You must slalom those with a radial-6 pass.”
“Wait, ‘a radial’ what pass?” Cameron ask Peppy, not sure what the hare is referring to.
“And once you get to those trees, go to your optimal rate of climb to about 500 feet. Roll inverted and extend, trading altitude for air speed and dive right towards that finish line.”
The trio looks at each other in confusion before Mike spoke up, “Okay, yeah, I think I got that.”
“Right, you make sure to string that all together, you might be able to beat him.” Peppy said with a nod of satisfaction.
“So wait, who are we racing? Scott?” Gwen asks Peppy curiously. “I mean, he’s probably a cheat like that creep Dick Dastardly of the car racing thing with what he installed illegal and smashes other planes. Plus, Scott is a bad influence on Courtney!”
“Oh relax. Scott is the least of your problems with the pilot I got in mind.”

A while later, Peppy and his group are in a balcony to give out the test to Mike. The hare glances at a plane that is flying high in the sky.
“Well, there he is.” Peppy said, speaking through a radio. “That plane is a twin commuter pushing about 1500 horsepower, comes through here every day.”
As the ones in the balcony glances at Mike and his crew in his plane, the pilot respond back through the radio, “Wow. He’s pretty high up; how will we catch him?”
“Oh, you won’t be racing him, you’re racing his shadow.” Peppy said. Sure enough, there is a shadow of the big plane going ahead of Mike’s plane. “You must beat it to the water tower.”
“Right, come on.” Gwen said as Mike turns his plane on then zooms off in hopes to beat the shadow.
“Right, let’s do this. Thread the silos!” Peppy calls out to Mike who tries to make his plane go faster in hopes to catch up to the shadow. He doesn’t want to lose this. “Tighter! Lean into your turns some more.”
Unfortunately, no matter how much Mike tries, the shadow kept on going onward, leaving the plane behind. Peppy frowns, shaking his head while saying, “Wow, his turns are awesome.”
“Tell me about it.” Rob 64 remarks with a shrug.
“Come on, Mike, go faster.” Peppy instructs Mike sternly. The boy’s plane continues zooming a bit, going by the cows that didn’t see him. “You’re falling behind! Begin your climb and try to catch him in the dive!”
Mike nods as he turns his plane high. Peppy continues, "All right; start your dive now..." Unfortunately, the hare frown as the shadow came to the finish line list, and just before boy would do anything. "On second thought, never mind. He just beaten ya." Mike screams and pounds his head on the dashboard in frustration. Great!

Audrey and the rest of the crew came into the school to assist Mike in figuring out how to help him speed faster.
“Okay, we can increase or decrease the drag.” Audrey comment, pointing to certain parts in the planet as she prepares to tear a part of it out. Needless to say, that causes Mike to freak out.
“Wait, no way! I am not losing my plane parts!” Mike exclaims to his friend frantically. “I definitely need to increase power!”
“All right, let’s pimp this baby up!” Joshua laughs eagerly as he and the mechanic crew got to work. They work on using lasers to make some changes while putting a battery into the plane itself.
As Audrey begins screwing in the torque, she adds, “More torque means more speed.”
This causes the speed to increase a bit. Hopefully that would work.

A while later, the big plane is seen crossing the lines once more as the miles showed 215; The others look at the marker while Peppy stares on, unimpressed.
“Very lousy.” Peppy said, shaking his head a bit while frowning. Mike will have to do better than that!

Mike kept on working on having his plane do a G-turn. He got to get this right in hopes to be fully prepared…and maybe one day conquer his nasty fear of fears once and for all.
“Come on, work on that radial-G turn!” Peppy instructs Mike through the radio, causing the boy to do his best to do what he said, “One more time. Now again!”

In the train, Mike’s crew look at the shadow of the big plane passing by as the leader prepares to do his best to catch up to it.
“Come on, push it, Mike!” Peppy instructs Mike in determination. As the shadow begins passing, the plane quickly zooms past the finish line. “Right, better!”

As the gang looks at the plans for what to do next in the training, Peppy continues, “Do not forget, altitude for airspeed. Gravity is your ally. The laws of physics govern speed. Remember that.”

Audrey and her crew fires up the torque, increasing the numbers; This is perfect, this should be enough to get Mike’s dust cropper plane a moving and a speeding in no time.

A while later, Peppy kept his binoculars right onto Mike’s plane, speaking in the wise mentor voice, “Okay, Mike. Give this run all you’ve got.” The trio in their plane heads off, going through the course as images played in Mike’s head. “Use your radial-G, allow gravity to work with you.”
Mike’s plane zooms through the radial G in speed. Proudly, Peppy adds, “Okay, looking good. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Firewall throttle, go, go, go!”
The trio kept on zooming through the course in determination. Nothing is going to stop them. Owen cheers on his pals from the balcony, “Yeah, all right, guys!” The plane zooms by the cows, startling them enough to moo loudly before tipping over.
“Now begin your climb!” Peppy orders Mike with a nod. Now to see if all that training has paid off. The trio begins going high with their plan. “All right, altitude for airspeed. Catch him in the dive, do so…NOW!”
Soon the plane twirls and dives off, zooming off above the ground. Sure enough, Mike, Gwen and Cameron pass by the shadow and cross the finish line, the marker showing the number 317. They did it!
“All right, ballistic,” Owen laughs madly. His friends has done it.
“Whoo-hoo-hoo,” Rob 64 cheers on wildly for the trio’s success.
“Oh yeah, yeah,” Vinny cheers as he and the Mole high-five one another.
“Yeah, good work, boys!” Joshua cheers on his friends from the balcony. He knew that Mike, Cameron and Gwen would be able to do it.
“Yeah, all right,” Mike and Cameron cheers on wildly in the plane with Gwen eagerly laughing. All that training has indeed paid odd!
“Oh right, those guys and girl kicked some major air out there!” Rob 64 exclaims with a smile, proud of the success.
“Morodirno…whatever that means!” Owen exclaims, cheering some more.
Peppy smiles a bit, saying, “They’re ready.” His trainees have completed their training. The Wings around the Globe Rally awaits them.

Audrey, Rob 64 and Mike’s supporters got to work on repainting Mike’s plane for the big race. The boy looks amazed as there is a symbol of a red fox with wings on it.
“Wow! Gwen and Cameron exclaims in amazement at the symbol.
“Wow, that’s so cool.” Owen remarks, impressed with the symbol.
“The Star Fox logo, your squadron insignia,” Mike said to Peppy in amazement. It’s an honor for anyone to get that symbol on their planes, even though not part of the team!
Peppy gave a smile to Mike, saying, “You and your friends earned it, Mike.”
“Yeah, it fits you.” Joshua said to Mike with a smile on his face.
"Right, totally fits ya." Owen said, trying his best to hold in his tears but to no prevail.
"Yeah, fitting ya," The Mole said, trying not to cry...but he gave up and grabs Vinny's shirt, sobbing into it, much to his pal's annoyance.
"Listen, my friends. When the race starts and all those planes take off, well, that will stir up a bunch of swirlies, just like the original Star Fox run into at the Battle of Airway." Peppy said, giving out one big final piece of advice for Mike.
"Yeah, roger that." Cameron said with a nod, saluting the coach.
"Right, I just wish you were coming with us though." Mike said with a sigh. It's a shame that Peppy cannot come with him, Gwen and Cameron for this big day.
Peppy just smiles, saying, "Just radio back once you get to the check points. I will be you wingman from here."
"Volo Pro Veirtas, right?" Gwen asks Peppy with a grin.
"Right. Volo Pro Veritas."
"I can only hope Cameron can handle the job of being my navigator." Mike remarked, concerned that Cameron may not be able to handle the responsibility of being the navigator.
"Mike, just leave the navigation to me, buddy." Cameron said to Mike with a smile. "I can handle it."
"Just made sure that we are needed for in case we are needed,” Gwen said to Mike. As long as his radio is long, she and Cameron are on standby in case of any trouble.
“Kick some tail, buddy!” Owen exclaims as Mike, Gwen and Cameron are preparing to take their leave for the Wings Around the Globe Rally.
“Right, we’re all proud of ya.” Audrey chuckles, slugging Mike a bit in the shoulder, making him wince. She punches him lightly two times. “That’s two for that.”
“Whoo-hoo, Dustmeister,” Rob 64 cheers on for Mike eagerly. Time for that boy to show those other champions what he’s got!

Author’s note
Mike’s training is now complete but will he be ready for the rally? In the next chapter, the boy and his pals arrived at the airport where they begin their rally, though everyone there is not welcoming. They did befriend the Cloudsdale pilot Soarin’ and meet romantic interests in a pilot named Zoey and her friend Trent. Read, review and suggest!

Chapter 4: The Other Racers

It was a couple of days as Mike flew the plane through a fog with Gwen and Cameron sitting with them. The trio is on their way to New York right now where the first part of the rally will take place from.
While Cameron reads a book marked 'Navigators for Morons', the trio arrives at the city at last, looking amazed.

New York, New York City, come on.
New York, New York City, come on. (Yeah)

"Ah, the big apple," Mike said as the trio looks amazed at New York itself.

New York, New York singing your song (uh-huh)
And you don't stop, that's why.

"Ugh, guys, this song is lame. Let's see what else is on." Gwen mumbles as she turns the dial on the radio due to the fact that the girl can't stand what is playing right now. Soon another song plays, making her grin a bit.

I'm back, back in the New York Groove
I'm back, back in the New York Groove
I'm back, back in the New York Groove
Back in the New York Groove, in the New York Groove

"Very much better." Gwen said with a grin. Mike chuckles, shaking his head a bit.
Just then the radio screeches as a voice came out of it, "Break, break; Air number 7, air racer number 7. Do you read me? Kennedy approach, over."
Mike nods, taking the mike as he speaks into it, "Yeah, I'm Mike and my friends are I are looking for JFK airport."
"Mike 7, you are supposed to be on the visual for Carnice. Turn further left, heading 1-9-5." The trio looks out a window to see some lights nearby, seeing a plane flying off. Looks like that's where they have to go. "Maintain, 1,000 feet. Intercept the 22 right localizer; you are cleared for the ILS 22, right approach."
"Right, Roger."
"Heavy is sectored in behind ya."
"Wait, mind repeating that," Cameron ask the voice, puzzled by that statement.
The voice explains to Camera more clearly, "Just turn further left, heading 1-9-5. Maintain 1,000..."
Of course the trio is almost to the landing area. Mike calls out, "Never mind. I got it. Thanks."
Two workers glance around in the landing station, looking for any signs for Mike's plane on the radar. The first one asks, "Do you see him?"
"The radar does but I don't see squat." The other worker commented to his colleague with a shrug.
The two looks at the binoculars and eventually spot Mike's plane that land on the ground. Gwen smiles as she calls out, "All right, we're here in New York!"
"Yeah, check out this pavement, guys!" Cameron exclaims to his friends, glancing at the runway in amazement.
"Right, nice, it's so smooth." Mike remarks with a smile. Nothing can ruin this moment.
That is until the voice spoke once more on the radio, "Mike 7, you just passed the Foxtrot. Turn left onto Charlie and hold short at 22."
"Wait, huh? I thought..."
But then Mike, Cameron and Gwen turn and yell in alarm as they saw a plane about to land onto him. A pilot pokes his head out the window as he shouts angrily, "Get your butts off the runaway!"
The trio screams in alarm as Mike quickly turns his plane to dodge the other one. They sighs as the group dodges being hit in time, "Whoa," Mike's plan zooms away as the airport plane lands right where they were. That was intense.

Once Mike lands his plane, he uses a device that Audrey made for him so the boy can carry his plane around without the unnecessary problems. The trio walks around the area, looking for the pit row.
Some of the pilots from the other planes honk angrily at them due to them being in their way. Cameron sheepishly apologizes, "Sorry about that.
"Go back to Jersey, you bums!" A New Yorker man snaps at the trio in annoyance.
"Geez, sorry," Gwen snaps in annoyance. Looking around, the Goth girl speaks up in hopes to find some help, "Hey; Anyone? Where can we..."
Mike's group yelps as they dodge a worker who almost ran them over in a lift. He scowls angrily at them, "Hey, you mind?! I'm working here!"
"All right, sorry!"
Another pilot in a plane passes as two women looks at it in amazement and awe. One of them comments to her pals, "Nice guy but way too much baggage. Got my drift?"
Gwen spoke to Mike in precaution, "Better stay close. Things are different here in the city than back in Pilotwash Junction." Then a car zooms past them very fastly as Cameron clings onto Mike, "Hey, why don't you watch where you're going, Mac?! We're walking here!"
The driver scowls back at Gwen, "Me, why don't YOU watch where YOU'RE going, numbskull?!"
Gwen shakes her head. As Cameron lets go of Mike, she adds, "See, I'm telling ya, Whackos!"
Then a familiar Warner pops out of nowhere. Wakko smiles as he asks, "You called?"
Mike's group then yelped in surprise. The boy said in alarm, "Don't do that. What are you even doing here anyway?"
Then two other familiar Warners pop out with Yakko chirping, "A very brief cameo, that's what."
Then the three siblings run and leave the group, much to their confusion. Then Wakko surprisingly comes back as he said eagerly, "Oh, and one more thing."
Wakko then kisses a confused Gwen full on the lips, before leaving. Then, much to their further confusion, a familiar security guard chases after the three siblings.
Cameron blinks as he comments, "That was weird, and pointless."
The group continues walking around before a cloaked figure stops right in front of them. He spoke, "Hey, kid."
He then whips their cloak in front of them. Gwen yelps in shock, "Whoa, whoa." Anything but that! However it is revealed to show a bunch of clocks in the man's cloak, and the man was a salesman.
"Wanna buy a clock?"
"He's not interested." Cameron said as he, Mike and Gwen passes him. Speaking to his friend, Cameron said quickly, "Come on, let's keep moving."
Soon the trio finds a boy named Carl motioning to a plane that a female Alicorn named Princess Celestia is piloting. Mike waves to get his attention as he calls out, "Hey, pal! Any chance you could tell us where pit row's at?"
"The pits; Yeah, that's easy." Carl said to Mike with a smile. He begins pointing directions while explaining, "You would want to go down this way towards the fire station."
"Okay." The trio said with a nod, getting it so far...so to speak.
"Then taxiway alpha forks off to the left."
"Right."
"But make sure not to go that way." Carl said to the trio in precaution. His instructions are getting a bit confusion. "If you end up going to the orange barrels, you have gone too far. So..."
"Oh brother," Celestia said as she roll her eyes. Better step in or these three will never get to pit row. "Just go straight ahead and head to the right."
"Thanks! Oh, nice paint job you got there." Mike said nicely to Celestia as he and his pals on their way to their destination.
"Hey, thanks!" Carl exclaims, thinking that Mike was speaking about his clothes. "I'm proud of it, kid!"
"Actually, he is talking to me." Celestia points out to Carl with a chuckle.
"Shows what you think!"
Mike and his pals arrive at a tent area which is marked 'Welcome Racers'. The trio looks amazed as they saw a lot of pilots doing some activities while their planes are worked on, repainted and the whatnot. This is definitely the right place.
"Whoa!" The trio exclaims eagerly. This is it, the big time!
And the mouse who helped them get here is standing around and saw them. Mickey came over, smiling as he laughs, "Well, look who's here; The Canadians!"
"Hey Mick," Mike exclaims with a smile to Mickey.
"So miss your home town?"
"Well, uh..." Gwen begins to say, but Mickey chuckles, cutting her off.
"Well, not to be mean but I don't. I just about blocked that memory from my mind. And unfortunately, you trio brought it back with that..." Mickey sniffs the trio and wince, covering his nose. "Wow! That nasty Vita-mina-stink stuff; I'm used to the smell of cars and engines when I was running Disney/Square Enix."
"Oh yeah, I thought you look familiar." Cameron said to Mickey, recognizing him as the owner of Disney/Square Enix. "Did you lose it all or something?"
"Nah; This thing involving the rally is something I volunteered to do. I already deal with cars, I decided to see how planes would work. It allows me to keep my old job and do this one. Anyway, your tent is the last one on the left. Where's your plane?"
"Right here," Mike said, holding up his plane. "We used a device to shrink it so I could carry it around."
"Well, carry it over there, come on." Mickey insists to the duo who nods as they head on off to their tent. "Oh, and the power wash is on your right." Mike's group looks at him for that remark, "Just to offer."
Cameron sniffs himself and almost gags. He yelps, "Whoa, he's right! Better get cleaned up before the big rally tomorrow."
Mike and his pals continue onward. They notice the glares or mean looks from the other pilots that the trio is passing. The boy comments to Gwen, "Gwen, they're giving us those looks. I don't like it."
"Relax, Mike. In contest history, the underdog is the one who is underappreciated but eventually he always end up on top at the end." Gwen assures to Mike with a smile. It means that even if some folks don't appreciate him now, they will later.
"I wish they shared your POV." Mike remarks. He then gasps as he saw a fat yellow man fixing his plane while some of his crew was working on his Duff beer, "Whoa; Homer Simpson; From the Springfield Cup; The Big Fat Man? Awesome! Oh, I saw you do this unbelievable awesome high-G vertical turn once! I mean, impossible; how did you even do that?!"
"Oooh, so you want to know? Well, I guess I could tell you." Homer remarks sarcastically to Mike. "Hey, I got an idea. How about I tell you all my racing secrets?"
"Really," Cameron ask Homer hopefully.
"No and by the way I was being sarcastic!"
"Well, duh." Gwen remarks bored to Homer. She can already tell that the fat man was sarcastic.
"Look, kid, don't know how things work from where you came from, but this is a competition." Homer points out to Mike with a frown. "It's every pilot for himself, got it? Goodbye."
"Right, sure." Cameron remarks with a frown as he and his pals leave, "Geeez, what a jerk. I hope he loses."
"Come on, Cameron. Homer will turn around...I hope." Mike said to Cameron with a smile. Okay, so Homer isn't one of the pilots who likes the newcomers but who knows? During the race, that could change very soon. "Anyway..."
Suddenly without warning, the trio saw someone from out of nowhere, making Mike yelp and trip, causing him and Gwen to fall right onto cans of oils that are stacked nearby, knocking them all down.
"Whoa!" Mike exclaims, groaning while feeling his head.
"Geez, who did that," Gwen ask with a groan of annoyance as she got up, helping Mike up as well.
Mike gave a sheepish look to see whom he almost ran into that giggles at him. It's a red hair girl with a red sleeveless top, brown khakis, a black neck collar, a flower clip to hold her hair, and hi-heeled sandals. She, right now, is wearing her clothes underneath a red outfit and is wearing a helmet. She is known as Zoey.
Mike blushes a bit. He knows this girl already...and she is beautiful. The boy chuckles while holding the oil can, "Whoa! Hey, hang on. This is AeroShell 100! Hey, pal, I ordered the DT-2380!" Mike was yelling at a worker on the last part. Turning back to Zoey, he continues, "Sorry you had to see that."
"Are you all right?" A black haired boy named Trent asks as he came over to the group. Trent has seen the accident and came over to see what happened. Turning to Gwen, he smiles while asking, "You okay, miss?"
"Oh yeah, sure. Why wouldn't we be?" Gwen asks, blushing while moving her hair out of her face. Wow, that boy is handsome.
"So you're the crop duster and his friends who made it through the qualifier." Zoey said, smiling as she recalls where she herself had seen Mike and his pals before. "I'm impressed."
"Thanks...and you're the Pan-Asian Champion and Mumbai Cup record holder, Zoey!" Mike exclaims with a smile. He knew Zoey from her successes. "You and your navigator Trent rocked in that championship."
"Well, most folks just called me 'Zoe' or 'Zoey'."
"And I'm glad some folks give recognition to some people." Trent remarks to Mike's group with a chuckle. "So who are you?"
"Oh, I'm Dusty...err, my name is Mike. I'm not actually dust, I'm really clean." Mike said, blushing to Zoey, acting like a complete fool.
"And I'm Gwen." Gwen said, smiling to Trent. He smiles right back. Wow, his smile is hard for her to resist.
"Wow, nice to meet you, 'quite clean' Mike." Zoey said, chuckling a bit at Mike's name.
"And nice to meet you, Gwen," Trent said, shaking Gwen's hand. The girl almost froze right there. He actually touch her hand! Wow!
"Right, nice to meet you too, Zoey." Mike said to Zoey with a smile. He hopes that the two become good friends...or more during this contest.
"Hey, you forgot me!" Cameron exclaims in concern, feeling left out.
""Oh, this is my own navigator Cameron...the Bubbleboy Brainiac."
"Mike, come on!"
"Nice to meet you too, Cameron the Bubbleboy Brainiac." Zoey said to Cameron with a smile, making the African geek groans a bit. He should've picked a different name.
"Zoey, come on. We got to get going." Trent said to Zoey, reminding her that they need to get going.
Zoey nods as she and Trent leaves with their crew to get to work on their plane, working on the propeller. Gwen smiles happily while commentating, "Wow, look at that propeller."
"Yeah, I know, and the thing on the plane looks awesome too." Mike remarks to Gwen, getting the wrong idea of sorts.
"I meant Trent."
Just then, the trio spots an area where Scott is being given a back massage by one of his crew members. Courtney is reading a machine while her boyfriend mumbles, "Oh yeah, a little over there. Not too much pressure, got it?"
"Uh, excuse me, guys? Pardon me." Mike said, making his way to Scott and Courtney. Gwen and Cameron follow their friend, making their way through the crowd as well.
"You sure what you're doing is a good idea?" Cameron asks Mike in concern. "I don't think Scott and Courtney would want to see us."
"Come on! We may as well introduce ourselves to the competition, right; just to be friendly."
"Yeah..." Scott said with a sigh. Just then, the boy spots Mike's group coming closer, making smirk cruelly, "Hey, Courtney. Look who's here. It's crop dusting boy, his geek and the Goth girl."
"Hey." Mike and Cameron said, waving to Scott meekly.
"Hey Courtney; Long time no see," Gwen said to Courtney sheepishly, making her frown. "I haven't seen you..."
"Since you stole my boyfriend and became the new 'Heather'?!" Courtney snaps to Gwen angrily, reminding her of what causes the friendship breakup.
"Courtney, come on! Duncan came onto me first!"
"Oh whatever. At least the good part is that I got all this fame and a boyfriend who once run into the first brat who comes along; Makes me forget all about you."
"Wow, someone feels hurt." Cameron said in concern. Gwen never told her friends the full details of her friendship breakup with Courtney. Now he and Mike know.
"Courtney, relax. Let me handle it." Scott remarks to Courtney with a smile. Turning to Mike, he continues, "Kid, I gotta tell ya. Having you here is going to make one interesting story. A small-town farmer makes it to the big time."
"Yeah, sir," Mike said with a smile. The pilot is relieved that the champion recognized the story here.
"But unfortunately he crashes on takeoff."
"Wait, what?"
"Oh yeah, and Wings around The Globe Winner, Scott and Courtney, makes a eulogy for the unknown hayseed, his geek friend and the back stabbing dragon by scattering their remains over a cornfield." Courtney remarks cruelly, making Gwen worried. Her former best friend apparently doesn't care if she dies alongside Mike and Cameron if they crashed. Anything for revenge, "Ratings will be through the roof."
"Okay." Mike said awkwardly.
"Courtney." Gwen said, hurt by what Courtney just said.
"Yeah, you losers go ahead and lose if you want. We're in it to win. Good luck." Scott taunts the opponents evilly, making Courtney chuckle a bit awkwardly. Mike's group begins to leave, "Farm boy and losers!"
"I think Courtney spend too much time with Scott." Cameron said to Gwen with a sigh.
"Tell me about it." Gwen answers in sadness. Her former best friend is not the girl she once knew.
Suddenly music begins to play as someone calls out, "Hey everypony!"
Everyone turns to see someone standing in the middle. It is a male Pegasus pony with moderate emerald green eyes, a dark grayish phthalate blue mane, a very pale cornflower blue coat, and a yellow lightning bolt with wings for a cutie mark. The pony is also wearing goggles on his head. He appears to be holding a red cape. His name is Soarin'.
"Right, the hero of the ponies has arrived! Ha ha ha," Soarin' exclaims eagerly to everyone. Of course, as he poses, they just look stunned at him.
"Whoa, isn't that Soarin' from the Cloudsdale Wonderbolts?" Mike ask his friends in amazement.
"Yeah...minus the Wonderbolts," Gwen said, noting that only Soarin' himself is here, minus the rest.
"What? You folks never heard of the great Soarin' of the Wonderbolts?" Soarin' ask most of the crowd in amusement.
Some laughter is heard as the crowd only looks stunned. Of course, a boy named Link glances as he spoke, "Hey; isn't that what comes from clouds from sucks fuel from small vehicles; Wonderbolts?"
"No, no, no. The Wonderbolts is a stage name for my group to strike fear into the hearts of me and my allies' opponents; Growl!"
"Cool! This guy is the greatest cloud and indoor champion of all of Cloudsdale." Mike remarks to his friends with a smile on his face.
"And when he isn't using a plane, the guy got fastest wings to spare as well!" Cameron exclaims with a smile. It's awesome to be in the same race as Soarin', a champion of Cloudsdale!
"Indoor racing," Homer ask Soarin' in disbelief.
"Aaaaand hey," Soarin' chuckles as he twirls around eagerly. "As well as number 1 recording arts, telenovels and one hay of a romance novelist."
"Oh, sorry. Did you say 'Wonderbolts' or 'WonderDOPES'?" Homer asks making a joke. Most of his crew chuckles in amusement at their boss's joke. Soarin' needless to say gasps, looking upset. He didn't find that funny at all.
"Oh, you make a joke at me?! You think it's funny?! Well, my friend, you leave me no choice!" Soarin' exclaims sternly to Homer. He twirls, swirling the cape on his shoulders. "I swish my cape at ya! Considered yourself shamed!" The Pegasus pony left as if making his point clear.
"Ooooh, sure hope I can get over it. Wait...I just did; Ha ha!"
Homer chuckles a bit at his own joke. Gwen comment, "Very smooth; Looks like we aren't the only ones here to get disrespected by the other racers, well most of them."
Mike's group decided to head over to speak with Soarin', perhaps to befriend. Mike spoke, "Hey. My friends and I saw you race on the Hub last year. You were great."
"To be honest, it was in a different language so we didn't understand everything." Cameron admits to Soarin' sheepishly. "But you were great though."
"Well, I am flattered, friends." Soarin' remarks as the four passed by a few workers, almost colliding with some. "So have you three done a lot of these long distance rallies?"
"Well, to be honest, this is my first one." Mike admits to Soarin' with a smile.
"What do you know! It's my first time too!" Soarin' laughs while hugging the trio. It's great to meet other first timers other than himself. "Awesome! We're going to have a lot of adventures! We will laugh, cry, we will even dance!"
"Err, okay." Gwen said, uneasy about the dance part.
"Well, not with each other of course."
"Of course." Mike said to Soarin' with a meekly smile.
"Well, I will see you three in the guys! Later! Ha ha ha," Soarin' laughs as he twirls around and left. Mike, Cameron and Gwen chuckle a bit. He's a weird pony but at least Soarin' become a good friend.
"Wow, amazing." Cameron remarks in amusement.

A news flash logo appears marked 'RSN'. Jet's voice comments, "Race fans, get ready! It's that time of the year again!" The logo appears as he continues, "Welcome to the Wings around The Globe."
In the studio, Jet smiles to the cameras, preparing for another big rally. He spoke, "Hey, Jet Hawk here. This is the flagship event of the world's fastest sport next to car racing where only the best of the best compete to win!" The landing marks are shown where each plane will arrive and leave at. "Each leg will bring a new challenge, testing agility, navigation and endurance. But after all is said and done, the name for this game is speed!" Jet smiles as he stood near the shcreen that shows someone. "Ha! Our very own Moltres is standing by live from JFK Airport; this Pokémon got the best seat in the house; so big guy, how's the view?!"

Moltres grins to Jet at the race. As she speaks, we see scenes of Scott and Courtney crossing the finish line in a strange yet awesome style, "Jet, the scene that you see below is very electric! As you all know, we got racers from all over here today. But here's the real story: who's coming to second to three-time defending champs, Scott and Courtney. Both are seeking to becoming the first four-time winners in the Wings Around The Globe."

At PIlotwash Junction, Mike and Cameron's friends watch the TV that shows the scenes of each racer. Moltres is heard speaking, "The racers are heading to the runway right now."
The gang saw Cameron trying his best to get into Mike's plane before an annoyed Gwen has to pull him in. Audrey calls out, "It's Mike, Cameron and Gwen!"
"Yeah, all right," The Mole laughs eagerly, jumping up and down.
"Awesome," Rob 64 exclaims with a smile. It's good to see his pals there in the race.
"Okay, everyone, get your Mike bobbleheads here!" Owen exclaims as he and Vinny pulls a cart near them. It's full of Mike merchandise that the two has made during the time that their friends left.
"Oh yeah!"
"We got oven mitts, hats, bumper sticks...oh I also ordered a thousand commemorative whistles."
Rob 64 whistles in surprise, that is a lot of stuff. Joshua comments in concern, "I hope you got permission to do this."
"Relax; Mike isn't a big time star just yet." Vinny points out to Mike with a scoff. "If he ends up losing or getting blown up, not a total loss; financially speaking. Hey, Rob! Think you could help us set up a website?"
"Does a giga bite?" Rob 64 asks Vinny with a slight smirk.
"Not unless you pet him nicely." The Mole joke, making him and some of the boys laughs a bit.
"Boys," Audrey said, rolling her eyes at this.

The reporters begin snapping pictures of Mike's group in the plane. Braeburn called out, "Mike! Mr. Mike!"
The crowd shouts as the planes are being tows. Once they're done, they head to the exit so that the race can get under way.
"136 nations are complete but only 21 pilots and navigators are chosen." Jet's voice said to the audience. "Folks, this is indeed a step into history once they first step onto this field."
As Mike's group came out with their plan, the crowd cheers wildly, making them grin while saying, "Whoa!"
"Holy atoms!" Cameron exclaims at the cheering crowd. People cheers onward as some familiar faces from Townsville Springs shout and cheering wildly.
Moltres in the sky looks below as he spoke, "Also, here's a first time ever, folks. We got a crop duster joining this race!"

The Hylians, well, some of them, looks rather unimpressed. They look concerned in a pub, wondering how three people in a crop-dusting plane would ever make it in this race.
"A crop duster," A Hylian man ask a friend, shaking his head at this.
"Well, that boy is going to die." A Hylian woman said with a sigh. "Maybe not him, but his geek pal."

Author's note
This is it, folks, the big race to determined who will be the champion. In the next champion, Soarin' meets Rainbow Dash and falls in love with her. Then the race gets under way as Mike and his pals has some difficulties in the first leg. After some advice from Peppy and friends, they continue in the next leg where their actions in helping another racer win them respect. Read, review and suggest.

The arrival has references to Hercules, Animaniacs and The Great Muppet Caper.

Carl is Johnny Bravo's sidekick on his show.

You all know who Princess Celestia, Soarin' and what a Moltres is by now, right?

Mickey was referring to his role as Tex Dinoco in my first Cars fanmake.

Link is in the role of LH 86 Special. Yes, I know he didn't make it into the Top Five in the movie but I have to put Link in somewhere, right?

Chapter 5: The First Two Legs

The crowd cheers wildly as the planes arrive at the startling line at the gate. As jets zooms above, the friends grins while saying, "Whoa." This is it, all that training and determination has brought Mike and his friends here.
"Scott and Courtney! Scott and Courtney! Scott and Courtney! Scott and Courtney; Scott and Courtney!" The crowd cheers on for their champions. Hopefully they will win the rally again like always.
"Oh yeah! You're caught in the riptide!" Scott laughs as he poses his muscles, or what counts as some, for the crowd. Courtney rolls her eyes, shaking her head; that boyfriend of hers.
"Ha ha ha! Hey there! Things are looking good, eh pals?" Soarin' ask as he stops his plane right near Mike's, his unseen navigator is preparing himself for the rest.
"Wow, check this crowd out." Cameron said, impressed at the crowd. "It's like a car track out here."
"And the spirit remains but try to stay focused. Don't let anything distract you fro...WHOA! WOW!" The reason for the last part is that Soarin' saw someone that made him look amazed: a female pilot in a rainbow colored plane. She removes her own helmet, revealing herself to be a cyan Pegasus mare with a rainbow mane. She smiles to Soarin' who ask happily, "Whoa, who is that vision?"
"Oh, I know her." Gwen said, recognizing the mare. "That's Rainbow Dash, a member of the Mane Six from Ponyville."
"She's also the Ponyville rally champ." Cameron explains to Soarin' who sighs lovingly at the sight of Rainbow. So much for staying focused.
"Yes, she is like an angel sent from the Herd above." Soarin' sighs happily. Now he is more than delighted to be in this race. "Like a sunrise after a lifetime of darkness."
"Or like a fresh fertilizer on a field of dying grass." Mike adds to his pals, making him look at him funny.
"This isn't your thing, pal."
"Come on, you already got your eyes on that Zoey girl." Gwen remarks to Mike with a grin, reminding him of Zoey. "Just stick with her."
"Like how you're sticking to Trent?" Mike teases Gwen right back, making the Goth Girl blushes redly. "Come on, admit it."
"Let's get to racing."
"Okay, flyers!" A voice booms out. The pilots turn their attention to a referee who is preparing to start the race. "Start your engines!"
Well, this is it. The pilots turn their planes on to begin this rally at last. As workers rush off the track to get out of the way, Jet is heard speaking, "We are now under way; 7 legs, over 31,000 kilometers, the world's highest mountains and the deepest oceans. That's what stands before our contestants waiting for the right competitor to beat them."
Mike's group glances at the crowd cheering. Then a cruel pilot glances at Mike, asking, "So you must be that crop hopper boy that is racing, right?"
"Sure am." Mike said with a smile.
"Is that so? I heard pigs could fly and snails could race...but looks like I've seen everything; Ha ha ha!"
"Now that doesn't even make sense."
"Who said it does?" The pilot asks Mike with a sneer, patting his own engine. "I got a plane, nerd; Ha ha!"
"Oh, that jerk is so going to get beat." Mike remarks to his pals with a scowl. He hopes that this jerk loses. When one will see whose laughing!

The gang watch the flag waver going to the startling line on TV back in Pilotwash Junction. This is it, the race will soon begin!
"Oh yeah, here we go!" Owen cheers up, holding a fist into the air.

Back at the race, as the contestants look determined, Jet's voice speaks, "All the preparation has come to this moment. One of these pilots is going to fly off into the pages of sports history, becoming a champion."
Mike sighs as he watches the flag rose. As the pilots hold their wheels, the flag was waved down as the waver calls out, "GO!" Now the planes lead the port, heading off to race.
"And we are under way for sure, folks!"
The planes zooms past the cheering crowd, going through the airport rail then take off. Some planes retracted their wheels while pilots and their navigators zoom across the ocean.
"Whoa, swirlies," Mike calls out as he sees himself wobbling a bit. The boy yelps in alarm as he saw himself and his pals higher than normal, "Whoa, whoa!"
"Mike, calm down," Gwen exclaims to Mike in concern. "You can do this..."
"No, I can't. I will just fly low...for now."
Mike quickly flew below, not too close to the ocean as he flew his plane after the others. Gwen sighs and shakes her head. Mike isn't going to move through this race unless he can conquer his fears of heights.

A map shows a route from New York to Iceland. Jet spoke up, "Now the first stage is one huge whooper: a dead sprint across the North Atlantic."
"You got that right, Jet. This is how it works, folks." Moltres is heard as we see the other planes zooming through the clouds in the skies. "The winner of this leg today is going to take off tomorrow."
"Anyone wanna hear the theme song to Total Drama?" Mike is heard asking his pals for a song in his plane.
"NO!" Gwen and Cameron yells out to Mike in alarm and frantic. Anything but that!

The trio continues flying near the ocean below, seeing some icebergs around. Mike and his pals do their best to zoom through the foggy place and not hit an iceberg. That's one way to lose a race...the instant way!
"I thought there wasn't any ice in Iceland!" Cameron exclaims to Mike in disbelief.
"Well, that is a shocker! Just keep navigating!" Mike calls out to Cameron as his friend helps him navigate through this mess. "We can get through this."
"Any chance that Trent guy is seeing someone," Gwen asks, blushing at the thought of Trent. She snaps out of it, "Err, you two didn't hear anything, did you?"
"Nope," Both boys remarks at once. In reality, they did hear what Gwen just said but for her sake and her dignity, the two won't say anything...for now.

Mike's plane went through smooth flying before...but soon, the trio ends up flying through one intense snow storm that threatens to knock them off guard or worst!
"We got to get out of this or we're done for!" Mike calls out to his planes as he tries his best to sheer through this mad storm.
"Can't you just fly above it?" Cameron calls out to Mike in concern.
"I am not going up to the skies! You know why!"
"Mike! We're going to be dead unless you conquer your fear of heights! Brrr, it's cold! Turn up the light!" Gwen remarks as she and his pals shiver a bit. The girl tries to press a button but nothing's happening, "Gah!"
"I can't, this plane doesn't have any central heating!" Mike explains to Gwen in worry.
"Oh, now you're telling me!"

The pilots that took the sky route were in Iceland, drinking some cocoa, coffee and soda while listening to some Iceland music. Things were a bit peaceful...until the door slams open. Mike's group came in, shivering before entering. It took a while but they made it.
"Brrr, I was almost a frozen Mike-icicle out there." Mike shivers a bit while getting a blanket to warm himself up.
"Are we still alive?" Cameron asks his friends, shivering. He yelps as Gwen punches him in the shoulder, "Yep, still alive."
As the trio passes the bad guys warning themselves off, Bouncer smirks evilly as he laughs, "Ha ha ha; Hey, fellows; Look who's finally show up!"
"Yeah, it's the low-flying farmer boy and his loser friends!" Big Time remarks in agreement.
"Hey, you realize this is a race right?" Scott ask Mike's group in amusement while Courtney was putting on a sweater. "This isn't a vacation trip!"
"Ha ha ha! Good one, boss!" Burger exclaims to Scott while laughing.
"Seriously, guys; if coming in like this the best you could do, I hate to see your worst." Courtney taunts the groups, making Gwen feel a bit bad. Her former best friend is acting like this to her.
"Sorry, we ran into a bit of trouble." Gwen admits to Courtney sheepishly.
"Good! Hope that trouble makes you quit the race, boyfriend stealer!"
During this time, Soarin' grins as he came up to Rainbow. Now it's time to win her over. He ask her slyl, "Excuse me, but do you know how much a snow plow weight?"
"Don't know." Rainbow remarks to Soarin' with a shrug. "I preferred to do weather with the clouds...and racing...and sending down thunder!"
"Good! That's enough to break the ice! I am Soarin'!"
"Oh, so that makes you the snow plow, right?"
"You could say that, of course." Soarin' said to Rainbow with a pleased look on his face; looks like she is impressed.
That is until Rainbow frowns a bit, asking, "And that makes me the ice?"
"Yes."
"As in cold, frozen and a lifeless bum?"
Soarin' yelps a bit. Not good, he is offending her! Quickly, the male Pegasus said, "No, no...err it sounds better back in Cloudsdale and..."
"Oh, go plow yourself, Sore-in'!" Rainbow scoff, slapping Soarin' across the face then heads off. The male pilot looks stunned, but smiles a bit.
"She is like an angel."
"Not too sure, she's playing hard to get." Gwen said to Soarin', wanting to help her pal out a bit.
"Right, you got to try something and heat her up big time." Mike remarks to Soarin' in agreement. "Speaking of which, better get heat up ourselves."

Mike and his pals were able to get some refreshments, warm blankets and a heater, preparing to relax until the next leg. During this time, the trio brought their plane to normal size in so that if their friends would wanna reach them on the radio.
Sure enough, the voice of Owen is heard from the radio itself, "Hey, Pilotwash Junction to Mike."
Mike turns the radio on as he responds, "I read ya, Owen. I'm here and so are Cameron and Gwen."
"So what is it like racing with the big dogs?"
"Well, my wings are frozen solid."
"Whoa!" The Mole is heard speaking from the radio in concern.
Mike sighs as he glances at his sprayer and his own arms, "I got icicles hanging off my sprayer and my arm, almost freezing to death here."
"Awesome," Owen's voice adds in excitement, making Gwen groans a bit. Does her friend find near-death experiences amusing?
"And we almost smashed into a 10-story iceberg." Cameron adds with a frown to the radio.
"Awesome!"
The friends back at Pilotwash Junction listened carefully as they heard Mike snapping, "Is that so? Well 'awesome' isn't the word I would use when it comes to a gruesome near-death experience, Owen!"
The others look stunned. Vinny comments, "Well, at least they made it to the next point, right?"
"So, you boys met any celebrities over there?" Joshua ask his friends in Iceland, pondering if they met any celebrities.
"Well, we met Soarin' from Cloudsdale...and Homer Simpson." Cameron's voice answers. "But the guy was a jerk to us."
"Most of these pilots are." Gwen's voice said in concern.
"Just hang in there, guys." Owen chuckles a bit, wanting his pals to do their best to hang on. "After all, there isn't anything back, doing what you love the most."
Hearing that made Audrey groans as her pals back in Iceland listened to her snapping, "Ugh; Like that's going to make him feel a bit better."
"Yeah, better, very nice." Vinny's voice remarks sarcastically to Owen. At this rate, the trio may as well call it quits now!
Peppy decides to step in at this point. Looking seriously, he spoke through the radio, "Mike, Gwen, Cameron. Listen carefully. Just like when the Star Fox team were up in the Aleutians, the air close to the sea got more moisture. That is why you took on ice. You must try to fly higher."
"Oh great," Mike remarked with a groan at the advice. Easier said than done since he can't make it up into the sky without freaking out!
"Well, I got good news for you trio. Tomorrow's leg goes through the Bavarian obstacle course. It's about your agility so who knows? This could be your chance to move up. Do not forget: it's not speed that wins races, it's skill."
Mike's group grins a bit. Perhaps this is their chance to move up. Providing nothing happens before they get their chance.

"Leg 2: Iceland > Germany"

The next night, the planes flew off through the lands as they are now on theirw ay to Germany. As the flyers zooms, Mike twirls his plane a bit. Looks like Peppy's right. He could move on up.
Suddenly, one of the engines in Homer's plane burst, causing him to panic, "D'oh! ARGH," To make matters worse, oil leaks out, causing him to panic as he holds his navigator. "No! We're going to crash!" Some of the oils hit him in the eyes, causing him to scream into the radio, "D'oh! Mayday! Aprilday! Juneday! Wednesday! I'm blinded! I can't see!"
Homer and his navigator scream in a panic as they head downward. Without eyesight, the duo are doomed.

Back in the studo, Jet looks at the net notice in worry as he speaks, "Hey folks. We're receiving breaking news of an incident happening in the skies over Germany which involves one of the racers. Better check in with Skycam to see more."

In the skies over Germany, a reporter spoke in the Skycam 1 as the lights shone, "Homer Simpson, the flyer from Springfield, is in insane danger!"

The TV shows Homer's plane going down much to the concern of Mike's friends back in Pilotwash Junction. Unless Homer gets some help some, he's dead!
"Looks like he's flying blind, losing both speed and altitude..." The reporter said on the TV. But just when it looks like it's all over for Homer, something surprising happens: a familiar plane heads to his. "Wait, hang on! Racer Number 7, Mike, is pulling up next to him!"
"Wait, what is he doing?" Audrey asks the others in shock.
"Doing the right thing apparently," Joshua answers Audrey with a smile.

Mike and his pals keep their plane steady. The boy looks over to the blinded Homer and his navigator, saying, "Homer! Apply your left aileron!"
"Okay, okay!" Homer exclaims as he does as Mike is telling him to. The fat man doesn't know who's helping due to his temporarily blind slight but he needs all the help that he himself can get to survive this!
"Stop, roll and try not to panic you two," Gwen instructs Homer in concern. The fat man and his navigator must not panic if they are to live through this.
"Quick, pull up." Mike instructs Homer, making him nod and pull right up.
"Got it," Homer said, following Mike's instruction, "Heh. This is like the space mission when that Fuzzy saved my butt all over again!"
"Stay focus, harder harder!" Mike calls out as they are lifted to near the bridge. "Slight roll right!"
The two planes zoom underneath the bridge in the nick of time. Cameron exclaims, "All right, good!" The trio then spots an old-looking castle that they're about to go towards, "Castle!"
"Whoa, big castle! Don't panic!"
"Pull up; Hard roll right!"
The planes quickly zooms pass and through the castle, the pilots make sure not to crash and killed themselves. Mike nods as he said, "Okay, stop and roll."
Soon the planes arrive through the racing sign, coughing from the papers that are send flying onto them. Homer groans, "You still there, kid who I can't see?"
"We're right here, Homer. We will fly right alongside you."
By this time, the planes in front of Mike's and Homer's zoom through the finish line. Suddenly a voice came from the radio, "Achtung, whatever that means! We have a mayday! Clear the runaway!" Some emergency vehicles zoom by some folks. There's going to be a nasty landing, "Achtung, clear the runaway!"
"Mike and his pals continue helping Homer and his unseen navigator in the skies above. The boy spoke carefully, "Add power."
"Okay." Homer said as he adds power. The fat man is trusting this unseen pilot and his friends to help him.
"Easy, now," Gwen said to Homer in precaution.
"Yes."
"All right, good; Flaps down, lock them." Mike instructs Homer. The two planes begins heading to the stop where the other pilots are watching the situation from below.
"Careful." Soarin' said quietly and in worry. He hopes his friends can make it through this in one piece.
"Now landing gear down."
"Right, and locked," Homer said with a nod. Despite being blinded, the fat man was able to activate his landing gear on his plane.
"Now begin your flare." Cameron said to Homer in precaution.
"Power back a little." Mike adds to Homer. The Germans watching gasped in shock. This is going to be a close one. Luckily, both plans lands safely onto the ground. "All right, touchdown! Good work!"
Once everyone lands safely, Homer and his assistant pants as the vehicles arrive to help them. Both are taken out of the their plane while it was cleaned up. Homer almost died but luckily, the mysterious pilot was able to save him and his navigator in time!
"Hey, kid, thanks for your help. Couldn't have done it without..." Homer begins to say as he is being put into an emergency bed. But as the oil is wiped off his eyes, the fat man looks shocked as he saw the ones who helped him: Mike, Gwen and Cameron who smiles at him, "Wait, you three?! You saved me? But...didn't I tell you that it's every pilot for himself!"
"Hey, we respect that but not to us. My friends and I come from a plane where if we see someone falling from the sky..." Mike begins to say, explaining to Homer that it doesn't matter if they're in a contest or now. The trio must help someone in need.
"D'oh, yeah, but this is a competition...and now you're dead last!" Homer points out. But then he yelps, looking a bit teary. "And you saved me. I owe you three my life."
As Homer whimpers a bit, an amused Gwen asks the crying fat man, "Are you crying?"
"D'oh; I am not crying, I'm from Springfield!'
"Right, sure. Whatever."
Homer smiles to the ones who saved him, saying, "Thanks, guys." He will never forget this rescue ever.
"Sure thing, Homer," Mike said with a grin. At least he and his pals finally gain the respect of another racer.
"Homer! Homer!" The crowd exclaims as they gather around Homer. Reporters are asking him questions about what happened while the paparazzi took photos while holding microphones. This is one event that will be remembered for a lifetime.
Just then, Scott, Courtney and their goons came over to Mike's group. The girl smiles as she said, "Gotta say, crop duster, geek...and Gwen. You were really nice in helping Homer out."
"Wow, thanks Courtney." Mike said to Courtney with a smile.
"Got to say, Courtney, at least this changed things bet..." Gwen begins to say, hoping that this rescue could help in patching things up between the two girls.
However Scott interrupts cruelly, "Too bad that nice guys and girls finish last!"
The Beagle Boys laughs cruelly at their boss's joke as Bigtime remarks, "Yeah, dead last!"
"Let's leave these losers. Come on, Courtney!"
Courtney shrugs to Mike's group, including the sad Gwen, as she joins her pals who are leaving. Mike gave a deep frown while snapping, "Ugh, once we catch up, those two are going to get their butts kicked."
"Yeah..." Gwen said sadly as she looks down. So close.

Author's note
Well, despite arriving in last, Mike and his friends has gained the respect of Homer. In the next chapter, the trio meets three fans named Ed, Edd n' Eddy and with their suggestion, Mike removes his sprayer plus allowing his plane to go faster. Read, review and suggest.

Homer was referencing his role as the Apollo 13 Car on the short 'Moon Fuzzy'.

Chapter 6: Getting ahead

The pilots heads to a bar in the town in Germany to relax and sing until the next leg. Music players play German music while the crowd cheers as they are clinging glasses. At one table, Scott was whispering something to Zoey, making Courtney roll her eyes at this.
At the bar, Mike groans a bit, looking miserable as he comments, "Awww, man; Dead last again. Can't believe what we just did."
"Well, it was the right thing to do, Mike. Homer would've been killed." Gwen said to Mike, assuring her friend that what the trio did for Homer was the right thing.
"Yeah, but still, we aren't getting anywhere near the front at all!"
"Calm down, Mike; who knows; Maybe someday our act of kindness could repay us." Cameron assures Mike, making him sigh a bit. "Still, I wonder how the next leg would do better. We should think about improving our performance."
A female bartender came over, putting down drinks as she said, "You said, you drink, ja?"
As the bartender left, Mike took his drink while saying, "Thanks; Great advice."
"Hope this stuff is Canadian root beer." Gwen mumbles a bit as she drank some of the stuff. The girl hiccups a bit. "Yep, root beer."
Just then, the trio saw Soarin' sitting at the bar, sniffing as he sadly drinks his sorrows. Mike and his pals can guess that the Pegasus didn't get any luck with Rainbow Dash yet.
"At least you three aren't last in the race for love." Soarin' said to Mike's group in sadness.
"Let me guess: Rainbow totally hates your guts?" Mike guesses though he doesn't really need an answer.
"Sadly, her passion isn't for me at all."
"Wow, tough break, pal." Gwen said in concern as she pats Soarin' on the back. "But cheer up. I'm sure if you can keep trying, you could win her over."
"Right; A friend once told me: women are like a wall." Mike said to Soarin' wanting to help him in his quest to win Rainbow's heart.
"Hard and nasty," Cameron asks Mike, arching a eyeball at this.
"No! Hard to knock down; Joshua told me that of course."
Suddenly the four hears a whistling, making them all turn around. They saw three boys; one of them is wearing a beanie hat. The first one waved, saying, "Hi! I'm Ed!"
"I'm Edd!" The boy known as Edd exclaims with a smile as he nods to the last boy. "And this is Eddy. We're big fans of yours!"
"Wait, wait, I got fans?" Mike asks in surprise and disbelief. The boy was already an unknown and yet, he got fans?! Amazing!
"What you kidding? Just us," Eddy laughs to the trio eagerly. "And my pals and I want to say danke for representing us men!"
"Men; But you're, what, kids or something?" Cameron asks the boys puzzled.
"My sister said that I'm older for my age!" Ed exclaims with a smile to the group.
"Anyway, yeah, yeah, but my buddies and I are what you called junior pilots, one of the rarest folks in Germany!" Eddy exclaims to Mike and his pals with a smirk.
"Wait, hang on, time out; 'junior pilot'," Gwen ask Ed, Edd n' Eddy in disbelief. "But where's..."
Edd is now seen wearing a cape of sorts, waving his arms out while flashy fireworks appear. Mike, Gwen and Cameron yell out in surprise, "Whoa!"
"Yes, Herr Mike and friends! We are the Incredible Ed, Edd n' Eddy!" Edd exclaims to Mike's group as if he is doing an introduction. "And we are great magicians!"
"And con artists to boot!" Ed laughs stupidly making Edd nudge him a bit to keep quiet.
"Okay, these kids are a bit weird out." Cameron said to his friends in concern.
"'Incredible'; I thought you were just plain Ed, Edd n' Eddy." Mike asks the three fans of his in a puzzled way. "And what's with the 'Incredible' look?"
"Nah, the old us are a bunch of wimps who are in charge when we tries to pull scam on the neighbors and putter about the cobblestones." Eddy explains to the trio with a smirk. "But when we are in the air, we are in charge...with this!"
Edd removes a curtain that is hiding something, revealing some sort of flying car from underneath it. Gwen gasps in amazement, "Wow! That car is more shocking then Fuzzy's truck...and that was rusty."
"Thanks, I do my best to keep shiny and clean." Edd admits to Gwen sheepishly.
"Geez, these kids needs to get their heads checked." Soarin' remarks to his pals in amusement. "Serious identify issues and bad relationships with the neighbors."
"What? This is coming from a pony with wings?"
"Well played, my beanie hat wearing friend. Well play."
Edd removes his hat, smiling to Mike while saying, "My friends and I are all pulling for you, Herr Mike."
"Yeah, thanks for the support." Mike said with a sigh while shaking his head. "My friends and I need all the help we can. But...some folks think that my plane isn't built for this."
"Awww, you just need some confidence!" Ed remarks to Mike with a stupid smile, "Oooh, how about a song?"
"Clans, may I have a beat, if you please?" Edd spoke to the Germans.
The Germans smiled before beginning to play.
"Ja, that's it." Eddy grinned while Mike, Gwen and Cameron looked confused.

Ed: Derpy Hooves is in ein postal truck.

Ed shone his lights to a postal worker, whom noticed before the crowd shouted.

Crowd: Postal truck!

Ed: Postal truck!

Derpy grinned a bit.

Edd: He brings the mails through mud and muck.
But add a blate and what do you know?

The blate was given to Derpy to show her postal truck looking like a snow plow while the drink fizzes flew up.

Eddy: The postal truck can plow the snow!

Crowd: Sing ja, ja, ja!

The truck zoomed by with some of it covering Mike and his pals.

Edd: If a postal truck can plow the snow,
Then a crop duster can race.

The Eds departed with Mike uncovering his eyes while the German forklifts played. Ed came toward a girl nearby.

Ed: Nazz is a floating plane.

Crowd: Floating plane!

Edd: Floating plane!
She can fly in sun und rain.

Then, the prop waves were taken while they lifted a plane up and making it like a boat.

Eddy: But her big pontoons conveniently
Let her float like a boat on the big blue sea.

As the crowd continued to sing, the bopping Hispanic plane began singing as well.

Crowd & Soarin': Sing ja, ja, ja!

One critter peeked up wearing floating gear.

Edd: If a floating plane can float in the sea,
And a postal truck can plow the snow,
Then a crop duster can race.

Mike pondered a little bit before grinning.

Ed: My pals and I got just a teensy car.

Crowd: A teensy car!

Edd: A weensy car.
We cannot go fast or far,
But add some wings and who are we?

The three of boys got into the flying car on as Eddy spoke toughly.

Eddy: Ed, Edd n' Eddy in the sky!

Crowd & Soarin': Sing ja, ja, ja!

The boys came near Mike and got out of the flying car.

Eds: If a teensy car can (with crowd) fly in the sky,
And a floating plane can (with crowd) float in the sea,
And a postal truck can (with crowd) plow the snow,

All: Then a crop duster can race

Ed came to the spotlight with a grin while winking.

Ed: And maybe win first place.

The drinks splashed while they sang their final line.

All: JA!

The crowd cheered a bit.
"Duncah, Duncah," Ed said, bowing while Mike grin.
"Well, that was interesting." Gwen said, a bit awkward towards the song of course.
"Wow; that was good." Mike said to Edd with a smile, approving of the song itself.
"Thanks, now would you like to hear 'Haben Sie Gehürt Das Deutsche Band' from The Producers?"
"Oh, no thanks. We're good, maybe some other time."
"Say, my buddies and I got a humble suggestion. Wouldn't your plane be much faster without the pipes, tank and whatever you got weighing you three down?"
"Sprayer thing," Ed exclaims, pointing to the sprayer on Mike's plane that the boy put on the counter nearby.
"Wait, my plane sprayer?" Mike asks the trio of boys in shock. They want him to get rid of the sprayer on his plane.
"You got that right, bud!" Eddy remarks with a nod. "Why bother carrying all that dumb weight around?"
"Well, it was in my plane when I started my dust cropping job back home. I don't see..."
"These boys are crazy but they are right." Soarin' said, getting to some thinking about what the Eds are suggesting. "Perhaps it's time you stop thinking like a dust cropper and think more like a racer."
"Yeah...but I got a job to get back to home once we get home." Mike said in hesitation. It wouldn't be right to get rid of his sprayer for his job, right? "Also..."
"Come on, Mike, just do it." Cameron insists to Mike with a smile. "Besides, I betcha Zoey would like it if you do that for her."
"Well...okay, for Zoey."

Mike took his plane to a hangar the next day to have the sprayer removed. The boy is heard talking to a mechanic inside, "So is this reversible for my plane?"
"Sure, whatever, kid." A rough voice remarks as the mechanic is working on taking the sprayer off the plane. During this time, Soarin', Gwen, Cameron and the Eds watch from outside, waiting for the results.
"Oh, whoa, hey! Better be careful down there! WHoa, oh! Man, that's cold! That ice is really cold in my soda!" After a while, the hangar opens up as Mike drives his plane right out. As he looks at his pals, Mike asks, "So, lady and gentlemen? Whatcha think?"
Mike points to the bottom of his plane: the sprayer has now been removed. What's more interesting is that there are now newly attached parts on his wings.
"Wunderbar, Mikey," Ed calls out to Mike, impressed.
"Amazing and fantastic, if I could use both in the same sentence," Soarin' exclaims impressed by the improvements.
"Yeah, it is freeing, yes?" Cameron asks Mike with a chuckle.
"Yep," Mike remarks, smirking as he moves his plane, "Oh yeah! You definitely took the words right out of my mouth."
"I wonder what Jack would say." Gwen said in amusement. Jack wouldn't be happy if he finds out that his employee has the sprayer removed.
"Who cares? It is awesome!"

Mike and his pals took the plane for a test drive as the next leg is about to begin. The flying vehicle is moving faster without a sprayer weighing it down.
"Ha ha ha ha," Mike exclaims eagerly. He now laughs in a sing-songy voice, "Bye-bye, sprayer!" Soon he, his pals and the others planes head off for the next leg, "Hey, thanks for everything...Incredible Ed, Edd n' Eddy!"
"Guten luck, Herr Mike," Edd exclaims as he and his Pals wave goodbye to Mike, wishing him luck for the next leg.
"Kick some tail!" Eddy exclaims eagerly.

"Leg 3: Germany > India"

Soon planes and flyers are on their way to the next part of the race which is to fly to India. While they do so, Jet is heard speaking, "It is now our third leg and already we've lost several of our racers due to equipment failure."
Indeed, another engine was forced to head down into the city...but of course, Mike, Gwen and Cameron flew near the waters in their plane in fast speed. The removal of the sprayer as well as some new parts had helped them!
Another Pokémon reporter, Articuno, is heard, "Articuno here and the real story, Jet, are Mike, Gwen and Cameron!"
The camera shows the two as Jet laughs a bit eagerly, "Oh yeah; absolutely, my friend!"

All over the world, folks are watching the race, cheering on in amazement for the rookie that no one would give a thought to.
In a Japanese restaurant, the crowd there, including a familiar Dragon and halfa are watching the TV. They are becoming amazed by Mike's group and their progress. Why, not too long ago, these folks don't even give a care about them...but now, the rookies are the biggest thing to talk about!
"They're passing one flier after another!" Articuno's voice heard looking amazement.
"Right, the main pilot was born to ride in a plant that dust crops, but both are dusting the competition!" Jet's voice exclaims in amazement. Mike is really going by these guys!

On a US Navy ship, a lot of Sailors cheers wildly for Mike and his pals, while a black hedgehog and an ape looks amazed. Mike and his pals are really winning respect and attention!

In Cloudsdale, a lot of Pegasus ponies cheers wildly for not just Soarin', but Mike and his pals as well! Who knew that a dust cropper pilot would be able to be so much better?

Back in Pilotwash Junction, Mike's friends watch as Jack peeks in to see the TV. Jet spoke, "So what's next Articuno?"
"Well, Jet, this could be Mike's leg all the day!" Articuno's voice comments in amazement. In the mountains, the pilots flew through as officials watch to make sure there aren't any violations. "The racers got to fly under a hard ceiling of 1,000 feet, stay under the clouds and in the hills."
Mickey spots a plane marked 20 doing something illegal, frowning as he announces, "Number 20 is qualified!"

C'mon

Mike and his pals zooms through the area, twirling around.

I wanna fly
Makes everything alright

Mike and his pals flew over an competition, smirking at the shocked pilot and navigator. How did they do that?
"Whoa, what a move," Jet exclaims, amazed by what Mike just did.
"Incredible!" Articuno spoke hearing.
"Check out that radial-G pass!"
"Oh yeah, I'm watching all right!"

Way up in the sky (Yea, yea)
Got to feel alive (hey)

Jack's jaw dropped in shock as he watch the race back home. The pirate never actually knew how great Mike was at this! Why did he choose to be a jerk to his dreams before?!
The rest of Mike's friends cheers wildly, watching as the TV shows the current standings on the list: Scott and Courtney, the Beagle Boys, Soarin', Rainbow Dash, Homer Simpson, Zoey, and Mike are on the list.
"From last place all the way to eighth," Articuno remarks in amazement. Mike is moving up and is not slowing down!

Scott and Courtney arrive first at the finish line, as usual, and already reporters are at the Agra Airbase reviewing them.
A female reporter spoke to Scott, "So, Scott, you were born for racing."
"Hey, yeah! You know it!" Scott exclaims with a devilish smirk. He loves these interviews.
"So let me ask you this: how can a crop duster out-fly you two?"
"Wait, what?" Courtney asks in surprise and shock. Scott looks confused. A crop duster is out-flying him and his girl?! Insane!
"Hey, there they are! Mike and his pals," A male reporter gasps as he saw Mike and his friends leaving their plane.
To Scott and Courtney's shock and disbelief, the crowd rush over to Mike's group, wanting an interview. The female reporter yells out, "Mike!"
"Mike!"
The friends at Pilotwash Junction, including the hiding Jack, smiles as their friends are getting interview. The Mole laughs, "Wow!"
"How are you friends being able to keep up with the pros?" The male reporter asks Mike curiously.
"Did working on the farm make you so strong?" The female reporter asks Mike with a smile.
"Mike, why you fly so low," A Hindu reporter asks Mike curiously, wanting to know why the boy is flying so low when the other pilots are flying high.
"Hey, hey, one question at a time, please," Gwen exclaims to the reporters with a chuckle. She appreciate the attention but these people need to slow down.
"What can I say? In racing, good guys always get ahead." Mike remarks to the press with a smile.
"Good, you could seriously use one." The Hindu Reporter remarked. Mike is not sure if that was a joke or an insult.
Courtney looks disgusted as she, Scott and the Beagle Boys watch Mike and his pals being questioned. The girl snaps, "Ugh! First Gwen stole my boyfriend, now she stole my press; the nerve of her!"
"And why are those dorks wasting their time with the farmer dork?" Scott asks, glancing angrily at Mike. "His plane is a smelly tractor with wings for crying out loud!"
"Actually, boss, it's a really good underdog story." Burger exclaims eagerly to Scott. "It's like the Rocky movie series."
"More like David and Goliath." Bouncer said, remembering another underdog story.
"Or 'Of Mice and Men'," Big Time said, getting into the whole time.
"And 'Forrest Gump'!"
"Or 'Billy Elliot'."
"Or 'Snoopy Comes Home'!" Burger exclaims stupidly, making his pals look at him in annoyance.
"Burger you dope, that isn't an underdog story!" Bouncer snaps to Burger with a frown.
"There's a dog in it, right?"
"Oh, enough already," Courtney snaps angrily to the Beagle Boys in irritation.
"Right, knock it off you mugs!" Big Time scowls as he hits his brothers. Now is not the time for this nonsense. They got to figure out what to do with Mike.
"Anyway, the dumb block head wasn't the dog's original owner." Scott remarks to Burger dryly. "And the dog would've left him if it wasn't for the ‘no dogs allowed’ rule!"
"Awww, what a way to spoil it," Burger whines to Scott for ruining the ending to 'Snoopy Come Home'.
"Ugh! If that idiot wins this, we will be overrun by every banner tower, skywriter and air freighter morons who thinks they can be one of us! Obviously, that farm boy and his pals forgot who they are and where they came."
"They aren't going to stop us from making history." Courtney said, giving an angry glare to Gwen who doesn't seem to notice her, "Especially that so-called friend of mine!"
Scott and Courtney are going to do what it takes to win...even if it means cheating and knocking Mike and his pals out of the race once and for all...
Back in Pilotwash Junction, the gang there watches as the female reporter ask Mike, "Mike, Gwen, Cameron, let me ask, where did you learn to race?"
Mike smiles as he spokes, "Well, Cameron is just my navigator while Gwen is my extra help. But me? I've learned from my coach Peppy Hare of Star Fox, the same one who trained Fuzzy Lumpkins for the current Star Fox team! He's the reason me and my pals are here! Peppy is an amazing instructor...and a great friend."
Rob 64 gave an amusing smile to Peppy who looks touched. However, he winces a bit when Cameron adds, "The hare flew a lot of missions all over the world! I'm sure that, if he could, the hare would be with us right now!"
"WHOOO," Most of the group cheers on wildly. Of course, Peppy just looks down, feeling a bit...sad. If only Mike and Cameron knew the truth...

It was nighttime in Pilotwash Junction. As the moon shines, Peppy sat in an old Arwing ship and look at the runaway. He looks at the wings while lowering them down, pondering whatever or not that he himself should do this.
During this time, Rob 64 was watching Peppy from inside the school, smiling in hope. He knew of his friend's secret, why Peppy hasn't flown in years. Maybe the day has come for the hare to finally do so.
Peppy then turns his engine on, his Arwing twirls a bit as some dust came off of it. The hare looks up at the sky seriously, preparing to head away...
That is until Peppy looks worried and turns his engine off, stopping the whole thing dead. The hare looks down, heartbroken. He just couldn't do it...not after what happened years ago.
Rob 64 looks worried as the wings of the Arwing retract up. The robot left the building and came over to his friend who is in need of support right now.
"Hey, your engine sounds kind of rough, Peppy. Got to be a mag misfire," Rob 64 said with a sad chuckle. Once Peppy is out of the Arwing, the robot uses a crane to push it back into the hangar. Well, perhaps it wasn't a good night for flying anyway."
Peppy sighs, covering his eyes in shame; If only anyone else knew the truth...

Author's note
Mike is doing fine, but what is Peppy hiding? There will be more to come so read, review and suggest.

The song that the Eds sang is a deleted musical scene from the actual movie which can be found on the DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack.

Derpy Hooves is one of the funny background rarely seen ponies of 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'.

Nazz is from 'Ed, Edd n' Eddy'.

You folks get the references that the Beagle Boys were saying.

Chapter 7: Fools in Love

It was another new day in Pilotwash Junction. Owen was with a customer who is wearing a Mike antenna thing on his head. As he left, Vinny, who is helping out with the Mole, calls out, "All right, come back soon."
Two customers arrive at the stand, looking around as one of them asks, "Any chance you got anything new?"
Owen pauses, shrugging as he smiles. The fat boy comments, "Well, I'm glad you asked!" The Mole pushes in a new cart filled with items with Owen begins to show off. "Yours truly got beach wear, dinner wear, silverware, Tupperware, hardware, software and of course...the back hair!"
Owen shows some back hair that looks like Mike on his back, making the customers groans in disgust, "Ick!"
"Well, that is kinda...interesting." The other customer said with an uneasy smile.
"Thanks! Know who else is interesting?" Owen asks with a smile as he took out some mugs. "The Mole and I made these mug babies! We are now selling one of a kind Mike commemorative mug," The fat boy pours a drink into one cup, causing the toy wings on it to flap. " Huh?"
"Whoa!" The customers exclaims in amazement. That is amazement!
Just then, Mike's voice came out of the radio, "Hey, this is Mike calling..."
Owen, hearing that, quickly put a 'Will Return Soon' sign onto the cart, saying, "Hold on. We will be back in 10!"
Owen, Vinny and the Mole heads back to the shed where the rest of the gang are watching the race on TV. Audrey smiles as she calls out to Mike on the radio, "Hey! Mike, you are in eighth place!"
"Yeah, good work, Dustmeister!" Joshua exclaims to Mike with a smile.
"You also finally removed your M5000!"
"His what now?" Owen asks Audrey confused, not sure what she's talking about at first.
"His Micro-Air-5000-D-L-Aerial Applicator," Audrey explains clearly to Owen.
"Big words confuse Mole!" The Mole whines a bit, still not understanding.
"Yeah, me too; Put it in words we understand." Owen explains to Audrey in concern.
Audrey rolls her eyes as she explains with a groan, "His sprayer."
"Right, sprayer!"
"Nice work!" Vinny remarks with a smile at what Mike has done. "I won't be surprised if Jack Sparrow gets upset."
"What is he gonna do? Fire him while the race is now?" Joshua asks Vinny with a smirk of amusement.
"Well, that's true."
"Mike, Gwen, Cameron, you got a big leg tomorrow." Peppy said to his friends through the mike in the radio with a nod.
Mike and his pals back in their current location are responding, both say at the same time, "Yeah."
"So how are you two feeling?"
"To be honest, we are dealing with a lot." Cameron answers Peppy with a weak smile. The trio is still in the race thank goodness and is glad to still be alive!
"Geez, I wonder if Fileas Fogg had these problems when circling the globe in 80 days." Mike remarks, cringing at the travelling he and his pals had done so far, comparing to that of another well-known travelling.
"Wow, you are there! The mighty Himalayas," Owen exclaims to his friends with glee.
"Boys and Gwen, the vertical wind shear is going to be wicked over those mountains."
"Right! There's one good thing about being that high up: there isn't a lot of oxygen up there! That way if you crash, you won't worry about an explosion!"
"Oh, thanks, Owen." Mike said, getting a bit nervous by what Owen just said.
"Oh, oh, you could also die of hypothermia or maybe an avalanche can bury ya!" The Mole adds, making Mike more nervous. "And there's pneumonia...frostbite..."
"And don't forget that crazy big snow man living up there too!" Owen exclaims, freaking Mike out some more.
"Right! Like Bad Mr. Frosty....or that Hugo monster guy or..."
"Owen, Mole! You two aren't helping!" Joshua scolds his two pals for freaking Owen out with what they're saying.
"Yeah, I think we get it by now." Gwen said to her new friends with a nervous chuckle.
Hearing that stuff is making Mike very nervous; He doesn't want to deal with all that stuff that was mentioned! The boy looks at a map nearby, glancing at the charts, hoping to find another solution.
"Say Peppy, any chance a guy would wanna fly through the mountains instead of over them?" Mike asks Peppy hopefully.
"No, bad idea; The Star Fox team fly through terrain like that in the Assault of Kemming; And Audrey is right. The wind coming over the peaks could stir up rotors that could drag you right down. In my opinion, time for you to lug-nut up," Peppy said to Mike sternly, making the boy yelp a bit. The hare wants him to go high. "Come on, you can fly a whole lot higher than you think."
"Right...sure, roger that."
"Over and out," Cameron exclaims as the connection was cut. The boy frowns at his friend Mike. He knows that his pal wants to do what it takes to take the high way out. "Come on, Mike! Fly up high for our sake! There's no reason to be scared."
"I am not scared, Cameron! I...well...don't like to go that high." Mike said quickly, making an excuse. Gwen and Cameron frown at this however. They knew of his true reason.
"Mike, come on. You won't be able to win this if you can't conquer that fear of heights of yours." Gwen said to Mike seriously.
"Gwen, it's not that, it's just..."
"Hey there love." A voice spoke out. Mike and his pals turn to see Soarin'. Once again the male Pegasus pony is trying to speak with Rainbow. "Aren't you tired?"
"What?" Rainbow asks Soarin' in disbelief. Is he crazy?
"Because you have been flying through my mind nonstop."
"Oh, I see. In that case, why would I be tired flying through a small teeny space, huh?"
Rainbow scoffs, leaving Soarin' who sadly spoke to the love that he may never get, "Come now. You can only pretend for so long..."
"Hey Soarin'" Cameron calls out to Soarin' as he and his pals came over in hopes to help him. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, Rainbow Dash. I am like Icarus while she is the sun. When I flew too close, I melt."
"Hmm..." Mike said with a ponder. Perhaps it's time to give his pal some advice on love. "Perhaps you are trying too hard. Look, you just got to go over to her, open your mouth and say..."
"Hello." A familiar voice spoke up. Mike yelps, very startled by the interruption. Gwen and Trent has arrived, the girl is wearing a beautiful Indian clothing.
"Whoa, uh, whoa, hey there."
"Wow, Mike." Gwen remarks to Mike in amusement. "Maybe you should try better to..."
"Hey, Gwen," Trent said, making Gwen blush a bit like mad.
"Hey Trent. Hee hee."
"Oh brother," Cameron remarked, rolling his eyes in amusement. "Perhaps we should leave these love birds alone."
Indeed, even Soarin' is sensing what's going on here. The pony backs away while speaking in a small voice as if someone's calling him, "Soarin'!" Soarin' then spoke in his normal voice, "Oh! Someone is calling me. Better go."
Soarin' and Cameron heads off, leaving Mike and Gwen alones with Zoey and Trent. The girl grins while saying, "Hey, my navigator and I want to congratulate you two and Cameron on your success, Mike. You know, you're doing very well for your first race."
"Hey thanks, that mean a lot...coming from you," Mike said sheepishly, rubbing his feet together.
"And you did good too, Gwen." Trent said to Gwen, making her grin a bit, "Much better than I did when I did a first time."
"Really; What's that?" Gwen asks Trent curiously, wondering what he meant.
"Oh, I was a band member to 'Heavy Metal Fuzzy' one time."
"Wow."
As the conversion continues, Soarin' and Cameron peeks out from behind a building, a cow passes them both. Mike spoke, "Anyway, come on, Zoey, you were named most aerodynamic racer by Air Sports Illustrated a few times in a row! That proves you are indeed an aerodynamic."
"Awww, Mike." Soarin' said with a proud smile. Mike is doing better at love himself...if only the male Pegasus pony can use that to his advantage.
Cameron remarks in amusement, "And even Gwen is doing good."
Gwen and Trent chuckles a bit but move by as a bunch of cows moo while passing between the group; Mike and Gwen note a lot of cows roaming through this town.
"Can anyone tell me why there're so many cows around here?" Gwen ask Zoey and Trent puzzled. What's with the cows in this town?
"Oh, they're sacred." Trent explains to Gwen with a grin.
"Huh? Since when are cows going extinct?"
"No, as in being idolized here."
"Right; the folks of India believe that when we die, we get reincarnated as cows." Zoey explains to Mike and Gwen with a grin. "Which is why I'm wearing a India outfit."
"Or other sort of interesting animals," Trent adds to his friends with a nod. "It's kinda recycling a car to make it into a tractor...or whatever."
"Well, I do believing in recycling." Gwen remarks with a blush. The girl wants so much to win Trent's heart and attention.,
As Zoey and Trent prepares to leave, the girl gasps as if having a fun idea, "Say, have you two been to the Taj Mahal?"
"No, not really," Mike remarked to Zoey with an arch of an eyebrow. Where is his love interest going with this?"
"Come on. How about we go; on a double date; you and me with Gwen and Trent?"
"Come we can't use our planes until the next race!" Gwen points out to Zoey in concern. It's true. All the planes that the contestants are using for the race can't be used for anything else!
"Well, I managed to get two loaners just for touring." Trent said with a grin, making Gwen's heart proud. "You and I can share a plane."
"Okay, sure! And Mike can share a plane with Zoey!"
"Yep, big love," Cameron remarked to Soarin' with a grin. Things are going to be fine for his lovestruck friends.

And so, the two couples took the loan planes into the sky, flying along as if on a date. As they begin having a good time, a song begins to play.

(dum dara dum dara mast mast dara
Dum dara dum dum
Oh hum dum bin tere kyaa jeenaa)

The couples flew above pastures where a lot of cows roaming. Mike smiles while saying, "Cool. Must be nice to be back home...if you lived here."
"Well, it's complicated." Zoey said to Mike seriously. "I got a lot of billion fans, expecting me to win no matter what."
"Well, who knows? Perhaps this time, you will."
The planes flew near the waters with birds passing them and some flew away to avoid ramming into the planes by mistaker.

Tere bina beswaadi beswaadi ratiyaan, oh sajna
Rookhi re oh rookhi re, kaatore kaate katena
Tere bina beswaadi beswaadi ratiyaan, oh sajna
(dum dara dum dara mast mast dara
Dum dara dum dum
Oh hum dum bin tere kyaa jeenaa)

Trent and Gwen look at birds flying by in amazement. The boy opened the window to the plane, chuckling while letting his head out and waving his arms in the air.
"I know we're not on a boat and this quote is overused, but I'm king of the wor-" Trent begins to say. But then he was interrupted by a bug landing into his mouth, causing him to choke on it, before spitting it out.
"Well that really killed the moment." Gwen remarks with a laugh, making Trent smiles in embarrassment.

Naa jaa chaakri kaa maare
Naa jaa souten pukaare
Saawan aeyega toh poochegaa
Naa jaa re
Pheeki pheeki beswaadhi
Yeh ratiyaan
Kaatore kate naa kate naa
Ab tere binaa sajnaa sajnaa
Kaate kate naa
Katenaa katenaa tere binaa
Tere binaa beswaadi beswaadi
Ratiyaan, oh sajnaa oh
(dum dara dum dara mast mast dara
Dum dara dum dum
Oh hum dum bin tere kyaa jeenaa)

Soon the four arrives at the Taj Mathal. Mike and Gwen looks amazed as they both say, "Wow." The two never been here...until now. The palace looks amazing.
As the four watch folks going about their business with some doing whatever in the palace, Gwen adds, "This place is awesome."
"Really is." Trent said to Gwen with a smirk.
As the two planes flew around the building, Zoey spoke to Mike thoughtfully, "I know that tomorrow, you will fly over the magnificent Himalayas. Wouldn't that be amazing?"
"Oh, those little hills?" Mike asks with a scoff. Of course, he was trying to be brave for her sake, "Come on, well...no big deal, right?"
"Oh really? From what I know, you like to fly low."
"Oh. Oh, that? Well...that's strategic...air density and...err...combustion."
Zoey took a thoughtful look as she spoke as if having a suggestion, "You know...you didn't hear this from me, but you could follow the Iron Compass instead."
"Iron Compass," Mike asks Zoey puzzled.
"Yes, as in rail road tracks. There's a valley in the mountain so you can still fly low; Just a thought."
"Really; Cool."

Tere binaa chaand kaa sonaa khotaa re
Peeli peeli dhool undaawe jhootaa re
Tere binaa sonaa peetal
Tere sang keekar peepal
Aaja katenaa ratiyaan
Dum daraa dum daraa mast mast daraa - 2
Dum daraa dum dum
Oh hum dum bin tere kya jeena
Tere binaa beswaadi beswaadi
Ratiyaan, oh sajnaa oh
Rukhiri re rukhire kaatore katenaa
(dum daraa dum daraa mast mast daraa - 2
Dum daraa dum dum
Oh hum dum bin tere kyaa jeenaa)

With the date done and the song ending, the two planes begin to depart from the place. Mike gently held Zoey by the hand, saying, "Hey, thanks for everything, Zoey."
"No problem." Zoey said with a warm smile. She just hopes that her advice helps.

"Leg 4: India > Nepal"

It was the next day as planes are on their way to Nepal now. The planes zoom through the mountain. And as usual, Mike's group in their plane stays down below.
Jet's voice spoke as this race continues on, "Every racer's nightmare is scaling the Himalayas. It will be a short leg ahead but extremely treacherous, especially the rumored abominable snowman creatures that could hurt or hug you, calling you George."
"No worries, he only goes after rabbits." Moltres's voice adds in amusement.
Mike's plane zooms on downward, following the railroad tracks. As they zoom through, the trio spots a tunnel up ahead, causing Cameron to call out, "Mike, pull up! Pull up!"
"Oh man!" Mike exclaims. What will he do now?
Mike looks at the high mountain, gulping as he flew upward. After a while, the boy gasps a bit, looking below. The ground looks farther from him! Mike he yelps while flying back downward, covering his eyes in one insane panic.
Gwen in horror snatches the controls, yelling, "Mike, are you crazy?!"
"Sorry, sorry, I panicked!" Mike exclaims to Gwen frantically as the girl manages to get the plane under control.
"Well, nice work, dummy. We're going to be out of this race thanks to you."
Mike pauses, looking back at the tunnel. He remembers Zoey's advice about taking the Iron Compass; Perhaps...
"No we're not!" Mike exclaims in determination. To his pals' shocks, he turns the plane towards the tunnel, heading to it.
"Mike, what are you doing?" Cameron asks Mike nervously. Is his friend trying to get everyone killed again?
"Relax, trust me. I got an idea!"
Cameron and Gwen held on for dear life as Mike tilts the plane, causing it to zooms inside. As the trio goes through, the wings barely touch the ground, with some of it breaking parts of the glass that almost hits the trio. At this rate, Mike's wild stunt could get them killed doing this!
"Mike, watch it!" Cameron exclaims frantically. "I mean, what if a train comes through here?!"
"Relax, Cameron! The train won't be here for another hour." Mike assures Cameron in assuration. "What could happen..."
Suddenly a train whistle is heard, much to Mike's shock. Gwen yelps, "You were saying?!"
A train is coming. Mike got to get out of this tunnel and fast! He steps on the gas, zooming through the tunnel. Of course, the train in question with a man named Casey Jones is coming from the other direction! He gasps in horror as he saw the plane about to collide with him, forcing Casey to pull the breaks, making the train screech.
Mike and his Pals gasps, screaming as they are closing in to the train very fast; Looks like this is it, their race ends right here!
After a moment, a white flash appears...

Mike and his pals find themselves in some clouds in their planes, flying through. Cameron was covering his eyes, freaking out.
"We're dead, we're dead; we're really dead." Cameron mumbles a bit.
Eventually though Mike's plane arrives at a strange place before it lands onto the ground. The boy opens his eyes, looking around then falls back into his seat.
"Is this heaven?" Cameron asks Mike while looking around. "It isn't...what I expected."
"If this were heaven, shouldn't we be eaten Pop Tarts with Kim Novak?" Mike asks his pals in concern.
"Maybe with Marilyn Monroe, I mean Kim Novak IS still alive, you know." Gwen remarks with a scoff. The trio jumps out of their plane, looking around. Not heaven.
"Hello? Hello?" Mike's voice echoes 'hello' throughout the place. As they look around, the friends spot a bunch of monks coming at the platform. "Say, Shaolin monks from Mortal Kombat? Any chance this is where we are supposed to be at?"
"Oooooohm," The monks said as if responding to Mike's question.
The leader of the group spoke, "Yes; that is one of life's great questions."
"I knew it! I'm dead! Awww, man! My life was flashing before my eyes!" Mike exclaims frantically, now believing the worst. "Wow, it's kinda boring."
"Mr. Mike, Mr. Cameron and Miss Gwen," Another voice spoke. Mike's group saw more Shaolin Monks arriving to greet them. "Welcome to Nepal."
"What part of Nepal to be precise?" Gwen asks the lead Shaolin Monk puzzled.
"Why, the ones from Mortal Kombat of course." The lead Shaolin Monk explains gently to the newcomers.
"Well, uh...that kinda makes sense." Mike said, rubbing the back of his head in amazement yet bewilderment. So he and his pals aren’t dead after all! But then…where’re the other racers?
"Did the others left already?" Cameron asks the Shaolin Monks in concern. If that's the case, this race is truly over for the gang.
However the other head Shaolin Monk gave a puzzled look as he explains, "Actually, no. No one else has arrived yet. You, Mike, and your friends are in first place." This made the three gasp in surprise.
"Wait, we're in first place; really?!"
"Oh yeah, we got the lead, guys!" Mike exclaims as he and his Pals cheers on wildly. Looks like the detour through the tunnel has worked and they survived. "But wait...why were we almost killed?"
"What person told you to use that tunnel anyway?" Gwen asks Mike, pondering who did he even listened to to go in that tunnel in the first place. The boy frowns. He remembers who suggested using the Iron Compass...
"I know who..."

The other pilots had arrived at Nepal soon after and they are surprised that Mike and his friends has arrived here first. Scott looks ticked off at Courtney and the Beagle Boys while the other pilots looked stunned at what the new first place winners has done.
"He flew through a what?!" Scott yells out angrily and in disbelief.
"A tunnel," Homer asks in amazement.
"That is crazy!" Rainbow exclaims in shock yet amazed. Mike has taken a risk, going through a tunnel and almost getting himself, Gwen and Cameron killed getting here.
"Right, crazy like a Fire Pony," Soarin' said proudly as he arrives on the scene. The Pegasus is proud of what his friends has accomplished so far. Mike could actually make it and win the whole thing.
Mike and his pals find themselves surrounded by reporters who ask them questions. One of them asks, "Gwen, Cameron, Mike; How does it feel to be in first place?"
Mike chuckles as he begins to speak, "Oh, feels great, but more than anything, my buddies and I were lucky to fit through that tunnel, getting out of there alive. I got to tell you, if you're ever in a tight squeeze, just..."
However Mike and his pals spots Zoey moving her plane. There's something new on it: a new propeller on the plane itself. How odd that Zoey got a new one after giving the advice to Mike that almost got him and his pals killed...
"Uh, will you excuse me?" Mike asks with a frown. He lefts with the reports while Gwen and Cameron frowns, following their friend. Zoey has an odd look on her face which was interrupted when the boy arrives, speaking, "Crazy day, eh Zoey?"
Zoey gasps a bit as if not realizing that Mike was behind her. She nervously speaks, "Oh...Mike. Err, what an exciting win for you today. That's some risk you took..."
"Well, Cameron and I were against it at first." Gwen remarks to Zoey with a scoff. "But after that squeeze, we were lucky to be alive."
"Yeah, I know. Say, you got a new propeller, right?" Mike asks suspiciously, motioning to the propeller which Zoey tries to hide futilely; Very suspicious...
"Oh yeah...suppose it is." Zoey said with a nervous smile.
"Let me guess: Sky Slycer Mark Five, right?"
"Hang on...those are made exclusively for Scott and Courtney's race team, aren't they?" Cameron asks Zoey suspiciously. Why would the girl even have one if those propellers are for Scott, Courtney and their goons?
"Are they, really?" Zoey ask Cameron nervously.
"Oh yeah, they are; Odd how you managed to get one."
"Or did Scott and Courtney ask you to do something for them?" Gwen ask Zoey with a frown, making Zoey looks down a bit, "In exchange for maybe...putting us out of the race, perhaps?!"
"Mike, guys..." Zoey said with sadness. Mike got a shocked look on his face. So his suspicions are true.
"Argh! Scott and Courtney bribed you to tell me to go in there, right?" Mike asks Zoey in shock and disbelief. "You set me up, didn't you?"
"Mike, I didn't want to hurt you, honest!"
"Why?!"
"It's complicated, okay?" Zoey ask with a sigh. She didn't want Mike to know why.
"My friends and I were almost killed! We would've been killed thanks to your insane advice!" Mike snaps to Zoey angrily with his pals giving out angry looks at her.
"Mike, I was hoping you would turn around like what Scott told me that you would do!"
Zoey gasps as she covers her mouth, but the damage's been done. Scott has indeed told the girl to give the advice to Mike in hopes to force him to quit or maybe get the pilot and his friends seriously hurt!
"Well, looks like Courtney isn't the only girl that got into a bad relationship trouble." Gwen remarks to Zoey with a sight.
"Scott said that I could have the title for once...if he let it slide and I tell you." Zoey explains to Mike in sadness. The boy felt hurt. He thought that the girl racing for fun, not for being a champion!
"Well, you were wrong...and I was wrong about you." Mike said to Zoey sternly as he leaves her. The girl looks down in guilt. She has betrayed the boy that she herself cared for...just for a new propeller and title.
"Honestly? I thought we were friends." Cameron said, upset as he shook his head, following his friend.
"Trent must be ashamed of you if he knew what you did." Gwen adds, making Zoey more sad. Just then, an upset Scott came over. As Gwen leaves, she taunts him, "Hey, dirty loser. Thanks for the first place. Better make sure to give the job of almost killing us to someone we don't like."
Scotl growls angrily as Gwen leave. He really hated that group!

The race resumes as a crowd at China's great wall is watching excitedly at the flyers zooming overheads.
"Flying low and quick, Mike and his pals are holding onto the top shot!" Jet's voice adds as we see a list of Current Standing. Mike's name is over Scott and Courtney's. "But the reigning champs, Scot and Courtney, are just seconds behind Mike!"

"Leg 5: Nepal > China"

Back at the studio, Jet smiles as he spoke, "Amazing. This surprise battle for the first place has made Gwen and his pals the ones to watch during this."
Indeed, in China, farmers are watching the flyers fly, noticing and cheering for Mike and his pals. They are getting fans from the world all over!
"They are becoming working class heroes all over the world." Jet's voice adds excitedly.
Folks are watching Youtube which shows a clip of Mike's group flying, with an auto tune playing on the phone while another person is wearing a hat that looks like Mike. The boy is becoming a celebrity, despite being a dust cropper.

I wanna fly
Makes everything alright

Folks are dancing and cheering, watching Mike's trip on TVs at a sales.

Way up in the sky (Yea, yea)

Asians are also watching, one of them is wearing a hat. They are also cheering for the up and coming flyer Mike.

Got to feel alive (hey)

At the Hylian pub, the same folks from before smiles as they spoke to each other. The women add, "Told you he could do it."
"Though we did kinda doubt him a few days ago," The Hylian man adds with a laugh at the irony.

In a stop at China, the Beagle Boys are watching the familiar clip of the success of Mike and his pals. They could actually be able to do the impossible and win, beating out Scott and Courtney!

I wanna fly
Makes everything alright-

However, Scott stomps on the pad, breaking it like mad. Courtney said in concern, "Geez, Scott, calm down."
"No, I had has enough!" Scott snaps, glaring and growling in anger. Mike and his pals are out-flying him and Courtney. This cannot be happening!
"Wha....awww!" Burger groans a bit in disappointment over the loss of the pad.
"Hey, Scott, that was my skyPad." Bigtime complains to Scott over what he did.
"Who cares? A new one is coming out in two weeks anyway." Courtney reminds Big Tme, rolling her eyes at the beagle's complaint over his broken pad.
"But it is too expensive!"
"Don't care!" Scott snaps angrily, getting more ticked off. He got better things to worry about than hearing the Beagle Boys' complaining over his lost pad.
"Can't we have yours?" Burger asks Scott and Courtney, making them groan in annoyance.
"Honestly, why did we even put up with you three numbskulls?" Courtney asks the Beagle Boys in annoyance. If she had known that these three Beagle Boys were stupid...
"Because we cost less," Bouncer asks Courtney confused.

"Shanghai, China: Latitude 31 14' N, Longitude 121 27' E"

As the pilots are in the pits, getting prepared for the next leg of the race; Mike, Gwen and Cameron are listening to their friends on the radio.
"You three had been showing those big-time racers what for, eh?" Peppy's voice asks the trio, showing proudness over Mike, Cameron and Gwen's success.
"You got it." Cameron said with a smile. "We're going to be heading across the Pacific tomorrow."
"Right, Peppy. Weren't you stationed there for a while?" Mike asks Peppy with a grin. The hare did mention being stationed out in the Pacific on time.
"Yes, yes, I am." Peppy's voice said. Weird, the trio thought that they heard a scent of hesitation in his voice.
"So got any advice for us for when we go out there?"
At the hangar in Pilotwash Junction, the rest of Mike's group looks like they are packing to go somewhere. While they do so, the friends, along with Peppy, spoke to Mike's group through the radio.
"Back in '41, during the battle over Orange Islands, the Star Fox team ran into some serious monsoons with embedded CBs. Those could tear your wings right off." Peppy explains, making Mike, Gwen and Cameron gulps a bit. "But...as long as you two are careful, you should make it. Oh, and one more thing: Mike, I'm proud of you and your friends."
"Thanks, Peppy." The trio said with assuring smiles. At least it's good knowing that Peppy is proud of his trainees who has become somebodies overtime.
"Oh hey guys and girl, we got a surprise for you." Audrey said smirking a bit. She and her friends got a surprise to give Mike, Cameron and Gwen, much to their curiosity.
"Oh, oh, oh, let me tell them, come on!" Owen exclaims eagerly, wanting to tell his pals what the surprise is.
"Well, go ahead and tell them, Owen." Joshua said with an amused look. Owen of course just ponders, trying to remember what the surprise is.
"Okay...hang on, I know this. It...it was on the tip of my tongue. I'll remember, uh..."
Audre shakes her head then speaks to Owen, who is scratching his head, to help him tell Mike, "We're going..."
"We're going..." Owen said with a slow nod as he remembers a bit.
"To...mmm..." Both said at the same time in helping Owen remembers.
"Malays..."
"Mexico." Audrey said with a smirk, correcting Owen a bit.
"Oh yeah, Mexico," Owen exclaims with a laugh, remembering now. "Yeah, that's it! Guys, we're going to meet you three in Mexico!"
"Really," Mike, Gwen and Cameron ask in surprise and amazement. Their friends are going to meet them in Mexico?
"Yeah, you betcha," The Mole exclaims to Mike with a smile.
"Right, the tickets are on me, Rob 64, Vinny and the Mole." Owen said proudly as he and the ones mentioned motions to an empty counter marked 'Sold Out'. The four has sold out a lot of merchandise involving Mike and his pals. "We sold 326 Mike bobble heads, 143 Gwen antenna balls, 203 spinner mugs..."
"Along with plush Mike, Cameron and Gwen dolls, bath toys, PEZ dispensers, t-shirts, coin banks..." Vinny said, counting off what he and his pals has sold off to make money during the time Mike has been gone.
"And 1,000 whistles," Rob 64 exclaims as he blows a whistle. "Go, Team Mike; Yeah!"
Some of Mike's pals chuckles a bit. The boy said in amazement, "Whoa! With all that money, I'm surprised you got our permission to do that!"
"Who cares? Our pals are coming to meet us!" Cameron exclaims to Mike with Gwen cheering a bit. It has been days since they last saw their supporting friends and now, they get to see them again in Mexico!
"Say, you sure you're up for it, Peppy?"
Peppy just nods, saying to Mike, "You betcha; Someone else is doing the flying."
"Whoa, great noises, guys." Gwen said with a smile. She hopes to see her pals once Mike, Gwen and Cameron get to Mexico soon. Won't that be much of a good reunion!
"See you guys in Mexico." Mike said with a smile as he prepares to hang up the radio.
"Right! Buenos noches! I will bring the salsa! Yahoo," The friends' voices are heard. Mike and his pals smile, knowing that it would be great to see their friends again.

Mike's group is heading on their way back to the hotel for a good night's rest. But then, the trio heard cans crashing. They turn just in time to see Soarin' head off as if wanting to get somewhere.
"Hey, Soarin, where's the fire?" Mike asks Soarin' curiously.
"The one in my soul," Soarin' said in determination. "Yes, tonight, I shall win the heart of Miss Dash."
"So how are you going to be doing that?" Gwen asks Soarin' puzzled. "So far, all your attempts to win her over weren't so good."
"True, but I am not giving up yet, Gwen!"
"Did you try Flamingo dancing?" Mike asks as he and his pals follow Soarin' to a part of the area near the hotel where Rainbow's staying at.
"Oh tried that, didn't end well. But I got something better." Soarin' said as he flung his cape a bit. This time, his next attempt should hopefully do well.
The four arrives at the area. The time has come to win Rainbow's heard. A spotlight is turned on as Soarin' turns on a player, causing it to play Mariachi music loudly, much to the alarm of his friends.
Inside her bedroom, Rainbow was trying to sleep but the music is causing her to have troubles. She groans while frowning, "Ugh! What dummy would wake me up at this hour?!"
"Ooooooohh-ho-ho-hoy," Soarin' laughs as he begins to dance with a sombrero on the ground. The Pegasus dances around it while singing.

Soarin': Mmm-mmm-mmmmmm yeah! Hey!

Rainbow looks outside. There's the idiot who has been bugging her so far. She groans, "Awww, no, no way; A thousand times no's; why can't he leave me alone?!"
Soarin' smirks as he twirls a bit, dancing backwards; looks like he is doing it. Unknown to the male Pegasus pony, the folks in the area, including the annoyed Rainbow, closes their windows and doors to shut his noise out.

I'm just a love machine!
And I won't work for nobody but you!
Aaaah! Ha!

Suddenly without warning, the music and power went out. Soarin' was singing, unaware at first, "I'm just a love..." The pony stops and looks confused. Where's the music? "...machine?" He saw that the door is close, much to his dismay, "Huh; Rainbow Dash?"
Soarin' saw the extension cord from the spotlight and the player loose. He looks around and saw the ones responsible for pulling the plug literally: his friends Mike, Gwen and Cameron.
"Errr, Mike, Gwen, Cameron, what are you doing?" Soarin' ask his friends quietly. They are ruining the moment.
Mike shakes his head, saying, "Soarin', no offense, but if you keep that up, I don't think you will get any hearts won."
"Right; it’s bad enough that Mike messes up with Zoey. No offense, Mike." Cameron explains to Soarin', apologizing to Mike on the last part.
"None taken; Listen, perhaps you should do this another way."
Suddenly, some candles on a stick are put down before bit lit. Soon some Mariachi men begin to play a somber tune with maracas and a Spanish guitar. Soarin' stunned watch as the candles were given to him. The Pegasus pony saw two of the Mariachis approaching as the third one plays he trumpet.
"Low and slow, my friend," Mike said to Soarin' with a smile.
Another man held a sign that is marked 'How Low Can You Go'? Noticing the error, he quickly changes it to 'Mas Suave' as the Mariachis go near the Pegasus pony. It's soon by the time that Soarin' finally understands.
"Oh..." Soarin said with a nod. He then looks towards Rainbow's room and begins to sing once more...only more slow and gently.

I'm just a love machine.
And I won't work for nobody but you.

Some Mexicans with their own instruments came, playing as the mariachi sang along.

Mariachi: He's just a love machine

Soarin': I only work for you, baby.

Mariachi: A hugging kissing fiend

Soarin': Yeah.

Mike's group and the remaining person smile, motioning their fingers with the tune.

My voltage regulator cools,

Mariachi: Regulator cools

Soarin': When I taxi next to you.

Mariachi: Next to you

Suddenly the windows open as Rainbow look out to see Soarin' singing. He is doing better...as if his singing is attracting her somehow.

Soarin': The electricity starts to flow.

Soon the spotlights are turned back on as the man uses a kite to use color on the spotlight, making this more romantic.

And my indicator starts to glow.

Mariachi: Ooooooooh!

Rainbow, getting more interested and awe, leans in closer to Soarin'.

Soarin': Ooooh! I'm just a love machine.
And I won't work for nobody...
But you!

Mariachi: Hmmmmmm!!

Soarin' took a hopeful look and got a sight that he wanted to see: Rainbow is finally smiling at him with a warm heart. He has done it! The male Pegasus pony has won this female over.
"Thank you, Miss Dash." Soarin' said as he and the band bows to Rainbow.
"Awww, man! You are sooooo awesome." Rainbow said with a grin. She spoke a bit of some language, then giggles before closing her window, returning to her room.
"Errr, what does that mean?"
"No sure, but she is speaking Ancient Equestrian, which is the language of love back in Ponyville." Mike explains to Soarin' with a grin. "It's got to be good!"
"Way to go, Romeo!" Gwen exclaims with a smile to the smiling Soarin'. "Looks like you slow that Dash down."
The group begins to leave. As Chinese lamps flew up into the sky, Soarin' grins as he said to his friends, "My friends, I am in your debt always. If you need my help, I will be there."
"Hey, an eternal debt," Mike remarks, smiling at what Soarin' just said, "Yeah, I like that."
"Me too," Cameron remarked in agreement. It's good to help a friend in need.

Author's note
Well, although Mike messes up with Zoey thanks to her being bribed by Scott and Courtney, he and his pals helped Soarin' in winning Rainbow over. More to come so read, review and suggest.

Bad Mr. Frosty is one of the Clayfighters. Hugo the Abominable Monster is a Looney Tunes character.

Trent being a band member is a reference to the 'Heavy Metal Fuzzy' short.

That King of the World quote is an obvious reference to Titanic, and the bug getting in Trent's throat is a reference to Shrek the Third.

The gang's arrival in the Shaolin Monks Temple is a little reference to Rango is included in here as well as the Mortal Kombat series.

Author's note
After a while, I'm finally back to work on this fanmake.

Chapter 8: A Secret in a Storm

The next day has come for the next race in the rally. In the studio, Jet spoke to the camera near a Current Leader board which shows Mike's name, "Folks, you are now looking live at Pudong Shanghai International Airport..."
At the airport right now, the pilots are making final preparations for the next leg. Scott looks angry upon seeing Mike's name on the top. That jerk is beating him out! Sure enough, he turns and saw Mike, Cameron and Gwen arriving a bit as if to gloat.
"Yeah, first place." Mike remarked with a smirk, "Not bad for a farm boy, huh?"
"And not bad for a geek navigator and a Goth girl worker," Gwen taunts as Cameron laughs a bit. The trio twirls a bit as they leave Scott, making him more upset.
Courtney and the Beagles arrive, with the girl saying, "Don't be bothered by them, Scott. They are all idiots, especially that traitor Gwen!"
"Right! It's like they know we waited weeks for this next leg, fan fiction wise!" Burger wises a bit.
"Shut it, stupid!" Big Time snaps as he hits his brother to keep him quiet. No need to annoy their bosses now.
"Right, oh yeah!" Bouncer calls over to Mike and his pals as they leave. "Well...first place is for dopes!"
"Oh shut it!" Scott snaps as he kicks an empty can of oil at Bouncer, making him yelp in pain as he got kicked. As the other beagles laugh stupidly, their boss continues, "Listen up, morons; Time for you to make yourselves useful."
"Uhhhh...aren't we useful already?" Burger ask Scott and Courtney confused.
"No, you just sit on your butt, eating burgers all day." Courtney remarks in annoyance to Burger.
"So what's your point?"
"Enough! Knock those three out of the way for good!" Scott snaps to the Beagle Boys angrily. He isn't going to let Mike and his pals outdo him and Courtney ever again!
At the starting line, Mike and his pals are preparing to get into their plane. But to their surprise, there's Soarin' in pink lipstick kisses, panting in fear. It looks like he learned how it is to be 'too attractive'.
"Whoa! What happened to you?" Cameron asks Soarin' in surprise.
"That song I did flipped a switch." Soarin' remarks a bit freaked out.
"Hey there, my Pegasus pony," Rainbow' exclaims eagerly as she came over. "Come on!"
"Dah, no, please!" Soarin' exclaims in alarm and worry. The male Pegasus pony screams as the female drags him off, kissing him. Soarin' grunts while trying to reach his pals, "Geez! Rainbow Dash is like a huge Minotaur now!"
"Hey, my Apple Cider!"
"Come on, be gentle with me!"
Soarin' screams as Rainbow drags him away for some more romance. Gwen shakes her head while remarking, "Wow; Some Feathery Romeo."
"Right, tell me about it." Mike remarks to Gwen with a laugh. Soarin' got Rainbow's attention...a bit too well if one can ask him.
"Engines; start your engines!" A voice came over the loudspeakers.
"Okay, guys, time on head out of here! Mexico awaits us!"

Soon on the outskirts of the sea, planes flew off from China on their way to their next destination: Mexico. As we see the map, Jet's voice spoke, "Folks, this is our sixth and longest leg yet."

"Leg 5: China > Mexico"

"The racers must follow their GPS antennas due to the fact that there's a big ocean between here and Mexico." Jet's voice adds as the race continues.
Mike's plane as usual flies over the ocean but not too high enough. Rigby was bored, remarking, "It would be more interesting if I could navigate."
"Yeah, but with just a big ocean, we must depend on our GPS for this leg." Gwen adds to her friend in concern. "I just hope it doesn't break before we get to Mexico."
Unknown to the trio, three familiar planes belonging to three certain beagles flew the gang, smirking evilly as they fly and zoom above the orange plane. Scott and Courtney gave them a mission and they will be thrilled to see it done.
"Gwen, come on. What's the worst that can happen?" Mike asks his pals in dismissal.
Unfortunately Mike's question is answered the hard way. His antenna got hit when something bumps a plane, causing them to yelp and hit their heads on the roof, yelping.
As Mike recovers, he gasps in horror as he saw his antenna falling right in the ocean, "No; my antenna!"
"You have to say it!" Cameron exclaims to Mike who is freaking out, flying around the area where his antenna has fallen. He will never get to it and find the antenna in time!
"No, no, no! Oh no! What am I going to do?!"
"Signal for help!" Gwen calls out to Mike in worry. "There has to be someone out there."
"How?! My radio is knocked out, remember?" Mike points out to Gwen in alarm. This isn't good, without a radio, the gang will have no idea where they are or any way to signal for help.

As the gang flies through the ocean, Mike tries to use the radio, trying to get a signal through to anyone who could help.
"Hey, hey! Last known coordinates 26 degrees and 31 minutes!" Mike calls out into the mic frantically.
So far, time passes and no answer. Cameron is the next to try to call, "Hawaii, are you there?"
"Do you read? We are low on fuel right now!"
Sure enough, the blinker shows the gas is on 'E' meaning empty! Gwen gasps, "Oh no! Not good! We got to land somewhere and refuel!"
"How?! We're in the middle of nowhere!" Mike reminds Gwen in worry. Suddenly a giant plane flew behind the trio, making them yelp, "Whoa; Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!"
A voice is heard on the radio, a pilot's one, "Unknown riders, unknown riders! You have entered the restricted airspace! Why aren't you responding to radio contact?" Another pilot is above the two planes, scanning to see who the trespassers are.
"Hey! I can't call! Someone has cut off my antenna!"
"Identify yourself."
"I am Mike and these are my pals Gwen and Cameron!" Mike explains to the pilot as he identified himself and his pals. Hopefully this guy can help the trio get to safety.
"Right, we need some help pronto!" Cameron explains to the pilot in concern.
"Right, roger that." The pilot said as the scanner blinks a bit. "Okay, the bogey has been identified as Mike, Gwen and Cameron Seven."
"Like I said, we're running on vapor and we need to land quickly!"
Another pilot came near the two planes in his own plane, asking, "What are you three doing out here with an empty tank?"
"Well, to be honest, I thought I'd refuel once I get to Hawaii, but..." Mike explains to the pilots sheepishly, explaining how he decided not to refuel back in China but make a refuel in Hawaii. Boy; that was a big mistake.
"Kid, Hawaii is 375 miles SW of here." The first pilot explains to Mike, much to his shock and alarm.
"What," Mike's group yells out in shock and worry. Not good, they will never refuel now!
A third pilot who was scanning spoke up, "Listen, my friend; Best to follow our jets to the boat. There isn't any bingo fields around here."
"'Bingo fields'?" Gwen asks the third pilot confused, not sure what he's talking about at first.
"He means places to land." Cameron explains to Gwen more clearly. "But what boat?"
"It's the USS Zauriel!" The second pilot explains to the newcomers clearly, "The best in the fleet."
"Well, if you can get us there, go for it!"
The jets flew off with the plane follows them. The military pilots are taking them to a ship in hopes to refuel and get back to the race once they're done.
The jet pilots and Mike's group is heading towards a ship that has planes zooming off. The first pilot spoke up, "Echo, checking in as frag plus one. Check. Two."
"Go ahead, Bravo." The second pilot known as 'Echo' spoke in amusement, "Alpha, how about you?"
"Calling up ahead right now," The third pilot 'Alpha' said in amusement.
Inside the ship, the crew is using their scanners to scan the incoming jets and plane while one listens to a radio. He spoke, "The bogey is civilian, sir. He needs emergency fuel."
"Copy that." An angel known as Zauriel said seriously. The civilian needs help and fast.
"Oh for flying out loud," An old admiral Bob-Omb named Admiral Bobbery groans a bit in disbelief. "That's what I need; a civilian blowing up on my deck."
"Yes. We could rig the barricade, Admiral Bobbery."
"Right, all engines, engine flank."
"Aye, captain," Zauriel said as he taps the controls, ready to get to work. It's a honor having a ship named right after him after all. "All engines ahead flank. Rig the barricade."
"Copy that!" A worker at the barricade said as he quickly turns it off. Turning to the crew, he shouts, "All right, rig the barricade! Chop-chop! Going, get going; Move!"
The crew got to work. They need to get the barricade rigged in time to help Mike and his pals. The three planes meanwhile are heading towards the USS Zauriel right now.
"Okay, time we line you up in the barricade." 'Bravo' said to Mike's plane in determination.
"Right; you must throttle on back and call the ball." 'Echo' said in agreement. "Hopefully then you can end up in the spaghetti."
"Oh, don't mention food." 'Alpha' remarks hungrily to his pals. "I'm hungry."
The nets are being placed up. But Mike looks worried, he is freaking out big time but how the ship is moving. Landing on a runway is one thing but landing on one that moves is another!
"Wait, hang on, no, wait a second!" Mike exclaims frantically to the jet pilots. "I don't think I can do this, guys!"
"You don't have a choice, pal!" 'Echo' points out to Mike with a frown.
"Okay, but the runaway is moving."
"Relax. We will set you up on the glide path."
"But runaways aren't supposed to move!" Cameron exclaims, freaking out at the moving runway. He is not sure if Mike can land without crashing or worst!
"It's okay, I'm okay." Mike pants a bit. As long as he tries not to panic or worst, the boy can land this plane on a 'moving runaway'. "I'm going to be fine."
"Now take it easy, kid." 'Bravo' instructs Mike calmly.
"Moving runway, moving runway," Mike said, getting a bit intense. The gang turns towards the ship's moving runway. "Okay, there it is. Let's do this!"
"Gah! Throttle on back!" Cameron exclaims in a panic. Mike may not be able to make it!
"Okay, maybe if I were to come around again..."
"Level your wings." The third pilot said to Mike calmly.
"Easy with it," Mike said in determination. He got to make this landing come.
"Cut, cut, cut!" A worker exclaims in alarm as he and his fellow co-worker saw the plane landing right on the ball. They scream in alarm, "STOOOOOOOOOOOOP!"
The plane bounces towards the net like mad before stopping at last. They groan a bit before Mike, Gwen and Cameron are safe and sound. The crowd cheers as some of them hi-five one another. It was close but the heroes are okay!
As Mike and his pals smile and look to the cheering soldiers, the worker said, "Okay, we've got you guys."
Mike and his pals barely got out of the plane, flopping to the ground. They look up and saw the three pilots who helped them come out of their jet: three Chinese guys to be precise.
"Hey, thanks a lot, guys. We appreciate it." Mike said to the three Chinese pilots in gratitude.
"Right, but at least warn us sooner, Mr. Bravo." Gwen remarks to the short pilot with the name 'Bravo' on his uniform.
"Awww, Bravo? That's a codename I used like how my buddies here used 'Echo' and 'Alpha'." The 'Bravo' pilot scoffs a bit while motioning to his pals.
"You got that right!" The thin man whose is codename 'Echo' remarks as the big guy who is codename 'Alpha' nods a bit.
"So what are your real names?" Cameron asks the three pilots curiously.
"Yeah, call me Yao. Got a problem with it?" Yao ask the newcomers to the military ship with a runt.
"And my name is Ling! Glad to meet ya!" Ling chuckles as he shakes the pilot and his friends' hands.
"And my name is Chien-Po." The big Chinese man known as Chien-Po said while bowing to the pilots. "It's an honor to meet the flyers of this year's flying rally."

The crew put Mike's plane right onto an elevator, lowering it down so that can get the thing fixed so that Mike and his pals can get back to the race.
"Okay, kid! Let's get your plane fixed up and refueled!" Yao exclaims with a smile to Mike. "You gotta get back in the race; you're way behind as it is!"
"Only because you're worried about losing a bet," Ling teases Yao, making him growl at his fellow pilot in annoyance.
"Hey, thanks guys. You saved our butts out there." Mike remarks with a grin to the pilots for their rescue.
"Victory," Chien-Po said proudly while holding up 2 fingers meaning 'victory'.
"Yeah, victory, cool," Gwen remarks as the group came to the repair level.
As the plane is being worked on, Mike and his pals chose this time to look around...and gasp as they saw something on a wall that caught their surprise: It's a wall of fame and it's marked 'Star Fox Team'.
"Hey, what is that?" Cameron asks in amazement to the three jet pilots.
"Oh that? That's the Star Fox Wall of Fame." Yao explains to the newcomers with a smirk.
"Right! Every flyer whose flew every mission is on there!" Ling explains with a nod.
"Wow; that must mean Peppy is on there too!" Cameron exclaims with a smile.
"Okay, let's see...Peppy, Peppy..." Mike said, looking at the wall of fame for any sign of Peppy's name. He smiles as the boy and his pals found a picture of Peppy flying in his plane. "All right, there he is!"
The trio's smiles disappear as they saw something that made them look confused. There is a mission that said 'Glendal Canal' with only a purple heart on it. But what made them confused is that there is only 1 mission near the picture; Nothing else.
"Wait, something is not right here." Cameron said puzzled, 'Glendall Canal'? Is that it?"
"I don't understand! Why is there only 1 mission?" Mike asks the three jet pilots in confusion. "I mean Peppy Hare should've gotten more!"
"Ha ha ha; Peppy Hare; the One Mission fuzz ball whose blew it years ago," Yao ask in amusement to Mike's group while laughing.
"Blew it?!" Gwen asks in shock. Her pals look stunned. 'Blew it'? What is Yao even talking about?!

At Pilotwash Junction, the rest of Mike's pals are about to head off to Mexico. Audrey notes that Owen is driving a cart with too much luggage in it.
"Owen? What is that?" Audrey asks Owen, frowning at the stuff that the fat boy is carrying.
"Well, I haven't been out of the country." Owen explains to Audrey seriously. "I should warn you. I brought the Commodium so whatever you do, don't drink the water...or was it petrol?"
"Owen, we're only going to be gone for 2 days."
"True, but I gotta be prepared, right? Got my beach ware, dinner wear, under wear, silver water, Tupperware, hardware, software...and my back hair! Say...you sure it's a good idea to bring Jack along?"
Owen was pointing to Jack Sparrow who is waiting outside to leave. The pirate has requested to go along and apologize to Mike to making fun of his dreams days ago.
"Oh, Jack says it will be fine." Joshua chuckles as he finishes his packing. "Besides he wanted to apologize, remember?"
At Peppy's hangar, the hare was finishing up his own packing when he hears Mike's voice on the radio, though it sounds hurt in a sad and disbelief kinda way.
"Peppy, I know you're there. Come in, Peppy! Peppy," Mike's voice calls out on the radio in concern. "Come on, don't turn into a chicken on us now!"
Peppy turns the mic on and speaks into it, "Oh, Mike! We're about to head off to Mexico right now! I'm glad that you three made it there safe." Of course, the hare doesn't know at the moment that his friends are not in Mexico but in a repair room on the ship Zauriel, waiting for the plane to be done fixed. "Rob 64 just got the weather report. There is supposed to be a major stew happening out there."
"Yeah, there's just one thing: we aren't in Mexico."
"Right, we're with your old pal Star Fox, remember those guys?" Cameron asks Peppy with a frown.
Peppy looks stunned upon hearing that. He hesitates as the hare continues, "Wait, you're on the Zauriel?"
"Yeah and here's the thing: we just saw the Wall of Fame." Mike said in concern. He wants to hear from Peppy that what the trio just saw wasn't true at all. "There was only 1 mission listed for you."
"Yeah, but you told us you made more than 1, right?" Gwen asks Peppy with a frown. She wants the hare to tell them the truth.
Peppy looked nervous. He was hoping that his friends wouldn't find out the truth the hard way. The hare, hoping to get away from that subject, spoke, "Mike, if you aren't your friends isn't past that storm yet, you need..."
Mike however interrupts Peppy, snapping, "That cannot be right! It got to be a mistake!"
"Mike, you must get out of there now! You got to fly high!"
"Peppy, we want the truth, is it true?" Cameron demands to Peppy sternly. The trio's hare pal is trying to hide something that he doesn't want Mike, Cameron and/or Gwen to find out.
"Listen to me, get above the storm!" Peppy exclaims urgently and getting more nervous. The old hare sounds like he's going to break at any given moment.
"I am not going anywhere until you answer me!" Mike exclaims angrily to Peppy. He wants the truth once and for all. "is it true?!"
"It's true!" Peppy exclaims right back, making Mike's group gasps. The hare glare then sighs in sadness and in disappointment. He knew that someday that Peppy must come out with the truth. "It's...it’s true. I only flew 1 mission."
"Peppy..." Gwen said in shock and disbelief. Peppy has been lying about the other missions the whole time? Why?
"But what about all those stories," Mike ask Peppy in concern and disappointment. Why the hare claimed to have done those stories...if he only flew 1 mission all these years? Does it has something to do with the reason why Peppy never flew his Arwing for so long?
But before Peppy could answer, Admiral Bobbery arrives, saying, "Boys and girls, we got blasting weather coming in fast. You must take off before it's too late."
"But I only need a second here." Mike insists but the old Bob-Omb turns the radio off, not wanting to hear another word of it.
"Negative, son! Unless you go now, you won't be able to at all."
"But we got to find out why Peppy lied to us about having more missions!" Cameron exclaims to Bobbery in concern.
"I'm sorry but you can ask him once you see him, now go!" Bobbery insists to the trio as he rushes them away.
Admiral Bobbery is right. Mike, Gwen and Cameron must get out again and avoid the storm that is coming up. If the three somehow survived this mess, Peppy got a lot of explaining to do.

Author's note
Hoo boy; Turns out Peppy only flew 1 mission and was lying all this time. But why; More to come so read, review and suggest.

Zauirel is the angel hero in the DC Comics.

Admiral Bobbery is one of the allies of Mario who appears in the Paper Mario comics.

Yao, Ling and Chien-Po are three Chinese goofballs who are friends to Mulan in her film series.

Author's note
Two more chapters left to go.

Chapter 9: Assembly Required

Mike and his pals are inside their plane, preparing to head off once the elevator is closed while they are being lifted up. The trio must make it to their destination now before the storm gets worst.
"Be careful. The JTWD has issued a tropical cyclone formation alert for the northeast Pacific ocean. Area of convection is located 5000 nautical miles east-northeast of Hawaii." A voice from the radio spoke. Mike, Gwen and Cameron gasps in alarm, coming out of the ship. That storm is getting intense! A jet flew off as it notices the flag. "Okay, Maximus sustained surface winds are currently estimated at..."
"Report to catapult two." A crew member said to two workers who rush off to the catapult to prepare to send Mike's plane a-going before it's too late. "Okay, this baby will take you from 0 to 160 knots in about 2 seconds."
As the lights are turned on, the plane begins to get hooked up to the catapult. Mike and his pals gasps in horror, "2 seconds," Are these people crazy or something?!
"Don't forget; climb straight once you get airborne." Another crew members advises Mike carefully. The boy must move his plane above the clouds to escape in one piece.
"Right, climb straight ahead." Mike said nervously. That would be easier said than done!
"So then what," Cameron ask the workers in concern.
"Get above the storm." The first worker finishes the instructions.
Gwen gulps as a catapult of some sort arrives at the back of the plane to launch it. She isn't worry about that; the Goth girl is worried about Mike because of his fear of heights.
Ling gives out instructions to Mike, "All right, engine full throttle. Now nod to the shooter when you're ready."
Mike nods nervously as he turns his plane on. Yao grins, giving a thumbs up to the boy while exclaiming, "Win it for the Star Fox, you guys; Volo Pro Veritas!"
"In other words, good luck." Chien-Po said gently. Mike, Gwen and Cameron gulps as they look at the runway ahead of them. The trio would be lucky to get off the ship in one piece than in that storm!
"Head Wind's good and so is the pressure." The engineer calls out, making Mike's group nod at him. "Go on cat two; And...GO!"
Mike and his pals scream, bracing themselves as the catapult soon push them right off the ship. The plane flies out into the skies, preparing to meet the storm head on.

"Mexico City, Mexico: Latitude 19' 25' N, Longitude 99' 08' W"

Most of the pilots for the race has arrived at the Mexico City stop...all but Mike who is still out there, braving that storm. While folks are waiting and hoping that he's okay, Burger is singing heartfeltingly with a mic while his brothers play instruments...of course, the beagle is singing badly, causing the crowd to mourn while Scott and Courtney cringes a bit.

Burger: (off-key) Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

Most of the crowd sniffs a bit. Probably because of how touching the song is or the fact that it is finally over.
"Thanks, folks! I also do bar mitzvahs!" Burger exclaims with a smile. "Anyone got any requests for the next song?"
"Yeah! The 'Sound of Silence'," Courtney snaps to Burger in annoyance, "Ugh, honestly! Who let him sing?"
Just then reporters gather around the two. A female reporter spoke in an Mexican tone, "Senor Scott and Senorita Courtney, do you got any comments on Mike and his friends' disappearances, no?"
Scott shrugs, pretending to be worried and sad as he spoke, "Well, what can I say? Those three are nice people who flew the challenges and pierced the clouds of mediocrity." The bad boy made a fake sniff. "If they're gone...well, we're going to miss them. Excuse me."
"Wow...that was...a bit nice." Courtney said as the reporters leave the two racers. However, she notices an evil grin on her boyfriend's face. "Wait, that was fake?!"
"Heh heh; let's hope that dumb idiot Mike makes a better boat than a flyer!"
"Oh yeah, good one boss," Big Time laughs with Scott as the Beagles leaves with their boss as well as the concerned Courtney, most of them laugh cruelly. The evil trick performed without anyone else's knowledge has done well.
"Yeah, that was pretty good, huh?" Scott laughs cruelly.
"But they could be hurt or dead." Courtney said to Scott in concern. "I mean, aren't you a bit worried?"
"Awww, come on! You wanted them out of the race like I do!"
"But not by killing them especially when I was hoping that Mike would turn back from the tunnel! I may be angry with Gwen for stealing my boyfriend and all but..."
Scott however cuts her off, snapping, "Courtney, you're my co-pilot. Just let the champion does all the thinking."
Courtney frowns a bit, a bit upset by her boyfriend's words. Soarin' was watching from nearby, not happy with Scott's cruel words either.
"Jerk," Soarin' scowls as he marches angrily to Scott who glares right back at him. "You are a monster and a murder! Mike, Gwen and Cameron got 10 times the engine of hearts as you do!"
"As well as 10 times the integrity," Zoey exclaims furiously as she and Trent confronts Scott as well.
"Oh really? This is coming from the flyer with the shiny new propeller! Ha ha ha! Tell me, sweetheart, how much integrity did that cost ya?" Scott laughs cruelly, making Zoey gasps at him. Courtney gasps right back, a bit upset.
"Too much."
"Okay, I admit, I was angry when I found out what Zoey has done...but I'm more mad at you for setting the whole tunnel up as well!" Trent exclaims angrily. The boy was upset when Zoey told him the truth, that she set Mike up to take the tunnel route in the first place, but Trent calms down once he found out that Scott was involved.
"For the record, I didn't tell Mike to take the tunnel. That was all Scott's idea." Courtney explains, but a glare from Scott causes her to keep quiet.
"Ugh, you used to be a great champion...but now, you're a dirty cheat!" Zoey remarks furiously to Scott. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen. And Courtney? If you have any sense, you would leave Scott while you got the chance."
With that, Zoey and Trent leave Scott and Courtney. Soarin' glares at the boy while snapping, "Oh, you are not even worthy of a cape swish."
As Soarin' leaves, Scott just scoffs, rolling his eyes while saying, "Really?"
Courtney thought about what Zoey just said. She should leave Scott if the girl had any sense. Courtney was angry at Gwen before...but is even hurting or killing the girl and her friends just to win a championship even worth it?

Mike kept on flying through the storm, but he is having trouble focusing. The voices in his head are distracting him, especially with what he knows of so far.
"I don't understand! Why is there only 1 mission?" Mike's voice asks. "I mean Peppy Hare should've gotten more!"
"Yeah, but you told us you made more than 1, right?" Gwen's voice asks in Mike’s head towards Peppy.
"The Battle of Airway; The raid in Tujunga Harbor; The Aleutians; The Battle of Wake Island; The Assault on Kumming," Peppy's voice said in Mike's head. The boy shakes his head in shock and sadness. Was everything that his mentor told him...a lie?
Suddenly thunder flashes, causing the group to scream; they are going to be dead unless the trio can get above this storm safely!
"We got to get above this storm!" Mike exclaims to his pals, preparing to do the unthinkable.
"But you are scared to do that!" Cameron exclaims, reminding Mike of his fear of heights that kept him from doing so.
"I know, I know! But what other choice do we have, Cameron; we're running out of options!"
The group screams as more thunder flashes, almost knocking them into the waters. Mike and his Pals yelps as they dodged a small wave...then spots a slightly bigger on in their way; The trio gulps and strain as Mike splash his way through.
"Whoa!" The trio exclaims in concern. That was a close one! Now Mike and his pals got to get this plane above the storm!
But as Mike is about to do so and pull his friends to safely, the engines begin to die. The boy and his pals look worried as the plane begins falling back. They all scream as they themselves are about to meet their demise.
"Mayday, mayday! We're going down!" Mike calls into the radio frantically for some help. "18 degrees north, 6 minutes, 119..."
But before Mike could finish, the plane splashed right into the water, busting some windows and damaging the pilot's arm as a result. The friends does their best to hold their breaths, splashing up and gasping a bit before the water splash right onto them.
As the plane twirls a bit, Gwen struggles and splash a bit above, trying to get out of the seat belt that she was stuck in but to no prevails.
"Help," Gwen coughs as she splashes downward. Looks like this is it, the trio are trapped in their plane and in stuck seatbelts; all of them are heading downward to their demise...
Or so we would've thought but after another flash, a diver appears, heading to the plane and covers it with a net just as the trio's world went black...

Spanish voices are heard as a helicopter with the rescuers appeasr at the Mexican stops, bringing in the plane with the trio still stuck inside. The Spanish reporters shout, flashing their cameras, everyone is wanting to know what's going on.
The rest of Mike's friends look worried, especially Jack who said, "No..." This doesn't look good. Are Mike, Gwen and Cameron still alive or...no! One must not think of it, not at all!
Once the plane is set down, workers got the doors bursts off. The belts broke out, causing Mike, Cameron and Gwen to plop right onto the ground. Their friends rush over in hopes that the trio has survived the madness that almost got them all killed.
"Mike, Cameron, Gwen!" Audrey exclaims in worry, hoping that the worst didn't happen.
"My friends, are they all right?" Soarin' ask the others frantically.
"Mike's alarm is damaged." Joshua said, checking on Mike's damaged arm. "We got to get them into recovery and fast."
"Quick, to the hangar," Peppy said seriously. There is no time to waste. Mike and his pals need medical attention.
"Are they alive? Are they alive?" The Mole asks frantically, jumping up and down in alarm. The freak is getting scared by this.
"Not unless we help them, come on!" Vinny exclaims as the friends help the unconscious trio and their plane right into the hangar.

Audrey check through the data on Mike's plane, seeing if she can do what she herself can do to get it fixed. Luckily, the boy and his friends are okay, bandaged and coughing a bit. Jack and Owen slap their friends on the back each, causing them to spit out more water.
"Wow; that was a close one." Gwen exclaims with a groan. "But stop slapping us on the backs, okay? We can get the water out on our own!"
"Audrey, what do we got?" Cameron asks Audrey who looks over the plane in worry. "We're safe but..."
"The plane got broken wing ribs, twisted gear, a bent prop...and the main spar is cracked bad." Audrey explains sadly to Mike's group. Everyone looks worried. With so many damages, the plane will never continue the race again. "It's over."
"Right, unless we can get some new parts soon, eh?" Vinny remarks to Mike with a sigh. "But how can we afford them?"
Mike gave an angry glare to Peppy who looks guilt ridden. The boy has not forgotten what he has learned on the USS Zauriel...and how everything that the hare has told him and his pals were lies.
"One mission, really," Mike ask Peppy angrily, "Ha; So much for 'Volo Pro Veritas'."
"Mind telling us why you told us about the mission...when you only have 1?" Gwen demands furiously to Peppy, still hurt over the hare's deception.
"Yeah, I mean, what the heck?" Cameron ask Peppy in disbelief, "What about all that work we heard about you and the Star Fox teams?!"
"The missions were real...but I never participated in them." Peppy explains to his friends with a sad sigh. He knew that this day would come, that the hare must come out with the truth once and for all. The others are concerned especially when Peppy told them, "Listen...a minute alone, please? You too, Rob."
Most of the group begins to leave. Rob 64 nods sadly as he leaves with the others. The robot knew that his friend must tell the truth and now...that day has come.
"So what's going on, Peppy," Gwen asks Peppy with a disappointed look. "Does this got to do with the reason as to why you haven't flown in years?"
"My friends...the story I'm going to tell you is true...and it's a very sad one." Peppy said with a sad sigh. As he looks down, the hare continues, "It was my first patrol as a member of the Star Fox team at Glendal Canal. My squadron consists of Fox McCloud's father James, another old friend named Pigma Dengar, and a couple of rookies. They are all razor sharp...."

Flashback

The Star Fox team and their rookies, various Chinese soldiers, flew through the air in their Arwings on a routine patrol. Of course, not all of them realize what would go wrong that day.

Peppy's voice narrates, "I should know, James and I trained every one of those rookies. At first, it was supposed to a routine patrol, a milk run...we don't know how run we were that day..."

"Hey, Peppy, James; Look, enemy ship two 'clock low, 2 miles; Looks like easy pickings. How about it," Pigma ask his pals as he points to some ships below.
"Negative, Pigma." Peppy said, shaking his head a bit. "We got orders to do a recon and report back."
"Peppy's right, Pigma," James McCloud said seriously to Pigma. "We can't..."
"Aww, come on, guys! It will be a turkey shoot!" Pigma insists to his pals with a smirk. "After all, we can take these guys."
"He's right. Come on, let's do it!" A Chinese pilot insists to James and Peppy excitedly.
"Yeah, come on!" Another Chinese pilot exclaims excitedly. James and Peppy looks reluctant as most of their rookies also voted to kick some butt; Looks like they are being outvoted here.
"Okay, fine." Peppy said with a sigh. He and James knew when they were outvoted. "We will only go for a closer look but keep your distance."
"Right, any sign of trouble; get out of there." James said in agreement.
With that, the team of Star Fox and their rookies flew down, to take a closer look. Unfortunately, they gasps as the team saw more enemy ships appearing...and firing right at them as if they were suspecting them!
"Holy Pig; It's the whole enemy fleet!" James exclaims in alarm and horror.

"Regretfully, it was too late for any one of us to pull out."

With no choice, the Star Fox team was forced to fight back, firing at the ships but the enemies clearly got more firepower.
"No, James, get out of there!" Peppy exclaims frantically. Too late, the ships fired at the Arwings, shooting them down. Peppy tries his best to fire at the enemies and escape...but he was shot down as well, hitting the waters.

A while later, the army ship that Peppy belongs to found his Arwing, lifting both it and the weary hare out of the waters, right onto the ship itself; a worried Rob 64 watches on, looking down alongside Peppy; The hare is the only survivor, except one, of that failed attack...

End Flashback

"It was later revealed that Pigma has betrayed us. He told the enemy we were coming and set a trap for us, setting us up for cash. My whole squadron...under my and James's whole command and all because we didn't realize that one of my friends has turned traitor....and I lost the other" Peppy explains sadly to his shocked friends. He sighs sadly. "After that...I couldn't bring myself to fly again."
"But what about when you trained Fuzzy Lumpkins?" Cameron asks Peppy in concern.
"I did that while I was still on the ground, not in the air, Cameron. Never got into an Arwing..."
"Peppy..." Mike said in sadness; All these years, failing his team because of one of his friends' betrayal and a sneak attack.
Peppy sighs as he puts his paw on Mike's shoulder, speaking, "Mike, allow me to ask you something. If you and your friends even knew the truth...about my past...would you have asked me to train you? The concerned boy tries to speak then looks down.
"No...I wouldn't."
"Come on, guys, let's go." Gwen said with a sad sigh.
As the trio leaves, Peppy sighs in regret, saying, "Guys, I'm really sorry."
"Sure...so are we for even believing in you. You know, if you had told us the truth before, we would've accepted it somewhat...but now? You're just an old washed up rabbit who lost it."
Peppy looks down sadly as his friends leave the hangar. It's true, he is washed up and a liar...

Outside the Emergency building a while later, the rest of Mike's friends looked worried as they find Mike, Gwen and Cameron sulking in the dark. The truth that Peppy told them has hit them hard.
Jack, Audrey and her crew looks reluctant then goes over, with the head engineer the first to speak, "Mike?"
"Cameron, Gwen?" Jack ask in concern, worried for his worker and his friends.
"Hey you three okay?" Vinny ask Mike's group in concern.
"Ugh, can you believe it?" Cameron asks with a frown as he kicks at the dirt.
"Peppy haven't been telling us the whole story this whole time." Mike groans, shaking his head in sadness. He thought that Peppy believed in him...when the hare couldn't even believe in himself! "The sad part is? Audrey, you and Jack were honest. You told me that I wasn't built for me...and the old hare told me that I was a dumb kid with a foolish dream. Heh; Perhaps I should've listened to you two."
Joshua pauses then frowns as he speaks, "Now hang on a minute! You aren't a dumb kid with a foolish dream! I mean, you made it this far, right?"
"He's right, Mike. If you had listened to me, I wouldn't forgive myself ever." Audrey said seriously as she made Mike, Gwen and Cameron turns towards her. "Yes, Peppy was wrong for what he did but he was right about you, Mike."
"What do you mean?" Gwen asks Audrey with an annoyed sigh.
"And Gwen, Cameron; You lass and lad helped your friend through thick and thin no matter what." Jack said in encouragement, something that he hasn't gave the two before.
"Mike, as far as I'm concerned, you aren't a crop duster...and I betcha you pals aren't losers either." Audrey said with a smile on her face. "You're a racer, a navigator...and a friend. And now, the whole world knows it too."
Mike, Gwen and Cameron looks concerned then looks at Owen and the Mole smiling. The trio pauses then smiles right back. Audrey and jack are right. They are more than what they themselves seem to be back home.
"Yeah, thanks Audrey; that means a lot." Mike said to Audrey with a small smile.
"Right, same to you Jack," Gwen said with a sad sigh as she looks down a bit. "But now we got another problem: our plane."
"Right, it's major wreck!" Cameron complains a bit.
"They're both right. I've gone as far as I can go here. I'm hurt and...look at my plane!" Mike complains a bit as he points to his plane which flops a bit. Without the parts needed to fix it, that baby isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"Right, look at you." A familiar voice spoke. Soarin' appears, smiling at his pals as he arrives on the scene. "Mike, Cameron, Gwen, I would not bear the thought of competing in this race without you."
Suddenly a forklift pushes some wings over to Mike's group, making them gasps in amazement.
"Whoa, that's the wing of a T-33 Shooting Star!" Mike exclaims in surprise and disbelief. Soarin' is actually giving them to him, Cameron and Gwen?
"When the Wonderbolts needed help, the Americans T-33 came without any questions." Soarin' explains proudly to Mike. "They were there, because that is what friends do."
"And that," Cameron ask puzzled as he notes a box nearby Soarin'. "What's in there?"
"My lunch, don't touch. But the wings are yours."
"Soarin', we really appreciate..." Mike begins to say, but Soarin' shush his pal, interrupting the boy before he could finish as if saying that Mike himself shouldn't ake this.
"Sshh, quiet, I wouldn't hear another word of it." Soarin' insists to Mike and his pals with a smile. "I mean, you did help me in my quest to win Rainbow's heart...and now we are here to help you."
"Wait, we?" The trio asks in surprise. They became more surprised when Rainbow came in, showing more parts as if wanting to help Mike and his pals with their pals.
"Yeah, consider these a gift, pals!" Rainbow exclaims to Mike's group with a grin. "Good luck tomorrow! I am so proud to race with all of you."
"Check out these plane parts!" Cameron exclaims in amazement. Mike and Gwen looks surprised. These parts would help fix Mike's plane up in no time!
Rainbow move aside to allow Homer to come in with some parts as well. The fat man said, "You are a good kid, Mikey. This here is a sat-nav device...just in case..." The yellow man begins to get teary a bit. "I mean, in case you ever find yourself lost, you know, without..." Homer winces a bit before recovering. "...without a pal to help you through it."
"Thanks, Homer." Mike said with an approving grin.
"Right, thanks fat man." Gwen jokes towards Homer, making him smile a bit.
Suddenly more pilots of the race appear. They all heard about Mike's situation and are giving him some parts to help in fixing the plane no matter what. Racers like Wedge Achilles, Link, Elongated Man, Lord Eric, Rarity, Sasuke Uchina, etc. give out parts in support for Mike. What he did out weight anything Scott and Courtney had done.
The pilot, the same one who mocked Mike before the first leg, spoke, "Hey; got a flow control valve for ya. Hey, sorry about before. The competition got to me. No hard feelings?"
"Here's a starter generator, darling." Rarity said as she and Lord Eric gives a starter generator to Mike.
"It is honor to fly beside you." Sasuke said, bowing. Mike and his pals smile, they got almost all the parts needed to fix their plane.
"Thanks everyone, really." Mike said with a smile.
"Amazing, looks like all you need now is a..." Audrey said, smiling in amazement at the parts in front of Mike's group. Only 1 part is missing however.
"A new propeller," A familiar voice finishes what Audrey is saying. To everyone's surprise, Zoey came over with Trent holding a familiar propeller.
"Would a Sky Slycer Mark Five be of any help?" Trent asks Mike with a smile.
"Wait, Zoey, that's your propeller!" Mike exclaims in shock. Zoey is willing to give up the new propeller that Scott and Courtney gave her for this race? "But you would need it to win this race."
"Oh, I am still planning on winning but with my old propeller." Zoey giggles as she points to the back of her plane which now has its old propeller. "This one doesn't suit me...but I betcha you would have better luck with it than I do."
"Wow...thanks, Zoey."
"All right, yeah," Gwen cheers on wildly and eagerly. Zoey has redeemed herself for her mistake. "Scott is going down!"
"Audrey, any chance you and your pals can fix my plane?" Mike ask Audrey with a hopeful smile. With all the parts here, that means the boy can get his plane fixed.
Audrey smirks as she holds a wrench, saying, "Does a PT6A have a multi-stage compressor?"
"Uh..." Most of everyone said confused, not understanding what Audrey just meant.
"She means 'yeah, yeah it does'!" Joshua translates to the crowd with a laugh. Everyone cheers wildly. That mean Audrey and her crew can get the plane fixed after all!
"Okay, everyone, time we get them ready to race!" Audrey exclaims in determination.
"Right, everyone, let's get to work!" Vinny calls out eagerly.
Owen cheers on wildly, getting ready. Suddenly he felt someone nudges him as well as a "Ssh!" The fat boy turns to see someone in a trench coat and hat behind him, holding some sort of video.
"Hey, what's with the getup?" Owen ask the stranger curiously but looks startled as she passes him the video.
"Don't tell anyone where you got this...not until the race is officially over. Check it. There's something in there that will guarantee Scott's downfall. Use the strategy wisely. Don't ask questions."
The figure quickly rushes off, leaving Owen confused. What could be on this tape that she wants him to see that could beat Scott?

The workers and Audrey are at work in the emergency room working on getting the plane fixed. Mike, Gwen and Cameron watch in newborn hope and determination.
At the same time, Owen, Jack and the Mole watch the video that the fat boy has gotten: It was a replay of Scott and Courtney's race in the rally last year which ends with the male pilot using the wings to cut the finish line.
The group frowns as they rewind a bit to the part where Jet said, "This one's..."
The reverse was pressed as the image goes back, pausing. It shows the same image of Scott and Courtney's place slicing at the side of the finish line a few times. What is it here that the figure wants to show that could end Scott's championship reign?
"Wait a minute..." The Mole said thoughtfully. He and his pals then notice something on the camera, on that they finally notice that made the good guys ponder a bit. Yes, it could work!
Owen goes over to Mike, Gwen and Cameron, speaking, "Guys, you got to hear this. Trust me, what I'm about to say and motioning...it's about Scott."
"Is it big?" Mike asks Owen puzzled, wondering what his friend's talking about.
"Oh, it's big alright and a big shocker!"
Mike, Cameron and Gwen looks concerned. Whatever Owen got to say, it could help put the heroes for the big win!

Author's note
So Owen got an idea on how to beat Scott once and for all and Mike's plane is being fixed. In the next and final chapter, the final leg is on and Scott will do what it takes to win, no matter what, even if it means destroying Mike, Gwen and Cameron for good. But unlikely allies come to help the heroes and will Courtney do the right thing? Read, review and suggest!

Pigma Dengar's betrayal is a bonus which was made in the Star Fox games.

Wedge Achilles is one of the heroes from the Star Wars films.

Elongated Man is a DC Comics hero.

Rarity is from ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' with Lord Eric being an OC of his.

Sasuke Uchina is the hero/former hero of the Naruto franchise.

Author's note
Here it is, folks, the final chapter. Here we go!

Chapter 10: The Final Leg-frontation

The time has come the next day. It's the final leg of the big rally which is back to New York. Only one pilot can win this and be crowned champion!
As flyers and their navigators head to the finishing line, Jet's voice is heard, "Folks, here we are from Mexico and here they come." In the studio, the hawk grins as he continues, "This is the big one, folks; the final leg back to New York!"
Some mechanics in the lot were fixing a wing when they stopped, gasping in shock upon seeing something. One of them yells, "Whoa, look!"
Sure enough, a familiar plane passes by, one of the guys fails to see that the flame from his blowtorch was burning another's cap until he noticed, yelping and quickly putting the flame out. His partner turns with the blowtorch guy shrugs, not seeing what he did wrong.
Rob 64, Owen, Audrey's crew, Jack and Audrey herself came over to the shiny newish plane. All that work that they did to fix Mike's vehicle up had paid off.
The windows open up, showing Mike and his pals in new clothes. Audrey smiles as she spoke, "We will see you three in New York."
"Hey, thanks, guys." Mike said, happy for all the support that his pals had given him, Cameron and Gwen.
"You will thank us by kicking Scott off his championship butt once and for all!" Joshua exclaims with a smirk. Time for Scott to go down once and for all!
Mike nod as he and his pals depart in their plane. Owen cheers on wildly, "Oh yeah! It's dusting time!"
"Mordo la vista, baby," Rob 64 exclaims eagerly, cheering on Mike's group.
Peppy watch on from nearby, Jack smiles as he spoke, "Lad, you must hand it to him. Mike never gives up and neither does his friends."
"I know." Peppy said with a sigh. If only he took the same advice himself and never gives up...
"Come on, Owen, guys, we got a jet to catch." Audrey said to her friends with a smile. She and the others got to get back to the states in time to see the final leg's conclusion.
"Oh yeah, New York City, finish line, here we come!" Owen cheers on wildly and in determination.
Most of the group departs, preparing to head off to catch their plane to New York. Of course, all but the depressed Peppy who just stood there. The hare couldn't bring himself to go and see the conclusion. Not after what he revealed to Mike, Gwen and Cameron that broke their faith in him.
"Hey, Peppy," Rob 64 ask Peppy as he came up to him. "You ready to go?"
"No...perhaps it's for the best that I don't." Peppy said to Rob 64 with a sad sigh.
"What do...oh, yes, okay; you sure about that?"
"I am."
Rob 64 looks sad but nod in understanding as he leaves the sighing Peppy. The hare just wouldn't feel right about going to the finishing line...but another reason is that he got a mysterious message, asking him to keep an eye on Scott, Courtney and their group.
At the starting area, the crowd looks amazed as Mike's plane arrived, much to the notice of some of the flyers participating. One of them cheers, "Mike, Gwen! Cameron!"
"Yeah, they're back, both of them are back!" A woman cheers on eagerly. The crowd is excited for the flyer that all has been watching and his friends returning for the final leg.
Scott, drinking soda from his cup, spits his drink out upon seeing Mike's group. He yells out, "You got to be kidding me!"
"They got their plane fixed!" Courtney exclaims in shock...or what appears to be shock. It looks like she's secretly smiling.
The Beagles looks shocked as well. Bouncer remarks, "Whoa!"
"Who's the new guy?" Burger asks in confusion, apparently not recognizing Mike and his pals in their new plane.
"It's the crop duster and his bum pals!" Big Time explains to Burger in annoyance.
"What, another one?"
"Same ones, doofus," Bouncer scowl as he hits his brother in annoyance. Why must Burger be so darn dense?
"Oh, shut it you losers!" Scott scowls angrily as he shoves his pals aside. "Move aside, come on!"
Scott and Courtney walks up to Mike's plane, the good guys spot them both. The girl in amazement spoke up, "Well, well. I didn't think you guys would come back after your 'accident' in the last leg."
"Courtney; thanks for the words." Cameron said sternly before glaring at Scott. "Scott, we can't prove it but we know that you send your boys to break our radio!"
"Oh, what? Bolting on some new junk parts could change who you are? Get over it!" Scott scoffs to Mike's group as if thinking that they're messing with. He sniffs Mike and taunts, "Heck, I can still smell the farm filth on ya!"
"Ha ha ha! Oh yeah, you know what? I finally get it!" Mike laughs at Scott as if realizing something about his rival. "You're scared of getting beat by a crop duster pilot and his friends!"
"Right, very obviously coming from a dirt farming cheater," Gwen taunts Scott, much to the villain's anger.
"What," Scott yells furiously. He got more upset when Courtney laughs at the joke that Gwen just made.
"Yeah, I've read your bio. You used to farm dirt from what I found out. Who's being a hypocrite, huh?"
"Well, check six because I'm coming." Mike said in confidence. He and his pals leave, they are determined to do whatever it takes to beat Scott once and for all.
Scott saw the crowd staring, causing him to snap angrily, "And what are you idiots looking at?!"
"Nothing, nothing," A man said quickly, deciding to leave before Scott gets very ugly.
"Sorry." Another man said as the crowd quickly left, not wanting to deal with Scott any more than usual.
Scott growls then turns to the laughing Courtney, snapping, "Stop laughing! What your former doofus of a friend wasn't funny!"
"Sorry, but it was funny!" Courtney remarks as the Beagle Boys came over to their boss. "Come on, look,. Gwen and her friends deserved to be here; perhaps we should let them win for once?"
"No! We are going to end this once and for all!"
"Yeah," Burger exclaims eagerly, much to Courtney's secret worry.
"Right, about time," Big Time laughs sinisterly. It's time to put an end to this race...by taking Mike and his pals right out of the picture.
"Right, this is going to be fun, right boys?" Bouncer asks his brothers who laughs evilly. They're going to put Mike's group out of commission...and maybe out of their misery...once and for all!
Unknown to the group, Peppy was watching what Scott and his pals were saying in worry, saying, "No..."
Peppy frowns in determination. He can't let Scott win and take his friends out of commission!

"Leg 7: Mexico > New York"

As we see the map for the final leg of the race, Jet's voice continues, "This one is about speed and willingness to give it all. The first one to cut the ribbon in New York will take home the trophy and the glory!"
A referee rose the green flag at the starting noise. Once the beeping sound meaning 'go' is heard, he waves it, yelling, "Ya!" Scott and Courtney took off in their plane since they're the first to cross the finish line in the previous leg.
"And we're off as the first flyers take to the air!"
The next flags flew off with Big Time going next, then Burger and Bouncer. As they wait for their turn, Soarin' and Rainbow begins saying romantic things to one another, wishing good luck to each other.
"I will wait for you at the finish line, my winged angel." Soarin' remarks to Rainbow with a smile.
"No wait, I will be waiting for you!" Rainbow giggles to Soarin'; "My beloveable superhero with goggles."
"Rainbow painted domino."
"My Little Big Hero."
Soarin' continues with a chuckle, "My Feathery Heroine."
"Lover with a Singer Voice," Rainbow adds with a giggle.
"Sweet Cheeks!"
"Honey bunch!"
Soon the flag waves with the referee calling out, "Ya!" The two lovers blew kisses then takes off quickly. The referee wave more flags, causing the other planes to take out into the sky as the final leg begins.
"Okay, the rest of field is off and running but one." Jet's voice spoke as we see Mike, Gwen and Cameron arriving in their own plane. "Even though Mike and his pals didn't complete the previous leg, the race officials had ruled that their radio had been tampered with. And thus, they are allowed to compete but they are given a severe time penalty."
"You ready, Mike?" Gwen asks Mike with a look of determination.
"You betcha," Mike said with a smirk as he put his goggles over his face. Despite the severe time penalty, the boy and his pals are determined to win this race once and for all.
"Let's go for it!" Cameron exclaims in determination.
The crowd cheers, preparing themselves for the countdown while yelling, "Dies, nueve, ocho, siete, ses, cinco, quarto, tres, dos, uno!"
Soon the counter reaches 0 before the flag waves. The crowd cheers wildly as Mike's plane took off after the racers, zooming fast as they chases after them. It will be tough for them to make it up ahead but it can be possible.
"And there they go! Wow, I haven't seen anyone coming back from far behind so far!" Jet's voice adds. The screen shows the race results that has Mike, Cameron and Gwen in last place. "It will take both horsepower and willpower for those three to stand a chance now!"
The racers continue flying high but once again, Mike and his pals continue to fly low, going through the canyon and through the mountains.
Up above, Homer was passing Zoey and Trent then spots Mike, Gwen and Cameron passing by himw below. He smiles while calling out, "Woo-hoo! Good show, you three!"
The results continue being shown with Mike's group reaching 6th place. Up above, Soarin' and Rainbow spots the duo ahead, much to their delight. The brief results now shots Mike's group now in 4th place. They just need to pass Scott, Courtney and the Beagles to make it up ahead.
In the desert area as the bad guys are still ahead, almost to New York, Big Time just happens to look back and yelps in alarm, "Err, boss?"
"What is it?" Courtney asks Big Time as Scott frowns a bit.
"Don't look now but they're here."
Scott, Courtney and their goons looks back. There's Mike, Cameron and Gwen coming up from behind and fast. The head boss knew that he and his pals are now out of camera range and no one else is around. That means they can get away with what to do next without any consequences.
"Okay, we're out of camera range now." Scott said sinisterly, much to Courtney's concern as she appears to now be talking into a phone. "You know what to do now..."
"Yeah," Big Time remarks to Scott with an evil grin.
"But can you tell me again? I wasn't listening the first time." Burger admits to Scott sheepishly.
"Take those two losers out once and for all! No more messes up!" Scott snaps to the Beagle Boys. He turns to Courtney still on her phone, adding, "And Courtney? Get off the phone! We're racing!"
Courtney nods as she quickly hangs up her phone. At least what the girl has done should change things around.
The villains quickly go around the canyon side and came behind Mike's plane. Bouncer smirks evilly while taunting, "Hey, you dopes!"
"Time to plow the fields," Burger laughs evilly as the bad guys surround Mike's plane, preparing on downing it once and for all.
Scott nudges Mike's planes while laughing, "Looks like you're out of airspace, morons!"
Mike's plane was pushed by one of the Beagles' planes, causing it to knock cactuses onto the plane itself, cracking the window and making the duo scream in alarm and almost pain.
"CACTI," Cameron exclaims, dodging the needles. The heroes are going to get slaughtered out here!
But as if from out of nowhere, something zooms down, almost knocking the foes off course; Scott snaps angrily, "Hey! Who's the wise guy?!'
"Who's that?!" Courtney asks in confusion or so it seems, wondering who just entered the field. It isn't a racing plane and can't be that one of the race officials has arrived already!
Mike and his pals on the other hand gasp as they recognized a familiar Arwing with an old hare in it, "Peppy?"
"Okay, boys, pull up!" Peppy's voice exclaims over the radio. Mike and his pals saw that they are about to collide into a pillar!
"Whoa!"
The planes quickly went to different sides while the trio's planes pulled up, going through the cracks. That was a close one!
"Are in in Townsville Springs or something?" Gwen asks confused as if recognizing the area around somehow.
"Peppy; you're flying!" Mike gasps in amazement while looking up. After so many years, Peppy is flying in his Arwing again, despite vowing to never do so again.
Peppy just chuckles as he said, "Oh, I was hoping you would noticed. Listen up, I got Scott and Courtney. You deal with the Beagles."
"Got it."
Mike and his pals zoom through the area with the Beagles in hot pursuit. Cameron w3aits a moment then shouts, "Mike, go down now!"
Mike nods then goes downward, to the edge of the cliffs. As the mad dog fight in the air continues, Peppy arrives with Scott and Courtney trailing. He calls out, "They are on your six, kids. You must lose them."
"What do you think we're doing?!" Gwen snaps at Peppy as the trio's plane continues to twirl a bit.
"I can't shake them, Peppy!" Mike groans a bit, looking worried. Those Beagles are coming in fast!
"Pull hard right, I will break left and take on Scott and Courtney." Peppy advises Mike on what to do. "Use the rocks."
"Roger that!"
"Do a barrel roll!" Cameron exclaims eagerly, though his pals look at him oddly. "What?'
Quickly, Mike's group zooms around quickly. Big Time yelps as his plane begins to lose control after colliding with a rock, "Whoa, whoa, look out!"
Eventually, the planes with the Beagles inside crashes into one another, trapping them in place; Mike's group cheers on, "Yeah; Ooooooh!"
"That's going to leave a mark." Bouncer groans a bit then yelps as the rocks hit the grass that hit the Beagles' heads afterwards. "Ouch!"
During this time, Peppy works on dodging the furious Scott who is chasing him. Courtney on the other hand didn't do a thing to help as she just hangs on to safety and to her own sake.
Peppy then twirls his Arwing a bit and soon ends up behind Scott, who yells out in shock, "What the heck?!"
The two planes twirl a bit, avoiding the cliff edges. Peppy smirks as he remarks, "Say hello to the Warsaw Windmill!" The hare then uses one of his Arwing's wings to smack right into the opponent's, causing Scott and Courtney to twirl a bit.
"Whoa, hey! You're crazy!"
"Yeah, but you're good!" Courtney calls out to Peppy, giving a compliment to the hare.
"Yeah, you got that right." Peppy remarks with a proud smirk. After so many years, he still got it; A while later, he reunites with his friends and smile, "Mike; Gwen, Cameron; You three okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Mike said to Peppy with a smile. It's great to see his mentor here and flying in his Arwing once again.
"Pretty good for a crop duster pilot."
"Yeah? And not bad for an old timer hare whose doesn't fly but manages to take three new flyers like Cream, Toad and Twitchy under your paw like a homeschool teacher."
"Is that so?" Peppy ask Mike in amusement as if challenging him. "Well, true, I am old but I am not afraid of heights."
"Oh, yeah, okay!" Mike laughs in amusement. Peppy got him with that one.
Suddenly without warning, Scott's plane zooms by and uses his wing to hit Peppy's Arwing tail, shocking the four as they yell out, "NOOOOOO!!"
"Ha ha ha! Why else are they called 'Sky Slycers'?" Scott taunts evilly as he and Courtney zooms away from the four. The girl with him crosses her arms, looking upset over what he did.
"Oh man!" Mike groans as he, Peppy, Gwen and Cameron look at the broken tail on the Arwing. Peppy won't be able to help at this state.
"You okay?" Gwen asks Peppy in worry.
"What, you kidding? I'm great." Peppy assures Gwen with a chuckle. Yeah, his Arwing took damage but it's great to be flying again!
"But your tail..." Mike begins to speak, looking concerned.
"I'll live, go get them, boy! Go on!"
Mike and his pals look reluctant but then zoom off to resume the race; Peppy's right. He has done his work, now it's up to them to finish the race once and for all.

Scott is now near a river as Mike's group does their best to catch up. Moltres's voice is heard, "We are now in the final stretch folks."
We see the map that shows the colors of Mike and his pals against Scott and Courtney on their way to New York. Jet's voice remarks, "You got it, Moltres. And ever since leaving the Deadstick Desert, Scott and Courtney has maintained a lead."
At the woods, Mike's group flies through a storm that arrives. As the trio frowns at their opponents, Gwen mumbles, "Courtney, I'm sorry but you and your so-called boyfriend are going down."
In New York, Mickey was standing with an official, the two are using binoculars. The mouse asks the official, "Any sign of them?"
"Nothing yet," The official said with a grunt.
The racers continue zooming through the storm, dodging the radio antennas up ahead. Once they came together, Scott looks alarmed upon seeing the other plane, yelling, "What the...?!"
"Hi there," Cameron chuckles a bit. Scott just snarls as he zooms in at full speed. "Ha! We are so going to beat your clock, dirt farmer!"
"Yeah, time we finish this!" Mike exclaims in determination. The boy grunts, trying to get his plane to zoom faster. But to his shock, the plane itself begins to go slower, allowing Scott and Courtney to go faster. Mike panics while yelling, "Come on, no, not now! Come on, come on; come on!"
Gwen looks stunned as she checks out the torque, saying, "Not good. It's on 'red'; you're pushing it like Audrey has warned you."
"No!"
It doesn't look good for our heroes...but then a raise of hope shines on them...along with some light that appears out of the sky clearing up.
Mike and his Pals looks up as the head pilot remember what Peppy has told him, "Tails winds like nothing you’ve ever flown."
"Yeah, roger that, Peppy," Mike said with a nod. He knew what he himself must do now.
Mike begins to fly upward in the plane, much to his pals' shock. Gwen asks, "Mike, what are you doing?!"
"What do you think? I gotta win this race, no matter what."
"But you're scared of heights!" Cameron points out to Mike in amazement. His pal is actually going to face his fear to win?
"Hey, I must do what it takes, even if I gotta race my fears to do so." Mike said laughing a bit as he took the controls. The boy became nervous however, "Oh man, what am I even doing?"
The gang continues flying upward. If Mike could get above the storm, he will have a chance in winning this race and beating Scott and Courtney once and for all. But the boy's nerve is failing and fast.
"Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down...man, don't look down." Mike mumbles to himself. But of course, he looks down and gasps, seeing himself too high (at least in his vision) and begins to pant in fear, "Gah! Guys! I'm looking down!"
"Mike!" Gwen exclaims as she slaps the boy to snap him out of it. "Pull yourself together, you can do this! Believe in yourself!"
Mike gulps and nods. If Gwen insists that he can do it, perhaps the boy should. Mike gasps and closes his eyes, flying upward. it was a moment but he opens his eyes and find himself and his pals flying above the clouds, zooming at the high clouds.
The trio scream a bit but Mike kept the plane steady, smiling while he said, "Oh yeah!"
"You did it, Mike!" Cameron exclaims, hugging Mike eagerly. His friend has finally conquered his fear of heights!
"I did it; Yahoo!"
"Do a barrel roll!"
The gang laughs as Mike flew his plane high, twirling in a barrel roll. After so long, the fear of heights has indeed been conquered.
Scott, unaware of what's going on is still down below, seeing the Statue of Liberty. He chuckles evilly, "Finally, another gold medal for me...err, I meant us, Courtney. Yeah," The villain passes the statue in determination to win. There's no way that Mike can beat him now!
Of course, up above, the good guys look and saw him heading to the finish line. Gwen exclaims, "There he is."
"Okay, time to eat our dust." Mike said in determination. He flew his plane upside, heading downward. If what Owen said about Scott is true, that's the only strategy that Mike needs to win this!
At the finish line, Moltres watch from the blimp saying, "Looks like it's another inevitable win for Scott and Courtney..." But the crowd looks surprised as a familiar plane is heading down, following the other plane. "Wait, hang on! It's Mike, Gwen and Cameron!"
"Yeah," The girls in the crowd cheers on wildly. Scott smirks, thinking that the crowd is cheering him on.
"Yeah, go!" The boys exclaims, cheering on Mike and his pals into beating Scott and Courtney once and for all. The plane got near Scott who didn't seem to notice what's going on as he goes near the finish line, ready to win once and for all.
"Here they come, down the stretch." Moltres said as both planes are getting near the finish line. "It’s close, folks. It's going to be anyone's race at this point."
Just then Scott smirks as he turns sideways, turning to the crowd saying, "Okay! Make sure to get my good side, okay?"
"There it is, Mike, the opportunity, go for it!" Cameron exclaims quickly. This is the opening that the trio was looking for: Scott is showing off to the media to get his photos taken while about to cross the finish line.
Quickly, Mike's plane passed by Scott as he poses for the camera...as the crowd cheers for Mike, Gwen and Cameron. It didn't take long for the villain to see what's in front of him, much to his shock.
"What?! No! Courtney, shoot them down!" Scott exclaims frantically. But he saw that no one else is in the plane with him, "Courtney?!"
And thus it happens: the trio crosses the finish line and breaks the tape, cheering, "YES; WHOOOOOOAAAAA!!!!!!"
The screen board shows the words 'Mike, Gwen and Cameron' wins as the audience cheers with fireworks shooting out into the sky. The trio did it, they have beaten Scott!
"Yes, I knew they would win!" A random citizen from Townsville Springs exclaimed eagerly.
"They've done it, yes, they've done it!" Jet is heard shouting wildly.
"IDIOTS," Scott yells out angrily. He can't beat it, the champion lost and Courtney appears to have bailed on him! Unfortunately, the villain was so focused over this that he fails to see until it's too late that Scott is beginning to pass the latrines and car repairs. "NO!"
Scott screams as he crashes into the port-a-toilets, causing stuff to splatter all over him. One person saw what's happening before covering himself from an oncoming splash. That's not a pretty sight!
The crowd cheers wildly as did the folks from Townsville Springs. Moltres's voice exclaims, "From last to first...." As the Pokémon continues, folks from all over the planet as well as the navy cheers for the new rally champion and his pals, "From obscurity to immortality, the world of racing will never forget this day for a long time."
"You betcha, for the first time ever, a crop duster pilot has won the Wings Around the Globe Rally!" Jet is heard cheering eagerly.
"Yes, all right, Mike, yeah!" Soarin' is heard cheering. He and the other pilots land their planes. They all saw Mike winning the race and while the other pilots didn't win it, at least it isn't that jerk Scott.
"All right, awesome, Mike," Rainbow exclaims to Mike eagerly.
"You kick his butt, boys! Woo-hoo," Homer cheers on wildly. Zoey and Trent laughs, proud of Mike and Zoey's success.
The crowd gathers around Mike's group as they leave their plane. Owen cheers on, "Oh yeah, sweet! That's how to pass!"
"You did it!" Audrey exclaims as she hugs Mike, Gwen and Cameron, happy for their win.
"You did it, you won it!" The Mole laughs eagerly to his pals.
"Yeah, we all did it!" Gwen remarks to her friends with a smile. This isn't just Mike, Gwen and Cameron's win; this is a win for everyone who helped the trio make it to the end.
"Right, couldn't have done it without ya Audrey." Mike remarks to Audrey with a nod.
"Yeah, I know." Audrey remarks with a smile, approving of that comment for her.
"Hey, Owen; Good tip about that cheating Scott leaning to the cameras, showing off his ego," Cameron remarked to Owen with a smile. The fat boy's tip was able to help Mike take the lead without Scott realizing it until it was too late. "Thanks."
"Actually, someone gave me the video tape and told me to look at it. But anything for my pals," Owen said to Cameron right back with a smile.
"Well done, Mike." Zoey said to Mike with a blush.
"Right, you too, Gwen," Trent remarks to Gwen, making her smile at his comment.
"The world got a new champion...as do Trent and I."
"Thanks, Zoey. For everything," Mike remarks to Zoey, smiling back to the girl that he loves once more.
"Aww, stop staring you two and kiss already!" Cameron teases his pals, making them laugh as Mike kisses Zoey with Gwen kissing Gwen, the media cheers on while taking pictures.
"Hey, lads and lass; never doubted you for a sec." Jack remarks to Mike, Gwen and Cameron in amusement.
"What about..."
"Don't push it, Cameron, please."
Suddenly a horn is heard honking as everyone saw three familiar voices in their vehicle approaching. Ed exclaims, "Hey Mike, Gwen; Cameron!"
"Ed, Edd and Eddy," The trio exclaims in surprise upon seeing their fans from Germany right here.
"Hoorah," Eddy exclaims as he and his pals got out of their car to congratulate their racer.
"What are you doing here?" Mike asks the trio with a smile. It's great to see Ed, Edd n' Eddy after their help in Germany.
"We came to watch you win the race of course." Edd explains to Mike's group with a smile. "You are an inspiration to all of us."
"'All of us'?" Mike's group ask confused, wondering what Edd meant.
"Yep! All of us who want to do more than just be what we were born for."
Edd points to everyone on who cheers wildly with the folks from Townspille Springs waving a bit. Some of them are the students for the flying school. Twitchy explains, "The reason why we took flying lessons from Peppy is because we wanted to be more than what we normally were and both you, Mike, and Fuzzy Lumpkins were our inspiration."
"Whoa!" Mike exclaims with a thoughtful smile. "Thanks, guys!"
Everyone soon got a laugh as a filth-covered Scott is being hauled away with his plane covered in black gunk. Mickey smirks while mocking, "Whoa! Hey Scott Stinks! Yeah, you got a new name, that's some supersonic sewer sauce. And I thought Vita-stink-a-bunch was bad enough but that's nothing on you! Wow, you're nasty; Nastilicious!"
"Ugh, where's Courtney?!" Scott demands angrily. Suddenly he saw a familiar girl appearing near him, removing her parachute. "Courtney! Why did you bailed out?!"
Courtney however frowns as she throws the parachute at Scott, hitting him in the face. The girl remarks, "For your information, 'Scott Stinks', it was I who gave Mike and his pals the strategy needed to beat you, using your ego against you. I also called Peppy to asked him to watch us because I knew you would try something as well as me phoning him about where you are. And finally...I quit! In both being your navigator AND your girlfriend, creep!"
"Also, Scott, even if you have crossed the finish line first, you're disqualified anyway as the rules state that you must cross with a navigator." Mickey remarks to Scott who groans as he was dragged away. "Now go home and wash up...twice!" Some of the group chuckled. "Whoa!"
Gwen chuckles as Courtney came up to her, "You actually broke up with Scott and helped us without knowing it?"
"Yeah...I'm sorry for how I reacted...as well as letting fame get to my head." Courtney said to Gwen meekly. "Can we be friends again?"
"Courtney, I waited all this time for you to ask that!"
Gwen and Courtney hugs, reconfirming their now restored friendship. As the others laugh, someone points to the sky, asking, "Who's that guy?"
Everyone looks up and gasps in amazement. There's Peppy in his Arwing flying by, despite his tail being broken off by Scott before. The crowd smiles while some look amazement as he lands his flying vessel. Peppy Hare is flying once again!
Mike, Gwen and Cameron walks up to Peppy who got out of his Arwing. They all smile as the main three said, "Thanks, Peppy." The trio was thanking his pal for all his help, especially when the hare got back into his Arwing and flew again after so long.
Peppy smiles saying, "Awww, don't thank me. To tell you the truth, I learned a lot more from you three than you ever did from me."
The trio smile warmly to their mentor as the crowd gathers, cheering to them all. It was a great day for racing big time.

"USS Zauriel, Nimitz Class: CVN 81: Somewhere in the North Pacific"

Time has passed since the race has been won. The USS Zauriel is preparing for another mission, especially with some of its new members and a old returning one.
As pilots took off in their planes, a whistle is heard as four familiar figures Navy pilot outfits came to the deck. Zauriel called out, "All right, attention on deck; Victory!"
The crowd saluted while saying, "Victory!"
"Yeah, an honor to be here," The soldier known as...Peppy spoke with a smile while saluting; After the race was over, the hare, refilled with hope and confidence, decided to return to his post on the USS Zauriel. The crew was happy for him to come back, especially since Mike, Gwen and Cameron enlisted as new members of Star Fox.
"Hook them up." A worker orders as the planes are hooked up the trio's plane and Arwing which they all got into. The pilots adjust their wings while Cameron holds the map, ready to navigate for Mike.
As the engines started with the backer being lifted, Mike spoke to Peppy with a smile, "You all ready, wingman?"
"Roger that." Peppy remarks with a slight chuckle. It's good to be back.
"3 honorary Star Fox team members." Yao chuckles in his own planes, giving a thumbs up to Mike's group. "So how does that feel, guys?"
"Feels great," Cameron remarks to Yao right back with a smile.
"Yeah, Trent is really supporting me in this." Gwen said with a smile, knowing that her boyfriend Trent is supporting her decision to be in Star Fox.
"And awesome," Mike exclaims with a smile at the experience. First a race rally champion, now a honorary member of Star Fox!
"Back in the saddle again, right Peppy?" Ling ask Peppy with a laugh.
Peppy smirks while answering Ling right back, "Well, I got to be honest. When I did this the last time, they didn't have these fancy toys."
"Nothing to it," Chien Po said with a smile to Peppy. "All they do is hooks you up, nod to the shooter then hang on."
"Yeah and here they go!" Gwen laughs as the shooter salute. The worker soon motions to the catapult shooter, causing all the planes to be sent flying into the air.
"WHOOOO, YEAH," Peppy cheers on wildly as he flies his Arwing through the air with ease.
"Hey, last one back to Pilotwash buys!" Mike exclaims to Peppy with a smirk as the friends flew through the guy, planning on hitting home once the mission is done.
"Ha! You're on, rookie!"
The four friends flew away from the navy ship together, Mike, Gwen and Cameron cheers on wildly. They have done it, fulfilling Mike's dream and determination. There's more to these guys' story but that's for next time.

The End

"Mike, Gwen & Cameron will be back in JusSonic's Planes: Fire & Rescue"

Author's note
Wow! I'm so glad to get this done. Thanks to the folks who read this and probably supported me over time. Read and review, folks.