[InitialD][FanFic] Transitions - Part 7
Teisu
The characters and events depicted in this fanfic are the property of
Avex Mode. I do not make any claim on ownership, nor do I intend to
profit from this work. This work may be copied or distributed by
electronic means as long as all notes and disclaimers are included.
To the fans who have taken the trouble to write me: Greetings. May
this story be up to your standards. Spelling and punctuation may be
specifically addressed in correspondence to te...@my.host.net. An up
to date copy of this fanfic will reside on my webpage at
www.geocities.com/bthies.
My Initial_D fanfics may be long or short, depending on how long the
inspiration lasts. I have decided to write this as a series of
episodes, trying to match the "feel" for the TV show.
Teisu
Initial D: Transitions Part 7
The honeymoon had seemed much too brief. Takumi glanced up at the
clock in the small tofu shop kitchen, and carefully wiped the beads of
sweat from his forehead. The work was hard. Business was good, but
it scarcely seemed to make much difference. Bunta frequently withdrew
large sums of money from the business account, leaving Sayuki frantic
about how to pay the ongoing expenses. Bunta was frequently absent,
leaving Takumi and Sayuki to run the shop alone.
"Takumi." Sayuki addressed him gently one late evening. "This
must stop." Either Father must run the business finances entirely and
give me an allowance, or I will run the business and give him an
allowance. It's not proper that you have to work at the GS after work
here and make deliveries also!" I can't even give you a proper
allowance for all the hard work you do!" You even have to use your gas
allowance from the GS to make deliveries!"
"I'll talk to him about it." Takumi reached over and held
Sayuki's hand.
Sayuki flushed gently and softened. "See that you do!"
----
Takumi heard the rumble as the AE86 pulled up to the small shop and
parked. The silence returned as the ignition was turned off. Then the
familiar footsteps proceeded down the hall. The rhythm was a little
irregular and the sound was hard.
Takumi put on a robe and exited the bedroom. Bunta was sprawled in
his favorite chair, his feet on the table, smoking a cigarette and
reading a paper.
"Dad! What are you doing? You didn't even take off your shoes!"
Takumi exclaimed. We work hard to keep this shop clean and you are
bringing dust inside!
"Hmmm. Interesting business meeting today. You should attend."
Bunta commented with his usual deadpan expression.
"Attend? Who would make the tofu for the deliveries?" Takumi
countered. Sayuki works hard enough as it is. It's also waste of her
talents, although I have to admit that her looks and personality have
brought in a lot of business."
"That's easy," Bunta waved his hand. "I'll just hire someone."
"No." Takumi looked hard at his father. "This is a family business. I
won't have you hiring someone else while Sayuki is struggling to make
the business work for only food and lodging!"
"I left money in the account!" Bunta countered, his eyes
widened slightly. Takumi knew that his father was a little irritated.
"We barely had enough to buy beans and packaging." Takumi
countered. I had to use my gas allowance to make deliveries. I also
had to drive gently home to save on petrol.."
"Sayuki has not taken any allowance to make up the shortfall. We
have eaten unsold tofu and miso soup every day this week!" Takumi
looked hard at his father.
"There have been expenses." Bunta commented to no one in
particular. "This will change in a little while."
"No." Taukimi took at deep breath. "Either you manage the shop's
finances completely and give Sayuki a household allowance, or put the
shop's business affairs in her hands, and accept a traditional
allowance as warranted by your standing in the household."
Takumi bowed slightly.
"So, Sayuki thinks she can do better." Bunta stoked his stubbly
chin.
"No, she didn't say that." Takumi gently corrected him. "There can
only be one manager. Only one can direct this shop's business."
"Are you challenging the way I do business, now?" Bunta looked
up from his paper.
"Yes." Takumi bowed. "Dad, you have your reasons, but I don't approve
of your methods these last few weeks."
"Hmmm." Bunta laid down the paper. "So you talk like a man now.
Men back up their challenges with actions. Let me tell you something,
we could disagree on this for a long time and never get anything
settled, or we could race to settle our differences."
"Race?" Takumi was a little puzzled. "You want to settle this with
a race?"
"Yes. That way there will be no complaint. The victor gets what they
want. If you win, you say who runs the shop. If I will, I will say."
Takumi thought about the statement for several minutes, trying to
find a hidden meaning or some loophole.
"Done." Takumi agreed.
"Now the time and place. "In one week, in Usui." Bunta eyed his
son. "Since I was the one that was challenged I will choose my
vehicle."
Takumi nodded, expecting his father to choose the Lan Evo.
"I choose the Trueno." Bunta said.
"But half of that car belongs to me!" Takumi exclaimed.
"Yes, and half also belongs to me." Bunta agreed. "But you can
drive the Lan Evo or any car you can find!"
"That's not much help." Takumi protested.
"Is this a test of machines or drivers?" Bunta looked at Takumi
hard.
"Drivers." Takumi looked a little sad.
"Then I expect you to do your best, because I certainly will!"
---
"He's the one who bought the Lan Evo, he's the one most familiar
with it." Takumi complained. "So, he should drive it."
"I see Papa-san has taken the lead." Sayuki countered.
"Huh?" Takumi stared.
"He has put you at a disadvantage, by attacking your weakest
spot. I suggest that you find a way to overcome it." Sayuki
continued. "You take the Lan Evo and the Akina run from now on. But I
expect you to set up and open the store -while I catch a couple extra
hours of sleep!"
"Ok." Takumi reluctantly agreed. "It's a good trade."
Takumi checked the alarm clock and settled back on his back and
stared at the ceiling. Sayuki 's form breathed rhythmically, Takumi
sighed quietly and went back to sleep.
---
Takumi frowned as he drifted the Lan Evo around the corner on Akina's
downhill. "It's not right. It sits just a little too high on the
driver's side when turning, and the weight doesn't transfer as it
should. I can overcome it by adjusting throttle and turning, but it
will have to be at its best to defeat the '86!" Takumi made careful
mental notes of his vehicle's characteristics.
"Turbo lag is about 2 and a half seconds. I wonder if a
mis-firing system is all that expensive." Takumi shook his head.
Re-building the car, and then having to re-learn it was not what
he intended to do. Takumi accelerated down a short straight, and held
the throttle while drifting through the turn. The tires smoked and
squealed loudly as Takumi rocketed through the hairpin and exited at a
high speed, almost matching the speed of the now infamous gutter
technique.
"That's a nice time, but I would have useless tires after only 7
or 8 turns." Takumi narrowed his eyes and felt the handling
characteristics of the Lan Evo. They would get too hot and fail."
Besides, it's doubtful that the race would be settled on the first
attempt."
---
The Usui mountain pass was too narrow for two cars to race safely in
the conventional manner. Mako, Sayuki's friend and former racing
teammate, had invented a set of rules for the mountain: "One leads,
one follows, until a car is passed or outrun. If neither happens, go
to the top and exchange places and repeat until there is a winner."
---
Takumi pulled off the road at the parking area and examined his tires.
They weren't damaged, but were very hot to the touch.
"Tactics and skill." Takumi thought. "And preparation."
---
"Moshi-Moshi!" The unseen face answered the phone.
"Ah, Takumi-kun! What may I do for the famous Akina racer?"
"No, no bother. This afternoon around 4 will fine, I'll be waiting."
Ryosuke pressed the button ending the call on the cellular phone
and leaned back. "University studies, finances and such. I can really
use a diversion. Fujiwara is such an interesting fellow. He must be
in real trouble to ask for pointers after beating the GT-R! The AE86
in his hands is just about unbeatable."
---
Ryosuke stared at the white Lan Evo IV . "Where is the Trueno?"
"Dad will be driving it." Takumi explained. "I intend to race him
with this."
Ryosuke's face dropped. "Oh. You understand that he has a well
balanced and powerful car with a Class A rally racing engine."
"Although you have four wheel drive and a turbo-charged V-6,"
Ryosuke continued, "Bunta-san's vast experience and mechanical
knowledge put you at a major disadvantage. He will no doubt set his
car up for the optimum speed and handling for Usui."
"Let's get this into the garage and up on a lift and see what we
can do with it."
---
Ryosuke shined the light up into the underside of the Lancer.
"So it has been wrecked. There are new components, there is some
welding."
"It that bad?"
"Not if the rebuild was done well, which it was."
"There, see these adjustment plates and holes? They aren't stock.
You can change the stiffness of the suspension and/or height, by
adjusting these."
"On a hard left, the driver's side goes up too far and the weight
transfer is off." Takumi explained. "About 6 centimeters too far."
"Hmm, let me call my personal mechanic. He is a Mazda mechanic,
but he drives a Lancer himself. "
A combination of rods had been adjusted and a trial run through a few
back streets, with appropriate sharp turns, then back to the garage
for more adjustments.
"It's not an exact science." The mechanic explained. "More stiffness
here has to be compensated elsewhere, or the forces will not be
balanced. We have a coarse setting, but the fine adjustment will have
to be set over a period of days."
Takumi drove the Lan Evo back to the shop and parked it next to
the Trueno.
"Just a little preparation work," he explained to Sayuki as he tackled
his chores. Sayuki smiled and went back to the front.
The next morning, Takumi nodded as the adjustment have improved
handling, but now it was two centimeters too low, and the front-rear
balance had changed.
" I don't know if it made that much difference. "Takumi mused as
he flew down the mountain.
That evening there were more adjustments. Takumi could begin to
follow what the mechanic was doing and even made a few suggestions.
"I've done just about everything I can for the suspension, you have a
pretty good feel for it, now. Turn these adjustments no more than
half a turn between trials and you can tweak it in from there." He
explained.
"I've adjusted the boost on the turbo-charger up a notch, and balanced
the front-rear forces on the brakes.
"Thanks, Aka-kun." Ryosuke slipped him a folded piece of paper.
He bowed politely and left.
"How much was that?" Takumi had noticed.
"None of your business. He was working for me, not you."
Ryosuke replied rather sharply.
Then he turned back towards Takumi. "It's always been the legend
of the car. I happen to believe that it is the man. If you simply do
your best, I will have compensation enough."
That morning, Takumi grunted as he removed a cotter pin and moved
the nut a quarter turn with the spanner, with a flashlight
illuminating his work.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed as he skinned his knuckles when the spanner
slipped.
Lying on his back on a canvas under the Lancer, he struggled to
put the pin back. "There." Takumi carefully replaced the pin as he had
been shown. He carefully licked his bleeding knuckles.
Takumi started the Lan Evo and started back down the mountain.
Entering a sharp right, Takumi felt the car center of gravity shift
towards the preferred point. "Almost perfect." Takumi felt relief.
"Now through the left." Takumi floored it and powered through the
turn.
"Now what?" Takumi kept driving; now bothered by what he had
discovered. The car handled very differently in the left turn, it was
exactly on the preferred point.
---
"So you have adjusted the suspension to Akina's rhythm." Sayuki
noted during a lull in the business.
"Yes, and because Usui and Akina have the same rhythm, it should
be a good setup."
"By the way, where's Dad?" Takumi noticed that his father was not
in the shop. Luckily it was good day. The tiny orders were few and
far between, and there were some rather hefty orders of ten and twenty
kilos.
Because the order was packaged in bulk, Sayuki discounted the price
slightly. Takumi helped them load the orders, and the customers left
looking rather pleased.
A small sign hung in the window. "Closed Saturday." Sayuki had
placed it there.
"I will not miss this race and just sit here!" Sayuki exclaimed.
Bunta saw the sign and wisely said nothing.
---
Akina was a-buzz about the great race. Somehow, it had been
revealed that Bunta was going to race again.
"Bunta stopped racing because there was no-one worthy enough to
race him," explained the GS manager that afternoon at Takumi's part
time job. "With that engine in the '86, he will be unbeatable!" The
man glowed with pride.
"The odds are 4-1 against the opponent. It is rumored that the
Emperors have a man with a powerful Lan Evo, but I am sure that he
will be as easily defeated as Jusei was!"
Itsuki smiled and poked Takumi with a finger. "You are going aren't
you?"
Takumi nodded.
"Good." Itsuki smiled. "It will be like old times. Iketani will
be there of course. He sees Mako every weekend."
"I am sure that Mogi will love to see such an exciting race!"
Itsuki's face brightened. "I know, it'll be a date!" Ituske pointed
his finger into the air and took a stance.
---
"Tofu's made." Takumi sighed and closed the cooler and went to help
Sayuki and Bunta with cleanup.
"Hey, can't we you all fit in the '86?" Itsuki and Mogi came by so
they could travel together. We'll join Iketani and Mako at the summit
and then find a good place on C-121 to watch the best part of the
race!"
"I'll ride with Takumi in the Lan Evo." Interjected Sayuki.
Bunta nodded and waved. "I could use some company in the Trueno!
"If I could catch a ride.." The GS manager looked inside
expectantly.
"Hop in." Bunta nodded back to the Lan Evo. "Newlyweds."
---
The Trueno lead the way, as a stream of cars made their way from
small town towards the distant village. The traffic was heavy, but
the pace was brisk. The small company made the way to the small
mountain village.
"There, Papa-san's getting off. There's that little restaurant."
The restaurant was jammed, there was a long line, and the wait for a
seat was about an hour.
"Come on," Sayuki explained. "Let's have a proper lunch." Sayuki
went to the Lan Evo and opened the boot.
"O-bento!" Sayuki beamed as she held the traditional lunchboxes
high. "Here are your napkins!" Sayuki then passed out the tiny dishes.
"Itadakimasu!" The people exclaimed from the grass at the edge of
the parking lot.
"Better than a young boy's dream!" Itsuki marveled at the variety and
skill of the preparation. Mogi smiled at the classic "Ahhh!" as
Sayuki fed Takumi a choice bite of shrimp.
"More tea, Papa-san, Ananta[darling]?"
Bunta nodded as he relaxed in the shade, Sayuki gently refilled
his cup from the classic teapot sitting over the alcohol stove. Takumi
also held out his cup.
"She's such a mature and proper wife!" Ituski remarked.
A stress mark appeared on Mogi's temple.
"Stop that!" Sayuki said. "Mogi-san works hard too, and also will
make a beautiful bride and proper wife if she chooses that path."
"Hai!" Itsuki looked a little sheepish and Mogi looked very
relieved.
Sayuki carefully packed the used dishes and remains of food back
into the stacked lacquer boxes and disposed of the used chopsticks.
Gathering up the edges of the tablecloths, she tied each cloth back
over the corresponding box and knotted them in place. The party
of people glanced around carefully to look for any dropped food or
trash that would spoil the area.
"It was such a wonderful lunch, I was wondering if the early
comers to the race will get dinner?" Mogi asked.
"What would you serve?" Sayuki asked interested. "There will be
thousands! Even with a large kitchen, the menu would be limited."
"Oh, that's easy, just a card board lunchbox, with noodles or
rice, steamed fish and pickles. Oh! and tea of course."
"How much would you charge?" Sayuki prodded a little more.
"Let's see, I could really soak them for about 1000 yen and waste
a lot of food, or maybe about 500 yen, which would include delivery."
Sayuki was on the cell phone. "Make it 8,000 servings, I want the
delivery trucks to double as a trash trucks, or hire separate
vehicles.
"Yes, Mother, it's for the race. I estimate that the crowd will
overwhelm the local establishments. Maybe a two million yen profit
doesn't interest you! I thought so."
Sayuki disconnected the call and smiled. "Usui is traditionally
known as a traveler's village! We don't intend to disappoint anybody!
Ok, let's finish this journey!"
"Be there in a minute, let me check the vehicles." Takumi walked
around the Trueno and checked for road damage. He paused, realizing
what he had discovered. He repeated the action for the Lancer. He
nodded to his father the roadworthiness of the Trueno and got into the
Lan Evo.
"I'm in real trouble, Sayuki. "Takumi sighed. "Dad's installed
special tires on the Trueno."
"How special?" Sayuki looked worried.
"They are street legal, but are softer and stickier than
standard. They can grab the road much tighter than the other tires.
He won't have to drift nearly as much."
"What about C-121?"
"He will be able to exit at much faster speeds than the Lancer.
He has the clear advantage now."
"Takumi! The race is not over yet. Please use your contacts and
knowledge. You were able to set the Lan Evo suspension up without your
father's help. We can find some good tires, too." Sayuki drove as
Takumi glanced through his list of contacts and the folder of business
cards.
"How about Shingo?" Takumi asked.
Sayuki shook her head. "Doubtful, The EG6 uses a different setup,
only a racing affiliated company or team could come up with a set."
"Hello, Mako, I am looking for tires for a Lan Evo." Takumi spoke to
Sayuki's friend and then called the Usui speed shop. Sorry, no call
for that size." The apologetic voice sounded, "We can have them
Monday."
"No, it has to be tonight!" Takumi sounded apologetic. "Thanks
anyway."
Takumi looked back through the business cards, one gleaming one
caught his eye. Pulling it out, he read the inscription on the back.
Dialing the number, a female voice answered the phone.
"May I speak to Takashita-san?" Takumi asked.
"Takashita-dono is in conference." The voice replied. "How do you
know him?"
"We did some business together during the recent typhoon. I was
hoping that he would be able to assist me today." Takumi replied
politely.
"I see. You dialed the number on his business card, then?" The
voice was pleasant but formal. "Can you describe the card?"
"Gold."
The line fell silent.
"Moshi-Moshi?" Takumi spoke to the silent party and then heard a
scramble of activity.
"Excuse me, please, whom shall I say is calling?" The voice
became very polite.
"Fujiwara, Fujiwara Takumi."
"Very well, Fujiwara-dono. Yes, we have your card on file. Please
fill us in on the nature of your need." A messenger has been
dispatched to get Takashita-dono."
"Racing tires for a Lancer Lan Evo IV, suitable for street use."
"I have your request and will contact our racing division."
"Pardon me, but what exactly does Takashita-san do?" Takumi
prodded as Sayuki glanced over at him puzzling at the strange
conversation."
"Director of National Sales for Mitsubishi Motors." The secretary
answered.
"Ah, Takumi-san! Pleased that you have called. I am sorry that I
never contacted you after our trip to thank you."
"I placed the only bid for government vehicles in the region."
Takashita announced proudly. "Everyone else was held up by the
weather. I sold 120,000 units!" I still can't figure out how you drove
on water. If you want, I can deliver a Lancer Lan Evo Seven." I see,
just the tires." The secretary glanced up at the man holding the
phone.
"On Usui, that will be no problem. Meet at the peak at the Hotel. No
later than 9pm . Look for the white Lancer, Fujiwara Tofu. I
understand."
I am not saying that I approve of all this!" Himoki-san stood and
looked out the window at the Lancer, "But if I could have settled my
arguments so easily with my family members, I would have taken up
racing years ago!"
"Bunta is a good businessman, Sayuki has a good nose for
business, too! Whomever runs things will do a fine job." Himoki spoke
to Takumi.
"Any news? Has Sayuki been to the doctor recently?"
"No, I am not pregnant!" Sayuki sighed at her mother's
prodding. "We'll let you know if the situation changes."
"Are we ready?" Himoki signaled the younger brother.
"You're going?" Sayuki shuddered.
"At least to see the start, I have an important client to meet at
the Usui Hotel at the summit, besides the police are only letting
through those who have business, The road will be closed at 9pm."
I will get you through."
---
The Mitsubishi rally team pit crew wolfed down a quick dinner of
noodles and fish.
"You got a pickled plum. Trade for the carrot."
The hot tea warmed the tired bodies of the mechanics. They
gratefully handed the empty boxes back to the parking lot attendant
and posed for pictures.
"This must be some VIP! Orders came from high up, really high up.
"Drop race preparations and head up here to put one of our sets of
tires on an older Lancer! I doubt that he'll show up. Probably some
sort of publicity stunt!" One mechanic remarked.
"Not that big of a deal. The car is prepped pretty well." Another
added. We'll be back tomorrow, still two days before the event. They
shouldn't need us for practice." The backup team will do fine."
"Say! There is one car, but it's a Trueno. It's the right color,
the sign is right." The team leader remarked. Let's see if he knows
anything."
"Pardon me, Fujiwara-san?" The mechanic greeted Bunta. We are
looking for a Lan Evo." Itsuki stared. Why are you asking us?...
Itsuki started.
Bunta waved him quiet. "The Lancer will be up any minute now."
"A little late for final preparations." Bunta observed.
"Just tires, nothing more."
Bunta nodded, as the crowd murmured. He has Mitsubishi racing
against him?"
"You mean Takumi is your opponent?" Itsuki cried. I told you all
his secrets and how he beat the other drivers!" Itsuki got out of the
Trueno and stomped away.
"My best friend - and I betrayed him!" Itsuki beat his breast in
sorrow, his eyes streaming tears.
"You didn't do it deliberately. If Takumi wanted you to know, he
would have told you," Mogi responded, coming up to him and holding
close to him; partly to console him, and partly because of the chilly
night air.
"There he is!" The crowd strained to see the Lancer enter the
parking lot. Takumi spotted the Mitsubishi trailer and headed towards
it. The crowd opened and then closed around the small roped off area
as the crew quickly began mounting the special tires.
"This is important, the tires can dissipate a lot of heat, but if
you blister them..." Takumi nodded at the instructions.
"How long can they tolerate a drift at full power?"
"Maybe ten seconds, fifteen tops."
Takumi felt the rear drop as the front of the car was raised and
the sound of the pneumatic wrenches sounded again. Takumi glanced at
the rear as one man with a torque wrench carefully made the final
turns on the rear lug-nuts. "Takumi-kun!" The team leader stuck his
head in the window. Do you want racing gasoline?"
Takumi remembered his discovery of the racing tires, and then
remembered his father's words.
"Yes." He answered.
The team located the fuel pump and disconnected the fuel line.
They re-attached a drain hose. Takumi turned on the ignition and the
pump quickly pumped the thirty or so remaining liters of petrol into
the waiting dump can. Efficiently, they signaled Takumi to kill the
ignition. Re-connecting the fuel line, they put forty liters of high
octane racing gasoline into the tank. The pump primed and the engine
started. The men signaled safe at all locations and gathered in front
of the Mitsubishi. They removed their caps and bowed together.
"Race safely and well!" They chorused.
"I'll do my best!" Takumi replied.
"Five minutes." Sayuki leaned in and kissed him deeply. "You
better not do anything stupid. Mama and the others are down on C-121,
there is a private ambulance, just in case."
"Papa-san has suggested that Mako start the race. He has elected
to lead."
Takumi nodded his approval and started the Lancer.
---END of Chapter Seven---