The Speed Of The Stars

The following morning. It's 4:00 a.m. The foggy autumn skies of Yougou are cloaked in a sleepy gray haze, the air heavy with the chill of early dawn. Collei stifles a yawn as Arlecchino approaches her Eight-Six, its windows glistening with dew.

Arlecchino sighs, leaning casually against the car. "You were up late last night… Mind telling me where you went?"

Collei stretches her arms above her head and yawns again, her voice groggy. "Jakotsu Pass… I challenged a driver I raced before, back when the engine blew."

Arlecchino raises an eyebrow, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Alright. But here—take this." She hands Collei a steaming cup of coffee. "I don't want you dozing off and ruining the payload in the trunk. Keep your focus."

Collei nods, taking the cup with a small smile. "Yeah, I know…" She sets it in the cup holder and slides into the driver's seat. "Alright, I'm off."

With a deliberate shift into first gear, the Eight-Six hums to life. The car rolls out of the driveway, its headlights cutting through the mist as Collei drives off toward Yougou for her delivery runs. The sleepy town begins to stir as the minutes tick by.

Later that morning, as Collei finishes her last run, she finds herself cruising down one of Yougou's long, open straightaways. The golden light of dawn begins to break through the dissipating fog. Up ahead, hazard lights flash—a warning beacon against the otherwise serene backdrop. Collei narrows her eyes and instantly recognizes the car.

It's Clorinde's Lancia 037.

She pulls over and enters the parking area, her Eight-Six coming to a smooth halt behind Clorinde's car. Stepping out, she glances around until she spots Clorinde leaning casually against the guardrail, her face illuminated by the soft light of the rising sun.

Clorinde turns her head slightly, noticing Collei's approach. "Oh. Hey, Collei!"

Collei walks over, patting Clorinde lightly on the back before leaning forward against the guardrail beside her. "Hey there."

Clorinde offers a warm smile. "Taking in the scene, are you?"

Collei nods, her gaze fixed on the town below. "Yeah…"

The view before them is breathtaking. The town of Yougou sprawls beneath a slowly brightening sky, the last remnants of fog retreating like a thin veil. The rising sun bathes the landscape in a surreal, golden glow. It's a moment of quiet beauty, a rare gift after the chaos of the night before.

Clorinde breaks the silence, her voice tinged with admiration. "I heard about the race between you and Feixiao. Good going, Collei!"

Collei's eyes widen in surprise. "You know about that? It was just hours ago!"

Clorinde chuckles. "When something like that happens, news spreads like wildfire."

She shifts her gaze back to the town below, the sunlight now glinting off rooftops and treetops alike. "You know, winter's moving in. We've got maybe two weeks before the snow starts falling. And once winter's over, the ice melts, and spring rolls around... that's when the expeditionary team will really kick things off."

Clorinde casts a sidelong glance at Collei. "So… have you made up your mind?"

Collei hesitates for a moment before nodding firmly. "Yeah, I have. But I'm not ready to tell Ningguang just yet. There's one last thing I need to do first. I'll let her know after winter."

Clorinde's smile broadens. "I'm glad to hear you'll be joining us. My plan for the team is simple: to refine what I already know, to push myself to be faster. For now, we'll race together. And maybe, after that final race—wherever it is—we'll have our rematch. To settle things once and for all. No more ties, no more draws. Just us, finally finishing what our fathers started."

Meanwhile, back at a gas station, Amber regales Seele, March, and Beidou with the story of last night's race.

Amber smirks, her voice carrying a note of triumph. "Collei went up to Jakotsu Pass last night and had a rematch with Feixiao's Lan Evo."

The trio collectively gasps, their reactions almost comical. "What?! You're kidding, right?" they exclaim in unison.

Amber shakes her head, clearly enjoying the drama. "Nope. She went up there, had a couple of buddies to back her up, and guess what? At the end of the day, Collei came out the victor."

Beidou grins. "That's awesome!"

Seele nods in agreement. "Looks like vengeance was served. After all, her Eight-Six's old engine blew up the last time she raced Feixiao."

Amber crosses her arms with a satisfied nod. "Exactly. It's like she's finally put that chapter behind her."

Just then, a white Ford Sierra RS Cosworth pulls into the gas station, its engine growling softly. The driver steps out—a young woman with confident energy radiating off her. She gestures to Beidou.

"Can I get high-octane? Make it 40 liters," the driver says with a casual nod.

Beidou turns to March. "Alright, March! High octane, 40 on the go!"

March flashes a thumbs-up and grabs the pump, expertly slotting it into the fuel nozzle.

As the car fills up, the driver strolls back toward Beidou. "Hey, by the way, are you the driver of a Lancia 037?"

Beidou shakes her head, chuckling. "I wish. But no, you've got the wrong gal. Who might you be?"

The driver smiles. "Name's Naganohara Yoimiya. Heard from a buddy that the driver hangs out here sometimes."

Nearby, Lyney pauses mid-swipe as he cleans the station windows. His eyes dart to the license plate of the Cosworth: Yashiori 58. Recognition flickers in his gaze.

"No… It can't be…" he mutters under his breath.

Beidou continues, unaware of Lyney's reaction. "She's not here now, but she might stop by later."

Lyney steps forward, addressing Yoimiya directly. "Excuse me, miss. Sorry to bother you, but did you say your name was Naganohara? By any chance, are you related to Naganohara Ryuunosuke?"

Yoimiya's face lights up. "That's right! He's my father."

As Yoimiya drives off, the sound of the Cosworth's engine fades into the distance. Beidou turns to Lyney, her curiosity piqued. "So, Boss? Mind telling me who Naganohara Ryuunosuke is and how you know him?"

Lyney sets down his cleaning cloth, his expression distant. "So that's his daughter… All grown up now."

March steps forward, her curiosity mirroring Beidou's. "We know who she is, but who is Ryuunosuke?"

Lyney nods, his tone heavy with memory. "He's a former rally driver from the Group B era. It's been twenty years since I last heard from him. He drove for Ford back in the day, tearing up tracks with the RS200 Evolution. He was Clorinde's father's fiercest rival—not because he was as skilled as Arlecchino, but because of his fearless, relentless driving style. They faced off countless times. And when the final deciding race came, it was the Lancia 037 that took the victory. After that, I never heard from him again."

At Arlecchino's house, the landline phone rings—a shrill interruption to the quiet morning. It takes six rings before she finally picks it up. Her voice is calm, but the moment she hears the familiar tone on the other end, her demeanor shifts.

"Ryuunosuke? As in Naganohara Ryuunosuke? It's been a while since we last talked!"

As the day continued, Clorinde's Lancia 037 pulled into the gas station and coasted to a stop by the side. The engine hummed to a quiet idle, and the doors swung open. Clorinde stepped out from the driver's seat, and Collei followed from the passenger side. Both women shut their doors with synchronized ease and walked towards the group waiting nearby.

Collei, her expression warm, approached Amber and pulled her into a tight hug. "Hey there, sweetie!" she greeted, her voice light and full of affection.

Amber, her arms wrapping around Collei in return, smiled brightly. "Nice to see you again too. My little angel," she replied with a gentle squeeze.

Collei laughed softly, planting a kiss on Amber's cheek. "Well, what's going on? I know I took the day off today, but it seems like everyone's on edge."

Beidou, who had been standing with a concerned frown, nodded. "Yeah, we encountered the daughter of Clorinde's dad's rival about 30 minutes ago."

Clorinde's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait. My dad's rival?"

Lyney, standing with his arms casually crossed, gave a confirming nod. "Yes, have you heard of Naganohara?"

Clorinde's mind churned as she processed the name. "I've heard of him. Dad told me about their rivalry. A Rally champion, which is my dad Versus multiple rally stage winner. Which is Naganohara."

Lyney's nod was sharp. "Exactly. His daughter, Yoimiya, grew up and is now driving her father's old Ford Sierra RS Cosworth."

March, who had been quiet up until then, raised her finger in a gesture of sudden realization. "Yeah, and she might want to race you, Clorinde."

Right on cue, March's eyes widened, and she pointed toward the parking lot. "Oh God! It's here!"

Clorinde turned sharply, her eyes narrowing as they locked onto the familiar white Ford Cosworth pulling up beside her Lancia 037. She muttered under her breath, "Yoimiya…"

Yoimiya, the driver of the Cosworth, stepped out of her car with a grin plastered across her face. She walked over to Clorinde with a confident stride. "Well, Clorinde… finally met you at last!"

Clorinde raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by the abrupt introduction. "Uh… Nice to meet you too?"

Yoimiya's playful grin faded into a more serious expression as she stood before Clorinde. "Now that we're face to face, I think it's finally time we see which of the next generation of rally-style racers is truly better. Me… or you with that fragile Italian piece parked there.."

Clorinde clenched her fists, her knuckles white as she fought back a surge of anger. "Don't talk about my Lancia 037 like that! It'll smoke you just like it smoked Audi's Quattro back in '83!"

Yoimiya chuckled, unfazed by Clorinde's words. "We'll see about that!" With a smirk, she pointed toward Clorinde. "I challenge you to a downhill battle at my home course, Jakotsu Pass!"

Clorinde's eyes narrowed even further, her resolve hardening. "I accept your challenge."

The two women stood there, staring each other down, their rivalry palpable in the air. The tension between them crackled, as though a storm was waiting to break. The onlookers—Collei, Amber, Seele, March, and Beidou—all watched with anticipation as the moment hung in the balance.

A few seconds passed before Yoimiya, never breaking eye contact with Clorinde, turned on her heel and walked back to her Ford Cosworth. Without another word, she slid into the driver's seat and revved the engine, driving off toward Jakotsu via the expressway.

That night, Clorinde and Collei made their way to Arlecchino's house, the Lancia's engine humming softly as they pulled up to a stop. Collei unbuckled her harness and gave Clorinde a high-five. "Hey, thanks for the ride!" she said with a bright smile.

Clorinde returned the smile, the corners of her lips curling up. "You betcha! I'll see you tomorrow!"

Just as Collei was about to close the door, Arlecchino, standing in the doorway, called out. "Clorinde? May we talk for a bit?"

Clorinde, a little curious but not surprised, nodded. "Sure thing, Ms. Arlecchino."

She undid her harness and stepped out of the car, leaving the engine running. She made her way over to Arlecchino, who was waiting with a serious expression on her face.

Arlecchino's eyes met Clorinde's with a knowing look. "I'll get to the point. You encountered a kid driving a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth today, right?"

Clorinde nodded, her expression still a little distracted from the intense confrontation earlier. "Yeah, that's right."

Arlecchino's gaze was hard, her voice steady as she spoke. "You racing her tomorrow?"

Clorinde's response was firm. "Yeah."

Arlecchino paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Don't take this personally, kid, but… you're gonna lose."

Clorinde's eyes widened, shock and disbelief flashing across her face. "L-Lose?"

At Lake Jakotsu, the atmosphere was quiet and tense as Yoimiya stepped out of the house, the cool air brushing against her skin. She looked toward the familiar sight of her father, Ryuunosuke, who was running his hands along the worn body of his old rally car. His expression was unreadable, yet there was a certain glint in his eyes that suggested he was deep in thought.

"Yoimiya," Ryuunosuke called, his voice low but firm. "If I'm guessing right, you're racing Clorinde tomorrow, right?"

Yoimiya's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth hanging open. "Wh-What? How did you know?"

Ryuunosuke's gaze was sharp, his expression hardening as he took a step closer. "Clorinde's dad was my rival back in the day. But listen, there's one way for you to beat that Lancia 037. And let me tell you the strategy."

The following evening, Clorinde dropped by again to pick Collei up before heading to Jakotsu.

As Collei fastened her harness, the low rumble of an approaching car echoed through the quiet evening air. Arlecchino walked up to the left-side driver's window and leaned in, her posture relaxed yet confident. She gave Clorinde a brief but knowing smile.

Clorinde, without missing a beat, slid open the driver's side window, the faint click of metal on metal breaking the stillness of the moment.

"Good luck, Clorinde," Arlecchino said, her voice calm but laced with a subtle edge of encouragement. "Do you need any advice?"

Clorinde looked over at her, nodding. "Yeah. I need it."

Arlecchino's smile widened slightly, a glimmer of approval in her eyes. "Atta girl. Alright, listen closely. Your best shot at passing is going to be on the very last bridge. That's when your opponent will likely be ahead of you."

Clorinde raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping into her tone. "But you don't know if she'll be ahead, though, Ms. Arlecchino."

Arlecchino chuckled softly, a smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Trust me. I've raced her father before. She'll pull something on you before the first bridge. You can count on that. But here's the key: right before the first bridge, there's a spot where the road's dirt meets a slight elevation change. If you hook your left wheels into that, you'll close the gap in a way she won't expect."

Clorinde nodded, her expression serious as she processed the advice. Arlecchino gave a quick nod of her own, as if to seal the deal.

"Good luck, kid," she said, her voice soft but steady, before patting the roof of the Lancia. With a final glance, Arlecchino turned and walked back toward her home.

Clorinde watched her leave for a moment, then turned her gaze to Collei, who had been quietly observing the exchange. Clorinde raised an eyebrow, a trace of confusion on her face. "Is your dad like this all the time?"

Collei smiled, a hint of fondness in her expression as she nodded. "Pretty much, yeah."

Clorinde glanced back toward the road, her expression shifting into determination. "Well, I understood what she said. Let's head off."

Without further delay, Clorinde started the engine, the purr of the Lancia's powerful motor echoing through the still evening air as they sped off toward the expressway. The night ahead held only one destination: Jakotsu Pass.

At Jakotsu Lake, the scene shifted to Yoimiya, who stood near her car, listening intently as Ryuunosuke, her mentor, outlined the tactics she'd need to beat Clorinde's 037.

"Remember, Yoimiya," Ryuunosuke began, his voice low but deliberate, "It's not just technique and skill; it's tactics and strategy that'll win this. The only place you'll have an edge is in the hairpins. In the straights, the Lancia's raw power and lightweight frame will leave you in the dust. But in those tight corners, you can make your move. The lines you follow in the hairpins will lead you straight to the inside shoulder. That's where you need to be."

Yoimiya stepped forward, shaking her head slightly, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Are you crazy? A stunt like that could get me killed, or worse—ruin the suspension!"

Ryuunosuke's lips curled into a knowing smirk, as if he'd anticipated her objection. "Have you forgotten what you're driving? This isn't just any car; it's a rally car. Its suspension is raised to handle the jumps. And trust me, if you hit that jump just right, you'll knock out anyone in front of you. Just remember—it starts right after the midsection of the pass."

Hours later, a convoy of cars made its way up Jakotsu Pass, nearing the intersection by the finishing line. Clorinde's Lancia 037 led the pack, with Collei riding shotgun. Close behind was Beidou's R32, driven by both her and March, followed by the Devil Z, with Pela and Seele taking up the rear.

The group was connected by a voice call, the hum of the engines providing a constant backdrop. March's voice cut through the comms, laced with curiosity. "So, Pela, you know cars, right? Pretty sure you've heard of the Sierra Cosworth?"

Pela, who had been quiet until now, nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah. The Cosworth's a fantastic rally car. It's agile on tight stages, no doubt. But there's one catch."

Collei's voice chimed in, intrigued. "Go ahead, Pela. Clorinde's listening."

Pela explained, her tone steady and clear. "The Sierra Cosworth's rear end tends to get loose, especially when the roads are slippery. You've got to be careful. One wrong move, and it'll send you sideways."

As Clorinde drove, her focus remained razor-sharp. The faint sound of dried leaves brushing against her windshield caught her attention. "Dried leaves…" she murmured under her breath, her mind working quickly. "This might decide the race between me and her…"

The convoy continued up the winding road, the landscape around them growing more dramatic as they neared the summit. The air was cool, and the autumn wind began to pick up, sending a cascade of leaves swirling across the pass.