The Speed Of The Stars

Summer, 202X. Mt. Yougou.

A peaceful night on the mountain pass. Crickets chirped, the wind gently blowing, and the night remained still. It was 4:45 AM when a white-and-black AE86 Trueno came flying down the mountain, drifting through corners at lightning speed. Nobody knew who the driver was, but some said she delivered tofu to Lake Yougou every morning at 4:00 AM, rain, snow, or shine. No matter the weather, the car would be out there, delivering tofu to nearby shops and hotels.

That afternoon at a gas station, March was bugging Collei about pooling their money to buy a car. March had her sights set on something rear-wheel drive.

"I was thinking of a Supra Twin Turbo," March said, browsing her phone, "but that's way over budget! And it's not even registered, which adds even more to the cost."

Collei leaned against the gas pump, eyebrow raised. "How much is your budget?"

March sighed in disappointment. "Around 8 million."

She continued scrolling through used car listings and paused when she spotted something. "Collei, you've got to check this out! If we pool our money, we could get this AE86!"

Collei waved her hand dismissively. "I don't know, March… Besides, I already have a car at home for deliveries."

March scoffed. "That junker? It's practically headed to the scrapyard! What we need is something stylish, something classic—something that turns heads!"

Collei scratched her head in confusion, but before she could respond, Beidou jumped into the conversation.

"You gals have good taste. An AE86 is a perfect beginner car. It's got a great engine and a limited-slip differential. It's ideal for mountain pass runs."

March turned to Collei, triumphant. "See? Even Beidou agrees! An AE86 is perfect for both of us!"

As March was about to continue, Beidou cut in again. "Speaking of mountain passes, my team and I are headed up to Mt. Yougou tonight for some practice runs. You two should join us."

March bounced up and down, excited, but then paused, remembering they didn't have a car.

Beidou sighed and pointed to her Nissan Skyline R32. "I can give you a ride."

March nearly squealed with joy and immediately accepted the invitation. She hugged Collei from behind, asking if she'd join too. Before Collei could even answer, March dragged her along, whether she liked it or not.

That night, Beidou spotted Collei and March in their casual outfits and waved. "Meet me at the bus stop at 8:00 PM sharp!"

March gave Beidou a thumbs-up and yanked Collei along with her. As they prepared to leave, Lyney Snezhevich, the manager and owner of the gas station, walked up to Beidou.

"I overheard your conversation," Lyney said, "You headed to Yougou?"

Beidou nodded. "Yep. Gotta keep my skills sharp. Besides, my team's the fastest on Mt. Yougou."

Lyney crossed his arms and smirked. "You know, you guys aren't the only ones claiming to be the fastest around Yougou. Back when I was still racing, there was this gal who was known as the fastest—undisputed. She still races around Yougou to this day."

Beidou chuckled, thinking Lyney was joking. "You're kidding, right? I know every single driver on Yougou, and no offense, but none of them are old-timers."

Lyney smirked again. "Well, she just so happens to race at a different time of day than you and your buddies. And there's a reason for that: she owns a tofu shop."

Beidou scratched her head in confusion. "Wait, what?"

Lyney explained, his tone serious now. "She heads out around 3 or 4 AM every morning for her delivery run, hitting hotels and Lake Yougou. On the downhill, her speed is... out of this world. And because it's her business, she's out there every day—rain or snow. She knows every crack and stain on the asphalt. Mark my words, Beidou, the fastest car on Mt. Yougou is an AE86 that delivers tofu."

Beidou shook off the chills. "A tofu shop AE86? No way."

That night at the Narukami Shopping Street, Arlecchino stood outside her home, reading a newspaper when she heard footsteps approaching.

She stopped Collei before she could leave. "Where do you think you're going? Sneaking out?"

Collei turned to face her. "I've got plans with March. We're just hanging out."

Arlecchino smirked. "Alright, just don't be late. And don't make me drag your ass out of bed in the morning."

Collei glanced at the car in the driveway, then nodded. She hurried to the bus station, where March was already waiting for Beidou and her R32 to pick them up.

As the night wore on, the sounds of engines revving and tires screeching around hairpin turns echoed through Mt. Yougou. Beidou's R32 led a three-car convoy, with Seele following in her Nissan Fairlady S30Z and Pela in her Toyota MR2 W20. Inside the R32, Collei screamed, clutching anything she could find in the back seat as Beidou's car fishtailed around every corner.

Collei screamed for dear life. "Did you slam a book on your head recently, March!? You're making Beidou lose concentration!"

March, excited but slightly annoyed, shot a glance back at her. "Are you kidding me!? I'll scream all I want! I'm scared for my freaking life!"

Beidou laughed, unfazed. "I'm used to it, March. First time riding with a real street racer? Here comes a hairpin in second gear."

Beidou flawlessly downshifted from third to second, but the rear of the R32 fishtailed again as they took the corner. Collei screamed once more. March, now annoyed, yelled back, "Shut the hell up!"

The night continued, with all three cars making it to the top of the mountain pass. Moments later, Collei sat on the curb, taking a breather. Beidou, a bit apologetic, approached.

"Sorry if I drove too aggressively," Beidou said, scratching her head.

March crouched down next to Collei, concern in her eyes. "What's the matter with you, Collei? You're acting like you're on a roller coaster!"

Collei shot her an annoyed look. "I like roller coasters, March. But you wouldn't understand the kind of crazy fear I felt back there."

Before March could respond, Seele stepped in to defend Collei. "Come on, March, cut her some slack. It's her first time riding with us."

March stood up, nodding in agreement. "I guess you're right. It is her first time, after all..."

Meanwhile at the gas station, Lyney was finishing up locking up when he heard the unmistakable sound of rotary engines. Looking out toward the road, he saw two RX7s pass by—one white, the other midnight purple. One was old, the other new.

"Never seen those guys around here," Lyney muttered. "If they're headed to Yougou, something big is going down."