[center][img]http://oi58.tinypic.com/2889r28.jpg[/img][/center]

"I've never been so happy to be on the ground." Riley pressed her cheek against the warm asphalt and laughed.

She didn't care that they were falling behind, or that their hoverboard was being torn open. They were alive and she was just [i]so[/i] goshdarn happy. The girl pushed herself onto jelly legs then stared up at the giant screen. Mazes, Keys, and puzzles, the race was only getting more intense.

"Hey, is our board still functional, or are we out of the race for good?" Riley arched an eyebrow at the cogs and gears they were ripping out of the hoverboard. They pulled out a charred core and it looked like the thing had overheated.

The mechanic on duty wrinkled his nose, "the core overheated, some of the wires melted. Whatever you two did, it messed the board up real good." He shook his head then sighed. "No way you'll be able to fly on this but..." he was just about to suggest the jet shoes, but it looked like Ran had it all figured out, "yeah, your friend has the right idea. You're better off continuing the race in those."

"Hm?" She spun around to look at what Ran was talking about. If they crashed into something in those...well, it would hurt, badly. "I guess we don't have much of a choice and we can't leave Ace and Toby with those meanies who tried to knock us overboard!" Ace had saved them from the riders that had tried to strike, but two or three of them were still up there and trying to win the race. Riley grabbed a pair of jet shoes and pulled it onto her feet.

The mechanic working on their board nodded, "just think about what you wanna do and the boots will respond."

"NO WAY?" That sounded crazy, was he serious? Then again, this was Nowhere.

He snorted, "what do you think of us? Low-tech? 'Course it'll work, I made the engine myself."

[quote=Announcer Goomba] Ladies and gentlemen, carrot sticks and apricot pies! Four keys have been found, I repeat, four keys have been found. This might be the most intense race we've ever had and soon we'll be moving onto the maze. We're halfway done with this race folks, so hang onto your seats, this is one heated competition."[/quote]

They had already managed to find four keys? Riley blinked numbly before linking her arm with Ran's. "Noooo way, I can't believe they're that fast! We can't waste anymore time. Ugh, if you were a key were would you hide—hi Toby." Riley did a double take then blinked, "oh, it really is him."

[center][IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/ndv4sw.jpg[/IMG][/center]

"My, my, this is quite unfortunate." The mechanic shook his head left and right, tinkering with the inside of Toby's board. "The circuit board is fried beyond recognition and the core has burned out. It's such a shame, this was quite a lovely board." He gave the core a tap and for a moment it let off tiny sparks. "You'll get into an accident if you fly on this thing. In fact, this hoverboard is going to the dump as soon as this race ends."

"Tobs!" Riley clamped a hand over his shoulder and spun him around. "First, hi, and second, you aren't out of the race yet," a grin crept onto her face and she held out a pair of jet shoes. "Look at what Ran found. Hoverboards are so yesterday, these things respond to your thoughts." She held onto his wrist then began tugging him along. "Ace is still up there, she passed by us, so we can't just sit here and give up."

[quote=Announcer Goomba]Ladies and gentlemen, the fifth Key has been found![/quote]

"Eh! There are only two keys left. Let's go, let's go." [i]Fly[/i] she thought.

The jet shoes roared to life and before she knew it, she was propelled upward at an unbelievable speed. The girl let out a surprise yelp, but soon it turned into laughing. She was a little wobbly but the shoes were much easier to control and she did a wobbly cartwheel in midair. Her eyes lit up and she managed to hover in place, waiting for Ran and Toby to join her.

[center][img]http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy334/defangbasilica/Ri.jpeg[/img][/center]

The fifth key was in her hands! Ri beamed at one of the cameras and waved. Her spot in the second leg of the race was secured, unless of course somebody took her key. The holder of the key would be able to bring as many friends as they liked into the next round. She thought about taking Lavi with her but shook her head. He was helping the redhead and the girl had nearly blown her off her board. She'd keep the key to herself, the less competition she had, the better.

"Oh look, I see you two don't have a key yet." Ri gave Ace and Lavi one of her sickening sweet smiles. "I'd say catch you later, but I'm not sure you'll make it to the next leg." She blew Lavi a flying kiss then waved. The two of them had always had a rivalry when it came to racing. "Good bye, sweeties."

[center][img]http://i61.tinypic.com/oa3nrn.jpg[/img][/center]

The Nobody shook his head and sighed, "this year is quite intense, I'm afraid we might not get to a key in time." A glimmer caught his eye, it was hanging on the edge of a balcony. Well, what do you know, it was a key. The building wasn't too far from where they were, but a few riders were charging towards the key at full speed. It would be their ticket to the second round of the race. "Well, well, I stand corrected. Let us go and get that key, Ace." He leaned forward, zipping off at a maddening speed.

Lavi intercepted two riders then spun around so he was hovering in front of them. "G'day gentlemen and lady, but I'm afraid we'll have to drop the formalities for now." He pulled out his chocolate bar and grimaced. This wasn't polite at all, but the circumstances called for it. "I do apologize sincerely." He threw the chocolate bar at the man's face and with a curse, the Nobody crashed right into his friend.

Hopefully this would buy Ace some time.

"Now, now, have you heard about the fish who wanted to fly?" Lavi was talking casually to the woman before him. She stared at him for a moment before attempting to ram into him with her shoulder. The Nobody remained unfazed, he dodged and continued to tell his little tale. 

His distraction was quite the success. "Anytime now Ace, I do believe a few fellows are coming our way."