Chapter IV:
Hurdles
Day Four: Thursday
Lake Akina Hotel
10:00 am
"Aren't we a little conspicuous staying here at the hotel?" Miyuki asked as she, Natsumi and Kaoruko entered their rented room. "And the cars aren't exactly inconspicuous." True enough, when anyone noticed Miyuki's 'Lady' and Kaoruko's 86 it they would immediately guess that street racers are staying at the hotel.
"No racer comes this far to the peak," Kaoruko said as she set her bags down. "And mostly, they arrive at night."
"But will rumors spread?" Natsumi asked. But she could see the smile in Kaoruko's face.
"We left Yoriko back at headquarters so we are practically safe," she explained. "I know the people here and they won't say a thing."
"But will others recognize you?" Miyuki asked.
"Only as a racer," Kaoruko sighed as she looked at her comrades. "The story went that I was attacked while the thieves tried to steal my car. We'll stick to that story and please refrain from arresting speeders. It would ruin our cover."
"How good are the racers?" Natsumi asked.
"The local racers that called themselves Speedsuns are not that bad," Kaoruko smiled. "Although some are prideful at their teams and skills."
"And how do you fair?" Miyuki asked. Kaoruko was silent as she looked away.
"We would find out tonight," she said while unpacking.
Lake Akina Hotel (entrance lobby)
10:05 a.m.
Yurei limped towards the reception desk with a sad smile. He had botched the last few deliveries and was called by the management. He feared this day would come. He thought it would be as before. The finesse he had in controlling the car had vanished and he and his shop had paid the price. It was a vain attempt to regain what he had lost.
And he had almost lost it all.
"Yurei!" the manager called rather cheerfully. This did not bode well on Yurei's vision on being sacked. It was like he was being fattening up for Christmas.
"Hi," he waved disinterestedly.
"Why the long face? Ah, I see. You thought I would no longer use your shop as my source of tofu. Am I right?"
"Am I that transparent?" he asked. The manager laughed and shook his head.
"Just before I you saw me you had the poise and pride of a man facing a firing squad like it was a daily event. In any case, this morning's batch was not damaged. I see you're improving."
"With this bum leg, that's the best I could do," Yurei said.
"No," the manager smiled. "You see your leg as a limitation and as a burden. See it as a hurdle to jump over."
"In case you haven't noticed, I can't jump," Yurei frowned.
"You only won't make the attempt," the manager said sullenly and patted his shoulder. "You'll never be the boy you once were. Be the man you were destined to be." And with that, the manager left but before he entered his office behind the reception desk, she shouted back. "I'll call you later for my order."
Shaking his head, Yurei walked towards the parking lot. As he approached his dated dark green Sileighty, he noticed a couple of cars parked near the building. He blinked his eyes as he saw a white Hachi Roku was one of the cars. Immediately, he walked towards it as if he was drawn by an unseen force.
The car brought back memories. Memories of a life he once had. It was weird for him to stand in front of a car that looked like his own before the fateful day of his accident. But something felt... right. Looking at the car closely, he noticed familiar markings and even though much of it was rebuilt, it gave an aura he intimately knew.
"Can I help you?" a gentle voice asked. Yurei looked at the speaker and found a pretty woman who had black hair that she wore in a single braid. He felt the soul of a racer within her but also, from what he sensed in his first impression that she was not a street racer.
Yurei then looked at the car beside the 86 and smiled. The Fairlady was painted yellow and was obviously cared for. He then looked at the woman and immediately knew she was the owner.
"The streets are practically clear at about 9 o' clock," he said. Taking his handkerchief from his pocked, he pressed the Lady gently and watched the shock absorbers lean on his weight.
Smiling, Yurei pocketed his handkerchief and bowed at the lady.
"Good day," he greeted and limped towards his car stealing glances at the hotel and the 86.
He now had another hurdle to jump over.
Akina Hotel (parking lot)
10:10 am
Miyuki frowned as she watched the young man get into his Sileighty and drive away. At first she was appalled that he touched her Lady but he had a serene smile when he left that she hesitated.
It was like he knew why she was there. And by looking at her car, he knew that she was a racer. At least she posed as one.
"What is it, Miyuki?" Kaoruko asked as she came up behind her. While the mission was ongoing, they agreed to call each other by their first names.
"A man was looking at our cars and drove off," she said. "But it was like he was in memory lane when he looked at the 86." Kaoruko smiled as she looked at the 'Ghost'.
"He must be a racer then," she said. "What was he riding?"
"A dark green Sileighty," Miyuki said but frowned. There was something about him that bothered her. She felt that the man could do anything even with his limp.
"He limped," she said to the lieutenant. "It seemed to me he had an accident."
"Anyway, we need to get you to memorize the mountain path," Kaoruko said as she smiled. "And it would be harder to see at night."
"Are we going to try the course tonight?" Miyuki asked but Kaoruko only smiled.
Akina's Peak rest stop
9:00 pm
"Are you ready," Kaoruko asked Miyuki as they entered the 86. "Fundamentally, what I'm going to show you is different from the chases you're used to. Please bear with me for it's been a while." Miyuki made no comment as she prepared herself to watch what Kaoruko would do.
With a deep breath, Kaoruko started her run and immediately sped up. Miyuki was surprised what the old car could muster. At 240 hp, they accelerated to about 90kph and were nearing the first corner fast. Miyuki held on tight as Kaoruko hit the brake and downshifted causing the car to skid. With understeering, she controlled the car through the drift and cleared the corner. When the cleared it, Kaoruko floored the accelerator and sped.
Glancing at the speedometer, Miyuki was surprised to see the car going at 120kph so soon. She was so used in being behind the wheel that the fact that Kaoruko was drifting like there was no tomorrow. And that scared her.
She never knew that the Assistant Inspector could drive like that. In fact, she had total control of the car as if it was an extension of her body.
Three more corners later, Kaoruko began to slow down. Miyuki could see the strain the driving had on her. Taking a deep breath, Kaoruko smiled as she leaned on her seat.
"I forgot about the adrenaline," she confessed. Miyuki was about to ask her a question when a roar of an engine disrupted her thoughts. Suddenly, after a flash of light, a dark blur passed them. Looking at the speeding car, she immediately identified it as an 180sx by its taillights. But when she looked at Kaoruko, she looked in horror.
"He's too fast," she said as she sped to catch up. At a long right-hander, the car they chased began to enter the corner from the outside. "Is he crazy? After this easy right comes a hairpin left. He won't make it!" Miyuki was terrified and expected an accident. The car began to drift towards the right, confirming their fears.
But what came next surprised them.
Miyuki heard the car release the accelerator and suddenly turned left, angling the car for a left turn drift.
"Inertia drift?" Kaoruko said in disbelief. Miyuki couldn't believe it either. The car cleared the corner at an incredible speed that it seemed impossible.
And then, she caught a glance of the car. It was not a 180 as she first suspected but a Sileighty. And when the 86's headlights illuminated the section of the corner, she saw what color it was.
It was Dark Green.
It was the Dark Green Sileighty she saw earlier at the hotel.
A/n: Sorry, I forgot that this was about the mission start and the phantom. And sorry it took this long to update. Recognize the move?