The Speed Of The Stars

As the race was set to begin, Collei and Ayato walked toward each other with an air of determination. Moments later, they stood face-to-face under the dim glow of the evening sky, the faint scent of rain lingering in the air.

"I'm Kamisato Ayato. It's a pleasure to meet you," Ayato said, his voice calm but confident as he extended a hand.

Collei smirked, her emerald eyes gleaming with competitive fire. "I'm Collei of Team Speed Stars. The pleasure's all mine."

Their handshake was brief but firm, a silent exchange of respect and rivalry. Without another word, they turned toward their respective cars, the roar of engines breaking the stillness as the machines came to life. The sound of revving engines filled the air, a symphony of horsepower that sent a jolt of adrenaline through the crowd.

Standing at the starting line, Keqing raised her hands high, her voice ringing out. "Let's begin the countdown!"

"FIVE!"

"FOUR!"

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

"GO!"

Keqing dropped her hands, and in an instant, the cars launched off the line. Ayato's Lotus Elise screamed as it bounced off the redline at 8,500 RPM. Meanwhile, Collei masterfully finessed the throttle in her Eight-Six, the tires struggling briefly before regaining grip. The car surged forward, closing the gap but not quite overtaking Ayato.

The race was on.

The first S-turn loomed ahead. Ayato's Elise handled the right-hand turn effortlessly, its lightweight chassis gripping the road with precision. Collei, on the other hand, struggled for traction, her rear tires fighting against the slippery pavement. She gritted her teeth as the car slid.

Her eyes narrowed. "Son of a bitch. He's fast!"

They barreled into a left-hand turn. The Elise continued to hug the road like it was glued to the asphalt, while Collei's Eight-Six fought to maintain composure. She blipped the throttle in quick, precise movements, managing to reduce her slide angle slightly. It wasn't perfect, but it kept her in the game.

On the straights, Collei's car came alive. The Group A engine roared to life, her tachometer needle climbing to 11,000 RPMs before she shifted to fourth. The engine's scream subsided momentarily as the tachometer dropped to 8,000 RPM, then slowly began to climb again. The Eight-Six surged forward, closing the gap between her and Ayato's Elise.

Back at the base, Ganyu stood holding an umbrella over Clorinde, shielding her from the rain that now fell steadily. Clorinde's attention was elsewhere, her gaze fixed on the group of cars parked behind them.

"What's so special about a Lotus Elise? It's like a bigger kei car, anyway," Ganyu muttered, her tone dismissive.

Clorinde shook her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "Are you kidding me? You really don't get it, Ganyu. Remember what people said about Collei's Eight-Six last year? Everyone in Narukami thought it was a joke. Racing an Eight-Six? They laughed. But how many of them do you think are eating their words now? That car doesn't have the agility or raw specs of its competitors, but it's handed us loss after loss. Keqing, Yelan, Silverwolf, Ningguang, Feixiao—she's beaten them all. And with Collei's streak, I don't think she's losing anytime soon."

As the race progressed, Collei continued to struggle on the corners, her tires slipping and sliding as she fought to maintain control. Yet, she refused to back down, matching Ayato's pace through the straights. They reached another S-turn, Ayato's Elise gliding through with elegance and ease. Collei gritted her teeth, her hands steady on the wheel as she attempted the same technique Clorinde had been mastering—Senna's throttle control. It helped, but the slick conditions made it almost impossible to execute perfectly.

Farther up the course, Collei's friends trudged along the roadside, umbrellas shielding them from the relentless rain.

"Goddamn this rain! I'm soaked like I just took a freaking bath!" March complained, shaking droplets off her jacket.

Amber sighed, rolling her eyes. "Stop being a baby and get under my umbrella already. You do realize you could've shared with me the whole time, right?"

Pela chuckled. "It's common sense, March. Besides," her tone grew more serious, "Collei's the one racing in this mess. She's the one who has to fight the rain, not you."

Seele nodded in agreement. "Honestly, racing downhill in these conditions would make anyone's nerves twitch like crazy."

March wagged a finger, grinning. "Don't forget, though—this is the same Collei who beat that S2000 on Jinren Pass! Remember that?"

Seele's face flushed slightly as she looked away. "Oh, right… you mean the time you were bouncing around like crazy in Collei's backseat?"

March's face turned crimson, and she jumped in protest. "HEY! That's in the past! Come on!"

The group burst into laughter, their voices echoing through the misty pass as they continued climbing, searching for the perfect spot to watch the race unfold.

As the race intensified, Ayato and Collei's duel reached a boiling point. The Toyota AE86 trailed the Lotus Elise, its engine roaring like a wild beast fighting to bridge the ever-widening gap. Despite Collei's aggressive driving, Ayato's Elise maintained its lead with a finesse that seemed almost effortless.

On the straights, the Eight-Six surged forward, its powerful Group A engine devouring the distance between the two cars. But on the corners, Ayato widened the gap once more, his Elise slicing through the wet asphalt with precision. Each turn became a reminder of the stark differences between the two cars—their weight, handling, and the sheer adaptability of their drivers.

Ayato's hands remained steady on the wheel, his focus unwavering. Yet, even as he dominated the course, a memory crept into his mind—a conversation with his sister, Ayaka, just days before the race.

"Remember this, brother," Ayaka had said, her soft voice carrying a tone of unwavering conviction. "The car in the lead always carries the burden of pressure. The one chasing has the luxury of adapting. But you—" she paused, a sly smile crossing her face—"you're not the type to chase. You excel when you're in control. So take the lead, and don't let it slip."

Ayato leaned against the pristine white body of his Lotus Elise, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I know, Sis. That's why I won't give her a second chance. No rematches, no extra laps. This ends in one run."

Ayaka chuckled, adjusting the folds of her kimono. "That's the spirit. Lead the race—but finish it decisively. Leave no room for doubt."

The memory faded as Ayato snapped back to reality, his sharp eyes fixed on the next hairpin. The Elise entered the corner smoothly, its mid-engine layout and lightweight chassis enabling it to pivot effortlessly. Behind him, the AE86 fought to keep up, its rear tires slipping on the wet pavement as Collei struggled to maintain traction.

Inside the cockpit of the Eight-Six, Collei's frustration mounted. Her grip on the wheel tightened, her knuckles turning white as she wrestled with the car. The rain pelted her windshield, the rhythmic thrum of droplets drowning out everything but the scream of her engine.

Her mind raced back to Ningguang's cryptic advice from earlier that day.

"You'll see it for yourself, Collei," Ningguang had said, leaning against the window of the AE86. "That little British car is a monster in the rain. Don't underestimate it. Ayato knows the course, and his car thrives in conditions like this. But you still have a chance on the straights—if you play it smart."

Collei frowned, confusion evident in her expression. "Play it smart? What does that mean?"

Ningguang's lips curled into a faint smile. "Think about the toughest challenge you've faced behind the wheel of this car. Now imagine flipping it. To win this race, you'll need to invert everything you've ever done. What feels natural—do the opposite. Look at every turn, every opportunity, as a reverse of what you'd normally expect."

"Reverse everything?" Collei raised an eyebrow. "How's that supposed to help?"

"Think of Feixiao," Ningguang replied, her voice calm but firm. "How would she handle conditions like these? Use that as your guide. To outsmart Ayato, you'll need to unravel his strategy and turn it against him."

Her thoughts snapped back to the present as the longest straightaway of Tatrasuna came into view. The AE86 roared to life, its tachometer needle pushing toward the redline as Collei floored the accelerator. The gap between her and Ayato's Elise shrank rapidly, the sheer power of her engine making up for her losses in the corners.

But the brief reprieve ended as they approached another fast-paced right-hander. Ayato's Elise gripped the road effortlessly, its precision a testament to both the car's engineering and the driver's skill. The AE86, however, slid wide, its rear fishtailing violently as Collei fought to keep it in line.

"Damn it!" she muttered, her voice a mix of frustration and determination. "How the hell is he making that piece of junk look so good?!"

The next series of turns proved equally challenging. The Elise danced through each corner with fluidity, its mid-engine balance allowing Ayato to maintain speed and control. Collei, on the other hand, found herself wrestling with the rear end of her car, her tires struggling to find grip on the rain-slicked asphalt.

"I can catch him on the straights," she muttered to herself, "but it doesn't matter if I lose it all in the corners. My rear end keeps swinging out every time I hit the throttle! How am I supposed to keep my pace?"

Back at the base, Ganyu's curiosity got the better of her once more. Standing under the umbrella Clorinde held, she turned to her companion with a puzzled expression.

"I still don't get it," Ganyu said. "Why is Ayato's Lotus Elise so much better?"

Clorinde sighed, shaking her head as if the answer were obvious. "It's all about weight, Ganyu. What's the weight of Collei's AE86?"

"About 950 kilograms, right?" Ganyu guessed.

"Exactly," Clorinde replied. "The Elise weighs only 875 kilograms. That's a 75-kilo difference. In conditions like this, lighter is better. A lighter car is more agile and easier to control on a slippery course."

"But doesn't your Lancia Rally 037 weigh about the same as the AE86?" Ganyu asked, tilting her head.

Clorinde nodded. "It does. But my car has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution. That means the weight is evenly spread between the front and rear axles. Combine that with a mid-engine layout, and the load is balanced across all four tires. It helps conserve tire grip and makes the car more responsive to every input. That's what allows me to manage oversteer and understeer so effectively."

Ganyu's eyes widened in realization. "So, it's not just about being light—it's about how the car handles its weight."

"Exactly," Clorinde said, her tone laced with admiration for the engineering behind the Elise. "It's not just a car—it's a precision instrument. And in the hands of someone like Ayato, that makes it almost unbeatable."

The rain continued to pour as Collei pushed her car harder, her mind replaying Ningguang's advice. "Reverse everything," she muttered, her grip tightening on the wheel. "If I can't beat him in a straight fight, I'll beat him my way."

The battle was far from over. And for Collei, the real race had just begun.

The race had reached its peak, and both Ayato and Collei were pushing their cars to their limits. Ayato was in his groove, smoothly taking each corner with grace, the Lotus Elise responding perfectly to every flick of his wrist. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips as he whispered to himself.

"This car is fantastic," Ayato murmured. "But I have to keep it in the groove. Wet corners love this little car. It's so easy to hydroplane… It'll turn into a leaf if I'm not careful."

He glanced at the rearview mirror, noticing the ever-present challenge. Collei's AE86 was still tailing him, the gap closing and widening in a dance dictated by the wet road. Despite his efforts, she wasn't backing off. "Damn the luck," he muttered, realizing that the rain was forcing him to hold back just a little more than he wanted.

They flew through more corners, both drivers struggling, but it was clear Collei was facing a tougher battle than Ayato. The rear of her car would slip more than his, but somehow, she kept the distance. It wasn't enough to gain on him, but it was enough to make her presence known.

As they approached the next straightaway, Collei's eyes narrowed in concentration. "Deja vu," she muttered, as memories of past battles surged to the forefront of her mind.

She whispered to herself, almost as if speaking to the car itself, "If your opponent can drift faster, let them have the corner entry. Brake early, get your heading, and then—slam the throttle right out of the turn. That's how you win. That's how I'll win."

The next corner loomed ahead, a sharp left that demanded both precision and courage. Ayato's Elise smoothly initiated a drift, its mid-engine layout helping it glide through the turn with uncanny stability. Collei, however, held back, applying her brakes earlier than usual and allowing Ayato to extend his lead momentarily.

The AE86's rear tires chirped in protest as it maintained grip through the wet surface. With her car's nose now pointing toward the corner exit, Collei executed her plan.

Her foot slammed down on the gas pedal, unleashing the full fury of the AE86's high-revving engine. The tachometer needle surged upward, and the iconic roar of the ITB's in her 4A-GE Silvertop engine filled the air as the car bolted forward like an arrow released from a bow.

The result was instantaneous. The AE86 shot out of the corner exit, closing the gap between her and Ayato in a matter of seconds.

In the Elise, Ayato's confidence wavered as he glanced at his rearview mirror. To his shock, the once-distant headlights of the AE86 were suddenly bearing down on him with alarming speed.

"What the f—? How is she gaining on me so fast!?" Ayato muttered, his grip tightening on the wheel.

He pushed his car harder through the next series of bends, relying on the Elise's superior cornering ability to try and rebuild his lead. Yet, no matter how cleanly he drove, the AE86 was relentless, sticking to his tail like glue.

At base. Ningguang and Albedo await for the results as the race continues to unfold, where tension was palpable in the air. Albedo turned to Ningguang, who was studying the action with sharp focus.

"You think Collei understood your advice?" Albedo asked.

Ningguang nodded, a subtle smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "She should have by now. Collei is adaptable. She doesn't just follow the rules of the race; she bends them to her will. As soon as she saw how the two cars were behaving, she adjusted her approach. The race can change in an instant, whether it's a straightaway or a corner. If she's trailing, and she manages to pass, it means she's learned to handle the chaos. That's something I'm willing to accept."

Across the street, Ganyu and Keqing stood, watching as the rain poured harder and the sound of engines grew louder. Keqing turned to Ganyu, sensing the change in her demeanor.

"You seem deep in thought," Keqing said, her voice soft but curious.

Ganyu's eyes were focused on the road ahead, her thoughts drifting back to a race long past. "This reminds me of our race last year in Jinren..." she muttered to herself.

Her mind replayed the rainy night in Jinren Pass, where a downhill battle with Collei had ended in an unexpected loss. Ganyu's S2000 had been fast, but Collei's AE86 had squeezed past her in the rain, and that final pass on the inside line had sealed her fate. Ganyu was left to watch as Collei disappeared into the distance, the rain making it near impossible to catch up.

"It didn't matter what the weather was," Ganyu thought, her voice soft. "Any conditions. Collei can handle it."

Back in the race, Collei grinned, feeling the rhythm of the race shift in her favor. "It works. Just like before." She executed the same strategy on the next corner, braking early and then unleashing her car's full power on the exit. Once again, she surged forward, her tires clawing at the wet asphalt with unyielding determination.

By the time they reached the next straightaway, Collei was no longer just following Ayato. She was a threat, her AE86 looming dangerously close to his rear bumper.

They reached the final left hand hairpin before the straightaway, the two cars slid in tandem through the final left-hand hairpin, their tires clawing for grip against the wet asphalt. Water sprayed in arcs behind them, creating a surreal spectacle of power and precision under the dim glow of the mountain lights.

Collei's knuckles whitened as she gripped the wheel tightly. Her heart pounded in rhythm with the roaring engine. "This is it," she whispered to herself. "My last shot. I can't let this go to another run. I have to pass now!"

The AE86 closed in on the Elise as they approached the second longest and final straightaway on the course. Collei, seizing the moment, darted toward the right shoulder, her intent clear. Ayato's sharp instincts kicked in immediately.

"You're not passing that easily!" he growled, weaving his Lotus Elise to block her maneuver.

Collei's frustration reached its boiling point. Her determination surged with her adrenaline as her voice echoed in her mind, steady and resolute "This ends now. Time to. Disappear..."

At the start of the final corner, Beidou, Seele, Pela, March, and Amber stood anxiously, their attention fixed on the distant sound of engines reverberating through the rain-soaked air.

March was the first to react, stepping forward towards the road with wide eyes. "I hear them coming!"

In unison, the group turned toward the bend. Out of the mist, the two cars appeared, their engines roaring in perfect synchronization. The AE86 was still trailing the Elise, but it was holding its ground with an unrelenting resolve.

As they approached closer, something unexpected happened—the AE86's headlights suddenly blinked off, its pop-up lights retracting.

A collective gasp erupted from the group.

"What the…?" Beidou muttered, her voice barely audible over the rain.

Seele's eyes widened. "Holy shit!"

Amber took a step back, her expression frozen in shock. "No way… The AE86 just… vanished!"

Ayato's heart raced as he peered into the rearview mirror, expecting to see Collei's car behind him. Instead, all he could see was the spray from his own tires and the oppressive darkness of the rain-drenched road.

"Where the hell did she go!?" Ayato exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief. "She vanished into thin air!"

Frantically, he veered his car to the right, anticipating another move from Collei. But in his moment of distraction, Collei seized her chance.

Behind Ayato, Collei floored the gas pedal, her AE86 roaring as the tachometer needle climbed towards 11,000 RPMs. With a distinct click, the accelerator hit the floorboard, and the car surged forward, its engine screaming at 11,000 RPMs.

In one swift motion, Collei darted to the left, pulling alongside Ayato's Elise. Her yellow halogen headlights suddenly flicked back on, the pop-up lights snapping upward like the eyes of a predator.

Ayato flinched in shock as the bright beams flooded his peripheral vision. "What in the…!?"

The two cars raced side by side, water spraying from their wheels as they barreled down the straightaway. Collei's AE86 edged dangerously close to the guardrail, its tires mere inches from scraping the edge.

"Everyone Jump For Cover!!" Amber yelled, pulling Seele, Beidou, Pela and March back towards the bushes. The group dove out of the way as Collei's AE86 roared past, the sound of the engine reverberating like thunder.

With the finish line in sight, the battle came down to the final corner. Collei, now in the lead, executed a perfectly timed maneuver. She slid the AE86 directly in front of Ayato's Elise, cutting off any chance of a counterattack. The move forced Ayato to fall in line behind her as they crossed the finish line in a blur of headlights and water spray.

Collei's victory was sealed.

Moments later, Ayaka approached Kazuha, her calm demeanor masking a flicker of disappointment. She had just received confirmation of the outcome.

"It looks like my brother lost this one," she said with a resigned sigh.

Kazuha clenched his fist, disbelief written across his face. "How? How is that even possible? How did she finish this in a single run!?"

Despite Collei's stunning victory, the race wasn't finished. In the distance, the sound of engines began to rumble once more. The uphill battle was about to commence.

Clorinde's legendary Lancia Rally 037 will face against Ayaka's AE86 Levin.