May had just defeated Ryousuke Takahashi, the #1 racer in Kanto. After the race ended, she and Ryousuke pulled over for a little talk. Ryousuke then left after a couple minutes.
He told May that she hadn't unleashed her full potential and that she needed to worker harder to show what she was hiding.
Then she felt a bit unwell. She said "What's wrong with me? I know this race took a lot out of me, but did I push myself too hard? I feel like I'm going to pass out." She then fell a bit and collapsed.
People saw her collapse. Solidad was among those who saw her pass out. She asked someone to hand her a radio so she could talk to the people at the top of Mount Haruna.
Solidad said "Excuse me but May, the driver of the R34 just fainted. She might have heat exhaustion."
People at the top said "NO WAY! The R34 racer passed out?!"
Then Max said in his head "I knew this race would be difficult from the start. I didn't think it would take a toll on May, however."
Keisuke said "She must have pushed herself too hard or this humidity caused her to have heat exhaustion. I hope it's not serious."
Max took a radio from Hiroshi and said to Solidad "Listen, Solidad. Stay with May until me and Ash get down there. By the way, how bad is it?"
Solidad said to Max "It doesn't look bad but she also looks dehydrated. Bring some water with you when you get down here."
Ash said "Max, I should go with you. I will drive May home in her R34."
Max said "All right, Ash." Then Max said to Hiroshi "Do you have any water?"
Hiroshi said "Yes we do." Hiroshi went to grab a cooler and gave Max the cooler. The cooler had a bottled water that was packed in ice. He then said "Take the cooler with you. It should keep the water nice and cold."
Max said "Thanks. Hopefully this will help my sister." Then he and Ash got in his NSX and sped off to the bottom.
Meanwhile, Keisuke said "Did my brother push her too hard? An ordinary racer would have given up if the pressure was too much. May however was able to fend off the pressure my brother put on her but it must have took a toll on her. I hope she's okay."
Max raced to the bottom with Ash in the passenger seat. Ash was carrying the cooler with the bottle of water.
Meanwhile, Keisuke called Ryousuke's cell phone. Ryousuke had stopped at a gas station to refill his FC. Then he heard his phone ring. He picked it up and said "Hello, Ryousuke Takahashi speaking."
Keisuke said "Bro, May collapsed about a couple of minutes ago! It might be heat stroke. It's been hot tonight."
Ryousuke said "Oh dear. Is she okay?"
Keisuke then said "I am not sure. Some girl near the finish line is with May right now. A couple of her friends went down to attend to her. I want you to go to the bottom of Mount Haruna and check on May. I know you have a doctor's degree. That way she gets medical attention from a professional."
Ryousuke said "Okay. I have to fill up my car and then I will get there." He got in his FC and drove off.
Meanwhile, Max drove to get to May and Solidad. He said to Ash "Is it okay if we slow down a bit? I don't want to wreck my NSX."
Ash said "Sure but don't go too slow or she might get worse."
Meanwhile, Ryousuke raced back to the bottom of Mount Haruna.
Solidad said to May "Can you hear me, May? It's me, Solidad."
May didn't respond at first. She didn't open her eyes.
Solidad said "I hope it's not too late."
Then Ryousuke arrived about a minute later. He said to Solidad "Can I take it from here? I have a medical degree. I can take care of her."
Solidad said "Ryousuke! I didn't know you had a medical degree. Yes you can watch over May."
Then about 2 minutes later, Ash and Max arrived. They got out of Max's NSX.
Ash said to Ryousuke "How does she look?"
Ryousuke said "It's not that bad but if you don't hurry I'm afraid things could get worse. What's in the cooler you're holding?"
Ash said "Your friend, Hiroshi gave it to me and my friend Max. It's a bottle of water. It should cold."
Ryousuke said "That's probably what she needs. She might have been dehydrated."
Ash said "You might be right." Then Ash walked over to May. Ryousuke held May and Ash poured some water on her.
Ash then said "I will take it from here. I live with her. By the way, here's your cooler back."
Ryousuke carried May to the passenger seat of the R34. He then took the cooler back from Ash.
Solidad said to Ash "Thanks for coming here. I hope she gets better."
Ash then took off. Max followed him.
Ryousuke called Keisuke and said to him "May seems to have suffered mild dehydration. She will be all right, though. I don't think she's in any danger."
Keisuke said "That's good news. What should she do?"
Ryousuke then said "The best thing for her is to get some sleep. That water will help a bit but some rest will help her recover faster."
When May and Ash got home, Ash carried May upstairs to her room.
May said to herself "What's going on, here? Who's carrying me?"
Ash tucked May into her bed and decided to sleep on the other side of the bed.
The next morning, Ash wanted to see how May was feeling. Ash said "May, are you awake?"
May opened her eyes. She saw Ash. She then said "Ash, is that you?"
Ash said "You're awake! I'm glad you're okay. That race last night was very intense. You pulled of the win despite making a mistake in one of the hairpins."
May said "I know I won. What happened to me? One moment I was talking with Ryousuke Takahashi and the next moment I collapsed."
Ash said "You might had been dehydrated a bit. The race probably took a toll on you."
May then said "Really? I know the race was intense. I think he pushed me to my limit."
Ash said "That's not surprising to hear. Anyway, I'm glad you're all right. Here's some water."
May took a big gulp of the cold water. She then said "Thanks for the water."
Ash said "It's good to see you have recovered."
Then the house phone rang. Ash went downstairs to answer it. When he answered it he said "Hello, Ash speaking."
It was Ryousuke calling from his house in Akagi. He said "How's May doing?"
Ash said "She's doing fine. I think you were right, Ryousuke. She might have been dehydrated. How did you get my house phone number?"
Ryousuke said "Keisuke probably got it of the phone book. Anyway that's not important. The important thing is that May is feeling better and she has recovered from her dehydration."
Ash then said "How did you know she was dehydrated?"
Ryousuke then said "I have a medical degree from Gunma University. I sometimes work at the hospital my father owns in Takasaki. I knew it was dehydration because she looked a little pale."
Ash said "I believe that. Anyway, you two had a great race last night."
Ryousuke said "Thank you. May has exceptional talent. She will be a great racer someday." Then Ryousuke hung up. Ash hung up as well. He then went upstairs to check on May.
When he got in May's room, he said "May, I think you should stay in bed today. You need some rest."
May said "Thank you Ash."
Ash then turned up the air condition so it would be cooler in May's room. Then the phone rang again. Ash said "Hello, Ash Morikawa speaking."
This time Norman called May and Ash's house. He said "Hello Ash. How is May doing?"
Ash said "May's doing fine. Why did you call?"
Norman said "I heard about what happened last night. I'm glad to hear May is feeling better. Anyway me and Caroline are so proud of her winning that race last night. Ryousuke Takahashi is not an easy person to beat. We are so proud of her."
Ash said "Thanks, Norman. I was there at Mount Haruna last night. Towards the end when Ryousuke passed her I thought it was over. Then she made an incredible move to pass him just before the finish line. She set a new course record."
Norman said "Awesome! She was under a lot of pressure but she pulled through."
Ash said "I know. I thought she would win. Anyway you take care now and I will talk to you later." Ash then hung up the phone.
Meanwhile at Yuichi's gas station, Drew, Kenji, and Max were talking about the race.
Drew said "I still can't believe May won that battle."
Max said "Me too. I thought when Ryousuke passed May it was all over. Then she pulled out an awesome move on the corner before the finish. What a race!"
Kenji said "May pulled through when she needed too."
Drew said "I hope she's all right. I heard she collapsed after the race."
Max said "She's doing better, Drew. She was dehydrated from that race. It took a toll on my sister."
Drew then said "I believe that. Having someone like Ryousuke Takahashi breathing down your neck can put a tremendous toll on you physically. I don't know how May was able to not let the pressure get to her but that's how she won the race."
Meanwhile at May and Ash's house, May was still in bed. Ash went out because he had to run some errands.
May said in her head "That was the toughest race in my life ever. I don't know how I pulled it off. The faith Ash, Drew, Kenji Max, Akito, and Solidad had in me was the reason why I never gave up."
Then she got up to stretch a little. She noticed Ash was gone but Ash told her he had to do errands.
When Ash returned from his errands, he was surprised to see May was out of her room.
Ash said to himself "I guess May must feel like she has rested enough where she had a lot of energy."
May was laying on the couch watching some television. She was watching Dallas.
Ash then asked if May wanted lunch and May said "No thank you, Ash. I don't have an appetite today."
Ash said "Okay then."
A couple hours later, Ash made dinner for him and May. They had ramen in miso broth.
