Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within

Chapter 9: Solitude of the Ocean Depths

Did someone say...ANGST?

cause boi

This chapter will be brimming with it. I suggest you get some tissues, my dudes - there will be feels. LOTS of them

Also, the televised races? First four are all from the Diamond Cup in GX, but the last one is the second track of the AX Cup. Felt like Phantom Road (last track of Diamond) would be anticlimactic.

Title based on the translated title of "Shinkai no Kodoku" by Houko Kuwashima (which, a character voiced by her in Japanese will probably appear later...)

Hiding in my Skin, Broken from Within

Chapter 9 - Solitude of the Ocean Depths

"Alright, we're here!" PJ announced as he pulled the Groovy Taxi into the parking lot of the Dollars Casino. It was more than just a place for high rollers to get their fix - it was also a place to bet on promising F-Zero racers, and even just watch the games without betting. "You guys wanna make any bets, or...?"

"No, we're fine watching," Lucina told the alien cabbie as she, Shulk, and Fiora stepped out. "Thanks again, PJ."

"Just stay safe, you three."

"Don't worry, sir. I'm sure we'll be fine!" Shulk reassured PJ.

"We can handle ourselves," Fiora said in a slightly bragging manner, winking and slightly sticking her tongue out as she gave a thumbs up. "Right, guys?" She asked Shulk and Lucina. The two only nodded confidently.

"Okay then...I trust you guys will be able to." Starting up the Groovy Taxi again, he said, "Hit me up anytime you want a ride!"

"Will do!" Lucina called out. Shortly after, PJ drove off in his high speed futuristic taxi.

"Well, let's head on in," Shulk encouraged the two girls.

As the three entered, they took in the sights and sounds all around them. Some patrons were simply trying their hand at blackjack tables or slot machines, while others were gathered around the large television screens close to the back of the building. That was the destination of Lucina and her two friends, and the minute they arrived, the races were about to start.

"It's starting!" Fiora squealed excitedly as she, Shulk, and Lucina took a seat on a nearby bench.

The first track of the racing tournament was the Trident at Cosmo Terminal. The cameras recording the action showed a panoramic view of the course — a large track suspended over a seemingly bottomless pit that diverged into three separate tracks that twisted into a triangle, merged, diverged, and merged again. There were holographic schematics projected above, and the walls seemed to be moving from top to bottom, giving the illusion that the track was in some sort of elevator. The starting track when merged had guard rails, but when it diverged, there were no rails.

"That's the first track?!" Lucina gasped. "No rails on most of it...and two of the diverging tracks are at an angle..."

"Hey, this is F-Zero racing after all, Lucina," Shulk told her, shrugging. "After all, all these racers are seasoned professionals. It'd take more than that to throw them off!"

"If you say so..."

The image on the screens shifted to the thirty racers at the start line. Captain Falcon's Blue Falcon was there, alongside Samurai Goroh's Fire Stingray, PJ's Groovy Taxi, Super and Mrs. Arrow's King and Queen Meteor respectively, Dr. Clash's Crazy Bear, and several other vehicles driven by racers neither Lucina nor her two friends were familiar with.