I'm back, and we're almost done here. I made sure I'd get at least one chapter up for Chish while she was on holidays relaxing.
Enjoy and review...
Welcome to the Occupation.
He really is incredible.
Sainz-san that is.
Within seconds he had my race organised with Ieyasu. For a supposed outsider he carries a lot of respect and command everywhere he goes. Takuya had told me that he'd once driven in the WRC and after hearing some of the times he was capable of producing on local passes I had to believe him. He really was what every racer strove to be, what they all wanted from life. Then why did he always seem miserable? Could it be to do with Mako-chan, or was it something other than that? Even when I first met him, and looking back now, I have to smile at what was said, he seemed detached from his surroundings. It'd have to be hard though, going from a professional racer to a university student in the space of a few years. He probably didn't have all the many friends either; we can tend to be a little less than open and forthcoming to gaijin. Well, he's a member of our team now and to be honest there are few people I owe more to. He rebuilt my car, the WHOLE car almost from the ground up and didn't think once about getting paid to do so. Takuya told me that much.
He did it, one racer to another and for that I owe him.
Both cars charged downhill quickly, the Evo VII leading the SW20 bumper to bumper. It was the predictable start to the race. The tires on Kai's SW20 had already been heated in the previous time attacks and were gummed up because of it. Also Miyoko's Evo VII had the advantage of more traction at launch and corner exit and her Active Yaw Control and Active Centre Diff allowed an easy but incredibly fast turn in. But those were minor details… inconsequential really. Kai knew that all he had to do was cling to the back of the car during the high-speed sections and towards the end of the course Miyoko would leave an opening somewhere. She wasn't that good yet. The pair attacked one of the high-speed corners Enna was famous for and it difference in styles was obvious to note. Miyoko braked conservatively and downshifted two gears, utilising her tires and electronic aids to turn the car and then bringing the gas back on strongly at the clipping point. Her technique made the car drift outwards slightly, exciting to watch, but wasteful on her tires. Kai, by contrast, used his brake pedal sparingly, downshifted but a single gear and only stepped back on his gas pedal when he was certain it wouldn't disrupt his forward momentum with a loss of traction. Even for those people in the galleries it was obvious that Kogashiwa Kai was not only cornering faster, he doing so without placing as much strain on his tires. Thanks to Dysuke's experience he knew firsthand the strengths and weaknesses of the drift style.
Dysuke. I thought I hated him when the team started, or maybe that he hated me, but now? He really is alright. I know there's something between him and Rina, or there was. Unspoken feelings, childhood crushes…
Dysuke was good friends with Rina's older brother Ken… it makes sense there'd be something there. God, what did it take for me to fall for Rina? One date, one smile? I can't really blame him. Mainly because he didn't blame me. It must have taken a lot of guts to walk into my hospital room by himself and just sit down and talk. Talk about the team, about my car… talk about Rina and how worried she was.
About how much she loved me.
Somewhere along the line I started asking him questions about himself. How he'd met Takuya at a track day, and how deep down he really respected the ace. How he sold the engine from his Altezza and replaced it with a new one. We talked about that in relative depth. A 1U was an odd engine to fit into an Altezza after all but as Dysuke explained it was a lighter engine than the 3S and it made more power from an ultra-responsive quad cam four litre V8. The car could now had improved performance on the corners and on the straights with nearly 400 horsepower.
If nothing else, Rina liked the car even more now. She said it sounded much better.
Miyoko was trying to spread the gap between her and Kai's cars with very little luck. Sure, her driving was becoming more aggressive certainly, but as with most amateurs she didn't know yet that more aggressive didn't always mean faster. Her turning was becoming more haphazard, the tires slipping on the bitumen and she was starting to miss the clipping point for the corner, leaving a pin-point opening. Still it was going to be hard to get in front of her… even with a supercharger she still had enough of an acceleration advantage to stop any overtaking attempt on the straights. And unlike Irohazaka, there weren't any stunts that could be pulled for an unbeatable counter-attack. Kai was going to have to do this one the old-fashioned way.
The Kogashiwa way.
In other words; the unspeakably insane way.
Winding through a high-speed back and forth section Kai began to move closer to the guardrails and mountainsides, startling people in the galleries and the young woman in front of him. He was staying on her tail longer on the straights now and pushing his nose into any hole she opened up in her defences. She was panicking, there was blood in the water, and Kogashiwa knew it. It wasn't the clean way to win, the style Takuya would prefer, but against a 4WD LanEvo, you have to do what you can.
Takuya. Boy was he old school. He has got to be without a doubt the best technical racer in Five Fire Flame, wait, second now! He measures his braking in fractions of a second and moves that little Starlet around Happogahara faster than anyone would ever believe possible. Hell he'd beaten Evo Prime times! Not only that but he was a good, no a natural leader, he can harass Rina into driving seriously and improving her split times again and again and again on any given night. He can give Dysuke the technical driving expertise he needs whilst moving from his instincts with his drifting days to his new career as a touge racer. And as much as I hate to admit it, if he's not faster than me, he's damn close. He's also able to hold a conversation with Sainz-san as an equal, whether it's about racing or mechanics or about running a team. Sainz seems to respect his decisions and the fact that they are well thought out.
Really that is Takuya's weapon, not any freakish skill, though he has more than ample skill. It's not the fact that he's a genius like that Takahashi guy from Project D, though he's definitely smart. Takuya's best weapon is the fact that he thinks every thing through to its conclusion; that he's able to make plans that just seem to come together perfectly, with everything in it's place.
He's an evil genius, really!
The Evo's pace had decreased in the corners and it was now suffering from serious understeer. The supercharged SW20 was stalking her like a predator running down a wounded herd animal. Looking for one last opening to go for the throat.
From their position overlooking the last turns of the course the Todou Juku elite were the first to see them approach, interrupting the conversation two of their members were holding, whilst the others listened on.
"But Sakai… Sainz-san booked a race that wasn't fair! Miyoko might be a Todou student but she's only been with the school a few weeks. I mean, unless she tries another crazy Fujiwara move, he's going to be faster, even Shacho said so!"
The older graduate was without his customary smile.
"Remember what Shacho said Daiki. Sometimes you learn more from a loss than you do from a win. And sometimes you need to win to build your confidence. That would be my guess…"
There was the telltale sound of a wastegate venting excess boost and the words were silenced. The Evo 7 exited the corner, almost clipping the guardrail before Miyoko caught it, with the SW20 right behind it. She was swerving slightly back and forth, trying to prevent Kai taking the inside line for the approaching corner. Smiling to himself, Kai feinted to the outside and as she moved to block, set himself up to take the inside anyway.
Sweating rivers down her forehead the Ieyasu scion moved to cut Kai off in the corner, setting up for a tight line. The race was nearly hers, only two more corners to go! She'd show that Kogashiwa her skills, and Seiji, and Kyouichi! All of them!
Completely unfazed Kogashiwa moved his MR2 up the inside to Miyoko's horror.
"Don't come any closer you idiot, there's no space!"
Apparently no one told the Tochigi racer that. Before he was racing cars, he was racing motorbikes, and it gave him one distinct advantage over most people.
He understood the proper dynamics of jumping.
Fearlessly he struck the curled lip of the gutter timing the action so that instead of snapping his wheels first the front and then the rear leapt over it and ran through the dirt shoulder. Landing the car on the road, Kai was almost a car length in front of Miyoko, while the Todou members looked on and provided split-second commentary.
"Did you see that? Kogashiwa pulled off a flawless gutter jump!
"He's holding his lead on the straight!"
"It's going to be a braking duel!"
In their cabins Ieyasu Miyoko and Kogashiwa Kai locked into a silent battle of wills. Each leaving their braking as late as possible, leaving it until both wondered if they'd survive the corner. Biting down on her lips hard, Miyoko cracked first, slamming her brakes on and hoping that the ABS and AYC would help her turn the corner.
Kogashiwa was definitely better with that pedal. He edged forward before pulling of yet another gutter jump, this one spraying Miyoko's LanEvo with dirt and grass. He had the lead.
He had the win.
The galleries erupted and Kogashiwa Kai contemplated the last member of his team.
Satou Rina. That woman, I love that woman.
This is my team. And I wouldn't change any of them for the world!
Nicolas Sainz stared at the object in his hands with slight confusion as Sakai and Todou-san crowded around with playful smiles and banter.
His thoughts immediately turned Mako, and then, almost unwillingly to Miyoko. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. One he had almost… almost allowed himself to think about in kind terms. But that was before she got back together with that boyfriend of hers.
The other drove him up the wall, around the ceiling and out the door.
Avoiding the gentle nudge in the ribs, Nicolas spun the item round in his hands, even allowing Sakai to peel of the small note that accompanied it.
Although he wanted to retreat into his own little cocoon, he had to allow for his employer and co-worker's jovial moods.
After all it wasn't every day that a mechanic at the Todou Firm was sent a dozen red roses.
"Sainz-san… you'd better read this!"