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'.