The Speed Of The Stars

Days had passed since Team Speed Stars claimed victory in the Kannazuka area of Tatarasuna, where Collei and Clorinde had dominated both downhill and uphill races under the relentless rain. The memory of their triumph still lingered, but a new day had begun, and with it came fresh challenges.

The clock struck 4:00 AM in Yougou. The faint light of dawn had yet to grace the horizon, leaving the town shrouded in darkness. At Arlecchino's house, the silence was broken by her commanding voice.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" Arlecchino's yell carried through the wooden walls.

Behind the sliding door, a muffled yawn escaped Collei's lips. "I'm up, I'm up..." she muttered groggily.

With a slow shuffle, Collei slid the door open, her disheveled hair framing her sleepy face. She slumped slightly, rubbing her eyes with one hand as though fighting to drag herself fully into consciousness.

Arlecchino sighed, crossing her arms. "Oof. You look like you've been hit by a truck. Feeling alright?"

Collei nodded slowly, still half-asleep. "Yeah... I'll be fine."

Sliding her feet into her flats, she suddenly froze. A low, throaty rumble drifted through the early morning air. The unmistakable sound of a car idling reached her ears. Curious, she turned her head toward the entrance.

"What's that sound?" she asked, her voice soft but alert now.

Collei stepped to the door, sliding it open and stepping outside. Her eyes widened instantly as her gaze fell upon a striking Bayside Blue Nissan Skyline R34, its polished body glinting under the faint glow of a nearby lamp. The car was a masterpiece, sitting proudly on Rays Volk RE30 wheels that gave it an unmistakably aggressive stance.

"Holy shit..." Collei whispered, her voice almost drowned out by the engine's steady purr.

Her curiosity took over as she walked toward the car, circling it with wide eyes. Every detail demanded her attention—the sleek body lines, the precise stance, the subtle menace exuding from its presence.

"What the hell is this?" she finally asked, her tone a mixture of awe and disbelief.

Arlecchino appeared behind her, smirking. "Wipe that dumb expression off your face. You know damn well what car this is. It's yours for today. Get familiar with it—how it drives, how it handles. Starting now, you're swapping between this and the Eight-Six for a while."

Collei stared at the R34, her mind racing as she processed Arlecchino's words. "Huh?" she muttered, barely audible.

Arlecchino raised an eyebrow. "Kid, you alright?"

Collei nodded, but her eyes were glued to the car. "But... it's the same car. Same color, wheels, and even the license plate..."

A flash of memory burst into her mind—a vivid recall of a night not long ago. That very R34 had appeared out of nowhere during her run down Yougou's downhill, effortlessly copying her gutter run in a daring, impromptu race.

She shook her head, snapping back to the present. Her voice was barely a whisper. "So that's what happened that night..."

Crouching down, she buried her face in her hands. "Son of a bitch, I should have known! I knew you went somewhere early that night!"

Collei shot a look at Arlecchino, her expression one of exasperation and realization. "There's only one person in this whole town who drives that fast and can mimic a gutter run... That was you, wasn't it, Dad?"

Arlecchino's lips curled into a smug grin. She crossed her arms, struggling to suppress a laugh.

Hours later, the sun was high, and Collei was making her way down the mountain pass in the R34, its throaty growl echoing against the rocky cliffs. Her delivery runs for the morning were done, and now the real challenge began.

At the summit, she approached the first left-hand corner, slamming on the brakes and downshifting to third. The car responded with precision, but as she entered the corner, she realized she was carrying too much speed. With a quick reaction, she downshifted to second. The maneuver worked, and the R34 emerged from the turn, its tires brushing mere inches from the guardrail.

Collei smirked. "Great grip... Let's see it slide."

The car sped toward a fast-paced right-hander, and then the first hairpin came into view. Collei gritted her teeth, slamming the brakes and downshifting from fourth to third and then second. With a calculated flick, she initiated a braking drift, sending the car sliding through the tight curve.

Midway through the drift, she floored the accelerator. The R34 lunged forward with startling aggression, its all-wheel-drive system catching her off guard. She countersteered deeply, wrestling with the car to keep it from veering off course. Her heart pounded as she narrowly avoided scraping the guardrail.

Her eyes twitched as she muttered to herself, "How can she call this car 'easy to drive' and 'practical'? This ATTESA E-TS system feels just like Beidou's R32... I need to figure this out."

The morning drew to a close, but Collei's struggle with the R34 had only begun. The car was a beast—a symphony of precision and power that demanded respect. determination only growing stronger.

As the day progressed, the sun began its slow descent, casting a golden hue over Yougou. The vibrant skies painted a serene backdrop as Seele, Beidou, Pela, and Amber gathered around Lyney near the roadside, their discussion centered on Collei's race a few days prior.

Lyney's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait. She raced against a Lotus Elise?"

Beidou nodded, leaning casually against her R32. "Yep. Sure looked like one."

Lyney crossed his arms, his tone thoughtful. "Well, the Elise is like a slightly bigger Kei car—lightweight, nimble, and perfect for tight downhill runs. It has its advantages, but still..."

Pela smirked, cutting him off. "But she beat that Elise like it was nothing."

Seele chuckled, her voice calm but tinged with pride. "That's right. She passed the Elise with its headlights off. Can you believe it?"

Lyney stepped back, his expression shifting from surprise to disbelief. "Wait, what? She drove with her headlights off!?"

Amber nodded eagerly, her hands gesturing animatedly. "Exactly! I don't know why she did it, but maybe it was because of the wind resistance from the pop-up headlights or something."

Lyney rubbed his chin, a sly grin forming on his face. "That actually makes sense. First, Amber's right—pop-up headlights create drag, so retracting them reduces wind resistance and improves acceleration, even if it's just by a tiny margin. Second, it's a psychological tactic. Driving with headlights off can disorient an opponent and force them into a mistake. It's risky, but it works if you know what you're doing."

Beidou gazed up at the fading sunlight, her expression contemplative. "You know... I do wonder if there's a driver out there who could beat her on a mountain pass."

Lyney nodded slowly. "On a mountain pass? Maybe. But in the open world? That's anyone's game."

Beidou sighed, her gaze shifting toward the distant peaks of Tatrasuna. "Still, when I see Collei talking to Ningguang over there, it feels like she's... distanced from us."

Lyney let out a chuckle, waving a dismissive hand. "You're overthinking it. She still comes here at least once a day—sometimes even three times—to work the night shift. She's not going anywhere."

As if on cue, a low, throaty rumble reached their ears, growing louder as a car approached from the winding road ahead. A Bayside Blue Nissan Skyline R34 came into view, its aggressive stance and gleaming body commanding attention. The car rolled to a stop right in front of Beidou's R32, the idling engine humming with restrained power.

Beidou narrowed her eyes, leaning forward slightly. "Who could this be?"

The driver's door swung open, and out stepped Collei, waving casually at the group.

Beidou's eyes widened in shock. "No way! Collei! Is that your new car?"

Collei shook her head with a slight smile as she closed the door. "No, it's my dad's. She told me to take it out today and get used to the way it drives."

Lyney's lips curved into a grin. "So, Collei, what do you think of Arlecchino's new ride?"

Collei slumped her shoulders, letting out a small sigh. "It's not bad, but in the hairpins and tight corners, it feels like it's constantly trying to slam me into the guardrail."

Beidou stepped closer, her curiosity piqued. "Could it be the ATTESA E-TS system causing that?"

Collei nodded. "Probably. Earlier, I slammed on the gas while countersteering through a drift, and the car just lunged toward the guardrail. It's nothing like the Eight-Six, where I can push the throttle without worrying about losing control. It's almost like this car is trying to make me forget how to drive my Eight-Six."

Amber nudged Collei playfully on the shoulder. "Don't talk like that, sweetheart! That Eight-Six is like an extension of your body, for Pete's sake!"

Collei chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I haven't forgotten how to drive it. It's just... this feels like my dad's way of throwing me into a slump to teach me something new."

Beidou crossed her arms, her brow furrowing in thought. "Well, maybe I can help clear things up." She leaned in slightly, her voice taking on an instructive tone. "The ATTESA E-TS system in Skylines—like the R32, R33, and R34—manages power distribution between the front and rear wheels. On straightaways, it's all rear-wheel drive. But when the rear wheels lose traction, the system sends power to the front wheels for stability.

"In corners, it's a bit trickier. Most of the power stays with the rear wheels, but the front wheels get just enough power to grip. So, when you're drifting through a hairpin, you've got to countersteer less. Let the ATTESA system handle the grip correction. The reason you ended up heading for the guardrail was probably because you countersteered too much. Drift with minimal countersteering—that's the trick."

Collei nodded thoughtfully. "Got it. Thanks for the advice, Beidou. I'll keep that in mind."

Beidou nodded back, her expression softening. "No worries, Collei. Hopefully, it helps."

Before heading back to the R34, Collei gave Amber a quick hug and a small kiss on the cheek, leaving the group momentarily stunned as she slipped into the driver's seat and drove off.

Beidou scratched the back of her head, her tone puzzled. "That's... odd."

Seele nodded in agreement. "No kidding. I expected Collei to master any car that can drift—even a Skyline with the ATTESA E-TS system."

Lyney, gazing up at the silhouette of Mt. Yougou, spoke softly to himself, a faint smile on his lips. "It seems Arlecchino has taken Collei's training to a whole new level..."

The sun rose over the mountains as Collei guided her trusted Eight-Six down the familiar pass during her delivery runs. The car's engine purred in its Group A power range, ready to tackle the winding roads.

She approached the first of five consecutive hairpins, her foot slamming on the brakes as she initiated a four-wheel drift. But something felt off. The grip wasn't holding as it usually did, and the car seemed to fight her every input.

As the Eight-Six narrowly avoided the guardrail, her eyes twitched in frustration. "That's too damn close. I need to figure this out!" she muttered, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

Her thoughts raced as she pushed the car through the remaining turns. "I need to drive that Skyline again... I need to understand how it maneuvers. There has to be a way. I have to!"

As nightfall settled over the gas station, the air thick with the scent of oil and gasoline. Arlecchino leaned casually against her R34, its polished Bayside Blue paint gleaming under the dim station lights. Lyney stood nearby, a cigarette glowing between his fingers as he regarded Arlecchino with curiosity.

"So," Lyney began, exhaling a plume of smoke, "I really need to know—what's your plan with Collei's training? She's in a slump, and this feels like the worst time for that."

Arlecchino lowered her head slightly, her expression calm yet calculating. "I want her to find a way to make the Eight-Six act more like the Skyline in certain areas—gripping instead of drifting when the situation calls for it."

Lyney scoffed, flicking ash onto the ground. "There has to be more to it than that."

A sly smirk spread across Arlecchino's face. "There is. Collei's techniques are deeply rooted in the Eight-Six. I want her to adapt those techniques to the Skyline—and vice versa. The skills she learns in the Skyline will refine her control in the Eight-Six."

Lyney's eyes widened. "Don't tell me you're planning to swap her out of the Eight-Six for good! That's not her style!"

Arlecchino chuckled softly. "Relax, Lyney. I wouldn't do that unless something happened to her car. This Skyline is mine. But I need her to push past this hurdle. If she doesn't, she'll never become the driver she dreams of being."

The following morning. Rain drizzled over Yougou. Its no different in the mountain pass, the slick roads glistening under the muted morning light. Collei sat behind the wheel of the R34, her expression focused as she took the straightaway near the skating rink at full throttle.

She approached a left-hand corner, slamming on the brakes and initiating a four-wheel drift. This time, she felt the car behave predictably, its stability shining through.

As she exited the left turn and transitioned into a right-hand corner, her grip on the steering wheel tightened. The R34 responded smoothly, its ATTESA E-TS system redistributing power perfectly.

She reached the next hairpin, braking hard and initiating another drift. This time, she remembered Beidou's advice—less countersteer. She feathered the throttle and maintained the drift with precision.

Her eyes widened as the car cleared the turn flawlessly. "I have to give it to this car," she muttered, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Its stability is insane. It grips while it slides... just like Beidou said. Countersteer less, and the drift holds."

As Night crept over the pass as Collei returned to her Eight-Six, eager to test what she'd learned from the R34. She raced down a straightaway, her focus unshakable as she approached a right-hand hairpin.

Slamming on the brakes, she entered the corner fast, testing her newfound technique. The Eight-Six responded better than before, behaving more like the Skyline in its balance.

Her eyes narrowed with determination. "This is getting better! I just need to keep this up!"

She sped through the longest straightaway on the course, the engine roaring. A sharp left-hand hairpin loomed ahead. Collei braked hard, entering the turn aggressively. Halfway through, she applied the throttle—but too much.

The rear end of the car lost all traction, and the Eight-Six spun uncontrollably. Tires screeched against the wet pavement as Collei slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden halt mere inches from the guardrail.

Inside the car, Collei sat gripping the wheel, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. "Fucking hell..." she muttered. "I can't even remember the last time I spun out like that..."

Frustration boiled over, and she slammed her palm against the steering wheel. "FUCK! I don't understand this at all!!"

As time passes by. At the base of the pass, where the uphill starting line lay, Collei leaned against her Eight-Six, the cool night air doing little to soothe her nerves. She stared at her car, deep in thought.

"I need to understand the complexities of a car with four-wheel drive... or all-wheel drive," she murmured.

She pulled her phone from her pocket, scrolling through her contacts. Her thumb hovered over a name—Kamisato Ayaka.

"She owns an Eight-Six like I do," Collei thought aloud. "She must have some insight."

With a decisive tap, she called Ayaka. The phone rang five times before a familiar voice picked up.

"Hey, Collei! How's it hanging?" Ayaka's cheerful tone brought a small smile to Collei's face.

"Hey, Ayaka," Collei replied, sighing. "Can we meet tomorrow night? I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure thing," Ayaka responded without hesitation. "I'll swing by the gas station tomorrow evening."

"Thanks, Ayaka. See you then."

"Likewise!" Ayaka chirped before ending the call.

Collei slipped her phone back into her pocket, exhaling deeply. Her gaze returned to the mountain pass above.

"I need to understand this complexity..." she whispered, her resolve strengthening with each passing moment.