The Speed Of The Stars

While waiting for Clorinde's Lancia 037 to arrive, Feixiao gazed into the distance, her expression calm yet contemplative. Nearby, Yoimiya stood, her eyes focused down the mountain road, awaiting her opponent's arrival.

"Yoimiya," Feixiao muttered to herself, just loud enough to be heard, "This will be your toughest battle yet. Clorinde's Lancia 037 is a genuine Group B rally car. When it comes to holding back, she doesn't."

The stillness was soon broken by the distinct roar of rotary engines. A white RX-7 FC and a midnight purple RX-7 FD emerged from the winding road and parked behind Feixiao's Lancer Evo. From the cars stepped Ningguang and Keqing, their appearances as striking as their vehicles.

Feixiao greeted them with a warm smile. "Hey, Ningguang. Hey, Keqing. Nice to see you up here."

Ningguang smirked, her usual poise intact. "Glad to be here. I heard there's an interesting race happening tonight, and I couldn't resist checking it out. Hope you don't mind."

Feixiao chuckled. "Help yourself, Ningguang. It's shaping up to be a good one."

As if on cue, the low growl of engines announced the arrival of another convoy. Clorinde's iconic Lancia 037 led the group, its sleek body cutting through the night like a predator. Following close behind was Beidou's menacing R32 and the infamous Devil Z, driven by Seele with Pela riding shotgun. While the R32 and Devil Z pulled into the rest area, Clorinde guided her Lancia to a halt near the group and let Collei step out.

Collei unbuckled her harness and climbed out with practiced ease. Before shutting the door, she leaned in, a grin spreading across her face. "Give her hell, Clorinde."

Clorinde returned the smile with a confident smirk. "Will do, Collei."

As Clorinde drove off to park beside Yoimiya's Sierra Cosworth, Collei approached the group, waving enthusiastically. "Hey, guys! Nice to see you all here too."

Feixiao greeted her with a genuine smile. "Glad to see you too, Collei."

Ningguang nodded in agreement. "It's good you could make it."

The wind suddenly shifted, a cold breeze sweeping through the summit. Leaves rustled in the trees, and a few dry ones fluttered to the ground. One landed directly in front of Feixiao's heeled boots. She crouched to pick it up, examining the brittle leaf.

"These can be a problem," Feixiao mused aloud, holding it up for the group to see. "Who knows how many of these have piled up on the shoulders of the pass? They might seem insignificant, but leaves like this can decide a race's outcome. It's something they didn't factor in at all."

Ningguang's sharp gaze narrowed. "Of all the variables to overlook... it had to be leaves."

Down the road, Clorinde and Yoimiya stood side by side, their cars poised at the starting line. The atmosphere between them was tense, like a coiled spring ready to snap.

Yoimiya broke the silence, her voice steady. "Let me brief you on the rules. We start at the same time and race down to the first hairpin. It doesn't matter how many passes we make, but whoever crosses the line first wins."

Clorinde nodded once. "Sounds good to me. Let's get this started."

Both drivers slid into their respective cars. Engines roared to life, and the racers exchanged a series of revs, their machines growling like caged beasts.

The spectators gathered near the starting line, anticipation thick in the air. Collei stepped forward to act as the starter, her first time in such a role, but her confidence shone through.

Positioning herself between the two cars, she raised her arm high. "Alright! Let's start the countdown!"

Her voice rang out clearly:

"FIVE!"

"FOUR!"

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

"GO!!!"

Collei dropped her arm, and both cars launched off the line in a burst of smoke and noise. Tires squealed as they fought for traction, but the Lancia's rear-engine layout gave Clorinde an edge, allowing her to gain an early lead.

Yoimiya kept her focus on the road, her eyes flicking occasionally to the Lancia ahead. "That thing is quick, no doubt about it. And it's not the homologated 037 Stradale… that's the purebred Group B rally car. Its engine outclasses my 2.0-liter Cosworth in sheer power."

The two cars approached the first hairpin, their movements synchronized like a deadly dance. Both vehicles drifted through the corner with precision, but Clorinde maintained her lead.

Back at the summit, one of Feixiao's associates reported in over the radio. "Clorinde's still in the lead. She's maintaining her position through the first hairpin."

Seele smirked, leaning against her Devil Z. "Looks like Clorinde's got another win in the bag."

Feixiao, leaning over the railing, shook her head. "I wouldn't be so sure. Yoimiya might have a trick or two up her sleeve."

Keqing raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Feixiao sighed, her tone shifting to one of explanation. "It's about the racing lines on Jakotsu Pass. If you know them well, you can gain a significant advantage. But it's not just about knowing the lines—it's how you use them."

She continued, her voice steady. "In rally racing, it's not just about steering input. Footwork is critical. Rally drivers use left-foot braking while keeping their right foot on the gas. This technique helps shifts the car's weight forward, reducing understeer and allowing for sharper cornering. Mastering that can let you attack hairpins at near-full throttle."

At the starting line, Collei's expression tightened with worry. "I wouldn't want to be in Clorinde's shoes right now. Racing an ex-rally driver's daughter on a course like this? There's got to be details I missed when I raced Feixiao."

Beidou nodded in agreement. "Yoimiya's definitely got something up her sleeve. She's not one to back down without a fight. This could get interesting."

Back in the race, the Lancia 037 and Sierra Cosworth had already tackled multiple hairpins and straightaways, the tension mounting with every turn. Clorinde's Lancia maintained a steady lead, its powerful rear-engine layout and impeccable handling keeping Yoimiya at bay. However, Yoimiya's Cosworth remained relentless, trailing just behind the Lancia's rear bumper.

Yoimiya gritted her teeth, her focus unshaken even as the wind swirled dried leaves across the course. "Damn it! This wind is making things unpredictable. If I hit a pile of these leaves, it'll send me—or Clorinde—spiraling out of control." Her eyes flicked to the Lancia ahead. "And with her mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup, one wrong move could throw her into a snap oversteer."

As they approached another hairpin, the pressure mounted. Clorinde, too, was feeling the strain. Her grip on the wheel tightened as the dried leaves skidded under her tires.

"Damn these conditions!" Clorinde muttered under her breath. "One slip, and I'm spinning out. I'll have to let the wheels skid naturally and let the car drift on its own."

Taking a deep breath, she shifted her strategy, moving to the outside line. Her Lancia's tires clipped a stack of dried leaves, sending a flurry of them into the air. She initiated a Scandinavian flick, swinging the car's rear end out in a controlled drift. The maneuver was seamless, but it caught Yoimiya off guard as the leaves scattered across her windshield.

"What the fuck is she doing!?" Yoimiya cursed, her vision momentarily obscured. But as the realization hit, her lips curled into a grin. "She's using the leaves to drift… She's insane!"

Both cars navigated the hairpin with precision, but Clorinde's flick gave her a slight boost on the exit, widening the gap between them.

"You're good, Clorinde," Yoimiya murmured, her eyes narrowing with determination. "But that trick won't work against me."

Her father's words echoed in her mind: The lines you follow in the hairpins will lead you straight to the inside shoulder. That's where you need to be.

Yoimiya nodded to herself. "If this is going to work, timing is everything."

At Turn 33, Feixiao's spotters picked up the roar of engines. "Turn 33 here! I hear them coming! I'll keep you updated!"

The Lancia and the Cosworth thundered down the straightaway, the finish line looming ever closer.

Yoimiya pushed the accelerator to the floor. "This ends at Turn 33!"

She was the first to hit the brakes, her tires screeching as she began her drift. Clorinde followed closely, her Lancia sliding smoothly into the corner. But Yoimiya wasn't aiming for a traditional drift. She yanked the handbrake, forcing the Cosworth into a sharp pivot, aligning it perfectly with a small incline on the inside of the corner.

"Here goes nothing!" Yoimiya shouted as she slammed on the gas. Her Cosworth launched into the air, sailing cleanly over the apex of the hairpin. Sparks erupted as the car's underside scraped against the asphalt upon landing, but she had done it—she had overtaken Clorinde mid-corner.

Clorinde's eyes widened in shock. "What the fuck was that!?"

Back at the summit, the spectators erupted in astonishment.

"She jumped through the hairpin!?" Feixiao exclaimed, pacing in agitation. "Is she nuts? And she passed the Lancia!?"

Yoimiya grinned as she regained control. "I won't try that again—it's way too risky. But I've got the lead now. All I need to do is keep the pace."

Clorinde's jaw tightened, her competitive spirit flaring. "You think I'll let you beat me with a dirty trick like that? If you're crazy enough to try it, then so am I!"

At the next hairpin, Yoimiya executed a clean drift, taking no chances. But Clorinde's focus had sharpened. She braked hard, yanked the handbrake, and pointed her Lancia towards a similar jump. With her foot planted on the gas, the Lancia launched into the air, its rear-engine layout ensuring a balanced landing.

The Lancia landed gracefully on all four wheels, sparks fly as it slammed back down, closing the gap between the two cars dramatically.

Yoimiya glanced in her rearview mirror, her jaw dropping. "No way… She nailed it on her first try!? Clorinde, you're something else!"

Determined to keep her lead, Yoimiya pushed her car to its limits, but the Lancia's superior power began to show. The gap between them shrank as they raced through the remaining hairpins, Clorinde inching closer with every turn.

As the road straightened toward the first bridge, Clorinde recalled something Arlecchino had told her hours before.

"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's eyes lit up. "That's it!"

Approaching the fast left-hand turn before the bridge, she hooked her left wheels into the gutter-like elevation change. The maneuver acted like a slingshot, propelling the Lancia alongside Yoimiya's Cosworth.

Yoimiya glanced to her side, her disbelief evident. "No way… That's impossible!"

The two cars raced side by side onto the bridge, their engines screaming. Despite Yoimiya's best efforts, the Lancia's raw power prevailed. By the time they reached the second bridge, Clorinde had taken the lead. Crossing the third and final bridge, she sealed her victory.

As Clorinde crossed the finish line, Yoimiya eased off the gas, letting out a deep sigh. "It's over… I was outperformed." A small smile formed on her lips. "But damn, Clorinde, you're one hell of a driver. I'm glad I got to race you."

At the summit, Feixiao's radio crackled to life. "It's over—Clorinde crosses first! She wins!"

Feixiao grinned. "The last rear-wheel-drive rally champion prevails. Well done, Clorinde!"

Ningguang nodded in approval. "A well-fought race. Shall we head back?"

Keqing smirked. "Let's go."

As the crowd dispersed, back at the pull-over spot near the intersection, Yoimiya approached Clorinde, a smile on her face.

"Looks like I was outpowered by your Lancia," Yoimiya said, extending her hand. "Sorry about what I said yesterday. I know how much that car means to you."

Clorinde shook her hand, her expression softening. "Don't worry about it. Sometimes we let our emotions get the better of us."

Yoimiya chuckled. "Tell me about it. It was a great race. I'll see you around!" She winked before heading back to her car.

As Yoimiya drove off, Clorinde turned back to her Lancia, its headlights casting a warm glow in the cold autumn night. She smiled, placing a hand on its Front clam.

"You're one hell of a car," she murmured.

The night ended with another victory for Clorinde—a perfect test of her skill as she prepared for next year's expedition with Ningguang's team. The chill of autumn seemed to carry her resolve into the future.