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"And here we are, folks! The 25th annual Battle and Chase Grand Prix is about to begin!"
Searchman looked into the stands as Chest's voice blared over the intercom. He was worried, and with good reason. Three
other renegades, as well as himself, were participating, not to mention four of Wily's bots. Winning this race would be both
difficult and dangerous, but he was willing to take that risk.
"You alright?" asked a voice from behind.
Searchman spun around, and his eyes met those of Roll. The sweet young girl had a concern look in her eyes. Why would
she care about a former Wily bot, even if he was a renegade?
"Relax, I'm fine." grunted Searchman. He turned on his cloaking device, and mounted his sniper rifle.
He looked around. Light's entries. Iceman, Gutsman, Roll, Megaman, and Protoman were all there and accounted for. Behind
them were the Wily bots that the evil doctor usually entered; Quickman, Shadowman, Napalmman, and Springman. Shadowman pointed
to Searchman as if to say "I'm watching you." This didn't make him feel any better.
To his right, the renegades appeared. They were Snakeman, Turboman, and the loner, Freezeman. "You seem nervous."
said Snakeman. His eyes glowed as he smiled.
"Don't worry," said Turboman. "After this race, we'll be able to change our lives forever."
Searchman smiled at his comrads. Snakeman was the renegade's mole into Wily's secret opporations, and this was Turboman's
first time in the Grand Prix. It was obvious that they were just as nervous as he was.
"Well, we'll just have to make the most of it," said Searchman. "May the best man win."
Snakeman and Turboman nodded in agreement. Freezeman said nothing. He merely turned his head towards Napalmman, who
shivered slightly.
"Everyone, start your engines!" called Ripot over the intercomm.
Searchman immidietally snapped into attention. He mounted his sniper rifle, and started to rev his engines.
"I'll beat you this time!" yelled Gutsman playfully over the din.
Searchman merely smiled at the Light bot. "We'll see, Guts. We'll see!"
The countdown began. Searchman immidietally snapped his attention to the road.
"On your mark!"
Shadowman made another gesture at Searchman as he revved his engine.
"Get set!"
Searchman revved his engine again and got ready to tear up the road.
"GO!!!!"
"Ye-haw!" yelled Turboman as he darted out of the starting gate. The others followed suit, and Searchman set
his sights on Springman.
Springman's car zigged and zagged towards Snakeman. Search frowned. Could Springman be up to something? His thoughts
were cut off by a Shadow Blade darting by his head.
Sure enough, Shadowman was coming up from behind, trying to pass Searchman. Or was he trying to kill him? Searchman
didn't have time to think this through, so he immidietally fired a Homing Sniper back at Shadowman. Normally, Shadowman would
have eaily dodged this attack, but it wasn't called a "Homing Sniper" for kicks.
"I don't know who you are, but you will pay for that!" yelled the ninja Robot Master as he took some damage.
Searchman smiled as he tried to pass between Iceman and Quickman. If at least one Wily bot was in the back of the pack,
he would feel a lot safer. Weaving around Ice Slashers from his left and Quick Boomerangs from his right, his determination
has never been stronger.
After the first lap, things seemed to be going well. Snakeman managed to shake off Springman, and Turboman was in the
lead, out of the reach of any of Wily's creations. A misfire from Iceman caused Quickman to spin out, so he was out of the
race for good. Now, the second lap was going to much smoother.
Freezeman was neck and neck with an off-duty Sniper Joe. Searchman had a very good idea who would win that battle, since
ice-based Robot Masters were terrors of the road. As if on cue, Freezeman did what he did best: he froze the road in front
of him and caused the Sniper Joe to swerve off-cource.
Suddenly, another Shadow Blade barely missed Searchman's head. It looked as though Shadowman has caught up, and he wasn't
holding back anything. Searchman began to feel uneasy again as he tried to swerve around the Shadow Blades.
Soon, those Shadow Blades were replaced by plasma blasts. Surpirsed, Searchman took a quick look behind him. Megaman
and Protoman were bogging Shadowman down with buster shots. Searchman was relieved. Time to push ahead for the win.
It was now the final lap, and things couldn't have been better. Springman was crushed by one of Gutsman's blouders, and
Turboman was still in the lead. Nothing could go wrong now. At least, that's what Searchman thought. Then, the unthinkable
happened.
Napalmman rammed Roll's car right into the wall and grabbed her by the shirt! Searchman stared at the event, horrified.
"What the hell?" he yelled over the din, "You're not supposed to do that in a race!"
"Looks like we'll have to save her." said Megaman.
Searchman nodded and drove after Napalmman. As he was about to send a Homing Sniper his way, another Shaow Blade barely
missed him. 'Not again!' he thought.
"This isn't over!" yelled an enraged Shadowman. "You will pay!"
More Shadow Blades flew towards Searchman, making it hard for him to concentrate. Freezeman took advantage of the confusion
and passed by.
Tied up onto the back of Napalmman's car, Roll threw what appeared to be the mother of all justified temper tantrums.
Napalmman swerved as he was distracted by Roll's constent whining and pounding. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.
"That's it!" yelled Napalmman. And with that, he grabbed Roll and dangled her off the side of his car.
Freezeman saw his opening, and launched a Freeze Cracker at Napalmman. As the trigger-happy Wily bot dropped Roll, someone
picked her up and disappeared.
Searchman was puzzled. Who was the being? Turboman? It couldn't have been him, he was in first. But it sure as hell
looked like Turboman...
"And the winner is Turboman!" yelled Ripot over the intercom.
That voice snapped Searchman back to reality. There was Turboman at the finish line, with Snakeman in second and Gutsman
settling for third. As Searchman finshed his last circut, questions still buzzed inside his heads. Who was that being, and
what did he want with Roll?
These were questions for a later time, he said to himself. Right now, we have to enjoy the ceremony, and then get ready
to head for the swamp.
In the stands, a cloaked figure shook his head. In the middle of the ceremony, the figure left without a trace...
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