The Speed Of The Stars

The engines roar to life as the fiercest and most anticipated battle in Yougou Pass's history is set to begin. An old rivalry, reignited.

Pela raises her hand, her voice cutting through the tension. "Alright! Here comes the countdown!"

The crowd holds their breath as the engines grow louder, the sound vibrating through the air. Pela starts the countdown, her eyes focused.

THREE!

TWO!

ONE!

GO!!

The two cars launch off the starting line in near perfect synchrony. Despite the lack of power in the Eight Six, it edges ahead of the Lancia as they barrel toward Turn 1. The two drivers drift into the corner in a seamless tandem maneuver, each car on the edge of control.

The crackling of Beidou's team radio fills the air. "They're mere meters apart! This is going to be a nail-biter!"

March clenches his fists, his voice tight with excitement. "This... This is giving me chills!"

Amber stands, her gaze fixed on the track. "But she's got this. She can do this!"

The intensity of the race is undeniable from the very start. The Lancia gains ground on the straightaway, its powerful engine roaring to life. But Collei isn't deterred. As they approach the next set of hairpin turns, the Eight Six's superior handling proves its worth, and she swiftly regains the lead.

"She's one tough cookie," Clorinde mutters, her eyes locked on the rearview mirror as she attempts to close the gap once again.

On the straightaways, Clorinde's Lancia pulls ahead, but as they reach the next hairpin, Collei's deft cornering skills allow her to slip past once more.

"Damn," Collei mutters to herself, her voice tense with concentration. "She's fast on the straights, but when it comes to those hairpins... she's right there with me."

The two cars continue to swap positions with each passing corner and straightaway. The battle is tightening, the pressure mounting with each lap.

"Damnit!" Collei mutters through gritted teeth. "I need to pull ahead, but with this lack of power, it's not enough! If only I had more horsepower!"

As the two cars thunder down the straightaway once more, the Eight Six's quicker exit speed brings them side by side once again, heading into the final hairpin before the infamous Five Consecutive Hairpins.

The radio crackles again. "They're heading into the hairpin! Both cars side by side at full speed! It's a race to see who will brake first!"

The two drivers slam on their brakes almost in unison, their cars skidding slightly as they execute a perfect tandem drift through the sharp corner.

The radio comes to life again, the voice cracking with excitement. "Unbelievable! This is like something straight out of Formula Drift! The two drivers have nailed a perfect tandem drift! And the Eight Six still holds the lead!"

Beidou, who's been watching from the summit, presses her lips together in disbelief. "This is insane. They've swapped positions at least a dozen times already."

Amber paces back and forth, her nerves palpable. "I've got chills. She's as good as Collei... maybe even better!"

Down in the Five Consecutive Hairpins, Arlecchino, Lynette, and Lyney are waiting, their eyes trained on the incoming cars.

Lynette yawns, clearly impatient. "This is taking forever. Where are they?"

Lyney exhales, his voice calm but measured. "Patience, sister. They'll be here any second now."

Right on cue, the roar of engines grows louder, and the Lancia and the Eight Six come into view, both cars neck and neck. The crowd gasps as they approach the first of the Five Consecutive Hairpins, still side by side.

Lyney's eyes widen. "Here they come!"

Lynette straightens up, her eyes locking onto the action. "They're still side by side!"

Collei's grip tightens on the steering wheel, her gaze narrowing with focus. "Time for the good ol' gutter run."

She taps the brakes, letting the Lancia pass her, and then jerks the steering wheel toward the inside line. The two cars enter the hairpin, but Collei hooks her right wheels into the gutters, expertly pulling off a switchback overtake that leaves the Lancia in her wake.

Lynette leans closer to the guardrail, her voice full of awe. "Whoa! Did you see that, bro!?"

Lyney grins, clearly impressed. "Yep, I saw it. That was brilliant."

Arlecchino smirks, leaning back in her seat. "Go get 'em, tiger... That's my girl."

Lynette shoots Arlecchino a curious glance. "Wait a second... That's your daughter driving the Eight Six?!"

Arlecchino's smirk widens. "Yeah. And it looks like she's holding off that Lancia pretty well."

The two cars continue their intense battle, charging down the remaining hairpins. But as they approach the fifth and final hairpin, Clorinde takes notice of Collei's gutter run.

"Time to close the gap," she mutters, determination setting in.

Collei hooks her left wheels into the gutters, the car gripping the road with precision. But Clorinde, not one to be outdone, follows suit. She executes her own gutter run, closing the gap between the two cars.

Collei's eyes widen in shock. "Holy shit! She's doing the gutter run too!"

The two cars approach the final sharp right-hand hairpin, still practically drifting in perfect tandem. And then, they explode down the longest straightaway in a drag race, side by side once more, each car pushing to the limit.

At the final corner, near the finish line, Keqing, Ningguang, and Ganyu are waiting, their eyes trained on the approaching racers.

"So, Ningguang, who do you think is going to win?" Ganyu asks, her voice full of anticipation.

Ningguang smirks, her eyes never leaving the track. "Neither."

Keqing raises an eyebrow, her voice incredulous. "What do you mean, 'neither'!? One of them has to be in the lead, right?!"

Ningguang turns to look at her, her expression unreadable. "I'm telling you, I think they'll cross the finish line side by side."

"Side by side? You think they'll finish at the same time?" Ganyu's voice rises in disbelief.

Ningguang nods, her confidence unshaken. "Yes. The Lancia has the straight-line speed, but the Eight Six has the edge on cornering. It's going to be a draw."

Keqing's eyes narrow. "Just like their history. The Eight Six's former driver and the Lancia's former driver always ended in a tie in downhill battles. But when it came to their respective runs, they were both undefeated."

The deafening sound of the engines grows louder, the cars closing in on the finish line.

Ningguang's eyes sharpen. "Keqing, run to the finish line. Get a slow-motion shot of them crossing the line. Go!"

Keqing nods and sprints toward the finish. Moments later, the Lancia and the Eight Six roar past her in a blur of speed, still neck and neck as they enter the final turn.

Keqing starts recording the slow-motion video as the two cars exit the corner, still side by side, and race toward the finish line. The world slows down as the cars cross the line together, nearly in perfect harmony. They come to a gradual stop in a nearby parking lot.

Keqing watches the video, her eyes widening. "No... no... it can't be…"

Both Collei and Clorinde step out of their cars, exchanging a glance before walking toward one another. They stare each other down for a few moments, the tension palpable. Then, as if on cue, they smile and shake hands.

"It was a pleasure racing with you, Clorinde," Collei says, her voice filled with respect.

"It was a pleasure racing with you too, Collei," Clorinde replies, her smile genuine.

They both laugh nervously, scratching their heads.

"That finish was too close," Collei admits.

"Yeah... I honestly have no idea who won," Clorinde adds, equally confused.

At that moment, Keqing, Ningguang, and Ganyu rush toward them, excitement written on their faces.

Keqing holds up her phone, showing the screen to both drivers. Their eyes widen in shock as they look at the results.

"No way..." they both mutter in disbelief.

Keqing nods. "It's a draw... apparently."

Ningguang turns to Keqing. "Radio it in. Let's get the official word."

Keqing nods, her fingers quick on the radio. "This is the finishing line... We have the results."

At the summit, Beidou, March, Seele, and Pela wait with bated breath, anticipation hanging in the air. Beidou presses a finger to her lips, urging silence as the radio crackles to life.

The voice on the radio is steady. "It's... It's a draw."

The crowd erupts into a mix of gasps and excitement. Word spreads like wildfire.

"No way! The Lancia and the Eight Six tied!? That's... that's unbelievable!"

"This race was intense from start to finish. And it all came down to a draw?"

"This is the greatest race we've ever seen!"

Arlecchino, watching from the hairpin, smirks. "I'm not surprised it's a draw..."

Lynette raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Not surprised?"

Lyney grins, a knowing look in his eyes. "Apparently, the father of the Lancia's driver was the only person who ever tied with Arlecchino in a downhill battle."

The radio crackles again. "We have a verdict from the drivers..."

Everyone holds their breath.

Then the radio speaks again.

Collei, representing both drivers, speaks firmly. "We've concluded that both drivers are winners."

The crowd erupts into cheers and applause. Despite the surprising outcome, the celebration begins. The night, filled with fear, exhilaration, and fierce racing, comes to an end. And so, the rivalry is settled—at least for now. The race may have been a draw, but Collei's winning streak continues.