David got off of the plane and looked around, 'Gee, this place sure is crowded. Definitely not like South Boston. Hope I don't get lost.' He continued to walk though the airport with his baggage, then found a man holding up a sign with his name on it. It was one of the few things that were in English. "I'm David Goddard," he said to the man.
"Mr. Godard, Aguri-san askd ov me to taki yu to yur new resedence," the man obviously didn't speak much english. David just nodded his head and followed him to the Mercedes-Benz.
'Geez, this guy must be loaded. I'm almost worried,' David thought to himself and kind of smiled at it. It was almost a thirty minute drive from the airport, including the constant traffic jams. Once they got out of the main area of Tokyo, the traffic wasn't too bad and hitting into the country, traffic was barely a word. "This is much better, almost reminds me of home. Where are we, anyhow?"
"We ar on the maien eyeland of Japan, called Honshu. Yur resedence is near Ichikai Town,"the driver replied.
"You know, I never got your name, what is it?" David asked.
"Nitta, Shinichi, David-san," He replied.
David gave him an odd look, "Hey, Nitta, why'd you call me Davidson? It's just David."
"Hai, I knw, I caled yu David-san becaus yu deserve mor respct than me. So '-san' givs yu rank here in Japan. Yu wil lern mor as yu go long. Allso, Nitta is my family name, family name always first in Japan," Shinichi said.
"Oh, I kinda get it. It's a way of showin' respect to one another by using a suffix like that. Sorta like me calling you 'Mr. Nitta' instead of Shinichi-san." Shinichi nodded. "I sure hope you are right about me pickin' up on it."
"Sum peopl fined thengs ezier two pik up whin thay here it all time," Shinichi said, "I fined ezier to uz english this waye."
"Heh, I'm sorta surprised you can figure out what I'm sayin'," David added, "I have a South Boston accent, it's different than the way most of Virginian's talk. But, it is a little slower than the way most talk, too." Shinichi nodded. "How much further do we have to go?"
"Anothr 30 Minuets."
"I'm going to take a nap, guess just wake me when we get close or something'," David said as he drifted into sleep.
"David-san, we ar here, sir," Shinichi woke him up.
"Already? That went by fast. Must've been pretty worn out," David said as he shook his head and blinked his eyes. As he looked up, he saw a very large house in front of him. He stared in awe.
"Welcum two yur new home, sir."
David looked at Shinichi, "You're not serious! This place is huge, is someone livin' with me?"
Shinichi shook his head, "Onle if yu let thim, sir. Yu will be only one here."
"Wow," David whispered to himself, "I bet my home could fit in here and there would still be room."
"Allso, sir, Kaneishi-sempai sade to bee at TI Circuit AIDA by 08:00 so yu can get used to the team and kar," Shinichi added, "It is in Okayama."
David nodded his head, "Hey, just one question, how will I get around? I don't have a car."
"Actully, sir, yu do," Shinichi pressed a button and the garage door opened, "Complements of Nissan and Kaneishi-sama." Shinichi bowed, got back into the Mercedes, and drove out. David waived at him as he left.
David went over to the garage to give the car a look over. It was a NISMO version of the Fairlady Z. It was silver with a tri-tone red, white, and blue stripe starting from past the front fender well to just a few inches past the door, then it began to break up into three checkered flags with each it's own color. 17" front and 18" rear five star NISMO wheels wrapped in Kumho (265/40 ZR-17 front and 265/35 ZR-18 rear) Ecsta Supra 712's. "David Goddard" was on both doors, just above the stripe and centered with the door. It had a functional and adjustable rear spoiler and front valance. What made this a one off was the motor. Instead of the Double Over Head Cam, 24-valve, 3.4 liter, 213 cubic inches V-6, there was a 5.6 liter, Double Over Head Cam, 32-valve V-8 with a NISMO Supercharger. "Holy Hell! They either really like me or they want to send me though a tree!" David said as his eyes got wide as wide as saucers. That wasn't all, there was also an '04 Titan, a truck that hasn't been released yet, but was in his garage. "Well, I guess that means they really like me."
He picked up his luggage and went inside to check out the rest of the house. It was absolutely huge. He couldn't believe the shear size of it. The outside didn't give a hint to the interior, "Man, where in the hell am I gonna to get enough stuff to fill this place?" He began his tour though the living area, it was fully furnished in the latest in technology but was still down to earth. "Well, guess I don't have to worry about this room." He walked into the kitchen, it was also fully furnished and very modern. "Guess I'll have to learn to cook, again." He went into the eating area, it was very Japanese. No seats to sit on, just mats. The table wasn't very tall, just to ones hip while sitting on the mats. "I feel like I'm in a dojo or something."
The next area wasn't really a room, more like a porch, but, with a room above. You could see the garden out back and the Cherry Blossoms that made a small path to the rest of the yard. "This looks like a place I could be after a race, just sit down and look at the scenery. Very comfortin'." He went back in, grabbed his luggage and went up-stairs. He went to what felt like his room, which was above the porch. A king sized bed faced a large flat-screen television. There was a walk-in closet, empty of course. "'You can get clothes when you get to Tokyo.' I'm gonna to have to." He dropped off his luggage and walked into the room next to it, a guest room. "Looks similar, just a little smaller." He then went into the game room, "Oh, kick ass! A racing simulator! An actual simulator!" It was a cab only car with an opening door, full of screens to fully simulate a race car, there was even a mock roll cage. The seat was a real racing seat with the belts coming though like they are supposed to. Every switch, knob, button, and light actually worked as intended. Only thing was, "It's right-hand drive, go figure. But, I guess this is supposed to simulate the JGTC Fairlady. I can't believe how accurate it is!" He then looked down beside the gear shift lever, on the floor board was a letter addressed to him. It was from Aguri Kaneishi. "Dear David,
As you can see, this is a JGTC GT500 Nissan Skyline Simulator, you are to use it as you wish. It is an actual simulator and if practice was to be rained out, this would be your alternate. We are patched in though a broadband connection and can get the results, add different tracks, weather changes, etc. from here. You can even go as far as race my son at the same time, which I encourage. It will help to get you two used to each others driving styles. Like I stated earlier, you may use this as you wish. It is yours for any use, enjoyment, practice, whatever. We may even find a way to simulate different streets in Japan so you won't get very bored.
Sincerely,
Aguri Kaneishi"
"Cool. I never thought I would ever see anythin' like this as long as I lived." David then spotted a pinball machine, it was based off of the CART series, "That's pretty neat, too bad it is the CART series, though." Then next thing he spotted was the pool table, it could be set up to play 9- ball as well as 8-ball. "Heh, haven't done that since I was back in Virginia. Wonder if I lost any," he joked to himself. There was also a small bar towards the back corner of the room, "I don't think I am old enough to drink here. I'll have to check that."

"Hmm," David started looking at a map of Japan, "Shinichi said I had to be at TI Circuit by 08:00. If I am in Ichikai, and TI is in Okayama, then that means," his eyes got wide as saucers, "that's over three hundred miles away! How am I supposed to get there by 08:00?" Then, all of the sudden, he heard a helicopter fly low over head. He looked out his front window and saw it land on a pad just a few yards from the front of the house, "Well, I guess that's how."

Makoto Kino walked down Hi Ishi Street on her way to the Market Place in the inner part of Tokyo. She noticed a Helicopter flying lower than usual and her heart began to pace. Helicopters got her nervous, but, airplanes are a different story. She couldn't even stand to see them on the television. So much so, that she would hide behind the curtains to avoid the sight. It would bring back so many bad memories of that black day in her life, the day that her parents died. She had been living alone in her apartment since that fateful day. It was amazing that people just 3 years older than her could barely do it, while, she had been doing so since she was 6. Her uncle took care of her as much as he could until she was 14, then he let her take care of herself. He would give her enough for food and the bills she had to pay. The check would come once a week in the mail. Today had been the payday and she was off to buy food for the week.
She continued to walk, after giving her heart a bit to slow. 'Why do they have to fly so low sometimes,' she thought to herself, 'don't they know that some people don't like that?' She had finally reached her destination and started her usual routine of finding what she needed, starting with the produce that could take the longer walk back, then getting colder foods last. She actually enjoyed going out and getting different foods and recipes to try out. She loved to cook anything and everything because her aspiration is to become a world renowned Chef and serve the finest dishes that the tongue could handle. Her favorite portion of dish to create was pastries. From bread to cookies to cakes, she could make nearly anything the heart would desire. The one thing she couldn't make was the perfect companion to enjoy her cooking with her. She had her friends, of course, but, she really wanted, almost needed, more. She had tried once, that ended in disaster in the rain. She tried again with Shinosaki, her best friend since childhood, but found him to be her best friend. It was a good relationship, but, it just never came to the fruition that they both had hoped for. He was still, however, one she could always come to for advice or just a shoulder to cry on. She loved him in the brotherly sort of way, not as a lover.
She paid for her groceries and began her walk back home. On her way, she noticed someone familiar. She picked up her pace and caught up with Haruka Ten'Ou, her mentor of sorts. "Hello, Haruka-san!" Makoto said.
"Hello, Mako-chan," Haruka responded, "Out getting groceries, I see?"
"Hai," Makoto said back.
"Oh, I just remembered," Haruka started, "I have a testing session Saturday at a track in Motegi. Want to watch me for a bit? I'm sure Michiru would like the company."
Makoto smiled and said, "Sounds great, I'll have to check and see if I have anything planned, so I will call you tonight, ok?"
"Great," Haruka said as she hopped onto her Honda and started it up, "I'll talk to you tonight, then." She threw on her helmet and waived bye. She sped off like a lighting bolt, in just a few seconds, she was out of eyesight.

Makoto made her walk back home and unlocked her door when another familiar voice spoke up, "Need some help with that?" It was Daijobi Kamata.
"Ne, Daijobi-san," she replied, "I can handle it."
"You know, you need a man around every once in a while. It's only natural."
"As natural as my fist into your stomach," Makoto thought to herself, "Good day, Daijobi," she said as she closed the door into his face and locked it. "The nerve of that, that boy!" she continued to herself, "He's such a hound. To think some girls actually like him, that's nearly impossible."
Daijobi had other thoughts on his mind, "She'll be next, might take some other actions, but, I'll get her, too. No woman can turn this face down." He chuckled at his own comment. He was a hansom young man of just twenty years of age. His hair used to be a very dark brown, but, he went with the crowd and died it blonde and kept it somewhat short. He was also tall for a Japanese man of his age at six feet; he could stand out of a crowd very easily. He was also a womanizer, brought up that way by his own father who was the same. His father kept his wife long enough to bear his son, but, that was it. He cheated on her the next day and she left him. His father was Moriki Kamata, an ex-250 CC MotoGP rider with only two successes at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan and Sepang Circuit in Malaysia. It wasn't that he was a bad rider; it was the fact that the competition was that equal. The MotoGP is the highest in Super bike racing. His son is nearly his equal at the same age. His father also let his fame go to his head, it's the reason he was such a womanizer. "Their loss," he would reply break-up after break-up. Daijobi climbed aboard his Suzuki, modeled after his father's, and went back to his home located in the lap of luxury.
At 11 o'clock, Makoto readied herself for bed, wearing a nightgown that she and Minako had picked out to match when they slumbered together, and got her night's rest. It didn't seem like long before she drifted into sleep, and into a dream that she would never forget.
The night air was cold and crisp, however, not uncomfortable. It was very clear, you could see everything though the trees, which's leaves had fallen for the fall season. Then, warm arms wrapped around her and gentle words warmed her ears, "I'll come back for you, Jove. I promise." These words made her smile, but, saddened her as well. It was as if she knew that he might not be coming back for her. His hands then placed something into her hands as he kissed her cheek. He then disappeared into the night with these words, "Don't open it until I return. It's a way for me to be sure I do." She smiled more and looked at the small package in her hand and repeated those words, "Don't open it until he returns. I shall not until the promise is kept, then."
The scene then turned into a hellish nightmare. The smell of blood filled her nostrils, the sound of tearing flesh, breaking bones, and terrifying screams surrounded her ears, the sight of sickening gore and chrisom red blood upon the white marble of the stairs and columns of the palace. She could barely stand the sight with out the overcoming feeling of wanting to vomit. She then heard the clashing of swords behind her, a ghastly swordfight was beckoning her to observe. She was nearly afraid to, but, over came it.
When she reached it, it was two Generals clashing it out. Neither one giving in to the other, were they nearly equal in strength and skill. She immediately recognized the weapon of the one General. It was the Zigen of the Clandestine General of the Moon Kingdom, GeneralGraphite. The other, she didn't recognize at first glance, but, then saw it was the Saint Anger of GeneralQuartz, the other Clandestine General of the Moon Kingdom. GeneralGraphite had turned to the Dark Moon Kingdom as did Quartz, however, Graphite had returned to the Moon Kingdom with the help of his closest friends. Quartz had not and held his allegiance to the Dark Moon Kingdom. Now these two men of equal caliber were trying to keep themselves alive in this fight, each man holding their Rapier with equal skill, until Quartz did the unthinkable in a duel. He had noticed the Jovian princess and had maneuvered himself towards her, without Graphite's knowledge. In this bold move, he then grabbed her and held her in front of himself with his Rapier towards her thought. Graphite stopped in time to keep from hitting the Princess. She could not hear what Quartz had said to Graphite, but, she immediately found out. Graphite laid his Zigen down and kicked it away from himself, Quartz then let Princess Jupiter go. Despite being a traitor, he was still a man to most of his word. Graphite knew what would happen next, but, still would fight it to the very end. As soon as Quartz took his final blow, Graphite took the Saint Anger's blade into his hand and stopped it. He then threw a left punch into Quartz's face and the blow made him fall to the ground. When Graphite walked towards him, he suddenly stopped. He blinked out of shock, and then fell to his knees. He then drifted forward to the ground and landed with a dead thud. Three crystal daggers where in his back, each of them in a fatal spot. Quartz got up and walked towards Graphite; he then stated something and walked off. The mysterious figure nowhere to be found that took the coward's shot at GeneralGraphite. Princess Jupiter was a witness to all of this, and then ran quickly to Graphite's dying body. She was crying and sobbing into his chest as he took his few final breaths. He whispered three words into her ears, three words she could never forget.
Then, suddenly, she shot awake. Her cheeks were stained with the wetness of tears. Her breath still jagged from her sobbing. She looked at the clock as it read 05:30, nearly time for her to waken to be ready for school. She decided to make breakfast after she took a quick shower. "The dream was so real," She thought to herself as she stood in the slightly cold shower, letting the water wash the nightmare away, "Who is GeneralGraphite and why do I care for him so? He is definitely someone from my past, but, who? Where is he now? Did he die then and never returned? I have to talk to Luna. She's the only one who would know!"

Makoto couldn't believe her eyes when she got closer to Juban High School, Usagi was on time. "Wow, Usagi-chan, you're on time!"
"Hai," She replied, "Luna-san kept batting me in the head until I awoke."
"That was at 03:00," Luna added, "She did not wake up until 04:35."
"Usagi-chan has always been the heavy sleeper," Makoto Laughed, "Luna- san, I need to talk to you during Lunch Break or after work."
"Hai, what's the matter?" Luna asked.
"Not much, just a dream I had," Makoto said.
"Oh, oh, let me hear first!" Usagi chimed, "Was it steamy? I want to know the most im," she couldn't finish as Luna batter her across the mouth
"That's not the way a future princess should act, Usagi-chan," Luna stated, "You have no need to pry into another's private information."
Makoto laughed at Usagi's expression when Luna's pay hit her mouth. It would also appear that Makoto wasn't the only one impressed by Usagi's early arrival.
"Goodness, Usagi-chan," Ami started, "You are quite early."
"Will you guys get off it?" Usagi sighed.

Yesterday, David got fully introduced to the team. He met the mechanics, tire changers, gas men, and his co-driver, Momiji Kaneishi. The two nearly connected from the start and sat beside each other though the meeting. Today, however, he was to be introduced to the key component that would aid in their conquest of the Japanese Grand Touring Championships, the NISMO Fairlady Z. It was all black or unpainted carbon fiber. No decals on it except to designate what car it was for the fabricators. David made it on time because he stayed at a local hotel. He was greeted by the owner when he arrived.
"Welcome, David," Aguri Kaneishi said, "How was the ride over?"
"Crowded," David said, "different from South Boston, that's for sure."
Aguri nodded, "Well, you will have to get used to that. Japan is a small country. Anyhow, my son will be unable to attend. He has matters elsewhere, so, I will give you an overview of the car, "he opened the left side door, which was the passenger side of the Fairlady. "Ok, David, sit in the seat and position it and the steering wheel how you like it. The tilt lever is on the left hand side of the wheel where the turn signal would be on the civilian model."
David sat down into the car and moved the seat as close to the steering wheel as possible and tilted the wheel so that the top spokes seemed like they barely touched the digital information screen. In reality, the steering wheel was about a foot away from the physical screen. David's position perplexed Aguri, then, remembered that most circle track drivers position themselves like this to "get upon the wheel."
David then started looking at the toggle switches and various buttons that controlled certain functions of the car. He figured most of them out by himself, they were very similar to his car from the Dash series. The larger one with the red cover on it was the main power switch. The one beside it was the starter switch. The switch five inches from it was the fire extinguishing system. The next three switches under the power and starter switches were the engine fan, data acquisition activator, and the driver cooling switches. Each of them had a small picture for each to make sure they where not mistaken because of David's lack of the Japanese language.
The two buttons on the steering wheel were the radio button, which was big and blue, and the engine kill button, which wasn't as large and was red.
"What's these?" David asked and pointed to the two under the fan and D.A.A. switches.
"They are the light and wiper switches," Aguri told him.
"Ok, the wiper I understand the need for, but, the light switch?"
"Yes, JGTC rules since they were known as Group S require them. Group S was also part of the Le Mans Twenty-Four Hour Event. You also have a high beam switch on the other side of the steering wheel."
"Ok, makes more sense now."
"Good, good, let's get you suited up. Your first test run shall be today!"
David smiled with anxiousness and excitement, he had been waiting for three days for his first crack at the Skyline.

Meanwhile, at the High School, Makoto had begun her daily class routine. Her first class was her least favorite, to say the least, Physics. That entire confusing math never seemed to add up in her head. After the early morning headache came trigonometry. It was more confusing math, however, she shared the class with Ami. Her bright face seemed to lift the burden. That, and her understanding of all things difficult helped out also. Her next class was her all time favorite and her well know dream, Cooking. The only thing that spoiled her fun was Daijobi. His continuous flirting got on her nerves and her teacher always seemed to find a way to pair the both of them.
Next was her lunch hour. All the girls, save for Rei, who went to a different school, Haruka, Michiru, who both are now graduated, Hotaru, who is just starting to attend Junior High, and Rini, who was back to her time for now, met there to eat lunch together. Makoto would always share her lunch with Usagi because she would always seem to bring too much. Luna also didn't show up. She must have other matters to take care of. Makoto was somewhat disappointed, but, somewhat relieved. For some reason or another, this dream made her feel that uncomfortable. Her next class was Physical Education, another good class for her. She also shared it with Usagi and Minako.
After this, she had Early Release for her job working as a waitress at a local restaurant. She had the biggest leg up on her co-workers because of her ability to speak and comprehend real English and not the "English" her schools tried to teach. A majority of the English she knew was taught by her father, a successful businessman who constantly flew to America and the United Kingdom. When he passed, her Uncle continued her studies. Ami also aided in her learning. She wanted to attend Harvard's Medical College as soon as she graduated High School and she also had a higher understanding of English. Makoto worked until 17:30 and began to walk back home. On her way, she heard a slight "meow." She clicked her tongue and blackish-purple feline jumped into her arms.
"Good evening, Luna," she said to the cat as it purred at the greeting. As they began to round the corner before her apartment, the sound of a very ferocious fight could be heard.

Earlier that day, around 12:30, David finished some of the most grueling testing he ever experienced.
"You did very well, David-san," Aguri Kaneishi said, "Let's got one of the best restaurants in Japan, you deserve it."
"Where's that?" David asked and smiled.
"Hiroto, in Tokyo. They make the greatest Salmon my tongue has the pleasure to taste."
David shrugged and smiled, "Sounds good to me. Lets go."
"Good, good, I shall call my son and get him to meet us at my office building in Tokyo." Momiji and David connected at day one and David was now anticipating this next encounter. The phone call to Momiji was done by the time they closed the door to the helicopter. In just fifteen minuets, they landed at the roof of the Kaneishi Building and rode the elevator to the ground floor where Momiji was waiting.
David smiled and yelled, "Hey, Moji!"
"Hey Dave!" Momiji yelled back. They took each other's hand and embraced like as if they knew each other their whole lives. That was how much they actually connected.
Aguri could already tell they would have the strongest bond in the JGTC, maybe in the entire racing community. He knew they both were going to be successful because of that bond. Only one thing could possibly hinder that, their size difference. David was 6' 3" and 205 pounds while Momiji was 5'8, 1/2" and 185 lbs. It would probably be a small hindrance because of David's seating position and they would both adapt very easily.
They all three sat into the limo and rode to the restaurant. They discussed the day's achievements and tomorrow's goals. David talked about his early days in racing. Momiji told of his stories about his days in the Super Taikyu Series. Aguri just listened to the both of them, smiling and laughing with them. When they finished Aguri told David to explore Tokyo. He gave him a Palm Pilot with a map of Tokyo. David agreed and told them he would see them tomorrow.
He began to walk back to his hotel in Tokyo after getting his fill of the city when a group stepped in front of him.
"Watashitachi wa en anata o motte iku!" The leader said.
"What? I don't understand you! Do you speak English?" David asked.
"Money, want, now!" he repeated in English.
"Oh, so you do know English. You might understand this one, too," he slightly paused, then said, "No." David then began to find another route when the individual forced him around.
"Money, now!" The leader stated in a more upset tone.
David pushed him back, "Look, jackass, I'm no in the mood to get arrested in just my second night in Japan. Now, buzz off."
This only enraged him and the leader swung at David and connected with his jaw. David stumbled back a bit, it was the first time someone swung on him since he was back in South Boston a few months ago. He rubbed his jaw and slightly shook his head.
"Damn it, all," he mumbled to himself. This time, as the leader swung again, David caught it and drug him into the mail container head first. The other three members circled him at that moment. Not one to really hesitate in a fight, David immediately launched a body blow with his left hand and a head blow with his right at the guy in front of him. The guy to his left came at him and David threw him over his shoulder. The guy at David's right took advantage and double fisted him in the back of the head. He fell to the ground and instinctively rolled to his back and kicked the guy to keep him from jumping on top of him.
This was the scuffle Makoto heard and gently put Luna down as she went around the corner. As she made her way, the leader started standing and whipped out a knife. Makoto spotted it and quickly tackled him. As David sat up, the second guy kicked him in the back and the third kicked him in the chest. He fell back to the ground and the second guy picked him up enough to put his arm around David's neck and motioned to the third guy to help the leader as the fourth began to kick David.
Makoto subdued the leader as the third guy grabbed her by the hair and pulled her off him.
"Stupid move, bitch," he said, then cringed in pain and yelped as she kicked him in the crotch and threw him head first into the ground.
"Wrong move, bastard," she spat, then grabbed the fourth guy off of David, held him by the collar with her left hand and punched him out cold with her right. David then got enough strength and punched the guy choking him in the temple and then got up and kicked his attacker. He then sunk into the wall and waited for his breath to catch back up. He then looked up at Makoto.
"Thanks," he gasped out as he nodded his head as the assailants decided to leave at that moment.
She sat beside him and sighed out, "Your welcome. What's your name?" Makoto asked.
"David," he sighed out, "David Goddard."
"My name is Kino, Ma, er, Makoto Kino. Would you like to come in and rest in a more comfortable place? My apartment is just right there," she pointed out.
"You don't mind?"
"I helped you, didn't I?" she smiled.
He smiled back and nodded his head yes. As he stood up, she took notice how much taller he was. Her head was just at his chest.
"Wow, he's tall," she whispered to herself. It was rare that she met many boys taller than her, even rarer was he. David took notice of her slight stare and laughed to himself.
"Sorry," she stated as she shook her head, "not many boys your size around here." David started to laugh a little louder, but, then winced in pain as he grabbed the lower part of his ribs.
"Those kicks must've been harder than I thought."
"Come on, let's get you inside, David-san." She led him into her apartment, slightly helping him along the way. Luna followed as a close third. She then helped ease the both of them into her couch and then got back up. "I'll get you some aspirin and water, ok?"
David nodded as he gently sat back more into the couch. "Heh, she's actually very cute. Very nice, too," he thought to himself as he admired her for a bit. "You're really good with your English, there, Ms. Kino. I've been lucky to even find anyone who could speak a sentence longer than three words."
"My father traveled a lot when I was younger," she began as she walked back with the water and aspirin, "he would go to the United States and the United Kingdom. He taught me it since I was a little older than four. Then my Uncle and a friend helped me with it further." David could sense a little sadness towards the end of the sentence.
"You and your father talk much anymore?" he asked inadvertently.
"Well, if you mean in the spiritual sense, we talk a lot."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's ok, my mother and father both died on a plane crash when I was 8," she handed him the glass and pill. As David took it, she started again, "My mother was really good to me. She's the one who taught me to cook when I was able to walk and stand on my own. She was such a good cook, it's the reason I want to become a world famous chef and open my own flower shop and bakery."
David smiled as she told her story, "I noticed you like roses a bunch. You even have 'em on your ears."
She laughed at his statement and said, "They smell, too," she took one off, "Smell?"
"That's actually kinda neat," he then gave an odd look, "Clip on?"
"Yeah, I had those since I was young. I don't wear much other jewelry. An occasional necklace every once in a blue moon."
"I must say, you are quite pretty with out that stuff," he said, not really realizing it until he said it. The slight blush on his face was a giveaway to the fact he didn't want that to come out. He wasn't the only one with red on their face. Makoto was blushing red as a tomato and was smiling wider than she had in a while.
"My, you are quite the, uh," she couldn't quite find the word at the moment. She was at a loss for words.
"Hope you don't mean womanizer," he jokingly smiled, trying to ease her.
"Hardly," she smiled back, "Do you really mean that?" David nodded in response which made her blush brighter.
"Oh, come on, I'm sure you get that a lot! I bet you have guys fighting for you all the time," he continued to smile. The statement didn't help her blushing case any.
"Oh, my," she smiled and began to fiddle with her dress. "This is so, odd," she thought to herself, "He's making me so comfortable, even as he flirts with me. Why do I feel this way with him?"
Luna couldn't also help but notice, it was hard to miss. Not every guy Makoto met made her act like this, not even Shinosaki. Even stranger was the fact she only met David for a few minuets and they were both already like this. As nice and friendly as Makoto is, it is rare for her to act like this with a man she just met. In fact, this was the only time Luna can recall anyone she first met and was even comfortable enough to mentioned her parents' death to him nearly off the bat. She also had another concern about David, he looked very familiar. She even felt a slight closeness to him like Mamoru and her. She couldn't quite put her paw on it, but, David was a familiar person to her. She decided to get a closer look at him and to ease the flirting a bit.

"Oh, seems Luna even likes you," Makoto said as Luna jumped into David's lap, "You must not be all bad."
"Your cat?" David asked as Luna began her "inspection."
"No, a friend's," she said.
"It's beautiful looking, even so. What's this mark on her head?"
"She's had that since I first seen her. I guess it's just an odd birthmark," she had to lie to him about it.
"Looks like a quarter moon. I've never seen a mark like that."
Luna began to sniff around him and get a good look at him, he was so familiar to her. He even smelled like someone she knew. David then gently picked her up and held her so that her belly was exposed and began to scratch her. Even though she was a Guardian, she still had her feline instincts. However, her instincts even told her it was alright. It was then she knew it was someone from the Light Moon Kingdom, but, who?
"Wow, David-san, she really does like you," Makoto said in a surprise.
"Yeah," he said and began to ponder something in his head. For some reason, he wasn't bothered by her. He has never seen a cat like her in his life, but, this situation was, "Familiar," he whispered to himself, "Why are you so familiar?"
Makoto could barely hear him, but, it seemed to her that David was very puzzled, "What's the matter?"
David snapped out of his thoughts, "Nothing, Jove."
Makoto's eyes got very wide and thought to herself, "Did he? No, he couldn't have." David didn't seem to flinch at his statement. It was like as if he didn't even realize what he had said. She decided to herself to just ignore it. "David-san," she began.
"Yes?"
"Would you like to have dinner? If you haven't eaten anything yet, of course. I'm really good!" She smiled.
David then smiled back, "I would be honored, Ms. Kino."
"Call me Mako-chan, or Mako, instead of Ms. Kino. Makes me feel too old," she said playfully.
"Ok, Mako," said David, "but only if you call me David instead of David-san. Sounds too much like Davidson."
"Ok, David," she nodded.

"So, David, what would you like?" She asked as she made her way into her kitchen.
"Well, to be honest, I haven't had a good burger since I got here. Think you can make one?"
"No," she said, then smiled, "I can make two." David smiled and laughed gently. Makoto then began to get things out to make Hamburgers. "So, what brought you here to Japan?"
"Well, I guess you can say it's because of my job."
"Oh? Where do you work?"
"Gouka Team Racing. I'm the second driver for the Tein/ NISMO Fairlady Z in the JGTC."
"You're a race car driver? What on earth are you doing here? There is no track around here."
"The owner, Aguri Kaneishi, has an office building over younder."
"Yawnder? I've never hear of a place called 'Yawnder.'"
"Oh, sorry, I just mean over that way a ways back. I come from Virginia, South Boston to be exact. I talk with a lot of southern slang."
"It's ok, I'll get used to it."
David then walked over towards her after setting Luna on the couch, "Need any help?"
"No, thank you very much, David."
Luna was still thinking about David for a bit. He wasn't going to be a danger to any of them. He was very friendly and actually quite courteous. "He might even be a good person for Makoto to be with," she smiled to herself, "He may even help ease her feeling loneliness."
"You know, a friend of mine is racing, too," Makoto said, "Her name is Haruka Ten'Ou. Sound familiar?"
"Sorta, do you know what she will be drivin' or even if it is the JGTC she will be drivin' in?"
She shook her head no, "I don't honestly know."
"I'll ask Momiji or Aguri."
"Who's Momiji?"
"Oh, yeah, he's my co-driver. He's also the boss's son. Nice fella'. Me and him nearly act like long lost brothers or somthin'."
Makoto laughed, "You really get along quickly with others, huh?"
David smiled, "Well, no. My little scuffle should be proof of that."
"Just a bad bunch of boys, that's all."
"Yeah, well," he then trailed off, "Nevermind."
Makoto continued to pound the ground beef into patties, then, turned on the grill portion of her stove. She then turned on the exhaust fan to high to let the smoke escape into the atmosphere. When she felt like it was hot enough, the put the patties onto the grill and let them cook.
David then began to admire her again, "Even when cooking, she's graceful," he smiled to himself, "A guy really would be lucky to have a girl like her." Before he knew it, she was handing him a plate and a bright smile.
"It's ready, daydreamer," she picked, "Hope you like it."
"If it tastes as good as it smells," he smiled, then waited for her to sit down. He then took his first bite. His eyes went a little wide and shook his head and swallowed. "That really is good, Mako," he said.
She smiled and slightly blushed again, "Thank you, David," as she began to try and eat her hamburger.
"You really should open up your own place," he said, "You'd give any restaurant a run for its money!"
Her smile widened and her cheeks redden before she could get her bite in, "Oh, my, more of those good comments."
David just smiled back and said, "You know, you won't enjoy your work if you just let it sit there like that. I'll stop my 'good comments' long enough to let you eat."
Makoto chuckled and nodded yes as she began to eat her hamburger.

As they finished, there was a nock at her door, "Excuse me," Makoto said as she got up to answer it, "Uh-oh," she said to herself, "I almost forgot! I told Minako that I would help her with some studies! She's going to harass me for sure since David is here!" She decided to just live though it, "Konbanwa, Mina-chan."
"Konbanwa, Mako-chan! Anata wa shukudai o renshuu suru ka? [Good evening, Mako-chan! You ready to practice homework?]"
"Great, I don't understand 'em," David thought to himself.
"Yes I am, Mina-chan," Makoto replied.
"Hm? You have a guest?"
"Yep, two of them. Luna-san and Goddard, David."
"Heard my name in that. I think," David thought to himself.
"Oh, he's cute!" she said as she made her way to sit in front of him before Makoto could warn her, "Konbanwa, David-san!"
"Um, hi, I, uh, guess," he replied, not knowing what she said, "What did she say?"
"She said good evening," Makoto said, "David-san ga nihongo wa benkyou surumasen. [David doesn't study Japanese.]"
"Oh, I see," Minako said, "Sawre, David-san," she apologized. David nodded and smiled.
"Does she know much English?" he asked.
"Well, she'll be another that can only speak three words that you will understand."
"So, she can't understand me right now?"
"No, not really. Her name is Minako, by the way."
"Ok."
"So, what are you two talking about?" Minako asked in Japanese.
"We are talking about you," Makoto smiled lightly laughed.
"Humph, I see."
David could only look and wonder what they were saying. He continued to just listen in as best as he could.
Minako decided to pick back, "Should I leave you two alone for a bit longer, you have that look in your eyes. I could take Luna with me." She began to smirk towards the end of her statement.
"Uh," Makoto began to stumble, "I, uh,"
"Hah! I knew it!"
"I just met him! Though, he is really nice."
"So, then, you two should get to know each other better. I'll be fine with my studies, by myself," Minako's smile just got wider, "Just no funny business, got it?"
"What do you mean, 'funny business?'" Makoto gave her an odd look.
"You know what I mean," she continued to have that coy look in her eyes, "It's wrong to just hop into be,"
"Minako! Who do you take me for?!" Makoto then interjected.
"Oh, just you, that's all."
"She looks mad," David thought to himself, "I wonder what she said?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Makoto asked.
"Nothing, I'm just picking on you, Mako-chan. Just don't let him take advantage of you," Minako said.
"He's not like any other guy I've met, he's very different."
"How different?"
"So much so, I just had dinner with him and we really enjoyed ourselves."
"Awe, did he kiss you?"
Makoto began to blush, "No."
"You wish he did, don't you."
Makoto moved her eyes to the ground and started moving her right foot, "Um, well."
"I knew it! You are already falling for him!"
"No, I'm not, he just said some really sweet things to me. That's all," she stammered out.
"Like?"
"He said I looked pretty, even without make-up and jewelry."
Minako was now surprised, "And you didn't kiss him?"
"Hey! I told you, I just met him!"
"So? It's not everyday you meet a guy willing to tell you that you don't need makeup to look pretty. You need to go out with this man!"
"I might, you never know."
"No, I do know," Minako gave an evil grin, "Well, it's time for us to go, Luna," she said as she picked up the cat, "By, David-san," she winked at him, "Bee carfu wit heer."
"Bye, Minako, hope to see you again," David said as Makoto closed the door behind her. He then smiled to her and asked, "There something I need to know? You got mad at her, then blushed as red as I made you, and she says be careful with you."
"Ah, Minako is just a goof. She gets that way with me when I'm near guys," Makoto replied as she sat back down.
"Oh? Heh, she sounds like a good friend."
"She really is, she's nearly like a sister to me."
"Hey, what time is it?"
"Too soon for you to go," Makoto said to herself, "It's 18:30, why?"
"I think I need to get going," David said, "I've got to be at a press conference by 09:45, tomorrow is the official day for Aguri to announce my signing with the team and with Tein now being his sponsor. It's going to be something different for me, even being as high as the Dash series, I've never had a press conference for such things. The most being a spot on Speedway Illustrated, but, that was just a small spot."
"You don't think it will be a bad thing, do you?"
"Nah, just something I'm going to have to get used to, that's all."
She smiled at him and said, "I think you will do fine. You seem to be really good with people, so, I wouldn't worry about it."
David smiled back, "Thanks, Mako," he then popped up with idea, "Hey, just thought of something," he reached in his pocket and pulled out a card, "This has my cell number on it. Call me tomorrow, and we can meet somewhere. I may even be able to get you into the press conference so we could hang out there, you could even meet Momiji and Aguri."
"That's great, but, I have work and school tomorrow, but, I can meet you after 17:30."
"Ok, and you can give me a good tour of the city?"
"Sounds great!" Makoto said ecstatically. David got up and began to walk towards the door as Makoto followed him. She opened the door for him and let him out, slightly reluctantly, "Good evening, David."
"G' night, Mako," David said as he looked her in the eyes and thought, "They're beautiful."
She looked him back in the eyes and thought, "His eyes are handsome." They stared at each other for a minute, then shook it off as they said their good byes once more. As she closed the door and locked it, she melted to the floor and had the brightest grin on her face, "I can't wait for tomorrow." She then readied herself for bed with the thought of being able to see him again. She could barely let herself fall to sleep, she hadn't felt this way in such a long time. She liked the feeling again, she hoped she could feel this way more often now. "I think I really have fallen for him."

David began to wonder. How did he know this girl? She felt so familiar, even comfortable. Something about her felt so right. He couldn't wait to see her again. "Makoto Kino," he said to himself, "it's actually a nice name, now that I think about it." He couldn't help but smile at himself, "No other woman has ever made me feel so good. Not even Mandy. Makoto, you're special in some way I couldn't ever dream of. I can't help but hope this good luck can continue." His pace quickened, he wanted tomorrow to come as soon as it could, he wanted to see he beautiful face again.
At the same time a stranger watched as David made his way to his hotel. "So," the stranger said to himself, "he really did return with them. Who would have thought he would have been so much further away than the rest? Well, I should report back to my Mistress. She would be very delighted to hear that her old obsession is in fact still alive." With that, the shadowed figure disappeared into the night.
David woke up that morning with Makoto still on his mind, he even had a very odd dream of her. He was a General of some sort, the suit seemed Civil War like, but, had an odd design on the coat. The sky also had an odd color to it. It was a light red tint to the normal night sky usually seen. However it was a dream, anything was possible. Makoto was standing near the edge of a forest, facing towards a lake. He gently walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her. He then whispered into her ear, "I'll come back for you, Jove. I promise." He then slipped a small box into her hands, "Don't open it until I return. It's a way for me to be sure I do." He then walked back into the wood silently, hoping no one had seen or heard them.
Before leaving to be sent off on his next mission, David walked over to the room where the Princess of Venus was staying. "Can you do me a big favor, Princess?" he asked.
"Of course, GeneralGraphite. You and I have been friends long enough to do favors for one another," Venus had replied.
"You are also very good friends of Jupiter," said GeneralGraphite.
"Oh, I see what the favor will be," she had smiled. Venus had known about Graphite and Jupiter's affection towards each other, but, it had to be a secret. A General of his rank and specialty couldn't fall for one of the Princesses. It could be used against them and cost not only the mission, but, the lives of the entire Moon Kingdom.
"Just keep in touch with me with this Imigstone, tell me how she is doing," Graphite knew what he was doing was wrong, but, he had fallen for her beauty so hard he couldn't resist.
Venus nodded in agreement, "I shall, I am the Princess of Beauty and Love, after all."
Graphite smiled as he left the room to the secret room where his missions would be briefed to him. It was where he would get his orders and no one else would. No one else knew of the room as each General with the Rank and Specialty of Clandestine had to have this room of their own. They were the spies of the Moon Kingdom, their orders came from the Royal Families themselves. Graphite's orders were to penetrate the Dark Moon Kingdom and find the traitors of the Moon Kingdom. Once found, report who they were at once and await the next order. He then set off for the Dark Moon Kingdom with his orders.
The next scene was darker than the last. The sky was nearly pitch black, the stars couldn't even be seen. He walked into a Grand Hall, which was made of near black crystals.
"Ah, our newest member has arrived," the woman up in the middle stated. He bowed before her and stood again.
"Yes, Queen Beryl, I have," he looked at her with stone cold eyes.
"You are not the only new member of my protectors. Come in, GeneralQuartz."
Graphite held back the surprise when he heard the name as he thought, "General, Quartz? I was the only one on this mission! Why, is he, here?"
"My Queen, I express gratitude to thee for allowing me to see the truth," he said.
"Why is he here? Is he a traitor among the other Generals? Why is someone with his rank here? He has my rank! He taught me! This can't be!" Graphite continued to think, "He can't be a traitor!" Graphite then bowed to Queen Beryl, "I must request a small recess for thyself. I shall return, your Highness."
"Go on, but be quick about it," Queen Beryl said, "This is the last General to honor our presence and we must go over the plans for the takeover!"
"Yes, my Queen," Graphite said. He exited the hall and found the spot where the Moon Kingdom would receive his messages with his Imigstone, "King Endymion, I must ask, who else is on this mission?"
"You are the only one, General. Why do you ask?" Prince Endymion replied.
"I have found all the traitors, King Endymion," Graphite said solemnly, "Generals Kunzite, Neophyte, Zoicite, Jadeite, and Clandestine GeneralQuartz."
"GeneralQuartz? No, he was supposed to be on recreation leave! This was his real intent?"
Graphite was at a near loss for words, "Yes, sir. I saw him with my own eyes. He is the last. They are planning an attack on the Moon Kingdom."
"Graphite I know how hard this will be for you," Endymion started, "however, you must go back in there and record the attack plans! For the sake of the entire Moon Kingdom! These are the final orders before you return, I have given you permission to execute if the situation arises! Is the understood, General?"
Graphite nodded, "Yes, sir! I shall fulfill my orders at all costs."
"Good, see you when you return, General."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Graphite returned to the hall and began to fulfill his final orders before his return. He put his hands and the stone into his pockets for it to record the events. Every word Beryl stated would be in the stone, every maneuver, every attack, everything. No words escaped his ears, he wouldn't let them.
The time had now been the night before the attack on the Moon Kingdom. Graphite used the escape plan detailed in his briefing. Exiting out the window and repelling down the side of the Castle. When he touched the ground, he made his way northwest of the Castle. He ran as fast as his legs would let him, but something had troubled him. Graphite felt like he was being followed, his fears couldn't be more right as a blast came from just behind him. He began to fly though the air and caught a view of his pursuer, it was Repunsel, one of Queen Beryl's own spies. He was clad in dark red pants that flared out after the taping around his feet and a tight black shirt. His face was hidden by a mask with an odd smile on it, no one has seen his face and lived. Graphite used his time slow technique to allow himself time to recover from the landing and launch his own attack, the Gatlin Fire. Large transparent green rods would form around his arm and begin to rotate as they expelled themselves as energy blasts. The blasts only hit tree limbs because of the pure speed in which Repunsel could move. "Going to have to predict his next move," Graphite thought to himself. He continued to fire until he felt was the right moment to switch his attack to the AeroPush, an attack that used the wind and air to form a concussion wave to the victim. It sounded like a small cannon going off as it hit Repunsel sending him over a hundred yards away. "Goodness," Graphite sighed and shook his head, "getting rusty." Repunsel was out cold, or he seemed that way. Irregardless, Graphite couldn't afford to sit and wait on him. He needed to return to the Moon Kingdom with the information.
The scene had changed once more. It was the Moon Kingdom, however, this time is was in shards and burning from the attacks that Beryl had launched against them. Graphite's information was correct, however, Quartz had a back up plan just in case and it was working too well. He began to fight Quartz with everything he had, but, the two men were equals. "Why did you become a traitor, Quartz? After saving me? Why?" Graphite demanded.
"I didn't save you! I turned you back to the dogs! I should have never done it! We could be fighting together instead of fighting against each other!" yelled Quartz.
Graphite yelled out of anger, "Traitors dog! I shall kill you!"
Graphite's Zigen and Quartz's St. Anger sang the pitiful song of two men betrayed and sparked with each strong blow.
"How could you?" Graphite yelled again, "I trusted you like an older sibling!"
"And I, you a younger!" Quartz yelled back, "But you were too loyal to the Moon Kingdom! You never gave Beryl a chance like you should have! Instead you mocked her by infiltrating her trust and stealing her love!"
By this time, Princess Jupiter had came in watching the two men fight to the death. Quartz had taken notice and had grabbed her as a shield with his Rapier to her thought. Graphite had just stopped his attack in time.
"Drop your Zigen, Graphite," Quartz said, "and I will not kill her."
Graphite narrowed his eyes and dropped his Rapier and as he said, let Jupiter go.
"You see, even Beryl's Generals have honor like you do," Quartz prepared for a thrust to Graphite's heart, "however, it can only go so far."
As Quartz took his stab, Graphite grabbed the sword with his right hand which began to bleed from holding the Rapier, "You may still have some sense of honor, but, I still have enough pride to keep fighting!" With Quartz in shock, he punched him in the face with his left hand. It stunned Quartz enough for him to fall and let his St. Anger go. He took the St. Anger into his hand and began to walk towards Quartz, with the intent of killing him. However, he was stopped just before reaching him. He was stunned to have felt three daggers in his back and blinked before falling to his knees. He dropped the St. Anger and drifted to the ground. Quartz stood up, walked over to Graphite and stated something. He then walked away with his Rapier in hand and the mysterious figure gone without a trace. Jupiter ran over to Graphite and held him up as she sobbed into his chest. "I," he tried to keep talking, "love, you," he said with his last breath.
That was when David woke up, "Man, what an odd dream! Never had anything like that before." He looked over to the clock, he had to be at the Japanese Grand Touring Association headquarters at 09:00 for his introduction to the JGTC. It was now 07:45. "I've got a little more than an hour till I have to be there," his cell phone interrupted him, "Mornin', this is David Goddard."
"Ohayo gozaimasu, David (Good Morning, David)," Makoto said over the phone.
"Hey, Makoto," David said happily, "I thought you had school today."
"I do, I'm just in between classes at the moment."
"How long of a break do you get?"
"Not long enough," she thought to herself. "Ten minuets."
"Heh, not long enough," said David.
Makoto smiled with his reply and said, "I was kind of thinking the same."
"How's your day going so far?"
"Alright, just the normal bothers."
David laughed, "Anything I could help in taking care of?"
Makoto laughed back, "I wish."
"Well, at least I didn't come out too strong," David smiled at himself as he thought. "Still on for tonight?"
"Of course. I wouldn't want to miss it for the world."
"Makoto! You are going to be late for class," yelled Usagi.
"Like you have room to talk," Makoto laughed back.
"What was that about?" David asked, "You spoke more Japanese there."
"Just a goofy friend of mine telling me to hurry up or I'll be late for class."
"Well, I don't want to make you late."
"You won't."
David began to contemplate on weather or not he should tell her about his dream, but, decided not to. Not yet. "You only have a few minuets left, Mako."
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. What about you and your press conference? Are you still worried about it?"
"Nah, not after that confidence booster you gave me yesterday," David said, "That really did help."
Makoto's cheeks turned a bit red, "Oh, well, at least I helped you."
"You sure did. Hey, where did you want me to meet you tonight?"
"At my apartment, if you remember where it is."
"I do."
"Good," Makoto said as the warning chime went off. "I've got to go now, David," she sighed.
"Alright, see you tonight."
"See you tonight, David."
As Makoto hung up the phone she sighed again and made her way to her next class. She then realized that her cheeks were still slightly red from David's comment, "Oh, boy, Daijobi will have fun with me today." She walked into the classroom and made her way to her table. Daijobi sat right next to her, "Good Morning, dear."
"Go to hell, dear," she thought to herself, "Hello, Daijobi."
"Hey, it's not that cold this morning, why are your cheeks so red?"
"It's nothing, Daijobi."
"Sure, and I'm one of the Sailor Senshi."
"Then you must be."
"Hmm, I see. You were blushing at the fact that you would be sitting next to me today! How thoughtful, Mako-chan! I didn't know you even felt that way!"
Before Makoto could retort, the teacher walked in. "Good Morning, students!"
"Good Morning, Nako-sensei," the class said in near unison.
"Ok, everyone take out their books and begin to prepare the recipe for an American food known as Chicken Pie."
Makoto quietly smiled as the word American made her think of David. She gently laughed to herself as she thought of all the places she could show him.
Daijobi slightly challenged the teacher's choice on the recipe and said slightly to himself, "Americans aren't worth a damn, they just want to push their morals onto the rest of us like as if they are the world's police."
Makoto was slightly shocked at what Daijobi had just said. Even as much of a jerk she thought he was, she couldn't believe the words that just came out of his mouth. She kept quiet and got what she needed to make the pie. As the class passed, she realized that she was the one doing all the work, "Daijobi, are you even going to help in the least bit?"
"I refuse to even touch such a ridicules idea."
"Daijobi, I would slightly appreciate a small amount of help."
Nako noticed how Daijobi wasn't pitching in and walked over to their table, "Everything ok here?"
"Just fine," Daijobi said before Makoto could even breath in to say anything.
"How come you aren't helping, then, Daijobi?"
"Makoto said that she didn't need all the help."
"What did you say?" Makoto said in an upset tone. "How dare he?" she thought to herself, "Blaming me for his worries! He really is a bastard!"
Nako only nodded her head and signaled to Makoto to calm down, "Then, Daijobi-san, Makoto will get full credit for the project. You will receive a zero!"
"What? How dare you woman?"
"How dare you, Daijobi!" The entire class was surprised by the exclamation by Nako, she never use a student's name without some sort of suffix. This was the signal that she wasn't too happy with one of them, and that took quite a bit to get her like that. "Daijobi, leave the room and go see the Director of Education, now!"
Daijobi grabbed his books and walked out, mumbling about how traitorous she and other American sympathizer were. Makoto was slightly worried. She didn't like him, but, this wasn't like him. Makoto also knew he was too stubborn to go to the Director's office, so, she decided to find him after class.

David got out of the limo and walked into the GTAJ Headquarters, where he was directed to the Press Room. He was just on time and didn't get time to mingle with the VIP's. Aguri would rather it had been that way anyhow, David was still a slight secret. Most of them knew that an American would be entering for the first time with Gouka Racing and didn't know what he looked like.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the conference will now commence," the Public Relations Representative stated. He repeated his message in four other languages, which included Chinese, Malaysian, and Korean. This same man would translate to and for David. Aguri and Momiji would speak in English, they figured it would make David feel more comfortable. That, and he wouldn't have to listen to the translator the entire time.
"I personally would like to extend my welcome to all that could join us," Aguri began, "As you know, I have been team owner of Gouka Racing for three years now. I started this team in the Super Taikyu Series with my son at the wheel of the GReddy Mazda RX-7, who got rookie of the year and nearly won the championship. With that near win, I knew we had to take another step forward. With the now retired Stephan Jager and my son, we entered the Japanese Grand Touring Championships using the #33 GReddy Nissan Skyline GT-R. Along with the help of Nismo, we again came so very close to taking the GT500 Championship. Now with Nismo fully tuning the new Fairlady, I feel that this is the best chance to take the championship!"
"However," Aguri continued, "two important components have taken their leave from Gouka Racing. Those two components were Stephan Jager and GReddy Performance. GReddy Performance had to leave to concentrate on their overseas markets, but, may return with us in the future. If they come back as our main sponsor or as a support, we do not know at this time. This is where new sponsors have the chance to break new ground. After many months of thorough searches and deals, we now have a primary sponsor. I am proud to be the first to announce that the sponsor of the #33 Nismo Skyline for the 2004 season is, Tein Performance Suspension Incorporated, Japan."
The gathering of reporters and photographers began to clap and the #33 Tein Nismo Skyline had finally been revealed. As it was, a multitude of flashbulbs went off as the photographers tried to get their first shots for their publication. "I've never seen anything like this since the Winston All-Star Race at Lowe's!" David thought to himself, "This is a bigger deal than I thought."
Aguri signaled for everyone to calm down, then began to speak again, "Now, the second, and just as important portion of this announcement. As you all know, Stephan Jager announced his retirement of his racing career at the final round at Suzuka Circuit of this past year. However, he consulted me privately at the beginning of year about his leave. I took this opportunity to search for his replacement and had to find a young man that had nearly the skill this former champion had. This search was nearly as extensive as our sponsorship search, but, I feel that we were just as successful at this as well. I also decided that an American was needed due to the fact that we would be entering literal new waters with a race at California Speedway. So, to encourage these people to come and see the JGTC in action, we needed an American driver. My search lead me all the way to the East Coast of the United States to a series known as the Goody's Dash where a very successful Virginian from the small town of South Boston was nearly dominating the series in just his second year. His first year in the series, he tied for rookie of the year, won eight of the seventeen races, and finished third in points. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the newest member of Gouka Racing, David Goddard."
The crowd cheered and began their flashbulb attack as David stood and presented himself. It was more intense than the Tein announcement and he could barely stand it. He managed to smile, however, but it wasn't the greatest he ever did. "Yeah, this is bigger than I could have ever imagined," he thought to himself again.

After class, Makoto went looking for Daijobi. She was very worried about his actions and wondered why he went off about something so simple. She had a feeling where he might have run off to. It's where most people in this city go when something is bothering them or they just simply need to be alone for a while. That place was the park in the central part of Tokyo. It really wasn't that far from her school and the lunch hour would have been more than long enough. As she entered the park, she immediately spotted him, he was sitting against a tree. It would have been hard to see him, if you weren't looking. She walked towards him wondering what he was thinking. "Hi, Daijobi. You alright?"
"Mako-san, wh, what are you doing here?" he said in surprise.
"You probably won't believe this, but, the way you acted in class had me worried."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I shouldn't have put that on you like I did," he took a sip from his bottle, then laughed, "Would never would have thought that something like that would get me stirred up."
"I'll say. What have you got against American people?"
He looked down at the ground, "An American was the reason my father quit his sport bike racing, she forced him to quit and then just left him with me."
"You are talking about your mom?"
He nodded and took a longer drink, "She didn't have to leave us like she did," he looked up at her, "Hate to admit this, but, she really was as beautiful as you are."
Makoto tried hide her blush, but didn't do good enough.
"Here, drink this, it's pretty good."
"What is it?"
"Try it first, then I'll tell you what it is."
She stared at him oddly, but, she didn't think he would drink something that would harm her. She took the bottle she thought to herself, "Smells awful. Almost like rubbing alcohol, but with an odd orange smell." As she took a drink, she nearly gagged as the liquid burned all the way down to her stomach. "What is that?" she exclaimed in between a coughing fit.
"Vodka and Orange Juice. Good?"
"No. Not really," she said between another cough. She felt somewhat dizzy, "Daijobi, why do I feel, odd?"
He put on a slight drunken smile, "You'll be fine, Mako-chan. Just relax and let me help you."
"What, what are you doing?" She exclaimed again.

As he was being questioned, David couldn't help but feel an odd need to go. He kept looking towards the northeast of the building. As Momiji answered a question, he couldn't fight it any longer, "Aguri, I'm sorry, but, I need to leave."
"Why, David?" he asked and noticed the look of distress on his face.
"This isn't really too much on you, is it?"
"No, this is something different. I'm really sorry, but I absolutely need to leave, now!"
"I believe you, David. The conference has wound down, anyhow."
David nodded, "Do I have anything I can drive?"
Aguri nodded, "Your car is outside. Don't worry we can handle the rest of the questions. Whatever is bothering you, be careful."
"I will, Aguri."
David left as quietly as he could, somewhat hard considering he was the main focus of the intention. Aguri handled it, though and David got out smoothly. He fired up his Nismo Fairlady Z and took off as fast it would let him towards the direction he felt the need to. Ignoring most common sense and automobile laws, he quickly made his way to the source. "Why do I need to be in a park?" he asked himself, then, the feeling got even stronger and more urgent. He then ran towards the woods faster than he had ever run before. He never knew he could move this fast. He then saw two figures up ahead. At first he tried to ignore it, but, then realized that was where the source of his feelings were coming from. "Why do I need to watch a couple," he then got a closer look, "That's, oh man!" He ran towards the two and threw the man off of the girl as hard as he could. His breathing became louder and sounded like the air he breathed was mad as well. He looked down at the girl, then, quickly looked up. Her shirt was mostly ripped and part of her bra was off. He ran towards the guy again, grabbed his head, and forced it to the ground as hard as he could. It was nearly too hard, as he was out cold. He took off his button shirt, which left him with a t-shirt, and gently put it around the upper body of the girl. She had the smell of alcohol on her, but, it wasn't entirely on her breath, but on her body. He saw the bottle lying next to her, it was nearly empty and her shirt was soaked as well and began to leak onto his. He didn't care, he could clean a shirt. She moaned, began to stir a bit, and began a coughing fit. He picked her up and said, "Makoto, are you alright?"
Her eyes slightly opened and murmured, "David, you really did save me."
"Hey, I owe you more than one, anyhow. But, hush right now. I'm going to call the cops and an ambulance."
"No! No don't, please?" She pleaded.
"Why not? You probably need the ambulance, and if not, he does. And I say he more than deserves the cops."
"No. Please! Just take me home."
He looked into her eyes and gave in, "Ok, I'll take you home. But, what about him?"
"I don't care. He's just another bastard."
"Then I will call the cops on him."
She nodded, "Just don't let them see me."
"I doubt they care how you look, Mako. They can keep him away from you."
"No, the alcohol, they will never believe me!"
Against his better wishes, he picked Makoto up and carried her to his car. As he began to start the car, he called Aguri and explained what happened. Aguri said that he would call the cops and make sure that he and Makoto wouldn't be mentioned in any news. She surely didn't deserve it and David didn't need any bad publicity.
David pulled into an empty parking space just in front of her apartment and he carried her up to her room. He sat her down onto her couch and began to try and look from some aspirin. She caught his hand and he turned towards her, "I'm just going to get you some aspirin. Believe me, you will need to go ahead and get in your system before the headache and hangover start."
She didn't let go, but, she didn't say anything. Her eyes did all the talking, he sat back down and held her. She began to sob, "I don't know why I didn't do anything to try and stop him. I'm usually stronger than that."
"That's what alcohol will do to you. From the smell of it, you had vodka. That stuff can be rough in a pure form."
"That shouldn't have mattered! I should have stopped him. I didn't do anything."
"Hush, Makoto. You did what you could have done at the moment. That's why alcohol can be dangerous sometimes. It makes people do what the normally wouldn't do."
She cried some more, but was starting to get silent. Soon, she was fast asleep in his arms. He also decided to rest and was soon asleep himself, however, it was soon interrupted by a loud and rapid knock at the door. David gently woke her and let her sit on the other side of the couch. He got up and walked towards the door to see who it was though the peephole, he blinked as he saw a girl with long blonde twin pig tails standing at the door. The girl next to her had long raven black hair, the other blonde he recognized from last night, and a girl with short blue colored hair. "Mako, I believe they are friends of yours."
"Mako-chan! Daijobu desu ka? (Mako-chan! Are you alright?)" the blonde pigtailed girl asked.

Makoto looked out the door after David moved back, "Someone must have told them. Oh, God," Makoto slowly backed away.
"But, they are your best friends," David said as he stopped her, "They can, and I'm sure will, help you. If you need me to go,"
"No, stay with me," Makoto interrupted, "I want you here to help me with this, too."
David smiled, "Ok, I will stay."
Makoto smiled back, "I still have your shirt, too anyway." She took his off and gave it back to him as she redid hers.
"I probably would have come back for it," he said, "If not, for you, most definitely."
Makoto's cheeks became slightly red, "Thank you."
"Makoto! Are you there?" came the same voice from the door.
"I'll be there in a minute," Makoto replied in her native tongue, then opened the door just after David threw his shirt on, "Hi, guys."
"You never showed up for, oh, who's that?" Usagi asked.
"His name is Goddard, David. He," Makoto slightly paused, "saved, me today."
"He did? How?" asked Minako.
Makoto began to explain her story, telling them of how Daijobi acted in class, then lured her into something she didn't want and how David intervened in time.
"That's how I got back," said Makoto, after she was through with the nightmare.
Minako then said, "I knew that Daijobi was nothing but a jerk. Well, maybe a player, too."
"Yeah, I know," Makoto replied sheepishly.
"So, he's your knight in shining armor?" asked Usagi lightheartedly and pointed to David to keep the mood from being so angst. "He is quite handsome, Mako-chan, good thing he can't understand me."
Makoto smiled and looked towards David, "Yeah, he really is."
David just smiled back, he didn't understand but had an idea what she was talking about. "Be nice if I could understand you, Mako," David thought to himself.
Makoto saw the look and quickly knew what his thoughts were, "Don't worry, I'm only speaking about most of the situation, I haven't talked about the more private parts."
He then smiled back, "Ok, so long as you don't say anythin' embarrassin' about me."
Ami understood what the two were saying, "I can assure you she hasn't."
David laughed a bit out loud, "Oh? Well, at least I have someone on my side!"
"Hey! That's no fair! I'm by myself!" Makoto laughed back.
As the three talked, Minako secretly gathered Rei and Usagi, "Ok, you see how Mako-chan acts towards him? Just like I said!"
"So? David seems like a very friendly guy. How do we know he likes her back?" said Rei.
"Because I seen how he acts back! It's nearly the same."
"She does get very starry-eye when she talks about him," said Usagi.
"I would too, if the guy saved me! Besides, how do we know if it wasn't planned?" asked Rei.
"Because you are too paranoid, Rei-chan," Minako defended, "That would be something that wolf Daijobi would play, anyhow!"
"Yeah, David doesn't seem like that," Usagi also came to defend, "He seems to be just as nice as Mamo-kun."
"I guess," Rei slightly gave in, "but if he hurts her even in the slightest bit, he won't be the only one who has to worry!"
"So, now that we agree," Minako began to layout her plan, "how can we get them alone long enough to get their emotions going in the right direction?"
"Well, there is the dance next weekend for the high school," Usagi suggested.
"But, he is a race car driver," said Rei, "he will be 'working' then."
"But the idea of a dance might work! We just have to plan it another way," Minako began to plot, "I got it!"
"What?" Usagi asked.
"We will plan a small dinner date between the five of us, we get Rei's stereo and a CD with Mako-chan's favorite love song," said Minako, " you know the one she can never resist to get that look in her eyes and dance to? David will have no choice but to dance with her!"
"What if he can't dance?" Rei interjected.
"We can convince Ami-chan to ask," Usagi suggested.
Minako nodded in agreement, "And translate what we each say, too."
"How come I have a bad feeling about this?" Rei asked.
"Oh, quit being such a worry wart!" Usagi retorted.
"This is, so, going to backfire," Rei stated.
"Oh," Usagi said before sticking her tongue out.
"Oh, yeah?" Rei said back, sticking her tongue out as well.
Minako grabbed both of their tongues, "This, will, work if you two work together!"

David took notice at the odd sight before him, "Umm, what do you suppose they are doin'?"
"With those three," Makoto started, "there is no telling."
Ami turned red with embarrassment for them, "Yes, they are quite odd sometimes."
Makoto and David laughed at Ami's comment, which seemed to trigger the three conspirators to take notice as they began to behave themselves.
"Ok, the plan starts now!" Minako stated only loud enough for her co- conspirators to hear, "Ami, could you and David meet me outside?"
"Meet you outside, whatever for?" asked Ami.
"Just trust me! I just want to ask David-san something!"
"Somehow, I get the feeling this is going to be awkward," Ami slightly mumbled to herself, "David-san, Minako wants you and I to discuss a topic outside."
"Uh, ok," David said, not even having the slightest clue what he was about to step in to. He followed Ami and Minako outside of Makoto's apartment.
Makoto was then kept busy by Rei and Usagi. "What do you three have planned?"
"Why do ask, Mako-chan?" the two asked in near unison.
Outside, Minako began her portion of the plan, "Ami-chan, ask David- san if he knows how to dance."
"What?" Ami muttered out.
"Ask him if he knows how to dance!"
"Why?"
"Just trust me!"
"Ok," Ami sighed, then turned to David, "David-san, do you, uh, know, um, how to dance."
The last part was somewhat fast, but David understood, "Well, may I know why?"
"He wants to know why!" Ami said with a bright red face.
"Because, every guy should know how."
"She is just curious," Ami said to David.
"Not really. I've done the two-step at a bar one time, but, that's it," he informed her.
"No, not really, Mina-chan," said Ami.
"Then, me, Usagi-chan, and Rei-chan will teach him," said Minako.
"Usagi-chan can't dance! How is she going to teach him?" Ami asked.
"She could be the bad example!" Minako laughed.
"Mina-chan and our other two friends want to teach you," Ami converted for David.
"That's kind of 'em, but I don't think I need to learn any time soon," David said.
"He appreciates the offer, but he doesn't want to learn," Ami relayed back.
"If he wants to really win Mako-chan, he will," Minako said.
"That's what you are up to! I knew you three were up to something like this!" Ami exclaimed.
David cocked his head to the side a bit. He heard Makoto's name mentioned before Ami's tone changed. "You know, I think I may know more than I thought," he thought to himself then laughed, "I know what she has planned already."
Ami turned around, "You do?"
"Yep," he nodded, "She is tryin' to set me up."
"Yeah, I suppose my change in tone helped to answer that."
"That, and how Mako described her friend."
"So, you were somewhat prepared for it?"
"Sorta. Didn't think she would try me this early, though," said David.
Minako stared at them, not knowing what the two were saying, "Ami- chan, what did he say?"
"David-san knows what you three are up to."
"Will he still do it, though?"
"Mina-chan wants to know if you are still willing to learn," said Ami.
"I appreciate the offer, but, if it is to happen, then I want it to happen naturally," David replied.
Minako didn't need a translator to know David's answer, so she tried to plea to him, "Iy wan yu tu! She veli wounly, she nead somwon! She nead yu, Iy kno yu sea it tu. Preas?"
David sighed and glanced at the evening sky, "I am very fond of her, even though I have only just met Makoto. For some reason, I hold such, that I could nearly sense her danger. It is how I saved her today from that bastard. I felt her fear and need for help," he sighed again, "It's a rotten way of doin' it, but, I will," he nodded to let Minako know that he did agree.
Minako then practically ran over and hugged him, "Thanc yu!"
Ami then smiled a bit, Minako had a point, "Mako-chan has been very lonely, at least David-san can keep her company," she thought to herself, "However, I do have to ponder on how David-san was able to find her like he did. Could he be connected to our past in some way? If he is, how?"
"Oh, uh, by the way, I do know how to dance. I just use that as an excuse to get out of it," David added.
"What did he say?" Minako asked Ami.
"He knows how to dance, he just uses the 'I don't know how' as an excuse," Ami translated.
"Ugh, Men!" Minako playfully hit David's shoulder.
A small look of surprise came over his face, "What?"
"She's just being playful at the fact you used that as an excuse," said Ami.
"Oh."
"Oh! Dun tel Mako-chan abot et! Et a secrlet. Okey?" Minako added, "Goes for you too, Ami-chan."

Meanwhile, inside Makoto's apartment, Rei and Usagi tried to find a way to figure out the name of the song Makoto would always want to dance to.
"Mako-chan, what is the name of that song you always want to dance to?" Usagi asked.
"Why do you want to know? What do you three have planned?" Makoto asked
"Nothing, Mako-chan. We just keep forgetting what song it is! Might be a present for your birthday or something!" Rei said.
"If Mina-chan is involved, it's usually not about my birthday, especially with it being nearly a month away. So, what do you have planned?" said Makoto.
"Nothing," the two girls said in unison.
Makoto sighed, "It's 'Lover Lay Down,' by Dave Matthews Band."
"'Lover Lay Down?' by Dave Matthews Band?" Rei blinked, "That's the song? That's the group?"
"Yes, it is. I happen to like them, thank you and have the CD, so, you guys don't have to buy it," Makoto said
"Can I borrow it? I've never heard the song. Actually, I've never heard of the group!" Usagi said.
"Sure," said Makoto, "but, you have to bring it back!" stressing the last parts.
"Ok, Mako-chan! Thanks!" Usagi smiled.
"She's being pretty quick on her feet," Rei thought in disbelief, "Wonder what's got into her? Wish it would stay more often."
Makoto got up and went to her closet, a spot in the corner was where she kept her entire collection of Dave Matthews Band CD's and a few old tapes. Oddly enough, it was her father that got her into her habit of collecting them. It was one way that she could keep the good memories of her father. She could remember her mother just by her own cooking, a trait Makoto picked up from her. She had many memories about her mother, but, not of her father because of his constant leaving for various business trips he would have to go on so far away. She pulled out the album that had her song on it, "Under The Table And Dreaming,"closed the closet door, and went back to Usagi, "Here you go, please be careful with it."
"I will, Mako-chan, thank you, again!" Usagi said.
About that time, David, Ami, and Minako, who looked like she won a wonderful prize of some sort, came back in. "We're back, but, then again, we didn't go far," said David.
"About time you three came back," Makoto laughed.
"Well, your good friend Minako tried to be a chatter with me, but Ami had to interpret for the both of us."
"Yes, well, it was quite an interesting conversation," said Ami, still a bit red from the questions that Minako tried to get her to ask.
Minako quietly walked over to where Usagi and Rei had been sitting, "Did you get it?"
"Yeah, easier than I thought it was," said Rei, "Usagi did her part really well."
"What part?" asked Usagi.
"You mean you really don't know who the band is?" asked Rei.
"Who is the band?" asked Minako.
"Dave Matthews Band," replied Usagi.
"Dave Matthews Band? I would have never really thought Mako-chan to be a fan of theirs. I figured it would be a boy band of some sort," said Minako.
"Guess not," said Rei.
"Who are they?" asked Usagi again.
"A rock band. Just something I wouldn't have figured Mako-chan would dance to. What song is it?"
"'Lover Lay Down,'" said Rei.
"I've heard the song, it is kinda sweet I guess," said Minako.

"There they go chattin' to themselves again," said David.
"They are really up to something," said Makoto.
"If you only knew," thought Ami, "but a promise is a promise and I won't tell her."
"Hey, why don't you three share with us?" Makoto asked so that only they and Ami would understand.
The three yelped out loud, "No, no, nothing to hide!"
"Really? Why have you three been chatting amongst yourselves?"
"Because we are the only ones who can't speak English!" defended Minako.
"Yeah, we can't help it if we weren't taught," said Rei.
"Yeah," joined Usagi.
"Usagi would probably screw it up, anyhow!" said Rei.
"What?!"
"Yep, just like you can barely speak Japanese!"
"Oh," Usagi stuck out her tongue.
"Yeah!" Rei stuck hers in a retort.
David could only blink and wonder to himself, "Are they always like that? They are like a couple of battlin' sisters," as he began to laugh quietly.
Makoto heard him laugh and said, "They are quite entertaining sometimes, others, they can be very obnoxious."
"Yes," agree Ami, "Most obnoxious."
David laughed louder, "Well, it could be worse! They could be doin' this in front of someone of high stature, like a president, or queen, or somethin'."
"Sad thing is that she is a Queen," Ami thought to herself, "A future one, anyway."
At about that time, Artemis popped his head out and blinked himself out of his sleep. He looked around the room in a bit of a sleepy stupor, until his eyes set upon David. He nearly jumped out of the bag that Minako carried him in. "By the stars and moons themselves! It's GeneralGraphite!"
David looked down at the bag as Minako stuffed him back inside, "What was that?"
"Oh, nohing!" said Minako, "Just mai kat! He rlealr stupd an es n ned of sum slreip!" stressing the sleep part.
"Oh, I see, I think," said David scratching his head.
"Yes, unfortunately, Minako's blondeness is nearly a disease!" Makoto said nervously, "It even can transfer to animals!"
"Um, ok," David said wondering about why they were so nervous about the cat meowing oddly.
"Yes, fortunately, we are immune," laughed Ami, also somewhat nervous.
David shot them an odd look, but laughed, "Ok, I believe you." He then got a look at the clock, it was 19:00, and thought to himself, "7 P.M., I can stay a bit longer, but I do have the test tomorrow to prove to the GTA that I can handle the car, driver exchanges, and such. But, that's not until 10 in the morning. Yeah, I can stay longer." He thought about the last part as he looked over a Makoto and smiled. Makoto gently smiled back to him, there was a slight glimmer in her eyes as she did. David thought of it more as a sparkle, "She really does have beautiful eyes. Emerald Green, very beautiful."
As David and Makoto stared into each other, Artemis used his claws and tugged at Minako's shirt, "We need to talk without David! It's important!"
"Hush or he will hear you!" Minako said quietly.
"Minako, we need to have him leave! Trust me! We also need to get Luna! I think he is a General!"
"Wh," Minako caught herself and quietly said, "What?"
"Minako, please, just politely ask David to leave. Say it's girl stuff he shouldn't listen to or something!"
"I'll have to get Ami to help, he doesn't know Japanese."
"Ok, fine, just get him out of here!"
"Ok," Minako said then called over to Ami, "We need to get David to leave. The cat says it's important and that he might be something else," she tried to keep every word in Japanese so that David wouldn't be clued in.
"What? Why? Is it bad?" said Ami
"I don't know. He can't hear it for now, according to the cat," Minako replied.
"Ok, but, what do I tell him?"
"Tell him that we need to discuss girly stuff that a gentleman shouldn't hear," Minako smirked, "That should get him out of here."
"Ok," said Ami then relayed the message to David, "David-san, there are some things we must discuss among us girls. Something gentlemen shouldn't hear, if you understand."
"Oh," said David out of his daze of staring at Makoto, "Ok, is it somethin' I can just step out for or do I have to leave and come back tomorrow?"
"You'll have to come back tomorrow, sorry," Ami said, somewhat disappointed herself. She was beginning to get used to David and it was rare that she had the opportunity to use her English like this.
David sighed, "Ok, I do have a test with the GTA tomorrow to prove that I can drive the car durin' a race, anyhow."
Makoto was very disappointed, but something was up. It was unusual for Ami to state something like that and even more to request someone to leave. "I'll walk with you to your car, David."
"Ok," he smiled and nodded. He and Makoto stood at nearly the same time. As Makoto opened the door and just before he stepped out he said, "It was a pleasure gettin' to know y'all and hope to see you again. G'night!" He followed her down the stairs and to his car. Minako and Usagi quietly peeked over the railing in front of Makoto's apartment, they didn't want to miss any action, but also wanted to make sure they didn't ruin the plan by starting too early.
As he opened his car door, Makoto spoke, "Thank you for saving me, David. I really appreciate it."
He smiled at her, "I wouldn't want anythin' bad happen to you, so you don't have to thank me. And I said I owed you one, remember?"
"I know, I just, I," tears began to form on her eyes. David brought her closer to him and gently hugged her. She quietly wept as he soothed her.
He tipped her face up with his finger and said, "Makoto, I promise nothing bad will happen to you so long as I live." He deepened his look into her eyes and smiled, "I promise to protect you from harm. No one will ever hurt you even remotely close to what that guy did today. I promise."
He began to move closer to her, and she to him, then Usagi yelled, "Get a hotel if you two are going to act like that!"
"Yea! A hoterl ferl stuf lik tha! Tha es baed two dou en pubric!" Minako said so that David would get it. "That was a close call."
"Yeah," said Usagi.
David and Makoto, in the mean time, turned red as tomatoes and laughed very nervously to each other. "Call you tomorrow?" he asked, still nervously.
"Yeah," Makoto said in a similar manner.
"Ok."
"Bye."
"G'night," said David as he sat down into his car and fired it up, the loud exhaust made the two party crashers and Makoto yelp. David smiled and waived out the window after he got the belts on. He shifted the car into reverse and backed out of the parking space he was in. He slowly approached to the small stop sign at the entrance of the apartments and looked to see if he was clear. When he felt he was, he headed north towards the C1 highway. His car could be heard for moments after he was gone. As the Fairlady made it's way onto the C1, another car came up behind him and flashed it's high beams at him. He held his lane and waited for the Canary Yellow Toyota 2000GT to pass. It wouldn't, it just kept flashing it's lights, so he moved over to the other lane. It followed and flashed again. Growing tired of the constant flashing, David sped up. It sped up just as fast, "Screw this!" He then slammed it into third gear and hammered the gas, the V-8 overpowered the rear tires and smoke escaped the rear fenders as he began to go faster. The Toyota kept up as he power shifted into fourth, nearing 140 MPH. The sound of the nearly open exhaust on the supercharged 5.6 liter was as intoxicating as it was loud, the whine of the supercharger was truly marvelous and was a sound needed to be heard by all. By the time they hit 170, he was into fifth gear and the speedometer kept climbing.
Up ahead was a very sharp turn that lead to the exit for the Daiba 11 and Haneda 11 freeways. The 2000GT slowed way down, but David kept his foot in it for a bit longer. At just before 50 meters from the turn, he began to hit the brakes and purposely dog tracked the rear end around. He popped the transmission into third and began to drift the car around the corner, using the gas pedal to keep the car on the correct path. From the Toyota's standpoint, she could see the whole right hand side of the car and began to worry if the Fairlady Z would make it. By the end of the corner, he was in line with the straightaway and began to floor it. The Toyota, on the other hand, flashed it's lights and turned it's right hand blinker on to indicate it wanted to hit the Haneda 11. David replied by turning his on as well and hitting that freeway. After another brief stint of fast driving, the 2000GT flashed it's lights again and signaled it was pulling over just ahead. David followed suit and began to slow down, at the small pull in lane, they parked their cars and got out. As they did, they were both shocked at their uniqueness. David was surprised at the driver being a girl, and the girl was surprised at not only him being American, but getting out of the car though the left door.
"My name is David Goddard, and I hope you know English," he said.
"I do, and my name is Haruka Ten'Ou," the driver of the 2000GT replied.

Makoto looked up at Minako and Usagi and gave them a menacing smirk, "Sometimes I can't stand you guys."
"Uh-oh," they both nearly replied and made their way back into the apartment with Makoto charging up the stairs right behind them.
"You two know how to ruin a moment!" she yelled to them.
"Please, this is serious," Artemis said as they made their way though the door.
"Why such a serious tone?" Minako asked, "We are just messing with each other."
"It's not that, it concerns your male friend and the fact that I think he is a General," he replied.
"A, a General?" Makoto somewhat stammered out.
"Yes, I believe he is," Artemis said.
"But, I thought all of the Generals were taken care of? You mean, there might be a few we don't know about?" Usagi said, slightly worried.
"Yes, it is possible, where is Luna? She would be most helpful at this moment since she does carry a bit more memory about the Moon Kingdom than I."
"She is probably back home," said Usagi.
"What General do you think he is?" Makoto asked.
"I think he is the one known as Graphite."
Makoto's eyes widened and she said to herself, "The General from my dream is, David? No," she looked over to Artemis and asked, "If that is so, then, why did he come from so far? Why wasn't he awakened with us or the other Generals?"
"Hard to really say, there may even be more members from the Royal Family in other parts of the world. We may never actually get to meet them, we may run across them and never know it," he looked over towards Makoto, "Or, we may meet them just like we have met David. However, we cannot assume that he is a General for sure. He may just remind me of this one. If he is, we must take caution, he may or may not be on our side. Even though his actions today said otherwise, he may have been a traitor to the kingdom and we can't take a chance. If he is a traitor, we may even have the chance to sway him back to our side. We just have to take all of this one step at a time."
"David is no traitor! A man who did what he did today cannot be a traitor!" Makoto defended, "I know he isn't a traitor! I can feel it."
"Makoto, I'm not trying to say that he is or isn't, I just don't know," said Artemis, "Like I said, let's just take this one step at a time. I'll consult Luna tomorrow about it and see what that 'next step' will be. For now, act like I didn't mention this and things should be fine. We'll figure out how to handle it, we always do."
Minako leaned over to Rei and Usagi and whispered, "Should we put our plan on hold or continue?"
"Well, Artemis did say that we should act like he never mentioned it, so yes," said Usagi.
"I suppose you are right and as heartless as this may sound," said Rei, "it could help him sway to our side if he isn't."
Makoto began to zone out a bit and think back to her dream, "David is no traitor. If he really is GeneralGraphite, then, I know for sure he is no betrayer. If these two men are anything like my dream, I have nothing to worry about. None of us do."

"So you are the American driver I've heard so much about," Haruka said.
"News really does travel too fast," said David.
"Yes, it can. Why have you come here to race?"
"Hoping it will be my opportunity to get into larger leagues of racin'."
"Like Nextel?"
"Maybe, that or Formula One."
"That was pretty amazing what you did back there, sliding and all," she nodded behind her.
"What? That? I grew up doing it. Southside Speedway, Virginia Motorspeedway, you learn how to drive on a dirt track."
"Oh, really?"
"Yep, then you go to short tracks like South Hampton, South Boston, Martinsville, then I hit the road course of VIR, Road Atlanta, then I got into the Goody's Dash. That's when the real learning curve begins."
"How's that?"
"Well, you start the season at Daytona, go to a lot of short tracks, we even hit a dirt track this last season, then end at Atlanta. I'm telling you, it ain't called 'Hotlanta' for nothin'. Nearly flat out, hitting that 'handsome" Harry Gant kinda groove, getting within' cat's whisker to the wall, slipping an' slidin' the whole time for just 100 laps. That's just awesome. No roller coaster will ever give you the same feeling, ever!"
"That does sound fun," Haruka nearly said in awe.
"Yeah, and Nextel is no different, as far as the driving around Atlanta goes."
"I'm sure it's harder."
"Competition wise, yeah, but drivin' the car is easier. In a relative sense, anyway. You're more able to slide the car by using the gas, but it does have it's challenges."
"I could see why. The car nearly weighs a ton. And it has an incredible amount of power strokes."
"Huh? Power strokes? What's that?"
"Oh, it's the same as saying horsepower, just a different way of saying it."
"Ah, I get it. Is it measured the same?"
"Yes. 700 Power Strokes is 700 Horsepower," Haruka said as she slightly adjusted her hair from a car whizzing by at a high rate of speed, "Juniors. They have no respect for cars on the side of the road."
"Yeah, he could have slowed or moved over to the other lane."
Another came at a blazing amount of speed, "Whoa, what the hell?" exclaimed David.
"The 'Eternal Harmony J,'" she spat, "they have no respect for anything. Though, their cars are amazing, considering their parents bought them and gave them the money to build it. They have no real talent, wouldn't make it a lap on a real track."
"Seems like y'all have a similar problem that we do. Rich boys with dangerous toys. Build 'em a car and they think they can beat anything. It's the main reason I hate street racing."
"Especially since those ridiculous movies, every time I see them, I gag."
"I know what you mean," said David as they both began to laugh.
"Speaking of a built car," he started after the laughter, "that's a pretty good 2000GT to keep up with this beast."
"I have done a few things to it," said Haruka, "mostly a turbocharger, a straight exhaust, head job, and a bottom end rebuild."
"Still the Yamaha built engine?"
"Yeah, never changed it, besides the bottom end and the head job."
"How much boost are you running?"
"10 psi, I don't want the piston to fly through the oil pan."
"Yeah, know what you mean," he said as he looked down at his watch, "Man, it's almost 10."
"Time flies when you are having fun," Haruka laughed.
"Yeah, and I've got that test tomorrow."
"Isn't it at Twin Ring Motegi?"
"Yep, it is. Why? Interested in goin'?"
"Actually, I have testing for the Super Taikyu Series."
"Really? Cool, I'll see you there, then."
Haruka smiled, "Yep, see you then. Hey, I might have a few friends there that would like to meet you."
"Oh, yeah?" he smiled back, "I'll have to see if a girl I just met can go, too."
"Don't make a bad name for yourself too early," She teased.
"Don't have to worry about that. Me and her have a good connection."
"Yeah, definitely invite her."
David gave a light laugh, "I need all the fans I can get to cheer me on, you know."
"It does help."
"Well, I'll catch you tomorrow, Ms. Tenoh."
Haruka nodded and sat into her car and pulled off and David watched until he couldn't see her anymore. "Sure am meeting some interestin' people here," he thought to himself, "I hope Makoto can watch me tomorrow." He sat into his Fairlady Z and took off for his hotel. As he laid in bed, he began to wonder what Makoto was doing. At the same time Makoto began to fall asleep with David on her mind and wondering what he was doing at the same time, "Good night, David."
"Good Night, Mako," David said.

As Makoto awoke that Saturday morning, a thought had just reoccurred from earlier in the week. Haruka was having a test session today and so was David. "Oh, great. I told Haruka I could make it, what if," her thought was interrupted with a phone call. "Moshi Moshi! Kino, Makoto."
"Mornin' Mako, it's David."
"Hi, how are you?"
"Nervous, again."
"Awe, you'll be fine. I'm sure you'll pass the tests with no problem."
"I hope so. I wouldn't mind a bit of a fan base here, though."
"I'm sorry, another friend of mine is in Motegi."
"Really? That's where I'm testin', too."
"What? You are? That's great! I'll get to see you today!" she could hardly contain herself.
David laughed, "Yep, you will. You'll also get to meet someone who I met last night. She's also driving, but in a different series."
"Oh? Who is she?" Makoto asked.
"Haruka Tenoh."
Makoto nearly dropped the phone, "No way. That's my friend!"
"Really? She did mention something about gettin' some of her friends to come with her. No offence, but, would never have thought it would be you. That was some odds."
"David?"
"Yeah?" he responded.
"Could I ride with you up there?"
"Um," he paused, "I'm taking a 'copter there."
"Oh," she gulped. It may not have been an airplane, but it still flew and was an aircraft. "David, please don't fly in that. Please don't fly at all!"
"It's the fastest way there, how else will I go?"
"Drive! Please? Even if you don't pick me up!"
There was a knock at David's door, "Hang on a sec, Mako. I've got someone at the door," he opened it up and saw Aguri. He smiled and waived him in, "Sorry for bein' on the phone, Aguri, sir."
"Don't worry about it," Aguri replied and smiled, "and don't call me sir! Just Aguri."
"Is that your boss?" Makoto asked over the phone.
"Yes, it is, Mako," David said.
"Ah, tell the young man I'm sorry for disturbing your conversation," said Aguri.
"Uh, Agu," David tried before Makoto's voice came out.
"Young man? Young man! Inform him I am a girl!" She yelled, and David got an earful.
"Oh, my word!" Aguri said, nervously, "I am most apologetic! I didn't mean that in offence! Wait, a young girl? David, would you like to explain that to me after the conversation is over?"
"Uh!" David was now even more nervous.
"And explain to him that you are not to fly!" Makoto demanded.
"Uh!" David looked like he was going to pop.
"She's says you can not fly? Why is that?"
"Because you don't need to be killed in that thing!"
"It's the fastest way there!" Aguri stated.
"He can drive!" Makoto stated back.
"If he drove, he would need to leave now to get there in time!"
"Then, he can leave now and pick me up on the way!"
"Is this why you don't want him to fly?" Aguri asked, knowing how both David and she would react.
"Hey!" David and Makoto yelled.
Aguri put on a sly smile, "Ok, you two can drive there. On one condition, David has to introduce me to you."
"I think he can do that," Makoto stated for him.
"I don't get a word in this?" David asked.
"Nope," both Aguri and Makoto said.
"I'll see you two there, David, Makoto," said Aguri as he began to leave, "Please be there on time, Dave, Tokyo traffic can be a hassle."
"Yes, Aguri," said David.
"David," Makoto said.
"Yes."
"Please pick me up on time," she chuckled.
He made a slight grunt, "I could almost say you two had this planned."
"David,"
"Yes."
"Thank you very much."
He smiled and didn't say anything, just to get her stirred.
"David?"
He continued to wait, "David! I'm sorry! Dav,"
"Your welcome, Mako," he laughed.
"Oh, you are evil," she laughed back.
"I'll see you in a bit."
"Okay."
"Bye."
"Bye," Makoto said just before hearing David hang up. Just as soon as she did, the phone rang again."
"Hello, Kino, Makoto."
"Morning, Mako-chan," Haruka said on the phone.
"Oh, Good Morning Haruka-san!"
"You need a ride to Motegi?"
"Nope, I actually have that covered."
"You do? That's good. How are you getting there?"
"It's a secret! I can't tell!"
"Oh? Okay. Guess I'll see when I get there, huh?"
"Yep! How are the others coming?"
"Well, of course Michiru is coming with me and so is Hotaru. I guess Setsuna can ride with me now. She was going to drive herself, but now I can save her the gas money. Usagi, Minako, Rei, and Ami will be riding with Mamoru-san. That only leaves you and your mystery ride."
"Good, I'll see you all there, then!"
"Okay, see you, Mako-chan!"
"Bye, Haruka-san."

After she was out of the shower and dressed, Makoto began to put her socks on, David's car could also then be heard. She smiled to herself threw on her shoes and stepped outside, but didn't see his car. She was perplexed at this, then remembered how loud the Fairlady was. However, just a few moments later, she saw him begin to enter the apartment parking lot. She went back inside and began to pack some things to eat. David parked the car like normal, backing into the spot and got out. He was wearing an old T- shirt that had a picture of his old dirt modified he drove before he entered the Goody's Dash Series, a pair of loose blue jeans, black tennis shoes, and a pair of form fitting sunglasses. He went up stairs and knocked on her door.
"Come in!" Makoto yelled.
David did as he was told, "Ready?"
"Almost. Just putting the bread in the basket."
"Why are you doin' that?"
"Lunch, drinks, and something for us to munch on as we go."
He laughed, "My mom used to do that on our trip to Tennessee, only, it was an eight hour trip."
"We're going to get there at about 9 or 9:30, right?"
"Yeah, just enough time to spare if traffic isn't bad," David said.
"Well, I am done. We can go now," she smiled at him and he smiled back.
David opened the door for her and he followed her downstairs. He used the little key fob to open the hatch and which allowed her to put the basket of food in. Then, he opened her car door and helped her sit in. He fired the car up when he entered the driver's side and closed the door. It was surprisingly quiet compared to the outside, though the engine exhaust could still be heard. He put the racing style harness on, but, Makoto was having a bit of a hard time doing so. He was so used to it, the routine became second nature and forgot how hard it can be to put on the first time with someone new.
"Want some help?" He asked.
"Yes, please," she nearly pleaded.
"Here, watch me," he undid his, "First comes the one in the center, then the two shoulder harnesses get clicked in, then the two for the lap. Then, you twist the cam till you hear the firm click," the cam made the click he described, "Like that."
"Oh," Makoto said, feeling somewhat dimwitted and did it just like David did.
"One more step," David added, "Pull on the straps on the shoulder harnesses and on the lap harnesses. Get them as tight as possible, but still being reasonably comfortable. And don't worry about not knowin' how to do it. It's somethin' you have to get used to, I've done it for so long, it's natural now."
She smiled at him and his encouragement. She didn't feel quite as stupid as she did before with his advice. David smiled back and put the car into first gear after she adjusted the belts. He slipped it forward and out of the parking lot. Near the point where he shifted, the engine exhaust note could be heard inside more, but it still wasn't as loud as it was outside. But the part that most amazed her was the fact that his shifts could hardly be felt except for the fact of the car pushing her back into the seat each time. Even with Haruka, she could feel a slight jerk, and with Mamoru, it was a little more pronounced. "How do you do that?" She asked.
"Do what?" David asked.
"Make the car feel so smooth when you change gears. It's almost like you aren't doing it at all."
"Just many years of practice and gettin' the correct feel for it. My grandfather was a racer, he taught me how to drive and race a car. My parents weren't too thrilled at the idea, either. My dad was a doctor and did a lot of stuff for NASCAR and the infield care centers at Martinsville and Richmond. He was even on hand for some of my accidents. He wasn't at my worst one, though."
"Should I even ask about that?"
"I'm here aren't I?"
"Oh."
"Sorry, I get that question a lot whenever I mention the words 'my worst wreck.' But, yeah, it's not really a big deal. In fact, the way it happened was probably the best way to have a wreck, if there is such a thing."
"What did happen?"
"Well, I was comin' down the front stretch at Daytona, the first race of the season. Me and Jim Hedrick were racin' for first place in the last ten laps. I was on the high groove, the uppermost lane of the track, and he was on my inside. Coming out of turn Four, there is a bump that will upset the car if you hit it wrong, and he did. He slid into me, I slam into the wall. I'm careening down towards pit lane when the car hit's the grass between the track and the pit lane. Well, my right hand tires are flat and the car's chassis is scraping the ground, when it hit's the grass, it causes it to roll. It begins to flip around parts of the body come flyin' off, the rear end tears away from the suspension, a tire broke off and headed up the track, and I land right side up. That's great, except for the fact that I slide just enough to be clipped by another guy, he be nearly catches air and I'm spinnin' like a top until the friction from the chassis and the track make me stop."
Now the trunk of the car is gone along with the fuel cell, the hood is bent up like it was in a bomb explosion and is laying on the track upside down, the driver's side body panels are gone, the front bumper cover is hangin' on by a rivet or two, the rear part of the passenger's door and the entire right rear quarter panel are gone, the rear window is crushed in, parts of the roof are gone, the rear quarter windows are gone, the front windshield is nearly laying on me, the greenhouse part of the chassis is bent down and slightly to the right, and my helmet is scratched because of where part of the roof is missing."
Makoto's eyes are wide in amazement. From what he just described, David shouldn't be driving now! He should be in a hospital still or six feet under.
"Ironic thing is, the rollin' is what kept me from being really hurt. It takes the inertia from the crash, but it's a weird feelin'. From hearing the scrapes and squealin' to nothin' is just something you wouldn't expect. Anyway, I get out of the car, wave to the crowd lettin' them know I'm alright, and find out that Mr. Hedrick drove away. I wanted to give that guy a piece of my mind, I actually got the chance in my final race at Atlanta. He caused another wreck and a win from me for the last time. But, that's another story."
Makoto reached over and pinched him and he yelped. "What was that for?" David asked.
"To see if you are really here," she responded.
"Yep, I'm really here."
Makoto smiled at him and somewhat laughed, "That's very good, then."
"Yes, it is," David smiled back, "What do you do in your spare time?"
"I ice skate or cook."
"Ice skate? That's pretty neat, I've never done it before."
"I could teach you, if you want."
"Really? How good are you?" he teased.
"I almost went on a world tour with a famous Russian ice skater once, but, I decided against it because of the fact I would miss my friends too much," she lightly fibbed the last part.
"Oh, wow. That is good!" he smiled and stated in near amazement, "I would have never imagined, no offence."
"Why is that?"
"You're such a good cook, mostly."
She began to smile, "And you haven't eaten anything else made by me yet!"
"I hope to," he smiled at her again.
She smiled back to him and her eyes had a starry look to them, "I want you to, too."
David nodded and began pay more attention to the road again. Every once in a while, her hand wondered to his when he propped it on the arm rest. She would gently hold it or squeezed it when she felt a bit nervous, usually because he took a turn faster than she expected. Soon, the flat city turned into hilly countryside, which made Makoto even more comfortable. She would peer though the window and watch the trees fly by and see various farm animals every so often. She paid special attention to the horses grazing in a field, Makoto had a special attraction to those animals. Everyone she saw she fell more and more in love with. After an hour and a half of driving, a pit stop was needed for gas and relief. He found an Esso station and pulled into it.
"I'm gonna to need your help here," said David.
"I know, you don't know Japanese," she nodded and smiled.
He swiped his card into the machine and she instructed him what the machine said. He picked up the gas handle and looked at the selection, she described each to him, and he became puzzled.
"Leaded gas? I wondered why the nozzle was so big," said David.
"What's wrong with 'leaded gas?'" Makoto asked.
"Oh, nothin', really. Just pollutes more, but it does give more power. We only use leaded gas in race cars in the States. We use unleaded in normal cars."
He began to fill the car up as Makoto went in to use the restroom. The pump clicked indicating the car was full, but David gave it a few more tugs to make sure and make the price even, an odd habit he had. He then walked inside and took a look around. Most everything was in Japanese, save for a few shirts, hats, and some American products. He looked at the hats and shirts with American words on them, but they made no sense.
"'I make special happy!'?" David looked really confused and read a hat with an arrow pointing down, "'Strong'. What crack head came up with these things? He could have at least made them make sense."
"55 yen each!" Stated the attendant, "A specerl rlailr taki!"
"Say what? You're not serious are you? They make no sense!"
The attendant looked at David oddly, "Yu no lreki?"
"Honestly, no."
Makoto heard them as she came out of the bathroom.
"I'm sorry, um," she looked at the name tag, "Sushiro-san, but David- kun isn't interested in these. He only needed gas."
"Oh, I see. But these are a real steal! How can David-sama not want one? Why not he buy one for you, miss?" the attendant asked.
"Because he can actually read the English on them and knows that they make no sense."
The attendant had a shocked look on his face when Makoto said what she did.
She smiled at David and said, "Let's go."
He nodded and followed her to the door, "What did you tell him? He had a shocked impression on his face."
"I only told him you knew English," she replied.
"Oh, okay," he started the car and drove away with the attendant still stunned.
"Great, and I thought I was getting the hang of English!" Sushiro said.

As the country side returned to a more city like scene, David looked over to Makoto; she was staring through the window, "It's been a long time since I came out this way," she said, "That, plane, crashed not far from here."
"I see," said David, "Guess I can't really blame you."
"No, I need to come here more often," she said, "I need to stronger than this about it."
"Do you know where the site is?"
"Not really, why?"
"Sometimes, gettin' over a tragedy will help conquer the fear."
"Sounds like you have experience in that."
"Atlanta Motorspeedway used to scare me because of what happened to a close friend of mine."
She looked over to him, "What happened?"
"He had a tire blow out during a Winston Cup test session, goin' into turn one. That's the fastest part of the track, nearly 200 miles per hour. He hit outside wall so hard that the right tire imbedded itself into the lower door bars. This was before the HANS device was requested by NASCAR."
"Oh, that sounds so horrible," she said with sad eyes.
"Gets worse," David said.
"How can it possibly get worse?" she thought as he began to continue.
"The crash didn't kill him, but it left him in a coma for over two years. When he did awake, he was just a vegetable. You can see the agony in his eyes when his head is towards you. I couldn't stand to see him anymore after the first month, but I didn't want to ever race at that track. Not after that."
"How old was he when it happened?" Makoto asked.
"He had just turned eighteen a week before the crash. I was just seventeen and beginnin' to race the Dash Series. I kept racin', but I had a 'relief' driver, so to speak, for the Atlanta race. My last race was the first time I ran there since that incident."
"He was only a year older than you?"
"Yeah," he did a light laugh, "The dummy would have graduated with me, though. He flunked eleventh grade because 'his racin' got in the way.' We all knew it was because he slept in class. Because of that crash, he didn't get to graduate at all."
"I'm sorry," she lightly rubbed his hand, "I honestly can't understand how you can even get into a car, much less a racecar, after that."
"It's a job I enjoy too much to just give up. I accepted the dangers when I first climbed into one and ran my first race. I know what can happen and accept it." A light thunderclap and a few droplets of rain formed on the windshield, "Rain? This is goin' to make things interestin'."
"How interesting?" Makoto worried.
"Never done it before," he replied, but then reassured her, "that's not to say that I can't."
"Oh," she stated, still unsure.
This time, David rubbed her hand and smiled, "I'll be fine. I've got enough experience to drive in a race while it's rainin'."
She only nodded her head and smiled gingerly.

David then used the exit to get back onto the Joban Highway from national route R6. Then, he used the Iwama Interchange to get on Prefectural Road 61. "Man, for only 50 miles, this seems like a long ways," said David.
"50 miles?" Makoto looked puzzled.
"It's about 100 kilometers," he informed her.
"Uh, I believe it has been more than just 100 kilometers."
"Well, according to that map I had Mito City was only that far."
She looked at him oddly, "Let me see that map."
"It's behind your seat," he reached for it and handed it to her.
She looked at it and laughed a bit, "Yes, Mito City is only 100 kilometers, but Motegi City is an additional 85 or 90."
"So, it's really about 100 miles?"
She nodded, "How'd you screw that up?"
"Well, I did look at it in a hurry. I thought I was goin' by helicopter today, until you decided I couldn't."
"Oh, blame me!"
He laughed, "Don't worry, it's just now lookin' like 9:30 instead of 9, that's all."
"Ok," she said, "Why are they making you take this kind of test?"
"Just to see if I am truly capable of drivin' a road coarse and to see if I can do a driver change durin' a pit stop. Remember, not only do I have to get out of the car, I have to help my co-driver get in."
"Oh, makes sense."
"Yeah, I'd be pretty worthless if I couldn't. I just hope I can do it."
"That's the part that has you worried?"
"Well, I have never done a driver change. Not even in my Cougar, and that would be many times harder than doing it in this, though."
"Why is that?"
"The Cougar's doors don't open, it doesn't really have doors."
She gave him the odd look again, "Why wouldn't it have doors?"
"Nothin' in NASCAR has doors, as far as race cars go. Don't need them since we don't do driver changes."
"How do you get in?"
"Climb though the window," David pointed to his driver's side window.
Makoto had an even more puzzled look on her face, "How do you do that?"
He laughed, "Well, one leg at a time. But the first thing I would do is grab the roll cage right here on the roof," he pointed it out, "then I would stick my right, then left leg in, and finally slide myself down into the seat."
"Wouldn't the steering wheel get in the way?"
"Nope, it's removed. It has a pin that locks and lets me take it on and off."
Makoto shook her head, "I couldn't see myself climbing though a window like that, much less you."
"Well it was harder to get into the new seats that a Busch Series driver named Randy Lajoie created. They are molded to fit that driver and are more safe than the old Butler seats."
"What is a Butler seat? Sounds like something a rich person would have," Makoto kidded.
"Nah, just the name of the company who made it. It would hold you by the ribs as far as the side support goes. It wasn't hard to come out of a crash with broken ribs. The newer Lajoie seats hold you by the shoulders, which are stronger than the ribs. The seat is a little more comfortable because it fits that driver to a t, but it is very expensive. I think they go for more than ten grand, US."
"Wow, that's nearly over one million yen!"
David blinked, "It is? Gee, makes it seem really over priced."
Makoto smiled back, "Yeah, 1 yen isn't that much when compared to the US dollar."
He shook his head, "Crazy, just crazy. That would almost make it worth less than a penny!"
She nodded back, "Yeah, somewhere near there. Ami should be able to figure it out faster than me."
"We did pretty good ourselves."
She laughed and sighed, "I do want to visit America one day. Just not by plane, by boat or something."
"Well, if you want to keep up with me, you will. The JGTC will race in California towards the end of the season. That's gonna to be a big race to me, it will be my only real home track."
"That does sound very, um, 'rough?'"
He nodded, "Yeah, I'm so used to havin' a track or two, or even more, being near me and callin' home turf, but, that's really changed. I guess Motegi can sorta be considered my Japanese home track since it is so close to my home here."
"Speaking of which," she looked towards him, "when do I get to see your home?"
"Well, if we continue my groundin', this will pretty much be my home."
"The track?"
"No, the car."
"Oh."
"Well, I take that back. The schedule isn't as filled as my Dash one was. I was constantly on the move week to week. It wasn't part of the 'weekly series' for nothin'."
"I see," said Makoto, "Is that other series any better?"
"What do you mean?" David asked.
"That top series that your friend was testing for, is the schedule any better than the Goodys Dash?"
"No, it's a bit worse. It has a thirty-five race schedule, the Dash has about twenty or so, the JGTC only has ten to twelve."
"So, you will be able to see me more often than you would if you still drove in it?"
"Yep," David smiled to her as he turned onto R51, which would lead to the East Gate of Twin Ring Motegi.
"Is there a difference in driving that Fairlady compaired to the Cougar?" Makoto asked.
"Yes, there is," he replied, "The suspension on the Fairlady is independent, each wheel moves up and down on it's own. The Cougar has a solid axle rear end, which means that the rear will not move as independently as they would in the prior one. It makes cornering harder, but on the ovals it's perfect. As odd as this may sound, the 'loser' the car, the faster it really is."
"'Loser?'"
"Makin' the rear of the car come around more than the front. You don't have to be on the brakes as much as a 'tight' car. Being 'tight' means the front end of the car doesn't want to turn."
"Both situations sound bad, to me."
"Yeah, a car that is too free will cause you to crash. But a car that is tight will wear the front tires a bit worse. In stock car racin', you rather have a car too free than tight."
"Why is that?"
"You just let up on the gas until the rear catches up. A tight car won't always come back to you which means you have to compensate even more and lose more time."
"Oh, so, how do you compensate for a 'tight' car?"
"Movin' up the track and staying off the gas, unless you can free it up by applying more gas. It's a feel situation and have to get used to each to know what to really do."
As he finished his sentence, David had reached the East Gate. The security guard stopped them and David showed him his pass, then was waived on. The sound of the Super Takiyu cars could be heard, meaning they missed a part of Haruka's laps. David then parked the Z next to the Team Gouka car hauler and he shut off the engine. He pressed a button near the center of the dashboard that allowed the rear hatch to open, then popped off the belts and got out. David then quickly made his way over to the passenger's side and helped Makoto out and grabbed the picnic basket on his way back around. They both entered the hauler and he set it on a bench next to a transmission. "You might not want to follow me in here, Mako," David laughed, "I have to get dressed into my 'business suit.'"
She smiled, nodded and said, "Okay." Makoto watched as he entered the front of the hauler and closed the door. She looked around as she waited for him, beginning to wonder what all the doors and drawers held. There was a large cabinet that was open and she peeked inside. It held a complete engine in a metal crate, ready to be used just incase the main one failed for any reason. Behind it was an empty metal crate of the same size and shape. On it was the Japanese Kanji for "Main," she guess that was where the actual motor used in the car most of the time was held. She looked up and saw that the roof wasn't complete and was split in the middle. In the very front, just before the little room that David went in, sat another car. She couldn't see much of it because the bottom was covered, "Why is it covered up?" she wondered to herself, "To hide some secrets?" Soon, David emerged from the room and was dressed in his racing uniform. It had Tein on the front of it with a white stripe for a background, the bottom and top of the suit was orange and the sides of his pants and sleeves had a similar scheme. On his shoulders were little straps that connected where the top of the sleeve and the torso part of the uniform seemed to connect together, "Why do you have straps on your uniform?"
"To help pull me out if I need help gettin' out of the car."
"Oh." In his right hand was his helmet, it looked like it was ripping apart and little metal plates were showing through along with some computer circuits. It made it look as if he was mechanical instead of human, but it was just how it was painted. It wasn't really doing that.
"This is the same helmet I wore in the Cougar," David said as she looked at it, "I wanted it to show how I am behind the wheel of the car. Accurate and powerful, like a machine, and just as intimidatin' and indestructible as the helmet looks."
"Wow, that's a powerful way of expressing it."
"I thought so, too. It's why it's my favorite of the three I have."
"Why do you have so many?"
"To pass regulations, rules, and because I wanted a new helmet," he laughed.
"Oh," she smiled.
"My, my, what a rainstorm!" Aguri announced himself as he rushed in from the rain.
"Hi, Aguri," David said, "This is the 'young lady' you wanted me to introduce to you, Makoto Kino."
"Oh, I see," Aguri bowed then coyly smiled to David, "I really do 'see.' Well, we need you to your car, David. Let's go!" He reached into a drawer and pulled out an umbrella that had springs, shocks, and coilovers all over it along with the word Tein. He put it over the three before they sat into a golf cart and drove off to the paddocks. When they reached them, Haruka's car had just pulled into her garage and her team began to work on it. It was parked right beside the Fairlady Z of David's. Minako, Ami, Michiru, Rei, Usagi, Setsuna, and Mamoru were standing waiting for her to get out. Hotaru was at first not seen until they got right up to the car. The right hand side of her bumper and the right rear quarter panel were beat in, done by a rookie in Turn Nine, the Hairpin Curve. Haruka nearly was cursing a storm before getting out, but no one could hear her. The left front and front bumper were a little beat in, as well. She had paid him back in Turn Eleven, the Victory Corner.
"Hey, guys!" Makoto waived.
Haruka was the first to respond, "Hi, so, what was this 'mystery ride?'"
"He's sitting to my right."
Haruka hadn't noticed until Makoto said something, it was the guy she met just last night. The American driver for Team Aguri, David Goddard. "You know David Goddard?"
"Yes, very well," she smiled to Haruka.
"Uh, I know you guys can speak near perfect English, so, could you, please?" David requested.
"I'm sorry David," said Makoto with a teasing type of apologetic face.
"Attention in the Paddock! Attention in the Paddock! The joint test session for the Japanese Grand Touring Championships will begin in five minutes! Drivers to their Paddocks to prepare for monsoon conditions! Again, drivers and teams are to report to their Paddocks to prepare for monsoon conditions, the track will reopen in five minutes!" The announcer came over the Public Address system in Japanese.
"What was that?" David asked.
"Begin to get ready to drive," Aguri replied, "the track will reopen in five minutes. Sound like it is going to be one hell of a rainstorm!"
"Yeah, this is going to be different," David thought to himself. Makoto's hand quietly went to his and she squeezed it to comfort him. He smiled to her, which she knew was a thank you sign, she smiled back in "your welcome."
Haruka caught the sight, but quickly looked another way as she thought to herself, "They seem to be a good match, nearly reading their own minds, even."
"David, go ahead and get yourself situated in the car. I want you to drive it first," Aguri said as Momiji walked from the paddock stall in front of theirs'.
"You alright with that, Moji?" asked David.
"What, a little rain have you worried," Momiji teased.
David shook his head.
"You'll be fine, Dave. Just take an easy on the course at first and get used to it," Momiji reassured him, "It's a challenge, but, not one you can't handle."
David nodded, his nerves were still rattling him. He never drove a race car in the rain, but he had the training for it. He tried to stay calm and keep his breathing steady, but it still wasn't working too well. "What if I wreck it? What will the press say? What will Aguri say? Would he keep me on the team if I do?" He kept thinking over and over again in his mind.
"Hey, you will be alright," Makoto spoke up, "I know you will do alright. Let's get you in there, maybe some of your nerves will unwind. "
David nodded again and looked at her. His breathing became more steady, but one could tell he was still worrying himself. Makoto wrapped her left arm around his waist and walked with him to the NISMO Fairlady Z. David then sat down into the car and began to put his belts on. It was very similar to his Z, but it had six belts instead of five. Makoto put her hand on his lap and he held it, then blinked a couple of times before closing his eyes and bowing his head down. She watched him as he quietly said something to himself.
"What are you saying?" She asked.
David quietly looked up at her and said, "A Racer's Prayer."
"A Racer's Prayer?"
He smiled and nodded, "I do it every time I get into a race car and drive it like this."
"How does it go?"
"You really want to know?" David asked and Makoto nodded. He then recited the words:
"Lord, my Father in Heaven,
Please look over me and my crew,
And protect them from what may happen,
And help them in their time in need.
Oh, Lord, Please protect the other drivers,
So that they may compete with me again,
For they are also my companions.
Lord, please protect my and my companions' families,
We need them to cheer us on in even the worst times.
Lord, I thank you for helping me in my times of need and joy,
And I do not take you for granted.
Bless everyone here and bless you Lord,
Amen."
Makoto smiled, "You recite that every time?"
David nodded, "Always have."
"Attention in the Paddock! Attention in the Paddock! The track is now open! Drivers to their cars and to the end of Pit Lane! The official test for the JGTC will commence immediately!" The announcer came over the PA.
"David, time to go!" Aguri said.
"Okay, I'm ready!" David responded and began to put his fire mask on, but Makoto stopped him and kissed him on the forehead.
"For, luck," she lightly hesitated. David just smiled back and put the mask and helmet on. He then flipped the various switches on and waited for the crew to put the passenger door on an close it. They gave him a thumbs up sign, a couple threw him the victory sign, including Momiji and Haruka. He closed his door, with Makoto helping, and he waived to her. She blew him a kiss just before he turned to start the car, the final switch, and his heart was racing. He flipped it up and it started, he revved it up a couple of times and it backfired. Save for Haruka, it was the loudest thing the girls heard in a long time.
"Ok, we are dropping the car down, David," Hani Kabel, the car's crew chief, came over the radio.
"Ten-Four," David responded. The car sat down on the ground, a guy behind him cleared him to back out and head towards the end of the pit lane. David shifted the Z into reverse and backed out, rain could be heard impacting the carbon fiber body as more and more of the car was exposed. Once it was completely out of the Paddock, he shifted it into first gear and flipped the windshield wiper on. It's little motor could just be heard over the exhaust as he idled for a moment, then rolled the car off. The light was still red as he crept up to the line, he looked over to the official who was checking the car over to make sure his running lights were on. The official gave the clear sign to him and to the control tower, and the light turned green. He dumped the clutch and a large rooster tail of rain shot out of the car. It dog tracked to the right slightly and David straightened it out before getting on the actual part of the track. He had to be because in just a short distance from the exit was the ninety degree right hand corner, the First Corner. It lead into the Second Corner, which was a similar ninety degree right hand corner. He was in third gear by the time he exited and was going down a fast straight and was in fifth gear by he reached the Third Corner. It was a left hand corner, less than ninety degrees and was a bit tighter as well. It swept into the Fourth Corner, another left hand corner that was a bit tighter than Third. Both, however, were taken in third gear, but the rear of the car got a bit wild on him, "Easy, car! I'm doing my best." The Fairlady entered the long, downhill straight before entering Fifth Corner, a forty-five degree right hand corner that would lead into the tunnel the road coarse ran under the oval track. Climbing though the gears, David entered the braking zone for turn six, the right hand 130R. It was named so because of the radius of the turn. A fairly easy corner, taken in fourth gear, but almost as soon as you exited it, you came up to the seventh corners. A left, right set named simply as S Curve that was taken in third gear with some slight trail- braking.
Upon the exit of the right hand portion, you enter the braking zone for the eighth corner, the V Curve, that could be taken in third as well, but it was pushing it because of the rain. The Fairlady let David know, too, by fishtailing throughout the apex and exit. He kept it under control with a steady feathering of the gas. Next was a small dogleg straight that allowed him to climb into fifth gear, then slow way down for the tightest and slowest part of the course corner 9, the Hairpin Curve. The car was starting to become a handful as he was shifting into first gear and braking to slow it down enough. It almost wasn't because he had drifted very high into the corner, nearly touching the grass over the curbing. Once he had it back where he wanted, it was full throttle for the fastest and longest part of Motegi, the 762 meter long straight. He was nearly guaranteed to be at top speed once he entered the braking zone for turn ten, the Ninety Degree Corner. He absolutely had to be slowed enough for this corner or the car would end up in the sand pit and probably would require a wrecker to get out of it. Once again, the Z got untamed during the braking and would lock the front brakes. Flat spotting the tires weren't really and issue, but getting the car slowed was. He did get it slowed enough for the corner, but, it ran up in the higher groove again. This wouldn't allow him to really set the car up right for the exit and the two left hand corners after the short straights. He got through them fine, but turn 11, the final turn known as Victory Corner, would be a hassle. It was a ninety degree corner just like ten, but he didn't carry as much speed, either. He got on the brakes for it, and again the front wheels locked up slightly. David was able to get the car though this one as well, but, the rear end was swung out nearly as much as a drifter would do. This "drift" would slow him for the Pit Straight and his current time would show it, however, this lap wouldn't really count. It was his first time on the track and mistakes were a given, he would get faster and better as the day went on.
"Say, Makoto-chan," said Aguri, "Would you like to be David's Umbrella Girl?"
"David's Umbrella Girl?" Makoto asked, looking from the monitor showing David's progress, "What does that mean?"
"It means you dress up very sexy and hold a large umbrella over David," Haruka said, "Michiru has done it for me a couple of times." She flashed a sly smile to Makoto and Michiru, with the latter of the two blushing and nervous.
"Haruka, you said you wouldn't bring that up!" Michiru stated.
"I had to explain it somehow," Haruka smiled.
"Dressing sexy? Who mentioned it?" Minako immediately picked up on the conversation.
"Aguri was asking if I wanted to be David-san's Umbrella Girl," Makoto said.
"If you won't do it, I will, then!" Minako stated.
"What? No, I mean, well, that is," Makoto stumbled out.
"Hey, is it alright if I do so as well?" Rei popped up.
"Yeah, that sounds fun!" Usagi said behind her.
"I won't take part," Ami said.
"Awe, don't be such a downer, Ami-chan!" Minako said.
"Have you picked a design for them?" asked Setsuna.
"Why, no I haven't yet. Why do you ask?" said Aguri.
"Well, I have always wanted to be a seamstress and a clothing designer, and well," Setsuna paused.
"Well, I guess I have my designer, then," Aguri nodded his head to her.
"Oh, thank you, Aguri-san!"
"Please, call me Aguri! Not even David can call me Aguri-san."
"Ok, thank you, Aguri," Setsuna corrected.
"Oh, is Makoto going to be the only umbrella girl?" Minako asked.
"Well, I have seen a team have as many as six, so, I think I have my girls for my team standing in front of me," said Aguri.
"Oh, no I really couldn't!" Ami began, "I wouldn't have the time! Too much studying, keeping myself ahead. That sort of thing."
"Nonsense, you will have plenty of time," Aguri assured her, "I'll only need you for the races and possibly some press conferences. Other than that, you are free to do what you may please. Also you will have Meioh-san to come up with the outfit. Who better to design it than a person you are comfortable with?"
"Please," Setsuna began, "Call me Setsuna-chan."
Aguri nodded, "Please Mizuno-san?"
Ami pondered for a moment, then sighed, "Okay, I'll do it. I would have been forced into it eventually. Oh, and Please call me Ami-chan."
"Thank you, Ami-chan."
"I've got a question, how are we going to all hold an umbrella over David-san?" Minako asked.
"Well, my son, Momiji, would also need one," said Aguri, "Momiji, come over here and meet these young ladies. They will be our Umbrella Team."
Momiji walked over from the bench that a crew member and he were discussing timing problems with the valve train, as soon as he had turned around, all the girls save for Setsuna, Michiru, Haruka, and Makoto, melted and had a sparkle in their eyes.
Ami, however, just blushed and thought to herself, "Oh, my. He is quite handsome."
Only one girl caught his eyes, her dark raven hair, slender smooth legs, and her violet eyes. Momiji felt like himself and she were the only two standing then. "Um, hi. I'm Kaneishi, Momiji," he said as he extended his hand to her first.
"Hino, Rei," she bowed as she took his hand.
"Hino? As in Representative Hino-sama?" Aguri said somewhat wide eyed.
"Yes, he," she had a slight pause, "is my father."
"Oh, my, well, if I had known we were going to have this kind of company I,"
"Would have what? I'm no more special than my friends here!" Rei nearly yelled in anger.
"My front brakes are lockin' up on hard corners! Damn dog won't hunt!" David came over the radio, somewhat breaking the tension that was trying to build.
"Don't use quite as much front brake as you are, turn the bias knob to the right a click or two," said Momiji as he held the button on the side of the headset on, "The engineers always put too much front brake in, don't know why."
"Ten-four."
After Ami's translation, Usagi, in her innocence, asked, "What did he mean, 'dog won't hunt?' Why is there a dog in his car and how is it hunting?"
"What he means is the car isn't driving like he wants it to," Momiji smiled, "And, no, there is no dog." The rest of the girls were glad Usagi had asked, as they also had no idea what David was saying, including for the first time, Ami.
"Yeah, much better!" David came over the radio again, "It feels like it also had too large of a gear, doesn't boogity out the corner too well."
"Give it a bit of time, David, the car is still a bit cold," Hani said, "You're tires aren't even up to tempeature. It will take a lap or two to get it there. You're also coming out of the corner too aggressive, be easier on the accelator."
"Ten-four. I'll keep that lead out of my foot."
Usagi looked at Momiji, her eyes telling what she was about to ask. He just shook his head and smiled and Usagi went back to watching.
David's wild spells behind the wheel had Makoto worried, seeing the car going too far and it catching sideways. Every time it did so, she wince and almost take her eyes off the screen.
"You going to be ok, Mako-chan?" Minako asked.
Makoto jumped and angrily said, "Can't you announce when you are going to sneak up on someone?"
"Wow, sorry Mako-chan. Didn't know you were keeping such attention on your," Minako began a wide grin, "boyfriend!" Makoto then began to do what Minako had wanted her to, blush redder than a tomato.
"Oh, have you guys kissed yet?" Usagi immediately followed behind Minako, evilly smiling just as she did.
"Uh, uh, well, I, that, I just kissed him on the forehead, that's all!" Makoto blundered out.
"Oh? What next? Him feeling you," Minako started.
"Hey! David-ku, er, -san isn't like that!" Makoto said, even redder.
"What? You mean you know?" Usagi followed again.
"Yes, no! No! We haven't. No!" Makoto continued to blurt.
"Those two, I swear," Rei said out loud, but Ami was the only to really hear her.
"Yes, I know," she agreed.
Setsuna, Michiru, Hotaru, and Haruka just looked at the sight, "What do you suppose they have Mako-chan in such a fit about?" Michiru asked.
"Yes, Haruka-papa, she does look a bit tense," Hotaru noticed as well.
Haruka just sighed, "Probably over David-san, it would seem as if they both have gotten close. Especially on how they are teasing her."
Setsuna laughed, "It is quite cute, however. It's such an easy way to tell how Makoto feels about him."
"Of course you know how she feels, don't you?" Haruka asked.
"The art of fortune telling is a imperfect practice, however, body language is much better" Setsuna only replied.
"Haruka-papa, you know Setsuna-chan can't tell you," said Hotaru.
"I know, I know, but I can still pry," Haruka smiled.
"Well, I know where prying will get you, Haruka," Michiru said.

"Will you two stop?" Makoto finally pleaded.
"Why? Because we are getting so close to the truth?" Usagi asked.
"No! Because I don't want to answer! How I feel about David isn't really your businesses."
"Oh, but it is!" Minako declared, then got closer to her to whisper, "Besides, wouldn't you want him to get closer to you as well?"
"Yeah, isn't that the ultimate goal?" Usagi said, just as close and quiet.
"Um, I guess," Makoto fell into the trap.
"Good," Minako said, "Then you wouldn't totally mind us setting you two on a date, would you?"
"Hey, wait! I would mind!" Makoto tried to get back out.
"Don't worry, you can trust us," Minako put her back in, "besides, Rei is going to help us," pointing out Rei, but noticed her constant, starry eyed stare at Momiji and grumbled, "If she can get her own boy troubles off of her."
"Well, I guess it would be okay if you set it up with Rei," Makoto said mostly to reassure herself.
"Great! Think you will be free Friday at 19:30?"
"What?" Makoto blinked, "Don't tell me you had this planned since you met David at my apartment?"
"No, I just have good sources!"
"Yeah, and don't forget Rei-chan is behind this too," Usagi reassured Makoto.
"Okay, I can be free then, but will David-san?"
"Don't worry, he will be," said Minako, then muttered under her breath, "if I have anything to say about it."
"Huh?"
"Nothing Mako-chan! Usagi-chan, please come here."
As she did what she was told she asked, "Now what?"
"You see that over there, right?" Minako replied, "How Rei-chan keeps staring at Momiji-san?"
"Yeah, so?"
"So! Rei-chan is supposed to be falling for Yuuichiru-san!"
"Oh, yeah. Hehe, forgot."
"And I thought that only applied to school."

"David, in three more laps, the GTA will want you to come in and do the driver exchange. Pit road speed will be regulated by the limiter switch. Just push it and your speed will be controlled by it. Just keep your foot in it and don't touch the brake until you have to stop," Momiji came over the radio.
"Yeah, great. That part," David replied.
"Mako-san, come up here please," Aguri said, "Put this on and help David-san." He handed her his headset, "I'll wear yours."
"Won't you need to help him?" Makoto questioned, "I doubt I will be of any help, I don't know the first thing about any of this, yet."
"Trust me, you will help him more right now that I will," Aguri said as he helped her up.
"How?"
"He is very comfortable with you, you connect with him in a way I cannot. If you want to be private, switch to channel three. He will be able to hear all of us, but he will be the only one to hear you."
Makoto began to blush a bit and thought, "Is it really that obvious how I feel about him? Maybe I am going a bit quick, I don't want to push him away. Not now!" She then nodded and sat in Aguri's seat and switched it to channel three as she was instructed.
"David, switch to channel three,"Momiji said on the radio then looked over to Makoto, "I'll tap your shoulder when I need to talk to him, okay?"
She nodded, then waited to hear David's voice, "Why did you want me to switch, Moji?"
"Because they want me to talk to you," Makoto replied.
"Mako? What are you doing on the radio?"
"Aguri said that I could help you through this."
"Oh, I see. Well, your voice is very soothin', that's for sure."
"David, do you think we are moving too fast? You and I, I mean."
"Well," he paused a bit, "Sorry, very tough part of the track. Anyway, gosh, I don't know. It's not like we are goin' very far, not yet."
"So, you really do want to go further?"
"I told you on the way here I wanted to be able to try more of your cookin', remember?," saying with his smile nearly being heard.
"I remember," Makoto replied smiling just as much.
Momiji tapped on Makoto's shoulder and she nodded, "Hey, this is Moji, you only have a lap and a half. There is also a faster car going on the track, watch out for him."
"Faster? Well, we'll see about that," David replied.
"See, your talking to him has worked," Momiji teased and Makoto just smiled, "Yeah, he's a new guy but has tested in this car not long ago. He was fast then, faster than me even and it was much wetter than this. This guy is just unreal, so be careful."
"Who is he?"
"Some guy named Daijobi Kamata."
"What?" Makoto nearly jumped out of her seat.
"Uh, repeat that. Did you just say Daijobi? The same jackass that tried to, well, anyway, him?" David asked.
"Yeah, is there something I should know?"
"Get Aguri on!"
"Okay," Momiji turned around and handed him the headset.
"Aguri, is this the same Daijobi that I am thinkin' of?"
"Yes, David, Makoto, it is," Aguri confirmed their fears.
"Does he, whoa!" David tried to ask, but his answer was confirmed, "Great, he is right behind me! And he's just stayin' with me, I just moved down to let him by, but he just followed. I think he knows."
"Shit," Aguri cursed under his breath, "Damn police and their bribes. His father must have better connections than I do. This is going to be trouble. David, do your best, I know you will be fine."
"Damn it! All he is doin' is pushin' me though the corner! He's tryin' to spin me!"
Momiji jumped off the pit box and ran over to Haruka, grabbing his helmet, "You don't mind me borrowing it, do you?"
"I owe you anyway," she agreed.
"Thanks, this will more than pay for it!" he hopped into her car, threw on the belts and helmet, and fired it up, "Been a while, baby. Don't fail me now." As soon as the car was on the ground, he flew out of the pit stall and down the pit straight. David's Fairlady Z and Daijobi's NSX were coming hard right behind him. As they got ready to pass him, Momiji swung the rear of the Supra into the side of Daijobi's NSX. He waived to him with his middle finger and said, "Hey, how you doing?" Daijobi sent a similar sign back and forced the NSX into Momiji, "Fine by me, rookie," he backed off, but used the left front of his Supra to lift the right rear of the NSX off the ground, causing it to get nearly uncontrollable before turn 1.
Meanwhile Aguri ran to Daijobi's team pit stall to see if he can get them to stop, "Is your driver insane? He seems just as loony as his father! Get your driver off of him or get your driver off the track!"
"Well, I would, Aguri, but it would seem I am too 'loony,'" Moriki Kamata replied to Aguri, "that or your driver is too slow to keep up. Too fat like most American pigs."
"That is where he got it from?" Makoto thought to herself, "He got it from his father. That poor man, his is only being influenced by his father. He really doesn't know any better."
"Daijobi, move that American sympathizer. Then, prove to that disgraceful foreigner why Japanese drivers will always beat American ones," Moriki encouraged him.
"You dishonorable, faceless jerk! How dare you!"
"Go back to your stall, you have no use here."
As he said that, Daijobi rammed into Momiji again, causing him to go off course into a sand pit, "Shit! I'm sorry, David. Please be careful!"
"Momiji isn't going to be able to get back to the paddock," Haruka thought, then grabbed her own helmet, "Make it in David-san!" She put it on and stood on the pit wall beside the crew waiting and hoping he would make it.
David reached for the brake bias knob and clicked it to the right a couple of more times, "That should be enough," he thought to himself. He started to formulate a plan in his head, "Once I get past turn eleven, the entry lane won't be that far ahead. With this much rear brake, I can lock them up and swing it into the pits just like a rally car. Just have to make it to turn eleven."
Daijobi was also formulating his own plan, "Turn nine was where he had the most trouble. I can get him there if I begin to ram his rear bumper just before the exit. If not there, then turn ten, where he will need a lot of brakes. He won't make it in if I can help it! He'll be the laughing stock of the JGTC, no the racing world!"
"Ok, I know he is going to try to use turns nine and ten against me, they are my worst spots so far. I can stay beside him through nine, but he will probably try to run me off down the long straight afterwards. If I'm not careful, he can still hook me in nine, but that will give him a problem, too. He might not do that, he just wants me and not have himself hurt in the process. Okay, here comes nine, time to fight him."

"Okay, here comes nine, time to screw him worse than he tried to with me!" As they entered the braking zone of nine, David pulled to the right quickly and jammed on the brakes, nearly locking them. Daijobi didn't expect it to happen as quickly as he did it and was mostly caught off guard. David then let off the brakes and used enough acceleration to keep beside Daijobi. They stayed side by side though nine and were still door to door down the long straight. Nearing the braking zone, Daijobi pulled one on David and got nearly back behind him. However, David swung his car into Daijobi's, causing the both of them to nearly lose it. David drifted his car through ten and began his charge through eleven, with Daijobi nipping on his heels. When David was only a few yards from the entrance, he jammed on the brakes and swung into the pits like he planned. Daijobi tried to follow suit, but the car spun around and the right side of the NSX slammed into the water barrels at the beginning of the pit to front straight wall. He, however, did continue once he got the car going again. David's car was a total mess. The right rearmost part of the quarter panel was gone, he had no rear bumper, the left rearmost quarter panel was hanging on by a weave of carbon fiber, his left front quarter panel had been smashed in and his headlight was gone, and his left rear tire was blown and riding on it's rim. Other than that, he had made it. He stopped in his stall and began to climb out of his car.
"Don't worry, just keep going," Haruka stated before David could ask. He helped her strap in, the crew put four new tires on, fixed what damage they could, and filled it full of fuel. Once the jacks were down, she was off for Momiji, who was still stuck near turn two.
As soon as he got his helmet off, David headed to Daijobi, "Just what in Blue Hell were you doing, jackass?"
"What the fuck do you think I was doing! Paying you back for the screw job you did on me," Daijobi responded.
David grabbed him by the collar and lifted Daijobi a full foot off the ground, "You ever try a stunt like that again, I'll make sure you never drive again!" Then slammed him into the wall.
"Typical American brutality," Daijobi spat, "Can't do anything without brute force."
"Hey, how about you stick this wrench up your ass before I use it to make you shut up permanently?"
"How about you go back to your disgraceful country?"
"That's it! You obviously never learned your first lesson!" David yelled as Aguri and most of his crew held him back. Daijobi and his crew did the same for him, but mostly for show. "Ah, damn him!"
"Easy, David, easy!" Aguri said, trying to calm David to no real avail.
"Fuck!" David yelled kicking a tire.
Makoto ran towards David and grabbed his hand, "David, please calm down!"
He grunted and let angry air flow through him as he sat on the tire he just kicked, "Damn him," he let out an upset laugh, "Bastard."
Makoto pulled up a small seat beside him and rubbed his right shoulder as she laid her head on his left one, "I know, believe me."
David just shook his head, "That was, he could, Damn him."
Makoto began to cry a bit, "I know."
He looked at her, then moved her to where she was in front of him and said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the way I just acted in front of you and your friends. I'm sorry to all of you. I let you guys down just then, none of you will take blame for any of this, I'll be sure of it. I'll take full responsibility for it."
"That's good, someone has to be held accountable for this!" said Kona Fujimata, the representative from the GTA, "Since you take blame, the fine and punishment will go to you."
"Without hearing or seeing any of the events that led to this?" Aguri protested.
"I saw the events, Goddard-san acted without thought on and off track. His fine and penalty will be handed down next week."
"You can't do this! Daijobi was the one who caused this!"
"Even so, Daijobi did not act with aggression in front of the reporters there," Kona pointed out, "Expect to see it on every news channel this evening."
"Convenient. Just convenient that they were in front of the Mizuyuu team stall, Kona-san. The GTA will hear David's story, and so will the news."
"Well, in the meantime, David fails the test, he does not get my approval."
Even though they spoke in Japanese, David knew what they were saying. He buried his head in Makoto's shoulder as she cried a bit more. He held her tighter and rubbed her back gently. He looked up when he heard and saw the Fairlady Z pull up. Momiji and Haruka saw the dejected faces and knew immediately what the news was.
"Damn it," They cursed under their breath.
"Gomen nasai,"Makoto whispered to David.
"What does that mean?" He whispered back.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I got you into this mess."
He put his hands on her shoulders and sat Makoto up so that he could look at her, "Don't be. You haven't done anything wrong."
"I did, I didn't fight him back, I di."
"No, you did what you could. None of this is your fault, it's all his and he isn't going to get away with any of it. Not so long as I can breathe."
Makoto sniffled a bit and David wiped some of her tears away, he then smiled, "No, I'm not going to let him get away with this. We both will make him pay. We'll take 'care' of him together, okay?" She nodded then buried her face into the side of his neck.
"Arigato, David. Thank you, very much," She whispered.
David put his hands around her waist and helped her to stand up, "Let's go. We need to leave here, for now." He smiled then looked at everyone, "I haven't given up, we haven't given up. We will fight all of this together, none of them will get away with it." Everyone nodded in agreement and began to gather everything up. "Will you girls look after Makoto for me?" He asked and Ami translated for those who didn't understand. They all nodded and gathered around Makoto and walked with her back to the Gouka trailer. David and Momiji began to get the car ready.
"David, I don't really mean to pry too much, but, why do you and him have such a hatred for each other? And what did Aguri mean by 'police and their bribes?'" Momiji asked.
"Remember when I just suddenly left the Press Conference? Well, he, somehow or another I, well," David sighed, "He tried to rape Makoto, and I went to save her. I was hoping he would be locked up. Guess not."
Momiji nodded, "Kind of odd, but, I believe you. I won't ask how you knew, but, I am actually glad you were able to save her, then."
"Yeah, I could feel her panicking. I could feel her fear," he looked down the track towards the mountains, "I don't know how I could. All I know is that I did and had to. I swear if he lays a hand on her again," he clinched his hands into a fist.
"Easy, David," Momiji said as he put his hand on David's shoulder, "I know what you mean. You and about 30 other people will do the same," He smiled to him.
David smiled back, "Thanks."
"No prob. Let's get this car back to the trailer. Besides, we have women to look after," Momiji laughed. David shook his head and laughed back, then motioned to the crew to help push the car back.

Back in Tokyo, two cats were walking along a side walk, one a dark purple, the other a brilliant white. Each of them had a crescent moon mark on their foreheads. When the coast was clear of humans, the purple one asked, "So, you think David is an unaccounted General?"
"Yes," the white one replied, "I believe he is GeneralGraphite, one of our Generals with Rank and Specialty of Clandestine."
"He was a spy?"
"Yes, Luna, he was."
"I was unaware that we had spies, Artemis."
Artemis nodded, "Yes, however, not many in the Moon Kingdom knew. That possibly included yourself."
"I see," Luna replied.
"Only one problem, the reason we made a spy was because he was once working for the Dark Moon."
"That is what has you worried? How did we make him a spy? Wouldn't QueenBeryl know?"
"Yes, to the first and last. To answer the second one, he had to, assume, the role."
"What?" Luna had a questioning look on her face, "What do you mean 'had to assume the role?'" They turned down into an alleyway, so that no humans will bother them.
"The original man that was GeneralGraphite died while on a mission. David was the one who killed him. QueenSelenity was willing to let him repent and we needed someone that knew the Dark Moon well, he was exactly what we needed."
"Who was he during the Dark Moon stint?" Luna asked.
"I don't know. He wouldn't disclose it, didn't want to shame his family who was on the Moon Kingdom."
Luna shook her head, "How sad. Let's leave him be, then. No need to reawaken such a horrible memory to this young man. Who knows how it would make him feel or act."
"My thoughts exactly, Luna," Artemis agreed, "We also don't need a new enemy."
"Well, let's return home, Artemis, the girls should be returning sometime soon." Artemis nodded and the two cats walked back to Usagi's home, where everyone was supposed to meet after the test in Motegi.