Highly Unstable

Chapter 1 - Know Your Opponent: Part 1

When Dean Cuizeen ordered Fusion and her team to race against the Dos Bros Tacos FAST team, Fusion was on the fence about how she should feel about the challenge. On one hand, she was excited to race against and definitely take down the famous winner of the Indy 500. But on the other hand, she was mad that she still had to listen to everything Dean said. Her teammates weren't any better to work with, for they were more like rude acquaintances than actual friends.

But Fusion couldn't focus on something as stupid and useless as friendship, especially as Dean had finished introducing the rest of her teammates to Tito and the FAST crew and was prepared to introduce her next.

"And, last but not least, with the latest in fusion-shell technology—the one and only Fusion!" Dean proudly announced while fireworks burst from the food limo.

Fusion wasted no time in making her grand entrance, as her red and black shell lit up bight crimson and she sped down the side of the limo to join the rest of the FAJITA team. She stared directly at Turbo and the others with a prideful grin, revealing the small chip in her upper front teeth.

The FAST crew either stared in pure shock or anger at the copycats before them, and while Turbo was more than unhappy with the situation, he couldn't take his eyes off of Fusion. The way she looked so identical to him, while still being so different in personality, was almost…flattering to him. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all.

Right?

"Sorry, Taco Shell! We're the new game in town!" Fusion shouted at Turbo, her voice slightly higher pitched and smoother than his, causing him to finally snap out of it.

"Yeah, uh…lame…game," Turbo nervously retorted, to which Whiplash rolled his eyes since Turbo was never good at snappy comebacks.

"Pretty impressive, huh, folks? There ain't a better lookin' team of snails in all of Los Angeles!" Dean boasted proudly.

"Good looks don't help you on the track," Tito calmly argued.

"What a great idea! Everyone, Tito his challenged my team to a relay race, pitting each of my snails against one of his."

Tito blinked in confusion at Dean's statement, "What? I didn't say anything about a race."

"Oh, he wants to bet on it now!" The crowd gasped, and Dean continued vigorously. "You win, and I'll give you this five dollar gift card to Chez Fajita. But is—oop—I mean, when my snails win, Dos Bros is mine to bulldoze."

"That's not even close to a fair bet," Tito protested while crossing his arms.

"What's the matter, Tito? Pollo?" Dean taunted as he flapped his arms and clucked like a chicken.

Negative murmurs spread throughout the crowd, wondering if Tito was chicken and if he was up to the challenge. After hearing enough, Tito had made up his mind.

"Chef, you got yourself a bet!" Tito replied with confidence.

Dean and the crowd cheered with excitement, but Turbo and the others stared up at the humans in shock. Why would anyone, let alone Tito, agree to let a bunch of phonies race against the FAST crew? It was just unfair and undignified.

Dean's snails didn't seem to care either way, for they just wanted their opponents to eat their dust. The FAJITA team prepared to board the limo and leave, but Fusion felt like rubbing her confidence in Turbo's face. After all, Dean ordered all of his snails to do anything they could to get under their own doppelganger's skin.

"So, you're the snail that won the Indy 500? I have a hard time believing that," Fusion taunted while slithering up to Turbo.

"Well, you would if you'd gone to see the race…since, ya know, you would've seen my victory yourself," Turbo calmly protested, but still sent her a cold glare.

Fusion merely scoffed at his obvious nervousness, "Didn't need to. Already saw it all on YouTube, and you wanna know what I saw?"

"Uh, an underdog turned world-wide winner?"

"No. I saw a petty, insignificant, little dreamer who was naïve enough to think he could make a difference."

With each word, Fusion grew closer and closer to Turbo, getting up in his face with a cruel smile and squinted eyes, all of which affectively made Turbo shrink in fear. This girl went from being a flattering imitation to a cynical truth bomb in seconds flat.

"Hey, back off, Missy!" Whiplash snapped at Fusion, as he and the others rushed to Turbo's aid.

"Or what? You gonna yell at me some more?" Fusion asked sarcastically.

Whiplash's eyes narrowed in an intense scowl, "That's just about the half of it."

"Fusion, let's go!" Lightning called demandingly from the limo.

"Better get goin', Fussy. Your master's calling," Burn stated with a wicked grin.

"It's not 'Fussy', it's 'Fusion'," Fusion hissed in annoyance, but her anger quickly turned back into confidence, "But if you think your precious pupil isn't ready to face me, then I guess I'll just leave."

Turbo snapped out of his fear when Fusion turned to leave, and glared daggers at her before snapping, "No one ever said that, and I'll take you on any day!"

Turbo's friends looked down at him surprise, expecting him to do the smart thing and rest up until the race tomorrow, and Fusion's grin grew as she turned back around.

"Oh, really? Well then, I guess you won't mind a little practice race before the real thing tomorrow," Fusion offered.

"What've you got in mind?" Turbo questioned with a cocked brow.

"Midnight tonight, on the Starlight Plaza sign. We'll have a few practice laps, just you and me."

The rest of the FAST crew exchanged curious glances before looking at Turbo expectantly, unsure of what he would choose; although, they wouldn't be surprised if the ambitious snail decided to accept Fusion's invitation.

"You're on," Turbo finally answered, a huge and determined smile plastered on his face.

"See you then, Garden Snail," Fusion cooed, almost seductively, and even gave Turbo a small wink before speeding off towards the limo and leaving. Turbo knew the wink should've been nothing but a taunting action to scare him, but it only made his face heat up with a deep red blush.

Why was she getting to me so easily? Turbo pondered with a shudder, hoping that no one noticed his blush.

During the ride back to Dean's restaurant, each of the FAJITA team members went off to do their own things and occupy themselves. Fusion wished she had that privilege, but it was always thrown out the window when a certain scarred teammate of hers was constantly breathing down her neck.

"What took you so long, Baby? We were worried you'd have to drive back home all by yourself—and you know how dangerous it is for such a beautiful little thing like you to travel all alone in the streets of Los Angeles," Lightning cooed seductively while leaning against Fusion, hoping to get her full attention.

Unfortunately, Lightning's incessant buzzing around her like a gnat always managed to remind her of his irritable presence. Fusion would never be with a guy like Lightning, and not just because she's known him long enough to know he was just a thirsty dickhead, but also because he just wasn't her type.

"I was just getting under my opponent's skin, like Dean told us ta do," Fusion growled while violently pushing Lightning off, but the latter chuckled and slithered in front of her to stop her.

"You ain't gonna be some teacher's pet, are you?"

"Hell no. I'm just doing what I'm told, so that the fat man doesn't flip his lid and crush us."

Fusion once again tried to leave and drop the conversation, but Lightning smirked with persistence, "Oh, like what happened to Offroad?"

The mention of that name made Fusion freeze for a split second, before she whipped around and glared daggers and gritted her teeth at Lightning.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll never say that name ta me again, you asshole!" Fusion shouted at the top of her lungs, as she stared deep into Lightning's red eyes with her raging green ones.

"Whoa, whoa! Settle down, Dollface. I was just pushin' your buttons. You know how much I like to watch you get all flustered," Lightning purred calmly, despite Fusion having just yelled at him.

"Will you two shut up?! Some us are tryin' ta sleep!" Groove Rider shouted in annoyance before trying to back to sleep.

"Ya know, that's not such a bad idea. Why don't you and I sleep together, Princess?" Lightning suggested with another huge smile.

"You're disgusting," Fusion scoffed before finally having enough, and sped off towards the other end of the limo to be alone.

Lightning finally seemed to have stopped pursuing her, giving her a chance to calm down and breathe. She stared out the window, looking up at the darkening sun as the sun set. Quiet moments like this always made fusion wonder what she did to deserve a life like this, and get stuck with such a cruel boss and equally cruel friends. She had been alone ever since that tragic incident two years ago, which she tried to forget with every waking moment of her life. But thanks to jerks like Lightning, it proved to be easier said than done.

Why'd I have to be left alone? Fusion thought with sorrow.

Two new stories in one day...I've got a serious problem. Do I regret anything? Kinda.

Anyway, if you've seen the episode "Beat-A Fajita," you're probably familiar with Fusion(who is actually male) and the other FAJITA snails. In this story, Fusion is now a female, and a love interest for Turbo. Because why not?

Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!