Chapter 9 Long Hard Ride

"Where are we headed next Aniki?" Keisuke asked the morning after the last race against the Bow Tie Boys.

"Do you remember Sung?" Ryosuke asked,

"Of course I remember Sung, Until he ran into problems we spent a lot of time together, you know that."

"Of course," Ryosuke responded. "He called me recently and suggested that we pay him a visit."

"Does he live near here?" Keisuke asked not sure that he would believe it.

"No, he's in North Carolina, the same town that William is from. At first I was skeptical of Sung's story when he called, William mentioned all of the same things Sung did though. It sounds like it could be a good opportunity."

"I don't know Aniki, that's a long way to go and a lot of ground to overlook that could be harboring good racers. It just seems like a waste."

"Keisuke, America is a big country and we do not have the time to visit every little town and village looking for the best challenge. We need to get out of this region and Sung and William's information at least gives us something to go on."

"I know," Keisuke said slightly aggravated, it was always like this whenever he disagreed with his older brother.

"From all accounts it sounds like Denton has a lot of talent, I think we would get a better group of challenges down there instead of gambling by trying to challenge everybody along the way."

"Alright," Keisuke said with an aggravated sigh.

"There's also a particularly interesting racer in Denton. Sung says he could rival Takumi for natural ability."

Keisuke hated it when his older brother said things like that. There was no denying that Takumi was a very skilled driver, but to be reminded of it so often, and to hear of it like Takumi had been given this gift. Keisuke had to work hard for everything he earned behind the wheel, all of his technique, he worked tirelessly to perfect. Yet it was always Takumi's 'natural talent' that everybody talked about, not how hard Keisuke worked, not how much he had improved from the start of this experiment known as Project D had started. Keisuke hated it because it sounded like he wasn't as good as Takumi, because he had to work to develop his talent, it was like Takumi was in some intangible way better than Keisuke, it felt like he would always be. Keisuke hated playing second, it was alright when he was second best to his brother, Ryosuke was the best, but Takumi? It always kept burning, in the pit of his heart, it fueled his determination, to get better, to finally put to rest the myth of Akina's unbeatable 86. He would do it one day, and he would do it in spectacular fashion. Besides, wasn't Takumi the only one to lose in America?

"Besides this 'natural' kid, what else is down there for competition?" Keisuke finally grumbled.

Ryosuke knew by how long it had taken his brother to ask the question that something else had to run through his mind first. "From what Sung has told me the fastest down there currently is a man who drives a 1970 Corvette, the Second fastest is the kid with the Shelby Mustang. Then a Fiat X1/9 running an Evo II motor, and the fourth is a girl who drives a 1982 Mustang."

"Sounds like a bunch of old cars, we shouldn't have to much of a challenge," Keisuke scoffed. "The only car that make me curious is that Fiat. I've never heard of that model before."

"I did some research," Ryosuke said and he leaned back in his chair. "It was a small mid engined Targa top car that was made from the 1970s until part way through the 1980s, very close to when the AW11 came out. It was very lightweight, combining that with an Evo II motor should make for a fairly formidable opponent."

"Did Sung mention if it has a misfiring system?" Keisuke asked, remembering how important it had been on Kyoichi Sudo's Evo III.

"It would certainly add another layer to the challenge," Ryosuke said, "But I don't know that it would be as important as Sudo's system. It sounds like the course is mostly level, the benefit of that type of system would be diminished somewhat."

"Alright," Keisuke said, "So do you have an idea of how the match-ups are going to work out?" Keisuke asked, knowing whether his older brother had run it through in his computer or not, somewhere he had already worked out his match-ups. Preliminary estimates only of course, but somewhere there was a fledgling plan.

"I haven't decided yet," Ryosuke admitted, "There are numerous possible opponents, and at least two possible locations, there are too many variables to make a good preliminary estimation."

Others would have missed it, most people couldn't discern Ryosuke's tells, but sitting across the table his brother certainly could. Somehow he knew enough to leave it alone for now, while at the same time he was aware that it was different this time. Whatever was bothering his brother was worse then most things. Something had actually distracted him. He said he didn't have enough information, but he always had enough to at least make an estimate. Something big was bothering his older brother, and that bothered Keisuke.

There was no ignoring how Keisuke's stomach dropped to his feet, and it was because his brother was seriously distracted by something, maybe even upset at something which would be worse. The younger Takahashi brother took a deep breath, trying to push the fear out of his mind and body. It only half worked before he started trying to reassure himself mentally. 'He's got it under control,' Keisuke told himself, 'Aniki always comes up with the right answer. Always.' It didn't seem to be working, Ryosuke had never failed him before, except when he raced Takumi, but that didn't count, did it? Nobody beat Takumi so it didn't matter.

With his own mental reassurance failing Keisuke settled on the one thing he was certain of 'Aniki won't tell me if I ask, I'll just have to wait,' he thought and tried to push the problem from his mind.

The morning Maine sun felt warn on Takumi's cheeks as he walked over to the 86, his old friend. Matsumoto walked next to him across the dewy grass, and for that reason Takumi did his best to keep a steady pace, even though his legs threatened to carry him closer at the speed his heart desired.

"She's as good as new," Matsumoto said when the pair finally arrived next to the car.

"Good," Takumi said, trying hard to keep the quiver out of his voice, the anticipation was killing him. He liked Molly's Tiger, but that wasn't his car, nothing could compare to the familiarity of the car that he had grown up in, competed in so many races with. He liked the Tiger, if he ever had the opportunity Takumi had already decided he would own one, but it would never be like his 86. The car that fit like a pair of broken in shoes, perfectly familiar, comfortable, an old friend. The car was an extension of himself, and he had missed the little white and black hatch back.

"So are we going for a ride or what?" Matsumoto said jokingly, shaking Takumi out of his admiring trance. He loved the 86.

Takumi slid down into the drivers bucket seat, everything was just as it had always been. He pushed in the clutch, felt the familiar resistance he slotted the key into the ignition. Without hesitation the motor fired, emitting the unmistakeable thrum. In the passenger seat Matsumoto smiled to himself, knowing that he'd done everything that he could, and he had done it right. As the car warmed up Takumi looked over the gauges, making sure that everything was working the way it should. He pressed the throttle a couple of time, sending the tachometer needle racing around the dial.

"Sounds good doesn't it." Matsumoto offered.

"Yeah, it does." Takumi answered. He slotted the shifter into reverse and backed out onto the road. They headed away from Stevie's house, prepared to do a little exploring, the Toyota motor performing flawlessly. Takumi was taking it easy though, driving like anybody else on a normal Sunday afternoon.

The first thing that Takumi noticed was how different the 4AG was from the Ford V8 in Molly's Tiger. Sure, he had driven the 86 with this motor for more than a year, he knew exactly how it was supposed to perform and act, and it was doing just what it was supposed to. Somehow now something was different. Matsumoto had clearly done what he was supposed to, the motor was running perfectly, but Takumi missed the V8s ample torque. It wasn't that he didn't like the 86 or the motor sitting under the carbon fiber hood, but there was such a major difference between the two cars. It was like the 86 was somehow limited in a way that Takumi had never seen.

"I think you can get on it a little more," Matsumoto offered.

"Alright," Takumi said, he downshifted two gears, the tires squealed briefly and the 86 lunged forward, the needle on the tachometer moved quickly towards 11,000 RPM, the engine howling. Takumi shifted and the whole process started over.

"Pretty good huh?" Matsumoto said as the 86 decelerated for a turn and went back to a normal cruising speed.

"Yeah," Takumi said with a smile, not wanting to upset Matsumoto he didn't say what was really on his mind. What he was thinking about how it was totally different from Molly's Tiger. It was still quick, still fast, but Molly's car, the Tiger was just plain faster. Maybe it didn't handle like the 86 did, it was still good. But the power, oh the power that was the big difference between the two wasn't it? If only there was some way to combine the two elements, the power of the Tiger and the balance and handling of the 86, or something like Toshiya Joshima's S2000.

The Tiger did handle really well but Takumi would want it a little better, a little different. A thought struck Takumi just then, something Ryosuke had said a few weeks ago, about the Cobra. Some American guy took a Ford V8 engine and put it in an old English roadster to create the Cobra, what was his name? 'Shell, something. . .Shelly? No. Shelton? Shel, Shel, Shel,' he thought quietly.

"Shelby," Takumi finally said out loud.

"What?" Matsumoto asked.

"Oh, sorry I was just trying to remember the guy who was behind the Cobra and the Sunbeam Tiger," Takumi admitted, a little embarrassed.

"Taking an interest in older cars? Or just automotive history?"

"Something like that," Takumi said.

"I can see why, he made some really neat cars. I wish there were more of them at home so we could see more of them."

"Do you think you would like to work on one, or could you work on one?"

"I'd have to buy a whole new set of tools just for it," Matsumoto laughed, "And it would have a lot of systems that our cars haven't used in a long time. I bet you're dieing to drive one aren't you?"

"Yeah, it would be an experience wouldn't it?" Takumi responded. Good to know, he thought to himself. I know Matsumoto would be able to work on it. He does good with pretty much anything.

"Fried tofu please," Natsuki called happily, knowing that Bunta would be somewhere within earshot.

"I can't believe you can eat that stuff," her American friend said.

"Yeah, yeah hold on," Bunta said, pushing aside the half curtain. "Natsuki, I haven't seen you in awhile."

"Just finished the semester at University, I'm home for the summer," She responded cheerfully.

"If you're looking for Takumi you won't find him here."

"I know, he's in America, oh have you been keeping up with what Project D's been doing?" Finding some way to get more excited.

"No computer," Bunta said.

"Well Takumi won his last two races, but for the last one he had to drive somebody elses car."

Bunta's face didn't change, he didn't seem to have any sort of expression for the most part.

"What was it?" Natsuki asked, tapping her friend on the arm.

"A Sunbeam Tiger," She said with a hint of longing.

"Yeah, and he won," Natsuki said, and Bunta actually seemed to take note.

"A Sunbeam Tiger?"

"Do you know about the Shelby Cobra?" The girl standing next to Takumi piped in.

"And you are?" Bunta ground out, looking the short blonde girl up and down quickly.

"Sarah," She said crossing her arms across her chest.

She's got some attitude, Bunta thought. "So, a Sunbeam Tiger?" He prompted.

"It's like a Cobra, but instead they put a Ford V8 into a Sunbeam Alpine and called it a Tiger," Sarah didn't try to hide the edge in her voice, it wasn't like this guy had been exceptionally nice, and he ran the business.

"Sounds interesting," Bunta said, and the wheels and gears in his mind started turning. "You're not from around here, are you?" He asked turning to Sarah. It wasn't just her name but the way she spoke Japanese.

"No, I'm from America," She responded.

"So, you know a thing or two about these cars?"

"Yeah, they're pretty fast, light cars, strong V8, good balance, I'd like to have one." She shrugged looking back at Bunta.

"Hmm," Bunta said.

"So what about my fried tofu?" Natsuki asked.

"Right," Bunta said and went to work. A V8, He thought, That might do the trick, a car like that might finally get Takumi to realize the limitations of the 86. I just hope he can make the right decision. The torque that a motor like that can produce in a light car. Not even a turbocharged motor that the kid has driven can match that. I think this might have done it.

"Here you go, that'll be Y180."

"Alright," Natsuki counted out the money. "Does Itsuki still work at the gas station, oh and do they still go up Mount Akina at night?"

"Wasn't my turn to watch him, but they still go up Akina no matter how many times I dust that old 85 on my deliveries that kid won't take a hint." Bunta chuckled.

"Thanks, we'll see you soon." Natsuki waved.

"Nice to meet you." Sarah said.

"Hmm." Bunta nodded, but watched the two good-looking young women leave. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but parked in front of the store was a dark blue R33 Skyline, it had silver racing stripes running down the middle, exhaust, and aftermarket wheels. "Hmm," Bunta smiled a little. She's a racer.