The following morning, Beidou and Collei met up at their usual café in Yougou. This was where they often took time to relax, sip coffee, and have long, drawn-out conversations about racing and life. Today, however, was different. The topic at hand was Eula's "Final Race."
Beidou leaned forward, both hands firmly placed on the table, her eyes locked on Collei. "So," she began, her tone both serious and eager, "I talked to Eula last night. She wants to race you—on her home turf, no less—tomorrow night. Are you willing to do it for her, Collei?"
Collei took a slow sip of her coffee, leaning back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. The warm cup of coffee was a small comfort as her mind wrestled with what Beidou had just told her. "I don't know, Beidou," she muttered. "Something about her bugs me. After what you said when we stopped by that restaurant… I couldn't shake the feeling that she lied to you. She's been trying to get close to you, to talk you into challenging me to a race. It feels off."
Beidou shook her head slightly, her hands coming together in a pleading gesture. "Come on, Collei!" She paused, her hands falling to the table. "She told me it's her wish to race you before stepping back from racing in Amakane. She's been wanting to race the most challenging driver she can find. Ningguang is out of reach, and you're the only option left in the wild."
Collei furrowed her brows, her mind now racing. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking back to a memory that had been gnawing at her for some time. A flashback from her past: Eula, gracefully maneuvering her car through the tight corners of the Amakane Pass, flawlessly drifting into hairpin A105 with a level of skill that Collei had always admired. The image was vivid—Eula's car sliding effortlessly through the turns, as if it were a part of her. A continuous inertia drift, no hesitation.
She blinked, snapping back to the present. Beidou was still looking at her, waiting. Collei's gaze softened, a determined look crossing her face. "Alright," she said, a sense of resolve creeping into her voice. "I'll do it. I'll take the Eight Six to Amakane Pass."
Beidou's eyes lit up. "Alright! Thanks, Collei! You're the greatest!" she exclaimed, her voice full of excitement.
Collei held up a finger, silencing Beidou before she could get too carried away. "I'm only doing this because you asked," she said, her tone firm, though not unkind. "I don't care about whatever is going on between you two. But it better be worth my damn effort, Beidou."
The next afternoon, word spread quickly through the gas station about Collei's decision to race.
March's voice echoed through the area, her disbelief clear. "WHAT!? Why would Collei agree to race Amakane's GT86!? That's freakin' crazy!!!"
Seele sighed, crossing her arms. Her posture was relaxed, but her eyes were sharp, as if she'd already come to terms with the situation. "I know. But once Collei makes up her mind, there's no backing out. Knowing her, she won't pull out now."
March rubbed her cheek thoughtfully. "It's just so unlike Collei to race somewhere outside of Yougou. This is her home, you know?"
Before Seele could respond, the sound of an engine rumbled in the distance, growing louder. Amber pulled up in her iconic blue Sileighty, the engine purring smoothly as she parked near them. She stepped out, her expression full of energy. "Hey! What do you think?" she asked, her voice cheerful.
Seele gave the Sileighty a long look, nodding appreciatively. "Gotta say, that shade of blue is perfect," she said. "And those gold BBS LM wheels? Exquisite!"
Amber blushed, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She brushed a hand behind her neck, clearly flattered. "Gee, thanks, guys. I've been working on this build since I moved here. It's been a labor of love."
March, however, wasn't about to let it end there. Her eyes scanned the car with curiosity. "Hey, what's under the hood?" she asked, her voice laced with interest.
Amber grinned, placing a hand on her waist with pride. "SR20DET," she said. "Slightly modified, pushing around 320 horsepower to the rears."
Seele and March exchanged impressed glances, but Amber wasn't done yet. She leaned back against her car, her arms crossed casually. "So," she said, "the race is tonight, right?"
Both Seele and March nodded silently, both lost in their thoughts about the upcoming challenge.
Amber raised an eyebrow. "Mind if I come along? I'd love to watch the race."
Seele gave a quick nod. "Yeah, of course. Support is always welcome!"
Meanwhile, Lyney overheard the conversation from nearby, his interest piqued. "Looks like Collei's racing the GT86 from Amakane," he muttered, a hint of intrigue in his voice. "Hmm. Interesting."
As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue across the landscape, Arlecchino found herself standing in her kitchen, staring into an empty fridge. She sighed in frustration as she realized she was running low on essentials.
Closing the fridge door, she muttered to herself, "Looks like we're taking the Eight Six for a spin to the grocery store."
Stepping outside, she made her way to the driveway, her eyes focused on the sleek, familiar shape of the Eight Six parked in front of her. But as she got closer, she stopped in her tracks.
Her jaw dropped in shock. "What in the…?" she gasped, blinking several times to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. The Eight Six, her prized car, had somehow… transformed.
It no longer resembled the car she knew. Instead, it had morphed into something completely different—something bigger, more aggressive. A Supra. She couldn't believe it. "My Eight Six turned into a Supra?"
Confusion and concern began to swell inside her as she approached the car. There, tucked under the windshield wiper, was a note. She plucked it off the window, her fingers trembling slightly as she read the message.
"Hey Dad, I borrowed the car. Here's your replacement – Collei."
Arlecchino blinked again, her mind racing as she processed the note's words. What had just happened? Why would Collei—of all people—take my car and leave this behind?
On the expressway, a convoy of three cars heads towards Amakane: the Eight Six, the Sileighty, and the R32, in that order. The cars hum in unison, their engines roaring as they cut through the night air.
In the Eight Six, March lets out a quiet giggle. "Hope your dad doesn't mind driving my Supra for the night," she says, breaking the tense silence.
Collei, sitting in the driver's seat, remains serious, her expression unreadable. "I hope not too," she responds, her voice steady but betraying a hint of concern.
Meanwhile, in the R32, the mood is quiet, a heavy stillness hanging in the air. After a few moments, Seele turns to Beidou, her face full of uncertainty.
"Hey, Beidou," Seele says, her voice low and hesitant. "I gotta ask you something."
Beidou glances over at Seele. "What is it, Seele?"
Seele hesitates before speaking, a worried look crossing her face. "I just want to know... Who's side are you on?"
The question hangs in the air for a long moment. Beidou's eyes widen slightly before she responds, her voice firm but with an underlying calmness. "I don't decide about that, Seele. All I did was coordinate the race tonight. That's all."
Seele turns her gaze away from Beidou, clearly unconvinced. "Do you really expect me to believe that bullshit?" she snaps. "Because it feels to me like you're throwing Collei into the ditch just so you can mend things with Eula."
Beidou's eyes harden, though her focus stays on the road. "That's a load of crap, Seele, and you know it."
Seele's frustration mounts, and she shoots Beidou a sharp look. "Oh, you think so? Then tell me this: Do you honestly think Collei has a chance of winning this race on a course she's never seen before? Or are you just okay with watching her leave Amakane with a loss on her record?"
Beidou says nothing. Her gaze remains fixed on the road, but her face darkens with guilt. The tension in the car thickens.
Seele's voice softens, her anger turning to resignation. "I thought so. Too close to home, I suspect?"
For a brief moment, Beidou trembles, her foot tapping nervously on the gas pedal. The engine's turbo wastegate flutters audibly as she accelerates and decelerates.
Seele continues, her words biting, but carrying an edge of truth. "She doesn't stand a chance on this course. The only course Collei really knows is Yougou. Amakane is more like a rally stage to everyone else. You can forget about the first-timers! I get that Collei's technique is something to admire, but the fact is, she's never driven Amakane before. She doesn't have the knowledge of the entire course like Eula does. And with no practice runs, this race might already be decided. Is that really what you want, Beidou? To sell Collei out just to race against Eula?"
Seele's fist clenches tightly, her anger palpable. "If you keep pulling this crap, Beidou, you can consider our friendship—and my place on your team—over."
Beidou's eyes widen in shock at the weight of Seele's words. She pauses, her thoughts racing as she processes what was just said.
After a long silence, Beidou closes her eyes, exhaling slowly. "You're right, Seele," she admits, her voice heavy with regret. "I messed up... big time. I'm sorry."
The convoy arrives at the convenience store at the base of Yougou as the sun continues to set, the last light of day casting long shadows. The group gathers around Collei, tension hanging thick in the air.
Beidou steps forward, her voice softer now, tinged with concern. "Collei, I think it's best you back off from this race. Your reputation, your win streak... everything is on the line here. Don't worry about the potential fallout with Eula. Me and Seele will handle it."
Seele looks at Collei, her expression firm. "Yeah, I agree with Beidou. It might be time to turn back and head to Yougou."
Collei closes her eyes, a small, knowing smirk curling on her lips. "I'm not heading back."
Beidou and Seele's eyes widen in disbelief. Beidou takes a step closer, her voice rising in surprise. "You're not heading back?"
Collei opens her eyes and looks directly at Beidou. "No. But whether or not you watch the race tonight is up to you. I'm not leaving until I race that girl in the GT86. That's the only reason I came here in the first place."
Beidou's voice shakes with concern. "But Collei, you've seen what Eula is capable of! She'll leave you in the dust on this course. You don't have a chance."
Collei sighs, a quiet resolve in her tone. "And I don't care. This isn't about winning or losing anymore."
Seele moves closer, her face clouded with worry. "You can't say that, Collei! You have a reputation to uphold! You're the Eight Six of Yougou now. Have some racer's pride!"
Collei smirks, a glint of defiance in her eyes. "And I'm supposed to care about what some strangers think of me?"
Her gaze shifts toward the convoy lined up behind her, the engines idling. "Look, I won a couple of races. Local ones. Word spread like wildfire, and now people act like I'm some kind of hotshot—the real-life Takumi Fujiwara. You know, sometimes it'd feel a lot better if people just stopped talking about me all the time."
Seele steps back, her expression unreadable. "Are you sure about this?"
Collei smiles, the confidence in her voice unwavering. "Of course I'm sure. I want to try something new. I want to tackle a course I've never driven before. I want a challenge."
Moments later, the group begins driving up Amakane. Collei takes the lead in the Eight Six, her eyes locked onto the road, every curve and rise of the track etched into her mind. Behind her, Seele and Beidou follow in the R32, with Amber bringing up the rear in the Sileighty.
Seele glances at Beidou, her tone apologetic. "Sorry if I was an ass to you earlier. But honestly, how can we talk her out of this after that monologue?"
Beidou rolls down her window, her elbow resting casually on the edge as she stares out at the road ahead. "I know, right? She's something else. You can never really wrap your head around her. I can't tell if she's got a gift or if there's a bolt loose in her head."
The convoy presses on, winding through the twisting roads of Amakane, Collei completely focused, absorbing every moment of the new challenge before her.
Moments later, they arrive at The Top of the Pass.
Eula shifts out of her GT86 with a smooth motion, stepping onto the cool, gravelly ground. She glances over at Collei, who's just finishing up with her own car. "Hey, Collei. Nice to see you again," Eula says with a grin.
Collei smirks, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight as she walks toward Eula. "Likewise, Eula," she responds coolly, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.
As Eula approaches, she takes a moment to study Collei more closely. There's something about her that catches Eula off guard—how young she looks. The unfamiliarity of it makes her pause for a brief second.
Eula speaks up, curiosity tinging her voice. "Gotta say, kid. You're young. How old are you?"
Collei gives a nonchalant nod, unfazed by the question. "If you gotta know, I'm eighteen."
Eula's eyes widen, her jaw practically hitting the floor. "You're serious? You're in Senior high?"
Collei smirks just a little, a playful spark in her eyes. "Not anymore. I graduated earlier this year."
Eula's surprise deepens, but she recovers quickly. Leaning against the side of her GT86, she folds her arms across her chest, sizing Collei up. "Alright then," she says, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Let's set some rules. We run a cat-and-mouse game. To put it simply: if the mouse runs away, the mouse wins. If not, we swap positions over and over again until the race is decided. What do you say?"
Collei nods, her eyes glinting with confidence. "Sounds good to me."
Eula shifts her stance, her posture relaxed yet assertive. "Since you're the outsider, and I'm the local here, I'll let you decide: do you want to chase, or do you want me to chase you?"
As Collei stands there, weighing the decision, the rest of the crew—Seele, Amber, Beidou, and March—rush over, eager to offer their input. They pull Collei to the side, guiding her towards Amber's Sileighty parked nearby.
Seele leans in close, her voice a low whisper as she gives Collei her advice. "Look, it's best if you go right in front of the GT86 for this first run. Use this as an opportunity to learn the track."
Amber immediately shakes her head, her brow furrowed with concern. "Bad idea. Guys, really."
The others, startled by Amber's reaction, look at her in unison. "How? Care to explain?" they ask, genuinely confused.
Amber smirks, her tone slightly teasing. "If you ask her to be the one to choose, she'll chase. She wants to learn the opponent's driving style. By the halfway point, she'll have enough data to figure out how to overtake. So, if I were you, I'd chase her instead. Do the same thing to Eula."
Seele, Beidou, and March exchange glances, digesting Amber's insight. The pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place.
Seele nods with sudden clarity. "Collei, I think you should chase her."
Collei's lips curl into a sly grin. "I was thinking of chasing her anyway," she says, her voice filled with determination.
With that, Collei straightens up and approaches Eula, her eyes locked onto her. "I'll chase you, if you don't mind."
Eula gasps, momentarily taken aback. A twinge of frustration flickers in her eyes as she mutters silently to herself, For real? I wished you were in front so I could study your driving style! Damnit!
Collei, unfazed, nods in acknowledgment and heads back toward her GT86. She prepares herself for the race, settling into the driver's seat with a focused expression. She straps herself into the harness, tightening it with precise movements. Then, with a flick of the ignition, the engine roars to life—a deep, throaty growl of the 4A-GE. Collei's fingers move swiftly to flick the headlight switch, and the iconic popup headlights spring up, their beams cutting through the darkness of the night.
Meanwhile, far from the excitement of the pass, Arlecchino is in her kitchen at Yougou, cooking dinner when her phone suddenly begins to vibrate on the counter.
Annoyed, she mutters under her breath. "Damn. Just when I was making dinner."
She walks over, grabs the phone, and answers it with a weary tone. "Hello, Harth's tofu shop. May I help you?"
A crackling voice comes through the line. "Hey, Arlecchino? It's me, Lyney."
Arlecchino sighs, clearly less than thrilled. "Oh, it's you. Make it quick, alright? I'm in the middle of making dinner."
The voice crackles again, this time with more urgency. "I had to call you because I need to tell you something. Collei and the others went to Amakane Pass tonight. Figured you might want to know."
Arlecchino's expression hardens. She exhales sharply. "So the kid went up to Amakane Pass for another race. So what?"
There's a stunned silence on the other end of the line, then Lyney's voice rises in disbelief. "So what?! Is that all you can say about Collei? Listen, your kid went up to Amakane Pass without any advice from you at all!"
Arlecchino scoffs, brushing off his concern. "That's all I have to say. Please, excuse me. I got food to cook. Call me when I'm done."
Back at Amakane, the atmosphere is thick with anticipation. Eula is in her car, preparing for the race. She straps on her harness, tightening it with practiced precision. She revs the engine, warming it up for the battle ahead. The deep growl of the engine fills the air, the sound of power waiting to be unleashed.
Beidou walks up to Collei's AE86, slapping the roof with a hearty, encouraging pat. "Alright, Collei. All the best, buddy."
Collei smiles, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and calm. "Just to let you know, I'm the chaser for a reason."
The others gather around, leaning in to hear more, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and excitement.
March peeks through the window, her voice eager. "Tell us, Collei! What's your plan?"
Amber clenches her fist, excitement practically radiating off her. "Yeah! Tell us!"
Collei's grin widens as she leans back slightly in her seat. "Alright, alright. I'm chasing her because I want to understand how she moves around this corner. If I can mimic it like she does, then I can go as fast as she can."
Beidou gives an approving nod, her voice full of support. "That's the spirit! Go get her, Collei!"
Beidou signals to Eula that they're good to go. Everyone backs up, moving to their positions to watch the race unfold. The tension is palpable as the two drivers get ready. Collei rolls up her window, her hand moving to flick the headlights, signaling Eula.
The night air is electric with excitement and the sting of worry. This is Collei's first race in unfamiliar territory, and everything is about to change.