Author Notes: This is a fic about CF ZERO. A telling of Round 7.
* Henri's nickname for Shinjyo is "Ochimusha" (落ち武者), which means a survivor of fallen army. He also refers to Hayato as "Kazami-senpai", a title of respect. For the fic, he'll just say a defeated or fallen warrior. For Hayato, it's "mentor".
* Gudelhain and Heinel's vehicles are mistranslated as "Steel". Official name is Stil ("style"), possibly named after the German magazine on Art Nouveau Jugenstil.
*A name below doesn't appear until the GP of 2022 (post-Sin).
*Changing speed to km/h (metric)
Lucky 13th
The year is 2018!
"White flag, white flag! We are at the final lap everyone! Here's the current status of the race: Holding it in at seventh place is Japan's Akira Hiroshi of A.G.S. His El Condor flies across the track with little to no error."
The 13th Cyber Formula Grand Prix reached the frigid lands of Norway. No matter what, the cold did not damper the fiery commentary of the announcer, nor the visual feeling of today's race.
"In sixth is the Missonel! Russia's Edelhi Bootsvotz of Missing Link! Fifth is the upcoming vengeance of Great Britain's Union Savior team: BH Garnet in his Knightsavior is tailing Bootsvotz!"
The teams pushed their machines to the limit. Even after a couple days of snowfall, a stubborn traction grasped against lubricated fields. The Cyber Machines ripped through the roads. If there was ever a hint of a slip, the drivers restored control with their counter steering, a practice from having to face centrifugal force among turns at speeds over three-hundred. Still, it was a matter of luck and slowing down was the best negotiation. A few would not have lady luck and curved into retirement. The audience now had their sights set on the favorites.
"The Stils of Gold and Silver, U.S.A's Jackie Gudelhian of Stormzender and Germany's Franz Heinel of Strozech Project, are in third and forth respectively!" Back at the race stadium, large flat-panel screens displayed the two Stils on a chute.
"Yay, we can do this!" said the ever-so-optimistic Gudelhian.
"Just stay focused! We got to catch up to Shinjyo! We'll show him the power of these Stils." said Heinel.
"Oooh." Jackie clicked his teeth. "Not to worry, not to worry. We got this! Besides, gold is always after silver, remember?"
"What?! Why you little!"
Later on, Heinel crashed into Bleed Kaga, giving Gudelhian the push he needed for Stormzender. However, there was still the rapid red one, Naoki Shinjyo, and the upcoming champion.
"In second place is Sugo Garland! France's Henri Claytor of Team Sugo Grand Prix holds onto a strong lead. Having taken pole position in qualifier and the lead in the previous Great Britain race, will he defeat Shinjyo?"
Henri Claytor of France, former member of the Theodolights team, couldn't help but laugh to himself. His wing and rear view mirrors showed only pristine road. He maintained a wide gap front and back. The fifteen year old racer was truly excelling. He felt that he had finally reached a cornerstone since the Canada race, increasing in points since then. A chance of both winning the championship and slapping shame against the one he felt disdain for the most was within his grasp.
The Theodolights were pathetic; its best known racer Albert Giacometti retired years ago halfway through the 10th Grand Prix, and Henri transferred to Sugo after the team's main racer underwent convalescence post 12th Grand Prix. His appointed vehicle Garland SF-01 succeeding Super Asurada was flexible, installed with a control yoke for steering, transmission, and other systems all in one. Without the interchangeable frame, and just fit for simplicity, it was surprisingly a fine beast of the circuit. Henri was gradually gaining high places in his name. He had Claire Fortan to thank; a beauty from a beauty.
"All I have to deal with now is you, you wounded warrior." Henri assured himself that he could pass the next obstacle. Just like in the last race. He smiled at his wicked thought. He remembered when he caused the great Shinjyo to lose his cool. It was the poison from being too proud and gullible; it made Henri laugh how the dagger of rumors could easily make a champion fragile.
The scarlet Exsperion was closing in. After cruising through a turn, he kept his foot squeezed on the gas pedal and looked at his speedometer: 320 km/h and rising rapidly. The rest of the instrument panel was green. He just had to keep his gear triggered. Exsperion, with its V12, was a tough cat to catch.
Sometimes.
Naoki Shinjyo checked his rear mirror, hearing the purr of Garland getting closer. Henri closed in on Exsperion's tail. With Exsperion in Stealth Mode (Aoi's version of Aero Mode) breaking through the air, Henri's car was being pulled in.
"Move it, wounded warrior! If you don't, I'll crash into you. Do you want that?" Closing in, the slipstream would become downforce. Henri's body vibrated; the speed of Exsperion's pressure was more apparent, and it caused Garland to drag. Edging closer to Shinjyo's bumper, Henri wrenched the yoke. He expected Shinjyo to move or brake, either choice gave Garland an opening. Henri went for a slingshot past Exsperion's left side.
"Out of my way!" Shinjyo would not accept seeing anyone's front wheels, and slid left. Another curve came, and Henri saw Exsperion's bumper stray past his eyes. The gravity of ice pulled Exsperion; Garland changed right and moved on its way.
"Whoa! Overtake! Henri Claytor is in first place!" The announcer verified at the top of his lungs. It seemed a shock to see the champion of the 12th Grand Prix being rivaled. Exsperion shifted gears and had to brake, considerably losing speed. It slid into the snowy field, fishtailing. The fuming driver fought with the wheel, stubborn in getting back onto the main track. Before long, the red beast became a speck in Henri's rear mirror. The boy giggled. The last curve was on the way. After that, he had Norway in the bag.
"Hmm?" Henri hummed with a gentle, cheerful tonality, like he was walking in the park without a care in the world, and having gotten away with a scheme. Something caught in his attention for a moment. The wing mirror picked up something. The German, he wondered; a white chassis loomed behind him, pursuing like a shark. It had to be Heinel's Stil. Henri was curious for a few seconds, and then he gasped in shock as the figure moved closer and closer. It smoothed through Norway's track.
The announcer confirmed Henri's fears: "Naoki Shinjyo was passed again. He has arrived everyone! Number 30! It's the revived hero of Japan, Hayato Kazami of Sugo Winners!"
Henri felt the veins in his head pulsate. Super Asurada Double One was on the six, chasing Garland on the long chute towards the Odin Curve. The cheeky punk had returned to the face of Grand Prix. After dawdling behind for the past couples races, he finally came forth. Earlier in the race, it was Hayato who caused Kaga to enter a frenzy and crash his purple Exsperion into Heinel's Stil.
"YOU! Boost on!" Henri curled the yoke handle and squeezed a trigger, engaging his vehicle's twin rocket pods. Garland rushed ahead.
"Boost on!" Hayato slid the boost lever.
"Boost engaged! Engine critical limit, countdown start!" stated Asurada.
Hayato flared the boost as well and Double One closed in on its successor. The speed meter ricocheted: 500 km/h and rising, and the two cars muscled through the Odin Curve.
"Why did you come back?! Why didn't you just stay dead!?" Henri mumbled between his gritting teeth.
The two vehicles were parallel; speeds were over 600, and on a forty-five degree bank.
"This is your fault!" All the blood rushed to Henri's head; the desire to win, the anger, and the intense pull felt from his Garland sticking to the elevated curve all in one squeezed his jaw tightly together.
"Your era is over!" Henri, being slightly faster, shifted Garland in front of Double One. "GET LOST!" It was a gamble to move such a way: past the apron was a hard fall into the snow. Team Sugo Grand Prix raced under the leadership of Osamu Sugo during Hayato's absence. When Hayato returned, Team Sugo Winners formed; with Kurumada returning as a supervisor and the elated Kazami as star racer, the team unified with its roots. Hayato and Henri were mentor and junior; Hayato did not understand his partner's behavior.
"Henri, be careful!" Hayato spoke to his junior out of instinctive concern. The Garland was in front; slowly, Double One edged closer to the icy wall to overpass, and the Garland again jerked in front of it.
"Uaaaaaah!" The checkered flag was right there, waiting for him, waiting for him. He didn't want the arrogant bum to beat him, beat Henri Claytor. Screaming, Henri jerked the yoke again, and his heart pounded. He heard a loud sound of wrenching metal. The chassis of Garland was grinding against the wall, rumbling. Sparks flew in between the car and the ice. Double One rebalanced to a steady drive as the Odin Curve ended.
"Nooo!" Henri hung on tight, his eyes squeezed in terror as his body felt like it was falling. His Garland whipped back and spiraled off near the end of the curve, slamming into the snowy field.
"Checked Flag is waved! The race is over!" said the announcer.
Hayato Kazami took first place and won the seventh round in Norway.
Months later, the final 12th round was coming up: The famous Fujioka Circuit. Threatening Claytor's win this time was Aoi Zip's Bleed Kaga. It was suggested to let Hayato support Henri. Henri had gained enough points so that if he reached first, he could beat Shinjyo and Kaga's final scores.
"Then you won't reach the pole position again!"
"Again?" Passing the white flag, Henri was dawdling at around sixth. His head was in the clouds, blanketed by thoughts. After the rain fell, and after a fender-bender with Bootsvotz and Mikami, Garland entered the pit. So did Double One.
"Cam Shafts, OK! Check the fuel!"
"Change tires! Check pressure. Set!"
"How's Garland's stabilizers and boost pods?"
"She can make it. Hurry!"
Henri listened to the maintenance crew and the sound of their equipment. As the voices and sounds flooded through his head, a memory was strong enough to cut through them all.
"Henri! What are you racing for?!" Hayato asked him last night in the Team Sugo trailer. Being approached by the man he detested, Henri actually felt frightened. It was like the weasel, a young one at that, being caught for doing something he didn't need to do. Henri had different ways of showing his envy – in every way, he was like a child. One side showed a shiny, innocent face that showed admiration upon seeing a favorite celebrity. The other side wished for the worse of that celebrity to order to collect the fame. Henri provoked Shinjyo through lies using Hayato's popularity, and muddled the Aoi driver's head. He spread rumors, even causing Gudelhain to fight with Bootsvotz.
All because he couldn't praise his abusive father and be the youngest Grand Prix driver – that honor was taken by his mentor. Now, Hayato Kazami's hot soul in racing was reaching Henri. Gradually.
Henri was sitting in his vehicle stunned, thinking over Hayato's words. Words, unlike when he trained with his father, had a touch of consideration of them. They weren't sent with an ire that reflected his jealousy and hopes of wanting Hayato to disappear. Then, he remembered what he had done.
He thought of his evil. And he became discouraged. No, Henri Claytor couldn't win at all. Rats didn't win.
"There's no point. I can't win," Henri said, his head hung low. That was especially against Shinjyo and Kaga. Garland wouldn't go after the maintenance. Henri wouldn't listen to Owner Sugo and he lifted out of his cockpit.
"Henri!"
"Huh?" In front of Garland was Double One. Hayato opened his canopy and his glare locked onto his younger partner. The volition reflecting from it was seen even through his helmet visor.
"What are you doing?" Hayato said. He gestured his hand in a wave. "Let's go!"
"Huh?"
"Run!" There was no hatred from Hayato. A moment later, Henri sunk back into Garland, closed the canopy, and accelerated. Following his mentor, he was still perplexed. Even after what Henri had done, his mentor showed no ill-will. He slowly rallied his bearings; deep wounds would not go away, but he more-or-less felt like he could get out of his crook. Being jealous was a natural thought, but the soul of a caring racer was something rare.
"Mentor." Henri realized that even if couldn't become the youngest winner of the Grand Prix, he could still be a winning racer. Victory didn't always meant reaching third, second, or first; victory also meant to practice and conquer through obstacles.
"I'm not racing for you! I'm racing for myself and my friends." Henri also remembered those words from Hayato.
Double One and Garland moved together. Henri Claytor wanted to reach the championship. As for his former object of spite, he totally adored him. He wanted to pursue the respect that made Hayato Kazami famous, and made sure that he was never disrespected. He would never allow anyone else to do what he did.
When the Fujioka race ended, the points were tallied. The announcer screamed over the wild audience.
"Here is the final ranking of this year's series!" The winners were decided. On the flat panel screens back at the stadium, and on every TV that tuned in on the Grand Prix, a four-column chart displayed ten names:
#1 H. Claytor—Sugo Grand Prix—Garland SF-01
#2 B. Kaga—Aoi ZIP Formula—Exsperion Z/A 8
#3 F. Heinel—Strozech Project—Stil HG162
#4 H. Kazami—Sugo Winners—Asurada AFK-11
#5 S. Naoki—Aoi Formula—Exsperion Z/A 8
#6 J. Gudelhain —Stormzender—Stil HG164
#7 E. Bootsvotz—Missing Link—Strat Missonel MS-1
#8 T. Mikami—Phoenix Racing Japan—Adv. Phoenix
#9 A. Hiyoshi—A.G.S—El Condor B-17
#10 M.A Luiza—Sevenage RT—Billionaire NEXT