ACT 3 – 3000RPM 'Meeting the Emperor'

Days have passed since the first loss of Zui Hou. Kumiko had finished grooming herself in her dresser and had put on another dress. She was yet again, quite dressy and she enjoyed every bit of it. After all, she was about to meet up with the Emperor himself.
Kumiko picked up her phone, "You ready, Fu? Okay, I'll meet you there in half an hour."
She slipped on her sandals and made her way to the parking.
Kumiko barely stays at her apartment, thus everything seems quite tidy. She started up her car and back out slowly.

The car revved softly, then drove out of the parking area like the serpent it is. Kumiko noticed her tank needed refills. This wouldn't last…

The GTO cruised through the lights, passing by houses and buildings, quietly revving past the bystanders as they looked in awe.
Block by block, nobody who came across Kumiko's 3000GT took their eyes off it.

It was 1:30 in the afternoon, the sun was bright and the sky was clear. Kumiko cruised her way along the city area.
Her GTO made its way to the nearest gas station and filled up.

I'm dying to find out more about Emperor Zui… I wonder what Fu is thinking…

A few moments later, Kumiko had driven her way into the far corner of the city area. She could not contain her excitement and drove straight past the reception, which had the gates already open for her.

Kumiko and her 3000GT were no strangers to the Zui Hou R headquarters. Kindly greeted by the friendly staff that which had treated her like a family member for so long, she had made her way into parking her vehicle at the Central Garage where she met up with Chuan Fu Huo.

Greeting him with a soft kiss, Kumiko began to explain to him, "I was given this key. It apparently takes us to a new area of the HQ. Emperor Zui should meet us there. Let's go."

"Aren't we a little early?" asked Fu Huo.
"Actually… we are a bit. Let's look around then, shall we?"
"Sounds fine with me!" replied Fu Huo cheerfully.

Being alone with Fukada Kumiko always excited Fu Huo, even though his hopes fall each time.
But at this moment, he could not help but think about what he was about to get in to.
Emperor Zui? I've never actually thought about him… Maybe he was that guy who spoke to me during that test run a few months ago?

The Central Garage was within a medium-sized building, where different tuning branches and offices had been set. Fu Huo followed Kumiko's lead and got inside the elevator.

Watching Kumiko's every move, Fu Huo had a warm feeling as he perversely stared at her from behind. She inserted a key card into a slot and pressed a button. It led to one of the restricted access floors.
The doors shut, and Kumiko found herself staring at them. The elevator trip seemed rather long and dragging.
Fu Huo continued to stare at her. His hormones kept chewing at him. He badly wanted to hold the woman who stood in front of him.
It was one of the situations that he had always imagined; he and Kumiko alone in an elevator.

Fu Huo could not contain himself any longer. He slowled moved away from the wall and slowly closer to Kumiko. He motioned his arms and slowly began to try and place his hands on her shoulders.

Kumiko was completely unaware and continued to stare at the elevator door. Just before Fu Huo was able to touch her, the elevator had stopped and the doors had finally opened.
Kumiko walked forward.

Damn
Fu Huo quickly tucked his hands in his pocket. So close…
He and Kumiko walked through a series of dimly lit corridors.

"Weird place… I have not been here before," said Kumiko.
"Really? I thought you would have been everywhere, Ku," claimed Fu Huo.
"Nah… I'm actually not that authorized either…"

Moments later, they came across corridors with cars set on display along the sides.
There was a black S2000 with a Mugen kit, which revolved around on a platform. It had a yellow and red sticker on the fender – 'C4'
The environment seemed like a show room of some sort.
Kumiko and Fu Huo walked through another set of automatic doors and into another corridor.

There was another display, this time, there were two cars on each side. Both were different types of RX-7 FD3S. The one on the left was a black Spirit R type A equipped with a MazdaSpeed kit.
On the other side was a dark green Efini RX-7 Type R with a MazdaSpeed A Spec GTC bodykit. Both had the C4 sticker on them.

"Whose cars are these?" wondered Fu Huo.
"I don't have the slightest idea," replied Kumiko.

They both went through another corridor. There was only one car on display. It was a white RX-7 FC3S; a limited edition Infini III with RS Watanabe rims and a modified front bumper from Fujita Engineering.

"Now that's a beautiful car," said Fu Huo.
"Yes it is… I hardly see any of these nowadays though…" said Kumiko.
"Let's continue…"

Momentarily, Fu Huo began to get an awkward feeling. He began to feel as if he was about to be overwhelmed by something. But he felt that he needed to continue to find out what it was.
It was simply a weird gut feeling.
The two had gone past the final corridor and entered another room.
It was much different from the others.
It was more like a platform. It was larger than all the other ones in the other corridors. It seemed like an elevating platform for vehicles.

Fu Huo and Kumiko had looked on and found that there was a car that stood alone on the platform.
The car looked very familiar to Fu Huo, yet he still had no idea of what it was. It felt to him like an old acquaintance, yet he barely knew anything about it.

The car was white, with a black hardtop, with a scoop-like intake mounted on the rear engine. The shape was rather long and exotic. In Fu Huo's eyes, the car had a somewhat divine prescence. But this was not the first time he had encountered this vehicle.

"So this is where they keep it…" confirmed Kumiko.
"Ku… this car is…"
"Yes… it is."

Fu Huo stepped up and moved closer to the car. He made himself busy and began to examine it from the front.
"This is a beautiful car…" he said, as he looked at its badge, "But I've never seen this kind of Honda…"

"They've stopped making it. It's a very rare car now," said Kumiko. "The Emperor had gathered his remaining funds into retrieving this vehicle that you see before you. This is the crown jewel of Zui Hou R itself. The late model NSX Type R…"

"NSX-R…" repeated Fu Huo like he was in a trance.
"This car is the basis of our ultimate project. The elimination of physical constraints that limit driving potential and destroy all barriers. Its codename is 'KYOKO'."

"That is correct," said a deep, firm voice that spoke from the dimly lit areas.

A figure slowly stepped out of the shadows. In an instant, the lights have been turned up brighter, lighting up the room.
The figure was a man who was dressed in a pale gole trench coat, with pants to match and a grey office shirt. He wore dark brown leather shoes and gold chains from his neck along with a pair of gold gloves.
He had a medium build, however his face could not be seen. The man wore a gold mask with different little jewels and crests along the sides. The mask seemed mechanical, almost like a small helmet.

"Are you… Emperor Zui?" asked Kumiko softly.
"Again, you are correct, Kumi-chan," said the Emperor.

Kumiko and Fu Huo could not make out the words to say. The Emperor's presence was simply overwhelming.
"It's an honour to finally meet you at least, Emperor…" added Kumiko.
"There's no need for any formalities, Kumi-chan. It's a pleasure to finally meet you both,"

The Emperor walked closer to the two, and looked toward Fu Huo's direction.
"Ah… good to see you again… X."
"Uh… yes sir,"
"Haha… I said don't worry about formalities."

The Emperor turned towards the white NSX-R.
"I see you were marveling at its beauty. X, you are currently the only of the Shireishou Divine Unit Generals who can handle KYOKO…"
"But… the test a few months ago was a failure…" explained Fu Huo.
"No, X. It was a success. The wave patterns recorded from the last test showed us how well your brain sync'ed with the system's performance… It was off the charts. Not even Kumi-chan has a record like that…"

"Emperor, can you tell us a little bit about the KYOKO System?" requested Kumiko.
"Ah, yes. Of course Kumi-chan. As you said earlier on, Project KYOKO is our ultimate aim to eliminate all barriers in true racing potential. We all know that it takes a perfectly stable mind and focus to be able to handle such a system. But with it, combined with the project car, it is an invincible street weapon."

The Emperor continued, "There was a reason why the NSX-R was selected for Project KYOKO. The NSX-R is basically the ultimate street car. It is unparralelled in terms of control, response, and handling, which is ideal for such a system to work with…"

"I've heard that it only weilds a naturally aspirated V6 engine that only pulls at around 276HP? Why is it that it can keep up with my 3000GT?" asked Kumiko.

"Even without KYOKO, the NSX-R was already a formidable machine. The VTEC truly shines with the insanely high revs that the NSX-R can reach. The suspension settings are totally re-mastered and the gear ratios are nothing short of perfect. Not to mention the car's weight. The car was already as light as a feather due to the vast weight reduction modifications and an aerodynamic carbon fibre body. It was the perfect car for KYOKO; it gives the driver ultimate control and the response is most efficient to work with KYOKO."

The Emperor walked around the NSX-R once again, "This car does not need any more horsepower than it already has. 280 is just right for the ultimate touge weapon. But then again, its official horsepower ratings are totally meaningless. Have you seen this thing on the dyno at all?"

"Um… no," replied Fu Huo.
"Trust me, not like it matters, but this surely has more than just 276HP," claimed the Emperor.

He continued, "The combination of KYOKO and the NSX-R would create an absolute god on the street. The right driver can fly through each curve at unholy speeds as he sees fit. We are still in deep search for the one who will tame KYOKO. So far, you X are the closest we have in doing so. But it is still far too early to bring out KYOKO into the open."

"I'm not sure…" claimed Fu Huo, But if I were to get my hands on KYOKO… Nobody will be able to match me. I'll be the best there is! Not Kumi, nor Maya… but me!

"There are still many tests to be taken. KYOKO must not be tampered with until further notice. By strict order, KYOKO remains here," explained the Emperor.

Fu Huo stood by the car and began to think to himself. I don't need to wait for the Emperor's approval! I'm standing right here in front of it!

The Emperor continued to explain, "The project itself was named after the Street Angel. Have you heard of it?"
"No sir. Please enlighten us…" requested Kumiko.
"It was a long time ago, somewhere around the time of C4 was a legendary street racer who dominated the world of touge racing. She was strictly a road racer; she was quite hidden from the eyes of the autocross industry and kept a low profile. Her name was of course, Kyoko. She was beautiful and was like a goddess on the street. Her driving skills were of legend and unmatched by any other challenger. She had been seen to have driven many different types of cars and has mastered each one. Her reputation earned her the title of the 'Street Angel', because of how she displayed her abilities on the road with a touch of 'divinity'. She was well acquainted with the legendary members of C4 and was married to a fellow street racer called Hyuga."

"Master Hyu?" exclaimed Kumiko.
"You know him?" asked Fu Huo.
"Yes…! Master Hyu was my mentor! Maya knows about him too!" said Kumiko.
"So where abouts is this Master Hyu now?" asked Fu.
"I don't know… Anyway, let's let the Emperor finish…"

"Nobody has been able to defeat Kyoko. Until one day, Kyoko and Hyuga had an unforgettable race along the routes of C4. The race was so intense that unfortunately, Hyuga's beloved wife had a fatal accident and completely totaled. Since then, Hyuga was unable to forgive himself and was too broken on the result and had banished himself from the world of road racing…"

"So that's why Master Hyu had disappeared," said Kumiko.
"You were around the time it happened?" asked the Emperor.
"Um… well, not really. I was still a newbie back then. When I heard about the crash, I thought it was Master Hyu. But the car was different, so I was confused. But after that, Master Hyu was never to be found again, so Maya and I continued to practice among ourselves since then and formed the DOLLS," explained Kumiko.

"Hmm…" Fu Huo arrogantly crossed his arms and said, "Looks like you two still didn't learn your lesson after that crash. Even after the disappearance of Hyuga, you still continued on to race…"

"That's right. Master Hyu taught us many things about touge. Following his disappearance… Maya and I had to continue his legacy through DOLLS. Then one day, Maya saw the light and quit racing, because she did not want her little sister to follow along her footsteps. But once a racer, always a racer. Maya could not resist, so she was due to bring her sister to autocross. Much to her surprise, her sister had somehow got into street racing. Maya had soon lost hope and just went with the flow, now her little sister is taking over her N-Angel racing posse…" admitted Kumiko.

"Minako? But she doesn't know jack about cars…" said Fu Huo. "But why is she racing all of a sudden? There must be a special reason…"

"Nevertheless, our project was created in memory of the Street Angel. Her divine legacy continues on through Project KYOKO," claimed the Emperor. "But I'm afraid I have come across rumours about a leak within our organization…"

"What do you mean?" asked Fu Huo, "A leak of information, perhaps?"
"That is correct, X. A leak of information containing the blueprints of Project KYOKO and the KYOKO capsule samples have been rumoured to have been able to reach the black market. For the mean time, I'd like you and Kumi-chan to look into this matter personally."

"You can count on us to protect Kyoko-chan's legacy," announced Kumiko.
"Is there anything else?" asked Fu Huo.
"Yes, there is," added the Emperor. "Right about now, Bu Xia De would have announced a challenge to our Shireishou Divine Unit. I'm counting on you and the Generals to defend our dynasty and subdue Bu Xia De's Street Elite…"

"Got it," answered Fu Huo.

"I see we've already nailed one," announced Reiko to her fellow BXD racers along the dinner table at her house, "We've taken out Zui Hou's Evo VII thanks to Jeni. That's three more to go."

It was around 7:30 in the evening, Alex and Sly had spent dinner at Fao and Reiko's place for a little bit of discussion and report session about their current underground project.

"We were actually quite lucky," considered Alex, "The Zui Hou R members are extremely difficult to find. But it appears Jeni had been able to easily gain contact with one,"

"It's not like her," said Sly, "Maybe she had different intentions?"
"Its none of our business. She's done her job right. That's all. But maybe we can ask her assistance in contacting the other Zui Hou R members…" continued Alex.
"I'll go next," claimed Reiko, "I'll contact Fukada Kumiko personally. She is an old acquaintance of mine, and perhaps we can negotiate."
"But you have already lost against her, have you not?" remarked Sly.
"Yes, that is true," admitted Reiko, "But I never said that it was her that I would hunt down."
"Now that you mention it, Fukada Kumiko was meant to retire…" added Alex, "So who do you have in mind?"
"I'm not sure yet… Like I said, I'll try and negotiate with Fukada Kumiko," repeated Reiko.

She already knew whom exactly she wanted to face. And she also knew exactly where to do it.
There are other members of Zui Hou R other than Kumiko whom she could destroy.
Hanging on with nothing but her close friend, the RX-7 FD3S Spirit R, Reiko was determined not to let her loss in the tournament go unpunished.
She had momentarily left the table and into the lounge to use the phone.

"She's really changed," whispered Sly to Alex.
"Actually, she has a bit. She seems more determined now…"
"Maybe it's because of her loss in the tournament?"
"That might be the case. I never knew she took this shit so seriously,"
"Who knows, it's probably something between her and Kumiko…?"
"That's another possibility. I just hope it doesn't get in the way of our objective."

Several moments later, Reiko returned to the table.
"So how'd it go?" asked Alex.
"She said she'll send someone to meet me at H3. From there, the battle begins," answered Reiko.
"Do you know who it is?" asked Sly.
"No. Kumiko did not say whom exactly she was sending. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out. The race begins tonight at 10:30PM."
"Tonight? Already?" said Sly in surprise.

At around the same time, the main Dreadnaught tuning branch headquarters had closed down early that night for a special reason.

Raide managed the offices by himself as he welcomed a stranger into the shop.
"So it is you," commented Raide, "What brings you to Dreadnaught Racing?"

The man briefly shook Raide's hand and sat down near his desk.
"What can I help you with?" asked Raide.
"I was wondering if you were interested in doing some business. A street-related transaction," said the man. He looked quite young, wore a black jacket with Chinese design and some black pants along with a white office shirt and black loafers. He seemed to be a young Asian man with a comb-over and layered hairstyle. He had a rather serious, yet a little desperate expression on his face.

"What exactly do you mean?" wondered Raide.
"Let's cut to the chase. I want to offer you the ultimate formula for the fastest racing,"

The man pulled out a document from his jacket. He then asked Raide firmly, "How are your funds going at the moment?"
"Well… we currently have quite a high income these days… But what does that have to do with…"
The man interrupted him, "This is business. Money is needed of course,"
"Huh, okay, fine, I'll hear you out for what you have to say."

The man layed the document onto the table and spread it in front of Raide.
It was a set of blueprints. What could this be…? wondered Raide.

The man began to explain, "What you see in front of you is the formula for the ultimate fastest racing…"
The man began to explain further, and moment after moment, Raide was astonished at what he had heard. The man had shown him other documents, which supplemented to the unorthodox-looking blueprints that the man had supplied him. Several moments have passed as the young man continued to explain just what exactly he was trying to deal.

"W-Where… did you get these? Incredible…" gasped Raide.

The man had briefly taken an item out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table.
It was a little capsule with faint writing on it. Raide had not seen or recognize what kind of capsule it is.

"This capsule is an internal version of this system," explained the man. "Using this creates the ultimate mind stability and total alertness and focus…"
"What are the contents of this capsule?" asked Raide.
"That will be supplied for you, but that's if you re willing to do business…"

Raide was clueless. He could not believe what he saw in front of his eyes. This can lead us to supremacy… This system alone could mean the end of all conventional driving skill… But it's so tempting and hard to resist. If I could get our hands on something like this… Dreadnaught Racing will be an immortal entity in all of car racing and motoring enthusiasts.

Raide found it extremely difficult to pass up.
"And what costs are involved, or rather, requested in exchange for these?" asked Raide.
"I haven't quite thought about it yet. But are you thinking of continuing this business?" asked the man.
"As dangerous as it may be, we have a lot of uses for that program…"

The man had sat silently for a few moments. After a while, he had packed everything he had laid on the table and took it to his suitcase.
"You may have the system on these terms…" began the man, "An initial payment of $50,000, plus a duplicate of the actual physical form of the system itself,"
"$50,000?" exclaimed Raide.
"I need the money…" said the man, "But you may have these if you fulfill my other request…"

Raide seemed as desperate as the man was at this point, "And what might that be?"
"You will choose the right medium for that system. I am not good with handling programs, so perhaps you might have some use for it. Change its codename too while you're at it…" said the man.

"Okay… you got a deal," confirmed Raide.
The man gave him the account number for the money to be transferred.
"Remember, I can easily take that back from you. So you better not cheat me with my money…" suggested the man.

"Of course not," said Raide, "You'll get your $50,000 plus a complete physical sample of the system."

The man shook Raide's hand once again before leaving. He made his way out of the shop as he received a call on his cell phone.

"Where the hell are you?" said a female voice that spoke through the man's handset.
"Don't worry, I just had to take care of something…" replied the man.
"Well, there's gonna be a race at Route H3 tonight. You might not want to miss it," said the woman on the phone.
"I'll see," said the man, "Who's racing by the way?"
"Bu Xia De and Zui Hou R…" said the woman, "Remember, we still have some objectives to complete…"
"I know, I remember," said the man just before he hung up.

He made his way to his car and quickly drove off out of Dreadnaught's parking area…