Initial R: Night Sky GT-R (Initial D Fanfiction)

Act 1: Nightmares

Sora kept her foot on the gas. She exited the straight side-by-side with Keisuke's yellow. Despite being able to gain that inch, he still stayed ahead on the final straightaway. After they passed the line, nose-to-nose, they both pulled into the lot and went over to the line.

"Hey!" Keisuke called, Sora's world darkening as everything fell into slow-motion. "Who won?"

Ryosuke turned, his mouth opening in what seemed like the span of an eternity. "You did. By a second."

A second.

Just one second. She had lost by just one second. It was only reasonable, wasn't it? This was Keisuke Takahashi, who had been racing for years. Sora hardly had one and that was just her second race in the GT-R. She shouldn't feel too bad about it. Right?

Sora apologized to her sister, who was about to take on Ryosuke. Every word her big sister Emi said didn't come out. Her mouth moved but there was no noise. She touched Sora's shoulder and gestured to her friends.

"No. Please don't make me!" Sora cried.

Emi spoke again, or didn't. 

Sora's feet moved and she was suddenly at her friend's sides. Koshiya and her best friend Riku.

She couldn't look Riku in the eye. Koshiya offered her comforting words that she didn't hear. Riku lowered himself slightly to look her in the eye and then opened his mouth.

Sora woke up in a rush, sweating and breathing rapidly. She clutched her head, feeling as scared as she did when she was racing Keisuke.

She laid back down and covered her eyes as she tried to fall back asleep.

"It's not right to keep doing this." She thought. "It's not that big of a deal anyway. Everyone loses at some point..."

An hour passed by and then it was time to get ready for school. Just a week left until graduation, but who could think about that?

Sora couldn't.

Riku waited outside Sora's house. He and Sora went into class together, something they had started the year they first met. Since her house was on the way there, he would usually wait outside for her.

To him, Sora had always been easy to read. She was someone who wore her heart on her sleeves, and her personality contrasted his more dull one. If you asked him, why she stuck with him was something he couldn't tell.

"Riku!" Sora's voice called. She hurried out of the manor doors and came toward the gate.

"Don't run like that, Sora. It makes your skirt-"

"Aha! So you admit you were looking!" She said.

Riku frowned. "No. I-it's just kind of hard to miss when you're coming toward me."

"Whatever, whatever. Let's just get to class already! We're gonna be late if you keep talking about my underwear!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him down the sidewalk as he sputtered to say something.

The day passed and school ended.

"Aah!" Sora stretched her arms as they walked back from school. "Finally, the weekend! I can't wait till we graduate!"

"What are you going to do after you graduate?" Riku asked. "You seem really excited after all."

"Ha! Isn't that obvious? I'm going to become a pro driver! It's been my dream after all." Her face wavered but she quickly hid it.

Riku caught it and his face eased. "Sora, are you still upset?"

"What!? No! Why would I still be upset about that race?" She laughed quickly.

Riku smiled at her. "Sora. It's okay."

Sora turned away. "Whatever, Riku. It's not a big deal. I'm over it, 'kay?"

Riku nodded. "Okay. But we better hurry to the gas station. Ito-Senpai will be mad if we're late."

"Who cares? If we're late, we'll just work a little later. Let's take our time together, Riku." Sora said.

Riku shrugged. "No use arguing with you, I guess."

The two of them walked down the street, looking no different from an ordinary couple.

"Hey, Riku. I got a question." Koshiya asked during the evening.

"What's up?"

Koshiya looked away for a second. "I know this is a bit of a sore subject, but the MR2 is getting a new engine, right?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah, but about the MR2... I haven't seen it in awhile. I figure my mom will just put in a replacement. Same engine and that type."

"Yeah, see, me and Sora were talking. We thought you should ask your mom to put in a turbo." He said.

"A turbo?" Riku repeated. "I dunno. I mean, a turbo is more powerful, but I don't know the first thing about it."

Sora rushed over. "Did you ask him about the turbo?" She asked Koshiya.

"Trying to." He answered. "Riku, if you have a turbo, you could be twice as good as you are now. Wouldn't you want that?"

"Well, I figured it would hurt how I drive. Having more power and all that." Riku admitted. "I'd just feel better with having the same type of engine."

Sora closed her eyes and thought. "Yeah, I mean, you've already beaten a lot of top racers with just that tuned-up 3S-GE. It wasn't even a redtop, so that's pretty amazing. Just thinking about it gives me the chills. Ken and Ayaka of the Shomaru Bullets. The Chikamiya brothers from the Todo School. And the best racer in Shomaru, my sister Emi."

"What a list." Koshiya said wistfully. "I remember it like it was yesterday."

The three of them thought back to the battles.

Ken Mikamoto's NA Miata, where he had made his debut.

Ayaka Watanabe's FC RX-7 dangerous battle in the rain.

The Pincer Race against Ryoma's Integra and Tomo's S14 in Tochigi.

And the race that truly began the MR2's legend, the battle against Emi's Supra.

"Anyway!" Sora said, snapping Koshiya from his trance. "I think a turbo is the best way to go. It'll give you better exit speed out of the corners as well."

Riku sighed. "They just don't get it." He thought. "I don't care what a turbo does... I just want my car back."

Sora was driving up the road. Her mind was stuck on the past again and she needed to relax. And what better way to do that then by going for a drive?

"Ah. My head feels so much clearer now..." She sighed. She noticed a light poking out from the hairpin up ahead. "Huh, someone's coming..."

The R32 slowed down as it came to the turn.

A blue car shot out of the turn. The MR2 neatly dodged her GT-R, shooting down the road with a neat bursting sound.

Sora slowed to a halt. Her body shook. "That drift was incredible... could that have been Riku's MR2?"