FOREWORD: I, HashiriyaGDB, am submitting this Initial D facfic on behalf of Midnight Dorifuta, the author of this fanfic and a fellow user on the Initial D World Forums. The only things I've done to this is correct some (if not all) the typos.

All trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

Chapter 14: Always in Style

"I think it's a great idea!" Espirit, her form standing just a few feet from her car, was showing true enthusiasm in the idea that Kira had spawned. Kira smirked slightly, looking to Kazumi. It was indeed a plan to him, having Kazumi be the eyes and ears of Espirit, and eltting Espirit do the footwork for Kazumi.

"I mean, Kazumi", Espirit said with a cutely cheery tone, "I am slightly able to read thoughts... if you think hard about the next corner, I can more likely than not translate it to what would be your footwork. I think it would be fun for the both of us, Kazumi-san!" Espirit could hardly stand still at the thought. In the past year, nobody but Kira has driven her, and she liked it that way. But this was... different... because, it would be half her work and half the driver's.

"Hmm..." Kazumi paused for a moment to decide whether or not it was really worth this. Wwll, it was a very long time since she'd ever truly laid pedal to the metal, or felt a car doing anything more than moving her from point A to point B. Another side of her wondered just how much faith could be put into a literally living car.

"Well, Espirit, I suppose it would be worth a try or two. You don't seem to be the type of person who would pull something on me... part-car or not." She revealed a slight smile as she held herself up on her two hands. But, in a half an instant, she found that there was no need to support herself. With an unnaturally fluid grace, Espirit swooped down to be eye-to-eye with Kazumi, wrapping her angelic arms around the ex race driver's body, and gently hoist her into the driver's seat, almost as if she was -designed- to move this way.

Akiyuki was slightly uncertain to all of this. On one hand, it seemed like everybody was for this experience.. but something inside him didn't want to see his sister in danger... thoughts of that nightmare echoed in his head, haunting him. But if it was really what his older sister wanted, who was he to argue?

Espirit's 2.0L turbocharged inline-four fluttered to life, giving off a warm little burble of a sound, an audial deliverance that no other engine could deliver... it was the exhaust system that she and Kira both designed together. Perhaps not the best for horsepower, but at low revs, the Espirit just sounded so cute! She helped Kazumi buckle herself in and get comfortable with the car, and then slowly rolled forward, Kazumi grasping the warm, flesh-like feel of the Lotus' steering wheel, and gently turning Espirit out of the BK's parking lot, getting a feel for the unnaturally sharp - yet gentle - response.

-

"If you were to ask me, I'd say it was a downright shock that you're actually throwing in the towel like this." The man speaking was a rather stunned, but still calm and content-sounding Kyoichi Sudou, leaning forward at the table of a resturant that has started to develop a reputation as a popular hang-out for the street racing higher-ups... namely including Kyoichi Sudou and the man opposite to him, Akagi's acclaimed White Comet, Ryousuke Takahashi himself. Ryousuke, wearing a decidedly formal light grey buisness suit with a black and dark blue striped tie and dark-tinted half-rim sunglasses, and well-polished leather shoes. He also sported a dark-grey undercoat that barely showed through his unbuttoned collar. He looked dressed for an occasion, but really, he was just out looking good.

"Is it that suprising, Sudou?" Ryousuke lifted his tea glass from the table, sipping a little before setting it down, and choking down a good chuckle. "I don't see what the whole shock is about this me retiring thing. It was supposed to be expected, don't you think?" Kyoichi held his tongue for a moment as his eyes traveled from Ryousuke outside to the far corner of the parking lot, eyeing the hardtop-equipped Roadster RS, which already had its lip and wheels changed, and splitters added to the somewhat subtle black lip. "If you want me to be honest", Kyoichi replied, with a bit of a harsh laugh, "You still haven't fully given up on racing. Otherwise, that Roadster sitting outside would have only ha hardtop on it."

Ryousuke narrowed his eyes, this time actually snickering a little bit, Kyoichi having caught him red-handed. Yes, he still beared an interest in driving fast. In fact, if it weren't for medical school and Tokyo U on the horizon, he would still probably be maintaining his Infini FC. But that's not his goal in life. Of course, Ryousuke didn't need to reveal any of this, nor let Kyoichi in on why he was tuning his Roadster RS. He merely replied to Sudou in a light, cheery-ish tone of voice. "Good eye."

"So what's next on the horizon?", Kyoichi replies, deciding now was the best time to switch topics and gears. However, he was caught off-guard when Ryousuke replied with a bit of a grin. "Neo-Tokyo. And Fujiwara will be driving my FC."

"Tokyo!? And what buisness does Fujiwara have driving your FC!?" Now that did floor Kyoichi. Just as he before the fact could never see Ryousuke racing in anything but a white FC, he couldn't fathom the idea of Takumi Fujiwara driving anything without a Fujiwara Tofu Shop logo.

"Don't be silly. The AE86's engine is great for touge. But our next two opponents are going to be an issue that can only be resolved with up to, or even perhaps more than, five-hundred horsepower."

"..."

"Don't be silly, Ryousuke", Kyoichi replied, a single eye twitching. "Five-hundred plus horsepower is-"

"...ideal for long stretches of highway and blasting through city traffic."

For a strong minute or two, maybe even three, Ryousuke stood there, taking the time to finish the last of his meal as the shock dulled from the famed Emperor leader and he could gather his senses. This was a new level that Project D was going to enter, and it for sure wasn't going to be an easy match. High speed. Drafting. Traffic.

All areas that neither of D's aces had attempted to challenge.

"So it's a Wangan and City Sprint all in once. When will it be taking place?", Sudou asked, sounding genuinely interested... although worried sick for the lives of the Project D drivers. Surely this wasn't beyond their skill, but... He knew the capabilities of Project EVO. It would be the clash of two well-known titans... and who were Project D going to race, anyway? Would they race in a two-car battle and battle twice, of a four-car race? This opened up so many questions in the mind of the Evo III specialist, and few of them could be answered.

"In about two weeks", Ryousuke said calmly. "The weather is beginning to cool. We only have a month and a half left to finish this project. We spent most of September preparing for this battle, well, me and the team that is. But the drivers... they do not know about Neo-Tokyo yet."

-

"Chusu!" Mako cheerily called out, despite that being quite a word to use given her usual vocabulary. She smiled and waved to Iketani as he rolled in with his tired old S13 Silvia, the rear seats and trunk filled with an assortment of tools that were neatly wrapped in old blankets, for the sake of the Silvia's still quite great-condition interior. And to make sure none of the greasy smell gets stuck in the seats, of course. "G'evening, Mako-chan!", Iketani called from his rolled-down driver's window. "I have the parts ready, and a catalogue for us to browse!" He pulled the car to a stop, setting the parking brake and rolling up the window before turning the engine off, and then climbing out, happy to 'truly' see Mako for the first time in a long time.

"Ah, sou desu? That's great, Iketani!" Bravely, she ran right to him, pulling him - by suprise - into a deep hug. "I've really missed you, Iketani. That encounter at the gas station wasn't half of how I felt." Iketani studdered and choked, not expecting this sudden torrent of what could only be summed up as the aftermath of seperation anxiety. But Iketani's mind process was a little too simple for that. All he could think up was, Mako-chan missed me!?

Well. That was the truth. Pretty or ugly as it seemed, for the past three months, Mako couldn't help but to find herself thinking about Iketani, more and more often. Something just... wasn't right about the whole break-up. Mako knew it in her mind and her heart that it wasn't really like Iketani to do such a thing... so why did he? Why did Iketani so rudely leave her waiting so many hours there at the parking lot beside the road, leaving her to question herself as a woman? No, that wasn't Iketani. No way, no how. Something had to stop him. But, was it a traffic jam? No... something like that seemed pretty mild, given the length of time she waited...

Did his S13 break down? Could that be the cause? She never thought about it until maybe July, but somehow... no... because, wouldn't he call if he broke down? Wouldn't he leave a message for when she got home? But Iketani never called or anything. He simply seemingly fell off the face of the planet. But loe and behold, for the moment she arrived at the Esso station, there he was right there, though he did seem to mature just slightly. No, something had to happen that Mako night after night continually replayed in her head, tweaking various scenarios in her inner workings. All in all, by the time all the work was done, she hit one single, solitary conclusion.

Iketani didn't think he was worthy of her. That had to be it!

There was just no other way for the life of Satou that he wouldn't show. She remembered, quite vividly, their first encounter on the street, with Sayuki still back in the passenger's seat. She remembered seeing the tire tracks caused by the wrong move or input... she couldn't even remember exactly what. But what she remembered, clear as daylight, was the look on Iketani's face when they met eye to eye. He was a complete beginner, and a nobody compared to her ranks in his mind. That had to be the reason!

And when that reality struck her... she began to feel guilty. She understood everything, why he didn't show, why there wasn't a single phone call during or after that night, why he never bothered to do anything else with her as a friend or otherwise. He just didn't feel worthy... and that was what really sunk in. She just couldn't take it any more. On a beautiful, sunny morning, she gathered her nerve and popped open the door of her Sil-Eighty, turning the ignition and firing the mighty ole' CA18, navigating that car straight into Akina... and leading to the endless embrace that she held Iketani in now.

"Iketani-kun... I missed you... I really, honestly missed you..." All of the mixed emotions that Mako'd been experiencing, from the first stab of betrayal that she initially felt when Iketani didn't show and she took off in a burnout of fury to the continual pounding of guilt that drove her almost insane, and everything inbetween, gathered at once, rushing from her heart. It took more than just Kouichirou by suprise. Mako wasn't expecting this to hit her, either. Holding tightly onto the stunned Iketani, tears of more emotions than she could count at the moment streamed from her eyes as she buried her face in Iketani's shoulder, crying perhaps worse than Itsuki did when he discovered his "Eight-Six" wasn't exactly an eight-six. But she wasn't embarassed, or anything. This, in such an odd way, was something she felt comfortable with. Crying. But more importantly, crying in Iketani's warm embrace.

"It's alright...", the stunned Speed Star eventually said, fighting hard to control his own emotion as it gathered at his throat and threatened to burst out at any split-second. "I missed you too... Mako-chan." Indeed, Iketani also missed his love... in the worst way.

-

This was the habit of one Bunta Fujiwara. As he barreled down the Akina mountain pass at a rather wreckless speed, he lit a cigarette mid-drift. Even in the Impreza, he could do it. Even on this rather wide hairpin of Akina's, where the steering wheel was supposed to straighten itself out, or the car understeer, or something... it carried through in such a wonderfully subtle drift. Enter the Bunta Fujiwara School of Boredom Killing When You've Run Out of Ways to Drive Fast and You're the Greatest Driver the Course has Ever Seen.

However, coming up to the first of the Five Hairpins, Bunta faintly caught a set of taillights disappearing around a corner. He was driving all-out, but was a little more than lightly stunned to discover he wasn't gaining at a rediculous rate of speed. After all - the taillight placement and width of the car he caught a glimpse of - along with the dark, reflective sheetmetal color, and two bright stripes, that his headlights flickered off of looked -nothing- like an AE86.

After Hairpin #2, one could easily go far enough to even say, not anything like a Japanese market car, either! Or, even, nothing from this era, as a matter of fact! The car was old, yes, quite old. As he continued reeling it in he struggled to identify the car. "Hmm...", the old man grumbled. "Guy ain't a bad driver at all, though it looks like he doesn't know the course well, he's adapting to the lines mid-corner. That's impressive."

The driver of the car was hard to see, and the car itself seemed quite unorthodox as the lights from the GC8V were mirrored back to Bunta's eyes from the two chrome vertical strips of bumper that were set slightly inward from the taillights. Bunta could also make out chrome surrounding the rear window, and also a chrome grate on the very slopy rear trunk... "Waitasec... engine cooling?" Yes, that had to be it! That wasn't a trunk; the engine sat in the far rear! Bunta was pretty interested in this car... not so much the fact it was a classic, but by the -speed- and -acceleration- it carried.

Accompanied by a turbo whoosh, the car squatted, wagged its tail a little, and kicked dust and pulled from the Impreza on corner exit. It probably had 300 or more horsepower, and the driver seemed pretty apt at handling the car, despite the unfamiliarity of the course. Upon the third hairpin, Bunta was able to minimize the distance between the two cars to a car length, thanks to knowing his secret little gutter cornering trick. But despite carrying that amazing speed through the gutter, right before the braking point of the Fourth Hairpin, the car ahead again equalized and then suprassed the speed difference between itself and the WRX.

On the Fifth and Final Hairpin, as the car ahead went wide, Bunta tucked in, optimizing a line for an inside overtake, and surpassing the lead car with a bit of ease. Bunta tried getting an eye at the driver, but that car's dashboard gauges were so dimly lit - if lit at all - that he couldn't even make out the shadow of the driver in the dim cockpit. Furthermore, it was a bit of a suprise for him to find the car was still pressing hard even though he passed. But, when he traveled down the short-straight, cruised right on through the corner, and pulled away at the next - using the WRX for all it was worth - he found the other driver eased the pace.

"Hmm... not bad." Bunta snuffed out the cigarette in the car's ashtray as he continued down to the end of the Akina downhill course, quite suprised that anyone with skill - let alone anyone driving such an old, European-market car - was traveling up and down that very pass. "He clearly needs practice here, he was treating the course cautiously like a new course, and wasn't daring to follow an AWD line, which was a smart move. If he challenges Takumi at his home course..." Bunta said, for a moment's pause as he verified the certainty of his own thoughts, being narrative only to himself and his Impreza...

"...He'll lose."

The driver of that very old and unusually shaped, elegant, beautiful car, stepped out after pulling to a halt. The driver laugh, closing the car's door with a bit of a sarcastic edge to the laugh, and walked to the front of the car, taking a moment to sit on the hood, the engine lopily idling, sounding identical almost to the WRX's idle, save for a bit more of a deep bellow and track-ready growl.

The driver removed the helmet that was also used during the downhill descent, always being cautious and aware of one's life. With a smirk, the driver listened to the sound of the WRX as it finished its run, the engine note still barely echoing in the mid-evening air, on a beautiful full moon evening.

"So that's the downhill ace...?", the driver asked to nobody in particular. With a scoff, the driver shook head and then leaned back on the hood of the car, laughing and staring up at the sky... for the first in a long time, feeling genuinely interested in the upcoming battle. "Using an AWD on the downhill is practically cheating. I'm quite amused. But I think challenging the FD on a downhill will produce a much more interesting result. Especially at such a fun place like here. After all..."

The driver chuckled again, sitting up and re-fitting the full face helmet, sporting a tinted - despite driving in the night - visor and full face coverage, wonderfully hiding their identity, along with some crash protection should things go awry.

"Didn't you get a lot of practice here trying to defeat your own teammate, Keisuke Takahshi?"