OK Number Two: Guile

Kallen Kōzuki wrinkled her nose, tugging at the neck of her purple Rebellion overalls as she craned her head upwards, peering out into the Japanese afternoon quizzically as the engineers attended to her car. She seemed to stare at the sky for some time, to the point where Ohgi made his way across the garage to see what the fuss was about. An answer was long in coming, as Kallen seemed transfixed with the act of staring at the sky. Eventually, not taking her eyes off the sky, she spoke.

"Does it look at all to you like it might rain?"

Ohgi joined her in staring at the sky, frowning somewhat as he examined the horizon. After a moment, he eventually, though with some uncertainty, replied.

"I don't think it'll come by the start, but we'll factor it into our strategy."

Kallen didn't respond initially, however she dropped her head and sighed. It was definitely ambiguous, which was somewhat frustrating. While Kallen had thrived in wet weather racing during her time in GP2, she would have preferred if her first experience of it was in a more controlled environment. Still, based on Saturday qualifying, it seemed she was a fast learner.

While she had gone through two sets of Prime tyres in Q1 rather than the usual single run, which compromised her available tyres for later in the weekend, she had been able to clear the session after ten flying laps of building up pace, and she eventually qualified in eighth of twenty, which was definitely below the cars potential, but admirable for a first time out.

Cornelia McGlynn had claimed Pole Position with the fastest time in all three sessions, with Kallen's teammate Kyoshiro Tohdoh qualified on the second row, in third place, which, while good, seemed frustrate the double world champion.

Indeed, frustration seemed to be the word that defined the mans season. While he had enjoyed a competitive car for three years, this year's Rebellion car had proven unreliable and troublesome in comparison to the Camelot-Yggdrasil, driven by the pair on the front row. While a series of superb drives had kept him within six points of Cornelia, and a point ahead of Gino, at two races completed in the season, luck only lasted so long.

Kallen looked up again. The clouds were foreboding, though indecisive.

Having had Ohgi's input though, there wasn't a great deal she could do beyond trust the telemetry, and so she stepped out into the pitlane to head towards the front straight where everyone had gathered. Tohdoh had not proven to be any more forthcoming than he had during qualifying, and with Naoto in hospital, there weren't that many people she knew that well. In truth, she was just eager to get underway before the weather began to shift.

"Miss Kōzuki?"

Not recognising the voice, Kallen had to turn and look around to find its source, buried in the densely packed throngs, however a waving arm above the crowd helped her sight the person seeking her attention, who proved to be Suzaku Kururugi, the driver of car number 7 for the Rosenberg Team. He was hotly tipped to be a future champion, however held none of the demeanour that came around such hype. His body language was completely relaxed, with little visible strength in his face or lean, yet muscular torso. He did not appear to have any desire to manage his significant mass of brown hair, which contrasted his surprisingly neat overalls, which could well have been ironed if Kallen didn't know from experience that attempting to manage that fireproof fabric was all but redundant. As a whole, he combined approachability with an air of control and presentability. Surprised to be approached by him, Kallen stepped back for a moment, before asking "What is it?"

He seemed to stop briefly, before explaining "I was sorry to hear about your brother. When I first got into Grand Prix last year, he was always eager to help out when I needed it. He was always polite, and always left room to avoid collisions. I hope he's doing alright."

Kallen was quite surprised by this turn in things, however she thanked him for his concern, and responded "He's doing alright. Could be much worse. He was joking around after surgery."

Suzaku breathed a sigh of relief, smiling "Oh thank goodness, that's a relief. I was quite worried. I'll have to buy him something while he's in hospital."

Kallen nodded, rather pleased to realise that Naoto's pleasant recollections of Suzaku were mutual. Perhaps it was because they were both Japanese in a grid largely dominated by Britons, where their only other countrymen were Kyoshiro Tohdoh and Shinichiro Tamaki, who reportedly did not get along with Kururugi in the least. Nevertheless, it was at the very least comforting that her brothers connections were willing to mitigate some of her isolation.

"Tell you what though, you did really well for it being your first time out. I crashed on my first qualifying in Australia, embarrassing though it is to admit."

Kallen had been there to see it, with Suzaku messing up his exit out of the final right hander and spinning his rear end into the wall, only meters from completing the lap. It was a shame, as it was shaping up, based on his sector times, to be one of the fastest laps of the session before he bottled it. She chuckled, and replied "Well, I've got a bit of a cushier ride than you did."

"Eh, I don't know how cushy. I wouldn't be too eager to have Rebellion as my first drive."

Kallen frowned, wondering what he meant. There was certainly a lot of expectations that came with having such a good team, even if it wasn't having a fantastic year, but it was certainly better than nothing. However, Suzaku seemed to catch her scant disagreement, and he seemed to shift uncomfortably. She planned to inquire further, however Suzaku suddenly was distracted, as he called across the track.

"Hey Rivalz, get over here!"

Kallen turned about to see Rivalz Cardemonde, the blue haired driver of the number 19 Ashford-RT car, spot Suzaku and rush over, enthusiastic to meet summons. Suzaku nodded as he joined their little circle, and asked "Have you met the newest driver, Kallen Kōzuki?"

"No I have not, nice to meet you Kallen!" replied Rivalz, in an excited, but genuine voice, as he extended an arm with great vigor for her to shake. Somewhat put off by his enthusiasm, she nonetheless met his request as he continued "Man, I've heard a whole bunch about you! It's a shame what happened to your brother, but I know you're gonna do him proud!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Suzaku adopt a small smirk. Perhaps this was his intention, his way of paying Naoto back for his kindness, to introduce her to some of the drivers and prevent her from growing even more isolated, just as Naoto had done for him. Even in hospital her brother was looking after her.

She chuckled, and shook her head. He'd have a right laugh at this. In any case, Rivalz continued to speak all manner of drivel for some time, before the chatter died down. Kallen, who by now was feeling more confident, took some initiative.

"So what do you reckon will happen in terms of weather?"

Suzaku and Rivalz both looked up, and took a moment to think. Suzaku spoke first, commenting "It may rain during the race, but I don't think it'll rain before it starts."

Rivalz nodded in agreement, seemingly convinced by Suzaku's expertise. Kallen was still uncertain, however she didn't offer an alternative view.

"Well now, isn't this a pretty picture."

The triumvirate turned towards a new voice, which had a more relaxed, cynical edge to its soft, smooth tones. Its owner, with a sharklike smirk and one eyebrow held far above the other, stepped forwards, hands in pockets and chin pointed smugly upwards, as the mood seemed to darken with his arrival. He exuded confidence as if he was trying to aggressively shed it, and his dark, violet eyes pierced through the three, examining them with shifting, fiercely intrigued pupils.

Rivalz, who knew his teammate well, smiled and called over "Hey there Lelouch!"

Lelouch Lamperouge, the other driver from Ashford-RT, cocked his head to one side and replied "Good afternoon Rivalz. It seems you've found a few friends."

"Yeah! This here's Kallen Kōzuki, Naoto's younger sister. She's got his seat until he's recovered."

Lelouch turned his head towards Kallen, staring straight into her without the slightest trace of a blink. His gaze was at once seemingly innocent and terrifying, like a slightly wonky imitation of a greeting rather than the genuine article, the uncanny valley in a human. He seemed too self-assured, too aloof.

This fit perfectly with Naoto's anecdotes. Naoto had many stories about all the drivers, most positive and complementary but not Lelouch. Her brother somehow even managed to dredge up positive memories of Cornelia or Luciano, and yet he maintained stoically that Lelouch Lamperouge was nothing more than an anthropomorphised snake. It was supposedly impossible to tell what he was thinking at any given moment, other than that he always was thinking in some tactical, scheming capacity. He was like a dark, unknowable cloud that was best avoided if at all possible.

However, there wasn't really a polite way to leave as Lelouch extended his hand and softly smiled "Good afternoon.", with all the grace of a wolf looking over a sheep. Moreover, at the very least she could have the opportunity to suss out the competition, and so she shook his hand. While he was reluctant to reveal them, Lelouch was known for having interesting strategies and a light foot that propelled his results far above that which his notoriously mediocre racecraft would seem to deserve.

"So…" he began, drawing out the vowel sound "What were we all discussing, mm?"

"Weather conditions. It looks like you're out of luck if you wanted to leapfrog us by doing one less pit stop, I don't think it'll rain until after the race starts."

Lelouch looked up, seeming somewhat mischievous, and shrugged "That may be."

Suzaku, seeming somewhat frustrated by Lelouch's ambiguity, ran out of patience, and asked "Well, what of it?"

Lelouch turned back towards Suzaku, and flashed an innocent grin, commenting "I don't know what you mean dear Suzaku, I'm merely commenting that there's a chance of rain a little earlier."

"Don't try to mess with me Lelouch, I've known you for a decade now and I know that face. What are you up to?"

Kallen blinked in surprise. These two seemed to be polar opposites, and she was amazed that they had spent that much time together without stabbing one another, particularly given Naoto's harsh words and Lelouch. Curious, she interrupted and asked "Have you really known each other that long?"

Lelouch turned towards her and explained "Had a falling out with the family back when I was in Formula Renault, and I had to stay with Suzaku for a few years before I got my own flat."

Suzaku nodded to confirm this, as Kallen stood pleasantly bemused, before the Rosenberg driver added "Indeed, and in that time I've learned to tell when this man is up to something. What's going on?"

Lelouch chuckled, squirming slightly, as he explained "Well… I'm feeling the alternate strategy today."

"Lelouch, you're not actually starting on Wet Weather Tyres?" Suzaku asked exasperatedly, seeming crestfallen at his friends decision. "Mate, it's not going to work for you. Please, you're only making yourself look silly."

"I'll only look silly if I'm wrong." shrugged the black haired Frenchman, as Kallen thought it over. If Lelouch guessed right, and it began to rain on the start line, he would not have to change tyres during the race to adapt to the wet conditions as he started on the right tyres and could gain up to twenty seconds on the entire rest of the field. However, if he was wrong, and it didn't rain for some time, he would be on a much slower tyre until it eventually began to rain, assuming it ever did. In that case, he could end up over twenty seconds behind the entire rest of the field. It was high risk, high reward, and entirely typical of Lelouch by all accounts.

"You will be wrong." Suzaku insisted, though in a jovial fashion, as if he was warning a close friend to avoid a terrible haircut rather than a race strategy.

"Care to place a bet on that?" Lelouch smiled, not seeming willing to back down. Kallen wondered if he knew something they didn't. However Suzaku, now that his pride was at stake, was in no mood to back down either, answering "A thousand Yen it won't rain for at least two laps into the race."

Lelouch shook his friends hand, before Suzaku departed, presumably to sort out his tyre strategy in light of his bet, leaving Kallen alone with Lelouch and Rivalz. Hoping to make some conversation, she noted "You're certainly confident."

The Ashford driver shrugged, and cheekily replied "Eh, it helps when you've got the right info."

"Such as?" Kallen asked, incredulously.

"I am told, by my sources, that it is raining in Tokyo."

Kallen blinked, and, uncertain of whether he was joking, laughed "What sources? Have you got someone out there watching the sky, or?"

Lelouch laughed as well, answering "Heh… I have men standing on roofs with buckets all over the Prefectures of Kanagawa and Saitama, and those buckets are filling up rapidly."

Kallen, genuinely unsure of whether Lelouch was having a laugh or genuinely employed a group of poor sods to stand on rooftops in the middle of Tokyo for hours at a time, decided to drop this line of inquiry, and ask "So where did you qualify?"

"Eleventh." Lelouch explained. "Not what I'd hoped for, but the car isn't that great this season."

Kallen nodded in understanding. While Reuben Ashford, the team principal and chief engineer, had built incredible cars in the past, practically inventing many features that were seen as standard in a modern car, the team had run into financial trouble, and had been unable to procure the new Yggdrasil engines coming out of Britain, handicapping their pace considerably. This was, in all likelihood, why Lelouch was so willing to go for risky strategies; it was his only way of getting points, if unreliably.

"So…" he continued. "...what are you going to do?"

Kallen wasn't entirely certain. Lelouch could well be partaking in an elaborate bluff, trying to convince other drivers to switch onto wet tyres when in fact he himself planned no such thing, or he could be wrong, as Suzaku assumed. That said, she had her own suspicions as to the weather.

"I guess I'll ask Tohdoh what he's doing, he'll help."

Lelouch paused, frowning slightly for the first time, however he shrugged and said "You make your decision, the team will make theirs."

Nonplussed, Kallen watched the now seemingly bored Lelouch turn and walk off without another word, one hand scratching the back of his head in disinterest. It even caught Rivalz by surprise, as he flicked his head between Kallen and his departing teammate in confusion, before he eventually mustered up the decisiveness to wish her a good race, and chase after Lelouch.

Somewhat bemused, Kallen was left standing alone with her hands in her pockets, feeling somewhat as if a hurricane had just passed her by like a tourist in a rush, shaking her but ultimately leaving her for bigger and better things. It was strange, but left her plenty to consider.

She looked up again. Particularly given that her first race, she wasn't inclined to take the risk of going onto the wet tyre before the conditions were optimal, however there was so much to be gained. There was also the question of whether Lelouch was lying. It could be a bluff to compromise her strategy and gain him an advantage. The truth was, she was shooting into the dark.

Uncertain, she returned to her pit box, as ready as she would ever be for the off. She saw various cars leaving their garages and realized it was close to crunch time, before hurrying over to her car to fit her balaclava and helmet to get going. However, before she could hop into the car, she felt a hand on her shoulder, Ohgi trying to get her attention.

"What types d'you want to go out on? We can't change on the grid, so you have to decide now."

Kallen paused, and asked "Who's on wets?"

"Only Lamperouge."

It went against all common sense, certainly in light of what many more experienced drivers were doing, but there was a certainty in the way he had spoken that encouraged Kallen to decide to take the risk.

After all, if she messed it up, it was just her first race.

"I'm going out on wets, I want an undercut."

Not awaiting reply, she sat into the car and placed her feet at the carbon pedals, revving up the engine in a satisfying fashion, soaking in the scream of the six cylinders, eager to greet the cold, damp air. It was a risk, but every sign pointed to assured success.

"Kallen?"

The radio burst into life, however the voice was fuzzy, and far lighter than Ohgi's. Over the noise of the squealing engine, she asked "What's going on?"

The voice chuckled, and responded "I'm hurt, you don't recognise your brother, even with a tube up his nose? I'm watching from the hospital. Bold choice of tyres, but you'll do fantastic. I believe in you."

Kallen smiled from behind the helmet as she released the clutch and pulled out of the garage. She was nervous, under-practiced, and on a risky strategy, but Naoto was as always there to make sure it was going to be okay. She felt a welling in her chest.

"Thank you. Let's go kick some ass."

"We are just moments away now from the start of the Japanese Grand Prix, with all the cars now lined up on the grid ready for the off, and according to our colleagues in pit lane it has begun to trickle with rain. With the cars no longer able to swap tires before the race starts, this means Kallen Kōzuki and Lelouch Lamperouge will be the only drivers on the competitive wet tyre. Talking you through the race will be myself, Diethard Reid, and my colleague, Jeremiah Gottwald. Good to see you again!"

"And you as well. Let's review the grid order before the off."

"Indeed. Cornelia McGlynn takes her third pole position in a row, with her teammate Gino Weinberg lining up alongside. Heading up the second row of the grid is Kyoshiro Tohdoh, who in six years of Grand Prix racing has never won his home event, and will be eager to accomplish that, as well as get his title challenge underway. Luciano Bradley pipped Villetta Nu to fourth, with only two hundredths of a second separating the two Lancer drivers on their best laps. Sixth in the grid is Suzaku Kururugi, who'll hope to improve that qualifying position over the course of a race. Seventh is Li Xingke in the lead Geely, eighth is Kallen Kōzuki, ninth is Zhou Xianglin in the other Geely, and tenth is the Densō-Sakura of Shinichiro Tamaki."

"And that sound, that sound you hear ladies and gentlemen, is the engines all revving up, ready to get underway. We can see the red lights go on, and once they go out, we can get underway."

"Indeed, all the start lights are on for the Japanese Grand Prix. Who will come out ahead? In two hours, we'll know. Five red lights are… out, and away we go!"

Who's Brundle and who's Crofty? Be sure to let me know. This offseason is too long, I can't wait for the new season to start, but for now, this is placating me. Again, please be sure to let me know who you'd like to see, and any ideas you may have.

~Eth0