Complacent

With Fujino out to get pastries, Ori sits next to Cat who just awkwardly stares at the door...

"He's still alive...?" she inquires as her lover fails to rejoin them.

Ori nods, "Yep... So..."

"So..." she trails off, unsure of what to say.

"You got a name for it?" he questions.

"His name is Eman." she states with a small smile.

"You already know the gender huh..." he mutters, wondering if bringing up the subject of abortion would be a good idea... Definitely not... Especially with how she was giving the kid their dad's name...

...

"Are you... Happy...?" she quietly asks, worry apparent on her face.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he replies, not answering. "The question should be, are you happy?"

She smiles and idly rubs her small baby bump, "Happier than I've been in a long time. Things aren't complete shit anymore, they're slowly looking up..."

...

"Do you want to raise a kid...?" he tentatively asks.

She shrugs her shoulders lightly, "I don't know. I think I want to, I want to be like Dad, and I don't wanna leave Eman alone like Mom did... If nothing else, it won't just be us three alone anymore, not just you, me and Bats."

"Maybe..."

"Besides, aren't you excited to be an uncle? Not a goofy one like Bats, but a cool one that spoils whenever you visit." she smiles brightly in a slight daze as he thinks about it.

"You think I'm cool, huh?" he chuckles lightly.

She snorts, "I don't, but Eman might. Boys love muscleheads don't they?"

*Click!*

The door to the room opens, revealing a sweaty Fujino holding a box of pastries under his arm. "I-hah-, I'm back..."

"Did you run the entire way...?" Ori snickers, much to the man's chagrin.

"Forgive me if I thought the task would be far more perilous than it was. Catarina, I brought your favourite. Here." he says, handing the box over to her.

She takes one bite and squints before forcefully swallowing, "Ew... Really bro...?"

"He's the one who bought them." Ori retorts.

"Yeah, but you're the only one who likes this disgusting flavour." she grumpily tosses the box at him, "Fujiii... Could you get some more please...? My favourite is chocolate filled, by the way."

Fujino just lets out a long sigh, "A-as you wish..." he tiredly says before marching off again, all as Ori snickers at his back.

"Maybe he's not so bad as a gofer?" He bites into a rhubarb and custard roll.

"Maybe..." Cat hums, "Just don't bully him too much...?"

"No promises." Ori mutters, wondering how else he can make Fujino's life uncomfortable.

----------------------------

Time passes when finally the date of the finals comes around. This time it's located in Japantown, with obvious Tyger Claw intervention to make sure things go their way.

Sampson stops his Type 66 Cthulu next to Dean and Claire Russel's truck, both situated where they'd come in the last race, on the second and third lines.

"So, looks like those ass holes won't be comin'. Without that tank of their's they're probably too scared to race!" he rolls down his window and laughs.

"I don't blame 'em. I'd not race if I had to give up my ride." Dean shrugs.

"Looks like someone came though." Sampson remarks as he spots Sasha standing behind a barrier next to the start line. "Hey babe, your boyfriend leave you here and run away or something!?"

Sasha just smirks at him however, "Can you really talk, 'Bendover Boy'?"

Sampson freezes, "W-where'd you hear that..." he grouses.

She shrugs, "Who knows, it's just funny to know where you got your start in Militech."

"Oh, I wanna hear that story." Claire cackles.

"Shut up! You just here to start shit since your man can't race?"

Sasha nods her head down the road where a dark blue Mizutani Shion was approaching. It'd obviously been modified, with armoured plates placed here and then, providing some makeshift armour.

It drives to the front and then parks itself on the first place line, causing Sampson to sputter in indignation.

Rebecca pokes her head out of the window with a lopsided grin, "Yo." she smugly greets.

"You again... You guys really think you can win with that...? It'll take a single nine mill' round and you're done!" Sampson exclaims.

"We'll just have to not get hit then... Or hit you before you can hit us." Rebecca retorts.

"Fat chance, everyone here wants a piece of you after what you did last race. Ain't that right, Dean?"

"Yeah, mind your heads today... Friends." the man states before rolling his windows back up.

Rebecca drops back into the car and glances at Ori, who was idly rapping his fingers on the steering wheel. "We gotta watch our heads apparently." she remarks while grabbing Guts from the back seat and cocking it.

"Our heads are the least of our worries if we lose this... That don't make sense...?" Ori mutters to himself and shakes his head. "We brought the 'nades right?"

Rebecca reaches over and shows the full belt of sticky bombs, "Ye-ep. Don't worry Lampost, we got this in the bag."

------------------

"Already D-Bags! Since the qualifiers had an unfortunate and abrupt end," the announcer sends Ori and Rebecca a dirty look, "WE'RE AT THE FINALS! SO! IF YOU WANNA SHOW EVERYONE YOU'RE THE GREATEST GAS-GUZZLING GOD ABOVE THE REST OF US MORTALS, YOU GOTTA WIN THIS AND SURVIVE! SO NO HEADLESS VICTORIES THIS TIME!"

The racers rev their engines in response, some even firing their weapons in the air as the crowd cheers.

"NOW ANOTHER TALK! NOW'S THE TIME FOR ACTION! WHAT BETTER WAY TO SHOW IT THAN BY BRUTALLY MURDERING YOUR OPPONENTS? LET'S GET A COUNTDOWN!" the man shouts, pointing to a hastily erected metal arc positioned over the track, a holographic timer appearing and counting down.

"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! GO GO GO!"