First off, I do not own Toyota, Subrau, Nissan, Honda, Lotus, Lancia, Caterham, or any other car company mentioned in this fic. They make great cars, but I don't. Next, I don't own Ex-Drivers or Initial D. They are of their respective companies. But, I thank both the car makers and the production companies for providing us with such great cars/anime.

Special thanks goes to Tenshi Zenaku for providing me with super detailed stats and bio's on each of the Ex-Driver cars and characters.

To avoid confusion, I will do my best to use the maps of Akina, Akagi, and possibly Happo. and Iro. (Can someone help with the full name?) from the Sega game. That means that the legendary 5 hairpins of Akina is actually 4 hairpins and 5 straights, but for the sake of tradition we'll still call them the 5 hairpins. If you would like the maps for the courses you can visit arcade.initial-d.com and click on the map link on the side. However, the site does not allow direct linking to the map page.

I think that's enough introduction and warnings.

Initial Ex-D
Chapter 1-The Ghost of Akina Returns

"Nani!?"

"That's right. As of yesterday, the need for Ex-Drivers has decreased due to a new computer system the government installed." Munakata stood, pipe in hand, as he watched

Lorna was confused. "Grandfather, what does this mean?"

Lisa's head hung so the shadows covered her eyes. "It means we won't be able to drive anymore."

In the year 2021, nobody drove anymore. Nearly every car on the road was computer AI automated, with people merely choosing there destanation and relaxing while the computer took over. But as all computers do, an occasional crash occurs within various cars causing them to take off down the road. This is where the Ex-Drivers come in. With specialized equipment such as modified flare guns that shot a thick paste to cover the cars sensors to the very vehicles they drove, they quickly and efficiently put a stop to these runaways. The Ex-Drivers were the only licenced people left in the world.

But no need for Ex-Drivers ment no more driving.

"Hold on there, Lisa. There is a new assignment for you three." The screen displays lit up with pictures of various mountain roads, and would flash randomly. Souichi watched in awe at the roads, which all had various twists, turns, and quite a steep downgrade. A part of him itched to take his Caterham Super 7 out on those roads. He could see the same desire on Lisa's face.

"We've been having problems with the computers in this region. Apperantly the mountains interfere with the computer AI of the cars, resulting in more problems than the previous Ex-Drivers of the area could handle. They need someone with experience."

"Like us?" Lorna asked.

"Exactly. After the incident with Todo six months ago, you three have been regarded as some of the best in Japan."

"What about the city?" Souichi asked. "I mean, you said the number of incidents went down, sir. There will still be some problems, won't there?"

"True, but we are bringing in rookies from up north. They should cover it and get some experience too."

The three drivers seemed content at this news, but Lisa was still confused. She put her hand to her chin and thought about it, but couldn't recall seeing any mountains like flashing those on the screen. "Where are we going, anyway?"

-Gunma prefecture, summit of Mount Akina

"Welcome, I'll be your new commanding officer in this area. My name is Nakazato." The man looked younger, in his 40's, but his hair was already streaked with grey marks. A cigarette hung from his mouth. "I thank you and your team for coming. Many of us down here were starting to get worried with the amount of runaway cars today." He and Lorna stood on the bleachers overlooking the pracitce track. It gave a perfect view of Lake Akina, as well as the lake resort and the road leading back to the city.

"Not a problem, that is what we're here for." Lorna liked this new commanding officer. He had an aura of confidence, and she could tell she was a driver in his previous days. Lisa and Souichi were unpacking their bags.

"I'm curious," Nakazato said. "Why did you bring along your own mechanic?" As he looked over the rail, he saw Mr. Ogawa unpacking his loads of tools. "We have capable mechanics here."

"Oh, we trust him with our cars. He works so passionately on them, and does such a good job. Besides, he's the only one that knows as much on the Super 7 as Souichi does.

"I see. Now, we've placed the HQ on the summit for two reasons. One is that you can get anywhere in the city quickly from here if you make it down the mountain fast enough. Second is that during nights it allows us to watch for the illegal racers down here."

"Racers? How is that possible?"

"They program their cars to go to the summit, then send them back down while hitting modified e-boosters. We need to crack down on these guys. Did you know we're the first prefecture in Japan to have to revoke the rights to ride in AI cars?"

"There's talk about that, but we thought it was a myth."

"Back to the point. Your team will have your choice of two houses to stay at-one in the city and one up here. Both have garages and tools, as well as comfortable quarters for all of you."

"Thank you, Nakazato-sempai."

"Oh yes, you should go regester at your school now. They are pretty slack on these things and if you don't do it yourself you'll never get in."

-At school

"Why do I have to be in another class with Souichi?" Lisa moaned. "I'm tired of having to work with him!"

"It's not my fault I do so well! I have to!"

"Enough, you two. We're regestered, and we might as well introduce ourselves before we get some practice in."

"Fine, fine."

The three opened the door to their room, greated their teacher, and took their seats.

"Class," the teacher announced, "We have just recieved three new students. I want to introduce you to Lorna Endou, Lisa Sakakino, and Souchi Sugano. They are the new Ex-Drivers of Akina.

They were met with both stares of awe and glares of intimidation. Lisa looked around nervously, then decided it would be best to stare straight ahead.

"Don't worry about them. They're mad because the last Ex-Drivers were chumps and couldn't catch them on the downhill. With you around, they're afraid that you and your friends will be able to stop them." Lisa looked to her right, where a boy, relaxing back in his seat and legs crossed, grinned.

"And what would you know about that? By the looks of you I'd say you're one of them!"

"No, I never liked those AI cars. They always make me car sick. The name's Akito Fujiwara."

"Lisa. what do you want?"

"Geez, I'm just trying to give you some advice. You could be a little nicer." Akito paused for a moment. "Hey, you wouldn't want to go out and get some lunch sometime, would you?"

"What? I meet you and two minutes later you ask me out? Are all guys here like this?"

"Forget it, then."

Lorna and Souichi, who sat next to each other, grinned at this. Lisa may have finally met her match.


After school, the team decided to get a bite to eat, so they stopped at a Fast Hamburger restaurant. Lisa hungrily and angrily chewed her burger, while Souichi and Lorna took their time.

"Lisa, you'll put on weight like that."

"I don't care! What never does that boy have to ask me out like that? I mean, dosen't he know what we do?"

"I thought you said you wanted a boy like that. Bold, yet charming...

"You think he's charming?" she said through a mouth of ground beef.

"I thought he had good moves," Souichi said. A glare from Lisa forced him to look away, twirling the straw of his soda. He looked at Lorna, who gave him one of those smiles that always comforted him.

"I don't know though," he told her. "They say there's a lot of illegal racers in this area."

"If they drive AI cars Souichi, we can stop them. We've done it before, remember?"

A guy in the booth next to them turned around. "You're the new Ex-Drivers?"

Lisa had finished her burger and said, "That's right."

"Heh. Well, I know one you'll never be able to beat."

"What? Who would that be? She was intrigued."

"They say he's the ghost of a legendary racer who wiped out back in the days where we drove ourselves. But I think he's just some rich punk. His car must have flawless AI, because there have been talks of the most expensive systems losing to him."

"The ghost of Akina? So what does he ride in?"

"I don't know. I've never seen him myself. But they say when you see him, you'd better move or he'll for some crazy moves on you."

The three sat, lost in their own thoughts of the ghost of Akina as man picked up his tray, threw its contents in the trash, and walked out.

-Summit of Akina, 4:00 A.M.

Nakazato looked over the railing at the three drivers, who had been at it since 10 o' clock. "Hmm. They've got some dedication," he thought. He checked his watch. "Oh. This should be interesting. He looked down at the closed garage below him, grinned, and walked back inside.

"Not bad," Lisa said through her headset. I think I'm getting the hang of this run."

"Me too," Souichi called through his com. "I like the hairpins."

"You mean Akina's legendary 5 hairpins?" Personally that was Lisa's favorite too. "I've heard a lot of stories from the guys back at HQ."

"Yea, they all used to race down this hill too, but they had real skill, not money like these people today."

"Let's make one more run then come back up for the night," Lorna said. "Lisa, you want first this time?"

"Sure!" Without another word, her Lancia Stratus tore off down the mountain. A second later, Souichi's Caterham Super 7 R500 took off, followed by Lorna's Lotus Europe. Before they could hit the first straight and open up, the garage door opened.


Souichi pulled his car right, then downshifted and let his car slide around the left hairpin. As he shifted into third, he heard a call in his ear. "Watch out! There's a car coming?"

"Runaway at this hour?" Checking his computer, he only saw himself, Lorna, and Lisa on the GPS systems.

"No, this one...Ahh!"

"Lorna? Lorna!"

"I'm fine. He passed me on the inside!"

Souichi was shocked that someone could pass Lorna so quickly. He stepped on it and decided not to let this newbie pass. "What kind of car is it?"

"It looks like a early model Hachi-Roku!"

"Hachi-Roku? He considered the power levels of a normal Hachi-Roku, but hadn't finished thinking when he saw the headlights approaching behind him. "Let's go!" he shouted. He pulled his car around the sharp right and prepared for the two hairpins that were coming. A quick downshift and a pull the the right let his car drift around the corner, and he kept the momentum to drift around the left hairpin that followed. As he came out of it, he noticed the headlights had gotten closer. "What? He's beating me on the turns!" Souichi moved to the right to prepare for the sharp S-curves ahead. He braked early so that he could cut across for the inside on the second turn, but the Hachi-Roku took the inside. His wild drift left the tail end of his car almost against the front end of Souichi's 7, and he was forced to slow down to a near stop while the Hachi-Roku continued to slide sideways the wrong way.

"He'll crash," Souichi thought, Then, the Hachi-Roku whipped his tail around the other way, clearing the guardrail by centermeters.

"No way...inertia drift!"

"I've got this one!" Lisa called.

She cleared the right hairpin and accelrated down the long stretch. With quite some distance before the next left hairpin, she felt sure that she could gain ground, only to see the headlights clear the corner. "It's too late," she thought. "By the time I get to the next hairpin, you'll be long gone.

Souichi, who had stopped stunned by the amazing drift he had just witnessed, watched as Lorna pulled up next ot him. "Are you OK?" she asked.

"I'm fine. But I'm thinking that that no AI could perform a move like that. That guy is driving himself."

"Hmm." Souichi and Lorna watched Lisa's position on their computers.

Lisa whiped around the left hairpin, using the extra lane on the right to speed up a little more. By the time she had corrected herself, the headlights were no more than 20 meters behind her. "Impossible!" she shouted. "He's going too fast for a normal Hachi-Roku!" She made the light S curve and prepared for the worst-the 5 hairpins. She and the Hachi-Roku had both started braking at the same point, but the Hachi-Roku took the inside line on her, bringing him to ride her bumper as she drifted around the next left hairpin. Although she was pushing her car's limits the Hachi-Roku was still on her.

"Damn!" Another hairpin, and Lisa found herself on the outside while the Hachi-Roku was able to pass her on the short straight. She looked at the car-a panda colored Trueno AE86, with a carbon fiber hood and a rather large sticker on the side. She quickly read the sticker, and in shock spun out into the final hairpin, coming to a stop.

The Hachi-Roku continued it's decent down the mountain, and Lisa could only watch as he excucited a perfect 4 wheel drift around the next right hairpin. She could only recall the words in her head, and as absurd as it sounded, her eyes did not decive her.

The sticker had read "Fujiwara Tofu Shop (private vehicle)"

"It can't be..."