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> [Fanfic] AWD Battle, An old enemy returns with the help of a close friend
AWDfreak
Posted: Oct 3 2007, 06:54 PM


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Holy crap, this just keeps getting more exciting!!!! Dam, this is awsome!.....
Meteor
Posted: Oct 4 2007, 12:10 AM


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Finally! We're going to get to see Ryousuke race again.

Now. This fic needs more chapters. So let there be more chapters.
207
Posted: Oct 4 2007, 12:45 PM


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wow, ryosuke shows his ugly side w00t2.gif. i wonder if ryosuke is up to the challenge with the r32
thx712517
  Posted: Oct 4 2007, 06:17 PM


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Quick update, more coming soon.

*****

“I'm sorry, Fumihiro. My time is growing short and I don't want to waste it on Nakazato. I overlooked his latent abilities, and I didn't take into account this Sayuki girl helping him. It pains me to do this, but I need to neutralize the threat he poses before Project D is derailed because of my ego.”
“How is this a Project D matter? His challenge is Fujiwara, not Project D. We've already conquered Gunma. Where is the concern?” Fumihiro pressed, setting down his drink to truly concentrate on Ryosuke, who squirmed slighly in his seat.

“In truth you are correct, Fumihiro. This is not a Project D matter. However, the leader of Project D created this monster, who has targeted a member of Project D, with the intent of racing on Project D's home course. If we were to lose to Nakazato, it would undermine all of our work up to this point. Our undefeated streak would be ended by someone we'd already beaten on a course we'd already raced on. Do you see the shame inherent in that?” Ryosuke said, obviously upset with himself but still projecting a cool and calculating exterior.
“I see the shame inherent in it, Ryosuke, there is no doubt in that. But if you're so concerned about Nakazato, why not just race him yourself?” Fumihiro asked, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms in anger.

“That's become the idea, Fumihiro. It was my original intent to race Nakazato and shatter his confidence, but I doubt Fujiwara will be able to defeat Nakazato himself even if I ruin his faith in himself. I have Matsumoto installing the new turbocharger, which will give me the advantage I need to take care of him. In the meantime, I need you and Keisuke to make sure Nakazato doesn't get near Fujiwara to deliver his challenge. Is that understood?”
“Of course,” Fumihiro said with a sigh.

*

“Wow!” Itsuki shouted, smiling widely as Takumi drifted the Impreza at full speed. The blue coupe was flying downhill faster and faster, and Fujiwara smiled as Itsuki's smile was quickly replaced with a horrified expression and a white-knuckled grip on anything solid he could find.
“This is so much faster than the hachi-roku,” Itsuki said, suddenly frowning as he realized the words that had left his mouth.
“What's wrong?” Takumi asked, knowing the answer that was coming.
“It's so easy to go fast in this car. Do you miss the hachi-roku?”
“Of course I miss it,” Takumi said defensively, dropping the Impreza's grippy tires into the gutter and cornering so hard Itsuki's head hit the passenger door's glass with a dull thunk.
“Sorry,” he said apologetically.
“It's okay,” Itsuki replied, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

“People expect me to drive fast in this car. I can drive fast, it's no problem. There's so much grip I can use. But you don't drift this car, Itsuki. You drive it with grip until it starts understeering, and then you can drift it but you're throwing away your traction by doing that. I like driving it, but there's no challenge. I wish I could race it, but Ryosuke would think so little of me if I drove such a powerful car against our competitors. It wouldn't be a race, it would be overkill.” Takumi sighed, bouncing the inside tires over a curb to tighten the car's turning radius and pile on the speed coming out of the corner, setting himself up for an inertial drift through the next corner.

“I miss the challenge,” Takumi said, crossing the finish in record time. Itsuki clicked the timer and felt his eyes grow huge as he saw the number displayed.
“Takumi!! Seven seconds better!”
“Good,” Fujiwara said, letting go of the wheel and letting the car idle to cool down.
“You really miss the hachi-roku, don't you?” Itsuki asked quietly. “I know I would miss my Levin if I damaged it. I know sometimes I wish I had a better car to drive, something faster and stronger that would handle better, but then I look at my Levin and realize it's mine. I love it, Takumi. It's a challenge to me to get better, to drive better than the car is capable of. But you're already at that level. You deserve a stronger car, a better car. You've won so many battles with the hachi-roku, it wouldn't be a shame at all if you retired it before you get defeated.”

Takumi looked at Itsuki with sad eyes, wondering who exactly was sitting in his passenger seat. The hyper over-reacting Itsuki had been replaced with someone who knew exactly how he was feeling and could voice it perfectly.
“Itsuki...” Takumi said slowly, “I don't think I've reached the hachi-roku's limits yet.” Itsuki's eyes bulged wide at that, and he looked at Fujiwara closely, eagerly.
“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes. Ryosuke shouldn't be afraid. There's more in the hachi-roku than I can get out of it. I need improvement. I can drive faster, better. When the hachi-roku comes back, I'll practice harder than I've ever practiced before.”

This post has been edited by thx712517 on Oct 4 2007, 06:26 PM
RickyDGreat
Posted: Oct 5 2007, 07:17 AM


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This is getting good keep up the good work. fear2.gif
thx712517
  Posted: Oct 5 2007, 03:24 PM


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“You're just awesome,” Nakazato said over their shared table. Sayuki giggled happily as she flicked through her pace notes.
“You just say that so I'll chip in for lunch. It looks like you're still combating understeer. We could have picked up some time here, and here,” she said, pointing out two tight corners on the map.
“Hmm. I think I was off the throttle when I initiated those turns. If I turned in at full throttle the car would rotate faster,” Takeshi said, emptying his cup.
“True, but then we're drifting instead of grip driving. Can you handle drift?” she asked.
“I used to drift in my old car,” he replied with a twisted smile.

“What's the grin for?” she asked.
“I was defeated in my old car,” he replied.
“Really? How?”
“I was driving my old S13, drift driving against a white R32 that challenged the teams on Myogi. I thought it was my chance to establish the Night Kids as the dominant team, so I accepted his challenge. I drove drift, he drove grip. I never saw someone before that drove like that. It wasn't showy, it wasn't impressive, it was just cold and deliberate. There was no way I could keep up with him. I finally spun out when my tires wore down too far and he won. I sold my S13 the next day and bought a BNR32, a black one with low kilometers on it. I drove it stock with a decent set of tires for a while, and then I started upgrading it. Suspension at first, then power. I brought the Myogi Night Kids to the forefront and we became the dominant team. That's when Shingo changed,” he said bitterly, looking down into his half-empty cup.

“What changed about him?” Sayuki asked, feeling her heart open up to the battered ex-leader.
“He got that EG6 and he started getting mean. He bumped some of our guys in practice, and that's when we started clashing. Once I lost to Fujiwara, he wanted to overthrow me, but I kept things just barely in control. After the Evo and the S2000, he overthrew me in front of everyone else.”
“How did he do it?” Sayuki said, reaching her hand out across the table to hold Nakazato's as the man's voice wavered.
“We had a three part battle in the rain. I should have won, but he did instead. I ripped the Night Kids sticker off my car and tore it up, threw it on the ground. I told him to watch his back.”
“Not the best idea,” Sayuki said, “but understandable. When are you planning to challenge Shingo and win your team back?”
“Soon. I can't decide if I should challenge Fujiwara or Shingo first. What do you think?” he asked with a smile. The two sat there quietly for a second, then started laughing.

“Aww, you had me going for a second there. I almost believed it,” Sayuki snorted, leaning back in the booth to laugh harder. Nakazato grinned happily, enjoying himself completely. Maybe there was more to life than racing.
“You know me. But I don't know you. I knew you were a friend of Shingo's, but how'd this all happen?”
“You mean Mako dumping me on the curb like a sack of potatoes?” she replied, motioning to the waitress for a dessert menu.
“Something like that,” he replied, fiddling with the GT-R key.

“Like I said before, she reconciled with her crush, they got together, and now they're practically living in their cars, driving around and drifting like a happy couple,” Sayuki said with the faintest hint of bitterness.
“What about the Sil80? Didn't you co-own it?” Nakazato asked.
“We did, but I sold her my half. She can use it better than I can,” Sayuki said sadly. “I'm better as a navigator than a driver. No one locally wants a navigator though, so I spent most of my time kicking around Usui looking for a ride.”
“What about the MR2 you were talking about when I picked you up?” Takeshi said, taking a bite out of Sayuki's strawberry-laden chocolate cake. When she failed to respond, he looked up and noticed her beet-red face.

“Sayuki?” he asked.
“Ah. Well, the MR2 driver was supposed to be a date of mine, but he didn't know how to drive his car and when I told him he could shave a few seconds off his time by apexing later, he got mad. So I ditched him at the peak and was about to call Mako for a ride when I saw you.”
“So you trust random R32 drivers?” Nakazato teased.
“You're not random. Shingo used to talk about you a lot before he got the EG6. Then he kept talking about you, but as someone to defeat. I was interested in meeting you when he came to warn Mako and I about the Emperor team, but you were too spaced out to say much,” she said, licking her spoon. Nakazato decided not to tell her the thought that had been running through his mind at the time, which happened to be the same thought now. He shook his head to clear it and smiled.

“Well, do you think we're good enough to take a shot at Fujiwara?” he asked seriously. Sayuki flipped through her notes, her mouth set in a frown as she concentrated, weighing the possibilities.
“As long as you can keep control of your temper and not overdrive the car, we should have a shot. Do you know how much the Impreza has been modified?” she asked.
“I don't know, but it's wise to assume it isn't stock. Ryosuke desperately wanted Fujiwara to race the car, so I assume it's got plenty of work done to it. I don't think Fujiwara likes all wheel drive though, if he has to be forced into it. Maybe there's something he doesn't understand about it. At any rate, would you like to make the challenge?” he asked. After a few moments of thought she nodded.

“Let's make the challenge. Just remember, Takeshi Nakazato, to listen to me when I tell you to slow down. If you do that, then we can win,” Sayuki said, holding out her hand. Nakazato took hers in his and shook. After paying, the two walked out to the GT-R. Takeshi held open the passenger door for Sayuki, who smiled bashfully at him and sat down.
“You remember the way to Akina, right?” she asked, folding up the map with a chuckle.
The two made quiet small talk on the way over, Nakazato finding himself laughing more often than he had in weeks before.

Fumihiro glanced up at the sound of an approaching car and felt fear rising inside him. He glanced over at Keisuke, who was talking on the phone with a friend.
“Hey, where's Fujiwara?” Nakazato shouted from the rolled-down window of his GT-R.
“Not here,” Fumihiro replied.
“I'm here to challenge-” Nakazato said, but Fumihiro suddenly interrupted him.
“I'm here to challenge you!" Fumihiro blurted out.

This post has been edited by thx712517 on Oct 6 2007, 05:13 AM
Meteor
Posted: Oct 5 2007, 05:45 PM


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Looking forward to the next chapter.
tiQlado
Posted: Oct 5 2007, 07:11 PM


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I'm not sure if I interpreted the last line correctly, but was that Fumihiro challenging Nakazato?
Meteor
Posted: Oct 5 2007, 07:26 PM


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I think that's what it is.

But I'm not expecting much from Fumihiro's driving, that's for sure.
DrIfTeRX305
Posted: Oct 5 2007, 10:26 PM


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Grammatically, Fumihiro is challenging Nakazato, since Fumihiro interrupts Nakazato, and says "I'm here to challenge you". If it were Nakazato restating his initial statement, it would have been "I'm here to challenge Fujiwara".

What car would Fumihiro drive?
FinToy-83
Posted: Oct 6 2007, 02:33 AM


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could it be that Ryosuke makes Fumihiro to drive his upgraded FC..? w00t2.gif

that way he could buy more time for Takumi!

This post has been edited by FinToy-83 on Oct 6 2007, 02:34 AM
Meteor
Posted: Oct 6 2007, 03:33 AM


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I think Fumihiro will be racing in his MR2. Besides, they haven't finished upgrading the FC yet.

I don't think some minutes is enough time for Takumi. But it might be enough time for Ryousuke. It might be. .
thx712517
  Posted: Oct 6 2007, 05:12 AM


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Yes, you read that right, it was Fumihiro challenging Nakazato in a foolish attempt to stall for time. Edited for better clarity. More coming later on today.

This post has been edited by thx712517 on Oct 6 2007, 05:14 AM
207
Posted: Oct 6 2007, 05:59 AM


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QUOTE (thx712517 @ Today at 9:12 AM)
Yes, you read that right, it was Fumihiro challenging Nakazato in a foolish attempt to stall for time. Edited for better clarity. More coming later on today.

nice, then the fc should be ready soon after.
thx712517
  Posted: Oct 6 2007, 01:50 PM


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Short update for now, had to spend the day preparing my car for racing tomorrow. Coolant changes take forever, even on a lift. More later if I'm lucky.

************

“I'm here to challenge you!” he blurted out. Nakazato's eyes opened wide in surprise.
“What?” he asked in shock. Fumihiro gulped and, in a shaking voice, repeated himself.
“I'm here to challenge you.” Nakazato looked at Sayuki, who pointed at Keisuke standing a few meters away on his cell phone.

“Alright,” Nakazato said, “I accept your challenge. Go get your friend to make it even and let's race. Downhill, right?”
“Right,” Fumihiro said, walking quickly toward Keisuke to break the news. Nakazato watched intently as the younger Takahashi brother dropped his cell phone in shock from Fumihiro's news before moving the GT-R into starting position.

“What did you do?” Keisuke shouted, staring at Fumihiro.
“Nakazato was about to make his challenge for Fujiwara. Your brother instructed me to not let that happen, so I did the first thing I could think of to stall for time. I challenged him to a downhill race. If we're lucky we can follow behind and examine his car and how it behaves,” Fumihiro said, heading toward his green SW20. Keisuke shook his head, picked up his cell phone, and made one last call before getting in the MR2.

*

“It's a bad situation,” Ryosuke said, “but not without purpose. If Fumihiro can get the rear position, it would do you well to watch Nakazato's movements. His skill has improved dramatically compared to how he was when you raced him, and his GT-R is as potent, if not more so, than your FD. If we do have to retake Gunma, he will be your opponent.” Ryosuke hung up on his protesting brother and stared at his laptop screen, waiting for the analysis to finish. He had the foresight to create a simulation pitting the AE86 versus the R32, and he was eagerly awaiting the results. When the laptop chimed politely, he knew what the answer would be.

“No chance at all,” he said softly, reading over the analysis. “The hachi-roku would be decimated completely. Not enough power, not enough grip. Even with Fujiwara's home course specials, it would take an act of sheer luck for him to triumph. The GT-R's wheels would need to fall off,” he said, laughing bitterly.
“This is my fault,” he said, standing up and dialing his cell phone.
“Matsumoto here,” the mechanic replied on the other end.
“Come pick me up,” Ryosuke ordered. He would have to be the one to end it.

*

“We would like to take the chase position,” Sayuki announced. Fumihiro's face fell as his heart raced, observing the healthy young girl standing before him. Keisuke shook his head and turned to Takeshi.
“He has a completely stock MR2, Nakazato. What harm is there in letting him chase?”
“Plenty of harm, Keisuke. You wish to observe our driving style. I say you won't. Your car is underpowered compared to mine, so you go first. I'll follow you down and pass you right before the finish line,” Nakazato said boldly, turning on his heel and returning to the GT-R with Sayuki.

“We've got no choice,” Fumihiro said, shaking his head. The sudden chuff of a blowoff valve and the flash of headlights froze him to the spot. Keisuke turned instantly, knowing what he would see. He had heard it for far too long not to recognize his brother's FC.
“Fumihiro, step down,” Ryosuke said as he approached with a practiced swagger. He turned to face the GT-R and raised his voice to be heard over the RB26DETT he himself had tuned.
“Nakazato! I'm the one you want!” he said, “I'm the one you want to beat!” The GT-R's window rolled down and Takeshi showed his face.
“Sorry Ryosuke, but you're not the top dog anymore.”
“What?” Ryosuke replied, completely shocked.

“Ever since Fujiwara beat you, you've slunk away from racing and took over management instead. You can run an incredible team, but of your top two aces, you are not one of them. You trust your brother and Fujiwara. Fujiwara is the legend here, he's the one that started my decline, and he is the one who I will defeat. If you want to end this, then you know what you must do. Deliver Fujiwara to me for a downhill battle. I could care less about the Takahashi Brothers of the Rotary Engine or your Project D clerk here,” he spat out. Sayuki watched Nakazato with concern plainly evident on her face. He was losing his temper, and if he didn't listen to her while driving, he would lose.

Ryosuke stood there silently for a few moments, his muscles tense. Keisuke looked from his brother to Nakazato and wondered if his brother would actually strike the GT-R driver. Something inside Ryosuke switched over, and his anger was channeled into an unknown place. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the number.

*

“Fujiwara Tofu Shop,” Takumi said sleepily, rubbing his eyes with oily hands. He had spent the entire day working on the Impreza, changing its oil, coolant, brake fluid, and spark plugs.
“Fujiwara, this is Ryosuke. Keisuke, Fumihiro, Nakazato, Sayuki and myself are at Mt. Akina. Nakazato has delivered a challenge to you, for a downhill run between you and his GT-R. Do you accept?”

“Has Matsumoto fixed my car?” Takumi asked slowly. Ryosuke turned it over in his mind. His original plan was to deny Fujiwara his 86 and force him into the Impreza. That was the purpose for this entire experiment, for tuning the GT-R and unleashing this problem on Gunma. Standing there at the top of Mt. Akina, the GT-R breathing heavily a few meters away, suddenly it didn't matter. Fujiwara must choose on his own.
“Matsumoto finished working on your car two days ago, Fujiwara. With the new valvesprings we were able to get you another thousand RPMs and surprisingly, thirty horsepower. Matsumoto and I discovered that your engine had a restriction deliberately installed to keep your power under a certain limit. We were able to remove the restriction and re-tune the car, which is where your extra power came from. It's not a lot, Fujiwara. It's not enough to defeat this GT-R. I've run the simulations and I've driven against him myself.”

“You have?” Takumi asked, gripping the phone tightly.
“Do you remember how I followed you when you raced against Nakazato the first time?” Ryosuke said. “That's what I did a few days ago, when he raced against an S2000. He's got more talent and skill than he had before, Fujiwara. I was able to keep up, but he didn't know that I was behind him and I don't think I could have kept up if he did. I had your mechanic install a new turbocharger on the FC, specifically so I could defeat Nakazato and ruin his concentration.”

“He wasn't that fast before,” Takumi said, confused.
“Because I made him fast,” Ryosuke admitted. He had started the confession, and now he was going to finish it.
“What?” Fujiwara asked.
“I made him fast, Fujiwara. I tuned his GT-R, trained him, and left one small detail to trip him up. The idea was to force you into racing the Impreza. The new cars we'll be racing against are just that, newer. They're stronger, stiffer, and better-handling from the factory. I'm reaching the limits of what I can do to your AE86. I don't want us to have to repeat any battles, because it will upset our timetable. It was my intent to force you into the Impreza against an opponent you knew, and win by so narrow a margin that you would attribute it to the Impreza and finally upgrade.”

There was a long moment of stunned silence and Ryosuke wondered if he had lost Fujiwara's trust entirely.
“Ryosuke, I've been driving the Impreza on my deliveries for quite some time now. I know its limits and I know how much better than the hachi-roku it is. I wanted to battle it, but I thought you would consider me a coward for using a superior car,” Takumi said, the words gushing out of him.
“Hmm,” Ryosuke said. He was quiet for a moment, then began laughing, slowly at first and then loudly without reserve. Keisuke turned to look at his brother, wondering if the redirected anger had made him insane.

“Takumi, listen to me. Nakazato has a navigator named Sayuki. She used to perform the same function for a racer on Usui. She's keeping him calm and letting his skill shine through. The GT-R has been lightened and powered up, so if he can keep his cool you're going to be destroyed in the AE86. Even if he loses his mind, the GT-R will carry him over the finish lines long before you'll arrive. There is no hope for the AE86, and I won't order you to race the Impreza. Arrive in what you choose and do the best you can.” Ryosuke closed his cell phone and looked at Nakazato.
“I've done what you asked of me. Fujiwara is coming.” Takeshi smiled devilishly and looked at Sayuki.
“One step closer,” he said happily.
“Remember to keep your cool,” she reminded him.

*

“Hey! Old man!” Takumi shouted, looking for Bunta.
“Eh?” he asked, sticking his head into the living room.
“I need a ride.”
“Why? The Impreza's right outside. You've been using it all the time without asking me and without refilling the tank, so why should things be any different now?”
“Because I've been challenged and I need to race,” Takumi said nervously.
“You want to race my Impreza?” Bunta replied, setting his cigarette down.

“I don't know. The hachi-roku is at a shop. Either way I need a ride.”
“Alright. Get in the car, I'll be out in a second,” Bunta said with a weary sigh, picking up his keys.

The two sat in the Impreza quietly for a moment. Bunta looked at Takumi, then shrugged and started the car. The boxer engine fired up quickly and settled into a grumbling idle, a product of its less-restrictive exhaust and the other tuning that had taken place since it had decimated Takumi on Akina's downhill.
“So do you want to race this car?” Bunta asked.
“Yeah,” Takumi replied, surprised at his honesty.
“I can understand that,” his father replied, “it's very easy to drive fast. What is your opponent?”
“An R32 GT-R. It's been lightened and powered up. Ryosuke helped create it. He trained the person driving it, but they got angry and split. Now the driver has a girl navigating for him and keeping him calm so he doesn't screw up.”

“Sounds like an ideal setup. The GT-R's weakness has always been its great weight. Reducing it is a sound step in the right direction. I'm surprised someone didn't do it sooner.”
“Really?” Takumi asked, confused.
“Hmm.”
“Ryosuke said that it would be impossible for me to defeat him in the hachi-roku, even though he removed a restriction in the engine and was able to make it rev higher.” Bunta's eyebrows arched upward slightly at that, then returned to normal without a word.

“Could you defeat it?” Takumi asked honestly.
“Of course, but it would be a close battle,” Bunta replied.
“How would you win?”
“I can't tell you, but I can show you. You've seen the lines you can take with the Impreza. Those lines are born from all wheel drive and turbo power. They're grip lines, and fast. But there are lines that the old hachi-roku can take without the restriction in place that might make it a fair battle. It would be difficult, and extremely challenging. You would have to drive harder than you've ever driven before. One mistake would be fatal,” Bunta said.
“Can you show me?” Takumi begged.

“Do we have the time? Your little friends are waiting for you,” Bunta said with a smirk.
“Will it take long?”
“No. It won't take long at all. But it won't be where your friends can see.”

This post has been edited by thx712517 on Oct 6 2007, 06:44 PM
Meteor
Posted: Oct 6 2007, 06:57 PM


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I am really looking forward to the upcoming race scene.
thrett
Posted: Oct 6 2007, 07:39 PM


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this is great cant wait for the race
FinToy-83
Posted: Oct 7 2007, 05:09 AM


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this is going to be interesting.. I MUST get a racing scene in my next chapter.. fear2.gif
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“Where is he?” Nakazato asked impatiently.
“Just like him, waiting until the last minute,” Keisuke said with a strange sense of deja vu.
“Between you and me,” Fumihiro said to Ryosuke, “I'd like to see what car arrives. The Impreza or the hachi-roku.”
“One is victory, the other, failure,” Ryosuke replied.
“Which one is which?” Fumihiro asked, wanting clarification.
Ryosuke turned and walked away, hands in pockets, a frustrated look on his face. Nakazato watched him walk away, then shut off the GT-R and reclined his seat, a smile on his face.
“So Sayuki, would you like to keep this up after Fujiwara and Shingo?” he asked.
“I think so,” she replied, reclining her seat back and closing her eyes.

“I hope so. It's always nice to have a cute girl nearby,” Nakazato said, hands behind his head.
“So you think I'm cute, huh?” she replied with a smile.
“I'd have to be dead not to notice,” he answered.
“You going to take me out to dinner after this race?” she asked.
“Shall I call it a date?”
“You could,” Sayuki said, closing her eyes again.

“He's here!” Fumihiro shouted. Ryosuke and Keisuke spun around in unison, staring at the headlights that rapidly approached.
“Foolish,” Ryosuke said as he recognized the light pattern.
“Brave,” Keisuke replied.
“Maybe both,” Nakazato said as he appeared behind them, jingling his keys happily.
“Are you ready?” Fujiwara asked, visibly shaken.
“Takumi, are you alright?” Ryosuke asked, checking his pulse.
“I'll be fine,” he said unevenly.

“I don't want you explaining a loss on a technicality. Race if you're ready, but don't get in that car to drive against me unless you can give it your all,” Nakazato said in a warning voice. Takumi sat down suddenly and put his head in his hands. Ryosuke knelt down and whispered a few words to Fujiwara, who began to calm down.
“Are you alright?” Keisuke asked, surprised at the shaken Takumi. He had never seen the young man lose his cool so badly before, or act so erratically.
“I'll be fine, I'll be fine,” Takumi said, putting a hand on the AE86's front fender to help himself up off the ground. Ryosuke held him up straight and braced him as Fujiwara swayed from side to side slightly.

“What's wrong with him?” Fumihiro asked, concern plainly evident on his face. Keisuke shrugged his shoulders and looked at the AE86, shaking his head.
“I don't know, but something's wrong with him to bring the hachi-roku. I will admit though, that I was hoping he would bring it. There's something right about Fujiwara and the AE86. I hate to see him lose, but it will be an amazing battle,” Keisuke said, sighing.

Ryosuke was talking quietly with Fujiwara, but he stood up quickly and began pacing rapidly after Takumi said something to him. Keisuke's eyes narrowed and he walked over.
“What's wrong, bro?” he asked.
“Nothing's wrong, Keisuke. Things might be very, very right,” Ryosuke responded, rubbing his hands together briskly as he smiled.
“What do you mean, bro?”
“I'll tell you later. We should observe this race from the VIP seat.” As Ryosuke and Keisuke made their way to Ryosuke's potent FC, Takumi approached Nakazato and Sayuki shakily and stood in front them, wavering slightly.

“Are you sick?” Sayuki asked. “You look like you're going to barf.”
“No, I'm okay,” Takumi responded faintly.
“When I defeat you in this battle, I don't want to hear you asking for a rematch. This is the race, Fujiwara. Mt. Akina's downhill, all out, full speed. First across the finish line wins. Is that acceptable to you?” Nakazato asked, arms folded across his chest.
“You've got a lot more power than I do,” Fujiwara said.
“Take the challenge or leave it,” Nakazato replied.
“In that case, I leave it,” Takumi replied, walking away.
“What? You can't walk away!” Nakazato shouted, chasing after Fujiwara.
“Yes, I can,” Takumi replied. “A 270 HP AE86 versus a 475 HP GT-R? Even Ryosuke's FC would have difficulty keeping up with you. Chase me and overtake me if you want any honor in winning,” Fujiwara said, walking away.

Nakazato looked at Sayuki, who nodded her consent.
“Fujiwara! We'll chase.” Takumi smiled slightly and walked over to Ryosuke, who was leaning against his car, eyes closed.
“I never thought you would be good at mind games, Fujiwara, but you continue to impress me,” Ryosuke said, opening his eyes and smiling.
“I had a crash course in manipulation. Ryosuke, this is the final test for my hachi-roku. If I don't win, then I'll retire the AE86 and switch to an Impreza. You have my word,” Fujiwara said, holding out his hand. Ryosuke shook it and sighed.
“If Nakazato leads an uprising of Gunma against Project D, you had better make quick work of them,” Ryosuke said with a laugh as he opened the door of his FC.

“Racers!” Fumihiro shouted, taking his place as the starter.
“Ready?” Nakazato asked Sayuki as he shifted the GT-R into gear. She smiled at him and giggled.
“I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Now remember to listen to me and not get wrapped up in yourself, okay?” she said seriously. Nakazato nodded firmly.
“Of course. I won't lose, thanks to you.” The monstrous GT-R pulled forward, its engine idling smoothly with incredible power.
“Keisuke, hurry up,” Ryosuke shouted as he pulled the FC up to the line. Takumi and his AE86 drove to the very front of the line and pulled to a stop, engine idling lumpily from its aggressive cams.

“Three! Two! One! GO!” Fumihiro shouted, dodging out of the way as fast as he could. Takumi's hachi-roku shot away from the line instantly, its individual throttle bodies gulping in air as fast as the engine could devour it. Nakazato's menacing GT-R launched from the line with all four tires screaming for traction, and Ryosuke's FC rocket-started immediately afterward. The three cars accelerated madly, effortlessly hurtling downhill without regard for safety.

“Bro, what did Fujiwara say to you?” Keisuke asked, bracing his knees against the door and center console to keep from being thrown around.
“He said that his father took him in the hachi-roku before this battle to show him a racing line on Mt. Akina that would almost guarantee a win, but warned him that it would be fatal if he made a single false move. He was shaking because he had just absorbed the Incredible Line. I'm relying on his ability to drive that line and challenge Nakazato, maybe break his concentration and win,” Ryosuke said, turning the FC into the first corner. Keisuke felt his head grow heavy as the g-forces piled on, threatening to bump his head into the window from the speed of cornering.

Nakazato glanced in his mirror at Ryosuke's FC, shook his head, and looked ahead to focus on Takumi's AE86.
“He's driving differently,” Sayuki said, flipping through a few notes.
“I noticed. How can we compensate?”
“Don't compensate just yet. This is a battle of attrition, Nakazato, and he's racing without reserve. Manage your tires and brakes. Use your power and grip to pass him,” she said, bracing herself as the R32 hurled through a tight left-hand corner at full speed.

Takumi began to sweat, feeling incredibly nervous as he pushed the hachi-roku harder than he ever had before. The Impreza had felt incredibly stable and powerful through these corners, the all wheel drive traction pulling him through at tremendous speed, but in the rear wheel drive hachi-roku, it felt as if the car was balancing on its toes and the tires were barely gripping. With the extra power and higher rev limit of the retuned engine he was able to keep the throttle open longer, but the tires were almost at their maximum amount of traction. The AE86 drifted outward through a curving right-hander as its engine overpowered the tires, veering wider and wider from the Incredible Line.

Nakazato's eyes opened wide.
“Sayuki!” he shouted.
“Go!” she replied. In an instant Takeshi floored the GT-R and cut inside of the understeering 86, the GT-R's outside tires thumping into the gutter and pulling him through. Takumi watched the GT-R pass him by and felt the anger rising inside him. That taunting evil black GT-R was accelerating away and there was very little he could do.
“I have to follow the line,” he said to himself, shifting down to get more power and opening the throttle. Ignoring his fear, he kept the throttle open and dove into the next corner, the hachi-roku drifting itself.

“Grip will win this race, not drift,” Nakazato said as he looked in his mirror.
“Don't look at him,” Sayuki chided. “Pay attention to the course. Manage your tires. Forge ahead, don't go crazy.”

“Bro, has Fujiwara finally blown it?” Keisuke asked. Ryosuke was silent as he manipulated the FC, forcing it through the corner faster than it wanted to go.
“Brother? Ryosuke?” Keisuke asked before shutting up. If his brother was being pushed that hard so soon, it was a difficult battle. He could feel the g-forces washing over him, pulling at his stomach and making him feel queasy.
“Please be quiet for the rest of the battle, Keisuke. I'll explain everything when it's over,” he managed in short terse words. Keisuke noticed a bead of sweat appearing on Ryosuke's forehead and bit his tongue.

Takumi felt the desperation rising inside him as the GT-R pulled farther and farther away.
“I should have taken the Impreza,” he said, the words bitter in his mouth. The hachi-roku's engine hiccuped as he said it, as if in reproach. His father's words came flashing back to him and he spoke them aloud as he drove.
“There are lines that the old hachi-roku can take without the restriction in place that might make it a fair battle. It would be very difficult, and extremely challenging. You would have to drive harder than you've ever driven before. One mistake would be fatal.” He pushed hard to get the 86 back on the line his father had shown him and began to fight again, rapidly picking up his pace.

“He's gaining on us,” Sayuki said, glancing in the rear view mirror.
“I expected as much. Fujiwara's known for his amazing comebacks. I just need to hold him off. We're halfway through the course, aren't we?” he asked.
“Yeah. We've left behind the gentle slope and low-speed corners. We've got a lot of tight stuff at steep angles coming up ahead. You've done a good job of managing the tire wear so far. Just keep your cool no matter how close he gets, and you'll be able to go all out in the last few corners where it really matters. If you wait until I tell you to, you can make an all-out attack at the final place you can pass on Mt. Akina, so don't worry if he overtakes you. Just keep him within a few car lengths,” Sayuki said, smiling at Nakazato. He smiled back at her and kept his incredible pace.

“This is where I can make my attack,” Fujiwara said. The days of driving nothing but the Impreza were wearing away, and he felt more and more comfortable with the grip of the AE86. He pushed harder and harder, and suddenly it fell into the groove.
“Alright!” he shouted, pushing the gas pedal to the floor. The 86 began to devour the gap and rapidly caught up to the GT-R. Drifting into a tight right-hander, Takumi felt his front bumper graze Nakazato's rear bumper and shrugged. Diving inside at the next turn, he ran his inside wheels over the grass and launched the car off of an old worn stone, hooking it in tight for the next turn.

“Shit!” Nakazato spat, watching the hachi-roku's antics. Sayuki stared in shock, temporarily silent.
“He launched his car off that rock in order to hook it for the next turn when he landed,” she said, stunned. The GT-R kept forging ahead, doggedly sticking to the hachi-roku's bumper. Behind, in the FC, Keisuke opened his mouth to speak but instantly shut it. Ryosuke was driving the FC harder than he ever had before, eating away into his reserves. There would be little room for error and an even smaller chance for recovery. Suddenly his mind opened up and he spoke to Keisuke.

“When Matsumoto tore down the engine to install the new valvesprings, he discovered two restrictions intentionally placed there to limit its power. One was the intake manifold gasket, and the other was the exhaust manifold gasket. On a normal engine the gasket ports are slightly oversized compared to the intake and exhaust ports on the cylinder head, to compensate for casting imperfections. On this engine, which should have been optimized completely for Group A racing, the ports on the gaskets were undersized by a decent amount, choking flow into and out of the engine and reducing its power. With such a highly tuned motor, removing those restrictions and retuning for a higher rev limit unlocked more power. Fujiwara's new driving style reflects that. Notice how he's keeping the throttle open longer on the turns, keeping his drift angle low for maximum speed. I would hate to be Nakazato right now,” he said with a laugh, drifting the FC through the corner with its bumper mere centimeters from the guard rail. Keisuke felt chills race up his spine as he realized how close his brother was flirting with disaster.

The three cars barreled down one of the remaining straightaways at full speed, the GT-R overtaking Takumi's 86 with ease. Ryosuke's FC closed the gap quickly, and the three cars entered the next turn nose to tail. Nakazato tapped his brakes and dove into the left hand turn at full speed, relying on the GT-R's massive grip to pull him through. Takumi initiated his drift, opening up the throttle completely and holding it pinned, using his left foot to tap the brakes and balance the load to his suspension. At the end of the turn he downshifted and wound out the powerful engine to its new 12,000 RPM redline, making full use of its 270 HP as he caught up to the GT-R.

“The five hairpins are coming up ahead,” Sayuki said. “You've saved the grip of your tires well, so you can attack these hairpins with everything you have. Don't hold back, Nakazato.” Takeshi smiled and buried the throttle, forcing the GT-R's tires into the gutter to give him more grip. Behind him, Takumi smiled and did the same, the engine singing at 11,500 RPMs as he whipped through. Ryosuke dropped his own tires and cursed under his breath as he heard his chassis grind on a few high points of the road.
“Too low,” Ryosuke said, letting the FC hop out of the gutter.
“The curse of a well-modified performance car,” Keisuke joked.
“Bested by a Corolla,” Ryosuke laughed, altering his drift angle and rocketing toward Takumi's rear bumper, using the full potential of his new turbocharger to achieve the feat.

Takumi hooked the gutter again, centimeters from Nakazato's rear bumper as the two whipped through the second hairpin. The third and fourth passed the same, fractions of a centimeter separating the massively different cars. The fifth hairpin showed itself and Takumi jumped inside, riding over the gutter and planting his inside tires firmly in the grass, his outer tires in the gutter. The 86 creaked and groaned as its chassis flexed under the incredible strain, but Takumi forced the car to hang on. Sayuki stared out her window in amazement as the Corolla, barely balanced, passed the GT-R on the inside and, threatening to flip over, popped out of the gutter and landed with a solid thump lined up perfectly for the next corner.

“Damnit!” Nakazato swore, punching the accelerator. The R32's rear end began to swing out but Sayuki screamed two words over the roar of the engine.
“Slow down!” Takeshi let off the gas for a moment and the GT-R's rear tires hooked up again, regaining their traction and pointing the GT-R in the proper direction. Once the powerful car was in a straight line he fed in the throttle, devouring the ground he had lost to the all-conquering AE86.
“He's driving like he did when he raced against Shingo,” Nakazato said as he urged the R32 on with all his might. Sayuki looked ahead at the flying shape of the hachi-roku, its front bumper ripping leaves from the overhanging branches as it drifted incredibly close to the guard rails.
“He's incredible, whatever he is. When he drove against Mako, she raced without any safety reserve at all and she just barely kept the lead. You've done incredibly against him, Nakazato. We have one last place to overtake him, the corner where you and Shingo were watching during Takumi's race against Ryosuke. The road narrows down, so whoever's in front will retain that position for the rest of the race. You've kept enough grip in your tires to make your attack.”

The three cars dove into the deciding corner, Takumi's 86 in the lead, Nakazato's GT-R trailing centimeters behind, and Ryosuke's FC breathing down Nakazato's neck.
“He overcooked the corner,” Ryosuke said in shock. Takumi's hachi-roku swung wide at first, but then it's line altered, sharpening, sucking it toward the inside wall at incredible speed and fully blocking the GT-R from making its pass.
“Monstrous drift,” Sayuki whispered, shocked at the sight.
“He never even used his brakes,” Nakazato replied, too stunned at the sight to do anything other than imagine the pure skill displayed in front of him. The three cars passed over the finish line in the exact order they had left, mere centimeters separating them.

“Congratulations, Takumi,” Nakazato said as he got out of the R32.
“Thank you,” Fujiwara replied, shaking his hand.
“What was that drift you used at the end?” Sayuki asked, still astonished.
“Monstrous drift,” Takumi replied. “My father showed it to me. It's the ultimate drift the hachi-roku is capable of.”

“Fujiwara, that was amazing,” Keisuke said as he walked over.
“Thanks,” he replied bashfully. Ryosuke held out his hand, shook Fujiwara's, and then looked at the hachi-roku with contemplative eyes.
“You were capable of something that car shouldn't be able to do, Fujiwara. You should be proud. You've proved your point, the AE86 is still competitive.”
“It's still competitive, but I'd like to try the Impreza next time anyway,” Takumi replied bashfully.
“Oh?”

“That took it out of me more than any other race I've ever been in. I can't drift at that level consistently, Ryosuke. It would kill me. If you need me to drive at that level, then I'll need to switch to the Impreza. I don't think I can do that again.”
“I'll respect any decision you make, Fujiwara, but remember that use makes master."

Nakazato looked into Sayuki's eyes and smiled as he held her hands.
“I wouldn't have been able to do this without your help,” he said softly.
“Just promise me that you'll defeat Shingo,” she asked, giving him a celebratory hug.
“I'll do my best. We'll do our best, right?”
“I don't know if I should ride with you against Shingo. He's an old friend of mine, Nakazato. I'm not sure.”
“What do you mean you're not sure, Sayuki? You've just helped me almost defeat Fujiwara Takumi. If I were a little more aggressive I could have made it. Please keep being my navigator. We're good together,” Nakazato pleaded.

“You and those eyes,” she said with a laugh. “Alright. First take me to dinner, and then we need a few days to prep the R32, and then we can challenge him. Takumi, good job! Watch your back for us in the future, we'll get our win eventually,” she said, taking Nakazato's hand and returning to the GT-R. Ryosuke glanced at the retreating pair, then at his brother and Fujiwara.
“An interesting development in Gunma,” he said.
“Let's go pick up Fumihiro and head to a diner,” Keisuke said, “I'm starved. I'll pay for it.”
Meteor
Posted: Oct 7 2007, 08:13 PM


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That was one of the best race scenes ever!
thrett
Posted: Oct 7 2007, 09:22 PM


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that was yet another great chapter
RickyDGreat
Posted: Oct 8 2007, 08:05 AM


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that was great, any battles coming up with the impreza? fear2.gif
207
Posted: Oct 8 2007, 08:31 AM


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OMGWTF! best chapter so far. lol it really surprised me the 86 came for a crazy and narrow win.

best line in the chapter
"“Bested by a Corolla,” Ryosuke laughed, altering his drift angle and rocketing toward Takumi's rear bumper, using the full potential of his new turbocharger to achieve the feat. "

i look forward to the r32 vs eg6 battle very much.

This post has been edited by 207 on Oct 8 2007, 08:32 AM
FinToy-83
Posted: Oct 8 2007, 10:24 AM


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@.@ woooowww.. nice chapter there, buddy! *continues working on his own chapter* fear2.gif gotta.. make this now..
thx712517
  Posted: Oct 13 2007, 08:25 PM


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Teaser page! More coming sometime tomorrow. Spent this whole week trying to fathom SCCA car classifications and allowable modifications and reconcile the whole mess with my budget. I think I've figured out the 2008 racing season, but '09 has me thrown for a loop. Is a turbocharged NB8C in my future?


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Shingo leaned back in his booth at the diner and smiled at the face of his team mate across the table.
“Another straight win for the Myogi Night Kids. I love the power of my new B18C. We're feared now, like we used to be before Takeshi screwed it all up,” he said with a vicious smile.
“That's because you keep destroying the other driver's car. You ruined a door on the girl's S14, a quarter panel on the Evo, bumpers on the S13 and S15 from last week... I don't need to go on. You're making people afraid to race us because they don't want to smash up their cars. We're getting tired of it,” Shingo's team mate said, rising to leave. Shingo watched him go with venomous eyes, eyes that soon latched onto a horrifying sight. Nakazato was sitting one table away, smiling and talking to a brunette girl that looked oddly familiar.

With a shiver, Shingo realized Nakazato was chatting with Sayuki, and the two were obviously on a date. His former leader looked happy and confident, at ease with himself and in control of the situation, a remarkable difference from the last time Shingo saw him with Sayuki, an awkward and silent mess. Shingo ground his teeth in anger, then left suddenly. As he passed by Nakazato's table, he paused for a single moment and looked at Nakazato with dangerous eyes.
“Stay away from Myogi,” was all Shingo could say.

Nakazato watched him go and looked back at Sayuki with something changed in his eyes.
“When I challenge Shingo, let me challenge him alone.”
“What? Why?” Sayuki asked, confused and more than a little hurt.
“Shingo doesn't play fair. I don't want you to get hurt by him,” Nakazato replied truthfully.
“I appreciate the sentiment, baka, but how are you supposed to win if I'm not there to keep you calm? The GT-R is still understeering and we can't dial it out with any amount of tuning,” Sayuki said, surprised at herself for feeling like she could cry.

“I'll do my best. I'll probably lose, but I'll try. I don't want you to get hurt, and I know he'll try something desperate to stop me,” Takeshi said, reaching out across the table to hold her hand.
“Race with me or don't race, Nakazato. I don't want to get dumped on the sidewalk every time you come up against a dangerous opponent. Whatever your feelings are for me, don't shoot yourself in the foot by ditching me. Let me help you and together we can win,” Sayuki said passionately, squeezing his hand hard enough to make it hurt.
“Please, Nakazato, don't throw me on the sidewalk. Keep me in the passenger seat as your navigator.”
“If you get hurt, I'll never forgive myself,” he replied with a heavy sigh.
“Then we'll just have to race faster than he can catch up,” she answered.
“If that's the case, then we need to pay a visit to a rumor,” he said, standing up from the table.
“A rumor?” Sayuki replied, grabbing her bag to follow him.
“Project D raced a GT-R with an understeering problem and almost lost to him. I think he could show us a lesson or two.”

At another table in the diner, Ryosuke and the other members of Project D were resting. Fujiwara sipped from his cup and set it back down, looking at the table in a daze.
“Still unable to believe it?” Keisuke asked.
“Maybe,” Fujiwara replied. “I don't think I'll ever race that well again. I was scared. That's the first time I've been scared of my own driving in at least five years,” he said honestly, looking up at Ryosuke across the table.
“Hmm. Nakazato and Sayuki just left after Shingo. I think I'll have another race to watch,” Ryosuke said as he lifted his cup to drink.
“Tonight? After our match? He'd be an idiot to try it without tending to his precious R,” Keisuke retorted.

“Not tonight, but soon. What kind of information do we have on Shingo, Fumihiro?” Ryosuke asked. Fumihiro leaned back in the booth and thought carefully.
“Kenta has some tapes of a few of his recent races, and I think one of the Red Suns timed his last downhill run. Are you thinking of challenging him as well?” Fumihiro asked.
“No,” Ryosuke replied. “But it would be an effective tactic for Shingo to be twice-defeated in one night. Nakazato would be able to overthrow him easier and neutralize any threat from the Myogi Night Kids. You'll have to forgive me,” he said affably to Keisuke and Fujiwara, “but I have to think of damage control.”

“Who will challenge him if you won't?” Keisuke asked. Ryosuke's eyes rested on Fujiwara, who slowly set down his cup with a rattle in the saucer and began to shake his head.
“Ryosuke-san, please, anyone else. The last time I raced against him he made me mad. I damaged the hachi-roku's bodywork and had to pay for it. I don't think I could race against him in the 86 again.” Suddenly, with a tremendous sinking feeling, Fujiwara realized what Ryosuke was implying.

“You want me to race the Impreza?” he asked.
“Yes. I want you to race the Impreza against Shingo's EG6. Do you realize how few times you've challenged someone in your street racing career? You can catch him now, if you hurry. Race him on Myogi and then let Nakazato know.”
Fujiwara left the table and walked outside just in time to catch the red EG6 making its way across the parking lot. Ryosuke watched intently as Fujiwara leaned down to speak with Shingo, and the surprisingly ugly expression on Shingo's face. Takumi came back into the diner, spoke with Nakazato in passing, and then sat down again.

“Well? Keisuke asked, on edge.
“He accepted,” Takumi said.
“And Nakazato?” Ryosuke wondered.
“Nakazato was very concerned about when it was to take place. He left quickly, speaking of going to Ibaraki to speak with someone,” Fujiwara said, picking up a glass of water.
“Hoshino,” Ryosuke said softly, getting up and leaving immediately.

“What was that about?” Keisuke asked. Fujiwara shrugged his shoulders.

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