~ Ready, Steady, Go! - Chapter 55 ~ (02/03/12)(56k/MobileApp Warning!)
- Thread starter VTiRoj
- 1,199 comments
- 144,413 views
Rotary Junkie
Premium
- 9,810
- Canton, MI
- RJs_RX-7
Eeew, do not want anything like that getting shipped. Eeew.
Onboy123
Premium
- 8,872
- Hong Kong
- Onboy123
I won't be going, good thing I just swallowed some of my skin cream
the label on the back says 'for external use only, do not swallow. POISON'. Great. And it's for my mouth.
So yea
I'll either be dead soon or suffer from hideous levels of food poisoning. Better than the thought of that, I suppose.
Onboy123
Premium
- 8,872
- Hong Kong
- Onboy123
do you really need an answer to that question? 
I guess the fact that we have our minds buried in a sewer does help. 
- 6,380
- United Kingdom
- RoJJieE
- mb6roj
Like I said, no need to thank me.
Some pretty sweet images, I can tell you that much.
What can I say? The internet is full of inspiration!I dunno, probably something he's watching?????
Yep. Can't say when though.
- 6,380
- United Kingdom
- RoJJieE
- mb6roj
Chapter 48 - Alfa Females
The next day, Yuka woke up to find Hitomi sitting up beside her, already on the laptop searching the internet for a potential car for the Italian Festival.
Yuka: You don’t waste time, do you?
Hitomi: Morning Yuka. Just thought I’d have a good look around before you woke up.
Yuka sat herself upright and leaned on Hitomi’s shoulder.
Yuka: So, anything to show me?
Hitomi: Unfortunately no… If there’s a goldmine of used Italian cars, I’ve not found it yet.
Yuka: How long have you been looking?
Hitomi: Ehh… An hour.
Yuka: Doesn’t seem like an hour’s worth of searching to be honest.
Hitomi: You wouldn’t get much done either if you kept getting bombarded with pop-ups filled with nude men!
Yuka: Because searching for cars totally brings up nude men, doesn’t it?
Hitomi: Yes actually, it does. Now help me find a car!
Yuka: Well seeing as only one of us can use the laptop anyway, how about you stay here and keep browsing while I’ll check out the local dealers?
Hitomi: That’s not a bad plan! Let’s do that.
Yuka: Okay, let me get ready then.
Hitomi: Sure.
Yuka grabbed her clothes and ran into the bathroom. After a few minutes, she emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and ready to go out.
Yuka: There we go! Fresh Yuka!
Hitomi: That was quick! So then, text me when you’ve found something and I’ll do the same.
Yuka: Because I don’t spend several hours doing my hair! And sure, I’ll see you in a couple of hours if I don’t text you.
Hitomi: Okay, see you!
Yuka: Bye! Enjoy your porn!
Hitomi: I wasn’t looking at porn!
Yuka quickly rushed out of the room, giggling to herself as she shut the door behind her.
Hitomi: Now then, where was I? Oh yes, hunky men on Google images…
Meanwhile, in Japan…
Dave: Yes! Another win! How are we doing so far TJ?
TJ: So far so good. The car is practically complete and you’re becoming quite a decent driver.
Dave: TJ, I think I’m ready to race Shin again.
TJ: Ah you still remember?
Dave: Of course!
TJ: Good. I’ve been exchanging e-mails with him for the past few weeks. He’s been ready for a while now.
Dave: Why didn’t you tell me?
TJ: I didn’t want to put you off your game. I’ll be honest with you though, that Mustang has been through one hell of a transformation.
Dave: So has the Atenza.
TJ: Not to that level. There’s nothing left of the old Mustang you beat. What he basically has is a new Mustang dressed in vintage clothes.
Dave: Do I have a chance?
TJ: Nope, but I know how we’re going to change that.
Dave: How?
TJ: We’re going to cheat.
Dave: Cheat? Cheat how?
TJ: Simple. We use racing slicks.
Dave: But that’s… We can’t do that!
TJ: Why not?
Dave: Well… I don’t know! Isn’t there an unwritten code of honour or something?!
TJ: Some people pretend there is, but street racing has always been full of cheaters and liars. There used to be a guy running round with a silver R33 that wasn’t even road legal. Racing slicks, oversized turbo, the lot. No one cared because everyone else did it anyway.
Dave: Did you cheat too?
TJ: Of course. I fought fire with fire, just like everyone else. All of the street racing legends from those days did. Hell we had people in the JGTC scene providing us with racing engines. Street racing was big money before the police set up speed cameras everywhere. Now most of us run garages across Japan.
Dave: So us next-gen racers seem pretty tame compared to your generation eh?
TJ: Very. It’s only recently where people have been trying to enforce an imaginary code of honour, so there’s a sense of legitimacy around the whole scene.
Dave: So, about those tyres?
TJ: Now you’re getting it. I have a set that should fit your wheels and tyres. Take us back to the shop.
Dave: Aye, captain!
Later on…
After a couple of hours, Yuka was ready to give up on searching the local car lots. There wasn’t one decent Italian car for sale. Yuka had found countless used and abused hot hatchbacks, but nothing you could take to a race track. Even the part-exchange sections at the big dealers turned up nothing but rusty Fiat’s. She took out her phone and checked the time. Two hours were up almost twenty minutes ago. She sighed and began walking back to the car, which she had parked a couple of blocks away.
Yuka: Damn it. You’d think there would be plenty of decent cars for cheap around here…
Just as Yuka said that, she noticed a pair of brightly coloured Alfa Romeo’s parked down the street from her.
Yuka: Looks like a little meet-up going on. Maybe they’ll know where I can find a car.
Yuka walked towards the cars, noticing a couple of women beside the cars, happily chatting to each other. She kept walking and eventually got near enough to shout to them from across the road, but the girl leaning on the orange Alfa noticed Yuka first. She pointed at Yuka, alerting her friend to Yuka’s presence. Yuka stood still, looking around her to make sure they weren’t pointing at something else. The girls jumped off of their cars and ran to Yuka. Yuka backed up a bit, trying to prepare herself for the worst.
Yuka: Oh boy…
The girls stopped in front of Yuka. They looked identical, like twins, distinguishable only by the clothes they were wearing. The first girl, Maria, the one who originally saw Yuka, wore a black tube top with orange shorts, matching her car. The other, Marie, wore a short blue dress, matching her own car as well.
Maria: Ahhh! It’s her!
Marie: The famous racer from the east!
Maria: Yuka!
Marie: Yuka!
Maria: I am Maria!
Marie: And I am her twin sister, Marie!
Yuka relaxed herself, realising the only threat she was in was being glomped by fangirls.
Yuka: Um, hi? I just wanted to ask about a car…
Marie: Ahh! Yes we heard you were entering the Italian Festival!
Maria: Rome is a poor place to find cars. Anyone with a decent car will often sell it to foreigners instead, for some profit.
Yuka: Yeah, that’s the problem I’m having. My race is in a couple of days and our BMW is German, so of course it can’t enter the Italian Festival…
Marie: Ah yes, your famous 1-Series! The car that defeated the Nurburgring!
Yuka: Yeah, that’s the one.
Maria: We’re big fans as you can tell! If there’s anything we can do to help…
Yuka: Really? That’s great. Your cars look like they can race, any chance you could help me out and tell me a good place to get something similar?
Marie: Yes, we do race, but not in the organised event…
Maria: We’re more into the illegal scene. We find the competition to be better there.
Marie: We’ve had our fair share of wins with these Alfa Romeo’s. We’d love a BMW though…
Maria: Yes, although all the BMW’s around here are garbage! Nothing as clean or as fast as your 135i Yuka…
Marie: Hmm… Ah! Yuka! I think I know a way we can help you!
Yuka: Really?
Marie: Swap cars with one of us!
Maria: Both of our cars have been vastly upgraded! It would be a fair trade with either one of us!
Yuka: That’s really nice of you both to offer! Alright then!
Marie: Excellent!
The next day, Yuka woke up to find Hitomi sitting up beside her, already on the laptop searching the internet for a potential car for the Italian Festival.
Yuka: You don’t waste time, do you?
Hitomi: Morning Yuka. Just thought I’d have a good look around before you woke up.
Yuka sat herself upright and leaned on Hitomi’s shoulder.
Yuka: So, anything to show me?
Hitomi: Unfortunately no… If there’s a goldmine of used Italian cars, I’ve not found it yet.
Yuka: How long have you been looking?
Hitomi: Ehh… An hour.
Yuka: Doesn’t seem like an hour’s worth of searching to be honest.
Hitomi: You wouldn’t get much done either if you kept getting bombarded with pop-ups filled with nude men!
Yuka: Because searching for cars totally brings up nude men, doesn’t it?
Hitomi: Yes actually, it does. Now help me find a car!
Yuka: Well seeing as only one of us can use the laptop anyway, how about you stay here and keep browsing while I’ll check out the local dealers?
Hitomi: That’s not a bad plan! Let’s do that.
Yuka: Okay, let me get ready then.
Hitomi: Sure.
Yuka grabbed her clothes and ran into the bathroom. After a few minutes, she emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and ready to go out.
Yuka: There we go! Fresh Yuka!
Hitomi: That was quick! So then, text me when you’ve found something and I’ll do the same.
Yuka: Because I don’t spend several hours doing my hair! And sure, I’ll see you in a couple of hours if I don’t text you.
Hitomi: Okay, see you!
Yuka: Bye! Enjoy your porn!
Hitomi: I wasn’t looking at porn!
Yuka quickly rushed out of the room, giggling to herself as she shut the door behind her.
Hitomi: Now then, where was I? Oh yes, hunky men on Google images…
Meanwhile, in Japan…
Dave: Yes! Another win! How are we doing so far TJ?
TJ: So far so good. The car is practically complete and you’re becoming quite a decent driver.
Dave: TJ, I think I’m ready to race Shin again.
TJ: Ah you still remember?
Dave: Of course!
TJ: Good. I’ve been exchanging e-mails with him for the past few weeks. He’s been ready for a while now.
Dave: Why didn’t you tell me?
TJ: I didn’t want to put you off your game. I’ll be honest with you though, that Mustang has been through one hell of a transformation.
Dave: So has the Atenza.
TJ: Not to that level. There’s nothing left of the old Mustang you beat. What he basically has is a new Mustang dressed in vintage clothes.
Dave: Do I have a chance?
TJ: Nope, but I know how we’re going to change that.
Dave: How?
TJ: We’re going to cheat.
Dave: Cheat? Cheat how?
TJ: Simple. We use racing slicks.
Dave: But that’s… We can’t do that!
TJ: Why not?
Dave: Well… I don’t know! Isn’t there an unwritten code of honour or something?!
TJ: Some people pretend there is, but street racing has always been full of cheaters and liars. There used to be a guy running round with a silver R33 that wasn’t even road legal. Racing slicks, oversized turbo, the lot. No one cared because everyone else did it anyway.
Dave: Did you cheat too?
TJ: Of course. I fought fire with fire, just like everyone else. All of the street racing legends from those days did. Hell we had people in the JGTC scene providing us with racing engines. Street racing was big money before the police set up speed cameras everywhere. Now most of us run garages across Japan.
Dave: So us next-gen racers seem pretty tame compared to your generation eh?
TJ: Very. It’s only recently where people have been trying to enforce an imaginary code of honour, so there’s a sense of legitimacy around the whole scene.
Dave: So, about those tyres?
TJ: Now you’re getting it. I have a set that should fit your wheels and tyres. Take us back to the shop.
Dave: Aye, captain!
Later on…
After a couple of hours, Yuka was ready to give up on searching the local car lots. There wasn’t one decent Italian car for sale. Yuka had found countless used and abused hot hatchbacks, but nothing you could take to a race track. Even the part-exchange sections at the big dealers turned up nothing but rusty Fiat’s. She took out her phone and checked the time. Two hours were up almost twenty minutes ago. She sighed and began walking back to the car, which she had parked a couple of blocks away.
Yuka: Damn it. You’d think there would be plenty of decent cars for cheap around here…
Just as Yuka said that, she noticed a pair of brightly coloured Alfa Romeo’s parked down the street from her.
Yuka: Looks like a little meet-up going on. Maybe they’ll know where I can find a car.
Yuka walked towards the cars, noticing a couple of women beside the cars, happily chatting to each other. She kept walking and eventually got near enough to shout to them from across the road, but the girl leaning on the orange Alfa noticed Yuka first. She pointed at Yuka, alerting her friend to Yuka’s presence. Yuka stood still, looking around her to make sure they weren’t pointing at something else. The girls jumped off of their cars and ran to Yuka. Yuka backed up a bit, trying to prepare herself for the worst.
Yuka: Oh boy…
The girls stopped in front of Yuka. They looked identical, like twins, distinguishable only by the clothes they were wearing. The first girl, Maria, the one who originally saw Yuka, wore a black tube top with orange shorts, matching her car. The other, Marie, wore a short blue dress, matching her own car as well.
Maria: Ahhh! It’s her!
Marie: The famous racer from the east!
Maria: Yuka!
Marie: Yuka!
Maria: I am Maria!
Marie: And I am her twin sister, Marie!
Yuka relaxed herself, realising the only threat she was in was being glomped by fangirls.
Yuka: Um, hi? I just wanted to ask about a car…
Marie: Ahh! Yes we heard you were entering the Italian Festival!
Maria: Rome is a poor place to find cars. Anyone with a decent car will often sell it to foreigners instead, for some profit.
Yuka: Yeah, that’s the problem I’m having. My race is in a couple of days and our BMW is German, so of course it can’t enter the Italian Festival…
Marie: Ah yes, your famous 1-Series! The car that defeated the Nurburgring!
Yuka: Yeah, that’s the one.
Maria: We’re big fans as you can tell! If there’s anything we can do to help…
Yuka: Really? That’s great. Your cars look like they can race, any chance you could help me out and tell me a good place to get something similar?
Marie: Yes, we do race, but not in the organised event…
Maria: We’re more into the illegal scene. We find the competition to be better there.
Marie: We’ve had our fair share of wins with these Alfa Romeo’s. We’d love a BMW though…
Maria: Yes, although all the BMW’s around here are garbage! Nothing as clean or as fast as your 135i Yuka…
Marie: Hmm… Ah! Yuka! I think I know a way we can help you!
Yuka: Really?
Marie: Swap cars with one of us!
Maria: Both of our cars have been vastly upgraded! It would be a fair trade with either one of us!
Yuka: That’s really nice of you both to offer! Alright then!
Marie: Excellent!
- 6,380
- United Kingdom
- RoJJieE
- mb6roj
Yeah. Yuka appeals to the girl racers and Hitomi gets all the guys chasing her.Wow, Rojer! Great chapter! 👍 Nice to see some fans of Yuka and Hitomi. (but more on Yuka!
Oh no."Fit race tires into your car."
"Rojer wilco."
I'm surprised that uMadson? didn't squeal with joy when he read the names of the Alfa twins.
Why? What have I accidentally copied?
- 4,539
- Los Angeles
- racingheartruby
- RubyWooby
VTiRojJust to clear it up, I chose Maria and Marie because Maria was the first remotely Italian name that popped into my head and Marie basically Maria with a typo so yeah.
Maria reminds me of a Mexican soap opera.....damn parents....
- 6,380
- United Kingdom
- RoJJieE
- mb6roj
Chapter 49 - Which Alfa Shall I Taaaaake? It’s Friday, Friday!
Yuka walked with Marie and Maria back across the road towards the two Alfa’s.
Yuka: Ah, they look beautiful up close.
Maria: Thank you!
Maria: Time to play saleswoman Marie, how about you start?
Marie: Sure. Have you ever had Brera before, Yuka?
Yuka: Nope. Never had an Alfa Romeo before.
Maria: Ah, then you will enjoy this!
Yuka: I’ll take your word for it!
Marie: Then, I shall begin.
Marie: This is the 3.2 litre JTS model with four-wheel drive. Pretty much the best kind of Brera you can buy. I don’t think I need to mention how gorgeous it looks.
Yuka: Oh I see. It does look very pretty I have to say.
Marie: I’ve had this one worked on quite a bit. It’s pretty much had everything done to it. Engine, exhaust, turbo, suspension, the lot.
Yuka: Impressive.
Maria: Not to mention it’s heavy,
Marie: Maria! How could you! Sigh… Yes it is very heavy.
Yuka: How heavy?
Marie: 1750 kilo…
Yuka: That’s… A lot.
Marie: But with such high horsepower and traction, the weight is not a problem!
Marie: Plus it’s such a luxurious car. It’ll make your long journeys much more comfortable.
Yuka: I suppose that is true. Plus the amount of grip it’ll have from the four-wheel drive will definitely help around here and at London.
Marie: Yes! See!
Maria: But the car itself is very sluggish. The weight punishes it more than it helps.
Marie: Maria!
Maria: Yuka, please, let me show you the 147.
Yuka: Erm, alright.
Maria: Unlike my sister’s rather porky Brera, my 147 is lightweight and agile!
Yuka: It kind of reminds me of my old Civic…
Maria: Exactly! It’s like a proper hot hatchback!
Marie: Except it gets blown away by Golf GTi’s.
Maria: Oh Marie, don’t even try to make your Brera sound better than my 147!
Yuka: Ladies, please. No need to fight over this.
Maria: I’m sorry Yuka.
Marie: My apologies!
Yuka: It’s fine, really. Please continue Maria.
Maria: Yes, anyway, this 147’s real party trick is its history. This used to be a cup car in the European Alfa Challenge. Then the team went bust and the famous garage RKM Motorsport bought it from them. Then they tuned and sold the car on to a client and the car ended up for sale here in Rome.
Yuka: My Civic back home is tuned by them! They’re good.
Maria: Ah? Then I won’t tell you what you already know about how this 147 handles. However what I will tell you is that I’ve added a turbocharger to it, so it now outputs 260 horsepower! In a car that weighs 1100 kilo, this is good, no?
Yuka: That’s amazing actually!
Marie: Unfortunately the 147 can’t handle the additional power Maria has given it. It tends to wheelspin out of every hairpin.
Maria: The rally gearbox takes care of that!
Marie: At the expense of the top end!
Maria: Nonsense! I can keep up with you on the straights!
Maria: Besides, victory is more dependant on acceleration than top speed, wouldn’t you agree, Yuka?
Yuka: Well it depends on the track really… Rome needs a good balance of both I’d say.
Marie: Perhaps we should stop marketing our cars to Yuka and simply let her drive them?
Maria: Yes! Drive our cars Yuka! It would be an honour to sit beside you!
Yuka: Yeah, it’ll be easier to pick after I’ve driven them both.
Maria: Great! Which do you wish to drive first?
Yuka: Oh I can pick? Well I guess the Brera, since I’ve never driven anything like it before.
Marie: Of course! Here’s the key, I’m looking forward to riding with the great Yuka!
Yuka: Alright, lets give this bad girl a test drive!
Yuka took the key from Marie and hopped into the Brera. The interior of the Brera instantly caught Yuka’s attention. A sea of leather and beautiful design.
Yuka: Wow, this is classy.
She started the Brera up. The engine was already warm, so Yuka gave it a couple of revs. Yuka instantly became a fan of the Alfa Romeo V6.
Yuka: I’m in love already. Ready for this, Marie?
Marie: Yes! Don’t hold back!
Yuka: Okay!
Yuka put the Brera into gear and set off for the test drive.
Yuka: The steering feels really nice.
Marie: Makes parking much easier!
Yuka immediately gave the Brera some throttle. The Brera answered back with a smooth surge of power, much to Yuka’s delight. She took the double right-hander completely clean, with the Brera offering bags of grip.
She pulled out onto the main straight of the Rome street course and gave the Brera full throttle.
Yuka: This is really smooth! Not as rapid as the BMW but very smooth! It pulls nicely.
Marie: It’s why I adore this car so much.
Yuka: So stable under braking!
Marie: You are already pushing the car like this? Amazing talent!
Yuka: This is unbelievably easy to drive.
Yuka: It stays on its line really firmly and the acceleration out of the corners is strong. It’s a completely different from the BMW.
Marie: That’s good, right?
Yuka: Yeah. The BMW is a little too wild for street circuits, often breaking into drifts for no reason.
Yuka: I really like this car. It’s exactly what we were after.
Marie: Where is Hitomi anyway?
Yuka: Trying to find a car online. Hopefully she wont find anything before I text her about these Alfa’s!
Marie: We are nearly back to Maria. Have you enjoyed the Brera?
Yuka: I have! Thank you!
Yuka slowed down as she approached the end of the test route.
She stopped beside the 147. Maria was already in the 147 with the engine running, waiting for Yuka.
Marie: Ah, Maria, always eager. Have fun, Yuka!
Yuka: Hehe, thank you.
Yuka got out of the Brera and got into the 147.
Maria: Did you enjoy the Brera?
Yuka: Yeah I did. Looking forward to trying the 147 now!
Maria: And I am excited to see you drive!
Yuka: I noticed! The engine is already on for me!
Maria: Haha yes! I thought I would warm it up for you!
Yuka: Let’s go then!
Yuka began her test drive. She floored it and headed around the double right-hander.
Yuka: It definitely feels more eager to go than the Brera.
Maria: Yes, thanks to the lighter chassis.
Yuka: The gearbox feels a little too close though. It’s tough work trying to keep up.
Maria: You will get used to it. Believe me, it’s a useful thing to have!
Yuka continued giving the 147 a good thrashing down the main straight. The 147 accelerated rapidly, smashing through the gears until it came to the top of sixth gear. The 147 bounced off the rev-limiter upon reaching its maximum speed. Yuka looked down at the speedometer. The 147 was maxed out at only 200 kilometres per hour.
Yuka: Is that it?
Maria: Yes, it’s the downside of the rally gearbox. It got there very quickly though, no?
Yuka: I suppose so, but this would be disastrous in a race…
Yuka: Damn, this has less grip than the BMW does…
Maria: Yes, it’s the turbo causing it.
Yuka: Have you thought about restoring it back to being naturally aspirated?
Maria: But I would lose to Marie!
Yuka: You’d be surprised how fast you can go when you’re not losing grip at the slightest touch of the throttle.
Maria: This I know…
Yuka: I am enjoying the car though, it’s a real pocket rocket.
Maria: But you prefer the Brera, correct?
Yuka: Yeah, sorry.
Maria: I understand. I think it’s difficult to compete with a car that can basically do everything.
Yuka: See, that wasn’t too bad. This car has potential.
Maria: I understand now. Thank you Yuka.
Yuka finished off her test drive and parked up with the Brera.
Maria: Thank you for the pleasant ride!
Yuka: And thank you for letting me drive your car!
Maria: You’re welcome!
Yuka got out and walked over to Marie, who was leaning on the side of the Brera.
Yuka: I’ve decided to take the Brera, Marie.
Marie: Excellent!
Yuka: You’ll have to come with me to fetch the BMW though.
Marie: Not a problem! Let me gather my things from it.
Marie began emptying the Brera of her personal things and dumping them in the back seat of the 147, much to Maria’s displeasure.
Yuka: Looks like you’re mine now, Brera. I hope you like travelling.
Yuka walked with Marie and Maria back across the road towards the two Alfa’s.
Yuka: Ah, they look beautiful up close.
Maria: Thank you!
Maria: Time to play saleswoman Marie, how about you start?
Marie: Sure. Have you ever had Brera before, Yuka?
Yuka: Nope. Never had an Alfa Romeo before.
Maria: Ah, then you will enjoy this!
Yuka: I’ll take your word for it!
Marie: Then, I shall begin.
Marie: This is the 3.2 litre JTS model with four-wheel drive. Pretty much the best kind of Brera you can buy. I don’t think I need to mention how gorgeous it looks.
Yuka: Oh I see. It does look very pretty I have to say.
Marie: I’ve had this one worked on quite a bit. It’s pretty much had everything done to it. Engine, exhaust, turbo, suspension, the lot.
Yuka: Impressive.
Maria: Not to mention it’s heavy,
Marie: Maria! How could you! Sigh… Yes it is very heavy.
Yuka: How heavy?
Marie: 1750 kilo…
Yuka: That’s… A lot.
Marie: But with such high horsepower and traction, the weight is not a problem!
Marie: Plus it’s such a luxurious car. It’ll make your long journeys much more comfortable.
Yuka: I suppose that is true. Plus the amount of grip it’ll have from the four-wheel drive will definitely help around here and at London.
Marie: Yes! See!
Maria: But the car itself is very sluggish. The weight punishes it more than it helps.
Marie: Maria!
Maria: Yuka, please, let me show you the 147.
Yuka: Erm, alright.
Maria: Unlike my sister’s rather porky Brera, my 147 is lightweight and agile!
Yuka: It kind of reminds me of my old Civic…
Maria: Exactly! It’s like a proper hot hatchback!
Marie: Except it gets blown away by Golf GTi’s.
Maria: Oh Marie, don’t even try to make your Brera sound better than my 147!
Yuka: Ladies, please. No need to fight over this.
Maria: I’m sorry Yuka.
Marie: My apologies!
Yuka: It’s fine, really. Please continue Maria.
Maria: Yes, anyway, this 147’s real party trick is its history. This used to be a cup car in the European Alfa Challenge. Then the team went bust and the famous garage RKM Motorsport bought it from them. Then they tuned and sold the car on to a client and the car ended up for sale here in Rome.
Yuka: My Civic back home is tuned by them! They’re good.
Maria: Ah? Then I won’t tell you what you already know about how this 147 handles. However what I will tell you is that I’ve added a turbocharger to it, so it now outputs 260 horsepower! In a car that weighs 1100 kilo, this is good, no?
Yuka: That’s amazing actually!
Marie: Unfortunately the 147 can’t handle the additional power Maria has given it. It tends to wheelspin out of every hairpin.
Maria: The rally gearbox takes care of that!
Marie: At the expense of the top end!
Maria: Nonsense! I can keep up with you on the straights!
Maria: Besides, victory is more dependant on acceleration than top speed, wouldn’t you agree, Yuka?
Yuka: Well it depends on the track really… Rome needs a good balance of both I’d say.
Marie: Perhaps we should stop marketing our cars to Yuka and simply let her drive them?
Maria: Yes! Drive our cars Yuka! It would be an honour to sit beside you!
Yuka: Yeah, it’ll be easier to pick after I’ve driven them both.
Maria: Great! Which do you wish to drive first?
Yuka: Oh I can pick? Well I guess the Brera, since I’ve never driven anything like it before.
Marie: Of course! Here’s the key, I’m looking forward to riding with the great Yuka!
Yuka: Alright, lets give this bad girl a test drive!
Yuka took the key from Marie and hopped into the Brera. The interior of the Brera instantly caught Yuka’s attention. A sea of leather and beautiful design.
Yuka: Wow, this is classy.
She started the Brera up. The engine was already warm, so Yuka gave it a couple of revs. Yuka instantly became a fan of the Alfa Romeo V6.
Yuka: I’m in love already. Ready for this, Marie?
Marie: Yes! Don’t hold back!
Yuka: Okay!
Yuka put the Brera into gear and set off for the test drive.
Yuka: The steering feels really nice.
Marie: Makes parking much easier!
Yuka immediately gave the Brera some throttle. The Brera answered back with a smooth surge of power, much to Yuka’s delight. She took the double right-hander completely clean, with the Brera offering bags of grip.
She pulled out onto the main straight of the Rome street course and gave the Brera full throttle.
Yuka: This is really smooth! Not as rapid as the BMW but very smooth! It pulls nicely.
Marie: It’s why I adore this car so much.
Yuka: So stable under braking!
Marie: You are already pushing the car like this? Amazing talent!
Yuka: This is unbelievably easy to drive.
Yuka: It stays on its line really firmly and the acceleration out of the corners is strong. It’s a completely different from the BMW.
Marie: That’s good, right?
Yuka: Yeah. The BMW is a little too wild for street circuits, often breaking into drifts for no reason.
Yuka: I really like this car. It’s exactly what we were after.
Marie: Where is Hitomi anyway?
Yuka: Trying to find a car online. Hopefully she wont find anything before I text her about these Alfa’s!
Marie: We are nearly back to Maria. Have you enjoyed the Brera?
Yuka: I have! Thank you!
Yuka slowed down as she approached the end of the test route.
She stopped beside the 147. Maria was already in the 147 with the engine running, waiting for Yuka.
Marie: Ah, Maria, always eager. Have fun, Yuka!
Yuka: Hehe, thank you.
Yuka got out of the Brera and got into the 147.
Maria: Did you enjoy the Brera?
Yuka: Yeah I did. Looking forward to trying the 147 now!
Maria: And I am excited to see you drive!
Yuka: I noticed! The engine is already on for me!
Maria: Haha yes! I thought I would warm it up for you!
Yuka: Let’s go then!
Yuka began her test drive. She floored it and headed around the double right-hander.
Yuka: It definitely feels more eager to go than the Brera.
Maria: Yes, thanks to the lighter chassis.
Yuka: The gearbox feels a little too close though. It’s tough work trying to keep up.
Maria: You will get used to it. Believe me, it’s a useful thing to have!
Yuka continued giving the 147 a good thrashing down the main straight. The 147 accelerated rapidly, smashing through the gears until it came to the top of sixth gear. The 147 bounced off the rev-limiter upon reaching its maximum speed. Yuka looked down at the speedometer. The 147 was maxed out at only 200 kilometres per hour.
Yuka: Is that it?
Maria: Yes, it’s the downside of the rally gearbox. It got there very quickly though, no?
Yuka: I suppose so, but this would be disastrous in a race…
Yuka: Damn, this has less grip than the BMW does…
Maria: Yes, it’s the turbo causing it.
Yuka: Have you thought about restoring it back to being naturally aspirated?
Maria: But I would lose to Marie!
Yuka: You’d be surprised how fast you can go when you’re not losing grip at the slightest touch of the throttle.
Maria: This I know…
Yuka: I am enjoying the car though, it’s a real pocket rocket.
Maria: But you prefer the Brera, correct?
Yuka: Yeah, sorry.
Maria: I understand. I think it’s difficult to compete with a car that can basically do everything.
Yuka: See, that wasn’t too bad. This car has potential.
Maria: I understand now. Thank you Yuka.
Yuka finished off her test drive and parked up with the Brera.
Maria: Thank you for the pleasant ride!
Yuka: And thank you for letting me drive your car!
Maria: You’re welcome!
Yuka got out and walked over to Marie, who was leaning on the side of the Brera.
Yuka: I’ve decided to take the Brera, Marie.
Marie: Excellent!
Yuka: You’ll have to come with me to fetch the BMW though.
Marie: Not a problem! Let me gather my things from it.
Marie began emptying the Brera of her personal things and dumping them in the back seat of the 147, much to Maria’s displeasure.
Yuka: Looks like you’re mine now, Brera. I hope you like travelling.
- 6,380
- United Kingdom
- RoJJieE
- mb6roj
Hopefully Marie's mechanic skills have prevented that from happening.
The funny thing is, I spent weeks on that 147 because that was going to be the car Yuka was going to get. However it just refused to work on comfort soft tyres.
Then I just put some bolt-ons on the Brera and it handled fine. And risk not being able to sell the car on?Now all Yuka has to do is strip out that fat Alfa...
Awesome chapter! ^^
Nice chapter title by the way!
Thanks! Glad someone noticed the title.
- 6,380
- United Kingdom
- RoJJieE
- mb6roj
Chapter 50 - Official Petrolheads
Yuka arrived back at the hotel car park in the Brera, after exchanging keys, paperwork and cars with Marie. She stopped in front of the hotel entrance, then picked up her phone and called Hitomi.
Hitomi: Hey Yuka. Found anything?
Yuka: Have you?
Hitomi: No…
Yuka: Oh, well that’s good.
Hitomi: Good, why?
Yuka: Come out to the car park.
Hitomi: Oh you found a car then?
Yuka: Just get out here.
A couple of minutes later, Hitomi emerged from the hotel. She immediately spotted the bright blue Brera.
Hitomi: Oh… My…
Yuka: Yuka. Oh your Yuka. Get in.
Hitomi: Yuka…
Hitomi got into the Brera and immediately started wriggling around in her seat.
Hitomi: This is so comfy!!
Yuka: Like it?
Hitomi: How did you get this?!
Yuka: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Hitomi: I’m curious now. Tell me.
Yuka: I had a threesome with these two girls who said they’d give me a Brera if I slept with them.
Hitomi: Bull. You are joking, right?
Yuka: I’ll show you the love bites.
Hitomi: What?! Yuka! I know we were in a tight spot but… Yuka!
Yuka: Relax! I’m kidding!
Hitomi: Oh Yuka you nearly gave me a heart attack!
Yuka: At your age? Dream on. But I really did meet a couple of girls with Alfa Romeo’s.
Hitomi: So they were drunk and just gave you keys to an expensive luxury coupe?
Yuka: Nope! They were fangirls of ours. Can you believe it? We have fangirls!
Hitomi: Now I see why you said I wouldn’t believe you.
Yuka: Mhm hmm. I just straight up traded the 135i with them for this Brera.
Hitomi: Lucky sod.
Yuka: Indeed!
Hitomi: So, let’s say they really did ask for a threesome, would you…?
Yuka: Hell yeah! I love double trouble!
Hitomi: Really?!
Yuka: No!
Hitomi: Okay, I admit that was a stupid question. You’re with Kei and you’re not a cheat. So, what if Kei let you?
Yuka: Still no. I refuse to do it with anyone if there’s no love involved.
Hitomi: Ah yes, traditional Yuka. I used to be traditional too, but then I took a break up to the heart and well, I realised there was no point keeping that mindset. Especially when you’re living in a place where your friend gets laid everyday, but cant tell you what the guy’s name was because she was completely wasted.
Yuka: Well you know me.
Hitomi: Mhm. Anyway, should we take this conversation out on the road? Let’s eat somewhere fancy tonight!
Yuka: Okay!
Two days later…
It was finally race day for Yuka and Hitomi, this would be their last race in mainland Europe before the grand finale in England. Yuka and Hitomi were giving the Brera a final check in the pits before the race, making sure none of the typical Alfa Romeo reliability problems reared their ugly heads at an unexpected moment.
Yuka: So far so good. Looks like Marie knew what she was doing.
Hitomi: I’m glad our fangirls are actually capable mechanics and not screaming teenagers.
Yuka: Consider yourself lucky that we’re racers and not pop stars then!
Hitomi: Amen to that.
Hitomi took a step back and started counting the other cars in the pit lane.
Hitomi: One… Three… Seven… Eight… Huh? Yuka there’s only eight cars here, excluding us.
Yuka: Isn’t that how it usually is here? I heard this particular championship is pretty difficult to get into, hence the low numbers.
Hitomi: But there should be ten cars, not nine.
Just as Hitomi finished her sentence, a yellow sports car appeared in the pit lane and made it’s way down. Hitomi couldn’t identify the make or model from far away, but as the car passed by and stopped, Hitomi knew exactly what it was.
Hitomi: Oh crap.
Yuka: What?
Hitomi: Stratos.
Yuka: You sure?
Yuka and Hitomi watched as the Stratos backed up into the space beside the Brera.
Yuka: Well I’ll be damned. A Stratos.
Hitomi: Told yoooou.
Yuka: Right. I’m finished.
Yuka wiped the sweat from her face with a soft towel and closed the bonnet of the Brera.
Hitomi: All set then?
Yuka: Yup.
The driver of a Stratos, a man of average build, got out of the Stratos and began to stretch his legs a bit. Hitomi called out to him.
Hitomi: Bit cramped in there eh?
Stratos Driver: Yeah.
Hitomi: Be careful out there, if you wreck that Stratos, a lot of people will hate you!
Stratos Driver: Haha. Are you my opponent today? I’ve never heard anyone come out with such polite pre-race banter before.
Hitomi: Nah, I just a co-pilot. It’s my cousin you’ll be racing against today. Right Yuka?
Yuka: Mhm.
Stratos Driver: Yuka? Then you must be Hitomi? The two girls from Japan who have so far gone undefeated in Europe?
Hitomi: I’m American, but yeah, that’s us.
Stratos: I see. My name is Desmond. I’ve been winning the Italian Festival for the last three years straight, ever since I got this Stratos.
Hitomi: I guess you’ll be our main competition out there then.
Desmond: Yeah. Well then, I will see you both on the track. I look forward to racing the famous Yuka and Hitomi.
Hitomi: Likewise.
Yuka: Yeah, likewise.
Desmond: In a bit, then.
Desmond went back to his Stratos to start his own pre-race checks.
Hitomi: So, reckon we can beat him Yuka?
Yuka: I’d say it’s a fifty-fifty chance. He’ll beat us around corners but I’m sure we’ve got him on power.
Hitomi: I hope we do, otherwise we’re screwed.
Starting Grid
1. Silver Alfa Romeo Spider
2. Desmond’s Yellow Lancia Stratos
3. Red Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
4. Black Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto
5. Silver Fiat Barchetta
6. Yuka & Hitomi’s Blue Alfa Romeo Brera
7. Blue Lancia Delta
8. Red Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale
9. Silver Alfa Romeo GT
10. Silver Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
Spider Driver: I’m going to end your streak, Desmond!
Desmond: I need to pull off every technique I know to keep those girls from passing me.
GTA Driver: Not Desmond again. Damn idiot and his Lancia.
Duetto Driver: A big showing for Alfa Romeo today. Of course, as it is the best car maker in the world!
Barchetta Driver: Oh come on, all these Alfa Romeo’s but only one Fiat?
Yuka: First race in our last car. Excited?
Hitomi: Yeah. Let’s give Desmond hell.
Delta Driver: Alright! Let’s test this new turbo!
Speciale Driver: It’s not the winning that counts, it’s the way you present yourself.
GT Driver: Who brings an older Alfa to a race? Get some common sense, grandpa!
147 Driver: Time to prove everyone wrong about the 147.
Hitomi: Go Yuka!
Yuka pushed hard right off the mark, using the Brera’s mammoth power to overtake the Barchetta before the first corner.
Yuka: Excuse me! Cutting in here!
Barchetta Driver: Idiot!
Hitomi: Damn you can cut it fine in this car.
Yuka: Four wheel drive advantage baby!
Yuka: Fourth already!
Desmond: Already within reach? Damn they’re even better than the hype.
Hitomi: This thing is so stable. If this was the 135i we’d be sideways.
Yuka: I know! It’s amazing!
Desmond: Now you’re filling my mirrors. Damn this Spider in front, holding me up for too long. Move aside!
Spider Driver: Screwed!
Desmond: Take that!
Desmond: Now to win this. All I need is to use my agility to stay ahead of the pack.
Hitomi: He’s getting away!
Yuka: I noticed!
Yuka: Don’t you dare block me now! Coming through!
Spider Driver: Denied!
Yuka: Son of a goof!
Hitomi: That bastard!
Yuka: Look at Desmond! He’s just left us!
Hitomi: Take this Spider at the next set of corners. You can use an alternate line but you’ll have to run wide on the last corner.
Yuka: Got it!
Yuka: There!
Spider Driver: Aw no!
Yuka: Yeah! Eat that ass!
Hitomi: Perfectly executed! Now go get Desmond!
Yuka: Right!
Desmond: Lap two. Oh you two got in front of that Spider already? The damage has already been done, you wont catch up.
Yuka pushed hard through the next set of corners, trying her best to close the gap in a car that weighed over twice what the Stratos did.
Desmond: So you’re actually catching up? In a Brera no less. Incredible.
Hitomi: We’ve got the better top end Yuka! Just keep your speed up and we’ve got him!
Hitomi: Yuka?
Desmond: Crap! I misjudged the entry speed! She’s pressuring me from back there? No! I can’t crumble under pressure! Not like this!
Hitomi: He hit the wall! What a careless oaf. Now there’s no space for him to make a single mistake, or we’ll get him. Right Yuka?
Hitomi: You’re doing that silent thing again aren’t you?
Hitomi: Have I told you how scary you are when you do that?
Desmond: I’ve taken a hit, but it appears you’ve not been able to capitalise on it so far. Good, stay that way.
Hitomi: Come on Yuka…
Hitomi: He’s left the inside open! Go!
Yuka: Okay!
Desmond: How is a Brera that agile?!
Desmond: No! I won’t let you take victory from me on the final lap!
Hitomi: Nice to have you back cousin!
Yuka: We’ve not won yet Hitomi!
Desmond: Ha! My acceleration is superior!
Hitomi: Get him!
Desmond: Damn that top end of yours. I can’t block you!
Hitomi: Show him what this Brera can do!
Desmond: You crazy woman! This is no time for heroics!
Desmond: You’ll kill us both!
Hitomi: He’s forced to the outside, floor it Yuka!
Yuka: And sit down, sir!
Desmond: Damn! She’s insane! Using such a large car to pull a dive like that!
Hitomi: That’s it! We’ve done it Yuka!
Yuka: Thank frig for that!
Desmond: Damn those girls. They’re too talented.
Hitomi: We did it!
Yuka: I think I like this Brera even more.
Hitomi: I admit I had my doubts, but now? None.
Yuka and Hitomi arrived back at the pits after a comfy victory lap. Hitomi got out and approached the podium. Yuka immediately bolted towards the front of the Brera, giving it a big hug when she got there.
Yuka: Oh I love you so much!
Hitomi: Yuka stop molesting the car and come receive this prize money with me.
Yuka: Oh yeah, prize money. Sorry…
Hitomi: Typical you, falling in love with cars more often than actual people.
Yuka joined Hitomi on the podium, with a disappointed Desmond showing up beside them, bowing his head a little.
Yuka: Hey Desmond! Nice racing out there! You really gave us a fight!
Desmond: Thank you Yuka, but the end result is that I’ve lost more than just this race.
Yuka: What do you mean?
Desmond: Confidence. The moment you overtook me, I lost every bit of confidence I once had. I had the superior car, the home course advantage, everything. Yet I still lost.
Yuka: From my view, it looked like you crumbled under pressure. You made the same mistake twice in the same place. It was like you had no time to think about your mistake for the entire lap between them.
Desmond: I suppose you have a point. It’s rare that I am given such formidable opponents, so the amount of pressure you applied on me was something I was not used to.
Yuka: You should leave the Stratos at home and use something that’ll make you the underdog. It sounds strange, but it’s easier to focus when you constantly have to push the car.
Desmond: I can agree with you there. Before the Stratos, I had a Fiat Coupe with a larger turbo, tuned for mid-range power. It was a true underdog, requiring all of my skill to achieve victory in it.
Yuka: You should go back to it, if you still have it.
Desmond: I don’t have it anymore. Can you believe my second ex-wife took it as part of the divorce agreement? My first ex-wife takes my first car, a Fiat Panda and then my second ex-wife takes my second car, the Coupe. As you can imagine, I am not looking for a third wife just yet.
Yuka: I can imagine!
Sullivan, the president of the European Racing League, appeared on the podium to award the racers with their prizes. He awarded the driver of the Alfa Romeo Spider his prize and a bronze trophy. To Desmond, he awarded a silver trophy and a slightly larger wad of cash. He then stood in front of Yuka and Hitomi, who were sharing the first place step.
Sullivan: Ladies and gentlemen! Behind me stand the girls that have taken this entire league by storm! Fighting not only their fellow racers, but also used car salesmen! Driving unfamiliar cars on unfamiliar tracks, these girls have shown the whole of Europe what they are capable of! So to these fine women, the fearless Yuka and her cousin, the beautiful Hitomi…
Hitomi: Is he hitting on me?
Yuka: Shhh!
Sullivan: …We at the European Racing League award you with 12,140 Euros, this gold trophy and the best of luck in your last race at London. If you win there, you will have won everything we have to throw at you, securing your places as two of the greatest racers this entire organisation has ever seen!
The crowded cheered wildly as Hitomi and Yuka received their prizes and waved to the crowds.
Hitomi: I feel like a damn celebrity!
Yuka: Yeah! One more to go!
Hitomi: Yep! Oh and Yuka…
Yuka: Hmmm?
Hitomi: Payback, bitch!
Hitomi popped the lid from her champagne bottle, shook it up and shoved it down Yuka’s back, drenching her entire backside.
Yuka: Hitomi!!!
Hitomi: Now you know how it feels!
Yuka: Oh I’m going to get you!
Yuka shook up her bottle of champagne and popped the lid, aiming the stream of champagne at Hitomi’s face.
Hitomi: Yuka! Not the face! Not the face!
Yuka: Yes, the face! The face!
Later on…
Yuka emerged from the hotel bathroom wrapped in her towel, after washing all of the champagne off from her body. Hitomi was already lying in bed with her pyjamas on, counting their purse so far.
Hitomi: 321,540 Euros so far. Took me a while to count all that.
Yuka: I’m sure you had plenty of time while I was washing myself off…
Hitomi: Oh yeah. You took your time in there. I thought you slipped and hit your head but then I heard you cursing me so I knew you were fine.
Yuka: I wonder why… Well anyway I used up all of my shampoo so I had to use up yours too.
Hitomi: Hey! It’s not like I took your shampoo the last time we had a champagne fight!
Yuka: I had no choice, you made it smell like champagne down there.
Hitomi: Oh true, the smell sticks to hair pretty tight so you would need more shampoo than me. Maybe you should go Brazilian?
Yuka: No.
Hitomi: Come on, I’ll help you.
Yuka: No.
Hitomi: Just a trim then?
Yuka: I’ve already… I mean, no.
Hitomi: Ohhhh, I see how it is. My Yuka is growing up so fast!
Yuka: I hate you.
Yuka arrived back at the hotel car park in the Brera, after exchanging keys, paperwork and cars with Marie. She stopped in front of the hotel entrance, then picked up her phone and called Hitomi.
Hitomi: Hey Yuka. Found anything?
Yuka: Have you?
Hitomi: No…
Yuka: Oh, well that’s good.
Hitomi: Good, why?
Yuka: Come out to the car park.
Hitomi: Oh you found a car then?
Yuka: Just get out here.
A couple of minutes later, Hitomi emerged from the hotel. She immediately spotted the bright blue Brera.
Hitomi: Oh… My…
Yuka: Yuka. Oh your Yuka. Get in.
Hitomi: Yuka…
Hitomi got into the Brera and immediately started wriggling around in her seat.
Hitomi: This is so comfy!!
Yuka: Like it?
Hitomi: How did you get this?!
Yuka: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Hitomi: I’m curious now. Tell me.
Yuka: I had a threesome with these two girls who said they’d give me a Brera if I slept with them.
Hitomi: Bull. You are joking, right?
Yuka: I’ll show you the love bites.
Hitomi: What?! Yuka! I know we were in a tight spot but… Yuka!
Yuka: Relax! I’m kidding!
Hitomi: Oh Yuka you nearly gave me a heart attack!
Yuka: At your age? Dream on. But I really did meet a couple of girls with Alfa Romeo’s.
Hitomi: So they were drunk and just gave you keys to an expensive luxury coupe?
Yuka: Nope! They were fangirls of ours. Can you believe it? We have fangirls!
Hitomi: Now I see why you said I wouldn’t believe you.
Yuka: Mhm hmm. I just straight up traded the 135i with them for this Brera.
Hitomi: Lucky sod.
Yuka: Indeed!
Hitomi: So, let’s say they really did ask for a threesome, would you…?
Yuka: Hell yeah! I love double trouble!
Hitomi: Really?!
Yuka: No!
Hitomi: Okay, I admit that was a stupid question. You’re with Kei and you’re not a cheat. So, what if Kei let you?
Yuka: Still no. I refuse to do it with anyone if there’s no love involved.
Hitomi: Ah yes, traditional Yuka. I used to be traditional too, but then I took a break up to the heart and well, I realised there was no point keeping that mindset. Especially when you’re living in a place where your friend gets laid everyday, but cant tell you what the guy’s name was because she was completely wasted.
Yuka: Well you know me.
Hitomi: Mhm. Anyway, should we take this conversation out on the road? Let’s eat somewhere fancy tonight!
Yuka: Okay!
Two days later…
It was finally race day for Yuka and Hitomi, this would be their last race in mainland Europe before the grand finale in England. Yuka and Hitomi were giving the Brera a final check in the pits before the race, making sure none of the typical Alfa Romeo reliability problems reared their ugly heads at an unexpected moment.
Yuka: So far so good. Looks like Marie knew what she was doing.
Hitomi: I’m glad our fangirls are actually capable mechanics and not screaming teenagers.
Yuka: Consider yourself lucky that we’re racers and not pop stars then!
Hitomi: Amen to that.
Hitomi took a step back and started counting the other cars in the pit lane.
Hitomi: One… Three… Seven… Eight… Huh? Yuka there’s only eight cars here, excluding us.
Yuka: Isn’t that how it usually is here? I heard this particular championship is pretty difficult to get into, hence the low numbers.
Hitomi: But there should be ten cars, not nine.
Just as Hitomi finished her sentence, a yellow sports car appeared in the pit lane and made it’s way down. Hitomi couldn’t identify the make or model from far away, but as the car passed by and stopped, Hitomi knew exactly what it was.
Hitomi: Oh crap.
Yuka: What?
Hitomi: Stratos.
Yuka: You sure?
Yuka and Hitomi watched as the Stratos backed up into the space beside the Brera.
Yuka: Well I’ll be damned. A Stratos.
Hitomi: Told yoooou.
Yuka: Right. I’m finished.
Yuka wiped the sweat from her face with a soft towel and closed the bonnet of the Brera.
Hitomi: All set then?
Yuka: Yup.
The driver of a Stratos, a man of average build, got out of the Stratos and began to stretch his legs a bit. Hitomi called out to him.
Hitomi: Bit cramped in there eh?
Stratos Driver: Yeah.
Hitomi: Be careful out there, if you wreck that Stratos, a lot of people will hate you!
Stratos Driver: Haha. Are you my opponent today? I’ve never heard anyone come out with such polite pre-race banter before.
Hitomi: Nah, I just a co-pilot. It’s my cousin you’ll be racing against today. Right Yuka?
Yuka: Mhm.
Stratos Driver: Yuka? Then you must be Hitomi? The two girls from Japan who have so far gone undefeated in Europe?
Hitomi: I’m American, but yeah, that’s us.
Stratos: I see. My name is Desmond. I’ve been winning the Italian Festival for the last three years straight, ever since I got this Stratos.
Hitomi: I guess you’ll be our main competition out there then.
Desmond: Yeah. Well then, I will see you both on the track. I look forward to racing the famous Yuka and Hitomi.
Hitomi: Likewise.
Yuka: Yeah, likewise.
Desmond: In a bit, then.
Desmond went back to his Stratos to start his own pre-race checks.
Hitomi: So, reckon we can beat him Yuka?
Yuka: I’d say it’s a fifty-fifty chance. He’ll beat us around corners but I’m sure we’ve got him on power.
Hitomi: I hope we do, otherwise we’re screwed.
Starting Grid
1. Silver Alfa Romeo Spider
2. Desmond’s Yellow Lancia Stratos
3. Red Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
4. Black Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto
5. Silver Fiat Barchetta
6. Yuka & Hitomi’s Blue Alfa Romeo Brera
7. Blue Lancia Delta
8. Red Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale
9. Silver Alfa Romeo GT
10. Silver Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
Spider Driver: I’m going to end your streak, Desmond!
Desmond: I need to pull off every technique I know to keep those girls from passing me.
GTA Driver: Not Desmond again. Damn idiot and his Lancia.
Duetto Driver: A big showing for Alfa Romeo today. Of course, as it is the best car maker in the world!
Barchetta Driver: Oh come on, all these Alfa Romeo’s but only one Fiat?
Yuka: First race in our last car. Excited?
Hitomi: Yeah. Let’s give Desmond hell.
Delta Driver: Alright! Let’s test this new turbo!
Speciale Driver: It’s not the winning that counts, it’s the way you present yourself.
GT Driver: Who brings an older Alfa to a race? Get some common sense, grandpa!
147 Driver: Time to prove everyone wrong about the 147.
Hitomi: Go Yuka!
Yuka pushed hard right off the mark, using the Brera’s mammoth power to overtake the Barchetta before the first corner.
Yuka: Excuse me! Cutting in here!
Barchetta Driver: Idiot!
Hitomi: Damn you can cut it fine in this car.
Yuka: Four wheel drive advantage baby!
Yuka: Fourth already!
Desmond: Already within reach? Damn they’re even better than the hype.
Hitomi: This thing is so stable. If this was the 135i we’d be sideways.
Yuka: I know! It’s amazing!
Desmond: Now you’re filling my mirrors. Damn this Spider in front, holding me up for too long. Move aside!
Spider Driver: Screwed!
Desmond: Take that!
Desmond: Now to win this. All I need is to use my agility to stay ahead of the pack.
Hitomi: He’s getting away!
Yuka: I noticed!
Yuka: Don’t you dare block me now! Coming through!
Spider Driver: Denied!
Yuka: Son of a goof!
Hitomi: That bastard!
Yuka: Look at Desmond! He’s just left us!
Hitomi: Take this Spider at the next set of corners. You can use an alternate line but you’ll have to run wide on the last corner.
Yuka: Got it!
Yuka: There!
Spider Driver: Aw no!
Yuka: Yeah! Eat that ass!
Hitomi: Perfectly executed! Now go get Desmond!
Yuka: Right!
Desmond: Lap two. Oh you two got in front of that Spider already? The damage has already been done, you wont catch up.
Yuka pushed hard through the next set of corners, trying her best to close the gap in a car that weighed over twice what the Stratos did.
Desmond: So you’re actually catching up? In a Brera no less. Incredible.
Hitomi: We’ve got the better top end Yuka! Just keep your speed up and we’ve got him!
Hitomi: Yuka?
Desmond: Crap! I misjudged the entry speed! She’s pressuring me from back there? No! I can’t crumble under pressure! Not like this!
Hitomi: He hit the wall! What a careless oaf. Now there’s no space for him to make a single mistake, or we’ll get him. Right Yuka?
Hitomi: You’re doing that silent thing again aren’t you?
Hitomi: Have I told you how scary you are when you do that?
Desmond: I’ve taken a hit, but it appears you’ve not been able to capitalise on it so far. Good, stay that way.
Hitomi: Come on Yuka…
Hitomi: He’s left the inside open! Go!
Yuka: Okay!
Desmond: How is a Brera that agile?!
Desmond: No! I won’t let you take victory from me on the final lap!
Hitomi: Nice to have you back cousin!
Yuka: We’ve not won yet Hitomi!
Desmond: Ha! My acceleration is superior!
Hitomi: Get him!
Desmond: Damn that top end of yours. I can’t block you!
Hitomi: Show him what this Brera can do!
Desmond: You crazy woman! This is no time for heroics!
Desmond: You’ll kill us both!
Hitomi: He’s forced to the outside, floor it Yuka!
Yuka: And sit down, sir!
Desmond: Damn! She’s insane! Using such a large car to pull a dive like that!
Hitomi: That’s it! We’ve done it Yuka!
Yuka: Thank frig for that!
Desmond: Damn those girls. They’re too talented.
Hitomi: We did it!
Yuka: I think I like this Brera even more.
Hitomi: I admit I had my doubts, but now? None.
Yuka and Hitomi arrived back at the pits after a comfy victory lap. Hitomi got out and approached the podium. Yuka immediately bolted towards the front of the Brera, giving it a big hug when she got there.
Yuka: Oh I love you so much!
Hitomi: Yuka stop molesting the car and come receive this prize money with me.
Yuka: Oh yeah, prize money. Sorry…
Hitomi: Typical you, falling in love with cars more often than actual people.
Yuka joined Hitomi on the podium, with a disappointed Desmond showing up beside them, bowing his head a little.
Yuka: Hey Desmond! Nice racing out there! You really gave us a fight!
Desmond: Thank you Yuka, but the end result is that I’ve lost more than just this race.
Yuka: What do you mean?
Desmond: Confidence. The moment you overtook me, I lost every bit of confidence I once had. I had the superior car, the home course advantage, everything. Yet I still lost.
Yuka: From my view, it looked like you crumbled under pressure. You made the same mistake twice in the same place. It was like you had no time to think about your mistake for the entire lap between them.
Desmond: I suppose you have a point. It’s rare that I am given such formidable opponents, so the amount of pressure you applied on me was something I was not used to.
Yuka: You should leave the Stratos at home and use something that’ll make you the underdog. It sounds strange, but it’s easier to focus when you constantly have to push the car.
Desmond: I can agree with you there. Before the Stratos, I had a Fiat Coupe with a larger turbo, tuned for mid-range power. It was a true underdog, requiring all of my skill to achieve victory in it.
Yuka: You should go back to it, if you still have it.
Desmond: I don’t have it anymore. Can you believe my second ex-wife took it as part of the divorce agreement? My first ex-wife takes my first car, a Fiat Panda and then my second ex-wife takes my second car, the Coupe. As you can imagine, I am not looking for a third wife just yet.
Yuka: I can imagine!
Sullivan, the president of the European Racing League, appeared on the podium to award the racers with their prizes. He awarded the driver of the Alfa Romeo Spider his prize and a bronze trophy. To Desmond, he awarded a silver trophy and a slightly larger wad of cash. He then stood in front of Yuka and Hitomi, who were sharing the first place step.
Sullivan: Ladies and gentlemen! Behind me stand the girls that have taken this entire league by storm! Fighting not only their fellow racers, but also used car salesmen! Driving unfamiliar cars on unfamiliar tracks, these girls have shown the whole of Europe what they are capable of! So to these fine women, the fearless Yuka and her cousin, the beautiful Hitomi…
Hitomi: Is he hitting on me?
Yuka: Shhh!
Sullivan: …We at the European Racing League award you with 12,140 Euros, this gold trophy and the best of luck in your last race at London. If you win there, you will have won everything we have to throw at you, securing your places as two of the greatest racers this entire organisation has ever seen!
The crowded cheered wildly as Hitomi and Yuka received their prizes and waved to the crowds.
Hitomi: I feel like a damn celebrity!
Yuka: Yeah! One more to go!
Hitomi: Yep! Oh and Yuka…
Yuka: Hmmm?
Hitomi: Payback, bitch!
Hitomi popped the lid from her champagne bottle, shook it up and shoved it down Yuka’s back, drenching her entire backside.
Yuka: Hitomi!!!
Hitomi: Now you know how it feels!
Yuka: Oh I’m going to get you!
Yuka shook up her bottle of champagne and popped the lid, aiming the stream of champagne at Hitomi’s face.
Hitomi: Yuka! Not the face! Not the face!
Yuka: Yes, the face! The face!
Later on…
Yuka emerged from the hotel bathroom wrapped in her towel, after washing all of the champagne off from her body. Hitomi was already lying in bed with her pyjamas on, counting their purse so far.
Hitomi: 321,540 Euros so far. Took me a while to count all that.
Yuka: I’m sure you had plenty of time while I was washing myself off…
Hitomi: Oh yeah. You took your time in there. I thought you slipped and hit your head but then I heard you cursing me so I knew you were fine.
Yuka: I wonder why… Well anyway I used up all of my shampoo so I had to use up yours too.
Hitomi: Hey! It’s not like I took your shampoo the last time we had a champagne fight!
Yuka: I had no choice, you made it smell like champagne down there.
Hitomi: Oh true, the smell sticks to hair pretty tight so you would need more shampoo than me. Maybe you should go Brazilian?
Yuka: No.
Hitomi: Come on, I’ll help you.
Yuka: No.
Hitomi: Just a trim then?
Yuka: I’ve already… I mean, no.
Hitomi: Ohhhh, I see how it is. My Yuka is growing up so fast!
Yuka: I hate you.
What about Ameri...nevermind.
but a bit Similar threads
