STORY: Limit Gear - Fires From Within
Episode One, Chapter 2
[SCENE ENTER: CAMERA cuts to Daiba parking area, just east of the Rainbow Bridge, where Ryu and the Silver Wrenches have been mingling and setting up with Tokyo Bay racers. The crowd is dispersing back to their cars to get ready. FOCUS is on the Silver Wrenches.]
Ryu: Yamcha, we'll meet back up later tonight at Ginza. Rex and I will be on our outbound arm and heading out to Fukuzumi to wrap up. Hiroshi will shadow you as wing on your way through Wangan south. Watch out for the Dark Eagles when you race up the Yokohane. Send Tenchi Kundo my regards if you see him.
Yamcha: Yeah, with a boxer engine salute! HA!
[Silver Wrenches huddle up as CAMERA cuts to their cars pulling out of parking area onto highway]
Ryu: Honor...
Rex: Passion...
Hiroshi: Truth...
Yamcha: ...and a whole lot of horsepower!
Group: SILVER WRENCHES!
[the Silver Wrenches drive OFF CAMERA onto the highway. Each car drifts in turn down the approach ramp to Wangan south.
FOCUS centers on Rex Hayabusa's 240 as he spots a white-on-red Toyota Chaser with a carbon fiber wing and ground spoiler package just down the road. He flashes his four way lights briefly before pursuing, which gives Ryu the signal to go to wing mode, tailing Rex as he races from afar to record progress.
Ryu presses a button on the left side of his dashboard. A signal activates a camera, which pops up just over his hood scoop.
CAMERA cuts to Chaser as Rex approaches. He flashes his headlights to challenge. The Chaser starts blinking its four-way indicators as an accepting gesture, and Rex pulls alongside to set up. Ryu is set up to record.]
Ryu: First race, Rex... happy hunting.
[Both racers approach the Wangan south tunnel entrance. Right at the tunnel signal lights, both cars gun their engines and go for it.
The tunnel walls boom with the echo of turbos inhaling monstrous amounts of air. Ryu paces from behind as he watches Rex's 240 and the white Chaser climb up the speedometer. 120 becomes 140, and the 240 begins to pull on the Chaser. Rex shifts down to 5th gear and snorts fire out his exhaust pipe as his turbo grabs more RPMs. At 165, Rex is commanding a lead on the Chaser. All three cars tear out of the tunnel, now in 13-gochi. The Chaser begins to pull towards the 240. \par \par FOCUS zooms in on Rex as he notices the Chaser closing in.]
Rex: Okay, let's see if you have something left in there.
[Rex's 240 slows down to let the Chaser catch up. It looks as if Rex slowed too much as the Chaser passes him. It only looks that way.
Suddenly, the rear tires on the 240 light up, and the turbo hisses like an angry cobra. Rex tears up the highway - 150, 160, 170, and 185 showing as the needle on his speedometer rises. He pulls steadily and quickly on the Chaser, then passes in one smooth movement. As the Chaser becomes a small dot in his rearview mirror, it flashes its headlights at him, leaving the signal that Rex has won the race. He scales down his speed, satisfied by his car's performance and his run.]
[CAMERA on Ryu's Subaru]
Ryu: Well done, Rex... well done. Not a bad opener for tonight. This is going to make for some great footage.
Rex: [On the 2-way car radio connection with Ryu] Thank you... I figured I'd cut the other dude a break to see if they could catch up to me. As if that was possible.
Ryu: Just be careful. Your next opponent might not be so tame.
[CAMERA slows as Ryu and Rex drive off down the Wangan. CUT CAMERA to a small restaurant where we find Yamcha and Hiroshi stuffing their faces prior to the evening's races.]
Yamcha: [between massive bites of food] sho, I wash shaying two deeze udder guysh...
Hiroshi: [quite disgusted] SWALLOW PLEASE! I'd think you could at least do that if you want to conduct conversation.
Yamcha: [big gulp] Ahhh... nothing like spicy beef and noodles. Where was I? Oh, [big burp] about the Dark Eagles, they sound like they're going to be running nitrous tonight.
Hiroshi: [surprised, thinks to himself] Nitrous? A second-tier team running NITROUS? [Done thinking, now talking] What in the world is going on? First Ace Wasachi literally flies out of the Daiba parking area before the party let out tonight, and now a second-tier team is running laughing gas in their tanks? Nothing is sacred.
Yamcha: I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else started running it once it let out. [Big sweat drop] WAITAMINUTE! ARGH! I TOLD EVERYONE!
Hiroshi: [slaps Yamcha upside the head] Get a grip! Relax... we already had this conversation 3 years ago. You remember the phantom power wars, don't you?
[CAMERA shifts FOCUS off to flashback sequence, various racers competing, Hiroshi voiceover]
The phantom power wars were some of the most hilarious and humiliating in the history of Wangan and highway racing. [Starts chuckling] First tier teams that actually tried to compete were regularly being schooled by third tier racers with 100+ shot nitro systems. [Now laughing hysterically] I still remember Shinjuku being beat by some incredibly gassed up AE86! It was like that thing was passing gas all the way down to the Yokohane restrooms!
[CAMERA shifts FOCUS back to Yamcha and Hiroshi, both laughing uncontrollably]
Yamcha: HAHAHA! I apologize Hiroshi, I forgot how badly nitrous got banned from racing the last time!
Female waitress: Have a good evening gentlemen, here is your bill.
[Bill drops in front of Yamcha and Hiroshi. They gather a look and gaze on a ridiculously expensive sum (-ed, I need a lesson on US to Japanese currency conversion). CAMERA shifts back to both after looking at bill. They both stop laughing instantly.]
Hiroshi: This is serious.
Yamcha: Hold it, I've got cash. [looks at watch and practically jumps out of seat] AND WE'VE GOT LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO GET OVER TO THE YOKOHANE! YIPES!
[Yamcha and Hiroshi are so busy paying their bill that they proceed to leave the biggest tip in bay area noodle restaurant history. The waitress returns after they fly out the door, picks up the tray with payment and tip, and promptly falls to floor.
CUT CAMERA to restaurant parking lot as Yamcha and Hiroshi promptly peel out and tear down Winding Way, a scenic, curvy road 3 miles away from the next Wangan south tollway entrance. Yamcha's Porsche rips one curve after another with ZERO body roll. Hiroshi's R32 hauls down the road a mere half second behind him. \par \par CAMERA cuts to Wangan south entrance ramp just off of Winding Way Park, as Yamcha and Hiroshi both blaze up the ramp and slam on the brakes. They briefly toss several coins in the coin nets and slam back into gear once their lights turn green. Neither even flinches as they merge onto the highway, already over 130.]
[CAMERA focus is on Yamcha's Porsche, slowed down to cruising speed of 100]
Yamcha: [on 2-way car radio with Hiroshi] Didn't we hear that the Dark Eagles were going to start off down the bay before the Yokohane?
Hirohsi: It may be, I didn't quite think they were just going to park it when they have to drive all the way down there anyway. They've probably already been challenging other racers.
Yamcha: [Hears faint custom exhaust noises in the distance] Sounds like you're right.
[CAMERA shifts FOCUS to behind Yamcha's Porsche as Dark Eagles pull up from behind. Ichido Tanabe and Urusei Yasachi are driving the two gunmetal Honda Integras which pull up alongside Yamcha and Hiroshi's cars. Tenchi Kundo gets in wing position as the Dark Eagles start flashing their four way signal lights.]
Hiroshi: The guest treatment... not too bad! Usually we have to ask nice.
Yamcha: Well, you know the plan... I always pack a second turbo in case uninvited hosts stop by.
Hiroshi: [signals flashers on his car] No fair - you have two turbos! Ah, who cares, let's GO!
[Yamcha's Porsche and Hiroshi's R32 start belching out flames through their exhausts. All have already agreed that the next overhead sign would signal the start of their race.]
Tenchi: Always flamboyant... let's see if they can back up their noise.
[CAMERA cycles, showing the racer's cars for one second each. CAMERA then cuts to a bird's eye perch over the Minachi Bay Drive exit. The cars drive under the sign. The race begins.
[CAMERA shot of Hiroshi and Yamcha's shifters as they both shift synchronously]: POWER UP!
[Yamcha's Porsche starts to spool up more power as the wind gets sucked through its intercooler, dialing up quickly to 140, then 150. Hiroshi's R32 does the same, only through a raw turbocharged spurt of 850 horsepower. Temporarily overwhelmed, the car's modified Super HICAS system spins all four tires at once. Ichido Tanabe, Hiroshi's opponent, is temporarily taken back by the display.]
[CAMERA cuts to Ichido's interior]
Ichido: Okay, this is going to get interesting.
[CAMERA slides to Urusei Yasachi, who is not wasting any time as he spools up the hybrid turbo on his Integra. As the Porsche begins to pull away further and further at 170, Urusei taps a button on his dashboard. Over the stereo pops a lit touch screen:
1. SECONDARY SPOOL
2. SPEED-INITIATED cd REDUCTION
Urusei punches button number two. CAMERA shifts back outside his car and rotates as Urusei's Integra begins morphing. The rear wing shifts into a more aerodynamic version, and brake and side vents start appearing down the car's side fascia. The front opens up with two new intake and exit vents. Urusei then punches button 1, and the front mount intercooler starts to turn bright blue. Surrounding it are small transparent tubes, pumping in stable-state cryogen freezing liquid. The intercooler temperature drops 50 degrees, and suddenly the speedometer on Urusei's car builds up. He starts pulling on both Ichido and Hiroshi, going after Yamcha.
All five racers enter the pre-airport tunnel, now traveling in excess of 180. CAMERA cuts to Ichido's Integra as he starts pulling on Hiroshi and begins a pass.]
[CAMERA to Hiroshi]
Hiroshi: Not so fast... coming for dinner? Stay for dessert!
[Hiroshi dumps the clutch into 5th gear, bringing up some rpms from the gear change. CAMERA shifts to outside as the abundance makes his tires chirp again, and that throws Ichido off balance. It's just enough of a surprise for Hiroshi to begin seriously pulling away. Ichido bears down on Hiroshi, however, not about to let yet another Skyline bring him down. FOCUS shifts to Tenchi, eating up the racing through his video feed, decidedly acting more like a spectator than the leader.]
Tenchi: MAN... these guys are skilled. It's definitely a good night to be racing.
[CAMERA cuts back to Yamcha as his Porsche continues winding up the speedometer, now at 215 mph. Urusei is still hot on his tail, slowly closing in. They climb up into the low 220s as they come closing in on the end of the tunnel.]
[CAMERA to Urusei]
Urusei: Not so fast! Come back here, you little German import!
[Urusei pulls even closer to Yamcha's Porsche. By now, though, his Integra is at its absolute peak, even for all the mods he has installed. Peaking out at 226 mph, he flashes his headlights at Yamcha, and finally breathes out his exhaustion. He smiles.]
You are a good opponent, Yamcha. We will see each other again.
[CAMERA to Yamcha]
Yamcha: Closest I ever came to being passed by an Integra. This guy's good.
[FOCUS shifts to tunnel exit as Hiroshi and Ichido come blasting out seconds later. Ichido has successfully pulled alongside Hiroshi, and honks the horn. A confused Hiroshi lowers his window.]
Ichido: [Yelling out] We'll call it a draw! I could go faster, but I think one of my synchros is busted!
Hiroshi: [Same] Honor Law #25 - A racer who calls a draw during high speed will defer right of victory to his opponent, but can challenge it again at a later date. Do you agree?
Ichido: Agreed!
[Both racers punch signals which are received by Tenchi Kundo's video camera. He comes out of the tunnel and records the results.]
par Tenchi Kundo: [punches up Silver Wrenches racing frequency] Congratulations! You have both performed incredibly well. The wins are yours... for now. Happy trails, gentlemen... we will see you sometime.
[CAMERA pulls back as Dark Eagles form a V formation, then quickly form single file and pull off at the last Haneda airport offramp. All three drift down exit ramp to toll booths at the end.]
[FOCUS shifts to Yamcha]: Great race! [Stomach rumbles] Bad indigestion. [Clicks 2-way to Hiroshi] Rosh, you got Tums?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
2nd gear: near redline
next shift
Continue on to Chapter 3
The Limit Gear background
Episode One's Cast of Characters
The Wangan Way