DISCLAIMER:

All trademarked items in this fanfiction is owned by their respected copyright holders (Narcissu by Tomo Kataoka, Wangan Midnight by Michiharu Kusunoki, Initial D by Shuichi Shigeno). The ones which are owned by me are merely the plot and the author's thoughts. This fanfiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not intended for any material gain.

Thoughts are in italic. Since a few characters are speaking in English and this fic is set in the same language (while in actuality almost all of the characters spoke in Japanese), I decided to render the spoken English in bold-italic.

Narcissu II: Das Rote Gespenst

Epilogue: … When September Ends

"Ready to go, Himeko-nee?" the youngster at the passenger seat said as he closed the blue vehicle's door and don the three-point seatbelt.

"Ready when you are, Akio," the brown-haired woman called Himeko-nee said as the man beside her buckled up for the ride.

Time has passed since that fateful race in the middle of summer. There was a temporary bloom of activity for Himeko, but that was to be expected. To date, there hasn't been a cancer patient with that much success in a racing event.

"Now, we wanted to keep this safe and easy," Akio said, looking to Himeko's face. "Devil Z can go upwards of three hundred kilometers per hour in full throttle, and with that speed we'd just fly off the track… the length of this circuit's straights is definitely not enough so don't even try. Also, this is a time trial event so you will be up against yourself."

"Alright, alright," Himeko said, chuckling a little. "Well then, let's start her up."

With rumble, Devil Z started up. The harsher shudder of the engine made Himeko flinch a bit, but her smile rises swiftly as the rev hikes. A few times she tried revving the engine, before she turned to Akio.

"How about it?" the owner of the car said, smiling. "That's the hum of a Nissan L28 engine, bored to 3.1 liters, and fitted with twin turbo and triple carburetor."

"I have to say that it is pretty impressive," the lady driver said, engaging first gear and steering the car out of the paddock garage. "I bet it has a very high top speed and a good acceleration."

"Yeah. It can go all the way up to 300 kilometers per hour given a good long road," Akio said as the car makes it way through the pit lane. "However, the turbo setup is still a bit laggy. You won't notice it right away, but it's there. I have to tune it a bit more after I get back from here."

"You really are one of a kind," Himeko said. "How about trying out real, sanctioned racing, then? I've already seen you drive… you'll be fine. I heard Doc and Kaichou are really considering a proper team now, plus the people at Todo Juku had already offered you a try-out… take one or the other, that's an advice from a real racing driver here."

"And you've raced for a grand total of one race, how reassuring…" Akio grunted.

"Shush you, I'm the one with an official racing license here," Himeko shot back in a good-natured manner. "Ah, that's the green flag. It's time to do the warm-up lap, then?"

"Whenever you're ready, Himeko-nee," Akio replied.

"Let's go have fun," Himeko said, grinning.

With the word of the princess, the curtain rises for the last time.

…

"You'd think that they'll stop hounding you after that rotary club thing," Himeko said, sighing as Akio eased Devil Z into the highway linking Shimotsuma and Mito. The day is nearing its end, with the autumn sky painted red and gold by the sun.

"You're now some sort of celebrity I think," Akio said, keeping the car level at a hundred kilometers per hour. "You got all those interviews, even got to Top Gear mag. Ko-san even wanted your autograph."

"The lot it did me good," Himeko mused, chuckling a little.

"Mazda footed the bill for your hospice care, alongside your prize money," Akio said as he changed lanes to a faster one. The next few minutes is filled with silence as they overtook a few slower cars. Both people let their minds wander, Akio less so due to him driving.

"Hey Akio, you did say that one time that Devil Z is prone to unpredictable behavior when driven…" Himeko said, breaking the silence. "I don't think we got any of that when we driven it this afternoon. Not to jinx it, but it's just… weird."

"Beats me too," Akio said. "I think it's because you still drive it like you drive Mach 5… the car won't show its true colors unless driven like it was meant to, I guess."

"I guess. We barely hit two hundred at the track, but I did feel that frisky handling beginning to be noticeable," Himeko said. "Maybe that instability only becomes a problem in higher speeds?"

"That's what I'm thinking," Akio replied simply.

"Or maybe… the devil is just respecting me?" Himeko ventured a guess. "The date won't be long, now."

"Himeko-nee…" Akio said softly. It's easy to overlook Himeko's numbered days in front of her exuberance and love of life. Now that the girl had been taken off Joushima's drug and exercise regimen, her body had gradually receded back to its frail, low-energy state. Even time-trial racing has been a bimonthly affair at best, as not to burden her body.

"On another note… you finally used that moniker!" Himeko happily said.

"W-what about it?" Akio replied. "It's easier to pronounce, not using it due to attachment or anything!"

"Hahaha, maybe…" Himeko said, her short, mirthful laughter dying down. "So between the two, who did you eventually pick?"

"…None," Akio replied to the veiled question.

"Oh come on! I gave you two beautiful girls and you go wishy-washy on both of them?" Himeko said in mock anger. "What is wrong with you Akio, are you autosexual or something?"

"What does autosexual even mean, sheesh," Akio groaned. "Besides, I don't think I can sustain a relationship just yet. My studies are just hectic these days, plus I need to at least get enough money for board and stuff."

"Are you thinking of going to college? Good for you," Himeko said. "Funny, I never pegged you as the studious type."

"After seeing you race, I'm beginning to think about the future…" Akio said. "Tachi-san, Kishida, you… you people really showed me how exciting pro racing can be. The rush in Wangan is unparalleled, but you can die at any moment… at the tracks, people are trying the hardest to live, to race another day. It's a little different, but I want to see that world by myself."

"Good for you, good for you…" Himeko said before yawning. "Aah… how much longer until we arrive?"

"Half an hour, give or take…" Akio said, slowing down due to a road construction site. "More with all these road repair stuff, I guess."

"Well then, we'll get there when we get there," Himeko replied, settling into a more comfortable position and shutting her eyes. Knowing that the day must have been taxing, Akio let the late-twenties woman sleep. The rest of the drive is rather uneventful and slow, but neither party minded. It would take another hour before Akio finally stopped the car in the outpatient reception area of the hospital.

"Himeko-nee, wake up, we're at the hospital…" Akio said, rocking Himeko's body gently. There was no response.

"Himeko-nee…?" Akio repeated his words. It was a Sunday evening, and the area was a quiet. Save for some nurses and visiting people, it was practically deserted despite the time of night.

"Oh, isn't it Asakura-san and Himeko-san?" A voice sounded from outside the driver-side window. Akio turned his head, and saw a nurse he knew leaning to the window.

"Oh, Nami-san wasn't it?" Akio said as he lowered the window. "Just finishing your shift?"

"Naah, I'm on a break. Some nurses up at seventh pitched in for a tub of Haagen-Dazs, so I went out to buy it from a konbini nearby…" Nami replied. "Rough day for Himeko-san, I guess?"

"We were in a Sunday time trial event in Tsukuba," Akio replied. "And I think she's quite tired…"

"Ah, alright. Let me help you wake her up," the nurse said, handing Akio the plastic bag with the ice cream. "I might need your help carrying Himeko-san upstairs though."

"Alright," Akio said as the nurse opened the passenger door, putting the ice cream tub on the dashboard before getting out of the car himself.

"Himeko-san…" Nami said gently, rocking Himeko a little. "Huh? …wait a minute…"

"Um… did something happen?" Akio asked, just as Nami started to do little things that the racer doesn't quite understand.

"…Requiescat in pace…" Nami finally breathed out after a few tense moments. "Asakura-san… Himeko-san has passed away."

…

Akio sighed for the umpteenth time. Devil Z has been behaving oddly as of late, not that it has ever behaved predictably in the past. The turbo lag he had noticed has only increased perceptibly for some reason, not to mention the body has been acting up.

Now that I think of it, it all started since Himeko-nee died, Akio thought to himself. Could it be… that Himeko-nee was the true soulmate to the Devil Z? We did get first place that last time…

"Oi, poor mechanic," a voice called from outside the garage, breaking Akio's daydream. "Damn, even out here you're still tinkering with cars. Poor mechanic indeed…"

"…is that Yuka-san?" Akio piped up, looking up from the Devil Z's machine he's been maintaining.

"In the flesh," Yuka replied, smirking. "Damn if this address isn't hard to find…"

"What are you doing here?" Akio asked. "All the way out from Mito, too…"

"Just looking for some fresh air," Yuka answered.

"Yeah right… I think the air here is much worse compared than Mito… or even Shimotsuma for that matter," the younger man said, cleaning a little grime on his hands with a piece of cloth. "So, what can I help you with? I doubt I can tune your Vivio to do three hundred on Wangan, though."

"No thank you. I want a car, not a speedy coffin," Yuka grumbled, before pointing behind her with her thumb. "Besides, I'm just a delivery girl."

"…Mach 5?" Akio said, his eyes following the direction of Yuka's thumb only to find the familiar red Eunos Roadster parked a little distance from his garage. It still had the livery and car number stickers from the RoadSpec race it participated in.

"Or Red, or Red Phantom as that two old geezers seem to know it as," the petite said, folding her arms. "The Shinoharas wants to get rid of the deathtrap."

"It's not a deathtrap per se…" Akio said, objecting the statement. "It only goes to one-fifty and much safer than Devil Z!"

"That is deathtrap enough for us normal humans," Yuka grumbled. "But that aside, but you know the deal with these kinds of sport cars, even those barely modified like this."

"They don't sell well, and even if they sell it's always after months and months of waiting… not so liquid, Dad used to say," Akio finished the implied statement. "Generally it's more profitable to sell it to a scrapyard."

"Yeah. I heard Toushirou-jiji cut a deal with your father, though not too much," the older woman said. "But the bottom line is, this car is yours. All the paperwork and taxes are dealt with, and they're in a brown envelope in the glove box."

"Thank you for the service, where do I sign?" Akio quipped.

"Heh, no need for that," Yuka said, handing the Roadster's key to the young man. "Let me just grab my bag from Red's boot and I'll go flag a cab from here to the main station. My train to Ibaraki departs at six thirty."

"Let me drive you there at least," the young man said. "You won't get there cheaply on time in a cab, those sneaky bastards."

"In that blue coffin? Hell no," Yuka replied. "I don't want to go home in a pine box, thank you."

"We'll take Red there," Akio said, smiling sheepishly at the statement. "Besides, I don't feel like riding Devil Z tonight."

"Suits you, cabby," Yuka said in a dismissive tone. "Besides, it's not like I filled her up for you or anything."

…

Akio sighed as he settled in the red Roadster's cabin. Dad really bought it from Toushirou-jisan, the teen thought as he read through the papers of ownership. So I guess I'll drive it to his office, first thing after school…

Then, a smaller white envelope caught Akio's eye. It was addressed to him, as the writing on the envelope indicates. He expects it to be some sort of secret farewell letter of some kind. He was sorely mistaken.

After reading the letter, Akio folded the letter and put it back into the envelope. It filled him with a sense of purpose. It gave him the courage to move on.

Smiling, he started the red car to drive off. Shimada-sensei might have been waiting for him at the garage, and he might catch Reina at the usual rest area. They are definitely going to know of his retirement first-hand. Shima would be next.

Plus, he's definitely having that Todo Juku tryout.

END

A/N:

Finally.

I sort of feel... achieved something. Or nothing. Well, it changed nothing, crummy ending aside. Das Rote Gespenst is officially finished.

Also, Shirou Kotomine is conceived way before he appeared in Nasucanon proper. Ha.