"Alice?"

  "Earth to Alice?"

  The voices echo in her mind as she looks at her father, who stands right in front of her. She looks around and notices that they are in the spectator stands of the Akinabalu circuit. The crowd around her cheered loudly as powerful engines roared throughout the circuit.

  "D-dad? W- What are you doing here?" Alice asked confusedly.

  "Sweetie you okay? You seem troubled?" Her father asked concerningly.

  "Y-yeah, I'm fine." She looks at him.

  "Good, just stay here and watch the race okay? I'll be back after an hour or so. Be a good girl alright?" Her father said to her,

  "D-dad! Please don't go!" She said in a scared tone.

  She reached for his hand and the sky turned into darkness and thunder lit the sky. Her father turned his back and began walking away from her. Her father walks toward the dark figure that is waiting for him in the distance.

  "Kid?"

  "Hey, kid?"

  "Kid!"

  Alice woke on the sofa seemingly panicking as she looked around her surroundings. She saw Sugimoto in front of her and began looking around before remembering that she had slept on the sofa in the break room when Sugimoto was out.

  "You okay kid?" Sugimoto asked her.

  "Y-yeah, I'm fine." Alice told him.

  "You seem like you had a pretty bad dream huh? Maybe sleeping after working out isn't the best idea." Sugimoto advised her.

  "Y-yeah, I know. I accidentally fell asleep here. I'll go and change real quick." She told him.

  "Great, 'cause I want to use the sofa now." He chuckled.

  "Of course you do." Alice said teasingly.

  Alice left the break room and went to the main building where the changing room was located. She changed into her racing attire and went out. As she walked outside, she met Kara still in her casual outfit waiting outside the changing room.

  "Hey, Alice! Didn't expect to meet you here." Kara says while smiling.

  "Were you going to change into your racing attire Kara?" Alice asked Kara.

  "Yeah, why do you ask? Do you perhaps want to join me?" Kara said teasing Alice.

  "W-What? No way, I just wanted to know that's all!" Alice said slightly blushing.

  "Aww, I guess I'll just change by myself then." Kara told her teasingly.

  Alice slightly taken aback by the conversation decides to change the topic.

  "So Kara, are you excited for the race?" She excitedly asked Kara.

  "Why wouldn't I? I can't wait to beat Asashi!" She said feeling confident.

  "I see, do you always have a rivalry with him, Kara?" Alice asked.

  "Well, only back then at the academy. We've never faced each other at the Pro level since I had to move." Kara told her.

  "I see, I guess this is your chance then. Good luck with that!" Alice said.

  "You too! Hey, what's your goal for this race, Alice?" Kara asked her.

  Alice was surprised by her question. Alice began thinking of a casual answer.

  "G-Goal? I-I don't know, I'll probably try maintaining my position and hope I don't get passed." She said as she tried to make up an answer.

  "Is that all Alice? Is that all you really want for this race?" Kara questioned her.

  Alice suddenly felt something inside her as she remembered why she had worked for all the years of karting and track racing. Alice built up her courage and decided to tell her what she really wanted.

  "No. That's not all. I want to try and win this race. I want to prove to that jerk who I am! I want people to hear my name!" Alice told Kara while grudging her fist.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Quite ambitious aren't you, Alice? But I'm relieved to hear that. That is what I want to hear from you, Alice." Kara said to Alice.

  "You wanted to hear that?" Alice asked confusedly.

  "Yeah, now that I know your goals..." Kara muttered slowly.

  She suddenly points at Alice, standing tall in front of her.

  "I'll make sure you'll never pass me!" Kara said to her with confidence.

  Alice looks at her finger, feeling slightly determined knowing that Kara won't let her achieve her dreams that easily.

  "I'll try my best to beat you, Kara!" Alice said and smiled at her.

  Kara looks at Alice and extends her hands.

  "You're my rival from now on, don't let me down, Alice!" Kara told Alice.

  "S-same, I won't lose easily!" Alice told her.

  They shook hands and an aura of determination grew stronger between them. Both drivers wanted to outdo each other in the race and were unwilling to back down. After this, Kara waved goodbye and headed into the changing room. Alice walked back to her team's garage and entered the break room. As she entered, she saw Sugimoto sleeping on the couch again.

  "Fell asleep huh, can't help it I guess." Alice muttered feeling a bit annoyed but let him go.

  She began inspecting the crew where she saw Ghazali inspecting her car.

  "Hey Gaz, whatchu up too?" Alice said as he looked from behind him.

  Ghazali shoots up from Alice suddenly standing right behind him.

  "Woah, give me a heads up next time!" Ghazali told her.

  "so whatchu doing?" Alice asked him curiously.

  "Ah I'm just inspecting your car for a bit, I just noticed there's still some stuff that could be modified here to reduce the car's weight." Ghazali told her.

  "Weight reduction huh? But I don't think it's a good idea to reduce it now since it could temper with the M6's balance." Alice told him.

  "Yeah, maybe we can change a few things later, but for now I guess it's still good." Ghazali said

  As they were talking, an announcement was made through the speaker.

  "The race will start in one hour; please be ready." A race steward came and told them.

  "Looks like we should get ready, let's go people!" Ghazali told his pit crew.

  Ghazali began rallying his team and gave them a pep talk. Alice could hear Ghazali's orders and encouragement and felt the team's energy building up. Alice is in awe seeing how the team is motivated and determined to give it their all. She began feeling something within her, a feeling of warmth seeing the passion everyone puts into motorsports.

  "Everyone here has dedicated their life to this sport, I must prove to them that I belong here!" Alice told herself.

  Alice decided to go inside her car and started feeling the steering wheel. Alice sat in her car and heard a slight knock from the passenger side window. She turned towards it and saw the manager standing outside. She rolled down the windows and greeted him.

  "Ah manager, what's up?" Alice asked him.

  "Just checking up on everyone, may I come in?" The manager asked.

  "Sure thing. Let me unlock it real quick." Alice said to him.

  Alice unlocked the car and the manager got inside. He sat beside the passenger seat with a clipboard in hand. The manager began checking off a checklist on his clipboard with his pen.

  "What are you doing manager?" Alice asked curiously.

  "Just doing a final check for the cars before the race starts." He told Alice.

  Alice looks towards the manager who is just writing on his clipboard. Alice felt nervous as she was about to ask him a personal question.

  "Manager, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you, regarding the team." Alice asked cautiously.

  "Sure, go ahead." The manager said casually while checking off the tick box on his clipboard.

  "How bad has our team been struggling in recent years?" Alice asked nervously.

  The manager was surprised by the question and laid down his clipboard and pen. He became silent for a moment before speaking.

  "Uhm, Alice. Where did you hear this from?" The manager asked.

  "Well, I heard it from a few people." Alice told nervously.

  The manager breathes a small sigh and looks directly towards her.

  "You shouldn't be worried about that Alice. This is something that you shouldn't worry about as a driver." The manager told her.

  "I am worried for this team! Akinabalu Motorsports was my father's racing team, and I don't want his legacy to die with it." Alice told him.

  "You shouldn't be worried for this team, Alice. I know we're struggling, but we're not struggling that bad you know? We can still continue racing even if we didn't perform well in this race. There's still plenty of racing to do right?" The manager told her.

  "I-Is that so?" Alice asked the manager.

  "Even if you didn't qualify for this race, I wouldn't let you go that easily. I see immense talent in you, Alice. Since after all, you are the daughter of the Great Shah, right?" The manager told her.

  "I-I see, thanks for telling me that." Alice said feeling a bit relieved.

  "Your job is to drive well and my job is to manage the team's financial situation. I am confident in our team's future. You don't have to worry about it okay?" The manager reassures Alice.

  Alice smiles at him, feeling assured. The manager adjusts his glasses and continues checking items on his list.

  "Seems like everything is in tip-top shape, I'm going to check Sugimoto's car now." The manager told Alice.

  Alice nods and the manager gets out and inspects the other car. A few moments later, an announcement was made from the speakers.

  "In 15 minutes, all drivers please proceed to the starting line to begin the formation lap." The speaker announced.

  The team gathers together for a final team talk and a quick briefing.

  "Today's race will be a clear night race, Sugimoto will be leading the race-. Wait, where's Sugi?" Ghazali asked everyone.

  Everyone was puzzled about where Sugimoto was. Alice then remembers where Sugimoto was and ran into the break room. Alice dragged Sugimoto out of the break room and to the team talk.

  "Morning." Sugimoto said and yawned.

  "Jeez Senpai, at this critical moment as well!" Alice scolds him.

  "I'm glad you're here, Sugi. You will start in the first position while Alice is in fourth. I want constant communication throughout the race, is that clear?" Ghazali asked them.

  The racers nodded as they climbed into their cars, preparing to move into the starting grid. The drivers from the other teams also hurried to get their cars on track. Each race car was lined up in its designated spot, and a pace car was deployed to lead them.