"Attention, all passengers. We will be arriving at our final destination in five minutes. Please prepare to disembark in a calm and orderly manner, and make sure all your belongings are accounted for. I repeat, we will be arriving…"

The smooth voice over the train's intercom stirred Naruto from his idle thoughts, and he lifted his head, blinking tired blue eyes around the dimly-lit train car as other equally bleary passengers murmured to themselves and amongst each other as they stood and milled about, preparing to leave.

It took Naruto a moment, but he dredged up the energy to pull himself to his feet as well, stretching his limbs with a yawn. He yearned for a real bed, and the thought of falling asleep comfortably in his godfather's cushy guest bedroom, or even the backseat of his sports car, was all that kept him from trying to curl up and tough it out in the fancily mediocre train sleeping cars and sullying the experience he was looking forward to by only being half-tired.

Within a minute, Naruto had all his luggage gathered: one rolling suitcase of clothes, a backpack full of notes and schematics, a laptop bag, and a wrapped picture that he refused to risk damaging by putting amongst anything else. And with four minutes left to spare, Naruto pulled out his phone and walked down the car to one of the bathrooms to make a call. His mother picked up after one ring.

"Hey, kiddo. Are you there yet?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and smiled. As much as he insisted that he wasn't a kid anymore, and as much as his mother agreed, she simply would not call him anything but 'kiddo', unless he was in trouble, or something serious had happened.

"I'm a couple minutes away from getting off the train. Just wanted to call and let you know."

"Has your godfather texted you yet?"

Naruto furrowed his brow and swiped away from his call for a moment to check his texts. The last message he'd gotten from Jiraiya was from right before he'd gotten on the train, seven hours ago.

"Nope. He's probably on the way to the station now, though. I'll just text him after this call."

Kushina sighed. "Alright. I've looked around, doesn't seem like you left anything important, so that's good. And I just put another couple thousand credits on your card this afternoon, so you should be nice and secure until you get settled in and can start making some of your own money again."

"You… didn't need to do that, Mom," Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with embarrassment. "I've got plenty already, y'know, don't bleed yourself dry for me."

"I know, I know. I just want to make absolutely sure you'll be alright over there, y'know? I- God… You've got me doing it again."

Both Naruto and his mother shared a brief laugh at the habitual verbal tic that they shared, one of the only things that Naruto inherited from his mother, to her dismay.

Naruto cleared his throat. "But, yeah. I'll be fine, Mom. Don't worry about me."

"I have to worry. OverDRIVE is a dangerous sport."

"I know."

Silence followed. Neither of them quite knew what to say, and there was a long few moments of thought on both ends of the line before Kushina spoke up again.

"He'd be proud of you, y'know? Really proud."

"…Yeah. I know."

"Attention, all passengers. We will be arriving at our final destination in less than a minute. Please prepare…"

Naruto raised his brows at the reminder over the intercom. "Gotta go, Mom. We're about to get off. I'll text you when I get to Jiraiya's place, alright?"

"Alright, kiddo. Good luck out there."

After ending his call, Naruto pulled up his texts again and sent a quick text to his godfather.

Comin up 2 the station, old man. Outside yet?

He pocketed his phone, not waiting for a response, and returned to his luggage. He slung his laptop and backpack over his shoulders and rolled his suitcase down to the next car, where everyone was disembarking. The car doors opened, and Naruto and the other passengers were greeted with the sharp chill of a cold autumn night in Konohagakure.

The big city, the capital of the OverDRIVE racing world, was almost the total opposite of Naruto's large but quaint and traditional home city of Uzushiogakure. He could tell from the faces of the passengers around him who was arriving in the city for the first time. The tiredness in their heavy-lidded eyes gave way to wide-eyed amazement at the lights, the sounds, and the modern, bustling atmosphere, even at night.

Naruto wasn't as impressed as some of those around him. This wasn't his first time in Konoha. But it was a breathtaking way to step out into the city, nonetheless. The view from the station was designed to impress, and it did its job well.

The mass of passengers leaving the train dispersed as each went their own separate ways, meeting with others who had been waiting for them on the platform, stepping aside to make calls, or just wandering and looking around. Naruto made his way straight to the exit, noting in the back of his mind that he had not yet heard or felt his phone rumble yet. Jiraiya still hadn't answered.

And sure enough, when Naruto made his way through the maze of activity in the train station to head outside, Jiraiya's car was nowhere to be found in the pickup zone.

Inwardly, Naruto shrugged. He had to be on the way, right? He texted Jiraiya again.

Hello? Did you forget to charge your phone again ?

Twenty minutes passed with no reply. Now frustrated, Naruto tried calling his godfather directly, with no answer after three attempts.

It was an hour later, when Naruto began watching people from the next train coming out of the station and being promptly picked up all around him that he realized Jiraiya wasn't coming, and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Goddammit…"

He should've been asleep. He had a big day tomorrow.

But instead, Sasuke Uchiha was sitting with tired eyes and a hard scowl in the seat of an Uchiha Industries helicopter, taking a short flight from the estate to the offices. He was told nothing other than that 'Mr. Uchiha wanted to speak to him,'. It was all Sasuke needed to know. It wasn't as though he could refuse.

Sasuke peered through the window, down at the big city below, at all the tiny people going about their tiny lives, and he sighed. He shook his head and thought nothing more of it, looking instead toward the towering office building on the horizon, with his family's symbol, a red fan with a white base, displayed brightly on the building's face, and the company name curved just above it.

Sasuke looked at that fan and saw everything that he was about to represent. Everything that he needed to make look good, and had every intention of doing so, without his father calling him in to remind him.

"Coming in to land, get ready, Sasuke," the pilot called back to him, pulling Sasuke from his bitter, tired thoughts.

"Yeah. Hopefully this'll be quick."

The landing was uneventful. No one on the helipad to greet him. It was just an informal meeting, a talk, between father and son. Nothing special, at least not to Fugaku, apparently. The elevator ride into the cozy office levels of the headquarters was equally uneventful. The bustling noise of designers, programmers, and a slew of other pencil pushers going about their late-hour work flowed in one of Sasuke's ears and right out the other as he walked straight into the lobby of the CEO's office.

"Mr. Uchiha doesn't take walk-ins, nor does he have any scheduled appointments at this time. Any business with him will have to be arranged over the phone at an acceptable date and time," the black-haired secretary sitting outside the office door said monotonously without looking up.

Sasuke stopped and squinted. He waited a moment to see if she'd even raise her eyes. She didn't.

"Mom," he grunted, and this got a startled reaction out of Mikoto. Her eyes widened and she immediately raised her head to look Sasuke in the eyes, her fingers freezing above her keyboard.

"Oh! Sasuke, I'm sorry, I didn't know, I- I… If I'd known you were coming, I'd have-"

Sasuke shook his head. "Forget it, Mom. I know you're as busy as everyone else. Dad called me in."

"Just now?"

Sasuke nodded, and Mikoto furrowed her brows. She wasn't happy to hear this. She didn't say anything aloud about it, however, and pressed a button on her desk.

"Sending Sasuke in now, Mr. Uchiha," she spoke into her desk intercom. Another button press and the doors leading into Fugaku's office slid open.

"I know you'll do well at KRU, Sasuke. Get as much sleep as you can, as soon as you get back to the estate. We'll be watching the entrance race and cheering you on," Mikoto told her son with a smile as he walked past her desk and into his father's office. The sounds of the busy work outside quickly faded as Sasuke stepped over the threshold into his father's office, and when the doors closed behind him, it left the room utterly silent.

Fugaku Uchiha's office was large and spacious. The walls were covered in business awards and accolades, including his bachelor's and doctorate in business administration, a blown-up picture of the cover of TIME that he was on, several pictures of him standing alongside or shaking hands with prominent figures, the likes of which included Governor Hiruzen Sarutobi, former holder of the title of Konoha's Greatest Racing Machine.

Fugaku's most personal and important pictures were on the wall directly behind him. His and Mikoto's wedding day, a couple of pictures of a younger Sasuke holding up his own rewards to the camera, a noticeably large and empty space on the right side of the back wall where Itachi's pictures used to be, and directly above and behind him, a large picture of the OverDRIVE racing team he was a part of a decade ago: the Yellow Flashes. Standing proudly in front of their colossal Over mechs was Fugaku on the left, Hiashi Hyuga on the right, and in the center, Minato Namikaze, a big smile on his face as he and his DRIVER teammates had a hand in holding up their first OverDRIVE World Championship trophy.

Fugaku was a powerful man, proud of his accomplishments, and the awesome atmosphere of his personal office fully reflected that. Fugaku himself was sitting at a large, curved desk, eyes fixed on his desktop.

"Have a seat, Sasuke," Fugaku said firmly, but idly. Just like Mikoto, he didn't even look up from his computer screen as he spoke to his son.

"No."

This got Fugaku's attention. Immediately, he frowned and looked straight up at Sasuke, who crossed his arms and continued.

"I'd much rather stand. If I sit down, I might fall asleep on you. I'm dead tired right now."

Fugaku squinted, but didn't press it any further. Interacting with his son was something he had precious little time for, let alone arguing with him. He let it go and continued.

"Suit yourself. I'll make this as quick as I can. I don't have any doubt that you'll pass the university entrance race and get into the elite class. I don't have any doubt that you'll give it your all and make us, and all Uchiha Industries proud. I didn't call you in to put that kind of pressure on you two days before you race. There's three things you need to be made aware of, though."

Sasuke raised a brow slightly. He was prepared to tune out his father's 'don't fuck this up' speech, but to hear that this was only a side thought caught his interest.

"First," Fugaku continued when he saw that his son had nothing to say. "Your Over, the Chidori, is fully operational and ready to race. It'll arrive at the university the same time you do. There's a slew of upgrades and performance patches you need to be made aware of before you drive it. Make time on your first day to read them over and run a practice run before the entrance exam. Of note… the Sharingan technology has been integrated into the Chidori's systems. This is classified tech. Since you'll be sponsored by UI, you'll have one of our trusted mechanics responsible for the upkeep of you and your teammates' Overs."

Sasuke nodded as he listened. On the surface, he remained calm and quiet, but inside, he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. He'd been asking about the Sharingan tech for ages, it felt like, and now was the time for him to finally learn about it.

"Again, the Sharingan technology is classified. No one else but you should know the inner workings of your Over's systems. Which leads me into my next topic. It's come to our attention that some incomplete and experimental data on the Sharingan has been stolen and leaked. The defector is still at large, and we don't know exactly who he might have leaked it to. Our only lead is that at least one person who has their hands on this experimental tech in an instructor in the piloting program at Konoha Racing University."

Fugaku leaned in closer and gave Sasuke a serious stare. "We can't just barge into the piloting program and demand answers from every instructor there. That would be as good as a public admittance that UI has been compromised. But you can. You're getting in legitimately. And so it's up to you, while you're there, to try and find whoever is using our stolen tech, and report them to us. We'll take care of the rest, quietly."

Fugaku's coldness on the matter sent a chill up Sasuke's spine. This was more than Sasuke expected to be asked of, conducting espionage for his father's company. He hadn't even started school, and it already seemed like there were high stakes.

"Don't think that you have to do this quickly," Fugaku added. "You don't need to risk raising any eyebrows by blatantly snooping around and trying to be a television spy. Just keep your eyes open. Once you're familiar with your own Sharingan, you'll know how to tell when similar tech is being used. Now, for my final topic. Hinata Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki will be attending KRU as well."

Sasuke knew the names. The three of them used to be really close as young children, back when they all shared the common thread of having fathers that were DRIVERS for the greatest OverDRIVE team in the world. Sasuke lost touch with them both, following the incident that claimed the life of Naruto's father, and broke up the Yellow Flashes tragically and irreparably.

"What do they have to do with me?" Sasuke asked, moving to take a seat now. "You're not asking me to try and get us all on a team for old times' sake, are you?"

Fugaku cracked a smile, a rare sight. But it faded immediately and he shook his head. "The Yellow Flashes are dead. I have no interest in reviving them. Naruto, I just need you to watch. The Hiraishin was retired after Minato's death. But I know that he and his wife were designing an Over specifically for Naruto to drive. Minato was very secretive about this little project. Suspiciously so. Just like with this Sharingan business, I just need you to keep your eyes open. Minato's secrets might not have died with him."

Sasuke tilted his head and frowned. "I don't like that you're making me into your inside agent at KRU," he said plainly. "I'm a DRIVER. And honestly, I expected this to just be a talk about how I'd better not disappoint you or embarrass the company. Seems par for the course."

"That's the kind of talk I would give to you if you were a child," Fugaku responded without missing a beat. "You're not a child, Sasuke. You're the heir to Uchiha Industries, on the fast track to becoming a pro DRIVER. You're the single most important student at that university. A lot more is going to be expected of you now than just to 'do good' for the company. This is the point where you need to grow up and accept greater, more important responsibilities. Winning is the most important thing. But it's not the only thing. It's time you learn that first hand."

Sasuke's frown deepened. He understood where his father was coming from, but it wasn't as though he suddenly liked it now. He shrugged. If this was what he needed to grow into, so be it. It wasn't as though he could refuse.

"What about Hinata?"

Fugaku steepled his fingers. This was the first question he had to pause before answering.

"I said before, I don't have any interesting in reviving the Yellow Flashes with you and the children of my teammates. So don't misunderstand when I ask this of you. But if it's possible, get Hinata Hyuga on your team. It's the optimal way to get close to her."

Sasuke squinted. "It isn't like you to dance around a topic, Dad. What are you asking of me?"

Fugaku sighed. "I know it isn't like me. But nothing is finalized yet. It's hard to know how much I should say."

"Treat me like an adult and tell me as much as you can."

Fugaku rolled his eyes. "Fine. Hyuga Tech and Uchiha Industries are currently discussing a company merger. Both of us have qualities that the other would greatly benefit from. Our manpower and unmatched production values would uplift the Hyugas from their comparatively tiny workforce that can only realistically produce powerful Overs for their own family. On the other hand, the Hyuga's access to the highest echelons of tech design and development drastically dwarfs our own. Having that access would allow us to produce much higher quality standard-issue Overs for the industry, which at the end of the day, strengthens everyone. This merger could take the OverDRIVE racing world to the next level."

"Okay…" Sasuke hummed. "I'm still not seeing what this has to do with me and Hinat-"

It seemed to click in Sasuke's mind at that moment, and he stood up, scowling. "Dad. Tell me you're not arranging me and Hinata to get married. Are you kidding me?"

Fugaku steepled his fingers again. "Hiashi has tentatively agreed that a marriage between the heirs of our companies would accomplish many things. For the public, it'd be a perfect symbol of the merger of our companies. And for the both of us, it would serve as very public insurance that neither of us do anything to harm the other in the future. Like I said, nothing is finalized. But I don't want to play this game on Hiashi's terms. So I need you to get the ball rolling. Get close to Hinata, get her interested. Make it obvious enough to start a few rumors, if you can. I'll leave what you do up to your discretion, but the OverDRIVE world will be watching the school. And you."

"This is ridiculous," Sasuke growled, turning toward the office door. "I'm going back to bed."

"It's just like I said, Sasuke. This is the time for you to start acting like an adult. You're better than your brother. Don't go the same way he did."

Sasuke stopped at the door for a moment. He didn't turn around, or answer his father. He just… thought, for a moment. About Itachi. And then he kept walking.

The doors opened and closed again, leaving Fugaku alone in the perfect silence of his office again. He frowned up at the empty space on his back wall, then he turned back to his computer and returned to his work.

So this is something new I've been stewing over for quite a long time. I'm hoping I can get it off the ground, but as always, I need your help, lovely viewers.

This is a bit of a slow start to something that's close to my heart, a Naruto AU that's based loosely on one of my favorite childhood anime, IGPX, as well as a handful of other things I'm wrapping together into what I hope could be something unique to add to this little corner of Naruto fanfiction.

If this interests you at all, don't be afraid to say so in a review! College life is busy, so I'm not sure about an update pattern just yet. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this up and be able to update quickly and consistency, but you never know with me.

Even if you don't review, thanks for reading!

~M.H.C~