Today marks the first day of school across much of Sapporo, and students and staff alike are scrambling to get back in the rhythm of lectures and tests. Hokkaido University opens its doors once again, a veritable flood of undergrads descending upon its campus. They join a familiar morning rush, trains and buses surrounding. Everybody’s got something to do, somewhere to be, caught in a chaotic dance as they criss-cross the crowded city streets.
...But not Reina. She has nowhere to be, and she reports to no one.
*yaaawn* “Ahh, the sun feels good...! So nice to finally be done with winter.”
Only when Reina awakens does the gravity of her choice start to set in. This would have been her first day of school as well, and ordinarily, she would be out there in the chaos, trundling through traffic on her way to university. But she’s broken from the routine—put school on pause to pursue something greater. It feels strange, almost taboo to buck the trend like that...
But all the same, it feels good to chart her own course—just like mom and grandma did.
Lazily rolling out of bed, Reina throws on an unassuming t-shirt and a pair of shorts. An unseasonable warmth bears down on Sapporo, the mercury shooting past 70 and giving Hokkaido its first real taste of summer. Reina may have been born and raised here, but she never particularly liked winter—too cold, too dark, too long...too hard to try and drive the Road Runner.
But she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore—in fact, Aikawa Auto celebrates it. The first properly warm day of the year doubles as something of a holiday down at the shop...
It lets them finally bring their old heirloom out of hibernation.
“Morning, Mom!”
“Well, there you are! You really slept in.” Sami finished her morning tea long ago.
“Feels good not having to wake up for school?”
“Oh, you have no idea.” Reina’s not gonna miss those 8 AM lectures.
“Got a good night’s sleep, and now I’m ready to wake up the Road Runner too!”
“That’s the spirit! Just lemme know if you need anything.”
“Will do. See ya later!” Reina waves her mom goodbye for the moment. The shop—and the slumbering beast inside it—are calling her name.
Rekindling the flame of that mighty V8 is a time-honored tradition at Aikawa Auto. After the cold, dark winter finally takes its leave, the warm embrace of spring lets them reawaken the Road Runner for another season of speed. This time, though, the old ritual’s more important than ever: in just a couple weeks’ time, it’ll take to the highway and cruise down the spine of Japan, bound for the beating heart of the country.
Reina already flutters with anticipation. She’s been itching for a classic road trip for years and years now, but the time and the money were never quite right. It feels good to finally cross this off her bucket list...but first, of course, the Road Runner needs to shake off its cobwebs and rumble back to life.
Leave it to the master mechanic to give it the touch it needs!
“Mmm... Ahhh!” Reina stretches her arms high, taking in every last ray of sunshine. “This is the life. I can’t wait to take her for a drive again...”
It’s actually been quite a while since she drove anything at all; not having a proper daily driver will do that. It’s still perfectly possible to get around the city on public transport, but after months of trudging through the snow and darkness just to get to the bus stop, Reina’s more than happy to leave that all behind.
“There we are...!” The shop looks quiet today, but that’s alright. It gives her the place to herself. Old Man Takashi took the morning shift today—and after sitting around twiddling his thumbs for a few hours, he’s happy to tag out with Reina and let her take care of business for the rest of the day. He leaves the garage door wide open so Reina can walk right in...and staring proudly at her from inside is the trusty old Road Runner.
“Hel-looo~! Heehee... Been a while, huh? Sorry I had to work you so hard over the winter... I hope that break made up for it.”
Reina hasn’t touched the Road Runner since the end of last year, when it pulled that herculean effort to get her up the Teine pass. She brought it right back home and parked it on the spot, promising not to force it through the snow and ice for the rest of the season. After giving it a quick wash on the underside to prevent road crud from corroding the undercarriage, the car sat dormant all winter long... Now, the time has finally come to bring it back to life.
“Okay, first order of business...” Reina has an assortment of filters and other replacements ready to go. She needs everything spick and span for the road trip, so she’s sparing no expense on maintenance. With routine precision, she gets to work freshening up the Road Runner’s engine bay, discarding the worn old parts and slotting the new ones in. Now that she’s got more wiggle room in her budget, she can also perform some more long-term maintenance that she had to put off before. It really tore her up, having to shelve those overdue replacements when she didn’t have the cash...but thankfully, those days are behind her. Now, she can spoil the Road Runner all she wants.
“New spark plugs for you!” Reina makes quick work of the old ones. Working on these engines is such a cinch—Clara was adamant about ease of maintenance. Reina’s thanking her for that decades later.
“Right, that should help her a lot. Those old ones were really gunked up... I’m surprised she still ran okay.”
Reina feels the need to thank the old engine for persevering through that rough stretch. She pats it on the head.
“Thanks for pulling through for me~”
Reina hums along, checking replacements off the list. After finishing up topside, she gets it on the hoist and lifts it up for a tire rotation and brake replacement. The brakes especially have really needed to be changed—they worked overtime across the last couple winters. She would greatly prefer not to have them let go on her during a massive road trip, thank you very much.
The breeze from outside feels nice. It’s just so much better to have the garage door open when she’s working on cars—keeps the air nice and fresh, and all that light makes it easier to see what she’s doing. Also helps that it doesn’t get dark at 5 PM anymore.
“Ooo-kay!” Reina lowers the Road Runner back down to earth. “Just one or two more things, and then I think she’ll be ready to roll!”
The excitement builds. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say...and four months without the Road Runner’s bestial roar has made her that much more eager to fire it up and take it for a spin again. Getting to work on the Pocket for Yuzu’s Silvia was like a little taste, a teaser for when she can finally bring the big guns back out... She’s finally getting close now.
“Phew!” Reina wipes the sweat off her forehead. She looks back down at her handiwork and gives a satisfied nod.
“I think that just about does it.” Now all that’s left is to hop in, turn the key, pump the gas and coax the old car to life. She can’t wait another moment.
“Let’s get you started~!”
Owing to its age, of course, and the fact that it’s been sitting for months, getting the car going is no easy task, even with all Reina’s TLC. The carb is bone dry, for one—and getting the fuel mixture back to the right ratio is a finicky affair. The fuel itself has been sitting for a while, but it should still be fine. Reina’s not too worried about replacing it, at any rate: it’ll all get used up within the next couple weeks anyway.
There’s a palpable sense of relief as she touches down on the familiar bench seat. The car and its comfy interior fit her whole frame without a fuss, like it was tailor-made for her. That signature buzz greets her too when she slots in the key, welcoming her back after her long absence. The fuel pump groans beneath her... The car’s as ready as it’ll ever be.
“Alright, car,” Reina coos, pulling out the choke and pumping the throttle liberally.
“Time to wake up now.”
The whole car lets out a lethargic yawn as Reina twists the key. The starter grunts as it shakes off its proverbial rust; the engine, meanwhile, sounds confused, as if unsure why it’s even being asked to start. The titanic engine stirs for the first time in months...but it doesn’t seem very keen on waking up just yet. The first start of the year is always a bit of a struggle—and not helping this one is a very tired battery.
“Mmmm... Battery doesn’t sound as good as I’d want. Guess it lost some charge...” Reina lets the engine spin over for another second or two before letting the battery rest. As far as she can tell, the fuel still hasn’t made it into the carb yet, so she prescribes more pumping to get the thirsty V8 on its feet. The engine needs a lot of fuel and a lot of compression to fire up, and without enough charge on the battery, achieving either of those becomes a whole lot tougher.
“We’ve got a booster, but I don’t wanna haul that out just for this...not if I don’t have to, anyway.” Undaunted, Reina grips the key again.
“Come on, girl. You can do it.”
Reina tries again, listening intently for any sign of life from the engine. At this point, she just has to let it crank over until the fuel flows through, but the battery doesn’t make that easy. It’s a delicate dance of unsophisticated machinery...
*RRRrrRRRrrrrr...*
“Come onnnn...”
She can hear the starter slowing down. It’s hard work, spinning that monstrous engine, and the battery’s having none of it. It’s looking more and more like she’ll have to dig out the booster or find another battery...
*RRRrrrrrRRR-POP!*
“Oh! There we go, we’re getting there!” Thankfully, the fuel is finally getting where it needs to go. Reina’s not quite quick enough on the draw to capitalize, letting off the key after the sputter has already passed...but she’s getting closer. The mix is just about right, and she should have enough battery power left for one more good try...
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“Alright... This time.” Reina curls her hand around the key one more time. “I know you wanna wake up. Gimme one more try, okay?”
With measured pumps, Reina slowly twists the key and lets the Road Runner do its thing. The engine’s snoring spurs her on, optimistic that she can get the car under control this time. Slowly, steadily, she works closer to that decisive spark...
“Almost there, baby, come onnn...”
The engine tosses and turns in its slumber, still hesitant to wake up, but Reina gives it just the right amount of encouragement. She dials the choke back just a little to let the air in, then settles the throttle halfway down...
“Oh! Almost got it, you’re so close!”
*VVVRRRRMMMMMM!*
“There you go, sleepyhead! See, that wasn’t so hard, was it~?”
There’s nothing quite like the sound of a reawakened 611, roaring through the pipes below and echoing off the walls of the garage. Reina all but swoons when she hears that sweet, sweet music—she’s missed it oh so much.
“That’s the Road Runner I know...” Now, spring has finally begun at Aikawa Auto.
(I do need to get that battery checked, though. Wouldn’t want that going out on me in the middle of the trip.)
She can put that concern aside for the time being, though: now that the engine’s started, she can run it all she wants. A quick trip around the block will suffice—just enough to stretch its legs and make sure all her fixes did the trick.
“Ready for a little walk?” Reina shifts into gear and sets her sights on the open road. No longer do the snow and ice threaten the Road Runner—it’s all warm, dry asphalt and clear blue skies above. She’s got a Styx CD ready and waiting, and she’s rolled the windows down for a crisp, windy back beat. The car’s in its natural habitat...and so is Reina.
“I’ve missed this so, so much...”
Everything about the Road Runner just feels right to her. The torque, the steering, the ride and suspension... By anyone else’s standards, it’s an unwieldy beast of a machine, but to Reina, it’s just the kind of car for her. The muscle memory comes rushing back; she knows just how much pedal to give and just how much turn the tires need. It’s not just that she’s been through this neighborhood hundreds of times before—after all, she’ll be cruising through unfamiliar territory very soon. But it won’t be a problem at all, because to her, taming this monster is just second nature.
“Man, now I can just go wherever I want again. I don’t have to take the bus to the store... I don’t have to go all the way to the train, either...”
Reina pats the wheel as she drives along. “It’s so good to have you back, car!”
It’s running so much better now too. The new parts are working perfectly, and with them, the Road Runner is happy to cruise along without a care in the world. It really didn’t take that much effort either—once she had the parts all gathered, she was in and out within a couple hours. Thanks to her TLC, it’s running just about like new... Battery notwithstanding.
Rather than the usual neighborhood loop, Reina decides to take the adventurous route, cruising up the foothills of Mount Moiwa. It’s not a route she takes often, and perhaps that makes it more special when she does. The trees are just starting to grow their leaves back, the last bits of snow retreating from the higher ground. The occasional break in the foliage gives her a picturesque view of the neighborhoods below, the bounties of spring on full display. These are the kinds of drives she lives for.
“She sounds really, really great. This is the best she’s run in a while.”
Reina passes the cable car stations that take tourists up to the top of the mountain. Passersby stop and stare at the red streak loudly charging up the road—like something straight out of a movie set. She always gets a kick out of their reactions... It means she did her job to perfection.
“Hmm...” Reina debates whether to turn around now or go all the way up to the top. She hasn’t been to the observatory in quite some time...
“...Ah, why not? I’m feeling good, and so’s the car!”
The Road Runner takes the rest of the hill climb in stride, flexing its torque as it eagerly chews up the asphalt below. As her reward, Reina is treated to a hilltop vista with a crowd just thin enough to get a good view. It’s here where Reina gets to flex her parking chops: ordinary drivers might balk at the challenge of backing this thing into a spot, with its absurd proportions, manual gearbox and lack of rear-view camera, but not Reina. She could do this in her sleep.
“There we are~” The beast falls silent, and everyone around the observatory is left to wonder what on earth that rumbling sound just was. Those who actually saw her are even more confused.
The public road doesn’t go all the way to the top, but Reina doesn’t mind—the cable car is still plenty fun. After a short trip suspended high above the ground, Reina arrives at the very pinnacle of the mountain, a brisk breeze welcoming her with a whisper. The Sapporo skyline stretches as far as the eye can see, with barely a cloud in sight to break the view...
“It’s just as pretty as I remember...” Reina’s the type not to content herself with mere pictures. She wants to see the world with her own two eyes, broaden her horizons in a way that ink on a page or pictures on a screen just can’t fully convey. She wants to experience everything this world of hers has to offer...and that’s what makes her so excited for the big trip coming up. Beyond the business of it, it’s something she’s always wanted to do, ever since she was a kid. Every now and then, they would take trips down to race tracks, and she certainly looks back on those memories fondly...but she feels like she always took them for granted as a kid. You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.
Now that she finally has the agency to take a trip for herself, to chart her own course...she appreciates the coming trip that much more. It’s an opportunity she won’t squander.
“Ahhh... Alright. I think I should head back now.” Reina disappears back into the cable car, joining a group of unassuming visitors. She doesn’t fit in among them, but she doesn’t mind. She’ll be back in her element soon enough, and there’s nothing they can do about it. Sure enough, the Road Runner is waiting for her back at the parking lot...where it seems to have attracted a small crowd of onlookers, making note of the strange contraption as they pass it on their way to the station. It doesn’t fit in either—just the way Reina likes it.
Reina whips out the key and settles herself inside, drawing a hint of attention as she shuts the door. The car’s familiar buzz greets her as she slots the key in the ignition.
“That battery’s not gonna give you stage fright, is it~?” Reina knows the battery’s a bit on the weaker side...but she has faith in her girl. She pumps once, holds halfway and twists the key.
*RRRrrrrRRRRRMMM!*
“Haha, no problem! Bad battery and she still fired right up. That’s my girl!”
It’s amazing what TLC can do.
With a loud fanfare, Reina emerges from the parking lot, vanishing like a mirage into the distance as she cruises back down the mountain. After sampling nature’s majesty for just a little while longer, her usual neighborhood reappears ahead. On the whole, the Road Runner handled the drive perfectly, with not a hitch nor hiccup to be found... It may be 40 years old, and it may not be the most versatile set of wheels on the road, but when you take care of this old car, the car takes care of you.
It’s a relief beyond words to know she’s finally made things right. Not content with just the necessary fixes, however, Reina sees fit to go above and beyond. As the shop comes back into view, Reina dons a proud smile. It’s not enough to have the car running like new... She wants it to look like new too.
“Let’s get you back home now. I’m not done spoiling you yet~”
All that winter weather was not particularly friendly to the car’s exterior. The two-tone paint is joined by unsightly grays clinging to the bottom edge, the windows fogged by a layer of dust. The car’s deserved a nice cleaning for quite some time now—and in Reina’s opinion, it’s all the more satisfying to do it yourself.
Reina brings the Road Runner back home, and parks it just outside the garage where it can bask in the sun. She exits the car and lets out a big stretch, the breeze ruffling her thin white t-shirt. She looks back at the Road Runner, standing proud in the midday glow. The sun only amplifies its dust and faded colors, though... By the time she’s done, she wants the car sparkling.
“You’ve earned a nice, good wash, car. Enjoy~!”
There’s something Reina finds immensely satisfying about making a car look ten years younger. With every swipe of the pad, she can see the shine coming back on the age-old paint, bringing out its dormant hues. They do have some professional cleaning equipment at the shop, but she doesn’t often get the chance to use it; this is as good an excuse as any, though. It’s what the Road Runner deserves.
“Yeeeah, that’s coming back beautifully!” Reina reaches all over the frame of the car, leaving no grimy spot uncleaned. The soap works to expunge the muck left behind from winter, leaving bubbles and streaks on the surface of the car. Being as tall as she is, she can even get the roof wiped down pretty easily—though she does have to press herself against the car a bit to reach those center spots. She gets her shirt wet in the process.
“Ooh! That’s chilly.” Reina feels the moisture spread across the whole front of her shirt, which now clings to her chest.
“Oh, well. Won’t kill me.”
Steadily, Reina works her way from the top on down, working over the Road Runner’s hulking hood and grill. The cool water on her shirt does feel rather refreshing—working outside in the sun like this does work up a bit of a sweat. It’s almost like a beach day...sans the beach wear. Reina’s gotta make do with this instead.
(If only they made swimsuits in my size... I haven’t been to the beach in years.)
All the soap and elbow grease work wonders for the old car. The last little bits of gunk toward the bottom have finally given out, releasing the paint underneath. The windshield gets in on the spa day too, as do all the other windows. With her TLC, the car is transformed from worn-out to world-beater—it even smells good!
“Okay! Now to wash it all down.” Cars need showers too, and this one’s been long overdue. The garden hose should do just fine. She thanks herself for remembering to run it every now and then over the winter, or the pipes might’ve frozen over—and then she’d be dealing with a massive headache right about now.
Bits of water occasionally splash back onto her as she works over the car...but she doesn’t mind. It’s a nice way to beat the heat—and to her, it’s just plain fun. She remembers giving the Road Runner these old-fashioned washes as a kid; That was how she pitched in on first start day every year; it really made her feel like she was helping. She feels all warm and fuzzy when she thinks back on those days...
Now, she’s the one doing the first start all on her own. But she doesn’t feel the least bit lonely at all, in spite of the quiet over the shop. She doesn’t have to look to the others to help her find her footing anymore... She stands proud on her own two feet. That new confidence will soon be put to the ultimate test—and she’s more than ready for it. And she knows that, even if she falters along the way, they’ve always got her back. She can still lean on them if she needs to...and they’ll be happy to lift her up.
There’s no family she’d rather have.
“Ahhh...! Now that is a job well done!”
The old girl looks drop-dead gorgeous. All the age, all the dust, all the grime washed away. It’s been far too long since the Road Runner’s last proper cleaning, but Reina’s glad she was finally able to give the car what it deserved. Now, it shines proudly in the sun, the remnant drops of water slowly trickling off the side. It stands out in the very best of ways—a testament to how much she and the company love their flagship.
“Now to just bring it back in...” Reina wrings out her shirt and makes for the door, her shoes gently splashing in errant puddles along the way. At some point, she’ll get the interior detailed too—and she’d love to order a headlight restoration kit if she works up enough cash. But for now, her work is done. All that remains is to put it away.
“Alright, car. Just one more time today.”
*RRRRRRRMMM!*
Never doubted it.
With a low rumble, the Road Runner wheels around and backs into the open garage, taking its usual place right at the end of the row. The first start of the season is in the books—and it goes down as a complete success. Reina passed the job with flying colors...and not a moment too soon.
“Not much longer now...” She’s already looking ahead to the end of the month. It’s quite the tall order to get a 40 year-old car halfway across the country and back—but if today’s test drive was any evidence, she doesn’t have anything to worry about. Just a new battery, some more cleaning up here and there, and the Road Runner will be good as gold.
Reina lets the car rest once more, the engine loudly spooling down until it goes back to sleep. With a satisfying thud, she shuts the driver’s side door behind her and gives the car one more good look in the light of the shop. It’s exactly how it’s supposed to look.
“Heehee... That’s the Road Runner I know. Be good for me on the trip, okay?” She pats the car on the hood before returning to her shop duties for the day.
She’ll have a couple more weeks of relaxation until the big day dawns over Sapporo. The sakura are almost ready to bloom... It’s only a matter of time now before the petals spread their wings and fly in the vernal wind. She’ll be flying too, in her own way—with the old car as her wings, she’ll set off on a trip she won’t soon forget.
The future beckons. She’s more than ready.