Standard disclaimers apply

The Ultimate Race

Chapter 7

By Trio Maxwell

*Heavens*

Figure in shadow was staring down at Duo.

"Trio-san?"

"Hmm? What is it, Rubia?"

"Aren't you gonna help him, Trio-san?"

"Huh? Oh! Why? There's another contestant to help him."

"Contestant #8? You expect it to reverse the direction of the arrow with its ears? Or maybe it can shout out a warning to him?"

"... Good point. But I shouldn't interfere, should I? It'll spoil the race. Hmm... but then it's not fair to him also--"

They watched as Duo swerved sharply towards where the arrow pointed.

"Uh-oh." Trio commented.

"Too late." Rubia said just as mildly.

"Maybe not." Trio watched the following scene with growing interest.

*Amazon Forest*

Pu stared very worriedly at the signboard. Had to do something, it thought when Duo raced past him and towards the direction of the cliff.

"PUUUUUUUU~~~!!!" No~~~!

It really was a pity, that Duo did not recognise the warning. (Excuse me? Who could understand that language?)

It really, really was a pity.

"WAAH!" Duo cried in surprise as he emerged onto what was definitely NOT part of the "race-track". He turned the wheel wildly and stomped on the brakes but only managed to turn the car sideways.

Sideways and still skidding towards the cliff.

"SHIT!! CAN'T STOP!! AHHHHHHHH!!"

*Another part of the forest*

"The 1st (and hopefully the last) Heavens Car-Racing Competition is finally coming to an end, where the winner can get anything he w... he or she wants. (*wince*) What will happen in the last stop-- the Amazon?"

"First in place is Relana, who used her sex appea... uh... beauty to control the animals--"

A group of animals with hearts for eyes were running and pulling with them a pink car... (-_-;)

"--following are Kuwabara, Heero, and Trieze! Er? Duo is not in sight again! What's happened now...?"

SD Petal flew back.

*Back at the cliff*

"Yikes! He's here! Diverted from the race-track and is skidding towards the cliff!!"

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

"Will he be out of the race too~~!?"

"CAN'T STOP~~~"

"PUUUUUUUU!!"

"AHHHHHHHH!!!"

Scrrrrrreeeeeeeecccccccchhhhhhhh~~~!

*Heavens*

Trio and Rubia observed the small blue car raced after the black one, overtook it, and planted itself before the out-of-control car.

*Japan*

"Yuusuke! What's wrong?"

"... Nnnh, I just feel so dizzy all of a sudden..."

*Cliff-edge*

"Hey, thanks, man. Shit, that was close." Duo tried to calm his pounding heart.

Pu breathed out a sigh of relief.

"But, strange... I followed the direction of the arrow--" Duo stopped talking abruptly and glanced suspiciously sky-wards.

"HEY!" an indignant voice boomed out.

"Puuu, puu puuuu puu~~" Pu-chan interrupted.

Duo glanced down at his saviour. "... er... eh... What did you say?"

"Puu puuu puuuuu puu puu."

Sweatdrops.

"Here, you might need this." Petal flew down and handed them a pill, smiling and sweatdropping. She had turned off her microphone temporary. "It's an universal translator pill, swallow it and everyone will understand your language." she told Pu.

"How convenient." Duo felt relieved, the creature saved his life and was trying to say something to him. It irked him that he could not answer.

Pu swallowed the pill.

"Puuu puuu puu puu puuu" he said. But what everyone heard was "The culprit is the guy with the funny eyebrows and a partner by his side. He tampered with the direction signboard." (Wow, Pu can TALK)

"HN." another indignant snort from the offended goddess.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, okay!?" Duo yelled towards the sky. "Goddam, Trieze you bastard! YOU'RE GONNA PAY!!!" he swore as he restarted his engine.

"Good luck on winning--!"

Duo looked at the speaker in surprise. "Aren't you going?"

"The collision just now wrecked the car..."

"R... really?" Duo was shocked.

"Don't take it to heart... I didn't have much chance of winning in the first place... and I didn't have anything I really want... better me than you... so work hard for my part too--"

Pu was cut off abruptly when Duo reached down and picked its car and itself up.

"Ba~ka!! What are you talking about?" he placed Pu on his shoulder. (Okay, Pu's car is really small.) "Fasten your seatbelts 'cos Shinigami is gonna FLY~~~!!!" he let loose another one of his maniacal laughter.

Pu stared blankly at him.

Duo grinned at Pu. "If we win, we share the prize."

Pu's eyes widened.

"Ready? LET'S GO~~~!!!" Duo's car started racing again.

***

Petal repositioned her microphone. "Oh, Contestant #3-- Duo... re-entered the race--!!"

"Yee-hah!"

... to be continued

Petal: ... You said it was ending?
Trio: ... Yeah, well, who knew it would take a whole chapter for Duo's narrow escape?
Contestants: *appeared out of nowhere* Oi, who's gonna win?
Trio: ...Well... I... uh...
Petal: *dryly* You haven't thought of it?
Trio: Anou... Stay tuned for next chapter! Ja! *runs away*
Contestants: TRIO!! *gives chase*
Petal: *sigh*