The following morning at the gas station, Collei and March finish up with a customer's car.
March steps forward, wiping a few stray strands of hair from her face. "Looks like that's the last one for now. Still can't get that race out of my head."
Collei, wiping the sweat off her brow, sighs. "Tell me about it. That could have ended in a disaster if we weren't such skilled drivers."
Nearby, Seele, Beidou, and Pela are deep in conversation with Lyney.
Beidou crosses her arms, eyes narrowed. "I'm telling you, Boss, that Integra's driving style was like nothing we've seen before. It's like they knew exactly how to push us to our absolute limits."
Pela taps her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, I noticed that too. She was pumping the brakes while cornering. It's not normal for any of us racers to do something like that."
March and Collei step over to join the conversation, both looking equally intrigued.
Collei, who had been watching closely, adds, "I noticed something else strange. The rear wheels on the Integra stopped moving at certain points. Almost like they were pulling the handbrake."
Lyney leans forward, his tone sharp with insight. "What you guys saw was advanced racing techniques used specifically for front-wheel-drive cars."
Seele leans against her Devil Z, her arms crossed. "What do you mean exactly?"
Lyney gestures with his hands, explaining. "Front-wheel-drive cars tend to understeer a lot. To compensate for that, the driver intentionally induces oversteer by pulling on the handbrake."
Beidou's eyes widen in shock. "Wait, what? They're intentionally making the car slide? That's gutsy!"
Lyney smirks slightly, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Exactly. But that's not all. They use their brakes to balance the oversteer. The pumping of the brakes you saw? It's another technique called left-foot braking."
He demonstrates with his hands, mimicking foot movements. "Instead of using the right foot on the brake, the driver keeps the right foot on the gas and uses the left foot on the brakes."
Seele snaps her fingers, a look of realization crossing her face. "Now I get it... With those techniques, they're not just stable, they're also fast through corners and hairpins."
Lyney's smile widens. "Correct. It's a highly skilled approach that can make an FF car formidable on mountain passes."
Collei bites her lip, her brow furrowing with concern. "But how do we compete against someone who drives so... recklessly?"
Beidou shakes her head in frustration. "That... I don't know either."
As the day drags on, Beidou pulls Collei aside with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Leaning in close, Beidou grins slyly. "So, Collei, can I ask you a favor?"
Collei scratches her head, a little confused. "Uh, sure. What is it?"
Beidou's grin widens. "Would you mind driving my R32 down the hill for me?"
Collei's eyes go wide with shock. "I... what?"
Beidou chuckles lightly. "Come on! It'll be fun! Think of it as a learning opportunity—something new for you to try out."
Collei shakes her hands in protest. "N-No thanks! I'm good, really! I know how much you love that car, and I wouldn't want to mess it up."
Beidou places a reassuring hand on Collei's shoulder, her expression softening but still playful. "Collei, please! Don't worry about it! I'm asking you as a favor. Please?"
Collei remains silent for a moment, her face reflecting a mixture of uncertainty and reluctance.
As the sun sets, the warm glow casting long shadows over the landscape, Yelan meets up with Silverwolf at a nearby convenience store to discuss the events of the previous night.
Yelan approaches Silverwolf, her tone sharp with frustration. "What the fuck, Silverwolf? I heard what happened. You cutting off some racers in Yougou?"
Silverwolf, playing innocent, raises an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Yelan."
Yelan steps forward, pressing Silverwolf up against her car, her eyes cold. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. What's your deal with me?"
Silverwolf, maintaining her calm demeanor, pushes Yelan away with a single motion. "I said, I don't know anything."
Yelan takes a step back, both hands thrown up in exasperation. "Really? You think this is some kind of video game? If you crash or hurt yourself out there, there's no 'reset' button. This isn't some digital world where everything just restarts!"
Silverwolf laughs, unfazed. "You kidding me? All I did was show them the weakness of the FRs. Nothing more."
Yelan's anger flares, and in a flash, she punches Silverwolf square in the stomach. Silverwolf stumbles back and falls to the ground with a heavy thud.
"I'm done with you. This partnership ends here," Yelan mutters, her voice low and filled with finality.
Without another word, Yelan storms off to her Blackbird, her expression set in stone. She slams the door, revs the engine, and speeds off into the horizon, the screech of the tires echoing in the distance.
Silverwolf, still recovering from the punch, slowly pushes herself up from the ground. She leans against her Integra, watching the Blackbird disappear into the distance with a sly smirk creeping onto her lips.
"Now run along, little Blackbird," she mutters softly to herself. "You can't clip my wings so easily."
At Lyney's Gas station. Collei is still mulling over Beidou's offer
March sidles up to Collei. "Dude what's gotten into you? Its like Beidou asked you to deliver tofu in her R32 or something."
Collei jumps slightly "What!? Oh... No.. Beidou wants me to drive her R32 on the downhill tonight.
March bounces on her toes "Are you kidding!? You Should accept it!"
Collei bites her lip "But what if i mess up?"
March then puts an arm around Collei. "Hey, You're the one that pulled of crazy drifts in my Supra, Remember? If anyone can handle an R32? It's you!"
Collei thinks about it and reluctantly Accepts it. "Maybe you're right... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it out."
Beidou then appears from behind them and hugs the two of them " That's the spirit! Now, Who's ready for a night drive?
That night at Yougou, Collei leans against her Eight-Six, still unsure about driving Beidou's R32. She glances at the car, eyes narrowed in contemplation.
"Are you really sure about this, Beidou?" Collei asks, scratching her chin thoughtfully.
Beidou grins mischievously. "Collei, just drive it like you always do!"
Collei sighs deeply, reluctant but resigned. "Fine. But only this once."
Beidou lifts both fists into the air, her excitement palpable. "Yes! That's awesome!"
As Beidou and Collei head toward the R32, the unmistakable rumble of a flat-six engine fills the air. The low growl reverberates through the pavement, drawing everyone's attention.
Seele, eyes sharp, calls out to Beidou and Collei. "Heads up, guys! We've got company!"
March's thoughts race. I hope it's not that Integra again.
Moments later, a black Porsche Turbo rounds the corner, its engine purring like a beast. Everyone exhales in relief.
Pela tilts her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well, well. Looks like Yelan's rolling in with the Blackbird."
March spots the car too. "What's she doing here, I wonder?"
The Blackbird parks behind March's Supra, and Yelan steps out with her usual swagger. She walks over to March, Pela, and Seele, raising a hand in greeting.
"Yo, great to see you all!" Yelan calls, flashing a grin.
March waves back. "Hey, Yelan! What brings you up here tonight?"
Yelan lights a cigarette, taking a slow drag as she speaks. "Nothing much. Just blowing off some steam."
Seele notices the fender of the Blackbird, her curiosity piqued. "Looks like your Blackbird's fixed. Was the damage bad?"
Yelan exhales a cloud of smoke, her voice casual. "Nah, not really. Just a crack, nothing more. Anyway, what's everyone up to?"
Pela glances at the R32. "Collei and Beidou are taking it for a spin, testing out the new engine."
Yelan's eyes flicker toward the R32, intrigued. "Ah, I see. If I remember right, Collei's the one with the Eight-Six?"
March nods, smiling proudly. "Yep. That's her—the one with the green hair."
The four of them walk up to Beidou's R32 as Beidou secures her seatbelt and Collei adjusts her harness. Seele, ever the detail-oriented one, walks up to Beidou's window.
"Alright, looks like you're all set," Seele says with a raised eyebrow. "Try not to pass out this time, alright?"
Beidou chuckles, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. "Yes, yes. Now back off! We've got a downhill run to do!"
Beidou turns to Collei, her grin widening. "Let's hit the road! I want to see that braking drift of yours!"
Collei gives a quick, determined nod. "Alright, then. Better hang on tight."
With a roar, Collei slams her foot onto the gas, sending the R32 shooting forward with a trail of smoke and tire marks in its wake. The sudden burst of speed catches everyone off guard.
Seele's eyes widen in surprise. "Look at Collei go!"
March bounces on her toes, her excitement infectious. "Go, Collei!"
Inside the car, Beidou grips the handle above her seat, her heart racing. "Aren't we going a bit too fast for this corner, Collei? Maybe we should slow down and—"
Before Beidou can finish, Collei slams on the brakes, initiating a perfect braking drift. Downshifting from fourth to second with the precision of a seasoned racer, she effortlessly slides into the corner. Beidou's eyes widen in shock as they speed around the bend, barely missing the guardrail.
"Machine gun downshift…" Collei mutters under her breath, her focus razor-sharp as she drifts through the second and third corners.
Beidou, her knuckles white from gripping the seat, slumps slightly, her voice tinged with awe. "That's incredible. She's never driven this car before, but she's drifting it like it's second nature. I didn't know my R32 was capable of this!"
Collei's voice breaks the silence as she shifts her focus to the road ahead. "I think I've got the hang of this. It's a bit different from my Eight-Six, but I'm starting to get used to how it handles."
Her eyes narrow, a look of intense concentration crossing her face. "Next corner, we're going to… drift."
Beidou's eyes widen in shock. "Drift? What the hell has she been doing this whole time?"
Without warning, Collei slams on the accelerator again. The car jolts forward, pushing them faster down the winding road. Beidou's fearless demeanor slips as she starts to scream, gripping the handle even tighter.
Collei expertly slams on the brakes, executing a flawless heel-and-toe maneuver while downshifting from fifth to third. With a perfect four-wheel drift, Collei powers through the hairpin turn at an insane speed, sending the R32 skidding sideways as Beidou screams in fear.
As the roar of the engine fades into the distance, March, Seele, Pela, and Yelan exchange glances, the sound of a turbocharged six-cylinder growing louder in the air.
March stands up, excitement evident in her voice. "Hey, looks like they're back!"
Seele crosses her arms, her curiosity piqued. "I wonder how the run went."
Pela, always the joker, raises an eyebrow. "Maybe Beidou passed out?"
The four of them laugh as they await the R32's arrival. Moments later, the car pulls up in front of them, the tires screeching as it comes to a halt. Beidou opens the door and stumbles out, her legs weak from the intense ride. She catches herself with her hands before crawling out of the car.
Collei steps out with a calm expression, though her heart is still racing from the adrenaline.
Seele, hands on her hips, raises an eyebrow. "Congratulations, sunshine. You survived Collei's rollercoaster ride."
March crosses her arms, her eyes bright with curiosity. "How'd it go? Did you get a chance to see Collei's infamous braking drift?"
Beidou, still dizzy and unsteady on her feet, rubs her head. "No… I didn't see squat."
Pela, ever the sarcastic one, chuckles and puts her hands behind her head. "Then what was the point of letting Collei drive?"
Beidou runs a hand through her hair, messing it up. "It just looked so simple when she did it! She made it look effortless, and then we were out there, and it happened so fast that I couldn't even process it."
She grins, standing taller, her confidence returning. "But you know what? Even though I'm not like Collei—far from it—I feel like a better street racer now. Better than all of you!"
The group stares at her for a moment before dramatically collapsing to the ground in unison.
Before anyone can respond, the growl of a four-cylinder engine rips through the air, and a white Honda Integra appears, coming to a stop on the opposite side of the road.
Beidou tenses, her mood shifting. "Hey! That's the DC2 that bumped me last night. What the hell are they doing here?"
The driver, Silverwolf, steps out of the car and locks eyes with the group. Beidou, her composure quickly unraveling, storms toward Silverwolf.
"Hey, punk!" Beidou calls, her voice sharp with anger. "What the hell do you think you're doing here? You hit my car last night, remember?"
Silverwolf raises an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "And who are you exactly?"
Beidou closes in, her voice dripping with fury. "Don't tell me you've forgotten! Did you seriously forget bumping into MY R32?"
Silverwolf looks at Beidou's car and smirks. "Ah, now I remember."
Beidou clenches her fists, fury bubbling up inside her. "You owe me and my friends an apology! You could've wrecked us, or worse, destroyed our cars!"
Silverwolf shrugs nonchalantly, his smirk unwavering. "Oh? So it's my fault? If you handled your car better, none of this would've happened."
Beidou's face reddens with rage. "You little son of a—!"
Before she can make a move, Seele steps forward and grabs Beidou's arm, pulling her back. "Come on, Beidou, it's not worth it."
Silverwolf smirks again, his challenge coming out in a casual drawl. "Alright, alright. If you want me to apologize, I'll do it… under one condition. I challenge the Eight-Six's driver to a downhill race, but the race is under my rules. If you win, I'll drop to my knees and beg for forgiveness. Got it?"
Yelan steps forward, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean by 'your rules,' Silverwolf?"
Silverwolf's smirk widens as he steps forward, relishing the tension in the air. "I call this race a 'Gum Tape Deathmatch.'"
Pela frowns, genuinely confused. "What the hell is a 'Gum Tape Deathmatch'?"
Silverwolf explains, his tone almost too casual. "It's simple. Tape your right hand to the steering wheel, and that's it. You race with just one hand."
Seele mimics the motion of steering with one hand, looking stunned. "That's impossible! You can't make turns without using both hands!"
Silverwolf laughs darkly. "For you, maybe. This race is made for FF drivers."
He points to Collei. "Well then, you're the wiz-kid, aren't you?"
Collei clenches her fists, her jaw tightening. "If you lose… you're going down on your knees. And you'll beg for forgiveness. Got it?"
She walks over to her Eight-Six, preparing for the upcoming challenge.
Beidou, concerned, tries to talk her out of it. "Collei, don't do it! You don't know what she might be scheming!"
But Collei simply reaches through the window, her fingers brushing the keys. "No chance in hell, Beidou. I'm not losing to some asshole like her."
With the turn of a key, Collei starts the engine, the sound of her Eight-Six's engine coming to life filling the air. Beidou, Seele, Pela, March, and Yelan gasp in shock and fear. Collei's decision is clear. She's accepted Silverwolf's challenge—the 'Gum Tape Deathmatch' is on.