Ichihiro was at the Sanzu Resort picking up passengers when a red and white AEC Regal III pulled across from the platform and its horn honked.
"Hello!" said the bus, "I'm Hayate and I'm a bus. Say? Aren't you the engine that crashed into that big snow drift?"
Ichihiro felt indignant, "So what if I did?"
"I remember now! I helped your passengers and that oni Yuugi had to pull you out."
"Oh? So your the bus that came." said Ichihiro.
"So there are buses in Gensokyo!" Ichihiro's firewoman thought.
"I came to help with some of the humans. I bet I can go faster than you." said Hayate.
"I can go faster than you any day." replied Ichihiro, "I say we have a race and I'll prove to you that I'm better than a motorized wagon."
The two drivers agreed and when the guard's whistle blew, the two set off for their race. Ichihiro had a great start, but Hayate caught up to him and surpassed him.
"Don't worry." said Ichihiro's driver, "There's a crossing just up ahead."
Up ahead was one of the few protected level crossings, this one had gates and had to be opened and closed manually. Hayate was stuck and Ichihiro passed by him, he whistled and relished in his newfound lead. But soon he had to stop by a small station called a Halt that served the Sanzu Harbor. There were some passengers there and Ichihiro had to stop. He whistled, "Peep! Peep! Get in quickly please!"
The passengers that wanted to go on, got onboard and Ichihiro set off once more. But it wasn't long until Hayate caught back up to him.
"Hello Ichihiro! Bye Ichihiro!" said Hayate.
"What a cheeky bus." mumbled Ichihiro.
Hayate took the lead, and Ichihiro put more effort into going faster than him.
"Go steady!" called his driver.
But Ichihiro went faster still. Hayate had to stop because Suika Ibuki, an oni, had passed out drunk on the road and was sleeping off the alcohol. Hayate's driver was busy trying to drag her off the road.
"Bad luck Hayate!" called out Ichihiro, taking the lead once more.
"C'mon driver! We're losing!" said Hayate.
Ichihiro puffed down the line towards the big station. Minutes went by and Hayate zoomed down the road, the line and the road went away from each other and the two got separated. Ichihiro felt tired and was feeling himself feel dry. Ichihiro slunked into the big station, he unloaded passengers for his next train to Eientei. He saw that Hayate was leaving the big station and drove off in the direction of Eientei.
"We've lost!" said Ichihiro, wearily.
"Don't worry Ichihiro, you'll feel much better after a quick drink." replied his driver.
Ichihiro took on some more water and left for Eientei, his driver threw up the regulator as high at it could and Ichihiro ran at top speed down the mainline onto his branch line. Bamboo stalks became a blur in his eyes, he soon heard Hayate's motor and he pumped his pistons hard and went past and the noise became ever so more distant. He soon approached Eientei station and slowed down, his driver was hard on the brakes to make sure Ichihiro stopped in time.
"We did it!" gasped Ichihiro.
The passengers came out and celebrated Ichihiro's victory. He was also several minutes early, so the passengers that weren't around for the beginning of the race had something to cheer about. Soon, Hayate arrived and the passengers gave him a big cheer too.
"You won, but all in all, this was kind of...fun." said Hayate.
"Thanks." replied Ichihiro.
"You know, in order to beat you, I'll have to grow wings and be a tengu."
The two became firm friends, they often talked about their race and wanted to do it again. But Hayate's passengers don't like being bounced around like Yasi Itame, and the Scarlet Controller told Ichihiro to not go at such dangerous speeds. They still wanted to race again, even if the odds are more slim than a small twig.