Chapter 7 - Fall And Rise
The city limits of Suzuka were a lonely place at night, a stark contrast to the bustling daytime traffic.
Only one pair of headlights could be seen trailing along the main drag leading out of the city, the silhouette of the car lit up by the many street lights lining the road.
As he moved at almost a snail's pace along the road, Shinka stared deliriously at the road ahead of him, watching the street lights pass by him. He momentarily glanced up at the night sky, looking at the stars glinting on the backdrop of black.
His own star had faded. He was more comfortable thinking about the street lights than the day's events.
The moment kept replaying in his mind. The moment where his star had crashed to the earth in a ball of fire.
The silence of the distressed race-goers, the painful smash…the leering grin from Xin, and those taunting words, echoing like cries inside a tunnel.
You're nothing but junk…
Anger raged inside. Shinka grimaced in frustration, trying to let out a scream, but gave up. What would it solve?
Just then, he saw a road sign, its light flickering in disrepair. Tired and defeated, Shinka veered off the road and parked himself in front of the sign. Emblazoned upon the sign, on a green background with white writing, were the words 'You are now leaving Suzuka' in Japanese, almost like a prophecy.
Shinka sighed, and wheeled round to face the opposite direction. In the distant, dark blur were the tall skyscrapers and myriad of lights that made up the city of Suzuka.
There was one feature Shinka was fixated on. The dotted light satellite that represented the ferris wheel, the landmark of the Suzuka Raceway.
He knew that Sun, Hiroshi and all his friends were there. He figured they'd be getting panicked and would be out trying to find him.
His view of the city became glazed as his eyes welled up with tears. They were his friends, and he was letting them down, likewise with his fans, who before had seen him has their hero. Now he was nothing more than a coward. A piece of junk.
In frustration, he wheeled back round and gave the road sign a vicious bash with his front end. Now he had resigned himself to defeat.
There is nothing left for me now…sayonara, Hiroshi…sayonara Sun…sayonara everyone…and gomen…Musashi…
His stare fell to the dusty ground below his wheels. He wanted to drive off into the night, but tiredness was wracking his bodywork. Maybe I'll just sleep here…then I will leave…leave all this behind…
The forlorn Nissan was so focused on his thoughts that he didn't hear the quiet roar of a stock car engine behind him. The street lights revealed red paintwork upon the stock car's silhouette.
Lightning, puffing slightly with exhaustion, was a short distance behind Shinka. He squinted, just to be sure he had found the right car. Sure enough, he spotted the words 'Calsonic' emblazoned on the car's rear.
"Uh…hey there," spoke up the Piston Cup champion. No reply.
Lightning assumed he was dealing with the silent type. "Say, it's a nice, clear night out here, huh?"
Once again, no reply.
"I saw your race today…" began Lightning, figuring that bringing up the race would surely do the trick.
The reply finally came, but it wasn't the one that Lightning had hoped for. "I want to be…alone…"
Lightning sighed. "You do realise who's talking to you here, right? Think the Piston Cup…"
At that point, Shinka finally turned himself around. His mouth dropped open in astonishment.
"Lightning…McQueen? The 2006 Piston Cup champion?"
The stock car gave a grin. "Yup, that's me…and I know who you are. I've been dyin' to meet ya! The three time Japanese champion!"
"Ex-champion." Shinka's interruption was blunt and to the point. He promptly returned to facing the opposite direction.
Lightning's face fell. "Hey…don't talk like that…I saw your race today, and yeah, it didn't go to plan, but it's just a blip…you can beat that idiot and get that record!"
"I can't, McQueen-san…" came Shinka's downhearted reply.
Surprise was plastered on Lightning's face. "This is Shinka Katayama, three time Japanese champion that I'm talking to, isn't it? You know you can beat him. Us champions, we all have our off days…you'll get over this."
"I just told you…I can't…" Shinka was becoming irritated by the optimism.
"Come on, man! You are one race away from becoming a record holder! You've worked so hard for it, why throw it all away just because of an egotistical airhead?"
Shinka whirled round and exploded. "Since when was it up to you to decide what I should do with my life? I CAN'T DO IT!!!"
Lightning was dumbstruck by the Nissan's outburst. He'd never seen a champion so low and self-loathing.
Shinka's tirade continued. "You know nothing! You're just a big, brash American who thinks they're better than everyone else, and can dictate others' destinies! All because you won a stupid piece of gold!"
Lightning butted in. "Correction. I was brash. And I'm just trying to help you…"
"Save it!!!" screamed Shinka, "I don't need anyone's help to save my career, because it is over, you hear me?! OVER!!! I am just a useless piece of junk…"
Lightning's look of shock turned into a scowl. "So that's it? You're just gonna let that silver freak win?"
Shinka just gave a grunt.
"Fine," spoke Lightning, clearly disappointed, "go ahead and throw your career and your friends away. I'm not stopping you."
With that, Lightning turned to drive off into the night, but not before he spoke one last line.
"I came to Japan to meet the champion. I think he went that-a-way…"
As Lightning drove off, Shinka slowly wheeled round to face the opposite direction. Once again, tears filled his eyes. He sadly turned back round. It was then that he knew that Lightning was right. He was throwing it all away, letting Xin get away with it.
He didn't want that.
Snap out of it, Shinka…
A dejected Lightning had driven a few yards back towards the city when he heard an ominous purr of a GT-R engine. His eyes widened as Shinka drove up alongside him. Both cars suddenly ground to a halt in the road.
"McQueen-san…you were right," proclaimed Shinka, his voice choked with emotion, "you were right…I can't let him do this to me. Or any of the others…"
Lightning gave a grin. "That's more like a champion's attitude for sure…no more negative vibes, Shinka. You can beat him. Your fans do, your friends do. And so do I."
Shinka smiled back. "Thank you…I'm glad you found me when you did."
Then came an awkward pause, as Shinka summoned up the courage to tell Lightning something important, something close to his heart.
"McQueen-san…there is something you should know. My whole motivation to race…it's not for the fame, or the prize…"
"Really?" replied Lightning in amazement, "you don't know how refreshing that sounds."
"Yes…" continued Shinka, "it's all because of a good friend of mine…a good friend…Musashi-san…"
Lightning looked puzzled. "Musashi-san?"
"Yes, that is…I mean was…his name. He was one of the finest racers to ever have competed in the JGTC. Akira Musashi…"
"Whoa, you were buddies with a past JGTC champion? Way to go, man!" exclaimed Lightning.
Shinka sighed deeply. "Yes…myself, Musashi and Hiroshi Hideyaki…we were inseparable. Musashi wasn't just a friend, he was a mentor to me. He showed me the ins and outs of racing while I was still an amateur, trying to obtain my JGTC licence. I remember one day he saw me tear up a test course, he told me, there and then, that I had what it took to be a champion racer in the future…"
"He must've been a real hero to you," commented Lightning.
"A friend and hero," replied Shinka, his voice glowing, "he was an amazing racer. That record I'm trying to beat…he was trying to beat it too. He won three championships back-to-back. My first JGTC race was in the season that Musashi was attempting to break the record…and I tell you, to be able to race alongside my best friend in a JGTC race was a privilege."
"I'm sure it was," quipped Lightning, sensing that the story wasn't going to remain sweet for much longer, "I bet he's got a lot of tales to tell…"
Shinka's face fell on that sentence. "I wish he did, McQueen-san…I really wish he did…"
"Huh? What do you mean?" questioned Lightning.
"It was the penultimate race…if he had won it, the record would have been his…" began Shinka, his voice becoming choked again, "he was so close…so close…"
"You mean he didn't finish the race?" asked Lightning.
"I remember…the moment…he went off the track…the car in second place was trying to overtake him…I know…I know I saw that car shunt into him…Musashi…just lost control…when he hit the barrier, I…"
Lightning's mouth dropped open. "Man…is he…did he…?"
Shinka closed his eyes. "I was powerless…all I could do was watch as he smashed to pieces…before my eyes…"
Choking back tears, he continued. "There…there was nothing they could do…he was too badly damaged. The replays didn't pick up that he was rammed…by the time they got him to the garage, he was…he was…"
"I'm so sorry…" soothed Lightning in shock, "losing your best buddy like that…"
"He never broke that record, McQueen-san…that's why I want to do it. To honour Musashi-san's memory. It's the least I can do for him..."
"You can still do that, Shinka," spoke Lightning, "if you just believe, you can. Think what Musashi would say to you now, if he was still alive."
Shinka gave a slight smile through the tears. "He'd…he'd tell me to give it my all, for sure."
"So what are we waiting for?" beamed Lightning, "let's get you back to your buddies and get you all set for the final race!"
Shinka smiled in agreement, then the two racers sped off into the night, back towards Suzuka's welcoming sea of lights.