Rivalry Stage 1

ACT 11: The Encounter

By Amaniblue

AN: RL has been a bitch this past month or so. Sorry about the lack of posting. From here on out, I'll try to finish this story by the end of the year (no promises). This means, expect perhaps two to four postings within a month. Most of the chapters I have previously written will be combined and condensed into one long chapter. So instead of the forty or so chapters I've projected, it will most likely be under thirty. As for the plotlines I have for stage 2, that'll depend on demand. Please let me know and vote to support the continuation if you wish to read the further adventures of this story arc. Stage 2 will have Kogashiwa Kai as the new center of rivalry amongst the remaining men and some new rivals who did not win Takumi's heart. Don't worry; coverage of Takumi's new sex life will be included into the mix. Otherwise, I'll just end stage 1 with the outline that I have and leave it at that. Thank you for all your support in this story for so many years.

Summary of the last act: Sendo, on his way to retrieve favors regarding Keisuke's FD, runs into Jade of the Aoi Ryu. After her brother makes an appointment to meet a mystery person, he takes a detour to Akina. Meanwhile Ryousuke meets with Fumihiro and Kenta for reconnaissance of their new battle opponent. Their meeting gets interrupted by a phone call from Keisuke and Kenta takes off. Then while in Akina, Rui stops at a gas station after his run-in with Takumi's father. Conveniently, it happens to be the ESSO gas station in which Takumi makes a pit stop to visit his old crew. Rui takes the chance and pounces on Takumi once again. Before he leaves, Rui informs Takumi of the Aoi Ryu's part of the upcoming battle. Suffice it to say, the Akina Speed Stars wants in.

///ESSO station, late morning///

"How could you, Takumi-kun!?"

"How come you've never told us!?"

"When did this happened!?"

No longer able to contain it any longer, the trio raised their voices in excitement and spoke atop each other; all essentially conveying the same question. Takumi however wished he was anywhere but here. Inwardly, chiding his self for being caught once again in situations like this. He truly hopes that someday soon, these recent reoccurring events and his nasty habit of blushing so regularly from them will go away. But in the mean time, he had some explaining to do judging by the incredulous looks on his friends' faces.

Thus he took several timid steps back and tried his best to look indifferent. Suffice it to say, his usual blank look was nowhere near the mark. To the trio, Takumi looked between constipated or having a nervous breakdown. But either way, that look meant the boy was guilty as charged. They continue to band together and loom over their friend even further.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, hmm!?" The trio commanded in unison.

And with that, Takumi visibly twitched and blurted out, "I've never met the guy until yesterday, I swear! Since then, he's been like that! Always touching and stuff! I don't like it at all! Honestly, I don't! I—"

"We're not talking about that, dummy!" shouted Itsuki to stop his friend's rambling. Sometimes I really wonder about you.

Iketani saw the incoming signs of his coworker about to go on his familiar trek of melodramatic speeches and decided to cut in before that happens. He discretely stepped between them and conducted the situation. "So, um… Takumi-kun. What's this about a new team? I've never heard of the Aoi Ryu before. Who are they?"

"Oh erm…" Glad that they weren't referring to his harassment earlier, Takumi released a sigh of relief. Thus he was able to compose himself. "I don't know anything about them. The Takahashi brothers and I were out on a routine run last night when the Aoi Ryu showed up."

"Really!?" Kenji piped in when the mere mention of a battle already flaming his excitement. Kenji nodded at the boy as if he was encouraging Takumi along to say yes. Takumi nodded out of reflex.

Happy with the boy's reply, Kenji took the chance to ask more questions. The information he gathers today will empower him to be first to spread the words later. Rarely did he ever have the chance to spread the rumors of a battle; normally it was the other way around where his sources would make him squirm for the details. It's time for payback. "So, um… who's racing for Project D then?"

"It's Nakamura-san," replied Takumi matter-of-factly. He didn't bother to correct Kenji on the assumption that it was a project D matter versus the Redsuns. Actually, he didn't really understand the whole turf war and team pride his fellow friends and other drivers have in the first place. But then, it wasn't in his nature to comment or question such things anyways. So, he's never one to impart the details unless interrogated.

His friends knowing this all too well, was more than willing to oblige him in order to gouge some details from him. It was only a matter of asking the right questions. Thus, the lengthy process of pulling teeth began.

---

After being literally latched onto for the past half-hour, Takumi had never felt so eager and relieved to be on-call when he received a buzz from his boss to make an unexpected delivery. Suffice it to say, the trio was reluctant to see Takumi snake off from their grasp.

There they resume their usual post by the door as Takumi's panda Trueno pulled out onto the streets. When the car was out of sight, the trio immediately huddled around each other and expounded on what they've discovered about their friend. Meanwhile, they conveniently continue to ignore the customers as the other three coworkers glare at their backs for slacking off for so long.

"I absolutely can't believe it! My best friend, Fujiwara Takumi, turns out to be a homo!" With this announcement, Itsuki broke out into floods of tears.

"Itsuki, there you are jumping to conclusions again," admonished Iketani.

"But didn't you saw what happened!?" exclaimed Itsuki as he wiped the tears and snot with his sleeves.

"Course we saw. But it looks more like that Sagano fellow was hitting on our Takumi. Maybe he'd just never faced guys like that before? Who knows? Besides, doesn't Takumi have a girlfriend? You know that hot chick?" Kenji was not even confident of his own supply of answers.

"You mean Natsuki Mogi? They haven't seen each other for over a month now, ever since she moved to Tokyo for college," Itsuki mulled over this fact for a while and broke into fresh tears. "Maybe that is why he's turning to guys!?"

With a long-suffering sigh, Iketani reprimanded sharply, "Itsuki!"

That got his attention and Itsuki stopped his outpour. Iketani was going to follow up with a stern lecture but was interrupted by a soft cough. All three guys opened up their huddle and switched their attention to the newcomer.

Itsuki was the first to recover and comment, seeing that he was the only one who recognized her. "Mogi-chan!? What are you doing here?"

"Umm, Itsuki-kun. Could you return this to Takumi-kun for me please?" Mogi handed a fairly large paper bag to Itsuki who automatically took it.

"I was biking towards his house when I rode pass here and saw his car. But he already left before I could make it. Um…" She looked around distractedly before she hastily spoke, "Umm, I have to make a few more errands. So… um, sorry to trouble you! Bye-bye!"

Itsuki, Iketani, and Kenji watched the retreating form as the same thought occurred to all of them. Kenji was the first to voice it out in the open, "You don't think… she overheard us did you?"

They looked at each other and said in unison, albeit after a bit of nervous laughter, "Nah."

///Suzuki Auto Repairs///

Tachibana Yuuichi, owner of the aforementioned ESSO Gas and Service Station in Akina, was not one to leave his business to be overlooked by a senior employee. However, given the circumstances, he decided to take a chance on Iketani since he received a phone call late last night from a person he'd thought he'll never heard from again. Apparently he was wrong. Said person, not only allowed him of the unfortunate pleasure to hear from him, but has requested to retrieve a favor from him as well. But knowing that person, Yuuichi knew that he had no choice in the matter.

Thus, after the phone call ended, Yuuichi grumpily got out of his comfortable bed, threw on a robe and headed for his small den to turn on his computer. It was another hour before he was able to retrieve the information he needed. He wandered back to bed, all the while cursing 'old friends' and 'ruining his business' under his breath.

Speaking of which, that is how Yuuichi found himself standing before the shop of one of his old friends now. He remembered the last time when he was here it was over twenty years ago. His beloved race car from back then was purchased from this very shop. He shook his head of the memories and got out of the company truck. Sounds of machinery already at work hit his ears and he walked back towards the opened garage. There he found the mechanic with his face shield up crouching over and examining the banged up fender of an awfully familiar yellow FD RX-7.

Realizing the reason why he's here immediately, Yuuichi couldn't help but remark in astonishment without even bothering to make his greetings, "Kami-sama, don't tell me he's done it again!!"

Suzuki Masashi, said owner and head mechanic since he took over his father's shop years ago, turned the machine off and carefully laid it down on the floor before he rose from his crouch position. He then took off his protective face shield and flashed a wry grin at Yuuichi. "Yes and no. Sendo only said, 'Sasha broke it. Now fix it.' I'm guessing he took it for a joyride and she, ah… must have found out."

Yuuichi chuckled at that and commented with his own jab, "I gather he's more worried about Sasha then the owner at his throat?"

They both shared a laugh at the memory of the couple they knew before Masashi inquired good-naturedly, "So did you manage to get the part?"

Yuuichi revealed a wide smile with even teeth and remarked, "Of course. Where is the old goat, anyways?"

"Oh," Masashi was in the middle of scratching his scruffy goatee when he supplied absently, "he said he's 'going to collecting a few more favors to fix up the damn nuisance'."

The implications behind those words dawned on the ESSO owner and he again spoke in astonishment, "You mean he's planning to give it back!?"

Masashi flashed another wry grin and said matter-of-factly, "Yup."

That was when Yuuichi finally took a closer look at the yellow FD, saw the various decals on the side and cursed aloud, "Shit! Do you know who this car belongs to!? He'll have the whole Redsuns' crew and probably some of their rabid groupies breathing down Sendo's neck for this! How the hell is he going to pull this one off!?"

Masashi doesn't seem the least bit perturbed for he commented, "Don't know, he said he'd got it all figured out."

///Twilight bar, afternoon///

Long slim legs encased in form fitting black working trousers stepped out of the yellow taxi cab. Eyes kept closed, the man took a deep breath of the cool afternoon air and released it with a whoosh. When his eyes reopened again, the light brown orbs shown with humorous brilliance. The figure turned around and flashed a charming grin at the other passenger while he fixed the black bow tie on his starch white shirt. "How do I look, Minoru sensei?"

The man in question, his mentor and constant companion whose twenty years his senior, took a long look at his young charge and raised a disgusted look at his employer. "Like one of our servants, Koji."

"Excellent then." Satisfied with his working attire, the tall slim figure turned away and proceeded up the stairs to the drinking establishment.

"Need I remind you, Okano-sama requests your presence at the assembly tonight?"

A brief pause in the slim figure's stride was the only indication that he heard the unspoken command. Acknowledging his employers understanding of his obligations, Minoru reached to pull the passenger door closed and motioned the taxi driver towards the next destination.

The slim figure continued up the flight of stairs with steady steps and paused at the entrance door upon noticing the odd looking crumpled note that was taped on the worn wooden panels. He pulled the note free and read the contents. A bark of laughter ruptured from his throat when he reread the last few words, '…whatever you do, stall for time.'

---

Kenta wasn't sure why his sempai wanted to visit this particular bar, especially so early in the afternoon. There were many bars in Akagi that they passed by. This one in particular was situated at the outskirts of Myougi. But then, Keisuke wasn't talkative throughout the ride nor was he wearing his habitual charismatic grin. In fact, Keisuke did not resemble his Keisuke of yesterday with the black Rayban sunglasses and a stony face that one only typically would normally see on an older Takahashi. In fact, this Keisuke was even sporting a yellowish/purplish bruise on one side of his jaw. Kenta wanted to ask about that, but didn't want his sempai to snap at him like he did earlier for talking too much. This did not detract from the alluring persona that makes up Keisuke however, it only added to increase Kenta's fascination with his sempai.

At the moment, the subject of his thoughts was just standing there in the parking lot scanning the area with a frown wrinkling his forehead. Abruptly, Keisuke strode up the stairs towards the bar with Kenta trailing behind. Without stopping, Keisuke sighted the first and only worker upon entering, made eye contact, and exclaimed, "You there!"

"Yes?" responded the worker who had long braided black hair that reached the small of his back. The man was just sitting their on a barstool rather than behind the bar and reading some gossip magazine that was laid out on the counter in front of him.

"Have you seen a yellow Mazda RX-7 FD parked outside from last night?"

The slim figure snaps out of his readings and turn amused eyes upon the new arrivals. Keisuke frowned at the odd look. However to Kenta, the man literally took his breath away upon seeing the aristocratic handsome face up close despite the spacey look on the man's face.

"Let me see—," the man blanks out for a moment as he ponders the question. "Sorry, I didn't work last night and I don't remember seeing it here when I came in. Can't help you, sir. But if anyone should know where your car is, the boss should. Although, the boss did say that he'll be out for a long time today. But if anyone should be looking for him, I should, um..."

Keisuke wasn't sure whether he could wait another minute for this lamebrain to come up with an answer. Here he was anxious about the whereabouts of his beloved RX-7 after he had successfully forced the memory of his brother and Takumi out of his mind. He just wants his FD back and here is this dumb-ass taking his time in spitting out the information.

"I remember!" The worker walks behind the bar and disappears beneath the counter.

Keisuke raps his fingers on the counter as he sat on the barstool the other vacated and waited for the worker to reappear. After several long frustrated minutes of waiting, Keisuke was about to shout for the man to hurry up when a paper appeared before his face.

"Here. Boss said that since he hasn't renewed his costly mobile service, he will be at these places at those specific times if anyone wishes to contact him."

Proud of his quick thinking, the worker flashes Keisuke a winning smile that cause the S14 driver's cheek to suffuse with heat instantly. The worker than said invitingly, "Would you like a drink? It's happy hour until five. Everything is half-off."

After scanning the directions, Keisuke groused out his answer for the both of them, "No thanks."

The worker looked at Keisuke then at Kenta before he shrugged and said, "Suit yourself and come back anytime."

He then disappeared beneath the counter once again for what, the pair didn't know or could care less.

Weird guy. Thought Kenta just as Keisuke thrust the paper at him and strode back outside. Kenta scanned the paper briefly as well, groaned, and followed after Keisuke. So far...but anything for Keisuke-sempai.

When the two inquisitors had left, the slim figure raised himself from his hiding place and breaks out into a full chortle at the clever plan he had devised with his quick thinking. He had not expected the person Sendo had mentioned on the note to arrive to inquire about the yellow Mazda so soon. The slim figure quickly reaches for the phone beside the cash register and dialed Sendo's mobile number to warn him of the blond patron and informed his boss of the plan he had devised to '…stall for time.'

///Kiki's Café///

"Sena-kun, if what you say is true, then I can't wait to meet with this Fujiwara Takumi again!" Sagano Rui was elated for the second time in one day. He had met up with his old buddy whom he haven't seen since his days in high school and expected a normal rapport of good humor jokes and general events. Rui did not expect, however, to learn neither of the fascinating development of the local racing teams nor the rising legend of Mt. Akina's downhill specialist. His object of prey was no ordinary tofu deliverer after all. His eyes began to glaze over in admiration for Takumi's racing skills and attributes, especially his physical attributes.

"Some things never change," Kimura Sena shook his head in good humor at his childhood friend. It was like old times. Rui and Sena had discovered their attraction for the same sex since high school gym class. Since then, they had banded together against those who saw fit to condemn them for their preference. Fortunately, with Sagano's infamous family influence, they received only reproachful glares and scornful anonymous letters at most. Thus they were able to experiment with their sexuality together without much opposition.

Oddly enough, despite them being open with their sexuality in such a manner, they had never found each other attractive in that sort of way. Rui's preferences tend towards both men and women who have an innocent air about them. Interestingly, his choice of lovers were talented in some form or other for they were never the average Joe and Jane off the street. Whereas Sena with his long wavy brown hair, athletic physique, and refined features had never failed to get his fair share of intelligent, dominating men. But despite their sexual preference and outgoing nature in pursuing their love interests, Sena had always found it somewhat uncomfortable to show his affections so publicly to any of his interests. Unlike Rui, who manages to exude open affection aplenty for both of them.

"Seems like he'll take a while. I gather he doesn't know the Akina Hachi-Roku driver long?"

Jade took her cue as they continue to ignore her brother who's off in his own little world and stated, "Only since last night."

A whistle of amazement escapes from Sena. "He sure doesn't waste time, does he? It use to be that he finds everything about that person first before he works on them and gets to this level of admiration. Don't you think he's jumping the gun a bit?"

"I suppose. Apparently this one's different," Jade looks sideways at her brother, turns to Sena, leans closer, and whispers, "My boys started a pool to see how long it'll take Rui to deflower this guy. You want in?"

A large sweat drop flowed down Sena's temple as his eyebrow ticked in response. Having just met Rui's long talked about, admirable sister, he was not prepared for a mischievous imp who felt no qualms about gambling on her brother's sex life. She seemed normal when they've just met and exchange pleasantries. "Ah… I'll pass."

Jade shrugged her shoulders, sat back in her seat and looks at her brother. Rui had stopped his musings and was now staring questioningly out the window. "What's up, Rui?"

"Huh?" Rui shook out of his fixed stare and responded thoughtfully, "Nothing. I thought I recognized someone in that blue Sileighty that drove past."

///TBC — Act 12: Battle Fever///

Review Responses (Thank you for commenting):

Amekan – I'm glad you'd like the last chapter. That was a bit tough trying to cover all the people in the story. They all tie together in some ways and it's like directing a cast to move where you want them, except I'm writing it out instead. Tough ne? Anyhoot, I think the reader's vote tally for Takumi is now: Ryousuke: 4, Keisuke: 2, and Rui: 1. So, will Ryousuke maintain the lead? We'll have to see.

Strawberry buttercup – Thank you. I'm happy to know that my convoluted plot is appreciated. This was my first story and I thought 'what have I gotten myself into?' Now, I couldn't believe I came up with the ideas in the first place. Originally, I had more romance than driving, but for this rewrite, I'm adding way more driving related stuff. So look forward to it for those who'd read the earlier chapters.

RuByMoOn17 – And I have more coming. ( pun intended if you have a wicked mind)

Ultra Rodimus – Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Rui creeps you out. I kind of modeled him after my own younger brother. He's incorrigible and that is what I think Rui is. Takumi does seem to be in the middle of all this, yet everyone around him has their own problems to deal with. As for Keisuke, he has a major sidetrack to derail him. You'll have to read to find out.

FireShadows – I'll have to say that you are the first reviewer that I ever have the pleasure to smile, chuckle and felt bubbly from reading the comments. Thank you for the thorough review. bows deeply

As for your 'one of the best' comment, thank you for the kind words. I've read quite a few from the yaoid group and have run across many wonderful stories there. Although, there hasn't been much activity lately, the old postings should be a good read. Please check it out if you have the chance. As for pairing wise, I do have a strong contender in mind, but Takumi will have to go through the emotions with all of them in order for the real battle begins for his heart.

Personally, I think Ryousuke is very sexy. (Yeah, I'm into intellectual men). However, Keisuke has a wild streak that just makes him fun to be around. Both brothers exude sex appeal that are different and yet intense. So, we'll see how that works out for poor Takumi doesn't seem to exude any unless he is driving. That intense, angry look can get the heart pumping fast from anyone who looks at him during that time. (There's my hint of the day as to how the plot will be for future sex reference. Hm….I hope I didn't give away too much.) I agree with you regarding Keisuke and Takumi though, but then one can argue just as well for the other contenders. Don't worry though, I'll plan to throw in more fan service scenes beyond kissing in later chapters. Either way, I'll try to make it worth your reading this fic and hopefully be satisfied with whomever Takumi end up with.

I'm happy to read that the OCs I've created are received and accepted so well. I was keeping my fingers crossed on that one. There is a few more OCs left to introduce before the story is over. Now for Mogi, she does have a bid for Takumi and her own side story as well. But don't worry, I did say this is a yaoi slash story so I hope that helps. And lastly, I'll try to update regularly, but RL does get in the way. Thanks again for your support.

Ckarrine – Thank you for reading. Initial D was my first slash infatuation. There are some great fanfics out there. If you are looking, check out yaoid on Yahoo group. There has been inactivity lately, but the old postings should keep you busy. I have my old work there. But, this fic has undergone many changes since then. You are welcome to read them though. Have fun enjoying this series!

Toki Mirage – Oh please don't hate me. I didn't mean to break your heart. I don't mean to drag this out either. I'll be good and go back to writing now….