Title: Holeshots and Tabletops
Prompt: Dokuga Contest's Cherry on Top Challenge #4-Peach
Genre: Comedy/Action
Rating: T
Warnings: Mild profanity
Word Count: 3084
A/N: LOL chapter 4, prompt 4... These things amuse me. :D
Summary: The gate drops on the first motos of the weekend. [AU]
HOLESHOTS AND TABLETOPS
Kagome stood in the hauler with Sesshomaru as he applied tear-offs to her goggles in preparation of her first moto of the day.
"Moto two just left the line," Inuyasha hollered, poking his head into the trailer.
"We're almost ready," Kagome replied. "Is Koga fueling my bike?"
"As we speak."
"Can you do me a favor and make sure someone's got my camera?"
"Yeah, I'll take it if no one else does. Oh shit."
"What?" Both Sesshomaru and Kagome asked.
"My worst nightmare just showed up."
"What?" Kagome asked in confusion, leaving Sesshomaru and walking to the doorway. Bankotsu and Jakotsu were making their way towards their little camp. "Ohmygosh!" Kagome said excitedly, pushing Inuyasha out of the way so she could jump out of the hauler. "Hi guys!"
"Kaggie!" Jakotsu hollered, waving animatedly.
Kagome met them as they stepped under the pop-up sunshades they had set up along the hauler. She pulled Jakotsu into a hug then Bankotsu. "I didn't know you guys were going to come out."
"Neither did we," Bankotsu laughed. "Or at least I didn't until Jak called me last night around midnight."
"I was dinking around online and saw that there was a qualifier out here this weekend. I know you and Sess had been talking about bringing Toshi out to a few races and I assumed you'd be here."
"That's quite a drive for just an assumption," Sesshomaru commented, stepping up to shake Bankotsu's hand, but Jakotsu wouldn't have any of that, and pulled Sesshomaru into a hug.
"It's only about two and a half hours for us," Bankotsu said. "What was it, like five, for you guys?"
"Six with all the pit-stops," Sesshomaru answered, pointing at Kagome accusingly.
"Hey," She protested. "It wasn't my idea to stop and get In and Out."
"It was Toshi's actually," Sesshomaru laughed.
"Where is the little monster?" Jakotsu asked. "When's his moto?"
"He's watching motos with my Dad," Sesshomaru answered, motioning over his shoulder towards the track. "He's not racing until moto twelve."
"And you?" Bankotsu asked Kagome.
"Crap!" She hissed. "I'm in moto five, which is probably supposed to be getting up there."
"We've got plenty of time," Sesshomaru pointed out. "When moto three starts, we'll head over."
Kagome nodded, not looking so sure.
"Just one class each?" Bankotsu asked.
"No, I have two. I'm also in moto nine."
"Busy day." Jakotsu smiled. "Let us know if you need any help."
"I might just take you up on that," Sesshomaru said. "I'm thinking I might need help on the line and everyone else is going to be elsewhere."
"I'd be happy to do it."
"Great. I'm going to go check that we've got everything together," Sesshomaru said, turning towards the hauler. "Your first mission is to keep her calm."
"I'm calm," Kagome said, sounding anything but.
"No problem," Jakotsu said with a grin, saluting Sesshomaru. "How about a shoulder massage Kaggie?"
"Actually, that sounds pretty awesome right now."
"Thought so." Jakotsu winked. "Pull up a chair."
Kagome seated herself in one of the dozen chairs under the sunshades while Jakotsu took up a position behind her, quickly getting to work on her shoulders.
"I think I'm going to go find Inu," Bankotsu said to no one in particular.
"They should be somewhere around the first turn," Kagome offered. "You can see most of the track there."
Bankotsu nodded, but Kagome didn't see because her eyes were closed in pure bliss thanks to the magic Jakotsu was working.
"Okay," Sesshomaru said, stepping out of the hauler with a backpack in one hand and a broom and golf umbrella in the other. "Broom, pit-board, marker, rag, water bottles, umbrella, tool kit, gloves, goggles… Is that everything?"
"I think so," Kagome answered.
"Five minutes, then we'll head over to staging."
"Sounds good," Kagome commented absently causing Sesshomaru to smile.
He started towards where Koga was going over Kagome's bike one last time and mouthed 'thank you' to Jakotsu as he passed him.
X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X
While Sesshomaru swept the concrete of Kagome's randomly selected starting gate for the first moto of the 250cc Stock 'B' class, Kagome waited astride her bike with Jakotsu holding an umbrella over her head in an attempt to keep her cool; it was only ten o'clock, but the temperature was already climbing well above ninety.
"Here doll," Jakotsu said as he pulled Kagome's goggles out of the backpack Sesshomaru had left him with.
"Thanks. You're a peach," Kagome said sweetly, taking the offered goggles and pulling them on.
Jakotsu laughed. "Just one of my many outstanding qualities," he said with a Southern Belle-like drawl causing Kagome to laugh and others around them to look. "Oh look, a gentleman caller."
Kagome cracked up all over again as Sesshomaru stepped up to them.
"Do I want to know?" he asked, handing his broom off to Jakotsu.
"Probably not," Kagome answered, getting off her bike so Sesshomaru could push it onto the starting line.
"Just do the same thing you did in practice," Sesshomaru instructed as Kagome tossed her leg over her bike again. "It's not much of a hill, but start in first anyway. Shift gears like there's no tomorrow, but remember you'll probably need to be in second, maybe even first if you're towards the back of the pack, for the first turn."
Kagome nodded, acknowledging his instructions as she pulled off the first of her tear-offs. Jakotsu stood behind them using the pit-board to fan down Kagome's back while they waited for the signal for her to start her bike. It finally came and Kagome kickstarted her bike along with the other sixteen riders in this moto. Sesshomaru thumped the top of her helmet, then joined Jakotsu several feet back from the starting gate. The thirty-second board girl ran out into the center of the track and held the board over her head. Kagome watched her until she turned the board sideways and ran off track, signaling that the gate would drop in roughly fifteen seconds, and then she focused on her starting gate and twisted her throttle until the rev-limiter protested. Her timing had to be perfect. Too early and she'd get stuck on the gate. Too late and she'd probably be darn near last heading into the first turn.
The gate dropped and Kagome let her clutch out in one quick movement of her fingers, sending her bike flying forward in a wheelie. Before her front wheel had touched the ground again, she was already in third gear, only her sheer will to say on the bike keeping her on the seat. The first turn came up quickly and she stuck her right leg out towards her front wheel to help her balance around the turn. She made it around cleanly and tore off up the small section of whoops with only six riders in front of her. She managed to pass a rider over the only triple jump on the track and gain fifth place. She was still holding it when she flew past Sesshomaru on her first full lap of the track.
'Damn,' she cursed, realizing how hard it was to read a pit-board when you're hauling ass down a rutted track with riders all around you. She couldn't be certain, but she thought Sesshomaru had written 'relax'. On her second, third, and forth trips by, he hadn't written anything new; but on the fifth lap he wrote 'ATTACK' in big, bold letters. Kagome kicked into a completely different gear mentally and managed to work herself up to third by the time she reached Sesshomaru again. His message this time: '2 to go! Keep it up!'. And so that's what she did for the remaining two laps, finishing third.
"Fantastic job!" Sesshomaru cheered when he met her in the checkpoint line after she'd rode off the track.
"I know!" Kagome smiled. "I'm so surprised."
"You relaxed so much right near the end," Sesshomaru praised her.
"You even pulled a tear-off over the triple," Jakotsu added, grinning.
"I don't know, things just…clicked after a few laps."
"Well, whatever it was, remember the feeling so you can duplicate it in your other three motos today," Sesshomaru said.
Jakotsu quickly got out the umbrella and handed Kagome a water bottle.
"Holy cow I'm out of shape," she whined as she twisted off the bottle cap of the water. "By the third lap, I was feeling it. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage another seven motos this weekend."
"We'll just keep you cool and hydrated, and you should do fine. You've been riding every day for a month. You're in shape; it's just your nerves of the first race. The second one will be easier."
Kagome nodded, too busy gulping down water to answer Sesshomaru.
X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X
After her second moto, Kagome cautiously rode her bike under the shade canopies to where Koga was waiting with a bike stand. Sesshomaru, who was seated behind Kagome on her bike, got off first and tossed his ever-present backpack into an empty chair.
"Hey, there were some kids here a while ago looking for you," Koga said, taking Kagome's bike from her. "Looking for autographs I think."
"Oh yeah?" Sesshomaru questioned.
Koga nodded. "I told them to come back after the women's moto."
As if on cue, a group of five kids warily approached the trailer.
"Hi guys," Kagome greeted warmly.
She got a couple of timid hellos back and smiled when the kids recognized Sesshomaru.
"Hey," he greeted, stepping next to Kagome.
He received much more energetic answers, which caused Kagome's smile to widen.
"Are you Sesshomaru Taisho?" A boy of about eight asked.
"That I am," Sesshomaru answered. "What can I do for you?"
"We were, um, wondering if we could maybe, if it's okay, get your autograph."
"Sure," Sesshomaru said easily. "Let me get a marker."
Five little heads bobbed in agreement and Sesshomaru disappeared into the hauler to find a Sharpie.
"Congrats on the win Kaggie!" Jakotsu chirped as he, Bankotsu, and Inuyasha wandered into their makeshift camp.
"Thanks!" Kagome smiled.
"You won by almost ten seconds," Inuyasha informed Kagome as he walked passed her and promptly flopped down in a vacant chair.
"I knew I had a good lead when I lapped a couple girls, but I didn't know it was that good."
"You kicked ass," Bankotsu said grinning. "You defiantly found your rhythm in the women's class."
Kagome shrugged. "I hope I can keep the momentum up in the second motos this afternoon."
"Alright," Sesshomaru said, returning to the group of kids. "Who wants an autograph?"
The kids moved forward, meeting Sesshomaru halfway.
"Are you racing in the pro class tomorrow?" One little boy asked as Sesshomaru signed the back of his friend's t-shirt.
"No, just Kagome and Toshi, my son, are racing this weekend," Sesshomaru answered, moving onto the next kid's shirt.
"Are you going to do any freestyle?" Another asked.
"I wasn't planning on it," Sesshomaru laughed.
"Oh," the kid said, clearly disappointed.
"Oh hey," the first kid said, pointing at Jakotsu and then Bankotsu. "You're famous too!"
"Famous is a big word," Jakotsu chuckled.
"But you do FMX too!"
"Bankotsu won the Steel City Showdown," one of the kids pointed out.
"Only 'cause Sesshomaru wasn't there," another quipped.
"What devoted fans you have Sesshomaru," Bankotsu murmured.
"What can I say?" Sesshomaru shrugged, looking smug. "They clearly know who the best is."
"That's a matter of opinion."
"Well, there you go kids," Sesshomaru said, finishing signing the last kid's shirt.
"Thanks!" Five little voices said in unison.
"Sure." Sesshomaru grinned down at them.
The kids took off, talking excitedly about meeting the Sesshomaru Taisho.
"Now that you're fan club's left," Kagome teased. "You should probably go check in with your mom and make sure Sakura's behaving for her."
Sesshomaru nodded. "Do you need anything?"
"No," Kagome shook her head. "I'm going to go find Inu and start getting Toshi ready for his moto."
"Inu said he was going to stay and watch motos," Jakotsu offered.
"I guess I'll head over to the track then."
"I'll go with you," Inuyasha offered, jumping to his feet.
Kagome couldn't help but grin at his eagerness. He still was uncomfortable being left alone with Jakotsu; he just couldn't take Jakotsu's teasing and flirting. "Alright then, come on. Toshi still has to get dressed in his gear."
"I don't think you'll have a problem getting that kid dressed in gear today," Inuyasha commented as he and Kagome started towards the track. "All he's been talking about this morning is racing."
"I know. He's so excited. I just hope it goes well."
"He'll do great," Inuyasha said confidently. "He rids better than most kids his age."
"It's a tough track."
"He'll be fine Kags." Inuyasha wrapped an arm around Kagome's shoulders. "He's only going to be doing about ten miles per hour."
"I know. I'm just being a mom."
X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X SHRED X
"Now, what do we do when the gate drops?" Sesshomaru asked Toshi as he held his bike for him so he could climb on it.
"Twist this as far as it will go," Toshi answered, twisting the throttle to indicate what he was talking about.
"Right," Sesshomaru said with a grin. "You're going to go around the track three times, until you see the black and white checkered flag."
"I know dad," Toshi said, exasperated, placing his feet on the aluminum blocks on either side of his bike that helped him keep his balance and hold his bike up since his feet couldn't otherwise touch the ground.
Sesshomaru rechecked that Toshi's impact vest was snug, and then checked the strap on his helmet. "I'm going to be on the track if you need me. Grandpa, Mommy, uncle Inuyasha, cousin Koga, Bankotsu, and Jakotsu are going to be out there too."
"I going to jump over the finish line," Toshi decided.
"You're going to ride safe," Sesshomaru ordered. "Or you won't be racing anymore."
"I'll be safe," Toshi sighed. "But I want to have fun. I want to jump as high as Mommy did."
Sesshomaru shook his head. "Toshi-"
"I know! Be safe."
Sesshomaru nodded and adjusted Toshi's goggles. "Right." The girl with the thirty-second board moved out onto the track. "Alright, start your bike. Good luck."
Toshi nodded once quickly and started his bike. Sesshomaru only took a few steps back so that he would still be close if Toshi needed help.
"Is this his first race?" Another dad asked Sesshomaru.
"Yeah," Sesshomaru answered, never taking his eyes from Toshi.
"They all want to ride like the big boys," the other dad laughed. "Thank God for governors."
"Definitely," Sesshomaru agreed, thinking of how he had doubled checked that Toshi hadn't messed with his.
The throttle governor made it so you could limit the speed of the 50cc bikes, making them safer to ride. Toshi knew where it was and how to change it. Toshi didn't miss much when it came to figuring out how to go faster. The thirty-second board went sideways and Sesshomaru was proud to watch Toshi's little visor dip as he focused on the gate in front of him. The gate dropped and Toshi took off before any of the other five kids, giving him a decent lead into the first turn. Toshi handled the track well, keeping his balance through the whoops and turns. His only problem came when he got to the large jump three quarters of the way around the track; Sesshomaru had to push his bike up it every lap. When Toshi was heading to the final jump and saw that the checkered flag was waving, he gunned it, pushing his little bike for all it was worth and managed to catch a fair amount of air over the jump. He landed hard, since his bike didn't have the power to carry him very far, and wobbled but managed to keep it on two wheels. The whole family was waiting for him when he rode through the track exit and into the impound area.
"What did I say about jumping?" Sesshomaru asked, grabbing the handlebars of Toshi's bike to hold it up for him.
"You said be safe, not to not jump," Toshi offered.
"You almost crashed," Kagome said with her voice full of worry. "You freaked me out."
"Sorry," Toshi apologized. "but I wanted to jump mom."
"Your bike can't handle these jumps Toshi. You don't have the power to get up them," Sesshomaru lectured.
"So let me go faster."
Sesshomaru shook his head, frowning. "I think you're going fast enough."
"Yeah, you left all the other kids in the dust," Inuyasha said excitedly, gaining a glare from both Sesshomaru and Kagome, as well as Inu. "Congrats on the W little guy," he continued, un-phased by their looks.
"Thanks," Toshi said grinning. "Do I get a trophy?"
"If you win the over-all," Inu answered.
"Actually, I think all the kids in the 50's class get trophies," Kagome said.
"That's bull. Only the top three should get them," Inuyasha said.
"Inuyasha," Inu said sternly. "Shut up."
"I'm just saying-"
"And so am I. Shut. Up."
"Fine. Jeesh."
The race official gave the kids the go-ahead to leave the impound area and Sesshomaru motioned for Toshi to scoot forward on his seat, and then straddled the back of the bike. "We'll talk about this back at the trailer."
"I'll take him back," Kagome offered and Sesshomaru moved out of her way. "My legs aren't as long as yours."
Kagome took a hold of the handlebars and sat behind Toshi. "We'll see you over there." Sesshomaru nodded as Kagome started Toshi's bike. "Feet up, Toshi." Toshi picked up his feet so Kagome could put her feet on the pegs, and then put his feet on top of hers as she started towards the trailer.
"Is dad mad?" Toshi asked after a minute.
"He's not mad," Kagome answered. "He's just worried about you. He doesn't want you to crash. None of us do. We want you to be safe."
"I don't want to crash either. I just want to jump."
"You can jump at home off your ramps, but the jumps here are too big."
Toshi thought this over for a second then said, "Dad said I couldn't race anymore if I wasn't safe."
"We'll talk to him about it," Kagome assured him.
"So I can race again?"
"Maybe. Are you going to jump anymore?"
"Only at home," Toshi promised.
"Then he'll probably let you race again."
"Can we have tuna samishes for lunch?"
Kagome smiled. "Sure."
First Posted on: August 6th 2011