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.