Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or its characters, that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Initial D or its characters, that right belongs to Shuichi Shigeno.
Author's Note: This was written for my husband, who has an obsessive love with cars, the anime Initial D.
"So, what do you think?"
"I believe this is a good match."
"Then let us finalize the paperwork with all of our signatures."
"Hey, Takumi!" Itsuki said, waving his hand.
When the tall brown-haired boy looked up, a faint smile at the corners of his lips appearing. Itsuki dashed to his side; face lit up at seeing him for the first time in a while and knowing that the RedSuns kept him busy. And that his friend was kicking ass in all the races he did. Though it was a bit of a surprise to see him back. Not that he was going to complain.
The look that Iketani was giving him said that Itsuki had interrupted something. Not bothering as he came to a standstill with his friends, he shrugged to indicate that they should resume their conversation.
"So, you guys are just going to do a few runs down Mt. Akina tonight?" Iketani muttered, his dark eyes glinting in abject amusement.
The soft grunt that came from the ever quiet Takumi was all the answer Itsuki knew they'd get. But it had his mind racing around on a few things. Pressing his lips into a thin line as he thought quickly. He reached out and nudged Takumi's arm. Once he had his friend's attention, Itsuki took a breath to keep calm.
"Can anyone come to watch? Or is this a closed thing for the RedSuns?" he asked, his voice solemn, devoid of its typical eagerness.
The look he saw pass not only over Takumi's face but Iketani's, was both curious and cautious. He knew he was asking something serious for them. Mt. Akina was the territory of the AkinaSpeedStars, Iketani's team. And Formerly Takumi's before he was recruited to do around Japan Street Racing Circuit.
"It is open. It will be our last Mt. Akina run. Ryosuke wants to test how much my skills have matured since I joined the team," Takuma said. "So, I do not think it would be a problem for anyone to come to watch. Why?"
Itsuki let his head drop, resting his chin on his chest. A part of him was happy that it was open to being observed.
"I wanted to bring my... cousins," he said softly, lifting his head and giving the two a pointed, serious look.
It took a few seconds before Iketani's eyes widened, and he whistled. Already aware of who Itsuki's cousins were. Takumi took a bit longer, though the small smile he had said he was happy about it. Since the last time they'd both seen, the two had been at the end of Junior High School for them.
"I would like to see them again," Takumi said.
"Good, they are in town. And let me tell you, Sota is not happy, but he has picked up on street racing in Tokyo. As for his sister... Well, let's say the family has arranged a marriage for her," Itsuki said.
The wide-eyed looks of shock and horror on his friend's face would usually be a cause for laughter. But as they both knew that this was not a good thing. The girl was normally a cheery, bright, accepting, and forgiving soul. Though when forced to do something she didn't want, the girl had a temperament that could be exceptionally volatile. And since none of them had seen her since they were all fifteen, four years ago.
"Oh yeah, don't worry, she is chill with the car racing. Even likes it. She helped her little brother get the car he uses. If you thought she was a tomboy before, you should hear her when she goes off on modifications and applications of theories on how to improve driving technique to optimize your speed and stuff," Itsuki said, his voice getting a bit louder due to the excitement he felt.
That and the continued look of shock on both of his friend's faces. It was too priceless. Heck, he was just like them last year when he had gone to visit his auntie in Tokyo and saw both Kagome and Sota. Yeah, the brat was fourteen now, but the kid had somehow gotten into driving, which he was secretly pinning to Kagome, who had seriously changed since he had last seen her. There was always a faraway look in her eyes, not to mention the odd wisdom and grim set to her face. Though she still smiled a lot, it just wasn't the same.
"Oh, just to give you a heads up. Kagome has changed a lot," Itsuki said, getting small nods from both of his friend's.
The sun was setting when he pulled up — bathing the mountaintop in a fiery glow. He took quick stock of the cars there, immediately able to place all but a few, that belonged to the AkinaSpeedStars. One that he didn't recognize that stood out as he parked his Mazda FC3S was a small Honda EG6 Hatchback. It was painted a solid matte black and had stylized Red and White Sakura blossoms on it. And leaning against the hood was a short, thin boy wearing black jeans and a red shirt that had the Stylized matching Sakura in White on it. He couldn't get a good look at the boy's face due to sunglasses and a red baseball cap.
He hadn't said that this was a closed run. But to see someone who was not even from the area there. What he could make out from the license plates it hailed from Tokyo. A bit of a distance, then again, his team had made waves wherever they went. The fame they'd accumulated in the last year drew many to watch and challenge them. So, it was not too strange.
Stepping out of his car, he shot a look at his brother Keisuke, who was staring at something behind him. Feeling curious, Ryosuke turned his head to look and went very still. There was Takumi, with the leader of the AkinaSpeedStars, Iketani, and his short, chubby friend Itsuki. The site of them was not what had him going still and feeling irritation flashed through his mind. Nope, it was the sight of someone bent over and shining a flashlight in the AE86's engine. Their pale legs were kicking at the air, telling how short they were, considering the AE86 had been lowered just a bit.
Shutting his car door without slamming it, Ryosuke walked towards the small group. Gaining their attention as a soft feminine voice came from inside the hood. They were exclaiming over what had been modified. The knowledge and raw, accurate facts spewing from what he now knew was a girl a bit surprising. He knew that there were plenty of female street racers. Hell, they'd taken on a team that was nothing but very skilled female drivers.
Stopping just short of the group, seeing his brother stand next to him in his peripherals, Ryosuke just waited until the girl extracted herself, revealing that she had on skin tight, skin-tight black denim shorts. He let his displeasure clearly show on his face. He more felt than saw the boy by the Honda move towards them, as silence fell over them all.
"Hey! Taki! I cannot believe your dad let you have this, and you turned it into a beast," The girl said, pushing herself up, causing a large mass of wavy raven hair fell down a White spaghetti-strapped tank top with those red stylized Sakura covered back.
He had frozen where he stood at hearing her clear, happy-sounding voice. Eyes were boring holes into her as he watched a pale arm and wiped across her face as she turned around. Only to have his eyes meet dark blue eyes that were the size of small saucers in her heart-shaped face, that now had an oil smudge across her forehead. Ryosuke didn't want to believe what he was seeing.
"Hey, Ry, isn't that the chick dad just arranged for you to marry?" Keisuke spoke up.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Ryosuke glared down the ten inches to the girl, who was glaring daggers back at him. Trying to figure out just how a soft-spoken, no personality, shrine maiden was there. One that his father had earlier in the week had him meet at an Omiai. He accepted it as his lot after much badgering. He already announced that at the end of the year, he was quitting racing and going to finish college to be a doctor as his father had wanted. His heart belonged to Kaori, who had committed suicide. And now he was engaged to a girl who was no more than nineteen.
Giving a soft cough to break the mounting tension in the air, Sota came to stand by his sister and cousin. The latter, he would be badgering about this whole situation. Removing his baseball cap and sunglasses, running a hand through his dark hair, he looked up at the Takahashi brothers. Eyes were narrowing and calculating everything.
"I would say it is nice to see you two again, but it isn't," he stated in a flat voice, letting the two know that he was going to defend his sister if need be.
He had been against the Omiai in the first place. His sister's heart was still in the past, with all those she had shared a year's worth of epic adventures. Hell, he knew she would always love InuYasha. But she was now stuck in the present time with their family. And Sota didn't want to see her hurt even worse, but this had been his grandfather's doing. Wanting Kagome to move on, yet though she had made it clear that she was fine helping run the Shrine and eventually taking over. An idea that had been cut down quickly. Told that only the men of the Higurashi line could do that. The hurt he had seen in her eyes before she put her walls up and excused herself that night had made him so mad.
The amused look he got from Keisuke at his comment was interesting though he dismissed it and returned the dark glare from the elder brother. His sister's fiance, Ryosuke Takahashi. The man was pissed at seeing Kagome there, if not a bit curious as to why and how.
"Uh... When you guys came to visit... and told me that Kags was engaged... why didn't you mention it was to..."Itsuki mumbled.
Sota blinked once, not moving his gaze off of Ryosuke as he spoke, "Because neither of us wanted to think about it. We came out here to give Kagome some time to calm down, think, and possibly accept this... unwanted match."
The strangled choke that came from Keisuke had Sota smiling as he felt his sister's hands clamp down on his shoulders. At fourteen, he was a few inches taller than her five feet two inches. Though that meant nothing knowing she was more than capable of taking care of herself in almost any situation. Which worried him because, since her forced return, Kagome had become more than just a rebel; she had developed a rather physical streak that was scary.
"It is okay, Sota, you don't have to worry about me," she said, her voice soft, sweet, and soothing to him.
He felt the small hairs on the back of the neck and hairs stand up, meaning that it was not okay, Kagome's Reiki was surfacing. And from the soft hissing of the three beside her, they could feel it as well, though he was sure they'd just pass it off from the tension.
"Itsuki didn't know. He is not to blame for this...unintentional meeting," Kagome said, her voice still soft, sweet, and soothing. "Though, I will say I am happy to see you again, Keisuke. As you don't seem to have a stick shoved so far up your ass that you forget to have fun."
Sota quickly pressed his lips into a thin line to keep from laughing aloud at the looks on the Takahashi Brothers' faces. When they'd met Kagome, she had been the perfect picture of the traditional Japanese woman. Beautiful, delicate, and quiet. It had been expected of her. Her hair pulled up and pinned with lacquered chopsticks in a bun. A three lay Kimono that highlighted his sister's pale skin coloring, making her eyes pop, on top of promoting the image of being very delicate. She had performed her duties during the Omiai without flaw. She was leaving a good impression on the head of the Takahashi household.
Now, they were getting to see the real person his sister was. Not some made up for show porcelain doll. And he knew that Itsuki, Takumi, and Iketani were well aware of how Kagome was. The tomboy she was as a child around them. They also knew about her temperament, her love of being outdoors. Though they had been a bit shocked when she squealed over Iketani's car, before pleading with large puppy eyes to Takumi to let her see under his hood after he drove her up and down the mountain, 'twice' at her behest. The poor boy had so taken how she said it wrong as she hugged him fiercely.
She was livid. The last person she wanted to see was standing right before her. Even now, after being back for three years and a few weeks, Kagome could see his aura very clearly. Her spiritual powers had not diminished at all. Nope, she still had them. And could tell he was not happy at seeing her there and was horrified at her language. Well, the man could just suck it and then sit and spin on a pointed rod.
"That is not pro-" Ryosuke started to say until she cut him off with a quick slash of her hand.
"I don't care. I am not at home at the Shrine. I am here for pleasure visiting my cousin Itsuki and his friends. All of whom have known me far longer than yourself, Takahashi-san," She snipped at him. She is enjoying watching as his aura flared with a brief flash of anger and surprise at her words.
Stepping around Sota, so she was almost nose to chest with him. Hating that she was a damn midget, Kagome tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. Knowing defiance was dancing in the depths of her eyes. The man couldn't intimidate her in the least. Not after dealing with Demons trying to kill her, and well... InuYasha's brother. Being almost killed and kidnapped way too many times to count, yeah, he had nothing on her. Fiancee or not.
A low chuckle from behind her, Kagome rolled her eyes. Knowing it was Iketani doing it. She just let a small, feral smile curled her lips in silent challenge. Feeling the nervous shifting from her cousin, while oddly Takumi was a very passive calm. Of course, he always went with the flow, laid back, and easy to deal with, the total opposite of her cousin.
"Uh, Ryosuke, FYI, you are not going to out-stubborn Kags... Ask Takumi's dad," Itsuki muttered while trying to smother his laughter.
The raised eyebrows from Ryosuke at that comment meant nothing. The man was not aware of who Bunta Fujiwara was, or that he used to be the top street racers in the area. Not that she cared, she had found out as a child when he was talking to one of his good friends that ran the local gas and tire station, where she knew that Sota had gotten a love of cars.
"Why don't we have some fun?" Sota said, drawing not just her attention but everyone else's to him. "You all came here to race down the mountain, right? Well, let us join in! And I can ride with someone other than my sister."
Narrowing her eyes, Kagome saw the slight tilt of his mouth in a smug smirk. Instantly she knew what he was talking about. And it made her flash a bright smile at everyone, which earned her a variety of reactions, as she reached out and pulled Sota's cap from his head and rubbed it affectionately with one hand, while the other was held out for the keys to her car. As she heard Itsuki, Iketani, and a few others, including Takumi, agree.
He was shocked. The changes the last four years had made in the spunky, short, over-excitable tomboy he had known was astounding. While she was not much taller than the last time, she was most definitely more feminine through her smart mouth, sharp tongue, and gentle warmth were still the same. Even if she now used fouler language. It had floored him. But not as much as the fact that the little Honda Hatchback EG6 was her baby. She drove it and drove it well.
When Itsuki had said, she had taken to cars; he didn't know what to think. He knew Sota had always been fascinated with them. A typical little boy was always pestering either his dad or the owner of the gas and tire shop he worked. What bothered Takumi the most was the constant distant look that held a hard edge in her eyes.
As he moved towards the AE86, he reached out and tapped Itsuki on the shoulder and indicated that he should ride shotgun with him. Getting a slightly queasy look on Itsuki's face before recalling that the last time he had his friend ride with him, it had been in the backseat while it rained. And couldn't fault him for it. Though he was intrigued by the fact that Kagome had gotten a Driver's License and owned the little Honda.
"Taki!"
At his name, he paused and looked down at Kagome only to go stiff as she jumped up and hugged him tightly, planting a small kiss on his cheek as she whispered into his ear, "Thank you for running me up and down the mountain two times. I'll use what I learned observing the road and your driving skills."
He was looking up for a second. He caught Ryosuke's and Keisuke's eyes. The dark look he was receiving from the former as he got a silent message as Kagome let go of him and darted to her Honda. Giving a small nod that he understood what was not being asked aloud, Takumi shut the hood of his car and climb in. He watched as Sota jogged over to Keisuke's car and got in. He was lifting a finger to his lips, telling Itsuki to stay quiet as he turned the key and primed the engine. The curious look on his friend's face before the sound of Keisuke's voice came through the little transceiver radio made him go wide-eyed.
It was something that Ryosuke had installed, so when they did time trials and practice runs, there was an accurate account from both the driver, the car. Though Takumi was sure that it was most definitely not okay to be using it this way. But it was what it was for the moment. The sound of other engines rumbling to life before they all moved to where they'd start the race. He wondered exactly what Kagome had meant by using what she observed.
"You do know your sister won't win, right?" Keisuke said.
"We both know," Sota replied. "But that isn't what this is about."
Takumi looked over at Itsuki, who was frowning. Again he motioned for his friend to stay silent, as anything said would be heard.
"Okay. Then why?" Keisuke asked.
"Because she hates when people form an opinion about her when they don't know jack squat about her. All you saw was what she was supposed to show you guys during the Omiai. And trust me, she can read people like an open book," Sota stated, his voice dropping a few octaves in disgust.
"Then tell me about your sister, I mean she is...just," Keisuke said, trailing off.
Takumi understood his train of thought. He had been like that the first time he had met Kagome thirteen years ago right after her dad had died.
"My sister is just... what? Smart, funny, a tomboy, has a foul mouth, is hot as sin? Is that what you wanted me to tell you? Because it is all true," Sota said, his voice showing his amusement. "But she is also a person who is fiercely protective of those she cares — forgiving to a fault, though not benevolent. She accepts almost any and everything without question either, Keisuke. It is why I am so damned protective of her."
As he shifted gears, taking a corner sharply, Takumi looked behind him, having already passed everyone as they tore down the mountainside, he saw Ryosuke right behind him, Keisuke just a bit back and Kagome close on Keisuke's tail. And he somehow knew that she was biding her time.
"Okay, you care about your sister Kiddo," Keisuke said, his voice showing just how laid back he was while driving. "So, about that car. Is it yours or hers?"
Takumi couldn't help it as he felt a smirk appear on his face. The soft snort from Itsuki said that he had the same thought at that question.
"It is my sisters. And to answer the possible next few questions you want to ask. No, she worked her butt off to buy it and has done all the modifications on it. I found out two years ago when I saw her laptop open and a screen on a forum discussing the thing. I followed her out one night and was shocked to see her doing the back street races in Tokyo." Sota answered smugness threaded through his voice.
At the next set of corners, Takumi caught the drain and whipped himself through the turn like a rock out of a slingshot. Just as he heard, Sota laugh as Keisuke gasped in shock. He just barely saw the little black Honda pass him and creep up behind Ryosuke. They were only a few short turns from the bottom of the mountain. She was leaving him impressed as he saw her ride close to the corner, and her car tip just a bit as it entered the drain. He finally realizes what she said to him.
He listened silently as his brother plied Kagome's little brother for information. Though when he heard his brother gasp, he let his eyes darted up to the rearview mirror just in time to see her pass his brother before her car tilted as it hit the drain on the side of the road. Narrowing his eyes, Kyosuke applied a bit more pressure to the gas pedal as he fought to keep Takumi in his site.
"Damn! Has she ever drove this route before?" Keisuke's voice came over the radio.
"Nope, today was the first time. Though she had Takumi take her up and down the mountain twice," Sota said, chuckling in complete amusement.
"What!? No, way. That is Takumi's move. There is no way she could learn to do that from just observing," Keisuke said, his voice showing a bit of his normal hot-headedness.
"Really? You are saying you know how my sister's mind works?" Sota said in a deadpan voice. "This is why I had hoped that one day she would marry Takumi. He is quiet, passive, and exceptionally observational. He'd keep her grounded with that temper of hers."
Ryosuke flicked his eyes from the road to the radio. He couldn't believe what he just heard. And wondered just how Takumi was reacting to that piece of information. Though he had to admit as he started to put some serious distance between his car and hers, that she did have some skills. He could respect that she had talent behind the wheel. That she learned from observing and then applying. She adapted.
In that second, as he followed Takumi out of the last corner to the stop at the base of the mountain, Ryosuke felt a pang for Kaori. He missed her deeply. He would always love her, no matter what. But right now, he knew he had to focus on the present. And the fact that he needed to get to know his new fiancee, especially if she was going to be this much of a handful to deal with.
Pulling his car to a stop by Takumi, who was already out, arms on top of the AE86, his friend was leaning back against the passenger door. Opening the door, he got out and looked back up the mountain as he saw the almost invisible little black Honda EG6 whip sideways around the corner, drifting with ease before it was straightened out and shot towards them. His brother was no less than five seconds behind.
When the Honda pulled in behind them, the engine shut off, Ryosuke watched as Kagome climbed out. The light of the lamp post shining down on her and showing her flushed face as she smiled widely as her cerulean blue eyes shone brightly with her excitement. Though he didn't like that, Kagome bound over to Takumi and her cousin, throwing her arms around both of them as Kagome let peal after peal of laughter escaped her mouth. It was indecent since she was now an engaged woman.
"That was fun... And woohoo... I did it, I pulled off using the drain as a slingshot!" she whipped as she bounced, never taking her arms from the two guys.
A few hours later found the group at a 24/7 diner — the table littered with plates, silverware, and cups. Ryosuke and Kagome the only ones left sitting at the table, looking out the large glass window at the rest of the group as they gathered around the Honda EG6 hatchback. They were examining what they could see under the hood as Sota explained everything that had been done to the little hatchback.
"There are two things I need to say to you," Kagome said, her eyes never leaving the group outside.
A soft hnn was all that was heard. The only indication that was given to continue.
"I do not expect you to love me. However, Ryosuke," she stated far too bluntly. "But I do expect you trust and respect me once I have earned it, and vice versa."
At the Ryosuke turned from the window and looked at Kagome. His dark gaze was meeting her blue one as she turned to face him. There was no mask to hide what she thought or felt — allowing him to see the pain and loss of someone she had loved in their blue depths. To know that she understood.
"What is this second thing, Kagome," Ryosuke asked.
The small smile she flashed him before raising her cup of tea to her lips for a quick drink spoke of amusement. Once her cup was set back on the table, Kagome scooted to the edge of the seat of the booth. Her hand was reaching down for her small carry bag.
Speaking as she stood up, Kagome spoke bluntly once again, "I don't think we should quit racing. I believe we do it for similar reasons. It is how we find a semblance of Freedom from our familial and social obligations."
As she turned to walk away, she paused briefly and looked over her shoulder at him, eyes sparkling. "So that you know, you are my type. Tall, silent, intelligent, a bit broody with a wild side, Takahashi-san."
He just watched her as she looked away and walked to the cash register. His mind processing everything that he was just told. There were no lies or deceit in words spoken. No, not with how bluntly she just told him everything. Ryosuke realized that there was much, much more to this woman then he had previously figured. Her brother's words were filtering through his head about how she was able to read people accurately.
Shaking his head, he stood up and made his way to the cash register to pay his and his brother's tab and pausing as Kagome bent over to sign her receipt. Her tank top was riding up and giving him a view of a tattoo on her lower back of a large white dog that had green clouds coming off its feet, while it stared back at him with one yellow eye and the other red with a teal pupil. The center of its forehead was a magenta crescent moon, making Ryosuke feel as if there was a story behind it.
His ears catching the man at the register asked Kagome out, making her laugh. Before he heard her tell him that he would never be able to ride her ride, causing Ryosuke to look out the window, where he caught a brief glimpse of her License plate. Blinking at what the custom plate said and its implication. Blk Inu.
The Spec Build/Modifications that Kagome did to her little Honda EG6 Hatchback
1995 eg6 Hatchback:
Bolt-in a six-point cage, K20a swap from Dc5 type r with six-speed, lowered with coilovers, front and rear strut bars, full poly bushing throughout the car, fully tuned ECM, big tube race header with full 3-inch exhaust, spoon wheels in white with red accents, front and rear sway bars.
THE END!