Summary: Eversince the Senshi took down Galaxia, Haruka has been finding it very hard to find a good thrill. Lucky for her, she found one that would keep her on the edge of her seat. Not so lucky for her, it's not exactly legal, nor smiled upon. Street racing)
(A/N: A few things before you read this fic. 1, i don't know much about Japanese currency or lingo, so forgive me if I made any mistakes. Don't hesitate to put them in a review. 2, I'm not a genius about cars, so once again, please forgive the mitakes. 3, this fic was inspired by a song from My Chemical Romances new album The Black Parade called "House of Wolves. 4, please enjoy)
My phone alarm went off at 1:45 am.
I kept it on vibrate so I wouldn't wake Michiru. I carefully pulled off the covers, so as not to wake her. I slowly out my bare feet on the ground.
She moved.
I froze in my place so I wouldn't make a sound, praying she wouldn't wake up. Thankfully, all she did was make herself more comfortable on the bed while she was in a deep sleep. I never told her about my little "midnight rendevous".
I felt it was better for her not to know anyway. Not only is she a genius on a violin, but she's an amazing painter, so as you can imagine, she was on the elegant side. She would never approve of me doing something this stupid. We really don't have much in common anymore eversince we took down Galaxia. We both still are Senshi, and, I guess, princesses of our repective planets, but these times of peace gave Michiru and I less and less to talk about. Besides, I didn't need her worrying about me, or telling me I have some sort of "thrill problem", or whatever else those psychologist always tried to tell me.
Thrill problem or not, I go.
Well, I know a thing about contrition,
Because I got enough to spare.
And I'll be granting your permission,
'Cause you haven't got a prayer.
Slowly snuck out of the bedroom as quiet as I could. The door and the floor creaks like crazy, but thank God, it never wakes Michiru. I went to the other bedroom of the apartment, the room I used to sleep in before Michiru and I became a serious couple, and opened the closet.
I took out a pair of jeans that I never wear during the day. They were officially boys jeans. They weren't as bagging as most guys who are my age, but they also weren't hip huggers. The right pant leg had "fashion slashes" that I asked Minna to put in for me, which included cigarette ash marks and etc that I put in myself. The other leg was totally clean. It sort of became my trademark the "Meetings".
I put those on, plus a tight, plain black shirt, and a tight black blazer with assorted sewing marks and other assets. I reached into the blazer's pocket to take out a pair of cut-off gloves and put them on my hand. I also slipped on my black driving shoes.
I normally don't dress with this much black, but I'm not necessarily the same person at these little "Meetings".
Before I left the apartment, I took one more look at the bedroom door. When I first started this, it was hard to go behind her back. But as time went on, it became easier. I grabbed the keys to my Mustang and quietly left the apartment. Yeah, I know. A Mustang isn't exactly the car of choice, especially in Japan. But my mechanic, Kameda, and myself fixed it up pretty good, and believe me, I've smoked the best of them with that baby.
Well I said hey, hey hallelujah,
I'ma come on sing the praise.
And let the spirit come on through ya,
We got innocence for days!
I drove around the city towards the usual spots. On average, it takes me about an hour or an hour and a half to find out where the meeting place is for the night. Most people like to play techno music to get them in the mood for this sort of thing, but since I lived in England for a while, punk rock pumped me up better than anything else.
What most don't under stand is that racing is much more then just cylinders, horse power, chemicals, and gears. As I said earlier, I've smoked countless people with fancy shit under their hoods. Racing is about that feeling you get when you're jetting more than 150 miles per hour down a street. It's very...exhilarating. It's not very easy to explain, but any real racer will know what I'm talking about. And a good way to get you into the mood is music.
I like all kinds of punk. From American street punk bands like The Vandals, old AFI, and Rise Against, to metalcore bands like Bleeding Through, Bullet For My Valentine, and It Dies Today, to poppy bands like Blink 182, The Academy Is..., and The All-American Rejects, and that "whiny" Emo stuff like Taking Back Sunday, Underoath, and...new AFI.
Right now, a song called "Euro-Barge" by The Vandals was playing, and it just so happens to be one of my favorites. I'm ready to kill anyone who wants to go against me tonight.
As I said earlier, it normally takes at least an hour for me to find the meeting spot. That night took me only about 45 minutes. I could tell at that moment that it was going to be a good night.
Well, I think I'm gonna burn in hell,
Everybody burn the house right down.
I parked my car next to the dozens, maybe even hundreds, of fixed up cars crowding the parking lot. It put it in park, but kept the stereo blasting. I got out of the car and gently sat on the hood. I took a look around. All kinds of kids from all over the city were socializing, showing off there cars, playing J-rock, crappy American rap, and mostly techno.
I took out my pack of Marlboro Light's from my inner jacket pocket and placed on in my mouth. As I lit it with my customized zippo lighter, I couldn't help but smile and think 'Michiru would kill me if she caught me smoking'.
I took a drag of the cig and took another look around. In the corner of my eye I saw a man wearing ridiculously tight jeans walked towards me. I didn't acknowledge his presence at first, I just waited for him to speak to me.
"How's it going Wind?" he asked me as he reached out his hand. I put my cigarette in my mouth and shook his hand.
Wind. Yeah, I know it's cheesy, but there was no way in hell I'd give out my real name to any of these kids.
"What's up, Ryo," I greeted him as I took another drag. "How's it looking tonight?"
Ryo was the only person around here that even comes close to a 'friend'. Every night I come, him and me talk for a little bit about racing and things going on in the scene. We never once talked our personal lives, and I'm willing to bet that Ryo is not his real name. We just kept it simple, and purely professional.
He was a damn good racer, but he usually keeps it small time for the time being. He used to have a big problem with putting literally everything he had on the line in big prize races, including a couple of cars. Although he rarely lost, when he did loose, he lost big, so he decided to keep to the small races until he gets financially set.
"Well, your lucky," he told me as he reached out his hand. He wanted a cigarette, and of course, I bummed him one. "Nothing went on just yet," he continued as he sat on my hood with me as he lit up. "But it sounds like a big one is about to start."
"Big?" I asked him without turning my head. I continued to look around. "How big?"
"About..." he trailed off to think about the answer. "1,200,000 yen down."
I smiled as smoke poured out of my mouth. It's pretty rare when a race like that comes around. I might actually have to oblige.
"Sounds good," I told him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see some kids who look like Japanese gangsters walk my way. They were 5 of them, with one apparent leader. They didn't look overly pissed, but they didn't look happy either. I gave them a quick glance and focused back on the scene.
"You gonna enter?" he asked me.
"Not sure," I replied.
"Not sure?" he asked me. "That's some serious cash, right there."
"I hear that," I replied it.
"You don't have it?"
They were approaching. The gangsters.
"No, I have it."
"So what's the deal?"
"Nothing. Just don't want to end up like you."
He laughed at the joke, knowing it wasn't a total joke. The gangsters stopped right in front of us.
"Ouch," he said with a laugh.
"You 'Wind'?" the 'leader' of the 'gang' asked me. Ryo's smiled disappear, as did mind. These people didn't seem very friendly...not that it mattered.
"Maybe," I responded in a smart ass tone.
"It is her," one of the lower men said. "She's a chick, you can hear it in her voice."
I smirked as I took another drag of my cigarette. I was greatly known in the scene for being an intense tomboy. I can't tell you how many times people told me to find a nice man and make him dinner, or my personal favorite, put in a short skirt and 'hit the street corners'.
"How can I help you?" I asked them in a polite manner, even though I was certain they wouldn't be polite back.
"Word is you can really fly on the streets," he says to me, though I wasn't expect a compliment. "But these streets weren't met for little girls. Why don't you slip on I skimpy skirt and hit the street corners."
That's more like it, I thought with a laugh.
"You racing this bit?" I asked, referring to the race that's about to take place.
They all laughed at me. They always laughed at me. I never cared.
"Why?" he asked, still laughing. "You planning to take me on?"
He emphasized "me" as if he was the grand champion of racing. I smiled again as I took another drag.
"You and the rest of the drivers," I corrected him.
"You think you're good?" he asked me.
I took a quick glance at Ryo. He was loving this.
"I don't need to 'think'," I assured him as I stared dead into his eyes.
"Pretty big talk for a little girly."
I saw that coming for a mile away. I wasn't 'girly', and I definitely wasn't 'little'.
"How bout I side bet?" he asked me.
I raised my eyebrow. I really wanted to bury this guy, but I kept such emotions under to surface.
"How much you got?" I asked him calmly.
"800,000 good enough for you?" he asked me with a hint of sarcasm.
"Nope," I told him as I got up from my seat and proceeded to enter myself into the race just. "But whatever. I'll take it."
And say, ha
What I wanna say
Tell me I'm an angel,
Take this to my grave.
Gino organized most of the races in the city, and the ones he didn't organize, he knows about. Almost everytime I seem him, he's counting or organizing large amounts of money. He always dressed in a black suit, with expensive rings and an expensive watch. He also sported a hoop earring on his left ear. He wears a different color shirt and tie depending on the night. Tonight was a dark blue shirt with a matching tie.
"What's good, Wind?" he greets me as he held his fist out at me, not taking his eyes off the money in his hands.
"Can't complain," I said as I flicked my cigarette and pounded my fist with my own. "And yourself."
"Same shit. Different night," he tells me like usual. "You want in on this?"
"Is there a spot for me?" I asked as I held up 1,200,000 cash.
"For you?" he asked. "Always."
I handed him the money, and he counted it to make double sure, as always. He turned to me and gave me a smile.
"Race starts in 5," he tells me simply.
"Thanks," I said to him as I walked back over to my car. The gangsters were no longer there, but Ryo remained sitting on the hood.
"Well?" I asked him, which between Ryo and I, means I want a run-down on who I'm racing.
"Don't remember the guy's name, or his gang," Ryo tells me and I open my driver's door. He got off the hood and approached me as I closed the do. "But they don't play nice. Maybe I should've held their money."
"Probably not a bad idea," I spoke to him threw my rolled down window.
"Watch out, though," he continued to speak. "The guy has my chemicals under that hood than a nuclear bomb."
"Ryo," I said to him. "What do I always tell you?"
"I'm serious, Wind," he continues to insist. "Only God knows how much nitrous he has in that ca-"
"Ryo," I cut him off giving him a look. "What do I always tell you?"
He stood silent for a second smiling. 'What I tell him' is the same thing I told you earlier. A race isn't just shit under a car hood.
"Alright," he said as he pat my car roof. "Good luck."
"Thanks," I tell him as I put my car in first gear and cruised to the starting line.
Tell me I'm a bad man,
Kick me like a stray.
Tell me I'm an angel,
Take this to my grave.
I waited for the race to begin at the starting line. 5 other cars were waiting there with me. There was a black Civic with silver flames along the side of the car...very played out. There was a Red RSX...I don't think they look good in that color. Mine was a goldish Mustang. The gangster, who was right next to me, drove a silver Lancer with all kinds of gang signs painted on it. There was another RSX, but this one is blue. I hated when two of the same car raced. Toyota discontinued their Supra, but a red one was in the race. There was also a silver Dodge Viper. I don't know how these Japanese got all of these American cars.
Gino held up the gun to signal the beginning of the race.
I felt it. That adrenaline rush you feel just before you shift into first. It was more than intoxicating.
I heard the gunshot.
I popped into first gear, and I was off. The red RSX had a bad start. He didn't have a prayer. The black civic was ahead of us at first, but that normally doesn't mean anything. The gangster and I were evenly matched...until he pressed his Nitrous button.
Nitrous is a chemical you can put into your car that can give it a healthy boost. Not enough of it does nothing, and too much of it blows your car up.
He hit the nitrous button and zoomed pass everyone to hit first place. The gangster was first, the Civic was second, and I was third. The Civic wasn't hard to pass. With the correct shift and pedal work, it's very simple to win a race.
God, I love this.
As I brushed my short blonde hair out of my eyes, I slowly, but surely passed the Civic, and my headlight was almost touching the gangster's back lights. He flipped me off. Pathetic.
I moved to the left in attempts to pass him, but he moved with me to block me. I tried the same to the right, and he did the same. Suddenly, he took off.
I looked at my speedometer, and it said I was going 140 miles per hour. He must have been jetting at almost 200. He must have hit his second, and probably last nitrous button.
I hit mine as well, and I jetted to 195, and I caught up with him instantly, but I was still barely behind him. He continued to block me, which was very annoying. Most racers don't do that. There's no official rule against it or anything, it's just very cheap.
I quickly jetted to the right, and before he could catch up, I hit my final nitrous button, jetting right past him at 230 MPR and through the finish line.
I smiled, but not because I won. Sometimes breaking 190 MPR is the only thing that could really put a smile on my face.
You play ring around the ambulance,
Well like you never gave a care.
So get the choir boys around you,
It's a compliment, I swear.
As soon as I stopped, I was surrounded by people and other cars. I saw Gino walking slowly towards me with the 7,200,000 in his hand. Racer and their crews were cheering and ripping on the losers, saying stupid shit like "You lost to a chick!". Women were all over my car. I was fairly sure they knew I was a girl, but I guess my clothes threw them off. Either that, or they just didn't care.
I turned off my car and got out with a half smile on my face. Girls left and right were touching my shoulders and telling me what I good job I did. I never responded, until one of them asked me what I was doing later that night.
"You do know I'm a girl?" I asked her with a raised eyebrow. She didn't seemed too surprised.
"I'm always down for something knew," she whispered with a seductive wink.
I looked at her with my eyebrow still raised, and she continued to smile.
"Don't think my partner would like that," I told her as I began to walk toward Gino. "But thanks for the compliment."
I didn't see her roll her eyes at me, but I was sure she did. They always do.
And I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down,
I wanna hear you sing the praise,
I said, ashes to ashes, we all fall down,
We got innocence for days!
Before I even got close to Gino, he had the money ready to give to me. He dropped it in my hand and I began to count it.
"What, Wind?" He asked as I looked up. "You don't trust me?"
"Nothing personal, Gino," I did as I counted the full 7,200,000 down to the cent. "You know it's business."
Ol' Gino loved business. I heard that he was a big-time corporate executive for a Japanese car company when he isn't organizing these races, under a different name of course.. Rumors spread all over the place about this guy. One of them is that he had two divorced wives, because he was secretly married to him at the same time. Another was that he bought a dealership somewhere in California, and expanded it, and when over 100 people protested it, he paid them all off for them to accept. Neither rumor surprised me.
"I do know," he said to me with a smile. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he shouted to the crowed. Everyone's attention turned to him. "You can learn a lot from this racer," he continued pointing to me. "You know why? A while ago, this man told me..."
He slipped up and called me a "man", which happens quite often.
"...That it doesn't matter what kinds of shit you think you have under your hood."
The whole crowed cheered, but Gino begged for their silence.
"Racing is much more than that."
They cheered again.
"Racing is that feeling you get when you bolt 200 MPR down the street!"
They cheered again...except for one. It was Ryo, and he was pushing through the crowed trying to get to me. Gino continued to speak, but my attention was focused on Ryo. He didn't look too happy.
"Wind!" he shouted over the crowed and Gino. "Those fuckers are splitting!"
I looked to the side and saw that gang who challenged me trying to escape. The man I raced against was quickly getting into his car, but he found time to give me a middle finger.
"Fuck!" I yelled as I quickly got into my car. Ryo also immediately ran to his ride. I really don't like cowards.
Well, I think I'm gonna burn in hell,
Everybody burn the house right down.
And say, ha
What I wanna say
Tell me I'm an angel,
Take this to my grave.
Very fortunately, Gino figured out what was going down. My car at this point was surrounded by people, and Gino helped push them out of the way. The gangsters took off minutes before I could follow them, but Ryo followed them immediately.
Good guy.
By the time I was able to drive, the gangsters have long since took off, but Ryo was on their tail. He called me and told me the streets they took. I was turning corners in fourth gear, and any stick shift driver will tell you how dangerous/stupid that it.
It took me a few minutes, but I finally caught caught up to those gangsters and Ryo. We were jetting at 90 miles an hour down a street with a few cars occupying them. I was successful at dodging the cars, as were my chasees.
Suddenly, the gangsters turn a right corner. Ryo was too close so he couldn't make that turn so suddenly. Lucky for me, I was at the perfect distance. I turned the corner and continued to chase them, but I did it subtly so that they wouldn't see me. They were probably too busy celebrated that they lost Ryo that they didn't even notice me.
I turned off my head lights and slowed down, just enough so I wouldn't draw attention. The alleyway they entered was dark, so it was easy to get away with it.
My phone vibrated. It was Ryo.
"Wind, I lost them!" he shouted into me ear through the phone.
"It's okay, I'll take care of it," I assured him. "Don't worry about it."
"You sure?" he asked me.
"Positive," I told him just before hanging up the phone. I really didn't want Ryo to see what I was about to do.
Tell me I'm a bad man,
Kick me like a stray.
Tell me I'm an angel,
Take this to my grave.
A while ago, Setsuna taught Michiru and me how to use our powers without transforming. Of course, they wouldn't be nearly as strong, but in this case, it'll get the job done. The only reason why I even contemplated using my World Shaking is because I was sure they had guns.
I was unarmed.
I saw them enter a warehouse. They looked both ways to make sure no one saw them. They didn't see my car, thank God. I was sure there was more people in there.
I quietly got out of my car and clinched my fist.
It started to glow.
You better run like the devil,
'Cause they're never gonna leave you alone!
I held my shining fist in the air as I slowly and quietly walked closer to the building.
Please don't get the wrong idea, people. I am much more than capable of dealing with these guys without resorting to my powers, but I wanted to put the fear of God into these people, and a sudden explosion is the best way to do it. Besides, I didn't want to spend too much time here.
The looks on their faces is priceless.
You better hide up in the alley,
'Cause they're never gonna find you a home!
I yelled my usual chant and slammed my fist into the ground, splitting the earth.
The energy jolt shot up from the Earth and struck the side of the building, knocking a lot of people out. I heard yells from the building, but I also heard screams. Women were in their as well...I hope I didn't hurt any of them.
And as the blood runs down the walls
Buy the time I entered my the newly created my front door, most of the people there ran away, including women. There were only 6 people left. A woman with a skimpy outfit, 4 men I didn't recognize, and thankfully, that asshole who owes me 800,000.
You see me creepin' up these halls
As I took my time walked to one of the men, he pulled a gun on me. I immediately grabbed his wrist with the gun and twisted it. I heard a snap, so I probably broke it. I then flipped him over my back, and used his gun to shoot another man who reached for a gun in the foot.
The woman screamed.
I held onto the gun a sprinted toward another man. He also reached for a gun, but I planted my foot on his chin before he could pull it out. I then threw him onto the other man, knock him both out.
The woman still screamed.
I've been a bad motherfucker
Tell your sister I'm another
Go! Go! Go!
As I slowly walked to the guy who owed me money, I pointed my gun at the girl, who instantly stopped screaming. She was probably around 17 or 18, but she looked to be about 15. Whatever age she was, she didn't belong here.
"Go home," I told her as he put the gun down. I was still walk. "And dress warmer."
She immediately ran out. It was only him and me.
He took a gun out and pointed it to me, but I used my gun to shoot it out of his hand. I wasn't a bg fan of guns, but I was a great shot. The violent vibrations from the gun hurt his hand, so he tried to care for it, but I grabbed it and squeezed.
He yelled in agony. I tripped him so that his back landed on the floor. I pressed my gun to his head.
"Now," I said to him casually. "No that your friends are out, I believe we have a transaction we need to settle.
And I said, say,
What I wanna say
Tell me I'm an angel,
Take this to my grave.
I lit up a cigarette as I took a seat on my hood.
He gave me the money like I thought, and I thanked him by knocking him out with the handle of my gun. Cops should be showing up around here within the next 20 minutes, but I couldn't go home all tense. I needed to relax, and a smoke is always a help.
My phoner vibrated, and it was Ryo. I forgot to call him after my little exercise.
"Yeah?" I answered the phone.
"You get them?" he asked.
"What do you think?" I asked him with a hint of comedy.
He laughed on the other end of the line.
"And the money?" he asked.
"In my pocket," I told him. "6,800,000 is not bad for one night, no?"
"You probably could've gotten more when you knocked the guy out."
"You know I'm not like that."
"The meeting got broken up by cops, but there's another one further downtown. You comin'?"
"No, I think I'm done for the night."
"You sure?"
"With racing, ass kicking, the money, and everything in between, I'd say it was a good night."
"I hear that. You coming out tomorrow?"
"Probably not, but I'll hit you up in a couple of days."
"Got it. I'll call you if anything serious goes down."
"Good night."
I hung up the phone and finished the cigarette. I could have just finished it on the way home, but I didn't want to run the risk of stinking up the car. Michiru would probably notice, and she'll kick my ass if she does.
Tell me I'm a bad man,
Kick me like a stray.
Tell me I'm an angel,
Take this to my grave.
I liked listening to calm music after I finish racing or kicking someone's ass. This song was a song called "Sleep" by a band that nobody in Japan knows about called Copeland. Very calm. Very soothing.
I quietly parked my car outside the apartment and turned it off.
Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
I quietly opened and shut the door of my car.
I took out the recently earned money from my pocket and began to count it, even though I was certain it was exact.
Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
I was about to go up the stairs, when I realized I didn't shut the door all the way.
I fucking hate it when that happens.
Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
I unlocked my car, shut the door all the way, and locked it again.
On my way back to the building, I counted the money once more. There's nothing been than hard earned cash, let me tell you.
Tell me I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad man
When I got inside the building, I didn't even notice that the lights were on in my apartment room.
So get up!
I took the elevator up to the seventh floor and I got out. I slowly walked to my door and put the cash in my pocket before I went in.
So get out!
Michiru was setting on the couch with the lights on holding a cup of tea.
"Haruka," she said to me in a serious, yet timid tone. The tone pierced through me ears like a fired bullet. "We need to talk"
It was only a matter of time.
Yes I am, yes I am!
(A/N: Hope you enjoyed. This idea came to my head 2 days ago, and I thought it would be perfect for Sailor Moon, though I'm not the absolute huge fan. please review, good or bad. Btw, The Black Parade is a sick album, you should get your hands on it. Thanks. later)