TEO TORRIATTE , steel ball run

iron and cowboys

AS SOON fireworks shot into the air, Gyro RUSHED and sped past all the other participants. Avery was lined up with Johnny, "H... uhh...?" Avery muttered, cocking their head to the side slightly. Both Avery and Johnny were startled.

"Can he really take all 1200km on his own?! Fu... fuck! What the hell is wrong with this guy?" hissed Johnny, placing his hand on his face. Avery mentally agreed... I mean— it was definitely hard to do this entire stage solo—! "ARRRGH! I'm coming AFTER HIM! I'M COMING AFTER YOUU!!" Johnny roared as he proclaimed that before speeding past to catch up to Gyro.

"Wha— WHAT?? HEY!! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Avery called after the two of them, clicking their tongue... "AAGHH... FINEEE!!" Despite her better judgment, they ALSO sped up their horse and chased after both Johnny and Gyro. Avery hoped they wouldn't regret being STUPID in chasing after these two!

"Oh!! Wait! Gyro Zeppeli is... what is this?! He's changing course!" exclaimed the announcer, "He's completely changing his course! So he wasn't just flying out ahead! He was picking out a completely different route! Gyro Zeppeli... IS HEADING STRAIGHT INTO THE DESERT! It looks like he's aiming to cut across the entire wasteland! Does he plan to ignore the first waterhole altogether?! At this angle, a waterhole won't be visible for another 150km or so!"

"Wha— WHAT?!" Avery shrieked, okay. Avery WAS FOLLOWING an insane man! "WHAT ARE YOU DOINGG??" cried out Avery, half in disbelief and half in disappointment in THEMSELF!

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, GYRO ZEPPELI?! AT LEAST GIVE ME SOME REASON FOR ALL THIS SPEED!"Johnny yelled at Gyro, he seemed just as frustrated as Avery was...

Gyro looked back at Johnny and Avery before very casually replying, "What? We have other rivals in the race who are doing the same thing. Do you two wanna come with? This is the shortest way... This way... we'll pass them all... even Sandman..." That's why Gyro wasn't paying attention when they were strategizing earlier! HE WAS PLANNING ON CHANGING ROUTES THE WHOLE TIME. Ugh... Avery was regretting choosing them more and more that every minute passed at this rate.

"Oooh... now it looks like Gyro isn't the only one crossing through the desert! He's gained not one but TWO followers! But who on earth would voluntarily pick such a route? It's like setting yourself up for suicide! All they must be thinking about is setting their hands on the prize!" The announcer continued on commentating.

6 hours later... Mrs. Robinson— that was his name Avery believed. He had been following Gyro, Johnny, and Avery since the starting point. Just what was his deal? Avery was riding alongside Johnny while that Mrs. Robinson was about 100 horse lengths away...

"Hey, you two... We're 6 hours from the starting point and according to the map, we should be reaching the top about now... As long as we've been heading in the right direction the entire time... That means, at very worst, it should only take about another 80km before we can get our hands on some fresh water!" Johnny put forth as he looked at the surrounding area with his telescope.

"I just wanna make sure we're on the right trail... Just to be on the safe side. Because if we go that way... There'll be no way we'll be able to ride over those mountains, right? According to this map..." Johnny continued as he pulled out his map— which was snatched by Gyro. Gyro looked at the map humming to himself, even rotating it...?

"Yeah, it's fine! Everything's perfect! We're on the right trail! Absolutely! Maybe..." Gyro says in the most CONVINCING TONE THERE EVER WAS.

"Eh?!" Avery and Johnny say at the same time, both of them immediately looking at Gyro. "What did you say just now? Hold on a second! Right then, it sounded like you muttered 'maybe'! MAYBE?!" snapped Johnny, as he pointed at Gyro.