I've been working on this for a while, after watching all Fast and Furious movies and playing every Need for Speed and even Juiced, I've come up with this... I hope you all enjoy. Next chapter will be out soon so read and tell me what ya think.
MIDGAR: March 1, 2008 10:23 pm
"Several reports of recent street racing activities have caused massive damages to the city of Gongaga in the past three months. Fortunately many of the culprits of the dangerous street racing group called the Restrictors 20 have been apprehended. The Restrictors 20 were the most wanted street racers in the western hemisphere and caused large costs to the city in terms of damages to property, damage to civilian vehicles, costs of methods law enforcement used to stop them and even destruction of many law enforcement vehicles. Unfortunately the top Restrictor 20 street racer is still at large. Midgar and Edge have had there own problems with street racers but it seems these underground street racers are far more elusive but the costs these racers have accumulated in the two neighboring cities seems close to that of the Restrictors 20. Sources say that the top Restrictor 20 racer has been seen heading towards Junon and police have ensured the public that the security in both cities will be boosted in anticipation that the Restrictor 20 top street racer may be heading for Midgar and Edge territory, he has a bounty of nearly 20 million in cash…."
"Shera cut that crap off… those damn reporters don't have a clue what they saying, those bone head cops might as well sit in their cars and eat their doughnuts cause more of them ain't gonna mean a thing. Damn lady on the other line can't find my order!" Cid called in to his wife from the kitchen as he got off the phone. Shera hadn't heard the rest of the news report and turned the television off.
"Cid it's gotten even worse out there… I mean I used to love racing through the streets, years ago it used to be so much fun… now with all these youngsters drawing all this attention from the police… it's only a matter of time before they get caught." Shera sighed.
"That's the reason me and you don't race anymore. Especially with what happened a year ago…" Cid trailed off and sighed. Shera closed her eyes and nodded.
"It's a shame…" Shera whispered as she and her husband left the common room and went to their bedroom.
Outside MIDGAR in the desert: March 1, 2008 10:40 pm.
A black Saturn Sky Red Line was driving through the desert. A thick white stripe ran in the center of the car from its hood all the way back to the trunk. The windows were tinted dark black and the rims shined in the moonlight. The driver gave a heavy sigh, he remembered these parts well. It had been a year since he was here. He rolled his window down and pulled the car to a stop. He leaned his head out the window and allowed the wind to blow through his blonde spikes as his eyes searched the city outline. "An entire year…" Cloud Strife sighed as he drove on after rolling his window up. His car began to pick up speed as he traveled hoping to reach the city sooner. Cloud Strife continued to push the accelerator while his mind fell into a relapse of memories as he recalled what had happened a year ago.
FLASHBACK
Cloud Strife pulled to the start line in his Toyota Supra GT Turbo. Next to him Aerith Gainsborough pulled up in a Mercedes CLK 500, to her left was Lucrecia Crescent racing in her Audi TT and the final racer Tseng Turk in a Mazda RX-7. Each car had been upgraded performance and part wise.
As Cloud sat at the starting line revving his engine his best friend Tifa Lockhart ran over to his car. She would be starting the race and wanted to wish him luck.
"Cloud will this be another victory?" She grinned and looked over, "I highly doubt that Aerith is going to go down easy. I have no clue what Tseng is capable of but Lucrecia has a lot of experience and with the added fact the course is tricky, the Audi's handling is going to be a plus for her." Tifa had went to encouraging to warning but Cloud just grinned. As he went to speak he and Tifa locked eyes for a moment. She blushed while he just looked ahead and smiled.
"Tifa, I have something to tell you after the race… win or lose." Cloud turned back to her and she looked a little shocked. Tifa frowned in confusion but smiled. She nodded and leaned into the car and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Cloud's eyes widened as Tifa blushed and spoke.
"For luck, there's a lot of money on this so don't go soft." Tifa grinned as she went to the front of the cars and raised her hands. As she began to make the motions to start the race Cloud gave a quick glance over to Aerith and nodded.
"You're going down Strife." Aerith grinned playfully and stuck her tongue out. Cloud grinned and faced forward the moment Tifa motioned for them to go and hit the accelerator.
END FLASHBACK
Cloud shook his head and dodged a large boulder in the road and sighed. "I almost wrecked…" With those words another flashback hit him this one days before the one he just had.
FLASHBACK
"I can't believe you totaled such a nice car… not to mention it didn't belong to you." Genesis Rhapsodos sighed as he brushed his hand through his hair and turned to Cloud and tossed him some keys. "I heard in a few days, Aerith and Lucrecia are willing to race you… a lot of money is going to be on that race… win it and I'll consider wrecking my car and loaning you this one as an even exchange for the winners pot. Don't disappoint, Cloud." Cloud turned to the Toyota Supra GT Turbo and grinned.
The flashback then warped to the middle of the race against Aerith, Lucrecia and Tseng.
Cloud was out in front driving from side to side cutting Aerith off from passing him. Lucrecia then zoomed ahead. Cloud gave a huff and then cut through a shopping store and crashed through the back wall to jump back out in front causing Lucrecia to jump in nervousness and nearly crash. She recovered and Aerith and Tseng passed her and raced after Cloud. He hit the hand brake and then drifted around a tight U turn and speed down the highway. The other three racers hit the U turn even better than Cloud and caught up with him instantly. As they made the four cars made their way back towards the starting line to begin the second lap Cloud pulled ahead.
He looked in his rearview mirror and grinned and accelerated ahead. Just as they reached the crowd that had gathered on opposites sides of the roads, police cars pulled out in front of the trio that Cloud had left behind. Aerith's car crashed into one of the police cars and several other cars boxed her ride in. Lucrecia tried to pull a 180 and escape but a swat van slammed into her car violently and pushed her car into the side of a building. Tseng stopped his car and stepped out not wanting to catch the same fate. The masses of people watching the race ran and scattered as police officers arrested many of them. Cloud dodged the people running in the streets and found Tifa.
"Tifa!!" Cloud yelled as he saw her a few hundred feet away. He was about to drive towards her but just as she was beginning to run to his car police cars swarmed in front of her. Cloud cursed and turned his car around and ducked into an alleyway.
Thirty minutes after Cloud drove into a hideout, his phone began ringing and he answered it while he checked his rearview mirror. "Genesis what the hell I thought the cops weren't going to be out!" Cloud yelled into the phone.
"Cloud I have no clue what the hell is going on but I know one thing you better not show your face around here for a while. People are saying you tipped off the cops. If that's true…" Genesis growled into the phone angrily.
"You know it's not! I'd never do that!" Cloud yelled into the phone.
"Cloud all I'm saying is get the hell out of Midgar for a while, go back to your home in Nibelheim… with everything that's happening people are going to be out for your blood and an explanation later… Lucrecia has been hurt pretty bad Aerith has been arrested and it gets worse, Rufus Shinra is pissed that his undercover racer Tseng has been busted and they say he's coming after you… Cloud just leave for a while… a long while." With that Genesis hung up. Cloud shook his head and started up his car and left town.
END FLASHBACK
As his mind came back to the present something rammed him from behind. Cloud checked his rearview mirror and saw the one thing he had been dreading to see since he left. A dark gray Nissan Skyline GT-R with white stripes crisscrossing all over the vehicle pulled up besides Cloud's car and the window rolled down.
"Thought you could get away didn't you?" Yazoo Hojo, one of the three bounty hunters he had outrun during his time in Gongaga. Cloud frowned and hit the gas harder and zoomed back in front of Yazoo. He sped through the Midgar Desert and made his way into the outskirts of the city. Yazoo rammed him from behind again and caused Cloud to skid out of control for a moment before he drifted his car back into a straight line. Cloud knew that the outskirts of Midgar had lots of construction going on so he drove into one of the construction sites hoping to lose Yazoo.
Yazoo followed Cloud closely and Cloud accelerated even more. Cloud was looking in his rearview mirror constantly at his pursuer and didn't see the warning signs ahead of him. Cloud gasped once his eyes saw the road before him and drove into the signs before seeing several large piles of support beams. Cloud hit his handbrake and tried to turn but his car slammed against the stack. Cloud groaned in pain after the impact and then instantly moved his car as the beams began to topple. Unfortunately, one of the support beams fell from the top and slammed into his hood crushing the engine. The impact caused Cloud to hit his head against the steering wheel. He shook off his pain and went to escape his doomed vehicle but Yazoo kicked it closed and aimed a gun at him.
"So, how does it feel to not only have helped me and my brothers flush out the Restrictors 20 and now go to jail for it?" Cloud was about to give a snide remark but several cars sped into the construction site. A Saleen S7 with an all black body with a red hood, doors and trunk; a Lamborghini Murcielago and a Ferrari Enzo with the same color setup stopped in front of the two and flashed their lights. Yazoo retracted his gun and put it in his hoister as the driver of the Saleen S7 stepped out. Genesis walked over to Yazoo who kept a frown
"I would love to know why you're here in my city Yazoo? I thought my permission was needed to bounty hunt here in Edge and Midgar." He snapped.
"He's different, he's not from around these parts." Yazoo replied with a grin. Genesis finally caught a glimpse of Cloud and smirked.
"Well, well, well… been a while kid." Genesis grinned and then turned to Yazoo as the other two drivers stepped out of their cars. "What's the bounty?"
"You've got to be kidding me… He's the Restrictor 20's top street racer on the west coast, he and this car are worth 19.8 million." Yazoo grinned as he took a look back to Cloud who remained quiet. Genesis whistled and gave Cloud a grin.
"Keeping busy I see…" Genesis laughed and turned to Wiess and Angeal. "Hey get Mr. Yazoo Hojo his money." Genesis ordered as Yazoo walked over to Angeal's and Wiess's cars. Genesis walked over to Cloud and opened his door allowing him to step out. "Looks like you owe me some serious cash yet again. I'm telling you Cloud your debt is going to grow to the point you're gonna owe me your first and second unborn children." Genesis grinned. He turned and watched as Yazoo sped off into the night and then continued. "but as before I have a proposition for you that will clear you of your debt to me… you see since you've left things around here haven't been too pretty. Midgar has been divided between some of your old pals. Zack Fair controls the Slums and most of the outskirts, Vincent Valentine holds control over the residential areas, Don Corneo reigns over the casino and gambling districts and Rufus Shinra has taken to street racing since you left and he's holding downtown Midgar. Me and my friends we control Edge firmly… but we want those territories… that's where you come in. You remember these streets Cloud. I want you to make their territories mine… if you succeed then your 20 million debt to me is gone." Genesis grinned.
Suddenly another car sped into the construction site. The car braked several yards before Genesis and Cloud allowing them to see the car. It was a silver Porsche Carrera GT with a cloud design that ran from the hood down to the sides of the car and coming back up onto the trunk area on the hood was a large black '7'. Genesis laughed and turned to Cloud as the door of the car opened. "Tifa… this should be interesting."
Cloud's eyes widened as Tifa stood from the car in a black zip up tank top and black knee length shorts and tied around her waist was a black jacket. She saw Cloud and frowned as she stomped her way over to him menacingly. Cloud gulped and stood shocked before jumping back as Tifa launched herself at him but Genesis caught her and pulled her back. "How dare you come back!" She screamed in anger as she fought to get at Cloud.
"Tifa…" Cloud started but she yelled at him something incoherent and he stopped.
"Calm down…" Genesis whispered in her ear while she struggled to get out of his arms. Cloud watched the exchange and narrowed his eyes slightly. Genesis finally got Tifa to relax and released her. He turned to Cloud and grinned. "Like I was saying Cloud, you do this for me and we're good." Genesis then turned to Tifa and smiled. "Why don't you show your old friend here the ropes?"
Tifa turned sharply to Genesis and frowned. "you're joking right? I want nothing to do with him." Tifa hissed "I'd rather…" She was cut off as Genesis kissed her lips passionately. Tifa reacted and kissed him back before he broke away. Cloud was standing watching the entire exchange and fought back his anger.
"Show him around and I'll arrange for the most wanted man in the west coast a new ride." Genesis grinned as he placed a kiss on Tifa's forehead. Before he got back into his Saleen S7 he turned to Cloud and spoke, "Don't disappoint, not again." Genesis turned and got in his car. He Angeal and Wiess drove off leaving Tifa to glare at Cloud. He looked back to the wrecked Saturn Sky Red Line and sighed heavily.
"Come on we don't have all night." Tifa bit out as she walked over to her car. Cloud looked back at his wrecked vehicle and she spoke again. "Genesis will have someone come and collect that hunk of junk soon so come on!" She shouted out her window causing Cloud to turn and final get in the passenger's seat of Tifa's ride. She hit the gas and sped from the construction site. Cloud looked down into his hands the entire ride not knowing what to say or what to think of all that has happened.
"Tifa…" Cloud finally spoke and she shushed him.
"I don't want to hear it." Tifa shot back cutting him off. Her phone began to ring and Tifa pressed a button on her steering wheel to answer it. Genesis's voice came on through the speakers in the car and directed Tifa to drop Cloud off at a nearby shop.
As the shop came into view, Cloud looked at Tifa and before he could speak she accelerated even more. He was slammed back into his seat from the intense increase of speed and was almost slammed into the dashboard once she hit the brakes hard. Cloud stopped his momentum with his hands and stared at Tifa in shock. "What was that?" Cloud asked softly not wanting to yell at his old friend. She glared at him and frowned.
"Out."
"Tifa please talk to me… what happened after I left." Cloud pleaded but she growled and got out of her car. As she stepped out a man approached them. Cloud got out also and was about to talk to Tifa again but a familiar face caught his attention.
"Johnny get him the new ride Genesis has for him so I can get out of here." Tifa snapped as Johnny's smile faded at seeing his crush and turned to see Cloud. Johnny's eyes came back to life and he rushed over and hugged Cloud in relief.
"You're back?!" Johnny grinned causing Tifa to sigh in disgust and get back in her car.
"I'm done wasting time on you, Johnny call me when he skips town again… just so I know I won't have to see his pathetic face." Tifa sped off not caring that Cloud and Johnny had to jump away from her car not to get their toes crushed. Cloud stared after Tifa's disappearing car and turned back to Johnny.
"What the hell is going on?" Cloud demanded. Johnny gulped and then spoke.
"It's a long story how about you choose a ride first. Genesis said you could have any of the two the Mazda RX-8 or the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am… both have aftermarket hardware installed under the hood. So what's it going to be?" Johnny asked as Cloud shrugged and then walked over to the Mazda RX-8.
"This will do." He sighed and then looked at Johnny, "now tell me what the hell happened after I left." Johnny sighed and looked down.
"Well it's simple, the night of the big race everyone says that you tipped the cops so that you could grab the cash and get away while they got everyone else."
"What? I left here as broke as I was before I left!" Cloud nearly shouted as Johnny frowned and shook his head.
"Well whatever happened you were the only racer to get away. Everyone saw how the cops jumped in after you pulled ahead. We just saw it as it happened. Aerith's car was impounded permanently, we found out that Tseng was working for Rufus Shinra and was funding his company with the winnings from street racing. Lucrecia was hospitalized for a few months. The crash gave her severe concussion and put her in a coma… when she awoke they took her to jail. Aerith, Tifa and nearly twenty others were taken to jail. Tifa faced three years for being an aid to the whole street racing scene while Aerith faced ten years for all the chaos she caused on the streets. Lucrecia was given the same sentence. Genesis came in and saved the day somehow turning the tables and getting Tifa and Aerith out. Rufus stepped up and got Tseng out. Lucrecia was in jail till just a few weeks ago. Vincent Valentine came into town again and worked a deal with the cops to get her release. I've seen her and let me tell you, she's looking for revenge on the person who set her up. As I said before Tifa and Aerith were saved from jail time with Genesis's help. Now Tifa is his girl and Aerith is one of his racers." Johnny sighed as Cloud sighed heavily before rubbing his face.
"Okay… okay… what about the whole separate groups controlling Midgar… Genesis agreed to getting rid of the 20 million I owe him for bailing me out of the clutches of Yazoo Hojo, so I need to know what's going on."
"Well it's simple… Vincent arrived about a few months ago and began snatching territory that hadn't been claimed by any of the others. When he got Lucrecia out they tag teamed and wiped out any opposition in their areas. Lucrecia's even encroaching on Genesis's turf but Tifa's been beating her lately." Johnny looked up and lifted his hand. "and yes since you've been gone Tifa has taken to racing if you couldn't tell from the Carrera GT Genesis got her. Lucrecia maybe the last person you want to face. The second to last person you want to go against is Rufus Shinra. He and his Turks run the downtown scene. They are more than dangerous they're insanely violent and will ram you without a second thought. Next is Zack, I heard he maybe the only person not upset with you. The sad thing though is that he has Tifa's self proclaimed dad… Barret Wallace. Finally, there's the pervert Don Corneo, he and his two lackey's should be easy to take down. They're our first targets."
"Our targets?" Cloud started but Johnny interrupted.
"Like I said things have changed and these days some races are team races… something new Genesis introduced. Well now that you got your ride let's slap a new paint job on it… unless red is your color." Cloud shrugged and followed Johnny out from the garage.
"So much has changed… I can't believe Tifa and Genesis…" Cloud trailed off as he stared at his car before Johnny walked over and nodded. Cloud glanced at Johnny and noticed his down trodden look and sighed.
"I know how you feel… she deserves better." Johnny said to himself and glanced at Cloud sideways, "she liked you a lot… you know… I resented you for that for some time and now I resent you for allowing her to fall into Genesis's hands. Whatever the truth is about you skipping town, I don't care. I was only happy to see you because I thought she would be… but I was dead wrong. Cloud I'm only helping you so you can help bring back the Tifa we both knew." Johnny walked around the alley way and then two lights flashed blinding Cloud momentarily. Johnny pulled forward in his white Subaru Impreza WRX GB270. Cloud grinned
"Nice… so it goes zero to sixty in what… ten minutes?" Cloud joked as Johnny frowned.
"Zero to Sixty in five point three seconds with 270 horse power and a nice little torque of 420. So tell me Cloud, are you going to be keeping up tonight in that RX-8 or will I have to stay in neutral to allow you to keep up?" Johnny grinned as Cloud smirked.
"You've forgotten who I am haven't you?"
"Nope, I just believe I gotten that much better. Let's find some trouble." Johnny called to Cloud as he drove out into the street to wait for Cloud's RX-8 to follow him. "Let's review the streets and I'll show you what's different." Johnny called out to Cloud before rolling his window up.
Cloud grinned to himself and then Johnny's voice came on through the speakers in his car. Cloud gasped and looked around. "it's called the In Car Communication System, or the ICCS. Every car in Midgar and Edge has it built in. A button on the steering wheel activates it." Cloud cut the speakers off and raced ahead of Johnny before he cut it back on.
"How about you drive and we can talk later." Cloud grinned as he and Johnny raced through the streets.
My Newest Story, tell me what you think... as I said a mix between quite a few racing movies and games. Hope you all enjoy!
