Hmm... I wonder what Daddy would say if I told him I want to be a racer just like him? Asuka asked herself, as she drifted around a corner. Exiting the drift, she opened the throttle and sped down the straightway. Coming around the next corner, she stepped on the accelerator and drifted. Just then, she heard the squeal of tires behind her and looked up at her rearview mirror to see the red FC from the gas station. Hmm... it seems you've caught up with me, Asuka thought, with a smile, well... let's see how long you can keep up, shall we? With that, she opened the throttle at the exit and sped off.

Pulling up to the station, Asuka was a little surprised to find the station closed. Parking, she got out and went into the lounge. Finding Mizuki sitting on the couch with a girl in her twenties, she said," Aunt Mizuki, do you know where my dad went?"

" I gave Ryo and Andy the rest of the night off while your dad, Itsuki, Iketani and Kenji went to grab a bite to eat," Mizuki said," but your dad told me to tell you that he'll catch a ride with Itsuki later."

" Oh," Asuka said," thanks, Aunt Mizuki." Just as she turned and was about to leave, Mizuki said," Oh, Asuka meet Saki, my daughter. Saki meet Asuka Fujiwara, Takumi Fujiwara's daughter."

" Hello," Asuka said, bowing.

" Hello," Saki said," so you're the daughter of the famous Ghost of Akina, Takumi Fujiwara, huh?"

" Yeah," Asuka said," um... if dad's not here then I better go. Good bye, Aunt Mizuki and Miss..."

" Please just call me Saki," Saki said," everyone else does at my school."

" Saki," Asuka said.

" Bye, Asuka," they said. Then she went out, got in her car and drove home.

Turning into her neighborhood, Asuka frowned when she saw a blue mini-van parked in front of her house. Pulling into the driveway and parking, she turned off the engine and got out. As she did, a guy with black hair and brown eyes stepped out of the car, followed by a woman in her mid-forties. Bowing, she said," Hello. Can I help you?"

" Hello," the woman said," can you tell me when Takumi will be home?"

" My father won't be home until later this evening," Asuka said," and you are?"

" I'm Mogi Daidouji and this is my son, Tori," Mogi said.

" Oh, forgive me," Asuka said," I didn't know it was you, Mrs. Daidouji, I'm Asuka, his daughter. Please come in for some tea while you wait for my father to come home."

" Sure," Mogi said.

With that, she opened the door and went in, followed by Mogi and Tori. Then, closing the door behind him, Asuka said," Please sit down and I'll be right back." Then she went into the kitchen, took three cups down from the cupboard and placed them on a tray. Then she poured tea into each cup and took the tray into the living room. Setting it down on the coffee table, Asuka said," Here you go, Mrs. Daidouji."

" Thank you," Mogi said, taking her cup of tea.

" Here..."

" Tori," Tori said, taking the cup from her," and thank you."

" You're welcome," Asuka said, smiling. Then, as she sat down, Mogi said," So where's your mother, Asuka?"

" I never knew my mother," Asuka said," she died when I was two years old."

" Oh," Mogi said," I'm sorry."

" That's ok," Asuka said," no need to apologize, M..." Just then the door open and Takumi walked in. Smiling, she stood and said," So where did Uncle Iketani, Itsuki and Kenji take you this time, Daddy?"

" We were going to go and eat but then decided against it," Takumi said," so we went to the café instead."

" That's good," Asuka said," well..." Just then, the phone rang and Asuka said," I'll get it."

So she turned and went into the kitchen. Picking up the phone, Asuka said," Hello, Fujiwara res... oh, hello Tetsuya. What? You're racing today... who are you racing against? Sai Kendo of the Falcons... hm... let me see what I can do. What time does it start? 10 o'clock... got it. Bye." Hanging up, she sighed and shook her head. Then she walked back into the living room just as Takumi said," You're going to have to ask her that yourself, Mogi."

" Ask me what, Daddy?" Asuka asked.

" Mother just wanted to know if you race or not, Asuka?" Tori asked.

" Yes, I do," Asuka said," speaking of which, Daddy, that was Tetsuya on the phone. He's racing against..."

" Sai Kendo, I know," Takumi said," Iketani told us while we were at the café."

" Well... he wants us to go cheer him on," Asuka said.

" You can go if you want, sweetie," Takumi said," I'm a little bit tired right now."

" Ok," Asuka said," I'll be back later, Daddy." Just as she opened the door, Tori said," Wait, Asuka, mind if I join you?"

" No problem," Asuka said," come on, Tori, we'll go in my car."

At the top of the Akina mountain, there are six cars parked in the rest area, three on each side. Parked in the road was a white Mazda RX-7 FD with a Falcon sticker on the back windshield and a blue Nissan Sil-Eighty with an Akina SpeedStars sticker on the lower right side of the hood. Iketani sat on the hood of his S13 and watched as the driver of the FD and his friends talk. Walking over to his son, Iketani said," You know how fast he is, son, so be careful."

" Yeah, Tetsuya," Itsuki said," but are you sure you'd want to race? Wouldn't it be better if Asuka raced, instead?"

" She'd never accept the challenge, Uncle Itsuki," Tetsuya said," and she's not officially a part of the team. Besides he specifically challenged us and we can't just ignore it."

" Being part of the team doesn't matter, Tetsuya," Kenji said," I mean Takumi wasn't even part of the team and they still challenged him."

" That's different," Tetsuya said.

" How is it any different from this race?" Kenji asked.

" Because Uncle Takumi had defeated Takahashi Keisuke before Keisuke challenged him," Tetsuya said.

" AAAAAAAHHHHHH! ASUKA, SLOW DOWN!" Tori cried, tightening his grip on the handle bar as Asuka drifted around a corner. Exiting the drift, Asuka stepped on the accelerator and sped up. Approaching the last corner, she shifted gears and drifted, causing Tori's knuckles to go white from his tight grip on the handle bar. Exiting the drift, she shifted gears and opened the throttle.

Approaching the starting point, Asuka slowed and turned into the rest area. Pulling up beside Kenji's car, Asuka turned off her engine and got out, followed by Tori. Walking over, Iketani said," Where's your father, Asuka?"

" At home," Asuka said.

" Oh," Kenji said," and who's your friend, Asuka?"

" Oh, this is M... Mogi's son, Tori," Asuka said," Tori meet Tetsuya Kouichirou, leader of Akina SpeedStars along with his brother, Andy and his father, Iketani, former leader of Akina SpeedStars along with Itsuki Takeuchi and Kenji, former Akina SpeedStars members."

" Hello," Tori said, with a bow.

" Hello," they said, bowing.

" So you're Mogi's son, huh," Itsuki said," then that means..."

" Yes, Uncle Itsuki," Asuka said," she's here, too. In fact, she's at home with dad."

" Hm..." Slapping him upside the head, Iketani said," GET your mind out of the gutter, Itsuki, nothing's going to happen. What's past is past, so just drop it, ok?" Turning to Asuka, Tetsuya said," Could you count down, Asuka? Ryo was suppose to do it but he has a date."

" Sure," Asuka said. Then, glancing at her watch, she said," Tetsuya, it's time."

" Right," Tetsuya said.

With that, he got in his car and started the engine. Walking to stand between both cars, Asuka raised her hands and said," 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... GO!" At that, both cars sped off. Turning, Asuka said," Good luck, Tetsuya." As she walked back, Tori said," Who do you think will win, Asuka?"

" Hm... I think it's going to be a tie," Asuka said," what about you, Uncle Iketani?"

" Me too, Asuka," Iketani said, smiling," me too."