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Post by Reiji Neko Mitsukai on May 18, 2007 23:12:06 GMT -5
(Because we need to continue.)
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Post by ebonyviper on May 18, 2007 23:24:38 GMT -5
A cobalt blue trailer, followed by a black one with firebird decals, arrived at the stadium and parked in their respective places. Both Sapphire Sky and Phoenix StreamLiner were glad to leave Bristol behind because of all the strange happenings. The two stockers came down their respective ramps and took to the track to practice.
There were another pair of arrivals that had followed these trailers at a distance. A pair of Vipers, one purple and one black, arrived in Smasherville and the first thing they did was rent separate rooms for themselves at a hotel. Both hoped that the what had happened to one of them wouldn't follow them here. Especially Ebony, who had had a near-death experience because of a demon. Boost was particularly vigilant and protective of his sister now.
(((((OOC: I may have to puppet Insane's characters for her until she can get back into this.)))))
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Post by Reiji Neko Mitsukai on May 19, 2007 0:33:19 GMT -5
Anastasia, meanwhile, was a bit late and thus still on her way to the next race; she had left as soon as she was out of the hospital. Right now she was sitting in her trailer, listening and singing along with one of her favorite songs.
"All my dreams Is never quite as it seems Never quite as it seems..."
Her phone suddenly rang, and she turned down the music to answer it. "Hello?"
"Annie; why aren't you coming home?"
She winced at the stern tone. It was her father. "I'm on my way to Smasherville right now. I'm running late and I don't have time to stop by right now."
"I don't mean stop by. I want you to come home and stay home."
She witheld a sigh and rolled her eyes. Not this again...
"I'm not going to give up racing just because you told me to. I've put too much effort into it to quit now."
"You're only getting hurt! This is the second time in a week!"
"Occupational hazard. It happens."
"But you weren't on the track when they happened! Listen- there's other ways you can support racing; just leave the racing to the men and-"
"I am NOT going to let a bunch of MEN scare me off the TRACK!" She paused, willing her engine to calm. "I am 24 years old. This is my path, and I will drive it. Manufacturer help me, I'll race or die trying. I know you don't like it, but it's not your choice. I'm done talking about this. Goodbye."
"DON'T YOU-"
Click. She shut the panel. Anastasia let out an irritated snort.
"Ah'm sure he'll understand sometime, Annie," Dani comforted quietly after a few moments.
She merely sunk down lower on her shocks.
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Post by Tracker89 on May 19, 2007 8:05:17 GMT -5
Just outside the city, a green, tuned Mercedes-Benz SL500 watched the interstate silently from his perch atop a nearby hill. He knew that this was the beginning of the city's race weekend, and despite the pains it brought from the past, he still forced himself to watch each trailer as it headed into the center of the city, towards the prestigious International Speedway.
John Bachmann's expression, previously blank, turned into an angry frown when he saw Clutch-Aid's blue-and-green semi trailer, and he released a snarl when he spotted the dark blue shape of an Audi following closely behind.
"Reaper, what are you doing here?" A female voice called from behind him. He turned around upon hearing his street nickname, and saw that the owner of the voice was a red BMW M5, also tuned.
"Just lookin' at the racers coming to town. Can't a guy enjoy a view in this city without being bothered?" He replied.
"I know you aren't enjoying this, you told me how these guys screwed you over years ago. Now come back with me, the boss wants to talk to you about tonight's race."
John remained silent for a few moments, before giving in.
"Eh...alright."
The BMW nodded and turned around, taking the dirt road back towards the city. John followed, but stopped for a moment to glance towards Smasherville's rich business, namely the massive Bachmann Tower rising out of the surrounding high-rises. He sighed, and continued on his way...
-------------------------------
Inside an office in the Bachmann Tower, a red '73 Mercedes 450SL rested behind his desk, having just finished his work and taking the chance to cool off a bit. George Bachmann looked around his office, which was located only on the 4th floor of the 30-storey skyscraper. Many people questioned why the head of a company would choose to locate the office in such a random location, but in reality it wasn't random at all.
The Tower was only four-storeys high when Hans Bachmann bought it after arriving from Germany in the late '30s, and subsequently built it into the behemoth it was today. The office never moved an inch since it was first occupied, and even the furniture barely changed from the firm's early day. The carpet that George's tires were resting on was the same one that his grandfathers' tires rested on almost 70 years earlier, the same one that his daughter Elena will rest on once she takes the helm of the company, and the same that every following Bachmann's tire will rest on as long the company exists.
The old Merc's train of thought was interrupted when the door to his office opened and his secretary, a young Lexus IS, entered with an envelope in her antenna. She dropped it off on George's desk.
"Some guy calling himself Andrew Carmichael sent this in the mail today. Says that he brought you a ticket for that Piston Cup race taking place at the Speedway." Said the Lexus. George picked up the envelope and examined it as she turned around and left. The secretary stopped just as she was about to leave the room. "Oh, and he said that he also sent a ticket to Elena."
As the door shut, George opened the envelope, and surely enough there was a genuine Piston Cup VIP Ticket inside. He wasn't a big fan of racing, but maybe he needed a short break to take his mind off work for a few days...
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Post by ebonyviper on May 19, 2007 8:15:59 GMT -5
Kitt had arrived shortly after, having been held up in traffic, but he was in high spirits and was already acting as Sapphire's crew chief. The ClearShield sponsorship CEO was now working on a way to make him a permanent crew chief, since he and Sapphire worked very well together.
He found his way easily to Sapphire's pit area, Team #20, and waved a friendly greeting to the pit crew that was milling about or working on Sapphire whenever she came in. Right now, Sapphire was waiting patiently while her crew changed her tires and gave her some gas so that she could keep at it.
"Kitt, glad you can make it," said the cobalt racer, "I'm just practicing, so there's nothing serious that you have to do right now."
"Hey, Sapph," Kitt nuzzled her, "That's okay. I'll be here as long as you need me."
The Pontiac Bonneville waved as Mack pulled up with Lightning's trailer, parking in Team #95's designated parking space. The red semi unhitched from his trailer to let Lightning out and then went to join the other drivers to indulge in conversation.
~~~~~
Meanwhile, at the hotel, Boost and Ebony were discussing what they were going to do while they were in Smasherville, besides go to the stadium to watch Sapphire and Phoenix race.
"How about we explore town a little bit?" asked Boost, "It'll take your mind off of Bristol for while."
"Okay..." Ebony sighed, wiggling herself into the harness, "But I want to go watch Sapph and Nix practice too."
"We'll do that," Boost assured her, "But right now, let's just cruise town and see what Smasherville has to offer."
Ebony followed her brother out of the hotel room, remembering to lock up their rooms to protect their few belongings that they had left in there. She knew that Boost just wanted to protect her and her babies, but she couldn't help but think why all the problems that she had been having started all the way in Miami, fearing that this evil presence had followed her here.
She was a little bit apprehensive if she ever met Eddie or Anastasia again, afraid how they might react upon seeing her. She wanted so much to convince Eddie that the demon that he is carrying is killing his soul, but would he believe her?
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Post by fierano on May 19, 2007 11:22:17 GMT -5
Let's try this again...
The Peterbilt 387 rumbled through the tunnel into Smasherville, its engine's growl instilling varying degrees of fear in whomever it approached. Including the Peterbilt the engine belonged to. As the lights brushed off of him and his trailer, the sight itself was also intimidating.
Rocky Barnes' trailer had been painted with an even larger concentration of black than before, with yellow pinstripes here and there. The large number 57 on the side was about the only thing unchanged even in color scheme.
Of course, the biggest shocker was carried within his trailer. Jens Glimmer was so rigidly poker-faced, not even the most eloquently and smoothly crafted French curves could trace around the lines of that German's fascia and severely-retuned body. Barnes also didn't seem to notice that the temperature inside was actually below normal despite the fact that the air conditioning inside had been disabled.
That was not to say that Jens Glimmer wasn't active, especially mentally. Images repeatedly played in his ECU of all his rivals. Squeaky, tricky Kyoshi. Annie, the Bride of Demon. Chick and Joltsen and Sapphire and everyone else. And Kamui...easy to trigger, just point her nozzle at someone else.
Somewhere deep down, there was a slot for that Porsche that had taken his Lightning from him behind his bumper, that no adjective from even the slimiest gutter could describe.
He constantly "channeled the vibes" (as those hippies and Smarts like to think) into his fuel valves. As long as he could keep his icy rage in check...he would finally achieve a victory that so cruelly eluded him.
No...scrape that...I will nail that victory down with my tires and press it until it screams its surrender.
===
Eddie was feeling a little happy this week. A little. Much more fearful though. His parents - Corona mother and Crown father - were feeling significantly happier as they parked to either side of him on the flight there.
Toyota Inc. had done a little behind-Chick's-bumper dealing with htB and supplied Eddie with special test parts as well as a little "upgrading" in role to something more of a test driver, though backup driver was still his official occupation. This was, of course, because Eddie was Toyota's first entry into the Piston Cup's main series after their ventures in Formula 1 and the Trucks series.
So why was Eddie fearful? It wasn't so much the responsibility as the fact that his garage was actually his side of a double-size garage belonging to team htB. And that meant sharing the breathing space with a crew that resented his existence.
Just remember...it can't possibly get any worse...Annie'll be racing...I just hope I don't see that Viper...
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Post by ebonyviper on May 19, 2007 11:44:20 GMT -5
(((((OOC: I have no idea what kinds of places there are in Smasherville or how big it is, so I'm just going to make stuff up, but I do have some knowledge of what the topography of Ohio is, since it is my state.)))))
Sapphire had been doing pretty good on the track during practice, getting encouragement from Kitt and her pit crew as she came in every once in awhile. She was concentrating on the turns now and seeing how she can make them without having to slow down. The racer took notice of a few others arriving and joining her on the track.
~~~~~
It was fortunate that the Viper siblings had found a park, the Smasherville City Park, in which Ebony could spend a few quiet moments with her little family. While on their little jaunt, she and Boost found a nice restuarant which catered to tuners and a playground where Ebony would feel alright in releasing the twins so that they could play with the other children.
After awhile, with some persuasion from Ebony, Boost decided to finally head over to the Smasherville Speedway where Sapphire and Phoenix were practicing.
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Post by Insane Pirate Dragon on May 19, 2007 13:49:27 GMT -5
(((Thanks for the puppeting EV.)))
Phoenix pulled off the track after her practice run on the track. How far her timing belt was holding up strong. Jet had made an appointment at a clinic on the way to the track and had fixed her difficult timing belt. But it would still need the ocassional tightening, something that her uncle could handle.
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Post by ebonyviper on May 19, 2007 13:59:19 GMT -5
(((((OOC: ^_^ )))))
With their VIP passes, Ebony and Boost entered the stadium without any difficulty. Both weaved their way through the gathering trailers and drivers toward Pit Row, where Sapphire and Phoenix were at.
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Post by Insane Pirate Dragon on May 19, 2007 14:12:16 GMT -5
Phoenix pulled back into her pit. "Holding up so fa?" Jet asked as he descended from his post.
Phoenix nodded. "Feels fine so far," she said. "Still feel a little loose out there, we might want to tighten up my suspension some..." She stopped as she saw a pair of familiar shogun wings and grinned. "Boost, Ebs. Over here!"
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Post by ebonyviper on May 19, 2007 14:20:54 GMT -5
Grinning, both Ebony and Boost came over to Phoenix's pit area.
"Hey, Nix," Ebony, to all appearances, looked happier than she had been for the last few weeks, "How's it going?"
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Post by Kamui.EXE on May 19, 2007 23:05:21 GMT -5
With the Team #85 trailer parked, Kamui left it and was out in the middle of the gardens outside the arena. Her left side had a dull ache from where that mysterious and protective serpent tattoo was. There was also another catch with it - it was slowly spreading.
Kamui glanced at her side with her good mirror.
"It's still spreading. Damn it," Kamui muttered.
This was definately not a good sign and she knew it.
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Post by Evangeline on May 19, 2007 23:29:20 GMT -5
Buck landed his passengers at the heliport outside the stadium and went over to the helo enclosure to top off before ferrying more VIPs and company guests in. He had been busy all week, as was Veronica. The two had met as combatants, but Kamui's "taming" of the witch had made her into an entirely different person from just two years before. Staying beside her kept Rhiannon off his back, and for that he was glad. Yet, another woman held his thoughts captive... an Augusta with one blue eye and one green, set on either side of an aristocratic nose that looked too refined to belong to a police officer. Kayleigh, Buck presumed, was starting another shift in Miami, and had no time to so much as think about him.
"Kamui's in." Veronica stated as she saw the Team #85 trailer being parked. "I'm still worried about her after last week."
Ondine had a full plate just now -- seeing VIP's off to their accommodations, screening and channeling messages, and seeing that everyone was happy and got whatever they needed. She wondered how Ebony was managing at this time.
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Post by Kamui.EXE on May 19, 2007 23:37:11 GMT -5
Kamui attempted to scratch at the tattoo, but that caused it to spread ever-so-slightly. She winced at it and stopped poking away at it.
"Damn it. Why does it have to itch and sting so damn much?" Kamui muttered.
She sighed as she went up to visit Veronica. When she saw her, Kamui waved at her.
"Yo, Vee. What's up?" said Kamui.
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Post by Evangeline on May 19, 2007 23:43:23 GMT -5
"Trying to keep this lazy b*st*rd moving." Veronica smiled sardonically as she shifted a blade towards Buck.
"Oh, thanks a lot." Buck managed a smirk. He was running a bit of a sweat from his morning's work.
Veronica, however, found it difficult to veil her concern about the tatoo that Kamui now had. "How are you feeling with that?"
Ondine at last found a moment to page Ebony...
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