In The Blood: Chapter 4: Improbable Cause

  • Thread starter Rykon Zero
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I've got a nice surprise for you guys in the tenth chapter. Oh, but you guys will probably hate it. Don't grow too attached to any specific character. ;)
 
School man. Juggling algebra II, trig, and pre-calc is not easy. That said, I have another chapter in the wings, I just need to make sure it's tip-top and ready to fly.
 
I thought a month of proofreading was enough. Be forewarned that the next chapter will be the last until I get my grubby hands on a PS3. And considering I have to pay for my own driver's ed and a car, the PS3 isn't looking too hopeful right now.

Chapter 4: Improbable Cause​

I opened my eyes, and I was sitting in a room. It was very dark, but there were two lights dangling from above. I was sitting at a a table, which seemed to be the focus of the area. I stood up and walked around the table, there were chairs lined all around, but all but mine and the one directly next to me had 'Reserved' notes at them. I noticed that the chair I was sitting at was the biggest of them all, and set at the very end of the table.

Looks like I'm the focus here.

'Yep, you are.'

A man stepped out of the shadow, wearing a suit. I looked down, and noticed I too, was wearing a suit. This was odd, but I paid it no mind.

So, what's this all about?

'Well, I thought I'd go ahead and craft a little room for us to talk.'

What?

'If I, and the people who are certain to follow, remain as voices in your head, it'll get pretty complicated. So, I made a room to talk in. How do you like it?'

It's very 'single world government evil conference' but I like it.

'I thought you would. It needs a little tweaking, but just so you know, you can come here any time, and I'm liable to be here, if I'm not simply talking to you.'

Hey, Tidus.

'Yeah?'

You look kind of cool.

'I hope so.'

======

I woke up. The alarm clock was blaring popular songs of the day, which stood as encouragement to get me up and shut it off. Lady Gaga today. Bleh. I stood up and turned off the horrific music, then wandered into the kitchen. I ate some breakfast before finally trudging out to the bus stop, trudging back home to get my phone, then trudging back to the bus stop with a piece of toast inexplicably taped to the side of my head.

"Hey, Andrew, got a question for you."

Kate showed up. A normal occurrence. She's disappointingly good at Street Fighter.

-"What's the question?"

"Yesterday, you won a race, right?"

-"Incorrect. I placed third."

"Okay, so you raced. Correct?"

-"Correct."

"Whose car did you race?"

-"I raced my own car, of course."

"So, you, yourself, have a car."

-"Yes."

"So, why are you waiting for the bus?"

-"Hmm..."


...


AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

'You are a moron, you know?'

Why didn't you tell me?!

'My intelligence level is entirely dependent on you. If you're a moron, not much hope for me, is there?'

That wasn't intelligence, that was common sense! Even you should have that!

'I'm sorry, but your face was so hideous, I was shocked into speechlessness.'

I wonder if you feel my pain?

'Uh, yes, yes I d- OW!'

I pinched myself on my wrist.

-"Well, I guess that means I won't be needing the bus any more. Want a ride?"

"Uh, as long as you don't scare me again, sure."

-"Don't worry, I've got him under control."

"Him?"

-"Uh, never mind."

'Control? Baby, you couldn't control the TV if you had the remote in your hand.'

I'm going to annihilate you.

'Only if you start racing.'

A putrid thought.

"Can I have that toast on your head?"

-"Take it."

She peeled the toast from my head, and after picking off a few bits of fuzz, she started eating it.

-"So, how are you doing this fine morning?"

"I'm doing fine. Got all my homework done, so I'm pretty happy. Oh, plus, I found my old copy of Final Fantasy something or another."

-"Oh, Final Fantasy, the one I played at your house all those years ag-"

...

'What?'

Tidus.

'What?'

I'm going to kill you.

'Huh? I had no idea what I was naming myself after!'

I'm calling you Cloud.

'I hate you.'

-"Epic timing, we're here."

I unlocked the car, and got in. Kate followed suit, and I started the engine. As I drove away, I noticed a few subtle changes in how I felt about the car. There wasn't the gnawing urge to race anymore. It was more... An innate instinct. It was strange how I could feel this. And the strange movements my body made, they were incorporated in my driving, and they weren't alien anymore either, they felt as natural as breathing, or my own heartbeat.

"Your driving is a little different. Your shifting is smoother."

-"Yeah... I know..."

"How did you improve? Maybe I should try it."

-"Heheh, NO."

"Huh? Wh-"

*Ring ring ring*

My phone started ringing. I recognized the ringtone as belonging to Jack. He put the number in my phone for some inexplicable reason.

-"Yo, what is it?"

"Hey man! I just got payed for your race, it's enough to pay off my debts, the guy who I had an agreement is also leaving me alone, thanks man!"

-"Normally I'd say 'No problem', but if you do it again without telling me, I'll feed you digitalis."

"Ooh, scary, scary."

-"Anyway, is that all?"

"Uh, yeah. See you in class."

I turned off the phone. We had arrived at the school, so I'd like to take this opportunity to skip past the boring day.

"Hey, Andrew, you taking me home?"

-"Do you really think I'm going to give you a one way trip?"

"Well, just wanted to make sure."

-"Of course I'll take you home."

As we exited the school, a yellow Honda Integra cut me off. Because getting angry isn't going to do much of anything, I didn't honk my horn. Besides, he seemed like he was in a hurry. His hair was stupid, and I took no time pointing that out to Kate.

"Indeed, his hair is stupid, and that once again begs the question why people think retarded spiky hair is cool. Such hair does not sexually excite females."

-"What does?"

"I refuse to tell you on the grounds of dubious necessity."

-"I see he's cut off another person."

'So you haven't noticed.'

-"Noticed what?"

"Huh?"

-"Ah, er, nothing."

Talking with you is getting steadily more complicated. What do you mean?

'Pay attention to him. What do your instincts tell you?'

I looked at the Integra and focused on the driver. A few seconds of nothing passed, until I finally felt it. This man had some serious ability and charisma. I could tell by looking at him. I don't know where this knowledge is coming from, it's just there. He's roughly at 1/15 the level of David, but still, that's like saying 1/15 the speed of a scramjet engine.

A few minutes later, I went ahead and dropped Kate off at her house and drove home. I'm in a strange mood right now, I just feel strange. The past few days, my conscience has been shattered in two, my latent ability was unlocked, and my mental brainsness has been melted down and forged into Hello Kitty bedposts. Honestly, if I didn't feel like I've been through hell, I'd be surprised. As I pulled up to the house, I saw a familiar sight. Sitting there in the driveway, in the exact same place as David's Porsche, was a Yellow Honda Integra. Surprising though it may be, I pulled in the the driveway and got out. I had a rather irksome feeling that another racer was here to contact me. I walked inside, and called out.

-"Anyone home?"

"Andrew! You have a visitor!"

I suppose it'd be redundant to say 'knew it,' eh?

"Ah, hello. Nice to meet you."

The man with retarded spiky hair walked up to me and held out his hand. It seemed that racers had a code of politeness. That's nice. I shook his hand.

-"Andrew Fuhrmann."

"Keith Rinehart."

I felt a small breeze. I had a very strange feeling, much like what I felt with David. I seriously do not know why I feel these things, or why I know what they're there for. Nor do I care, honestly.

"We'll leave you two here, we have a date with your cousin, he has some friends he'd like us to meet."

-"Oh, see you. Tell him I said hi."

"Will do. Bye!"

Mom and Dad slipped out of the house.

-"So, what did you want?"

"Ah, yes. May I sit?"

-"Go right ahead."

We sat down on opposite sides of each other.

"I'll be frank. Did you enter a race on Sunday?"

Damn, he's probably going to rope me into something.

-"Yes, I did. Why do you ask?"

"I have a few questions to ask about your car and your performance."

-"Uh, sure."

"What sort of power is your Miata putting out?"

-"Uh, about 170."

"So, it's modified... How many times have you raced?"

-"Raced? I only learned to drive a few months ago, and I don't like racing."

The man had a shocked expression for a moment, then asked me a question.

"Why did you go three wide in the last overtake?"

-"What do you mean?"

"You overtook two cars on the same corner. That is insanely dangerous for anyone short of a pro, and it's so blatantly dangerous, only the pros ever attempt it. You are not a pro, nor are you ridiculously stupid. You also managed to pull it off. You have some strange and ridiculous talent that I honestly want on my racing team."

-"I'm very sorry, but I don't like racing."

"What do you want to be in life?"

-"I want to be a doctor."

"Why do you want to be a doctor?"

-"To help the ones in need. I've got a few problems in my past, and I really want to help people out. Plus, my family needs the money."

"Huh."

The man sat back in the seat, looking almost defeated, until he spoke up.

"Well, I can't offer you the ability to help people like a doctor, but money would be no problem."

-"I need a steady job, I can't rely on something so uncertain."

"You do know that in your second month of racing, you'd easily earn $1000 per week, right?"

Oh holy cow. I could say something like 'I can't rely on that,' but a thousand a week is so ridiculously good that I could live for a long time on a single victory. Wait, no. I can't allow myself to bow down to such logic. Wait, why am I so opposed to racing in the first place? It's seeming more and more like I'm making excuses...

"Plus, in the GT racing circuit, it's not uncommon for people to retire just a few years after starting, and in your case, you'd easily be able to retire before 25, and leave you to persue your job of being a doctor."

-"Well-"

"And you will get free training on weekends. Courtesy of me. I'll even pay for gas and tires."

-"Uh..."

'DOOO EEEEEET'

Might as well try... Nothing wrong with that.

-"I'll do it."

======

All text this time, but I'm okay with it, next time in fact won't make up for it at all.
 
If Keith is anything like Kurt, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.
 
Do I need to say anything?
It's obviously an awesome chapter. Much better than the books they make us read for school.
 
When you get a PS3, and GT5, would you use that as a source for photos instead of GT4?
 
That is the plan. And rather like Yet Another Race Story, I'd have to remaster the first five at a later date.
 
Hmm... Why do i get the feeling the red hot chili peppers now have something to do with this story?
anyway, keep it up!
 
fantastic work on both your race stories, I ended up reading yet another race story till 2 am yesterday and finished it off this morning.

keep up the good work
 
Is the next chapter going to start with Kate sitting beside a hospital bed, excitedly calling for a doctor as Andrew comes out of his coma?
 

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