Yokaze

Chapter 3: Team

{A/N} Don't forget to Fav and Review!

Mark yawned as he sat in his garage, looking at his car. Tsugumi had her self half buried in the udnerneath the car, mumbling various things about the state of various parts.

"Tsugumi? You've been at it for two hours now, its not that hard to tighten the suspension..." Mark asked as he stood up, taking a brief look at the engine under the open hood.

"I know that...I'm just doing a thorough inspection...whoever owned this car before you did put some serious cash into the suspension and transmission...which isn't stock I should add..." Tsugumi pushed herself out from underneath the car and stood up, brushing herself off.

"That doesn't surprise me, it shifts to smoothly for the stock...any thoughts to what it is?" He asked, looking at her.

Tsugumi shook her head. "I've never seen anything like it, but the gear setups are designed to handle an engine far more powerful than whats in there."

Mark went quiet for a minute. "Hmm...well I'm not going to swap the engine anytime soon, I just don't currently have the funding and I want to get used to the car first..." He said, walking over and shutting the hood. "Lets head inside, you can get cleaned up and we have details to discuss about this new team of ours."

An hour later Mark sat in the pre-furnished sofa in his living room, leaning back and taking a sip from a glass of ice water. Tsugumi set herself down next to him. "So..." Mark began, "The best way for us to get noticed is to race, any events going on soon?"

Tsugumi paused for a moment. "Well...Project D is off this week I believe...and there's a good chance at least one of the Red Suns will be practicing during the night this week."

"Hmm...I need practice myself on the course...you tighten the suspension during your snooping, right?"

"I wasn't snooping!" Tsugumi said defensively, "I was inspecting! And anyway yes I did, not a lot, but enough to notice a difference...your not thinking of heading out there tonight are you?"

Mark grinned, and Tsugumi started to think she was going to hate that grin.

[-]

A red MR2 SW20 came to a jerking halt at the finish point of a closed track. The two people inside letting out a relieved sigh. "Sorry..."

"Liz you don't need to keep apologizing, Mark was the same way at first, you'll get better with time." Tandee said with a half chuckle. Liz nodded slightly.

"I know, but I can't help it...I just can't keep it stable coming out of the corners..." Liz sighed, resting her forehead on the top of the steering wheel. "What am I doing wrong?" She asked for what was the millionth time that week.

Tandee glanced at her watch. Alright...its a little cruel...but its the last option. "Liz...wait here..." Tandee said as she got out of the car and ran off somewhere, presumably one of the nearby buildings. Liz blinked and arched an eyebrow in confusion. Tandee returned a few minutes later carrying a cup of water, she got back in the car and set the cup in one of the cupholders. "Alright...I want you to drive the course again." Tandee said as she buckled back up. "But this time I want you to focus on not spilling the water in the cup, take it slow at first if you need to."

[-]

Tires squealed against pavement as two cars raced down Akagi. A black MK3 Supra keeping tight pace with a 92 Trueno. Both cars swung wide blowing through a hairpin corner at high speed. Mark down shifted and let his car swing into the next corner, looking for a way to pass. She's good alright...but her tires are starting to wear...just need a small opening...

Tsugumi was feeling the heat from the Supra as she expertly maneuvered her 92 around the corners. I've driven the course more than he has...and yet he's driving like he knows the course like the back of his hand! Unbeknownst to the two drivers, further up the track a lone white FC was moderately making its way down the course as well.

Tsugumi was the first to notice. Crap! Another Car! At this time of night? She swung her 92 wide into the other lane, flashing her taillights to warn Mark. He did the same and the two cars blew by the white vehicle. Everything for Tsugumi seemed to go into slow motion as she noticed the car, its make, and the 'Red Suns' sticker on the side. Crap...

Ryosuke Takahashi was out for an evening drive when the two aforementioned vehicles blew past him. He arched an eyebrow slightly and watched the cars round the corner. Something interested him about the following car, and he accelerated.

Mark took a brief look at the car they passed. Hmm...an FC? Was that a Red Suns sticker on the side? Didn't Tsugumi say that was the team that currently held control of this course or something like that? He shrugged it off and continued chasing Tsugumi, sticking as close to her car as he could.

Not a few moments later, a set of headlights appeared in Mark's rear view mirror. Before he knew it he could almost feel the FC bearing down on his bumper. He could tell by Tsugumi suddenly driving at a faster pace than before that she knew. Hmm...wonder if its the leader? Ah well...time to see if my gut feeling was right. Mark accelerated, staying a mere centimeter away from Tsugumi's bumper as the three cars tore down the mountain.

Impressive, The Supra's longer wheelbase does not lend itself well to mountain driving like that of the 92...yet the driver isn't having a problem. Ryosuke thought as they came onto a large wide turn in the course. Thats when Mark made his move, stunning both Tsugumi and Ryosuke. When the FC and 92 shifted to the outside lane to enter the turn, the Supra didn't.

The Supra's inside wheels slipped off the side of the road into a shallow gutter. A grinding noise could be heard as the Supra overtook the 92 and shout out of the turn in the lead. Tsugumi still couldn't figure out what happened. Ryosuke's eyes went wide. Extraordinary...that's a move that I've only seen Fujiwara pull...and only in an 86. Mark increased his speed a little more, keeping a good pace ahead of the chasing cars. They reached the end of the course and pulled into a parking lot off to the side of the road.

Mark parked the Supra and cut the engine, stepping out of the car. He watched as Tsugumi and the driver of the FC did the same. Tsugumi looked to be in shock, the driver of the FC looked surprised but still calm and collected. Tsugumi was the first to speak. "Mark...where the heck did you learn a move like that?"

Mark shrugged. "A friend of mine...what? You've never seen that before?" Tsugumi shook her head while the man raised his hand.

"I have...but only from the most experienced drivers." the man took a slight bow. "I am Ryosuke Takahashi of the Akagi Red Suns and Project D, and you are?"

"Mark Stevenson, of a team to be named later, Sorry we blew past you on the straightaway...we were practicing."

The man arched an eyebrow and looked quizically between the two. "Practicing? May I ask what for?"

"Erm...well...funny story..." Tsugumi started off, trying to dance around the subject.

"We plan on challenging you at some point to have Akagi as a home course for our fledgling team. No hard feelings I hope." Mark stated bluntly.

"I see...well I always enjoy a good challenge, something hard to come by these days...feel free to practice as much as you'd like, I look forward to our battle." And with that Ryosuke got back in his car and left. The FC's engine echoing throughout the valley.

{A/N}

Sorry these seem to be getting shorter, next chapter will be longer, promise! Also I'm throwing in more details on the cars to help clarify to people...kinda late but meh...anywho Fav! Review! Stuff!

-The17thScripter