08202088 EOD A-Echo

[AY]: Do you know why I invited you here?

[RK]: You saw my car.

[AY]: Y-yeah, that's right.

[RK]: And, you said invited. I chose to confront you, so if I may ask: which car?

[AY]: What?

[RK]: しているよ。(You know.)

[AY]: え。。英語を話すのが遅いよ。どんな車と言った？テスタローサだけ見たよ。(Wha...I'm slow at speaking English. Which car are you talking about? I only saw a Testarossa!)

[RK]: 峠には車で攻めた。(I've been attacking on the mountain pass with the car in question.)

[AY]: だまで！どんな車！(Shut up! Which car!)

[RK]: うずうず言っているね。八六だ。(You speak irritably. An Eight-Six.)

[AY]: 八六?! (An Eight-Six?!)

[RK]: 貴方。。。八六を買った。見えた。(You...bought an Eight-Six. I could see it.)

[AY]: 不可能だ！(Impossible!)

[KF]: Hey Nate, sorry I'm la-

[AY]: What?

[KF]: What? You two?

[RK]: Did you forget, I'm a hacker. With his phone number.

[KF]: Oh.

*[KF] puts her face in her palm*
[KF]: You're an asshole, how did I fall for that.

[RK]: Because you couldn't have known, have you.

[AY]: これ、終わらないよ！(This isn't over!)

[RK]: 糞、まだまだね。(Damn, not good enough huh.)

[KF]: At least speak English.

[AY]: Kari, would you know anything about cars?

[KF]: Depends.

[AY]: Manual trans...transmission? Manual cars.

[KF]: What are you getting at, huh? Why did you two even drag me here?

[RK]: She wants to race. A pride issue of hers.

[KF]: In what, her countless supercar collection? She'd easily outrun us and drift the corners roughly.

[AY]: You think I'm reckless?

[KF]: Is that the first thing you think of? Yes, I guess I do.

[AY]: And I bet you couldn't race for anything. I've got a P1, Haurya, GT40, Sesto Elemento, Huracan...

[RK]: I've found an Eight-Six.

[KF]: The Toyota one from a century ago?

[RK]: Yeah, that one.

[AY]: It's unfair!

[KF]: Don't you have one yourself? I'm sure you could buy one. Or steal one, but what's the difference.

[AY]: Yeah, but it's an AE86 Turbo. Not the same.

[RK]: And I've somehow acquired the Trueno, Sprinter Trueno.

[KF]: That *is* hard to get.

[AY]: I just found out about this too, and I just bought my AE86 Turbo too. Apparently that's why Ren here somehow has the classic Trueno.

[RK]: And you think it's about what car is the fastest, not anything else?

[AY]: It's about leaving your opponents in the dust!

[RK]: 突っ走りましょ。(Then let's race.)

[AY]: 一決よ！(Fine!)

[KF]: What's anyone saying?

*[KF] sighs*
[KF]: Am I going to be dragged into this, like always?

[RK]: Most likely.

[AY]: You're racing too!

[KF]: Verdammt...

[RK]: Aki, you're outnumbered two to one here. Reasonable versus unreasonable. Have three racers and one might crash. Violently.

[AY]: Ok, fine. Just us two. But she has to be there.

[KF]: Why?

[RK]: Yes, why?

[AY]: She hates us both, should be unbiased to the winner.

[RK]: Sometimes I wonder what Ashton sees in you other than the obvious.

[KF]: I'm leaving, and I don't want to be in your stupid Eight Six dogfight.

[AY]: Funny you got your hands on a Testarossa, Ren.

[RK]: Hmm?

[AY]: I got one too, just before you found one for yourself.

[RK]: Purely coincidence. Both of us a fan of a particular song, at that.

[AY]: Nothing more.

[RK]: Is that so.

[KF]: Mein gott, du bist nervig.

.

.

**Second Stage [AY] [RK] [NH] [AsM] [KF] [HA] [SP] and [AM] 8.19.2088 at 2200 hrs**

[RK]: Why are so many people here?

[AY]: Because I told them! What's a race when no one's there to see it?

[RK]: Because it doesn't have to be for attention, I did it to shut you up yet again.

[AY]: Why do you gotta ruin my fun every time I try to enjoy life like an actual normal person?

[RK]: You are the most immature person for your age, I'm sure of it.

[AY]: Hey, where's Kari?

[RK]: Well, I had noticed a look in her eye back in your office.

[AY]: What kinda look?

[RK]: Spacing out, thinking rather intensively on something. I'm sure I'm not the only one caught off guard by her absence.

[AsM]: This should be interesting

[NH]: I guess Aki's got to protect her pride somehow.

[AsM]: Well, Ren did challenge her to her favorite passtime.

[NH]: Proves me right.

[AsM]: Didn't say you weren't.

[AM]: The both of them, I don't know much about you but I still gotta feel bad.

[AsM]: I think I see how.

[NH]: What are you doing here?

[AM]: Don't lose your cool, now.

[NH]: I wasn't.

[AM]: I think all of this is an amazing mishap, I don't imagine it it'll go well.

[NH]: I don't even know why I'm here other than that Kari wanted me to take her place to start their race, something she needed to do or whatever.

[AM]: I came simply to...see if I was right about something.

[NH]: Well,

[AsM]: Oh, that reminds me. Nate?

[NH]: Yeah?

[AsM]: Where *is* Kari?

[HA]: I dunno what to expect, I mean, Aki is really good at driving her P1. But Ren, I don't know how she drives anything. I've never seen her drive anything, actually. Let alone an F512.

[SP]: The Testarossa is an astounding marvel of a car for Ferrari in its production times. Regardless, the McLaren outclasses it and ultimately outdates the F512 by decades. Sometimes, it's not precisely about what car a driver could be operating. A crucial misunderstanding is that the cars are only catalysts for the deviants who lie within them.

[HA]: Do you think Ren could win?

[SP]: After doing a lot of homework after this event's announcement, it could be all too possible.

[HA]: I'm still trying to master the AE86 myself, I'm surprised neither of them are using those. Aki says she got an 86 Turbo, and I'm sure I heard Ashton say Ren found herself the actual 86. The Trueno.

[SP]: Such rumors have to be created from somewhere, otherwise how should we expect them to exist? Not to say to believe rumors, but consider their production.

[HA]: True.

[AY]: Come on, let's race silly you.

[RK]: Don't berate me with such comments.

[NH]: Alright then, we'll start in ten seconds.

[RK]: I don't know what she thinks she's making here. Almost seems completely staged.

*[NH] sighs*
[NH]: Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Go!

*[AY] pulls forward, in her P1*
*[RK] is close behind, in her F512*
*[KF] then rushes past to follow, in a Panda Trueno*
[AsM]: What the...

[HA]: Wha- then, who's that?

[AM]: It seems I was right, someone did pull the Takumi trick.

.

.

**Third Stage [AY] [RK] [NH] [AsM] [KF] [HA] [SP] [AleM] and [AM] 8.19.2088 at 2205 hrs**

[AY]: You think I'm gonna let up? I'll show you I know what I'm talking about!

[RK]: First corner is coming soon, I wonder if she'll clear it.

[AY]: Even I know it's harder to keep speed up on an RR car, it's too back heavy.

[RK]: She seems to not know how to drift continuously in an RA car for too long, or maybe that was one error.

*[AY] brake drifts sideways, taking up the entire road as [RK] mimics her trying to pass*

[AY]: Knowing the F512, it's better at keeping up with me in the corners. Rear wheel, manual transmission... How she attacks the inside, I don't know how she even can keep up with me. I won't let her pass!

[RK]: She keeps blocking the inside, well practiced technique. Hmm? What's this, someone behind me?

[AY]: Is there someone behind Ren?

[RK]: Huh, let's see if they can keep up with me.

*As the next corner reaches them, [RK] attempts to block [KF] from passing on the inside as [AY] again does the same to her*

[RK]: An Eight-Six? What is this?

*All reenter the straightaway in line*

[RK]: They're keeping up with my F512, this person know what they're doing.

[AY]: They're still following us. Huh, they have experience. Lots of it.

*As the curves in the mountain pass begin to increase, the AE86 is able to keep right on the F512's bumper as the F512 is up against the P1's bumper*

[RK]: Aki thinks her arrogant course knowledge applies only to herself. Clearly she underestimates my amount of espionage and frequent travels here. And, this Eight-Six is about the same. Could it be...?

[AY]: The Eight-Six is still following us, damn. There's only one other person who could have driven around this pass that I didn't see in the crowd.

*The three take a sharp right turn simultaneously drifting after one another as the P1 and F512 speed off into the straightaway somehow barely leaving the AE86 in the dust*

[RK]: I know this isn't the last we've seen of this Eight-Six.

[AY]: It must be...

[RK] and [AY]: Kari?

*The F512 pulls to the outside to attempt to brake-drift past the P1, who's blocking the inside. The AE86 then narrowly brake-drifts in second gear sliding past the F512*

[RK]: Why didn't I see it coming? This is unbelievable! What was I thinking, rashly trying to pass Aki.

[AY]: I didn't know Kari could even drive a car that well, is this a nightmare?

*As the trio pulls forward into the straightaway, they approach the first audience checkpoint.*

[AleM]: Here they come! Wait, there's three of them?

*Radio-* [AsM]: We saw the AE86 car follow just after they started, that's what it was I think.

*Radio-* [NH]: Yeah, an Eight-Six.

*Radio-* [AsM]: We think it's Kari.

[AleM]: Wait, for real? Damn!

*The F512 then pulls over on a dirt path*

[RK]: You've beaten me, IQ. I bet you can get her too. グッドラック、ね.

*[RK] then gets out, leans on the car and stares into the night sky.*

[AleM]: The Testarossa was passed on the fifth corner, and it looks like it pulled over! That's Ren, right?

*Radio-* [AsM]: Huh, what?

*Starting Line-* [NH]: Huh.

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: Nate, did you have any idea Kari was capable of this?

*Starting Line-* [NH]: Uh, yeah. Maybe. She once mentioned a case of grand theft auto she had as a police officer and how people reacted the same way they do when Aki speeds down the streets. That's how she put it, but I think she meant like they were both good drivers.

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: That doesn't really explain why she's this good.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: She never really explained that.

*Starting Line-* [HA]: No way, the Eight-Six passed Ren! And she was in an F512!

*Starting Line-* [SP]: Well, they were both cars initially manufactured within 1985, regardless that the AE86 stopped production two years after while the F512 continued onto 1996.

*Starting Line-* [HA]: But, the F512 is a classic sports car. The Eight-Six is...

*Starting Line-* [SP]: Technically, also a sports car.

*Starting Line-* [HA]: But, how did Kari pass Ren?

*Starting Line-* [SP]: She must've slipped up, and let enough space for Kari to subsequently pass beyond. My best hypothesis is for her to pass on the inside, as the Eight-Six is best with drift control in narrow passages. Specifically, the mastery of brake-drifting.

*Starting Line-* [AM]: You know, Nate, you should really get to know Kari more! She seems nice.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: Ah, well fuck you too!

*Starting Line-* [AM]: I don't see how y'all gotten so close without knowing too much 'bout each other.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: We both kinda keep our childhood out of the picture, I guess that means it left us in shock at this race because of it. Doesn't really concern you.

*Starting Line-* [AM]: Very well.

[AY]: Huh, someone with fog-lights pulled over! I guess Kari couldn't take the heat.

*The two attack the corner only inches from each other, enough to stare eye to eye*

[AY]: WHAT?! The Eight-Six?! That means... Ren...

[AleM]: The Eight-Six and P1 just passed our corner, and the Eight-Six was right on the P1's bumper! I've never seen such a close attack to a supercar like this!

*Radio-* [AsM]: Fly ahead to the next checkpoint and give us better detail, I'm sure the others would appreciate that.

[AY]: I can't believe this! She made Ren give up, and almost halfway through the race. Fine! I'll get what I wanted this whole time.

*As a full 180 degree turn approaches, the P1 begins the handbrake-initiated drift on the inside as the AE86 brake-drift wide outside, the two both taking up both lanes doing so*

[AY]: I just can't shake her off, there's too many turns to speed far ahead of her!

[AleM]: On my way to the other checkpoint and I just saw Aki and....Kari, yeah her, attack the full one-eighty and I had to stop and watch. It was so amazing how clean the turn was as they stayed inches away from each other! It was almost like it was watching the same person take the turn twice...at the same time.

*Radio-* [AsM]: Now I'm starting to believe Aki might not make it.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: You know, it's actually worth the wait. I am too.

[AY]: There's no way that old Eight-Six should be keeping up with me!

*As the AE86 and P1 take continuous hairpin turns, only feet away from each other, they approach the second checkpoint with surprising proximity*

[AY]: I'm starting to think I'm gonna lose, how can this be? No, I won't lose this race! Never stop and never surrender!

*The P1 begins to approach the cluster of hairpins in the lead with the AE86 only meters away*

[AY]: 始める！

*The P1 takes the corner with treacherous speed and the AE86 mocks just behind, both nearly drifting at nearly 100 mph*

[AleM]: I can hear them approaching, I'd say only at the first hairpin turn.

*Radio-* [AsM]: 10-4, update upon their arrival.

*Starting Line-* [HA]: I feel like this is all too familiar.

*Starting Line-* [SP]: Preposterous, possibly.

*Starting Line-* [AM]: Tell me, Nate, who chose this course?

*Starting Line-* [NH]: Aki did.

*Starting Line-* [AM]: It seems extremely reminiscent of Mt. Haruna.

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: Where?

*Starting Line-* [AM]: Mount Haruna, also called Mount Akina. There was a legend from when I was very, very young and even before then of an Eight-Six who ran undefeated in tons of races on that mountain. It began with a straightaway, then evolved into corners, and lastly ended with five hairpin corners. Just like this pass.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: You think Aki did that on purpose?

*Starting Line-* [AM]: Yes, if she knows about...

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: You mean that one kid she always talks about?

*Starting Line-* [AM]: Takumi Fujiwara.

[AleM]: Second turn, they're closer.

*[AY] begins to feel nervous as the end draws near, and still the AE86 pursues her with great success*

[AY]: You don't got much time now, Kari. We've almost ended, and I was hoping I'd have more fun racing you than I would have Ren.

*The third turn is passed with much excitement as the AE86 attempts to pass the P1 on the outside*

[AY]: Don't pass me on the outside! You're insane, you'll crash!

[AleM]: Third turn, almost here!

[AY]: Fine, I'll just take up the whole lane then if you wanna be like that! You can't win!

*[AY] then uses the fourth turn to prevent [KF] from passing by drifting on both lanes*

[AleM]: Fourth turn, nearly here.

*Radio-* [AsM]: Got it, be on standby.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: There's not a lot of road left on the pass. After the fifth, it's a straightaway into a three-way intersection back on a freeway to the city.

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: I know, and the tension is actually killing me. I don't know who to root for.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: Aki would hate to hear that.

[AleM]: Here they are!

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: Oh shit, what's gonna happen.

*The P1 begins to nervously drift to the middle of the road, to attempt to prevent [KF] from passing while also drifting to exit the corner as fast as possible*

[AY]: What the hell is she doing? Is she gonna hit me?

*A loud scraping sound is heard as the AE86 passes the P1 with incredible speed and turning power*

[AY]: What the fuck?

[AleM]: The P1 is taking up the middle of the road, and the Eight-Six is so close to her that they might collide!

*[AsM], [NH], and [AM] nervously await the results of the turn with stern looks of anticipation*

[AleM]: The Eight-Six just passed the P1! And so fast too, I don't understand! There's no way she should have turned so sharply!

*There are no words from [AsM] and [AY] as they stare in shock*

*Starting Line-* [AM]: Hmph, surprising.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: Well shit.

[AY]: What just happened.

[AleM]: I can't believe it, the Eight-Six won! There is goes, down the road and into the intersection!

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: I don't know what to say, shit.

*[AY] oversteers the turn and nearly crashes exiting the fifth hairpin turn, which then she spins out to the right side curb*

 [AleM]: And Aki spun out at the end.

*Starting Line-* [NH]: I was waiting for that to happen.

*Starting Line-* [AsM]: Hey, fuck you.

[AY]: Unbelieveable...

**0035 hrs**

*The F512 pulls up behind the P1 and [AY] leaning on the driver side door, which then [RK] parks behind the P1 and exits*

 [RK]: Have you been here for the last 45 minutes, just as I have longer?

[AY]: Yeah...ever since she passed me at that corner over fucking there.

[RK]: As I drove by on my way here a moment ago, I realized why it is you lost. That is, after consulting with those at the starting line.

[AY]: I already know, I went and checked the tire marks.

[RK]: The storm drain, she used it like a guiding track.

[AY]: How did I not see it coming, I had been practicing on this pass for years.

[RK]: For her, maybe about the same amount of time. It all led up to this moment.

[AY]: Why did I have to get so cocky.

*[AY] pulls out another pack of smokes, just after discarding her previous one*

 [RK]: You were desperate, maybe.

[AY]: Who *is* she, even. I feel like I don't know her anymore.

[RK]: All we, and especially you, can do is move on.

[AY]: Word's gonna spread that I lost on my own turf.

[RK]: You know, she's too used to having that happen too.

[AY]: Huh?

[RK]: You might not understand, as you just asked who she was.

[AY]: Heh, whatever. Smoke?

[RK]: No.

[AY]: Suit yourself. Hey, you want to know what puzzles me the most outta all of this?

[RK]: What might that be?

[AY]: The license plate on her Eight-Six. It was Japanese.

[RK]: Hmm?

[AY]: 13 - 954, Takumi's license plate number. From nearly 100 years ago.

[RK]: We know Kari less and less as time persists.

[AY]: You know what they say.

[RK]: The beat goes on.

[AY]: Badadum-dadum-dada.

**0830 hrs**

*[KF] and [NH] are preparing to return to Bonn, Germany*

[KF]: I'm taking that car back.

[NH]: Huh?

[KF]: The Eight-Six. It's priceless if you know why.

[NH]: Fine, I mean, it is your home.

[KF]: Oh and Nate...

[NH]: Yeah?

[KF]: A full tank of gas, right? Heh heh.

[NH]: Huh, funny. Very funny.

*end*