//------------------------------// // Act 17: Dogfight against Spitfire! // Story: The Eight-Six Duo // by Fujimi200SX //------------------------------// Grab some popcorn everyone! This is gonna be a long one! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Luna braced herself as the 86 slid around the left curve, wincing as the curve tightened. Why did I let Takumi drive at 90%!? She wondered. Now we are going to crash! The tires continued squealing as she felt the car rotate faster. The G-Forces also increased. She waited for the bang that was to be heard once they smacked the guardrail. ... The tires stopped squealing. She could feel the car accelerating. She slowly opened her eyes to find that they had not crashed. They had in fact cleared the corner faster than ever and were continuing downhill. She slumped back in her seat, closing her eyes and exhaling. I do not think I will ever get entirely used to his driving. EEEEEEEEEE! Yuichi Tachibana was pushing his Camry faster than he ever had. Having dabbled in street racing years ago, he knew generally what lines to take. While he wasn't fast, he was still moving faster than anyone had ever seen a Camry move. Why didn't I get the XV40 with the V6!? Yuichi wondered. This 2 Liter Four Banger isn't helping me at all! RingRingRing! RingRi- Yuichi picked up his phone. "What?" "You seem em'?" Iketani asked. "Not yet I don't. I haven't gone this fast in years. I'm gonna blow a gasket or something. Wait, is that him?" Yuichi watched the hairpin ahead light up and gasped when the AE86 flew around it, coming right at him. "I SEE HIM!" BEEE-BEEEEEEP! Yuichi blared his horn and flashed his headlights, doing everything he could to get the 86's attention. Things seemed to move in slow motion as the 86 zipped by, brilliant mystical fire emitting from the entire car. Yuichi's eyes widened as he looked at the interior. Or at least, tried to look at the interior. The windows were totally black. vrOOoommm! The 86 accelerated in the opposite direction as Yuichi brought his car to a quick stop, staring at the 86 in his rearview mirror. "That's not natural... Those flames..." EEEE! Luna watched the Camry rocket by as it blared its horn and flashed its headlights. "Was that a friend of yours?" She asked. "What?" "Back there. The car we just passed." "What car? Only car I saw up here was that S13 towards the top." "Huh? How? We have been passing several cars. You have come excruciatingly close to several. There is no way you have not seen one." "Are you playing headgames with me? Luna, I only saw that S13. That's it. I haven't seen any other car." Luna stared at him for a moment before closing her eyes again. Could I be so unsure of his driving that my eyes are deceiving me? She wondered. Soon, they were off the mountain and speeding off towards the highway. Takumi watched as the speed climbed and climbed, hearing the speed chime ding to tell him he was doing over 60MPH. He braked suddenly and swerved onto an onramp, smoothly, then accelerated again onto the highway. Well past 100 miles per hour. Back on Mount Akina, Yuichi stood next to his car with a cigarette in hand, looking at where the 86 had gone. Soon, he heard a Mint-Green S13 approach and stop close by. Iketani and Kenji emerged. "Boss! I thought you saw him?" Iketani asked. "I... don't know. Boys, did you see anything weird about the 86?" The younger men looked at each other. "No," Iketani replied, looking back. "Looked like Takumi's 86." "Nothing like a bunch of white fire coming off the back?" "What th- no? Absolutely not." "Though..." Kenji trailed. "What?" "It did kinda seem to flicker." "Flicker?" Yuichi asked. "Like an aberration in a photo. I thought it was my eyes screwing with me." "Hmmm..." Iketani rubbed his chin. "Yeah actually. I saw the same thing." The men stared at each other in silence for several moments. "I hate to say it," Yuichi began. "but I think Takumi might've actually become the White Ghost of Akina." 9:49PM, Wonderbolt Training Academy. "That kid better not have backed down." She growled, eyeing the time. "I didn't blow a hundred bits on track day for nothing." "Maybe he's just stuck in traffic?" Thunderlane suggested. "At night?" Fleetfoot shook her head. "Get real. Almost nopony drives at night." Spitfire groaned. "I told him it was at ten. TEN." "Well. I mean, Spitfire, if you want to just race me instead, that'll satisfy the members." Spitfire considered the option. Fleetfoot did have an R32 GT-R. One with working rear steering at that, something that was actually pretty hard to come by these days. "Sure. If he isn't on this mountain in ten minutes, we'll do that." vroooOOOOooommm "I'd be lying if I said I had hit this thing's top speed before," Takumi admitted as he eyed the speedometer, which said they were doing a little over 200KPH, or 124MPH. Though the RPM stayed at around 7000. "Why is your car tuned like this?" Luna asked, secretly loving the high speed. "The car should easily be able to go faster, right?" "I think my dad tuned fifth gear like this because he didn't like how the engine sounded on the highway. Something about not liking how high it would rev." "Understandable." Ponyville and Mount Bolt came into view. Upon seeing this, Takumi gently turned left and right. He grew concerned. "We need to stop by Ponyville." Luna looked at him. "What?" "These tires. They're fine for now but I can't use them for the race." "We are going to be cutting it very close." "Well then we're gonna have to change them out like a professional team. I am NOT kidding, I cannot race on these tires." Luna stared at him, unsure if they would be able to make that kind of a pit stop. So she did the one thing she could do. Stare ahead, close her eyes, and mentally prepare. "Well I'm not going." "Oh come on Dash!" Itsuki exclaimed. "What's wrong with going up to Mount Bolt?" "I don't want to be spotted. Alright?" Dash defended. "I don't want to get kicked out." Itsuki sighed. "Fiiiine. How about this. I'll go check it out and tell you how it goes, alright?" "Yeah... yeah. Sure. You can do that. Just check if nopony is up there." "Will do." Itsuki sat in his idling 86 Levin and put it into first gear, easily taking off on the dirt with Mount Bolt in his sights. He checked the rearview mirror to see Dash fly into Twilight's castle. If I just get along with her, she'll like me more. He thought. Except I really wish she would come with me. Driving with her is just the best. Soon, he made his way onto tarmac and approached the mountain road. Though something was off. There were lights scattered in seemingly random places on the mountain. It was a sight he knew quite well, actually. "Street Race!" He punched the throttle, knowing he had brand new tires. If there were street racers up here, then that meant he could show off what he could do. "And Dash said she might get caught racing. No way she'd get caught out with other racers!" The 4A-GEU revved high into the 7000's as he approached the first corner. He braked and swerved hard into the turn, not breaking any more traction than he needed to to obtain optimal cornering. vroooOOOooommm! "Woah!" A Wonderbolt exclaimed as he watched the Levin pass by. "Anypony know who owns the red AE86?" Spitfire, up top, was confused. "Wait, RED AE86?" "Yeah. Red and Black Levin. Carbon Fiber hood and silver rims by the looks of it." The member replied. "Nah, none of us own an AE86." Another member said. "Then how the heck did an outsider find out!?" "I don't know!" Another member radioed through. "I see him now. Not gonna lie, whoever this guy is is pretty good at drifting." Spitfire activated her radio again. "I think I may know who that is." "Do you?" "Maybe." Luna tightened the bolts on a rim as fast as she could. The millisecond she was done, she grabbed the stands with her magic and dropped the car onto the ground. "Hey! Watch it!" Takumi snapped as he tightened the last of his bolts. "Sorry! I forgot about the suspension." "This suspension has been through a lot worse than a small drop," Takumi explained as he opened the door and got in. "I was worried about getting my hoof pinched between the tire and fender." THUNK! He wasted no time thrusting the stick shift into first gear and pressing hard on the gas. This caused a plume of smoke to shoot out the back as he accelerated away through Ponyville at high speed. Luna, having stepped aside to avoid the dirt, facehoofed. "We really should have gotten new tires on the outskirts of town." Within a split second, excitement overcame her as she remembered the pending race. She quickly unfurled her wings and took to the sky, shooting off after the Panda Trueno. A moment later, on Mount Bolt, Itsuki was giving everypony a real show. He showed off his use of slip angle and weight-shift knowledge, and by now was halfway up the mountain. "Wow! This guy can drive!" A member remarked through a radio as he watched the Levin zip by. "HOLY SHIT!!!" A voice exclaimed through the radio. Initial D 3rd Stage The Movie Original Sound Tracks - Kessenmae! starts playing. (Nani!? THIRD STAGE sound files?!) Spitfire picked up her radio. "What? What is it?" "If you think that Levin can- SWEET CELESTIA! If you think that LEVIN can drive? Check out this Panda Trueno!" "Panda Trueno?" A member asked. "Panda Tru-" Spitfire gasped with realization. She turned to face Fleetfoot, Thunderlane, and Soarin. She chuckled. "The kid actually showed up." Fleetfoot returned the smile. "Great. You should probably get uh..." She eyed the stallions next to her. "You know." "Huh?" Thunderlane asked. Spitfire nodded. "Be right back. Tonight is going to be one Helluva night after all." Fleetfoot watched Spitfire take off towards her office. "Yes. Yes, it will be." A little down the mountain, Takumi rounded a bend, trying to conserve his tires as much as possible. Up ahead he spotted taillights. He curiously tilted his head. Far above, Luna flew, also eyeing the car. "Is that another 86?" They both asked. As he quickly approached the car's bumper, it became clear that it was indeed another 86. And, to Takumi, all he needed to see was the license plate to know who it was. "God dammit Itsuki. You're up here too?" Up ahead, Itsuki instantly recognized his friend coming up the rear. "Woah! Oh HELL yeah Takumi! I should have known the only reason this many people would be on a mountain was because YOU were gonna show up!" Without hesitation, he beeped twice and nailed the throttle, quickly shifting gears as he gripped through a left corner with his friend right on his bumper. VROOOM! "Woah!" A member yelled in surprise. "It's a pair! A pair of 86's!" The 86's braked and steered hard into a right hairpin, drifting at speed through the inside and exiting. "It's not a pair of 86's!" Another exclaimed. "It's an EIGHT-SIX DUO!" Spitfire's voice rang out over the radio. "I FREAKING KNEW IT! I KNEW THEY WERE RELATED!" EEEEEEEEEEE! Takumi smiled as he followed Itsuki. Itsuki had been using his slip angle technique, though Takumi continued to grip, preferring to save as much tire strength as he could. After a moment, Itsuki took the hint and started gripping as well. "Oh I freaking LOVE this!" Itsuki exclaimed. "Driving uphill with my best friend in a couple-a 86's towards a big race! WOO!" Both cars gripped in tandem, both speeding uphill. Takumi had no idea why he continued to follow Itsuki when he could blow by him and make it to the race. He supposed he just felt like it. Eyeing the time, he was pleasantly surprised to find he had a full four minutes before ten. Members cheered as they watched the high-speed show the cars were giving them. Even with the slow acceleration, the way they maintained speed going uphill was amazing to watch. The way they turned, the way they used the tires' grip without causing too much wear, those who were observant couldn't help but feel most intrigued in how these two Econoboxes did it. Soarin and Thunderlane leaned on their respective cars on one side of the road, while Fleetfoot sat on the ground next to hers on the other side. They could hear the engines in the distance. "Ahem." A voice cleared her throat next to Soarin, causing him to look over at the newcomer. He chuckled at the sight he saw. "Oh-hohohohohhh... Spitfire... You can't be serious..." "Hell yeah I am." EEEEEEEEEEEE! Takumi and Itsuki rounded the final bend. Upon exiting, Takumi swung inside and instantly passed Itsuki, swerving in front and letting off the gas. Itsuki took the hint and did the same, and the two slowed down as they approached the starting line. "Wow. They really know how to make an entrance, don't they?" Soarin remarked, seeing the 86's cruise towards them and pull off to the side of the road. Takumi and Itsuki slowed to a stop, taking their 86's out of gear and opening the doors to get out. Takumi was the first to open his, with Itsuki close behind. The former began walking over, eyeing the purple S14. "Thought you'd never show up." A voice rang out. Takumi's eyes focused on a mare in what looked like a full-fledged racing suit. She reminds me of Tomoyuki. He mused. "Spitfire, right?" Spitfire nodded. "I'm not late, am I?" "Not at all. Though, how do you expect to race properly without a prior run?" "I'll be fine. I've done this sort of thing before." Spitfire smirked before eyeing Itsuki. "I see you brought your friend." Takumi eyed Itsuki, who now stood next to him. "This is Itsuki. Itsuki Takeuchi," He explained, looking back at her. "I know. We met yesterday... man, I can't believe it. Two new Alicorns, both of em' stallions, who street race." "Yep!" Itsuki boasted. "Me and Takumi are best friends. Our friends back home called us the Eight-Six Duo. That's what we're gonna be known as from now on. Also, I should've freaking known you were a street racer!" Takumi rolled his eyes. "The Eight-Six Duo huh? One of the members called you that when you came up. So. Itsuki, I take it you're also up here for a race?" "Well since I'm up here, hell yeah I am! I'm gonna need a few runs though. I'm not a oneshot god like Takumi." "In that case, hey, Thunderlane?" Thunderlane stepped forward. "What?" "How about you and your E30 Evo race Itsuki? Say, 11? That should give him enough time to practice." Thunderlane eyed Itsuki and his 86. "Why not. I haven't raced anyone in a hot minute." "YES!" Itsuki exclaimed. "Perfect. Anyways." Spitfire eyed Takumi. "Here are the rules. This'll be a classic time attack. First to the bottom winds. Have you done that before?" Takumi nodded. Spitfire blinked in surprise. "Really? I thought ponies mostly did cat and mouse races." "Back home I went through a lot of Time Attacks." He explained. "To be honest, I'm surprised you're going with one." "I just want to make this a race of speed instead of endurance is all. Anyways, I take it you know Racer's Etiquette?" "Racer's Etiquette?" "As in, no intentional bumps and stuff like that." "Oh. Of course." "Alright then. So yeah. No bumping, and since you're an Alicorn, no using magic on your car to gain an advantage. I know when ponies are using magic." "I wasn't going to use magic anyways." Spitfire was surprised. She could sense the sincerity. "Really? Wow. Anyways, with that being said, are you ready to start this?" Takumi nodded. "Then let's get lined up." Takumi and Spitfire walked over to their cars. Spitfire watched Takumi slowly turn around. She gasped. "Wait... those are polyurethane windows!" She exclaimed. "Those weren't there last night!" She glanced down at the tires. Her eyes widened. "Those are soft tires... Damn. This kid ain't playing around." Nearby, hidden behind some bushes, Luna watched the situation unfold with a spell of hearing. She let out a mewl as Takumi and Spitfire lined up. "Come on Takumi. You can do this." She quietly encouraged. Takumi sat at the starting line, watching Soarin walk in front to stand in the middle of the road. "Go Takumi!" He heard Itsuki yell. He couldn't help but smile as Itsuki ran over. He rolled the window down. "What?" He asked. "You aren't going to believe this, but I heard of the radio that you've got some people betting on you," Itsuki explained. Takumi was confused. "Why? From what I can gather, the people around here look down on our 86's more than back home." "Who cares? Oh! By the way, I'm gonna be following you guys from behind. If I'm racing Thunderlane, I'm gonna need all the practice I can get." "Hm. Alright. There are spare tires in Ponyville if you need them." "Really? Alright, got it. Now come on! You've beaten an S14 before! You can beat another!" Takumi smiled. "Thanks." "See ya!" Itsuki ran back to his 86 and jumped in, quickly turning around. Takumi looked over at Spitfire, who stared back with a smile. He stared ahead, taking in a breath. I am about to race the leader of this world's Wonderbolts, who is a Military Officer in an S14. Really, what the heck is it with people of high authority street racing? I wouldn't be surprised if Twilight raced. He took a quick glance at Spitfire. Feels like I'm about to race Tomoyuki. He thought, eyeing Spitfire's uniform. She's a bit more playful than him but... He sighed. I wonder how it feels. To drive a Left Hand Drive Car. Spitfire took a deep breath in, closing her eyes. This isn't good. The kid isn't phased at all by me wearing my uniform. And judging by his clear lack of fear on the mountain pass, simply driving as fast as possible isn't going to cut it. I'll need to drive defensively. With how fast he was last night, he'll be taking any opening he can get. My reflexes are gonna need to be sharp to keep him at bay. Soarin spoke into a radio. "Is the road clear?" "Finish line. We're good." One member stated. "Middle. Nopony here." Another said. "Perfect." Soarin placed the radio down and raised his wings high in the sky. "Alright! I'm gonna start the countdown!" Manuel - Feel The Night starts playing. (HERE WE FREAKING GO!) Nearby, Luna quietly squeed with delight. "10! 9!" Itsuki sat parked behind Takumi's 86. The goofiest smile appeared on his face as he lightly revved his engine. "8! 7! Spitfire revved her S14. Its SR20VET rumbled with power. "6! 5!" By far the most aggressive engine that revved, was none other than Takumi's Formula Atlantic 4A-GEU. The exposed Individual Throttle Bodies helped to amplify the sound, and the custom exhaust let it rev smoothly and efficiently. Every Wonderbolt in the area knew that the car their captain was racing was not the average hatchback they thought it was. "4!" Takumi pressed his hooves against the wheel. Everything else in his life was gone. The thoughts of being Forever Young, being in a different world, or being a super important being. It was him against the road. "3! 2! 1" Soarin paused for a second as he saw the determined looks on both racers' faces. "GO!" He swept his wings down. The cars launched hard off the line, passing by Soarin so fast he barely had time to think. A second later, Itsuki followed the two racers but was quickly left behind. Takumi was surprisingly able to accelerate ahead of Spitfire. This lead quickly vanished however as Spitfire's superior power and torque shot her ahead. "Here we go!" Luna exclaimed as she unfurled her wings and took to the skies. She was ecstatic! THIS was what truely happened during her night! Ponies participated in one of the best sports she had ever laid eyes on! She was going to look upon the sport with unparalleled pride! Spitfire shifted gears as fast as she could as they traveled through a slight left bend. She let off the throttle as she approached a slight right, followed by a left corner. She was back on the throttle the moment the corner ended but was quickly on the brakes as she swerved through a hard right corner. Using advanced grip technique, Spitfire carried good speed through the corner and gained great acceleration out of it. Though she wasn't able to stay on the throttle for long, as another quick but hard right corner followed. Trailbraking. Use trailbraking. That should give me a good edge. She thought as she steered. Takumi followed behind, quickly gaining his lost ground back with use of his incredible slip-angle technique. He cleared both corners and was closing in on Spitfire's bumper. Even from those two corners, I can tell she's fast. He noted. Both cars flew around a left corner. Takumi was now right on Spitfire's bumper. They both sped through a soft left-right-left chicane at full throttle before braking for a quick right corner. At least, Spitfire braked, forcing Takumi to do the same. They accelerated down a straightaway before braking and steering into a right corner. Takumi copied Spitfire's technique to a tee, following mere centimeters behind. Acceleration through a right corner, the fiery mare looked back to spot Takumi's 86 right behind him. As expected, he's right behind me. That's his car's specialty. Outright maneuverability. Even with my Super HICAS rear steering, his agility has him at an advantage. She looked ahead, eyes narrowing. All I need to do is cover as many inside lines as I can, and he'll never pass. Around a left turn they sped. They braked hard and steered into a right corner, neither dropping a hair more speed than they needed to. They pulled some serious G's coming out of the corner as they accelerated, the 86 continuing to stick to the S14's bumper. Up above, Luna watched both cars speed at full throttle through a series of left and right curves. She was astonished at how close Takumi was following Spitfire. It is like he has no fear of her suddenly braking! She thought. Even with Spitfire's Rear Wheel Steering, Takumi is following her like a ghost! How is he able to adapt so quickly to follow a mare who has been racing for five years?! EEEEEEEEEEEE! Tires squealed as Takumi and Spitfire braked and did a full parallel drift through the inside of a HARD left turn. They countersteered and snapped the other direction into a hard right turn, continuing the tandem. "These two are insane!" A member shouted through a radio. "That Sprinter Trueno is one aggressive piece on the road! I NEVER thought it could do this well!" Both cars switched directions again into a left hairpin, both using slip angle through the inside. Spitfire grunted as she struggled to countersteer. The problem with drifting something that has rear wheel steering is that the rear wheels want to straighten you out. They exited the hairpin and accelerated. But in order to keep him from passing me, I have to do it. It's a tradeoff of tire strength, but it's worth it. Their speeds increased dramatically down a straightaway. Though Takumi was right on Spitfire's bumper, the S14 easily began to pull away with its increased power and torque. She's fast. He thought. He heard the speed chime sound as Spitfire braked ahead. He braked later than her and cleared the corner faster, easily narrowing the gap. Nonetheless, he continued throttling hard, catching up slowly but surely. Both he and Spitfire braked and entered a left corner, Spitfire gripping while Takumi used slip angle. He caught right back up to her bumper as they exited. Spitfire once again pulled away in the straightaway, gaining half a second's lead on Takumi. She braked and steered into the corner, expertly using her Super HICAS Rear Wheel Steering to gain a tighter line. Following quickly behind, Takumi steered through the corner faster than her. Spitfire looked back, seeing the 86 catching up again. I gotta say, I'm impressed. That thing has outdated solid axle rear suspension that normally makes the rear end kick out. Yet this kid is handling it like it doesn't have that quirk. She braked and steered into a left corner with Takumi hot on her tail. "Nopony has EVER stuck to Spitfire for this long!" A member yelled as he watched the cars fly by. "That Sprinter's driving is unreal!" They gripped around the inside of a left curve. Takumi was back on Spitfire's bumper. Any closer and he would bump her. Speaking of the mare, she looked back. Damn. He's still there! Takumi turned slightly to the outside of the turn. Spitfire winced as she blocked. Unknown to her was that Takumi had duped her. He nailed the throttle and took the inside from her. "Shoot!" Spitfire yelled the second she noticed. She quickly shook her head and regained composure. "No. There's a straightaway after this. I'll pull ahead." As the corner ended, Takumi saw the S14 begin to speed ahead again. His expression didn't change. I cost her some tire strength. That'll come in handy later. Far Far Behind, Itsuki raced downhill with a radio duct-taped to the dashboard. "The Sprinter went for an inside attack but Spitfire pulled ahead! A member said through the radio. "Yeah! Come on Takumi!" He exclaimed. "You'll catch her in the corners! I know you will!" Takumi's hoof pressed the pedal against the floor as he bumpdrafted Spitfire. He forced himself to get as close as possible so he encountered as minimal air resistance as possible to make up for his power disadvantage. It worked, and he stuck mere centimeters behind. Spitfire looked at the mirror and was surprised at how close the AE86 was. What!? He's gotta be less than an inch to my bumper! He must be insane to tailgate me that closely! Takumi watched his speed increase dramatically. The greatly reduced air resistance gained from drafting the S14 was helping him tremendously. DingDing.. DingDing.. DingDing.. The speed chime rang as he went into third gear. Up above, making sure to stay hidden, Luna watched both cars increase their speeds. Despite not being in the race itself, she found immense joy from watching Takumi race the way he did. He could be put into Professional Racing and nopony would bat an eye. She mused. Well, that is if he were using a brand new car like a Toyota Supra or an S15. They would undoubtedly be interested in how he is able to handle an 86 as well as he does. A Wonderbolt watched both cars zip by. He held up the radio. "They're setting records at this pace! How the heck is a Sprinter able to keep up with an S14?!" "Who cares!" Another member yelled. "This is awesome!" Spitfire counted down the seconds as they approached a left corner at incredible speed. "Three... Two... One..." She paused. "NOW!" Music Ends. EEEEEEEEEEE! She braked hard, causing her Anti-Lock-Braking System to kick in. The brakes heated up as she and Takumi came into the corner, Spitfire gripping and steering into the corner as hard as she could. Right behind her came Takumi, who went into a full Four-Wheel-Drift to maintain speed. He went far inside, guiding the 86 so it was less than an inch from the guardrail. With a flick of the steering wheel, he smoothly transitioned into a sudden right corner to get within an inch from Spitfire's bumper and the mountain's wall. The moment the corner ended, Takumi was back withing centimeters of Spitfire's bumper. It was another long straightaway, so he had to have as little air resistance as possible in order to keep up. "They're heading down the second straightaway! Spitfire's pulling away!!" A member said through the radio. Itsuki, who was way back in his 86 Levin, heard it. "Come on Takumi!" He cheered. Takumi noticed something about his body. Or rather, lack of something. I'm not sweating at all. I don't even feel tired. Luna wasn't kidding about Alicorns having resistance to things. This feels great! Soarin and Thunderlane followed the two cars in the air. Soarin had a radar gun in hoof, while Thunderlane had a stopwatch. "Look at them!" Thunderlane yelled. "Spitfire's pulling away but Takumi ain't backing down!" "They're doing-" Soarin gasped. "THEY JUST HIT A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR!" Dave Rodgers - 100 starts playing. "WHAT!?" Soarin showed the radar gun to Thunderlane, who subsequently gasped. "No way!" Luna, who had been nearby in the air, heard this. She was very surprised. "The level of tenacity needed to exceed that speed on a mountain pass is nothing short of incredible..." EEEEEEEEEEEE! Spitfire braked harder than ever as they approached a left-right chicane. Their tires squealed in unison as the drives steered through, both taking perfect lines. Left Curve, Right Curve, Takumi made sure to get as close to the inside of both as he could, which was mere inches. Jesus Christ she's fast. He thought. Everything about her technique is so similar to Tomoyuki's it's terrifying. Only difference is she's in an FR instead of an FF. I just hope she doesn't know about the trick I'm about to pull. [EUROBEAT INTENSIFIES] Through a series of left and right turns they went. Nopony could believe the speeds they were achieving in the turns, and some wondered how fast they would be if they had more extreme aero. Particularly what would happen if Takumi's 86 had a wing. Luna was quick to notice Takumi's efficient use of his 86's lightweight chassis through the high-speed turns. Her thoughts rang out as Takumi tailgated Spitfire through several turns, using slip angle. While weight matters less and less at high speed in a straight line, when in a turn, having a lightweight chassis means you have far less inertia. Despite Spitfire's aerodynamic and downforce advantages, Takumi's near-700 pound advantage nullifies that. Even with the added Four Wheel Steering. How could my sister not be interested in this? Spitfire looked back at the 86, wincing as she saw how close it was. I don't hear a turbo, yet he was on my tail for that entire high speed section which should've favored my car. After this race, I'll need to ask what kind of engine he has. Because that isn't a normal engine. She looked back ahead and saw a right corner approaching. Up ahead is probably the hardest corner on the course. It's a quick right corner, but it straightens out for a moment before going into another right. It may not sound too hard, but that little straightaway is just enough to throw someone's game off. It makes you think you can take a smooth line, but at the same time, it looks like you can't take a smooth line. The correct line is very precise. She glanced back at Takumi. Let's see if you can find that line. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Spitfire braked and steered into the right corner, lightly drifting and letting the car slide towards the guardrail. She then guided the car back into the inside, wincing as she avoided a lidless drainage gutter that lay on the inside of the turn. Feeling good about herself as she exited, her eyes darted back to the corner. Takumi took a breath in as the corner approached. "Alright. Here we go!" Luna gasped as Takumi went full throttle into the corner, going so far inside she could have sworn he had hit the inner drainage gutter. The 86 slid outwards, coming mere centimeters from the guardrail before Takumi brought it back in line. "Wait, WHAT!?" Spitfire yelled, seeing the AE86 rocket out of the corner behind her and press up against her bumper. Her gaze snapped ahead as she fought to keep the S14 straight. It can't be! She internally panicked as she accelerated through a left corner, Takumi right on her tail. I've driven that corner countless times. He didn't just clear it perfectly. He IMPROVED the damn thing! How did he take that line?! It looked like went right over the damn gutter! They approached a left hairpin and braked accordingly. Takumi noticed Spitfire brake a little bit later than usual, which caused the S14 to slide a little outwards. Not enough to allow him to attack, but noticeable to the trained eye. Must be surprised at what I did back there. He thought. Spitfire was in fact surprised. As Takumi followed her through the left hairpin, she found herself sweating. Celestia help me. She prayed as they exited the hairpin. This kid is more of a monster than I thought. How the hay did he improve the line on the hardest corner of the course? How long has he been driving?! Takumi took the best line he could through a right curve, better than even Spitfire's, keeping up easily. He left the right side of the road and switched to the left as they entered a left curve, coming as close as he possibly could to a lidless drainage gutter on the inside. In the sky above, Thunderlane noticed this. "Does he has some kind of deathwish? Look at how close he is to the gutter!" "I know! That's insane!" Soarin yelled. Luna was especially alarmed at how close Takumi was getting to the gutter. If the tires were to fall in, he would scrape the bottom of his car and likely be ground to a halt. She shook her head. No. Takumi must know exactly what he is doing. He has likely dealt with these types of gutters before. The cars went around a right curve, increasing speed, before braking and swerving into a left corner. Spitfire made sure to dart as far inside as she dared, refusing to let Takumi attempt to take the inside. Takumi remained calm and collected behind, patiently waiting for a good place to pass. Spitfire hated this. She hated how unbelievably calm Takumi was. His driving was smooth, his shifting was fast, and he was always right on her bumper. Unlike him, she was beginning to turn into a nervous wreck. This had a slight effect on her driving. This feels great. Takumi thought. I'm not sweating, I'm not cold or warm, and my focus is better. I could put the heater on full blast and barely feel a thing. Spitfire looked back for a split second and yelped when he saw Takumi still on her tail. She looked ahead. "That's it! I'm not looking in my mirror anymore!" They flew by a few ponies, one of whom clicked a button on a stopwatch. The ponies gasped when they saw the posted time. Both cars entered a left curve at high speed. Spitfire took the inside, while Takumi took the... outside!? "Woah!" Soarin yelled, watching from above. "The Trueno is heading for the outside!" Using a sudden four-wheel-drift with zero braking, Takumi began passing Spitfire's S14 on the outside of the curve! At high speed! Spitfire, despite forcing herself not to check the rearview mirror, was surprised to hear the AE86 next to her. She looked over in horror to see it passing her at high speed. What do you think you're doing kid!? She internally yelled. There's a right hairpin after this! You're gonna crash! She hit the brakes as Takumi passed her completely, fearing a crash. She watched Takumi swing the rear end of the 86 outwards. "I knew it! You're going in way too fast!" "Takumi!" Luna yelled from above, almost using the Royal Canterlot Voice. Takumi suddenly threw the steering wheel right, let off the throttle and lightly hit the brakes. The 86 snapped the other direction into the hairpin. A pony that happened to be standing next to the hairpin ran for their life as the 86 skidded outwards towards the guardrail. Takumi quickly manipulated his hooves and used the brakes, throttle, and steering to their full potential, guiding the 86 around the very outside of the hairpin mere centimeters from the guardrail. A split second later, Takumi nailed the throttle and accelerated out of the hairpin, leaving Spitfire in smoke. He let out a sudden breath. "Gah! Ok, that was NOT the plan, but now I'm in front. I can't believe I actually did that." Spitfire exited the hairpin and accelerated, jaw gaping from the sight she had just seen. An Inertia Drift... how the fuck did just pull that off in that corner? What kind of a monster are you? You've only driven this course for a night- "AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A PRACTICE RUN BEFORE THIS! She slammed the throttle wide open in anger. "No! I'm not letting some kid beat me like that. You may be in front, but I can still catch up. This is my course! I can catch up!" Music Ends. Takumi swerved into a left corner, using slip angle again. He exited the corner and steered around a left curve. EEEEEEEEEEEE! The 86's tires squealed as he entered a right hairpin fast and hard, manipulating the steering and throttle to gain the best line. His eyes darted to the mirror. He was surprised to find that Spitfire's S14 was catching up to him! Already? He thought. How? Exiting the hairpin, both cars accelerated down a straightaway. Despite Spitfire's turbo, the perfect and efficient responsiveness of the Naturally Aspirated 4A-GE allowed him superior acceleration out of the corner. They braked suddenly, Takumi braking as late as he could to take the optimal line through a right corner. Behind, Spitfire watched Takumi's line closely. She shifted gears as quickly as she could as they exited the corner, focusing hard on her driving. She again watched Takumi's line as they braked and drifted into a left corner. Takumi drifted, she gripped. As he drifted through the inside of the corner, Takumi thought about the changed handling characteristics of his car. The lightweight windows help quite a bit. I can go through corners faster than usual. Thanks, Luna. Behind, Spitfire pushed the accelerator all the way down to catch up. She was annoyed at how Takumi was able to pull off such an advanced move right in front of her. Though as they braked and steered around a quick right curve, she smiled. We've still got a ways to go before reaching the bottom. Spitfire thought. I can pass you before then. They accelerated hard down a straightaway. Above, Luna was having trouble remembering what she had just seen. Takumi had somehow managed to change the direction of his 86 and simultaneously slow down within a single second, then drift around the outside of the hairpin and somehow not smack into the guardrail, all at blistering speeds. To pull that off must require the most incredible reflexes ever... She thought. vrooOOOommm! "Woah!" A member yelped, seeing the cars fly by. "That Sprinter is putting up a good fight but Spitfire's chewing on his bumper!" "That's our captain!" another member yelled. They were approaching a left curve quickly. Takumi slowed and steered toward the inside, coming mere centimeters from the inside gutter. Both he and Spitfire slingshotted around the curve at high speed and exited inches from the outside guardrail. They braked again and steered into another left corner. Takumi looked behind him and, to his surprise, saw Spitfire right behind him. Quickly brushing it off as they exited the corner, he shifted gears and accelerated away. He gained some ground, but Spitfire's turbo kicked in and brought her back against his bumper. "That's it kid." Spitfire growled. "I'm done playing. Time to show you the true power of the S14 Autech!" Dr. Love - Don't Stand So Close starts playing. Takumi heard Spitfire's engine roar with power as they flew through a right curve and entered a left corner. He saw the right side of the 86 lighting up, causing him to check the mirror. In the mirror, Spitfire was accelerating on the outside! At high speed! Using slip angle! His eyes widened. Oh no. Before he could do anything, Spitfire had pulled her S14 several inches past Takumi's rear bumper. They entered a sudden right corner. Spitfire took the inside from Takumi and forced him to the outside. Takumi, not willing to give up, pressed harder on the throttle. Spitfire was surprised. What are you doing? Do you not see the gutter?! She internally yelled as she saw Takumi's 86 getting closer and closer to the outside lidless gutter. You're gonna fall in! In his mind, Takumi quickly drew the line his rear left tire would take as he drifted around the corner. He held the steering where it was and used only throttle control to guide the car around, bringing the tire centimeters from the gutter. He would have fallen in had the corner not ended and turned into a quick left. He smoothly changed the direction of his drift and drifted around the corner, exiting and pressing on the throttle. He and Spitfire sped down a straightaway neck and neck for a split second before Spitfire began pulling ahead. Spitfire growled as she watched the 86 slowly fall behind in her mirror. He wasn't using magic. That wasn't even blind luck. He knew exactly which line to take. If I can just get ahead of him coming into this turn, I can take the inside and get past! Come on Turbo! The turbocharger whirred and provided the S14 with extra torque, allowing it to accelerate past Takumi's 86. She happily yelped as she steered towards the inside of a left corner He entered the corner as fast as he could. To his horror, he wasn't gaining much ground. As they exited, he accelerated. Takumi's eyes widened. "Not good. There's a straightaway after this." Spitfire's S14 gained ground on him. Fast. In the S14, Spitfire smiled. "This straightaway should give me the leeway I need to beat him. He won't be able to catch up in time." Above, Luna watched as Spitfire pulled away. "Come on Takumi. You are running out of road. What is your plan?" Very soon, Spitfire enjoyed a very comfortable lead on Takumi as she drifted the corners. EEEEEEE! She winced as the S14 suddenly became unstable. She easily stabilized it. I haven't been very nice to the tires. She thought, knowing it was the tires that destabilized her. By the end of the race, they'll be done. It won't matter though. I've got about two seconds of a lead on him. I've won this race. She watched the AE86 fly around the bend far behind. Mhm. Way too far behind. Takumi watched Spitfire's S14 disappear around the left corner ahead. "I've gotta catch up." EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!-THUNK!! "Huh? What was that?" Luna wondered as she watched Takumi exit a corner. Spitfire pressed on the throttle, guiding her S14 around a right curve. She braked and gripped as the curve tightened into a hard corner. We had a good run, Takumi. She began. Never before did I think a Sprinter Trueno could ever compare to the likes of an S14. Now it's crystal clear. It isn't a fun enthusiast's car. It's a weapon. A true fighting machine. I'm almost sad the race wasn't as close as I hoped it would be. She looked behind, seeing the corner she had just cleared light up. At least the beginning was... good- what the? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!-THUNK! "WHAT!?" She yelled in surprise as Takumi's 86 flew around the corner behind, already catching up. She looked ahead. "I must be seeing things!" She entered a left corner, coming close to the inside gutter. Up above, Soarin and Thunderlane watched as Takumi entered the same corner as Spitfire just as the mare exited it. "Is it just me or is he going over the gutters?" Thunderlane asked. "Nonsense. You can go over those. They're way too deep." Entering a right corner, Spitfire eyed her rearview mirror while Soarin and Thunderlane watched from above. "No way you can be catching up already, right?" Spitfire asked. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Suddenly, Takumi's 86 FLEW around the corner. Except something was wrong. His front right tire was over the gutter! "WHAT THE-!?" the three pegasi and Luna yelled. THUNK! The wheel was pulled out of the gutter suddenly. The 4A-GE roared with fury as it revved up to 11000RPM, allowing the 86 to very quickly close the gap between it and the S14. "WHAT WAS THAT!?" Spitfire yelled. "YOU WERE OVER THE GUTTER! BULLSHIT! HOW DID YOU NOT FALL IN?!" In her fit of rage, Spitfire momentarily lost control. She quickly regained traction as they entered a right corner, Takumi right behind her, heading for the inside. "Oh no you don't!" She yelled. "I'm not giving you the inside that easily!" A loud thunk was heard as Takumi, using all the focus he had, dove for the inside. Once again, his front right wheel was hovering OVER THE GUTTER, SOMEHOW not falling in. "THAT ISN'T POSSIBLE!" Spitfire yelled. "There shouldn't be any ground where you're driving! HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?!" She was forced to the outside as Takumi continued his line. The Alicorn pressed the accelerator as far as it would go, determined to pass Spitfire. Due to the responsiveness of his engine, he accelerated past Spitfire. However, as the mare's turbocharger kicked in, she was able to accelerate faster. Come on 86! Takumi internally yelled. As they entered a left curve side by side, Soarin spoke through the radio. "Spitfire and Takumi are all over each other! You're not gonna believe this, but Takumi driving OVER the gutters like they aren't even there! And he's going WAY faster than he should be able to go! I don't know about you guys but I don't think Spitfire's gonna be able to hold her lead!" "No! Come on Spitfire!" A member replied. "You can do it!" Another encouraged. Despite being on the inside of the curve, Spitfire couldn't find the grip to go faster than Takumi. Though she kept them side by side, the next right corner would put Takumi on the inside. "What the FUCK!?" She yelled. "This is bullshit! My tires are SHOT! Yours aren't!" Coming in side by side into the right corner, Takumi drifted and steered over the gutter again, lifting his right tire over it, cementing his overtake. "DAMMIT!" Spitfire watched helplessly as Takumi accelerated ahead on the inside. One the corner ended, he was in front, with her on his bumper. "How are you doing that?! It looks like magic, but at the same time it isn't! HOW?!" Takumi didn't look behind him. He focused on the road and the road only, using his ears to make sure Spitfire wasn't about to pass him. Entering a left curve, he gripped and continued to accelerate. As the curve tightened, he began drifting. Behind, Spitfire focused on the gutter. Show me! How in Tartarus are you doing that? She internally pleaded. I need to know! She saw Takumi dive into the corner at full speed, once again driving his front left tire over the gutter. Her eyes widened. How? How are you doing that? How is your tire not falling in?! Before she knew it, they had exited the corner with Takumi gaining a considerable lead on her. She pressed on the throttle as they went through a quick left corner, then a quick right corner, then another left. Takumi drifting and using his 86's cornering ability to widen the gap more and more. "No! Come on!" She yelled. (Music begins to slowly decrease in volume) She watched Takumi brake and use slip-angle around the approaching right hairpin. She entered the same hairpin a second later and tried carrying as much speed as she could, but her tires weren't having any of it. She exited the corner and accelerated, but Takumi was ahead, quickly closing in on the finish line. Her jaw open as the gravity of the situation came down on her. She had lost. Though instead of angrily banging on the dashboard, she instead smiled. "That kid..." She chuckled. Music Ends. Takumi let out a sigh of relief as he passed over the finish line. Up above, Thunderlane clicked his stopwatch. He gasped as he showed Soarin the time. "Holy shit..." Soarin slowly said. "Eight seconds..." He held up the radio. "Takumi beat the record by EIGHT SECONDS!" The radio was filled with a resounding "WHAT?!" from every member who had been listening. "WOOOHOOOOO!" Itsuki cheered as he accelerated down a straightaway. "THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND RIGHT THERE! NICE GOIN' TAKUMI!" Above, it took everything in Luna to not squeal and cheer for Takumi. She wanted to fly down, congratulate him, and hug him. Especially hug him. Takumi pulled off to the side of the road as Spitfire passed over the line far behind. He slumped back in his seat, taking in what he had just done. Spitfire pulled in a few car lengths behind Takumi, stopping and getting out just to stare at the 86. The 86 that had beaten her, the fastest downhiller the Wonderbolts had, by somehow lifting its tires over the gutters to gain a better, and somehow faster, racing line. That was the kind of thing no racing school would dare teach. She felt the air next to her be quickly displaced as Soarin and Thunderlane landed. "Spitfire, what the heck happened?" Soarin asked. "How did you lose to an 86?" Spitfire only smiled. "Guys, that kid is on a whole other level. He pulled off moves I never would have been able to pull off. Moves that tell me he has no fear of the road whatsoever. Plus, he conserved his tires way better then I did." "What? But you've been in professional racing on and off for five years!" Thunderlane exclaimed. "Yeah. That's the problem." "Huh?!" The stallions were confused. Initial D Fourth Stage Soundtrack - Loser starts playing. Spitfire looked at them. "I've been spoiled in the tire department. I would just waste the tires away without thinking about it. Why conserve them when you have a dozen spare sets?" "That... does make sense. I guess we all suck at tire conservation." Thunderlane admitted. "Takumi has never seen the track." Spitfire continued. "He probably never had many spare tires when practicing, so he developed a technique that best conserved the ones he had for as long as possible to minimize costs. It's what allowed him to pass me. I made the mistake of wasting my tire strength too early. Bit me in the tail towards the end." "But, hold on, he was going OVER the gutters." Soarin interjected. "His wheel was hovering over it. Surely that's the stuff of magic, right?" Spitfire looked back at the 86 to see Takumi slowly getting out. "I'm gonna find out right now." Takumi closed the door, keeping a hoof on the handle. After a split second, he smiled. That felt great. Too... too great... His smile faltered. "Hey, Takumi!" He heard Spitfire say. He looked over to spot the mare. Up above, Luna listened in. Spitfire wore a smile. "Nice racing back there. That was the best I've ever had." "Oh. Thanks. Can't say the same about it being my best." "Now, quick question. That move back there, with the gutter? What was that?" "What do you mean?" "How the hay were you doing it?" She was internally praying to Celestia that the move wasn't magic and that she could replicate it herself. "It's not hard. There isn't any magic. Anyone can do it." "How?" "When going into a turn that has a gutter too deep to drive into, you drift to get your front tire over it. Then you need to shift the weight of the car to the rear. Take as much weight off of whatever tire is over the gutter. With less weight on the tire, it won't be able to fall in." Spitfire, Soarin, and Thunderlane were all wide-eyed with wonder. "Do that, and you turn the gutter into a shortcut. At maximum speed too. That's what a friend of mine said." Spitfire looked at the 86, envisioning it travelling over the gutter at high speed. She remembered seeing the rear end droop down as Takumi pressed on the throttle. "Wow. Kid. You are..." She chuckled. "You are really something else, you know that?" Takumi said nothing. "So uhh... what happens now?" Thunderlane asked. "I know I'm racing Itsuki in a few, but still." There was a moment of silence before Spitfire perked up. "Takumi, how about you and me go somewhere?" Takumi was surprised at the sudden question. "Why?" "Because I want to see what the hay you have installed in your Sprinter." She explained. "And I... also want to talk to you about some things." "Like what?" Takumi asked, growing slightly uncomfortable as he noticed the way Soarin and Thunderlane looked at each other. "Just... some things. Is all." "Well, I can't tonight. I've gotta head back to Canterlot I think." Spitfire was surprised. "So Princess Celestia and Princess Luna DO know of your existence?" "Yeah. Why wouldn't they?" Takumi sighed. "And don't even think about calling me prince." He added with a rather cold tone. "Um... ok. Well, how about tomorrow? We can meet near the Academy. The recruits won't mind me being gone for a few." "Well... I dunno..." "Noon. How does noon sound?" Takumi sighed. "I guess." "It's not a date, if that's what you're thinking. Just a little meeting." "Ok. I guess I'll... let Celestia and-, Luna know." "What's with the pause?" "Nothing. Anyways, there's one more thing I need to do." Takumi turned and walked to the driverside of his 86. "What's that?" "I'll be back in a few. Hey, tell Itsuki to meet me at the top of the course." Before anypony could object, Takumi silently got back in the 86 and slowly drove off. JUST as Itsuki finally made it to the bottom. Itsuki stopped behind Spitfire's S14 and quickly got out. "What happened? Where's Takumi?" Spitfire looked at him. "Heading somewhere. He said he'd be back and told me to tell you to meet him at the top of the course." "Why?" Spitfire shrugged. "Is he always like this?" "Always like what? Oh, you mean how he likes walking off for no reason? Yeah. He tends to do that." "Hm. Well, in that case, I wonder what he's doing." There was a pause. "...Set a record." Itsuki suddenly said. Spitfire, Thunderlane, and Soarin looked at him. "Set a record?" The mare asked. "He used to be in a team. Project D. After they beat their opponents, they would set a course record for both the uphill AND downhill. Obviously Takumi isn't going to go for uphill, but he's absolutely going to SMASH the downhill record." "Oh. That's sounds fun to watch." "Ohhhohoh, you should see when he goes for a record attempt on Mount Akina! Those are awesome." "Mount Akina?" "The mountain he's from. Shares the same road layout as the Canterlot Turnpike." "Oh does it?" "Mhm. Now, let's head back up top." Itsuki trotted back to his 86. "This is going to be AWESOME!" The Panda Trueno's liftgate open, Takumi loaded four tires into the trunk. He paused as he looked at a small crate sat in the corner of the trunk. One he knew contained three books. The three were the original trilogy of a series he had somewhat recently found out about. Daring Do. He remembered how he got them. It was over a week ago. He was with Itsuki, back before his friend had gotten the AE86 Levin. He was still an Alicorn, while Itsuki was a Unicorn. They were in a field, with their cars, near a pond. They had been talking for a bit before hearing noises nearby. Someone with a... he wanted to say it was a spanish-like accent, shouting at a few underlings. He and Itsuki decided to walk over to the pond to investigate, finding three, no, four stallions each carrying duffel bags. One was carrying three, and had accidentally dropped one in the pond. The mystery crew, who Takumi remembered to have looked like jungle explorers, would have picked the bag up had they not noticed him and Itsuki. They quickly ran off into the darkness. After some bickering, they had lifted the surprisingly heavy duffel bag out of the pond and opened it. Inside was hundreds, HUNDREDS, of full, pure, immaculate gold coins inside. Also inside were the three Daring Do books. He had to admit, they were actually pretty interesting. They were well illustrated and told a rather intriguing story. Not to mention they felt realistic. The main character, Daring Do, tended to think to herself a lot. Something he tended to do. And though he didn't read much, he kind of wanted to read more of the books. "That was... amazing." A familiar voice said, bringing Takumi back to the present. "Thanks." Takumi replied, gripping the liftgate with his magic and gently closing it. Luna walked up and looked into the trunk, seeing the tires. She was surprised to see that they were had supersoft tire compound. They would allow some insane grip, though would wear out in a single run. "What are you doing?" "I'm gonna head back there. Set a record on that pass. One nobody will beat for a while." Takumi replied. "Really?" "It's what Project D would have wanted. They did the same after we beat our opponents. I'm gonna do the same here." "..." "I'm gonna go down that road unrestricted, at 100 percent. It's not the ride you would want to be in." Luna chuckled. "I have to agree. I can barely survive you driving at 80 percent, let alone 100." Takumi smiled. "I also have to tell Itsuki something. Something I realized while talking with Spitfire." "What is that?" Takumi opened the door and looked at her with neutral look. "That race with Thunderlane? Itsuki isn't going to win."