Initial D: The Meetings.
27th March 1988
Six cars sat at an abandon parking lot with their drivers. Two white AE86, a BNR32, a S30, a 300ZX and an AW11. Five young men lean against their cars each lighting a cigarette.
"Yo, Jou-chan. How is that's AW11 feeling?" the man who will soon become known as God-Foot asked as he lean against his sea green R32.
"Not bad, but still not quite there yet. We'll see soon" the future Doctor answered as he took a sip out of the bottle he was holding onto.
"Still testing I see.. Better get a car before we all get old at this rate" a closed eyed gentleman said, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Oi oi Bunta you crazy man, no one just settles for a car like you. We have to take our time and get a look at what we're driving" the driver of the other 86 answered.
"No matter what you drive, I will still go faster in this 86 than you can start the engine" he answered bluntly, taking a puff off the cigarette.
"You'll crash if I didn't tune that suspension of yours! Kitami, what were you thinking pushing that engine so much?!" Masahi started.
"That crazy guy just came into my shop and said, make me faster than Keichii" Kitami 'Hell's Tuner' Jun answered, shrugging, "Who says our cars are normal anyway?" he asked, patting the hood of the Metallic Blue Devil Z.
They just smiled, all of them are the best of their generation in the shop, on the mountains and the tracks. All of them also knew very well what Kitami Jun had meant with the fact that their cars or themselves weren't as normal as they should be.
No one was as crazy with the engine like Kitami Jun.
No one was as crazy with the suspension like Masahi Suzuki.
No one was as cunning on the mountains as Joshima Toshiya.
No one was as good with the pedals as Kozo Hoshino.
No one was as good with the handling of any car as Keichii Tshuchiya.
But no one was as crazy, as fearless and as fast as Bunta Fujiwara.
They had regular meetings during that time until it all stopped, when Keichii moved on to the tracks. Kitami crashed the Z. Joshima moved on to medical school. Hoshino went on to Rally-ing. Bunta and Suzuki moved to Gunma.
They had one final meeting before parting ways..
27th March 1990
Once again, they met up. An AE86, a 300ZX a BNR32, An AP1, a Supra and a S15. The 6 beautifully maintain, tuned and crafted machines sat at the same parking lot they have stop meeting about 2 - 3years ago.
"I see the doctor has gotten himself a permanent car" Bunta stated as he stepped out of the AE86.
Toshiya shrug, being a doctor had maintain the beautiful Honda S2000 he drove this days, "I see you still favor the 86" he said, wiping his face with a cold towel he had brought along.
Hoshino stepped out of the new R32 Skyline he drove after the disappointing expectations of the BNR33, being too heavy, underpowered and not even close to the handling of the 32, "I see some things never change" he stated as everyone got out of the cars.
"Finally afraid of the Devil eh Kitami.." Bunta said as he light up a cigarette and walk around the sliver Supra, clearly untouched in every way.
"No one stays as fearless as you and Keichii forever you know?" the tuner answered, a hand instinctively running down the scar he now had.
Bunta just smiled in response.
Keichii lean against the S15 and ask, "What do you guys think about a Drifting Gran Prix?"
"Why? You gonna start one?" Hoshino asked as he let the thought flow through him.
The Drift King thought for a second and nodded, "Yes, yes I think I will" he answered, fresh off his last win and retirement from Fuji speedway, racing in a BNR32 Skyline.
After that. They all got ready to leave. Just as they were about to leave, "Hey guys" Masahi called as he opened the door of his 300ZX.
All of them turn to face him, he took a moment to look at all of them before he smiled and said, "Let's meet again, 10years from now. How bout that? Right here"
They all looked around at each other and smiled, "Why not?" Keiichi ask rhetorically with a smile as he slid into the AE86 he had been so famous thru out Japan for.
They all just smiled in agreement and got into their cars. Before they knew it they were off, chasing one another down the mountain they have called their own, it was a high speed mountain off Kanagawa, mount Hakone. They were the Legion.
10 years later...
The night came quickly, it was a Friday. 10years have passed quickly, Bunta could not help but smile, right after that day he had Takumi start delivering in his place and now, he was off probably racing at some different prefecture for the night, having just got back from the racing season as a GT500 Driver, but still driving the not so normal AE86.
He had made a bigger delivery the night before and had personally gotten the GC8 ready. He couldn't help but smile, so much have gone pass in 10years, Takumi was one of the most sought after drivers in his roughly 3 years in professional racing along with his teammate Takahashi Keisuke.
Now whenever they raced, no one stood a chance, it was always one if not both of them on the podium with the other closing in fast. So much had gone in their lives and Bunta had always expected that.
He stood outside leaning against the door frame smoking as he looked at the time and awaited the arrival of his car, the 86 was currently sent for some upgrades to strengthen the frame further and Takumi had taken the GC8 for training at the tracks. 9:30pm, he just smiled as the boxer made its appearance know, engine roaring down the alley, rolling to a stop in front of him. Takumi knew his father needed the car but he was held back by Kozo Hoshino for some specific training and was late as he climbed out and apologized to his father but Bunta didn't bother and just asked, "Did you fill her up on the way?"
Takumi just shook his head in defeat, "Yeah.. High octane full" as he walked pass his father and mumbled something along the lines of, "Stupid old man"
He step into the GC8 pleased and started driving off to Suzuki's place as he thought back through his life on the passes. No one had and still don't stand a chance against him saved for the four, his son and two special young man, the Rotary brothers.
Taking off towards the scheduled spot.
xxx
In Tokyo, a middle aged scar faced man was sitting behind a table as he looked through some documents in his shop as he look out the window at the Blue S30, over the couple years he had the chance to see the Devil run the Wangan again, the pleasure to build, restore and maintain the most chased and sought after car on the Wangan highway.
He had the pride to say only one man has managed to stay on in its view, a black Porsche 911 also known as Blackbird the Wangan Emperor. No one had stayed close to this two until today. Akio had finally graduated out of MIT in Automotive engineering and now working for Kitami at the shop, expanding the business. Tatsuya Shima was one of the most sought after doctors in Tokyo for his skills in the operating room and the highway even with the fact that the Blackbird was no more.
He walked out of the office at about 6pm and saw Akio under a familiar looking Testarossa before approaching the young man, "Akio, is it alright I borrow the Z for tonight?"
Akio slid out from under with a slightly confused face, "I thought you just got yourself a Z?"
He shrug and answer, "There is something I have to attend to tonight. And I thought the Z will be more appropriate for it"
Akio just nodded as he fished the keys out and pass them to the man known as Hell's Tuner.
Kitami walked towards the Devil Z, passing by a similar blue 350Z and a smile couldn't help but creep up his face. Sliding into the bucket seat, something choked him slightly as his heart raced, starting the 6L L28 engine. It was a car that seem to have a life of its own, and it sure as hell felt like a connection long lost has been rekindled again, slowly rolling out of the store and gunning it towards Mount Hakone.
xxx
A blue S2000 sat at the top of Tsukuba looking refresh and powerful, as if it came right off the assembly line. But the black spoiler, body kit and huge red calipers peeking through it's golden spokes gave the idea of a not so normal car. A middle aged man lean against it as he look at his watch. Exactly 10years have passed from that promise, Joushima Toshiya leaned against his S2000 watching the sun start to dip below the horizon painting the sky into a nice relaxing shade of orange.
The breeze blew and the birds chirped peacefully until something burst everything out of place as a race spec R34 blasted its way up Tsukuba and into the parking lot, a middle age man step out and smiled before apologizing for his tardiness, "Gomen Jou-chan. Got caught up by some last minute stuff. The brats couldn't make up their mind about the car settings" the racer explained, referring to the duo Ace of Project D who were training with God Foot in pedal techniques on the tracks once in awhile unbeknownst that the same man was going to meet up with legends they are training with or have races against before.
They smiled and got into the cars revving the engine a bit and took off for Mount Hakone.
xxx
Keichii Tuschiya smiled as he sat on his couch watching videos of the recent race that featured the former double Aces of Project D. Smiling to himself, getting up and grabbing his belongings as he walked pass a photo frame. He caught a glimpse and smiled, 5 guys and 5 cars.
"Today is a hot day.." He said as he looked at the jade green S15, he still drove the 86 but had retired it years ago from racing and against the 4, he knew he needed more than what the 86 was capable of, more to preserve the car than afraid of losing the race.
Starting up the RB26 twin charged Silvia, he was on his way. Towards the home of the Legion, Mount Hakone. There wasn't suppose to be races tonight, the galleries empty except the 5 of them. No more and no less, perfect conditions. He knew their own competitive nature will make a race without a single sense of conscience.
xxx
Up top of Mount Hakone, Joushima Toshiya and Kozo Hoshino leaned on their cars as they discuss about the new members of Purple Shadows, facing the single entrance to the Car Park. They had reached first as the clock hit 9:30pm, they were early. But just then two engines could be heard, one a high pitch volume cutting through the air as the turbo and supercharge brought more air into the engine as the green Silvia chased down a low rumbling 800hp S30.
Kitami smiled at the side of the S15 flashing it's headlights in his rear view mirror, "Let's go Devil Z" he whispered to no one in particular as he floored the accelerator, bringing the revs through the roof as he worked the F1 Turbo charger to its maximum, pulling away gradually.
Keichii smiled, when he caught sight of the S30 he felt his heart speed up. It was a sight to behold, on the touge or the wangan. He floored the RB26 engine as he tries to catch up with the gradually shrinking midnight blue Fairlady. 'No matter.. When the corners come' he thought to himself as he controlled the pace of his car awaiting to cut through the fast corner and use the lack of cornering the S30 had compared to his perfectly balanced Silvia to catch up. He smirked when the bright red lights burn red hot as the front brakes of the S30 came on early glowing orange while Keichii got beside and slowed down for the turn later then the S30, not having to compensate for the extra horsepower and weight like the S30, as he took the outside of the right corner allowing them to rush head on into the corner side by side. Everything slowed down as Kitami started flooring the accelerator again and bringing the torque through the car, sending the rear end sliding towards the S15, nudging his old comrade and rival forcing the Drift king into a drift as while. Keichii obliged as he let the S15 drift out while overtaking the S30 in pure Tuschiya fashion, never once having the vehicle out of control, even after the nudge.
Both cars exited the corner with the green S15 in the lead, as they enter turn after turn. Allowing the S15 to build up a gap between them. Keichii looked into his mirror and didn't slow down at all as he knew when the straights came, the S30 will close up the gap once again. His S15 was no match for the S30 with its RB26 pushing only about 600hp but the weight and cornering capabilities even out the lack of top speed compared to the S30 capable of pushing up to about 830hp with a 340km/hr top speed.
On a touge like Hakone, it's not about the speed you can achieve. It's about the speed you can maintain through all, you can have a 400km/hr top speed but if you couldn't maintain a higher average speed than your opponent, or corner faster, you were left in the dust. Keichii Tuschiya's experiences in the tracks taught him just that. Plus he was lucky in a sense that he reached the S30 not at the beginning of the pass but just after the 2nd half where the corners and turns got more and sharper as he drifted the last left curve right into the Parking lot and around the S2000 and R34 before coming to a stop beside them with the Devil Z following up straight in without going round the curve.
Both cars came to a stop and drivers killed the monstrous engines as they stepped out looking at each other. Smiling as they look at each other's cars then the drivers.
The first to speak was the Drift king himself, "I didn't expect to see the Devil back on this mountain" as he walked over and ran a head over the car, as he felt the power and life in the powerful machine.
"This new kid working at the shop somehow tamed it" Kitami answered, crossing his arms while looking at the car almost as if he couldn't believe it himself.
The three racers just looked at him, "You're serious?" Joushima Toshiya asked, doubting the fact that a kid could handle the unpredictable machine he himself had almost died trying, it gave him a reason to never drive a Fairlady again.
Kitami just smiled and nodded, he knew what happen between the Devil Z and God Hand, even Bunta said it was temperamental even for him but what made him a class above the others? He didn't gave a shit about it and still drifted while lighting a cigarette and his eyes closed. Just at that moment they looked at each other and started chuckling, "still love making an entrance, that Bunta.." Tsuchiya started.
The others just checked the time 10:27pm, the silence was broken by the sound of the powerful boxer engine as the GC8 flew through the straights and the corners, the others just leaned against their cars and waited in anticipation of the Subaru Impreza's arrival. Bunta smiled and rolled the window down as he sent the car drifting through the gentle curve that was followed up by a sharper angle just at the end of the circle just as the car was about to hit the angle his hands came off the steering wheel and promptly took his time to light a cigarette up while Masahi smiled. It was scary when he first took a ride down Mt. Akina in the 86 but after awhile he just had absolute trust in his friend's skill that he just held on tight and admire his friend's skill behind the wheel.
The others watch as the car over steered almost hitting a 50degree angle as smoke came out of the window and they knew what had happen, the mad man drifted without his hands all the while controlling the car's angle through the throttle before they knew it, the drift continued right into the parking lot, around them and into his spot as the 5 cars formed a circle. Exactly 1030pm.
The Legion has been assembled.
As the GC8's engine shut down and headlights turned off, two man stepped out and looked around but Keichii spoke first, "Bunta, when are you ever early?"
Bunta just looked at him while lighting up a cigarette and answered, "I left the house at 9:45pm, because some idiot decided to keep my son from going home and clearly did not the brat was driving another car today"
First thing that stun them, he took 45mins to head up to Suzuki's then up to Mt. Hakone. They didn't dare imagine the speed he was driving at all the way for a normally 2hours drive.
Second thing was that, Kozo Hoshino was quite stun by the appearance of the GC8, he hadn't seen Takumi in awhile and just thought he had switched cars. The 86 was different from what he remembered as well, the plain white 200hp machine was Panda colored with a racing engine and then it clicked, 'Fujiwara Tofu' and racing engine with a Gunma plate. He should have guessed that the names, the car and the engine were more then a coincidence. Only Bunta would be crazy enough to put a racing engine into an everyday car.
"That explains many things.." He started as he chuckle at how stupid he has been.
Joushima added one plus one and got the answer as well, understanding how did a street kid end up pushing him further then most, crazy enough to destroy the suspension of a car just to try and win. "Like father like son" he said.
Bunta just looked and lit up a cigarette, taking a drag and as smoke left his mouth and nostrils he smiled. A rare smile but all of them knew then and there how proud he was of his only son.
"I'm curious though.. How did you trained him so well?" The man known as God Hand asked.
"Started him at 13 years old. Drove up and down Akina with a cup of water and a box of tofu" he answered as if there was nothing wrong with it.
"Everyday?!" Hoshino exclaimed.
Tuschiya chuckled, he couldn't help it. Everyone knew their friend was pretty much borderline crazy that it's funny that they couldn't comprehend how crazy he could be at times.
"Rain, snow or moonlit" Bunta answered as he took another drag.
"Never once has he been caught?" Hoshino asked again.
It was Bunta's turn to chuckle, "4am everyday. What do you think?"
"He never crashed even once?" Toshiya asked this time round.
Bunta shook his head, "he took it slow at first and slowly little by little he got faster. By the time he was 17 or 18. It took him no more than 45mins there and back."
The others just smiled as they taught of the fact that the boy had driven what many considered a Monster than.
Now they were really hoping to see the GC8 take a round up and down mt. Hakone.
"So much has gone pass already.. 10years. Remember guys?" Tsushima started.
They all nodded, "it's time for a new generation to take over and our time to meet up more often. We all don't have much time left" he continued.
Bunta just finished his cigarette, "I'll give everyone a head start by not even starting the engine until everyone is out of here"
They knew there and then it was a challenge as they got into their cars and blast out of the parking lot in timely fashion, one round up and down and the first back was the fastest. The Hell Tuner's Devil Z taking the lead followed by God Foot's R34 than God Hand's S2000 and finally the Drift King's S15.
Bunta smiled as he entered the car while they drove off, "wanna take a ride?" He asked as he started the engine.
Suzuki just got in and strap up.
The 650hp boxer blasted through the corners and soon catching onto the taillights of 4 cars as they danced back and forth, a 4 vs 1 match trying to keep Bunta as far behind as possible. This was it...
They are the Legion.
The fastest, the fearless and the best.