Certified Cow Exterminators

Eeven: Race Day

After severa months of training, the day had finay arrived. It was finay the first day of the Mushroom Cup.

The cup woud be comprised of four races and ast two days. There woud be two races each day.

Toad and Yoshi had booked a hote that was cose to most of the tracks, so they didn't have to wake up unti about 7:00.

After pushing through the crowded obby to get food, the pair was finay ready to grab their bikes and head to the first track: the so-caed "uigi Circuit", named after uigi, the sponsor of the course.

"Do you have a pan?" Yoshi asked, ooking at Toad as they waked.

"Huh? Why woud I?" Toad responded, surprised.

"You're the smart one! You aways have a pan, you aways find a way to make things go just according to keikaku!" Yoshi said.

"I have no idea what you just said, and I'm not going to pretend I care," Toad grumbed.

"Did you get enough seep ast night? You're making your usua sef seem cheerfu." Yoshi pointed to the other end of the garage, where he saw their bikes parked.

"I guess a these unnecessary steps we've had to go through are making me grumpier by the day," said Toad with a scow. "Can't we just hunt cows without a these compications?"

"It won't be very easy or efficient to hunt a the cows down unti we restart out business, and you know we can't do that without the money from winning these races," Yoshi said. Toad stopped, grabbing his bike, a Standard Bike known as the Zoomchaser.

"I know, I know! I'm not stupid! I just wish there was some other way." Toad ooked at the ground soemny for a moment. His sight frown soon turned to yet another scow as he narrowed his eyes in determination. "But even so, I' do anything it takes to say every singe cow who's ever set foot in the Mushroom Kingdom. I won't forgive them, nor her."

Yoshi grinned and patted Toad on the back.

"That's the spirit! Now, et's get racin'!"

oOo

Toad's face paed when he saw akitu was the one starting the race, and he was sure Yoshi's was the same.

The same creature that constanty taunted them, keeping them from protecting the Mushroom Kingdom from the invading cows--the pair often called him the "Cow Guardian"--was responsibe for running the race. He surey remembered them and woud certiany find a way to rig it against them. They'd have to work even harder to win.

1

The first of three ights being held by akitu it up, and Toad's eyes narrowed. They had to win this. The fate of the Mushroom Kingdom depended on it.

2

Yoshi swore he saw akitu give them a sneer of recognition. He was definitely potting something. As the one to oversee the race, there was no doubt that akitu woud try to pu severa tricks. It was up to Toad and Yoshi to win regardess.

3

A horn bared as the third ight it up, and a racers moved forward. Toad, situated in the back right in front of Yoshi, soon passed Daisy (Not her again, he scoffed) and Mario. Yoshi remained in the back, as someone woud bock him every time he was about to pass someone.

"Geez!!" Yoshi finay excaimed in frustration, veering into the dirt to drive around the other racers. Though it sowed him down, he did manage to pass Wauigi, who was the main one causing him troube. However, it sowed him down enough that he was sti far behind many of the other racers. He ganced down at the screen instaed on his bike by the race staff, where he saw a arge "10th". He guessed that meant he was in 10th pace. He ooked ahead to see Toad soaring ahead of most of the other racers, ony Rosaina ahead of him. He aso scanned the area, ooking for Peach, who was situated comfortaby around 7th pace, neither making progress nor faing behind. I have to at east beat her, otherwise that'd just be sat in the wound, Yoshi thought, zooming forward as he suddeny became fied with determination. Unfortunatey, his efforts proved to be in vain as his bike sipped on a we-paced banana (were those even aowed?!), sending him out of contro and into the grass, where he moved significanty more sowy. The number on his screen rose to 11, and soon to 12 as Wauigi passed him, aughing and making a face.