Today was the day; Isa's first official F-Zero race. Every participant's machine was lined up at the beginning of the track and the pilots were allowed their last preparations before it really started. Some of them did some last minute tinkering to their machine, others busied themselves socializing.

Slimetime, who was Isa's partner on the road, had himself transformed into her safety helmet long before they arrived - as more than one pilot per machine wasn't officially allowed by the committee - and fitted snug on her head. Like this, his role was to provide protection to her, but he would also be able to help her navigate and communicate about rivals closing in on her during the race.

Isa felt anxious, the good kind, but still. The wait was nerve-wracking, especially when she'd triple checked everything the entire morning before, during and after her test drive together with Slime, and there wasn't really anybody she knew yet who she could chat with that attended the race today. She could talk to Slimetime, but it'd be a weird look if anyone batted an eye and saw her talk to her helmet. She decided to turn towards her machine instead.

The Sun Beetle, a white and blue coated machine that sported a few yellow highlights. It had received the number #60, and it looked pretty neat in broad daylight. Finally we're doing this, Isa thought, reaching out to pat the machine's white frame.

"I've heard you did the design of this machine, yourself?", A man's voice came from behind.

Isa froze in her spot for a moment as she turned her head to peek over her shoulder. She could feel her neck and face flush. No way. No way, that the one and only Captain Falcon, out of anyone, had decided to stop by the Sun Beetle. He was wearing his helmet with his visor down, but she could notice that his view shifted from the machine, down to her by the manner of a tilt of his head. Isa slowly turned around - she didn't want her first impression to be that of a crazy fan, so she surpressed the squealing thoughts in her head and straightened her back before finally parting her lips.

"Well- yes. Together with my friend, I...", A deep breath, oof it was a shaky one. "I designed the blueprints entirely, and Slimetime put it all together. And, I helped where I could." Isa chuckled shortly and tilted her head up to look fondly at their work. The captain smiled at the sight.

"The bond between a pilot and their machine decides wheneither they'll be a winner or a loser."

The buckles of his boots clacked lightly when he shifted his legs to turn. Isa looked at Captain Falcon's frame as he moved on.

"I'm eager to see how well your design fares. Good luck." Those were Falcon's parting words, called from behind his back.

Isa was stuck in awe for quite a moment long after her idol left to attend his own machine. Slimetime might've been disguised as her helmet, he was still very much capable of hearing. And he loved hearing, and he loved feeling. Feeling the girl's head flush with heat, the light stutter in her voice and how the pitch in it was slightly higher than usual. Oh, he was gonna tease her so hard about this. And he would do it for a long time ahead.

"All pilots please enter your machines. The race will commence soon!" A voice announced loudly through the intercom.

And so would begin her journey in the F-Zero.