TG Race Week 2 Day 3
“Ditching the Dodo”
Tracey opens the passenger side door of the van. She sets various bags of shapes and sizes in the van and lifts the purple and blue dress from when she was a zafara. Then she steps into the van bringing the rest of the bags. “Doc, I’m back.”
Her co-driver exits the back in a black rubber body suit that covers from the neck down. “Good. I’ll be glad to get out of this thing.” She hands him several bags and a box cutter.
“Sorry. That was the best I could do,” she apologizes.
“It’ll work,” he says as he disappears into the back. While she waits, she thinks back to the change back.
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“1. 2. 3.” Doc shows Paper; Tracey smacks a Rock.
“Wait. Does that mean I go first or wait first?”
Tracey smiles and laughs at him, “Wouldn’t you like it if I went first?”
“I guess that means I change.” He hops toward the back. With each hop the van drops a little. Realizing they are pulling against the dragon, Tracey hops a few more times to spite it. After 6 or so hours of flying, the new human sticks his arm out, “Clothes please.”
She turns and speaks to the arm, “Don’t you remember? We ruined our last set when we changed into the Lagomorphs.”
“Oh. Right.” The door closes again. After another hour the door opens a crack, “I’ve got an idea, but don’t laugh.”
She smirks, “All right.” He steps out. She sees him covered from neck to toe in black rubber. It leaves nothing to the imagination, but it is a covering. “Oh my. I never thought of that. I should have, but …”
“Your turn.” He holds out to her a remote with his mittened hand. She looks at it quizzically. “It puts the bots to sleep.”
“At the neck, right.” She heads in and 6 and half hours later, she emerges in a suit to match. She looks around and sees the zafara dress. She puts it on, but it doesn’t quite fit. She reaches down through the neck hole and adjusts. The dress fits after that.
They sleep fitfully on the chairs in the bus. Doc wakes to sunlight in the face. There before them is a town. No, a city. Lower and lower they descend until they are just outside. Doc thinks about driving forward, but realizes the dragon is up there and might hit the buildings. He parks and wakes up Tracey.
Tracey is the obvious choice to shop since she has the best fashion sense even though she is more like a tomboy. But also because she looks more normal of the two. Tracey worries a little at first because of the tail hole, but realizes that the black skin coating is blocking any view down there.
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Doc emerges a new man and rubber free. She heads in to take her turn. “Even though we are covering great distances as the dragon flies,” Doc thinks out loud, “Something isn’t right about this arrangement.”
He agrees with himself, “We are supposed to be racing each other. That’s why we parted ways with Rikki. We need to get Mask off of our van.”
He looks up to the sharp toe nails. “The main thing that is holding us together are those claws.” He begins to plan, “We need something to get those talons to release … … … I know! We’ll give it a ‘Hot Foot’ Cod style.” He smiles as he heads to the back.
“Doctor,” she screams as he opens the door.
He sees that he just walked in on her and apologizes, “Sorry.” He waits a minute and knocks, “Two Picos and two rubbers, please.” Her rubberless arm hands out the Pico Cantes followed by the Rubber Bots.
He gets the three barrel gun and loads two Picos and a Rubber. He cocks back a hot sauce. He opens the sun roof and aims carefully. Bang! He pulls back on a rubber. Bang!
ROOOAARRRRR!!!! The dragon lifts the targeted foot that is quickly covering with rubber. Doc loads the other rubber and repeats the process with the other foot. RRROOOOOAAAARRRRRR!!!!! Doc ducks down and dives into the driver’s seat. The nails are still in our bus. He turns the car over and floors it. He hears Tracey fall in the back. No time for that now.
The van starts to rise up on the one side, but … CRASH! The final claw slides out. The van rocks as it flies forward into the city. Doc looks out the side mirror to see the dragon hopping about and then lift and hover in the air while the rubber continues to climb its body.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Doc looks at Tracey in the rear view mirror. Her clothes are a mess but fixable, and her face is flush.
“The Mobile Motel is closed. For now.” Surprised she looks to the holes in the top and then smiles. “I’m sorry,” he says.
“I forgive you.” She heads back and returns all fixed up.
As they leave the city, Doc opens up the wings. “Hold on to something,” he calls over the wind, “Let’s see what this baby can do!” He hits the roof rockets and they speed toward their destination.