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Wow....and so the rampage continues for Kagerou... O.o

And the second coming of Ruka vs Kagerou...this is gonna get ugly for sure...and Adachi seems to have fallen even further than I thought...talk about a serious grudge in the making. Ouch.

As for Jiro...I wonder...what sort of story awaits him now that he's out of the hospital again...?

Seriously, this story just keeps getting better and better, no?

Keep it up, man...it's story like this that keeps me wanting for more. There's always seem to be something happening, even without Saburo or Sakuya involved!

Finally...for once we're ahead of schedule...whew...

Anyway...new chapter update~

Code 16 - CODING ENTRY

"…To think I'd run into you again…" Ruka grimaced. Further ahead, the all-too-familiar Z33 cruised in the center of the road, its hazards flashing, taunting her into a chase. Closing the gap with each corner, she delicately controlled the R34 as it danced up Tsubaki Line's final sector.

Four-wheel drifting out of a tight hairpin, the GT-R roared up the next straight, aligning its nose with the Z. 30 meters, 20 meters, despite the next corner rapidly approaching, Ruka saw no need to back off. She left the car on a collision course with the Fairlady, and increased speed even further.

"Oh? What are you trying to pull here?!" Kagerou roared, stomping on the brake and swerving to the outside lane. The R34 shot straight by, grazing the right wing mirror of the Z. A high pitched grating pierced her ears. Red paint streaked down the side of the now-dented left fenders of the GT-R.

Stomping hard on the throttle again, the Z recovered its line and scrambled after the R34. "That’s right, little black pup! RUN! RUN LIKE THE WIND!!" With a wild grin spread across her face, Kagerou began slashing at the distance between the two cars.

Approaching the tight right hand hairpin, Kagerou saw the opportunity she was waiting for. The GT-R braked early for the corner.

"Hah…too easy!"

Suddenly darting out from the R34's shadow, she charged down the inside lane, side by side. The Z was aligned perfectly with GT-R's side.

"Ahahaha…! What's this feeling? I feel so excited! Goodbye, b*tch! Let's see how strong that car is…can it shield you from THIS?!"

With nothing but a door between the Fairlady and Ruka, just imagining the damage done if she T-boned the GT-R at this speed sent chills through her spine.

3…

2…

1…

"…?!"

"…Are you taking me for a fool?"

Sawing at the wheel, Ruka controlled the GT-R in a very gentle slide, barely escaping from the Z's front bumper. She survived the attack, and Kagerou's late braking cost her dearly. If she were to leave the Z behind, this was her only chance.

"...Ugh...this person just doesn't know when to give up, does he?" Feeling her composure slowly slip away, she stabbed the sole, red button on the steering wheel with her thumb.

Nothing happened.

"…No effect?! …Koizumi, just what are you doing behind my back?"

"…Tsk…However fast you are, I will not fall prey to you…!" Holding her breath, Ruka sorted out her thoughts and gripped the steering wheel. The final series of corners before the charge to the peak had arrived. With the Z closing in again, she couldn't afford to hesitate. Steeling her nerve, she strained her concentration and dropped the GT-R down a gear, entering the corner.

Biting her lip, she locked her eyes on the road ahead. Her inputs were precise and minute, gently threading the enormous Nissan through the tight corners, using every inch of available tarmac in her escape. She paid no heed to the scraping and tearing coming from the car, focusing solely on reaching the top.

Unable to keep up, the Z could only try to hold its ground. Feeling the frustration pile up rapidly, Kagerou grew wilder still. Accelerating at every opportunity, fighting oversteer, taking every corner as aggressively as she dared, but still she could not close in. Through the fog, she could just about make out the GT-R arriving at the peak.

"…What the hell was that? Don't mess with me…is that even human?!"

---
Idling in a parking space at the peak, the dented and scratched R34 burbled noisily. The left canard was torn off, and sections of the front splitter were reduced to mere fibers.

"…Well. That's that…"

Relaxing as much as she could, Ruka inhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She rested her head against the padded steering wheel, trying to catch her breath. The air in the car was growing thinner with each breath, and she couldn't feel anything coming out of the air con vents despite having it set at the highest setting.

"…Koizumi…as if removing the boost function wasn't enough, you then removed the air conditioning? What is the meaning of this? I'm suffocating in here."

She reached for the door, but the urge to simply sleep after such an intense run was overwhelming. Her feeble body was once again aching all over, her arms refused to move any further and she could feel her heart's every pulse. Even so, she had to get out. Leaning her weight onto the door as it opened, she clumsily helped herself onto her feet.

Running her fingers along the deformed front fender, she felt a souring heat well up in her heart. Within the mist, she heard a wild screeching, and the pungent smell of tire smoke made her feel light-headed.

On the other side of the car park, the battered Fairlady finally came to a rest.

"ARGH! DAMMIT!"

Within the stirred up tire smoke and mist, a high-pitched voice boomed through the mountains.

"What the hell? That's the SECOND time. To lose to the same person TWICE?!" Kagerou punched the steering wheel repeatedly. She pounded her fist against it in a fit of rage until she felt the shock settle.

Looking up, just about visible through the dense mist, a thin shadow stumbled and tripped across the GT-R's silhouette.

"…You…" The rage inside her spiked up, Kagerou felt the concentrated emotions burn through her limbs. Unable to contain it, she charged out of the Z, taking large strides and gritting her teeth.

"You...before anything else, let me just say this, I HATE your guts! Get it?" Enraged, Kagerou stormed up to Ruka, fists clentched. "You’re killing my mood every time you win! This is only the second time but if you’re gonna steal my spotlight all the time, I’ll just have to beat you up right here on the spot!" Kagerou let out all her frustration in one go, grabbing the frail-looking girl by her neck.

"Hah? What’s with that weird regal getup? Are you some sort of mistress?" She spat, her voice filled with disgust.

Pulling her head away from Kagerou's hand, Ruka looked directly into her eyes. Kagerou's grip around her neck was becoming firmer, and she could barely breathe. Struggling and grappling at the blonde's hand, she finally freed herself and collapsed onto the floor.

"What is everyone's problem today? Am I not even allowed the luxury to inhale air?"

"Humph...Why would that concern you?" Feeling the air rush into her lungs, Ruka panted deeply, allowing herself to regain her composure before responding any more. Rubbing the deep nail marks dug in her neck, she finally continued.

"I do not even know you, leave alone hold such a grudge against you. Why you bare your fangs at me for not once but twice is beyond me. Does the loss last time vex you so much?"

"Hey!" Barking back at the top of her voice, Kagerou's fist tightened again. "I took pride in my power and was having fun as a runner here in Kanagawa! Your first big mistake is you stole my thunder in beating up the guys here! This is supposed to be MY stage! Find your own!"

"My, how crude. Speaking as if this huge place is your territory. Why don’t you show some maturity, making such a big fuss out of such a petty matter is an eyesore."

"Do NOT call this a petty matter, you damn snobby witch!"

"…Are you sure you wish to create a scene over this?"

"Don’t tempt me to take the chance." Kagerou flashed a dangerous glare at her, feeling her nails with her fingers. "I am just waiting to sink my nails into your neck again."

"Sadly, I am not in the mood to entertain wild dogs…oh?"

From behind Kagerou, three misty silhouettes crept up. Even with the poor visibility, one detail on these cars could be made out. They were yellow. A vivid, vibrant yellow that seared the eye. Through the mist, the three cars shut off their lights, and their drivers sauntered out obliviously.

"Oh…? So there's people here…wait. What are those two doing?" Squinting hard, Tsukioka tried to understand the situation.

"Two girls…alone…at night…an intimately holding each other…passionate gaze…seems like a scene from those suspiciously thin books my sister likes to rea-…EHH?! No no no, that's definitely not the situation here! That's not a passionate gaze so much as a murderer's glare! This isn't intimate, this is dangerous!

Finally shaking off his steamy fantasies and realizing the gravity of the situation, Tsukioka lunged towards the blonde hair girl. Following behind him, Kunitaro and Kantaro tripped and stumbled trying to keep up.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa...slow down, ladies!" Tearing Kagerou away, Tsukioka and Kunitaro grappled and struggled, avoiding her wild flailing while keeping her at bay.

"Guh…!"

Kagerou's hand snatched at Ruka, catching her by the neck and yanking her off balance. Holding onto the collar with a sneer, she watched as the pale girl struggled for air again.

"Oi! Let go already! What's this about? What’s the problem here?" Standing beside the two girls, Kunitaro asked, trying to keep his cool.

"Dammit, stay…still!" Kantaro wrestled with Kagerou's struggling, taking several smacks to the face from her squirming. "Argh! STOP ALREADY!"

"Humph!" Seemingly content with smacking Kantaro, Kagerou finally stopped her thrashing and settled down.

"Okay now...be a good girl...and put...her...down...okay? Okay. Good girl, see, that wasn't hard, was it? …Ouch, damn you're strong." Rubbing his face, Kantaro sulked bitterly.

"Glad I wasn't on the receiving end of that grip!" Dusting himself off, Kantaro turned towards the collapsed girl. Shit, she's not out cold, is she? Well, I'm not surprised if she would be, it'd probably be strong enough to break all five of those aliens' necks!

His mind still lost in his alien delusions, he extended his hand as he walked towards her. She slowly sat up, panting heavily.

"Ah, I give up. Next time someone wishes to suffocate me, I'll simply accept it as my fate. Recovering from this is such a bother. Really, what is it with this girl…? Hmm…Am I bleeding…?"

Ruka thought to herself as she took in another deep breath. Running her fingers under her neck, she felt a souring sting from where Kagerou's nails slashed.

"Stay back." Ruka commanded sternly, stopping Kantaro in his tracks. "You would do well to stay out of this matter."

"Stay out of this, boys! This is strictly girls’ business!"

Their crimson eyes fixed on each other. The two girls fiercely fought their cold war, not allowing anyone to come between them. Staring each other down, neither side yielding, this silent exchange locked them both in their own world.

"Get a freaking grip first. If you want to murder here, so be it, we'll be witnesses and policeman-san will lock you in a room and give you a stern lecture." Kunitaro placed himself between the two girls, trying to lightening the mood. "Even before that, somehow I doubt you can handle all of us alone."

"Hoho…Don’t be too sure about that..." Kagerou replied with a blood thirsty smirk.

"…Okay, just calm the hell down first." Taking care not to escalate problems any further, Tsukioka tugged Kunitaro back. "I am sure there’s a misunderstanding here somewhere. Don’t need to draw blood over this, right? And what happened exactly? Mind elaborating? Either one of you?"

"She has been chasing me over the most trivial matter imaginable, and is just throwing yet another fit over it. Nothing more. Like you, I find this nonsensical barking to be hardly worth my time." Smoothly summarizing her views, Ruka replied to the slightly confused boys standing besides her.

"So..." She began again, turning back to face Kagerou. "What will it take for you to stop this behavior, whoever you may be?"

"NAME’S KAGEROU KOUKA! And you better remember that!"

"I'm Ruka Saginomiya...and this shall be the declaration of war. I have given you my attention, so do at least attempt to entertain me." Dismissively, she brushed her hair aside and took a seat on the GT-R's bonnet.

"Ha! You sure talk BIG for someone who’s close to having her windpipe ripped out!"

"Time out!"

Kunitaro interrupted. Letting out a sigh, he continued trying to appease the two girls. "Okay, that’s enough...you’re both awesome, alright? Now, can we stop threatening to kill each other here and sort this problem in a more...well, civilized way?"

"...Heh!" Kagerou laughed, splitting her face with a crazed smirk. Her erupting frustration had been quelled by Kunitaro's antics, and "Fine by me! I can't stand and shout with you idiots getting in the way anyways. It’s been too long since I had any actual fun, you're more fun than mopping up bugs all day!"

"…Oh?"

"Since you’re the only one that managed to beat me twice in a row, you’re more than deserving to be called my nemesis!" Sneering arrogantly, Kagerou announced. Turning away, she made her way to the Fairlady, her footsteps booming through the night.

"We’ll settle things next time! Until then, you better not lose to anyone! Nothing pathetic like losing to the maggots around here, got that? YOU WILL ONLY LOSE TO ME!"

"...heh. So be it." Ruka curled her thin lips into a confident smile.

"Ah?" Kagerou frowned and paused in her tracks.

"Let me make this clear. This will be the first time I'd have stooped to the level of dogs, however, if it means I will be spared your petty barking, then so be it. I will bring my all to our next encounter, rest assured. Yes…our next encounter shall be a brief one." Ruka calmly dismissed Kagerou's bravado, tilting her heads towards the wind as she played with her hair.

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"NOW you’re speaking my language, you snobby little princess!" Without turning back, Kagerou shouted back. Still smiling confidently, she pushed her way pass the boys and made her way to the car.

"Whoa!" Nearly pushed over, Tsukioka stumbled and grabbed at Kunitaro's clothes, trying to stay upright.

"I’ll rip that regal mask off your face next time we cross paths again! You better remember that! Humph!"

Slamming the door shut, Kagerou started up the Z. Disappearing into the mist again, she felt a strangely warm sensation inside her. As she embraced the warmth, a soft smile spread across her face.

"Finally...after all these years...I finally found someone that I can have a great time with! Life won't be half as fun without someone like her showing up! Been too long...since I felt so...alive....hehe....."

"Well...that’s that. Glad it ended without bloodshed..." Coughing and spluttering, Kunitaro let out a sigh of relief. The Z smeared the parking lot in tire smoke, and the unpleasant smell still lingered after so long.

"Man, she’s even scarier than those aliens from Fire in the Sky…if she's not an alien herself." Kantaro turned and pointed at the bewildered girl. "Look at her, she's completely pale after that encounter! You agree right? Don't worry, your first encounter with an alien is always going to be shocking. Here, you can hold onto me if you still feel scared."

"She's not THAT ba…Can you PLEASE give the alien nonsense a rest, you damn pudding head?!" Unable to bear the Kantaro's daft rambling any more, Kunitaro buried his face in his hands and stuck his fingers in his ears.

"Umm...Saginomiya, is it?" Tsukioka took his attention away from his friend's antics to address the lone girl sitting behind them. "Are you...okay?"

"Ugh…" Ruka groaned, her voice was weak, and the encounter seemed to have further strained her already worn out body. "I appreciate your concern, but save it for your companions…In any case, did no one teach you? It's rude to intrude on a lady's discussion."

"Glad she’s still calm after all this..." Kantaro, having finally stopped rambling about aliens, nudged Tsukioka and whispered to him.

"Well, sorry for intruding but when we passed by and saw you in such a situation, we just had to. And uh...I apologize for not introducing ourselves properly. Name’s Kunitaro Nakahara."

"Kantaro Mitsuwa, pleased to meet you!"

"And I am Tsukioka Tadamichi. Pleased to be your acquaintance."

"My, what distinguishable personalities you three are." Chuckling softly, Ruka replied with a tired smile. "Looks like tonight was not a total lost cause. Sadly, I cannot join you in enjoying the rest of this night, so for now, I shall be taking my leave."

"Uh-uh. You're not going anywhere, missy." A man in his twenties calmly spoke, his hands in his trouser pockets and face hidden behind his wild hair.

A black Mercedes 190E was parked across the parking lot's exit, with a yellow Evo V behind it. Pushing against the gales with his muscular torso, the very sight of this man's approach was like that of a hero's arrival. He completely ignored Kunitaro and his friends, walking directly towards the girl, glaring at her with eyes brimming with an unwavering fighting spirit.

"…Just as the dog leaves, a monkey shows up. Ahh, this place really is a hunting ground, isn't it?" Massaging her temples, the knackered girl sighed and got up once more. "What do you want? I can hardly muster up the strength to move, leave alone listen to more tripe. Be brief."

"…Very well. You're speaking to Kanagawa defense line's third fastest, Hiro Shishigami. It's a pleasure to meet you…or so I'd like to say."

Standing face to face with an absentminded Ruka, Hiro stamped his foot on the ground, demanding her attention.

"Now, enough small talk. Let's get down to business, shall we?"

---------------------------------------------

Watching the slow afternoon traffic crawl by, two girls stood on the roof of Tokyo Hospital. The metropolis' slowly ground to a halt, and the familiar noise of horns and idling engines filled the air once more.

One of the girls leaned onto the roof's railings, softly gazing at the congested highway network. Her distant eyes slowly closed, bathing in the warmth of the summer sun. Her purple and blonde hair, done up in a ponytail, fluttered slightly in the wind.

"u…ari…yu…kari…YUKARI! Oi! Don't fall asleep!"

"Hmm? You want something, Shion?"

"Yeah, I want you to stay awake when I'm talking to you!" The nurse beside her grumbled. "Really, if you don't want to listen, then don't ask in that pushy voice of yours!"

"Oh, but I do want to listen…hey, what's that?" Catching sight of Shion's phone, Yukari's interest suddenly spiked up again, leaning onto her and grabbing at the phone. "Let's see, let’s see!"

"Hey...watch where you’re leaning against..." Feeling a heavy pressure push against her back, Shion scowled and forced her cheery friend off of her.

"Buu, you got me interested so let me see already~!" Snatching the phone off Shion, Yukari teased and began scrolling through the news. "Saitama’s got a major Defense Line breakdown? So you were into gossip of this sort? Well, I guess it's nice to look beyond our horizons every now and then."

"Well, either way…" Shion quickly yanked the phone off her friend with an annoyed frown, before reading on. "'Vanessa...Anderrson'?"

"Ring any bells?"

"Hmm..." Shion scrolled through Vanessa's profile. Beneath the mug shot of her on the top right corner was a small table of details. In it, everything from her car, sightings of her, win/loss ratio was listed out in detail. The victory count was highlighted red, with "x7" beside it.

"A Renault, of all things...and this girl's not been on the scene for too long, yet she’s beaten all these guys." Seeing the impressive list of defeated drivers, the nurse couldn't help but be taken away by Vanessa's feat.

"Oh…? How rare! Is this praise I'm hearing from the ever-so-strict Shion?" Yukari beamed as she nonchalantly remarked.

"Get off my case already! But still…so this is the girl she was on about."

"Hmm? Who are you talking about?"

"The patient I was telling you about."

"Oh, that one! The funny one who flipped out for no reason? I remember that now…Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Shion chuckled and brushed her hair aside. "Come on, Yukari! Look at me, barely even a scratch on my face! Well…the eye's a different matter, but it's been a day already, I'm fine. And the 'funny one' you're talking about is Adachi." Shion brought up a new page on her phone and pointed to Adachi's bio. "Apparently known as the "Slayer", girl's a GT-R driver."

"A GTR driver..." Yukari's eyes suddenly lost its liveliness, and her cheery smile faded away. Lost in a trail of thought, she was left silent for a few seconds.

"So GT-Rs are still a taboo topic? It's been so long though…still, I guess it's for the best to not push on." Shion thought to herself, waiting for Yukari to come back to her senses.

"…Is she good?"

"Eh, don’t ask me. I don’t know shit about her, but apparently her team finally got acknowledged, and this kid here just pulverized her." Responding with a sigh, Shion smiled as her friend finally recovered from her daze. "She freaked out and wanted spill some blood when she finally woke up, but a stab from a tranquillizer put her to sleep, and that's the end of that."

"…Hmmm, poor girl. Must’ve been quite a blow to her pride, eh?"

"No kidding. The kids there on Saitama don't think much of outsiders, but if they’re proven strong enough, they respect them as well as locals. It’s an all or nothing gamble out there. Ah, the lovely power of a racer's youth..."

"Aren't you wise…even though you've yet to see Tokyo in its true colours…" Smiling wryly, Yukari's voice faded to a faint whisper before she regained her composure. "Ah…now look what you've done, you've spoilt my mood. Quit talking like a grandma, I'm bad with elders."

"Oi, Yukari. What have we talked about using the G word?" Responding in a forced voice, Shion felt the blood rush to her head from that sly jab.

"Oops, sorry! …Hehe." Yukari stuck her tongue out in response.

"Well...regardless, at least we know the defense line’s claim that no one would dare challenge them is revoked by this small move. Following this is just about everyone who's had a grudge against the line getting out there and picking a fight. I wonder how far this will go…"

"Ehh~, that's boring. I'm more interested in what we're going to do here. It’ll happen sooner or later anyways…"

…Silent again? Oi, what's with you today. Why are you so cute. Makes me want to pick on you.

"Say...didn’t you have work today? Why are you up here anyway?"

"It’s my day off, scatterbrain. You asked me to take the day off with you. For a nurse, your memory's pretty bad."

"It's because I'm a nurse, I prioritise these things. Petty matters won’t register in my brain."

"Either way...it sure is...strangely calm today..."

"Be careful of what you wish for, Yukari....the winds from the storm just haven't reached us yet. We should prepare while we still have the free-time to do so.

"Don't you mean 'you' should prepare? I told you, didn't I? I've got my own things to do, so be a sweetheart and take care of whatever comes our way, mmkay~?"

Looking at Yukari with a perplexed face, Shion sighed and joined her friend in watching the clouds drift across the sky.

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In the alleyways of Tokyo's busy streets was a small garage. Tyrone and Jiro stood outside, staring at the sole car sat in the narrow garage exit. It was a Subaru Impreza STi hatchback finished in WRC Blue Mica. The freshly painted car glistened under the soft sunlight, and both men couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment well up inside them.

"Jiro, feelin’ better now?"

"Eh, I’ll live." Jiro replied, sipping his iced coffee. "I am surprised that you’re here in Japan though."

"Hey, if anything truly bad happened to you, I wouldn’t want to miss seeing my old friend one last time." Tyrone slapped Jiro's arm playfully, ignoring the fact that it was in a cast only a day ago. "But really, you should drop that drinking and driving habit of yours. No way in hell can you be so lucky all the time, dude."

"You say 'truly' bad, as if this wasn't bad enough?" Jiro chuckled and dusted his shoulders. "But I get it already, so give it a rest. Anyway…now that we're done with this, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Oh yeah…I’ve been hearing a lotta buzz lately from the mountains, what's that all about?"

"Narrow it down a bit for me. I've been out cold for a bit, and I prefer the highways to the mountains so I might not have heard of it."

"Uh…does "The Defense Line System" ring any bells?"

"Oh...that? Yeah, I know of it. Apparently, they’ve sieged the mountains in fighting an invisible enemy, and now control most of Japan's street racing. Well, everywhere, but here."

"I noticed…Tokyo has its own rules, it seems."

"That’s one way to put it." Jiro sighed and took a stroll around his finished car, taking in the polished wheels and equally new exhaust system. He knew that the Impreza, inconspicuous as it looked now, is certainly more capable than his previous car. Still admiring his new car, Jiro slowly spoke again. "I suppose, judging by what you're saying, you've seen the way street racing works around here. Safe to say, those who run at the top of this system are beyond what your average racer is capable of."

"…Mind being a bit more clear?" Tyrone swept his mop-like hair upwards and frowned. " It's not a detective story, so just spill it."

"Misako Takaoka, Suzume Asai, Yukari Fujimaki, Yoshi Muraguchi." In a stern voice, Jiro brought up four names. "The four fastest people that stand at the top of Tokyo's street racing scene, and the fifth racer, Takuro Hishida, who allegedly managed to top them all, they're best described as…special people. Quite frankly, I'm not sure if they're even comprehensible to us"

"So, that aside…Where do you plan on going now? Join in the action here?"

Jiro turned his back to his friend, and cast his gaze towards the sky. With a calm sigh, he responded absentmindedly…

"…Nah. It's time for a change in environment."

---------------------------------------------

7:40PM.

"…She's late."

Glancing up at his watch, Saburo ruffled his hair, irritated. Leaning by a weathered concrete pillar, he let his eyes explore the vast, decrepit factory that he and his friends have made their own. Trying to make out the remains of a production line, Saburo distracted himself. In this abandoned facility, listening to the ticking from his watch echo through the space filled his heart with a strange comfort.

"Sorry I am late, Saburo! I'm not usually the late-comer here."

Grinning apologetically, Sakuya's voice boomed from the far end of the building. A metallic rattle accompanied the sound of her footsteps, growing louder as she got closer. Two sets of pipes laid on a small cart that she was pushing.

"Traffic jam?" Saburo asked absentmindedly. He carried on inspecting the damaged walls and cobwebbed industrial equipment, paying Sakuya no heed.

"Yeah. Some drunkard wrecked his Subaru on the way near the Nikko area and clogged the traffic." Sakuya grumbled, sulking slightly. Shaking off her fouling mood, she quickly changed the topic.

"Anyway..." Sakuya began, bringing the cart to a halt next to Saburo. "I bought what you wanted. This should be good enough to do the trick."

The tangle of pipes were still wrapped in plastic, marked clearly with logos and a price tag. Taking a closer look, Saburo noticed the branding and the high quality workmanship.

"…Kakimoto and…GP Sport, is it?" Saburo thought, squinting slightly to try and read the tags. The brands held no meaning in his eyes, but judging from the quality, it couldn't have been too cheap.

"These aren't exactly costly, but they’ll do just fine." Leaning on the cart, Sakuya turned to face Saburo, and ran him through the details. "You don’t have to worry about tweaks though. I’ve done all I can to make sure your car can handle it."

"...You have my thanks, Sakuya." Taking in all the information, Saburo finally breathed out and spoke.

"Hey, save the thanks for later." Sakuya looked into Saburo's eyes with a soft, confident smile on her face. "Rather, save it for when our rivals are finally wiped off the stage."

"Right..." Looking down at his watch once again, he raised another question. "So, where’s Hatori? What’s she up to now?"

"Four-Eyes?" Hearing her name made Sakuya twitch slightly. "She’s busy doing some computer shit while analyzing the data from your battle against Setsuna."

"Hmmm…"

"I couldn’t make anything of it, but it seems to have something to do with the racing style connections between the Defense Line drivers. Could be useful for future reference, who knows?" Sakuya shrugged and joined Saburo by the pillar, leaning her arm on his.

"But let's forget about her for now…" Resting her head on his shoulder, Sakuya changed the topic again. "Have you heard? It seems like your confrontation inspired quite a few people to take action."

"…Oh?" His eyes closed, Saburo replied in a indifferent grunt.

"Rumors are coming in from all over that Imai and Mutsu have already been beaten. I think they lost to an 80s Soarer and a chrome Evolution...something, I don't remember. But that's two thirds of the Tochigi line dealt with, effectively." Snuggling up to Saburo's arm, Sakuya closed her eyes and carried on delivering her report in a softer voice.

"It also means that those two are no longer an issue, unless you want to race them. As for the dick in the Z32…" Sakuya paused, she tried trawling through her memories for his name but drew a blank. "…Whoever he was, you can leave him to me. I never liked that guy anyway."

"Do what you like." Ignoring the redhead currently glued to his right arm, Saburo replied casually. "My aim will still be to go after Imai. I don’t care what others have done. My goal won’t change for now."

"That’s my cue then!" Sakuya jumped back up energetically, tidying up her slightly dusty hair. "Never liked pretty boys with a bigger mouth than I've got. It bugs the shit outta me always having to hear him running his mouth whenever he can. Anyway, let's go get your car, standing around all day is boring."

Following Sakuya as she made her way to her car, Saburo looked up through the collapsed roof of the factory. Perched on the steel beams that stretched across the length of the building were two birds. He watched them disinterestedly until he reached the factory gates.

Parked outside the factory was a deep red Supra, sitting next to Saburo's 180SX. The all-too-familiar shape had received a slight upgrade. It was now sitting slightly lower and wider, but the largest change was the new Work Meister S1 3Ps that filled the Supra's arches. To compliment the new wheels, wider fender flares were fitted.

"So you changed the wheels again?"

"The tires too. The old set had worn out completely. Don’t laugh, okay? I have my own taste too!" Sakuya barked at Saburo, her face reddening.

"…So." After a brief pause, Saburo picked up the conversation again. "I heard that you raced someone on Akagi a while back...care to explain?"

"Ah...so you did notice!" Dusting off her skirt, Sakuya answered. "Well, it’s nothing. Just some blonde punk. Nothing I can't handle. I'm surprised you bothered to bring it up after so long though."

"Well…He’s not part of the Line, is he? Matsu Koreshi, right?"

"That’s his name. And nah, guy's a loner...but I already beat him, so he won’t be bothering me anytime soon." Pausing slightly, Sakuya suddenly remembered another bit of news. "Something about Four-Eyes mentioning his friend sure bugs me though...remember the time when she’s test-driving your 180? She bumped into Koreshi’s friend."

"So...? What does that have to do with us?"

"Well…They were planning to overthrow the Defense Line."

"..ah? Rebelling against the Line as well?"

"Yeah, looks like we’re not the only ones who’re sick and tired of the Defense Line bullshit." Stretching her arms again, Sakuya responded in a weary voice. "Still...I don’t like that Matsu guy."

"Well…regardless, as long as they’re not interfering with our goals, leave them be." Saburo ended the conversation in a bored voice, turning his attention to the little pebbles by his foot. "We only got a few more days left before we take on Imai, I want to focus on that first."

"Oh? What's this?" Sakuya teased in a sarcastic voice. "This is the first time I've seen you this motivated, Saburo."

"Having mixed feelings about it?"

"Nah. I like it better this way. If we’re not gonna be competitive in our hearts, we sure as hell won’t win this. And there’s no telling if they’re gonna play by the rules either...I know damn well that their methods are going to consist of only giving themselves advantages.

"Since when was street racing ever fair in the first place?"

"Ah...I guess not. Might as well do what we can to even the odds..."

"...Sorry that I find you convenient. I would’ve want to do this myself and rather than rely you all the time."

"Hey, now...don’t apologize, Saburo." Sakuya placed her arm around his neck. "I told you before, I wanted to be part of whatever you got into, remember? I chose to be here so try not to get too sentimental on me or feeling stupidly apologetic cause you think I am useful or whatever. I too, wanted to make a difference. And that’s why I chose to be with you."

"..Sakuya, you-"

Before Saburo could finish, Sakuya cut in. She locked her eyes with his. Feeling the heat rise to her face, she quickly shook off the building uncertainty and gripped his hand with a firm, reassured smile.

"Have confidence in your decisions, as well as ours, Saburo. If we’re gonna do this, we'll see to it that the entire Japan’s Defense Line system will crumble before us. We’ll dismantle it and make sure it will never be rebuilt again!"

In the spur of the moment, Sakuya couldn't help but finally speak her mind. Ending her stirring speech with a gentle voice, she brought Saburo's face next to her own, and whispered…

"That's why, you don't need to apologize. We're all in this together, and I'll always be here for you."

"…Thanks..." Saburo's expression was conflicted. He wanted to smile, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

"Hah! Now that’s more like it!" Watching his expression twitch and fumble, Sakuya gave him an encouraging pat on the back.

"Anyway, let’s get started! I got a few more things you may like to choose from. But before that, what muffler are you going with? Made up your mind yet?"

- つづく -

This post has been edited by Rin on Mar 22 2014, 07:26 AM

Beneath the raging women front she gives off,lies in her heart a lonely girl who is in need of a friend...NO~
Off you to the loony ward~
On the main story side,nice packed story you put here..Just right it seems...And its the kind of development that i would imagine being shown in an anime if there is ever one...

KEEP UP MOTHERF***ER!!!

You're just a liability CJ

why you bother comin' back?

What's wrong CJ?
Can't keep up with the fat man?

"main story" you say…who's to say that this wasn't part of the main story? B-But Kagerou just wanted a hug! Padded maid, Y U NO GIVE RONREY GURL A HUG.

Wow...another amazing chapter!

Kagerou and Ruka...this is gonna get messy......and I wonder what further development awaits Ruka? Seems like another interesting character arrived right where it cuts off (Cliff-hangy much?)

And then there's the scene where 4 new characters arrive. Yukari reminds me of...well, Misaki Shokuhou from Railgun/Index. xD Sparkly eyes ftw!

Shion reminds me of...well...I dunno, but for a nurse, she's got quite a POISONOUS body (poisonous as in sickeningly alluring). I wonder if she'll be caught in one of Adachi's affairs in future? (She's not really out of the picture yet, right? Or maybe I am assuming too much.)

Tyrone is...from where exactly? Jamaica? America? USA? Just curious since the way he spoke got me curious. xD

He seemed like a pretty cool guy to me.

And then there's Jiro...ah, he sure looks a lot more handsome than I thought he would be lol.

Can't wait to see what you got in store for them...

The last part of Saburo x Sakuya is just freakishly cute and fluffy. <3

Saburo is such a tsundere sometimes. ;P He acted like he hated it but he must've really liked Sakuya's company, no?

All in all, great chapter and I really wanna see how things heat up in the next chapter. Keep up the good work, bro!

Long time didn't posted in this nice fic...

Nice writing style you get there, even with adding picture, creative.

Anyway...Fairlady's aggression to R34 is a complete fail.

Well...aggression can only take you so far sometimes.

@Rin
Sorry for the late review brother. Work and boyfriend duties tend to take up a good chunk of my time nowadays.

Is it just me or am I about to see a Ho-Yay/ Foe-Yay relationship between Ruka and Kagerou?

Again, its another amazing chapter. Keep it up bro

Ah, much thanks then.

And well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Kage-chan is scary yandere with some lack-of-friends issue...hope that ojou-sama can tame her..*fingers crossed*

Worry about your ojou-sama first, Saku-nya~. Wait. Dogs don't go nya, do they?

oh shut up you sleeping gate keeper...

Happy reading. =)

Code 17: Countdown to Cycle


"H-He's here! The 180SX!"

Irohazaka's bustling night scene came crashing to a halt. Everyone turned their attention towards the horizon.

"…Tsk. Right when I was getting into the mood as well." Genma frowned, his voice laced with displeasure.

"Sorry ladies, we'll continue another time. Be sure to bring more friends with you next time, ok?" He laughed casually and pushed his way pass the girls, still openly greeting them as he made his way to the parking area's entrance.

"Shin, Mutsu, let's go give our visitors a warm welcome."

"Well, aren't you eager. Don't lose your cool again, your behavior last time was disgraceful." Mutsu sternly replied. His serious expression was hardly affected by Genma's casual voice.

"Last time they came here, they arrived without the slightest common decency. Now that we know how they're like, it's only natural to welcome them as they have greeted us, right?" Smiling his trademark smile, Genma tilted his head back, looking for a reaction from his teammates.

"…Do whatever you want. I won't be getting involved. Actively picking fights doesn't really appeal to me."

"Tsk. Playing it safe as always, how about letting loose every now and then, you stiff shit? Shin, what about you?" Genma turned to the R33 driver. He didn't respond to his offer. Leaning on the GT-R's door with his eyes lost deep in thought, the usually diligent and sharp Shin Imai was nowhere to be found.

"Shin! Hey, Shin Imai! Ahh, whatever. Mutsu, when that guy wakes up, send him my way. Even if you don't want a part in this, you should know that guy's after Shin. It's for the best we don't let him hole up forever, right?" Waving to his teammates without turning back, Genma smiled to himself briefly, and let his arrogant façade take over.

"…So, what's bothering you?" Mutsu closed his eyes and asked, feeling strangely at peace in the silent car park. "You're not the type to speak your mind, but I know that was the case just now."

"I'm fine." Shin finally spoke, trying to shake off his uneasy frown. "Genma was being his usual self, so I didn't waste my breath replying when he knows what I'd say."

"Is that so?" Mutsu sighed and placed his hand on Shin's shoulder. "In any case, we're no longer lone wolves like before. We're a team, it's been this way for a while, but it seems you've yet to acknowledge that. If you need anything, I'll hear you out."

Mutsu left Shin to muse over his words and walked back to his S2000. Shin's eyes grew distant again. The hushed chatter faded away. With his attention focused entirely on the past, he thought back to a scene in his past.

Before his eyes, a gold chrome Evo X crossed Irohazaka's finish line. Moments later, an R33 GT-R finished. His R33.

Darkness fell on the scene.

The two drivers got out. The driver of the Evo, built like a mountain, beamed at him. He turned to look at himself. The look on his own face was complex, simple words like "angry", "bitter" didn't begin to describe it. "Sore loser" missed the mark completely. Whatever it was, he felt the very same feeling well up inside him again.

"Hahaha! I, Hiiro Yoshida, claim this as my victory! Shall we call it a truce here, friend?" Hiiro extended his hand towards Shin, wearing a very bright smile on his face.

"Friend? Who are you calling your friend. Don't act chummily with me." Shin slapped Hiiro's hand away, his voice straining to suppress his anger. "This...means nothing. I was simply out of shape tonight. You would not last a second against me otherwise."

"Eh? So you’re saying you’re just holding back, my friend? You’re just refusing to accept this loss, aren’t you?" Hiiro teased jokingly, his cheerful chuckling breaking up his reply.
Shin felt a souring rage spike in his blood.

"Alright, alright...I got it." Seeing his joke go over Shin's head, Hiiro backed off and corrected himself apologetically. "We all make mistakes, right? If you want another go, just send me a challenge anytime . I really wish I can stay and have a manly battle with you again, but unfortunately, I got other matters to attend to so...Good sport?"

"...Get out of my sight, Yoshida. You won't be so lucky next time."

"Jeez...you need some anger management, young man. Scowl too much and your face will be frozen like that someday. Well…Until next time!"

Shin watched as the Evo glistened and sparkled under the streetlights as it accelerated away. He couldn't remember his exact feelings. Nor did he remember his actions. All that was on his mind was the Evo and its driver's hideously vibrant gleaming.

The annoying smile on Hiiro's face refused to fade away into the back of his mind. His fist clenched up. His arm moved. Without control, he watched as his fist threw itself into the GT-R's windshield.

His phone rang. A loud, off-tune melody echoed through the silent road.

"Yeah? ...Oh....shit....look, sir. Please...don't get angry just yet...okay? I know...I acknowledged that I screwed up. Please, give me one more chance...don't expel me from the Line. I beg you..."

His reply, shaking in desperation. His voice, full of remorse. Thinking back again, Shin could not believe this was truly himself.

"Yeah, you understand too, right? How much I needed this position...please just let me have my chance against Saburo Misaka. I promise you, I won't let you down again. No, please! Don't let him know...! This is my matter...I'll settle it."

"ARGH!"

The sound of plastic cracking marked the end of the call. Shattered remains of an old Samsung lay on the tarmac.

"...what the hell am I going to do about this...?!"

He heard himself scream. He felt the desperation in his voice. He felt his heart tug in agony-

"…You can start by telling me what's wrong."

Mutsu's stern voice brought him back to the present.

"To be brought to the point of inadvertently speaking to yourself…this is definitely no small matter. Now, let's hear it."

Shin couldn't look him in the eye. He would not allow anyone to find out. His eyes searched for a target. Something. Anything.

…Saburo Misaka.

Their eyes met. Feeling a fire well up inside him, he clenched his bandaged fist again, reaffirming his resolve.

"We'll talk later, Mutsu. For now, it's time I lived up to my title."
---

"You have guts, showing up again. I'll give you that."

Genma snorted. A howling gale swept up the silence between them.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or are you finally regretting picking a fight with us?"

He sneered, his eyes burning with wild aggression. Circling around Saburo, he narrowed his eyes, waiting for a response. Locked in this standoff, Saburo retained his silence.

"You think keeping quiet is going to help? You think we'll just let you off the hook if you repent in silence?! Too little, too late! You've waltzed into the lion's den and poked the alpha male with your grubby, shitty hands, and you want to just…walk out?! Pah!"

Genma shoved his face right up to Saburo, gripping him by the collar of his shirt.

"Prepare to face the true power of Irohazaka's defense line!" Proudly throwing his arms outwards, Genma split his face with a wide, feral smirk and tossed Saburo aside.

"…Done flaunting?" Peering out from under his hair, Saburo finally gave a disinterested reply. "We've seen the 'true power' of you three already. 3 losses between your two friends, and you've not even seen any action, yet you're the loudest one here."

"YOU-"

"-Misaka! I'm your opponent." From behind Saburo, a deep, gravel voice boomed at him.

"What? You’ve already lost once, Shin! Who gave you another shot?"

"He's mine. Sit this one out, Genma. I've got a higher chance of winning in the R33, so leave it to me."

"You say that, but you're on your last strik-"

"...I said...he...is...MINE. Clear?" Shin's clenched fist trembled. He held it down with his other hand, and spoke through his gritted teeth.

"Listen to him, blondie. That battle is none of your business. Your target is right here." Sakuya interrupted.

"...Heh, what can a little girl like you do? Aside from tuning, I doubt you can hold your own against me even in a straight line battle...hah...let alone a full race."

"Always running your mouth before a match...maybe I should rip out your tongue right here on the spot."

"Do as you preach and mind your mouth, lady...I don’t like it when girls speak to me that way."

"Oh, that's a shame, you’re gonna loathe me."

"Ah, excuse princess here..." Hatori leaned on Sakuya's shoulder, casually breaking up their row. "Maybe you would like to sic your charm on me instead, pretty boy? Nice getup by the way."

"...now that's more like it. Learn from your friend, she's a fine example of being civil at least."

"Nah, just kidding. You look ridiculous."

"Enough! Line up, we'll settle it here and now!" Roaring at Saburo, Shin turned away and got into his car. "…Misaka...This is where it ends!"

"Is that so, huh. Let’s get this over with."

"Gettin’ a little excited, Prince?" Hatori wrapped her arm around Saburo's shoulder. Before saburo could reply, a hand shoved Hatori out of the way.

"Oi, save the playing around for later." Sakuya sighed while keeping Hatori at bay. "Saburo, just so you know, the gearbox is readjusted for a bit more kick in the lower gears. Keep that in mind, and save the tires for the last stretch, okay?"

"Ahh…the princess is so cruel. Anyway, don’t mess up that spanking new muffler the she gave you now, sweetheart. Godspeed." Hatori left with that.

Sakuya waited for Hatori to be out of earshot, before quickly reaching for Saburo again. She shyly tapped his shoulder, waiting for him to notice her.

"Hmmm?"

"…Smoke him." Without hesitation, Sakuya kissed Saburo on the cheek and walked off.

Image size reduced, original size: 1500 x 1080. Click here to view the image in its original dimension.

She touched her lips. The fleeting warmth from Saburo's skin imprinted itself on them. Feeling her face rapidly turn beet red, she quickly laughed it off and placed herself between the two cars.

"Compose yourself, Shin. Your negative emotions are overwhelming you."

"I am fine, okay? Stop treating me like a damn child."

"You either smoke him or we’re through as friends and comrades." Genma responded coldly, his irritation was barely contained in his voice. "You already lost once, so you better not screw this up!"

"I AM FINE, SO SHUT UP, DAMMIT! DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES?!"

"Shin! Enough...now...listen. Chances are, he's been in contact with the Evo and Soarer driver, and the last thing anybody wants is to have more people predict our strategy. So for your sake, and ours, this time, go out there and be as reckless as you can be."

"Heh…we can finally let loose, huh." Shin let out a tired sigh. The stress could be clearly seen in his expression. "Say, Mutsu. How long has it been since any of us has been this desperate? To be cornered so easily, do you think that…perhaps, just perhaps, we were too relaxed?"

"…Finally opening up, huh? We'll talk afterwards. For now, win or lose, give this your all. It might be too late to act, but if we're going to go, we'll go out in a bang. Show them a race they'll never forget."

"…You've got it."

Mutsu tapped the R33's roof and walked away, fading in amongst the chaotic crowd, smiling fondly to himself.

"10 SECONDS TO GO!!!"

The crowd roared in excitement as they counted down with Sakuya.

"GO!!!"

Roaring off into the night, the two cars charged off into the darkness.

------------------------------------------------------

11:30. Tsukuba pass. The air was still, and the night was calm. A dense fog was forming, white wisps of vapor blurring out the road. A lone man stood by the side of the road. Cloaked in white, Setsura Yuuki paid the beautifully Japanese scene before him no heed, his mind deep in thought.

Schrodinger won’t be around here anymore.

The shock of hearing those words still stirred his heart.

Abandon whatever he has planned for you and focus on your duty.

"…As if I can do that to an old friend." Setsura's strong voice whispered, his face couldn't be read. There was no visible hate nor disgust, his emotions suppressed by the heavy sense of duty weighing on his mind.

Ibaraki still needs you…Be sure to do your part.

"You sure know how to use people, damn woman." Glancing up towards the clouding night sky, Setsura allowed a bitter comment, before refocusing his mind again.

"…If this is the case…I shall begin the purge with my own hands. Ibaraki shall be liberated tonight."

He turned his serious gaze towards two cars behind him. A white Mazda MX5 and yellow Mitsubishi Evo V parked up by the side of the road, blurred out by the building mist. Their drivers were idly chatting, either of them had noticed him yet.

"That was a pretty good run, Yagami."

"Please, Tsujimoto...you were much better there. We haven’t been doing much battles lately, so I believe we should do a few more runs...what do you say?"

"I am all for that...but if only my family allows me to stay any longer than it already is...huh?"

"What is it?"

" ...That man, he’s staring at us..."

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"..hey you, sir...are you a racer? What business do you have here in Ibaraki?"

"None of your concern, little boy."

"Just trying to be civil here, mister. But with due respect, shouldn’t you be resting by this late time now? Aren’t you afraid you’d catch a cold or something?"

"Like I said - mind your own business. Ace or not, it doesn't give you the right to pry into my business." Seeing the shock settle on their faces, Setsura calmly continued. "Akuto Yagami and Takeda Tsujimoto...I will be your opponent tonight. You may lead. Both of you."

After a silent exchange, the two aces nodded and responded.

"If you are so confident…then allow us to give this our all. As you wish, we'll lead. It seems you have made the grave mistake of underestimating the power of Ibaraki's aces. Hopefully, you will prove us wrong."

Turning towards their cars, the two aces were silent. Akuto quickly drew out his phone and sent a text.

To: --
…Potential threat arrived. Pls meet in 30 minutes @ PA.

Setsura waited for the aces, setting his serious eyes on the rising mist. As it loomed over Tsukuba pass, merging with the rushing clouds to form a dense, sweeping wall, he breathed out sharply and grit his teeth.

"…Prepare yourself. The end has come."

------------------------------------------------------

It's 1:37AM at Sadamine pass. Ayase sat in the corner of the parking area, ignoring the bustling night life surrounding her. Her mind and fingers were too pre-occupied firing off texts at terrifying speeds. Screwing up her fine features, she brutally attacked her phone's screen, riled up by her close friend's responses.

f**king trash dumpster whore, can you just shut up about your lame and shitty fantasies for a second?! Are you in heat or something?! Why should I be the first to hear about how badly you want to…to…

"Argh just shut up~!"

Feeling her face flush beet red, she smashed out a final response before tossing her phone into the Chaser. She brushed her navy blue ponytail aside, where their eyes met with a sharp glare from the other side of the car park.

She felt a shuddering discomfort from his gaze, feeling it shift up and down all over her body.

…Is this what they call "eye raping" or something?

The young man strolled up towards her, taking large strides and showing off his broad shoulders.

Yes. There's no doubt. Before me, the great pervert of the defense line, Yamato Taika, is the dream girl that tops all idols. I didn't believe the rumors of a commercial idol topping the leaderboards in the last time trial, but what I fool I was. Ayase Tsurugi, was it? Ahhh…she looks even better in real life…the clothes are a bit conservative, but maaaaaan I would so wife her.

Yamato's face suddenly twisted into depression.

Such a shame they said she opposed the defense line. Why. Why did I not meet her sooner. What cruel twist of fate put us on opposing sides of a war?! WHY?! AYASE-TAN, WHY MUST WE FIGHT?!

Yamato was so into his heated rambling he didn't even notice that he was already turning his thoughts into words. Ayase watched as the one man melodrama unfolded before her.

"Right. Calm down. Approach her with a serious look. First impressions are everything, and-"

"Yeah, they sure are." Ayase, feeling the blood vessels in her head about to burst clean open, interrupted. "Keep staring at me with those eyes, and I'll gouge them out with this baby right here..."

From her pocket, she casually drew a small, foldable knife. She flicked its blade open, twirled it around, and shot a malicious glare at him. Yamato froze on the spot. The spinning karambit's cold blued blade glinted under the streetlamps, shining into his eyes and completely blinding him.

"…Mayumi told me to never use this…but I'd be willing to break that rule for you if you really want."

Ayase suddenly grabbed Yamato from behind, with the blade only millimeters away from his face.

W-W-What the hell's this?! My sweet angel Ayase is a demon all of a sudden?!

"Hmm? Ah jeez. I'm joking. Don't need to be so scared, really." She backed away from him and slipped the knife into her pocket. "You said you loved me and all that, yet you can't even tell when your supposed lover is serious or not? I'm about to cry."

"Ayase-tan crying?! Who's the bastard who upset you? I'll teach him a lesson, the shameless punk-"

"It's you, 'shameless punk'." Ayase playfully smacked Yamato on the head with her palm with a sigh. "So, who are you, exactly?"

"Eh? You don't know?" Yamato replied, his face clearly shocked. "A-As expected of Ayase-sama, the existence of superficial people like me don't register."

"Well sorry for not knowing…I'm not a local here, by any measure." Seeing the confidence completely drain from him, Ayase felt her guilt punch her in the gut. "So, let's start again. Who are you?"

"Yamato Taika, at your service." Coolly sweeping his hair to one side, he shot a charismatic smile at Ayase as he extended his hand.

…This guy. This guy right here. The blood that had just cooled down began boiling in irritation again. I'm not sure if I should be impressed by how quickly he changes his character, or be creeped out by how blunt he is.

"Yamato-"

"A-Ayase-sama referred to me by my first name! I can die in peace!"

"Let. Me. Finish. Dammit!" Clenching her fist again, Ayase grimaced, restraining the urge to give Yamato a thorough beating. "Wait a sec… I've not introduced myself yet. How the hell do you know me? And stop with the 'Ayase-tan' already, it's really creepy."

"I doubt there is a single member of the JZX-chassis owner's club that does not know you. To be oblivious to your own fame… oh how cute you are!"

"There's such a dodgy owner's club? Really? Ahh, forget that for a moment. All this talking is hurting my head." Ayase looked around the car park. The majority of people had already left, and the pass seemed to be relatively silent.

How much time did I waste arguing with this idiot? Everyone's left already?

"Your Ayase-sama's bored, let's go for a drive. I don't know how skilled you are…but put that aside for now."

"…Ah." Yamato's face suddenly froze. "Yes. I suppose, I must reveal this too, if I am to have a pure relationship with you."

"WHO'S HAVING A PURE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU?!"

"Please don't interrupt. It's difficult for me." His voice filled with real remorse, Yamato closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "I'm Yamato Taika. #1 Ace of the Saitama Defence Line."

…Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

Yamato prepared his heart for the worse. He didn't dare imagine the response he'd get.

"Oh, is that so. That's why you expected me to know you, huh. I see, I see." Ayase nodded to herself, rubbing her chin. "That clears up any doubts about your speed… now get off your knees already, any more talk and my throat'll be dry. I wanna race."

"Y-You mean, you don't mind that I'm a defense line driver?"

"Haaaaaah? Why would I mind?" She frowned, thoroughly confused.

"REALLY?! THERE IS A GOD!" Yamato's eyes beamed, firmly gripping her hand with an overjoyed grin on his face.

"Argh, get off already, damn you!" Ayase pried his fingers off her arm. "More important question, do you want to race or not?"

"…Need I answer that?" With another charismatic smile, Yamato turned away, walking towards his Mark II. "We'll start at the parking lot's exit. Ladies first, naturally."

The two Toyotas lined up in single file at the exit. At the front was the bright pink Chaser, and behind it was Yamato's dirty and beaten Mark II, what remained of its black paint gleamed under the night. Flashing his high-beams twice, the silent Saitama pass shuddered to the howling of a combined one thousand horsepower.

"Yes? Oh, Taika? He just left, sir. What is it?"

Listening on…the man's face suddenly twisted in rage.

"What?! What do you mean?! That's it?! After all this, that's it- Hey! Arghh, dammit!"

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

The sound of the ended call echoed through the inside of a Nissan Elgrand. The caller sat back, and picked up the phone again.

"…It's done. Are you certain this is the best way forward?"

"Are you going to question our decision, Yamada?"

"…No."

"Good man. Rest assured, nothing bad will come of this. If anything, we have just saved the defense line. I…no, we apologise that the harsh task of breaking the bad news had to fall to you. We know how much you loved each and every existing member. This…IS for the best."

- つづく -

This post has been edited by Rin on Apr 19 2014, 07:34 AM

Seriously, a gold chrome Evo X ?
And dat kissing scene , a serious heart stopping moment there.

Mind me, can't wait the race between Saburo and Shin (am I right?). On the other way, did you draw it by yourself with paint or anything else?

Yes, I am the one doing all the art after all.

Damn... so many "engaging" events happening at the same time... its like watching a multi-screen TV

Keep it up Rin

Haha. Thanks a bunch. XD

With this much motivation we always have a lot to satisfy lol.

This post has been edited by Rin on Apr 7 2014, 07:12 AM

…I'll just be the one to mention that we're…ahead of schedule. Again.

Just saying.

"AYASE-TAN~"

^ Yamato best male character in AC. Period.

This post has been edited by Onboy123 on Apr 7 2014, 07:44 AM

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I have nothing to say to that.

*chuuuuu*

dat unsatisfaction that comes from the cliffhanger....y u do dis Rin?Y???

I!!A follower of InuSakuya,will shank you from behind!!!

of course,tension sparks dangerous tactics..i wonder there will be someone who will fall miserably on Iroha?

I'd beg to differ....sometimes adding a cliffhanger is good.

Wow...you're WAY ahead of your schedule this time. O.o

So quick and already another intense chapter filled with cliffhangers.

Scene 1- It's definitely interesting to finally see Saburo once again making things official by attacking the Defense Line here. And wow...for a second there I thought Asuka (EVA 3.33) was kissing Saburo there. xD

But that's a really lovely pic. Not a lot of anime scenes I see these days have kissing scenes so easily. Most of them tend to be interrupted by cliche plot-driven things or etc etc. So this is a good change.

And Shin Imai losing to....that flamboyant Hiiro guy that poses like a superhero before? Wow...talk about huge pride-shredding...

Scene 2 - Wow...it's finally nice to see Setsura in person, and dang is he OLD! No wonder he's so experienced... (aside from the obvious reason his car is far superior in power compared to the 180SX)

But nonetheless, it's a great scene to see how even Setsura has started to take action. I wonder though...who is he working with...

Scene 3 - Ah...Ayase... xD Poor girl, she never gets a break from people pestering her, does she? LOL

And whoever that...Yamato dude is...he sure is one annoying perv.

Hope Ayase will make him give up soon. LOL

All in all this is a very great chapter again, Rin! Keep it up dude! I really want to see what happens after that!