Unshackled

Unhinged

Quite a crowd had gathered at the bar up in Sandy Shores for the pre-race setup. Everyone from professionals to casual racers had come. Seeing the race being setup by Babyface was a draw few racers could resist. With over a dozen racers, the payout promised to be nice as well for the victors. 

A small crowd surrounded Babyface as he checked in racers on his phone app, taking their payments and instructing them to line up on the street when it was time. He scanned the list again, not seeing the racer called 'ear' at all. He looked around, checking for her car, but he couldn't see it yet. Then again, 'GuitarHero' and Yuno hadn't shown up yet either, so there was still time. 

As if on cue, three cars pulled up, Yuno's Sultan, April's Torero, and Ray's NSX. He could count on them arriving together. He couldn't go over to greet them right away, since he was busy checking people in, but he noticed Raycer heading their way, bee-lining for the NSX. 

Babyface glanced away to answer someone's question, and when he looked back, Raycer was opening the door of the NSX. Babyface felt slightly irritated. Opening the door for her was his thing. This was a new feeling, he had never felt... jealous? of anyone interacting with Ray before. 

The figment that stepped out of the NSX was a fever dream of black and green leather. Straight-leg black leather pants and a cropped green and black leather halter top, topped with a similarly cropped racing jacket in black and green with white lettering spelling out Viper on the back. A figure of a striking snake, dragon-like almost in appearance, coiled around the letters.  

Babyface found himself being drawn to her, making his way through the gathered racers, many of whose eyes were similarly drawn to the appearance of the new racer.

She turned as he neared her, almost as if she could sense his approach. Gray eyes framed by dark lashes peered at him over a simple black bandana mask. "Hello, Babyface."

"Welcome," he replied, his voice distorted and high pitched through the voice changer in his mask. 

"Babyface, how's it going?" Raycer greeted him, his tone a bit cautious, standing slightly behind her.

"Good, good," he said, peering at the other man. "Have you all signed up on the app?"

"Sure did," Yuno said, joining the group.

"Yes," Raycer responded shortly. 

Babyface turned to the captivating woman's beside him. "And you?"

"I did," she replied, her eyes crinkling in a smile. Babyface looked on the app again. 

"I don't see your name. Did you change it?" A tingling feeling went up his spine as she walked to his side and peered at his phone over his shoulder. Having her so close to him was giving him chills. She pointed to a name: VipersKiss. "There it is. What do you think? It can be Viper for short," she said, the smile evident in her voice. 

"Personally, I don't get it," Yuno said. "I thought 'ear' was fine."

Babyface cleared his throat as Viper went over to pinch her brother. "I explained it to you already, Yuno. Besides, what happened to Cheatcode? You're not supposed to put in your real name."

"Ow, ow, ow," Yuno said in a monotone voice as she pinched him. "I don't know. I guess I figured that if they caught me they'd figure out who I was soon enough, might as well not make it difficult. Maybe they'd appreciate it and give me some time off for it."

"What do you guys think of my new racing name?" April asked, joining the group. "GuitarHero? Anyone? No?"

Viper and Yuno just looked at her, identical nose wrinkles on their face. Raycer patted April's shoulder. "I like it, April. Does it have a certain meaning to you?"