Initial D Fan Fiction ❯ Akuma no Z: The Doppler Effect ❯ Second Iteration: King of Snake ( Chapter 2 )

Second Iteration: King of Snake

 

Present Day, Mt. Akina; Japan

 

Kameo Fujimoto sprawled out on the hood of his silver, 1999 Honda S 2000. The slightly overweight, Japanese teenager looked up into the cloudy night sky and sighed. Yomiko was late and the race would be starting soon. His own sister, Chiemi Fujimoto--the leader of Team Orange; wasn't going to be happy if they had to forfeit against those bastard Kattobi Tune drivers. He turned his head and saw Chiemi pacing next to her black, 1998 Honda Civic Type-R, she would be doing the downhill tonight. FNTM of course wasn't around tonight; he was probably off acting all pissed off because Yomiko was picked to do the hill climb.

 

The drivers of Kattobi Tune were on the other side of the rest stop lot, tweaking their cars under light of street lamps. Kameo peered back up into the sky, he wanted to race tonight--but the women had something to prove. Two of the three Kattobi drivers were also women, an Animaloid Ermine and an Animaloid Sand Cat. Only the Ermine female was driving for the hill climb in a white Subaru Impreza WRX STi Version VI, another 4WD that would be a good challenge for Yomiko's Evo. The downhill would see an Animaloid Fox who went by the name of Type-R, probably because his vehicle of choice was a DC2 model Honda Integra Type-R; also white. It was pretty much an even match tonight; all depending on driver skill. Now just where was Yomiko?

 

At least my S 2000 will be able to do the hill climb if she doesn't show up, though I'm not sure if my NA FR will be much of a match against a turbo 4WD.

 

Luckily there was still plenty of time, the downhill was to be run first. They would do their battle, then the other cars would head to the bottom of the pass and do the hill climb. The winner was the one, who got to the finish line first. Kameo hoped that Team Orange would take both, but if they only got one and the other team got the other, a time trial would be the final nail in the coffin. In that case, Cheimi would go for the downhill; no one was faster than her when it came to speed trials on Akina. No one.

 

Well, maybe FNTM, but that guy's just crazy.

 

The sound of an approaching car caught Kameo's attention. Hopefully Yomiko finally arrived.

 

Wait, that's not her car--it sounds different…

 

His questions was answered when a deep blue Nissan rounded the corner and pulled into the parking lot of the rest stop under the lights of a vending area.

 

A 1973 Z? Don't see many of those around anymore. I wonder what it's doing here? Kameo wondered as he slipped off the hood of the car and stood to his feet, crossing his arms over his chest. The Z wasn't normal, usually classics such as this were kept in original condition or just junkers, but this one seemed to be modified in appearance a bit. First and foremost, the side view mirrors which were normally located further up the bonnet were pushed back to how modern cars have them set; there was also a bit of fiber body work done to make the car look quite out of the norm.

 

The Z shut off its engine and the driver stepped out. An Animaloid canine of some sort, wearing a leather driving jacket, gloves, jeans and sneakers. The canine leaned up against the Z and lit up a cigarette, just looking about at the other cars located in the lot.

 

Haven't seen him around here, before. Is he a member of Kattobi Tune?

 

“You know him, Kameo?” Cheimi questioned her brother as she approached. The frail looking Japanese female stood with a hand on her hip, he long hair tied back in pig tails.

 

“No, but the car seems familiar for some reason.” Kameo replied, studying the vehicle carefully, “Then again, a Nissan S30 Fairlady Z is a rare sight; especially one in such strange condition.”

 

“Well, he came up the hill…” Cheimi stated, “…maybe we should ask if he seen Yomiko, I'm worried she had an accident.”

 

“I'll do it.” Said Kameo, already making his way to the driver of the Z. “Konichiwa!” He called out to the driver as he approached.

 

“Err, hello.” The driver spoke in English, an American accent.

 

An American? Driving a Z?! This is just too much.”

 

“Ah, you speak English. You have to mind me; my English is not so good.”

 

“That's alright.” The driver replied in almost perfect Japanese, “We can talk in Japanese if it's easier.”

Keh?! He must have been living here awhile to have picked up the dialect so well.

 

“That is an amazing car you have there, sir.” Kameo said with a grin, his chubby face showing off his boyish features. “I haven't seen one since I was a little kid and this was in Tokyo.”

 

“Thank you.” The driver replied, seeming disinterested in idle conversation, almost as if the driver had received too many compliments about the car already.

 

“Ha ha! Forgive my manners!” Kameo announced as he bowed a bit before the driver, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment; “My name is Kameo, member of Team Orange!” In turn, the driver bowed to Kameo and spoke,

“Aa Dasshu.” He greeted.

 

“R…Dash?” Kameo said in English before switching back to Japanese, “Well it is a pleasure to meet you Aa-san. I was wondering, have you seen an orange Evo while you came up this way?”

 

“Orange Evo?” The driver thought for a moment, “Ah, yes. I passed it after C-21.”

 

WHAT!? PASSED?!

 

“Wa--was it parked on the side of the road maybe?” Kameo questioned in a shaky voice.

 

“No, no, I think it was trying to race me. It should be here in 5 minutes or so I'm sure…” Im--impossible…this American passed Yomiko…in a Z?! “…oh wait, there it is now!” R Dash stated, pointing to the entrance of the parking lot where the Evo pulled in and stopped next to Kameo's S 2000. Kameo stood stunned for a moment before bowing once more to the Z driver,

“Excuse me one moment, Aa-san! I will be right back!” Kameo scrambled to the Evo as Yomiko stepped out of it, slamming the door shut. She seemed distressed, and it was no small wonder--no one had passed her on Akina before.

 

“Yomiko-chan!” Kameo called out to her. She gave a slight wave and sat back against the car, head hung low. Kameo approached and questioned her, “Yomiko-chan, tell me it's not true!”

 

She said nothing, just making a low sigh.

 

“What's not true, Kameo?” Cheimi asked as she too approached.

 

“The Z…it…it passed Yomiko-chan.”

 

“What? Yo--Yomiko, is this true?” Cheimi placed a hand on Yomiko's shoulder, only to have it pushed away as Yomiko spun around and slammed her hands on the hood of the Evo.

 

There's no way, maybe she is having car troubles…that has to be it. Kameo thought to himself as Cheimi kept questioning Yomiko,

 

“What happened out there, Yomiko?”

 

“I…I don't know…” Yomiko stuttered, “I was driving better than I ever have in my life, it was perfect. Then this…Z…came out of nowhere and passed me like I was going only 5 miles per hour. I still can't believe it.” She then looked back over her shoulder, past her team mates and saw the driver of the Z parked near the vending machines, getting himself a canned coffee. She looked away, almost disgusted in herself; “You need to call FNTM. I can't race tonight; I'm not good enough.”

 

Both Cheimi and Kameo were shocked, jaws almost hitting the asphalt. Whatever happened out there really shook Yomiko to the core. Kameo was the first to come to grips,

 

“Yomiko-chan, you must race! FNTM has his cell-phone turned off; we tried to reach him when we thought you would be late. Your car is the only one that can keep up with that Impreza. I don't have the traction to do so.”

“I just…can't…not tonight, Kameo. I'm just not good enough.”

 

“Yomiko, we need you…” Cheimi tried to console her, but Yomiko would have none of it as the red panda stormed off and sat upon a curb.

 

If Yomiko can't drive, I don't know how good I will be against that Impreza. Bastards, maybe this is a trick by Kattobi Tune to throw us off!

 

It was during these thoughts of Kameo's that the leader of Kattobi Tune, a white furred ermine female; approached the group with a look of concern upon her face. She was wearing a senior's school uniform and stood tall at 6 feet; though being an ermine she remained lithe and sinewy,

 

“The match begins in 5 minutes, is everything ok here?”

 

“I think you know exactly what is going on here, Misako!” Kameo yelled at the female with a pointed finger, “You're using dirty tricks to throw off our drivers!”

 

“What do you mean?” Misako questioned, shocked at the accusation.

 

“The Z!” Kameo pointed to the Nissan, “You sent in a pro driver to shake up Yomiko and make her think she wasn't good enough!”

 

“Calm down, Kameo.” Cheimi stepped between her brother and the leader of Kattobi Tune, “You don't know that for sure.”

 

“The Z?” Misako peered in the direction of the pointed finger and spotted the car in question, a strange looking 70's Nissan. She shook her head, “You have no honor making claims like that of Kattobi Tune. We are an honest racing team and would not resort to dirty tricks like that!”

“No one is accusing you of anything, Misako.” Cheimi tried to calm everyone down. “So you're saying you don't know who that driver is, that's fine. That's not the issue. However our hill climb driver isn't feeling so well and we humbly request that we postpone the race for at least tonight until she is feeling better.”

 

“Ha! You know the rules, Cheimi. If you can't race, you forfeit. We don't have time to reschedule races, Kattobi Tune is here for one night to crush the last remaining Gunma team. If you can't hack it then go home!”

 

Grr, you lousy bitch. How can you be so ruthless!?

 

“We'll figure something out.” Cheimi responded, lowering her head in defeat. “The downhill will start first. As challengers you get to pick your starting position.”

 

“We'll lead.” Misako stated as she spun around on her heels and took her leave. “We'll see you on the starting line.”

 

“Dammit!” Kameo cursed as he watched the female walk away, “How can they do this? They know they have a good chance now that Yomiko can't race and all we have left in the hill climb is my S 2000. I'm sorry, sister--I don't know if I can beat that Impreza.”

 

“It's not your fault. If FNTM was here we would have no problems. I guess we have no choice but to call a forfeit. Without a 4WD to match that Impreza, we have no hope…”

 

A roar was heard from the vending machine area. The driver of the Z had got back into his car and was getting ready to leave. Kameo pressed one of his fingers to his lips; a smile then appeared…

 

Maybe there's still some hope left afterall…

 

To be Continued.