First Impressions Are Usually Important (Crystal)

[Needmorefood]

The bay was alive with music. Not with heart-pounding heavy metal, or any other such intense music as one would expect coming into a mechanic's domain. Instead, it boomed with some sort of old-timey music as a huge canine humanoid grooved along with it, stepping from paw to paw. His eyes were shut and his light grey tail swung with him as he moved to the beat and sang along.

"Run away, I've got to...

Get away from the pain that you drive into the heart of me!

The love we share, sweety...

Seems to go nowhere, and I've...

Lost my light!

For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night!

Once I ran to you.

Now I from you!

This tainted love you've given!

I gave you all a guy could give you!

Take my tears and thats not nearly all!

Oooh, tainted love

You got that

Tainted love

Now I know, I got to

Run away!

I got to

Get away!

You don't really want anything from me to

Make things Right!

You need someone to hold you tight!

And you'll think love is to pray

But I'm sorry I don't pray that way!

Once I ran to you! 

Now I run from you!

This tainted love you've given!

I give you all a guy could give you!

Take my tears and that's not nearly all!

Tainted love!

Tainted love!

Don't touch, tainted love!

I can't stand the way you tease me.

I love you though you hurt me so!

I'm gonna pack my bags and go!

Tainted love!

You got that

Tainted love!

You know I ain't

Tainted love!

Tainted love!"

The big husky-human mix ended up picking up one of his wrenches, holding it up like a microphone as he completely zoned out, singing along with a deep voice that vibrated clearly and strongly throughout his working zone. He had no idea of his surroundings, too busy acting out his own personal musical. He currently had no Stingers to fix, so why should he be worried? At least, why now? He finished the song with a strong flourish, striking a pose by raising one claw and pointing towards the ceiling, looking upwards as well with sit eyes, and holding his improvised mic up to his mouth.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Keiran entered the shop just in time for the mechanic's big finish. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm paying you to work, not play rockstar," he said. He'd owned this Sting repair shop for a long time, though no one knew the place was own by a criminal. They didn't know it was owned by a famed racer, either. He stayed out of the way, paying mechanics to actually do the work. He was a mechanic, too, but when he wasn't in the races, he was a business man. And he hated it.

He turned off the stereo before another song could start. "What the hell are you listening to, anyway?"

[Needmorefood]

Russell literally froze for a second before abruptly standing to attention. "I- uh... I was just-" He raised his hand to explain, but noticed he was holding the wrench he had just used as a microphone. He quickly hid the wrench behind his back, averting his eyes. "Umm.... Nothing... Boss..." He finished lamely, his ears folding down in his embarrassment. Why did the boss have to come in now? He only came in when he wasn't racing, and he never seemed to like it. Unlike Russell. He was practically ecstatic whenever he could fix up machines. Russell cleared his throat. "So, uh, what have we got today, boss?" He asked a bit warily.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Keiran crossed his arms. "Mine, actually. I want to make some modifications before the race next month. I could do it on my own, but I thought another brain might help." He gestured through the bay windows at the Sting parked outside. "I have a few ideas."

[Needmorefood]

Russell's ears perked up and he looked over towards Keiran's Stinger. In an instant, a huge grin was on his face and he hurried outside, throwing the bay doors open himself instead of using the chain system. "Awesome! What mods are you planning on doing?" He asked, glancing back at Keiran. Excitement danced in his yellow eyes at the prospect of tinkering with technology

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I was thinking we could make some alterations to the thrusters. If we configure the particle beams differently, we might be able to get a little more speed out of it, and perhaps some more control." Keiran grabbed his toolbox and pulled up a stool. "What do you think?"

[Needmorefood]

"Sure! Sounds like it might work! Let me see!" Russell said, hurrying back inside to get his trusty tool belts before hurrying out again. He circled the Stinger briefly, humming and scratching his chin, before he hopped up onto the back of the vehicle and right near the thrusters. "Alright, I'll see what I can do for these from out here." He said, motioning to the thrusters. He could never explain what exactly he did, but he was good at it. He quickly went to work, unpopping some panels in the back and going at them with his tools

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Keiran nodded and sat down, content to let Russell down his thing. Keiran had always been great at mechanics--he'd built his Sting from scratch himself--but it wasn't until he met Russell that his career as a racer really took off. It was one thing to bring your ship to a mechanic to get it fixed; it was another to have a mechanical mastermind alter it.

[Needmorefood]

Russell went at it for a good amount of time. During his work, he often hummed a broken tune that seemed to only make sense to himself. A few nuts and bolts fell to the ground and at one point Russell yelped as a miniature storm of lightening lit up in Russell's face. His fur stood on end, the hairs on his arm slightly smoking, but Russell only laughed and moved on. After a little longer, Russell spoke. "Annnnnd...... Try turning it on now." He encouraged, sticking his grease covered face out.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Keiran ducked into the Sting and hit the button to start the engine. It roared to life... more of a purr, really. Vehicles didn't roar anymore.

[Needmorefood]

Russell looked at the back of the Sting as it was turned on. He stayed silent for a while, walking around, before nodding to Keiran. "Alright Boss! You should take it out for a spin to see if what we did worked or not! Should be a lot faster now!" He said with a toothy grin

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Keiran winked at him through the window, a rare jovial display, and hit the proverbial gas. The Sting shot forward, gaining altitude.

[Needmorefood]

Russell watched with a growing grin, eventually cheering. "WOOOOO! Look at it go! It's operating perfectly! Nice job Keir- Er, Boss!" He said, folding his hairy arms over his chest with pride

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Waaaa-hooooo!" Keiran shouted as he shot through the sky. He loved this feeling, the speed, the exhilaration. It was the best feeling in the world.