Chapter 19: Race With The Demon
To say that Casey is burning with rage would be an understatement. He's absolutely and utterly consumed with fury and it's all because of Speed Demon. Casey was angry when he got run off the road on the way back from the grocery store. He was even more infuriated when Speed Demon wrecked his first draft of the Turtle Racer.
Now, that mutant has stolen Donatello and even Casey is shocked at how much he wants to bash that car's grill in for doing such a thing. He's never been a huge fan of Donatello, hell, Casey gets along better with Diaval than he does with Donatello—most of the time. Somehow, amongst their love-hate relationship, it seems that Casey Jones has come to appreciate Donatello on a new level, one that urges him to chase down a fuelled maniac in order to get him back.
"How far is he, doc?" Casey asks as he follows Speed Demon.
Dr. Cluckingsworth clucks and pecks out a new message. The keypad at the front of the car blinks warningly, showing how much distance there is between the two racers.
Casey grins and flexes his fingers against the steering wheel. "Time to see what this baby can really do."
He steps on the gas, driving up right behind Speed Demon and ramming into its bumper. The Donatello lookalike swings its head around to stare down at the boy.
"You again?!" it roars.
He spurs his car into the bumper once more, but it only laughs as it pulls back and rides beside him. It swipes at the teen but he dodges, the Turtle Racer bumping along the steep cliff drop on his left side.
"Let my friend go, freak!" Casey demands. He eyes the drop beside him. "Or I'll take us both down!"
Speed Demon roars ahead, cackling madly. "Never gonna happen, Casey Jones! Donatello belongs to Speed Demon now, baby!"
Its laugh keeps ringing. Casey growls, stepping on the gas and jerking the wheel to the right. One of his front wheels hits the purple sports car and they both go pinwheeling around and around, skidding towards the edge of a cliff. Both cars jolt to a stop right on the edge, Casey letting out a short yelp as the deafening lack of the engines purring settles over them.
Speed Demon eyes the teen, looking mildly impressed. "You know, I'm a sporting guy, so how 'bout we race for it? You win, you get your friend back. I win, I get your super hot rod and all that sa-weet technology!" it bargains.
"Fair enough," Casey says, his face set in a hard scowl.
"And I get you, Casey Jones! The only driver worthy of my competition."
"Well, I am super dope." He looks to Dr. Cluckingsworth. She clucks. "It's a deal!"
"First one to Dead Man's Curve wins," Speed Demon says, pointing a gnarled finger towards a faraway peak. "Starting...now!"
Speed Demon's tires screech as it takes off. Casey takes off after it, the idea of victory reeling in his brain and making his fingertips tingle. Behind the racers, the hippie van arrives and continues along the winding highway at a much more legal speed.
"Dudes, we need some faster wheels!" Michelangelo shouts.
"What are they doing?" Leonardo asks.
"Looks like a race to me," Raphael inputs.
Leonardo urges the van closer and they gain some ground. It's enough for the headlights to illuminate both the Turtle Racer and Speed Demon.
"Is that hideous thing...Donnie?" April exclaims.
"Looks like it." Destiny squints a little. "It's him, but not him at the same time."
"Dudes, I wish Donnie was here to explain this," Michelangelo admits.
Diaval stares wordlessly at the turtle lookalike and swallows a whimper, his hands starting to shake. "Thought he was scary enough before..." he whispers.
The two drivers keep racing. Casey swerves as Speed Demon tries to punch him, avoiding each attempted blow. Speed Demon lurches into the lead, glancing back at Casey. Casey grits his teeth and launches forwards, trying to push past the vehicle, but the Turtle Racer only hits its bumper.
"I can't pass him!" he exclaims.
Speed Demon's shell lights up as it shifts gears. It lurches forwards as its glowing shell pulses, giving it a speed boost. Its cackling gets worse. "Ow! Speed Demon's gonna win the race, the car, and a brand-new driver! Yeah, baby!"
Casey struggles to keep the Turtle Racer under control as he speeds around a sharp corner after the demon. "Hang on back there, doc!" he calls as she clucks repeatedly. He flips his mask down. "Time to win this thing!"
He presses a button on the dash. A firecracker appears behind Dr. Cluckingsworth, going off with a loud pop. The chicken squawks in surprise, laying another mutagenic egg. The egg tumbles into the gas tank and the power up menu beeps. Casey presses another button and the car rockets forwards.
"Whoa!" he whoops as the front of the vehicle crackles with purple electricity. "GOONGALA!"
The car lurches before zooming forwards, leaving a cloud of dust behind it. He easily catches up with the Speed Demon and his eyes narrow as they grow nearer and nearer to the turtle-esque creature.
"Alright, doc! Time for autopilot!"
Dr. Cluckingsworth turns it on with ease and Casey opens up wing-like contraptions on either side of the Turtle Racer. He gets up, readying his hockey stick as he moves onto the platforms.
"Hey, road freak! You're going down!" he warns, spinning the stick tauntingly.
Speed Demon seems to ponder this before swinging its giant green fist at the teen. He dodges and it swings again. He avoids that and a third attempt before leaping onto the hood of the purple car. He smacks demon's head, but it only roars and snatches him up.
He struggles against its grip as it smacks him with its tube-like tongue over and over again. With a quick look of disgust, Casey grabs the tongue and whips out the homemade taser in one of his gloves, shoving it into its mouth electrocuting the road maniac. It shrieks, throwing him away.
The Turtle Racer surges forward and catches Casey. Dr. Cluckingsworth gives him a quick greeting before the car drops back behind the Speed Demon. A moment later, the Turtle Racer pulls out in front again.
Speed Demon looks around, confused. Casey is nowhere to be seen, not in the driver seat or anywhere else. It scratches its head. "Where the heck did he go?!" it demands.
In answer, there's a sharp tug as Casey yanks on Speed Demon's mask tails, having hidden behind him. The creature shrieks and tries to grab him, but Casey stays safely out of reach.
"You're going down!" he calls, grabbing a spray can grenade from his arsenal. "Suck on this, sucka!"
He chucks it into the air and it explodes into orange dust upon making contact with Speed Demon's face. It shakes its head before finally grabbing the teen and throwing him off as if he's nothing more than a piece of garbage. Casey lands on the Turtle Racer and Speed Demon cackles.
"See you at the finish line, Casey Jones!" it whoops.
"I don't care about winning the race! I just want my friend back!" Casey retorts, flipping his mask up.
He taps the chicken cage and Dr. Cluckingsworth lets out a cluck before pecking at the keys. The car speeds up and rolls by the road manic, where Casey smacks it over the head before the Turtle Racer whips out in front of it.
The Turtle Racer drives backwards as Casey faces his newfound enemy. He adjusts the grip on his stick, rushing forwards and leaping at Speed Demon, mustering every bit of strength as he hollers out, "Goongala!"
With a mighty tug, the Donatello part of the vehicle flies out of the roof and the two teens go rolling across the asphalt. The purple sports car crashes into a cliffside.
There's the sound of crackling and popping as Donatello slowly turns back into a normal turtle. Casey gets up, ignoring any aches and pains as he rushes to his friend's side.
"Donnie! You alright?" he asks.
Donatello nods slowly, holding his head. "I...yeah, I-I think so."
Behind them, Speed Demon's engine revs again as it drives up to the boys, drowning them in the glare of its headlights. "I'm gonna chew you up and spit you out, Jones!" it roars.
"Oh no," Casey groans, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion.
"I got it this time, Casey!" Donatello says, shoving his friend out of the way as he readies his bō staff.
He races towards the mutant car and the car meets him halfway. Donatello leaps at the gaping hood-mouth of the beast and lodges his bō staff in its jaws, keeping it propped open against its will.
"Leave my friend alone!" he shouts.
He tugs with all his might, his muscles straining as he manages to swing the car around, leaving the bō staff in its mouth. It skids to a stop, growling as it forces its hood shut and snaps the bō staff in two. It revs its engine, roaring full speed ahead towards the two teens sitting in the road.
Just as its about to hit them, the hippie van appears out of nowhere and t-bones it. The Speed Demon goes sailing off the edge of the nearest cliff, turning over and over in midair.
"I'll...be...back!" it screams before exploding in a flash of green.
"Whoo-hoo! Ow! The party wagon takes the win!" Michelangelo whoops from inside the hippie van.
"Yes!" Donatello and Casey high-five and get back to their feet.
The Turtle Racer rolls up to them and Dr. Cluckingsworth squawks in greeting. Donatello walks closer and pats the top of her cage as he Flanders a loving smile.
"You did good, too," he tells her.
April clambers from the van and jogs towards the two boys, smiling. "I'm so glad you two are okay and...I'm so glad you're actually getting along!" she says.
"Thanks Red," Casey says before turning to Donatello. "Hey, Donnie, how awesome was me grabbing your giant head, huh? So weird!"
"Yeah, or when you used the mutagen-boost? It actually worked!" Donatello responds, oozing with excitement.
"Oh, that was the best! I thought you were gonna squash me on that one turn, bro!"
April slumps, dejected. "Hmph...I thought I was glad they're getting along."
"I know how you feel, April," Raphael says as he wanders to her side.
She wraps an arm around his shoulder, leaning against him. Destiny, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Diaval climb out of the car. Destiny wanders to the cliffside and gazes down at the wreckage, just able to see a pillar of smoke emerging from the trees far below.
Her tail flicks and her nose crinkles. She sniffs the air, edging closer to the edge with every inhale. Behind her, Casey fist bumps Michelangelo and grins.
"That takes care of Speed Demon," he says, hooking his hands behind his head as he laughs. "A night well spent, if you ask me."
"Sweet! No more evil, hideous mutants." Michelangelo smiles. He swings his arms and makes peace signs with his hands. "Booyakashaaaa."
Diaval notices the wolf girl standing far away from the group. He doesn't move towards her, far too unnerved by the thought of the cliff drop.
"Destiny?" he calls.
No answer. Leonardo takes note of her behaviour and jogs over to her, grasping her shoulder. "Des, you okay?" he asks.
She frowns, shaking her head as she brushes her bangs from her eyes. "I'm smelling mutagen..." she admits, inhaling again. "I've got a bad feeling."
"It could be from the explosion," Leonardo suggests. "That car was a mutant. The fumes are everywhere, so...I'm sure that's all it is."
"But..." Destiny starts.
"Guys, let's get home. I'm exhausted," April suggests.
Leonardo's eyes switch to her and Destiny's face falls. The group disperses back to the vehicles, with Casey climbing back into the Turtle Racer and the other turtles and April getting into the van. Diaval waits outside the van for Destiny to return.
"You guys coming?" Raphael calls.
Leonardo looks at Destiny, eye-ridge arched. She keeps staring down at the trees, her wild green eyes unwavering from the site of the Speed Demon's ultimate demise. He sighs and squeezes her shoulder gently before letting go. She doesn't move.
"I think you're worrying too much," he says with a shrug. "Come on, let's go home."
He walks away. Destiny slowly turns her head to watch his retreating form, waiting until he's climbed into the hippie van before she tilts her face up to the starlit sky. She takes another deep breath, unable to be rid of the mutagenic scent of the air.
There's a honk from behind and she turns to find Casey sitting in the Turtle Racer. The hippie van is gone. Casey grins and pats the passenger spot beside him, his elbow perched on the seat back in a nonchalant, inviting position.
"Can't wait all night, wolfie," he teases. "Get in."
"Fine," she says with a minuscule smile.
She climbs in and shuts the door. He heads off without another word, the wind whipping her curls back and making her feel more relaxed almost instantly.
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