Replay

2-4 Answer

A/N: Here's the final battle of the Moebius arc. I intentionally wrote the fight as one long scene to make it feel more immersive, but hopefully it doesn't instead feel dragged out. As always, I'd like to hear your thoughts. T/W for this chapter in particular for violence and cursing. 

"Ugh, this traffic is terrible," Hayato complained as we slowly weaved through the crowded lines of cars on the road, their taillights lighting up the night in a hazy, red glow. The headlight of Hayato's bike illuminated the asphalt in front of us, the painted white line we were riding over shining.

Lane splitting on a motorcycle was legal in Japan, especially with this sluggish traffic caused by some roads being blocked off for the festival. The people walking on the sidewalk were traveling at nearly the same pace as the waiting cars. I'd been trying to read up on the traffic laws here because I might possibly end up riding my own, and unlike the others, I had no intention of breaking the laws. Well, not too badly.

I watched several red and white paper lanterns strung up along the trees lining the road as we passed them, and I could hear festive music and a crowd not too far away over the engines of the cars around us. It seemed we were close to the fairgrounds.

"I'm just gonna take a detour to a different parking lot at the back," he called to me. "It's probably a lot less crowded."

"Sure. Do whatever you think is best." We split off at the next intersection and proceeded down an almost vacant road compared to earlier. No lanterns lined the path and the sounds of the festival quieted a bit, but we eventually arrived at a wide lot surrounded by dense trees, with a stairway at one end that led to the shrine. There were a handful of others who'd had the same idea as us, but it was still quite empty.

Hayato parked his bike near the edge, and we walked together toward the stairs. He suddenly stopped to look at the other side. "Huh? Ain't that Peh-yan's bike? And the others, too." I followed his gaze to see four somewhat-familiar motorcycles lined against the railing that ran around the parking lot, customized in the manner of a biker gang. It was too far to make out the details, but there was probably Toman's symbol emblazoned somewhere on them.

"Seems like it," I replied.

"Lit, he's cooled-off enough to enjoy the festival. Maybe we might catch them." Hayato grinned as he slung his arms behind his head in a carefree manner.

"Yeah...maybe."

We took a shortcut through the trees and headed towards the mellow lights and hubbub of the festival. The roads in front of the shrine had been repurposed with booths, dappled red in the glow of the lanterns hanging from wires splayed over the heads of the festivalgoers. Multiple booths were cooking and selling street food that made my mouth water, but I also spotted several with games and merchandise. There were quite a lot of people, of all varying ages, but it wasn't overly crowded. A fair number wore traditional Japanese outfits, many of them girls in prettily-patterned yukata, but there were also many in casual clothing.

The constantly shifting crowd of faces was hard to keep track of. Avoiding Takemichi, Draken, and their girlfriends would be no easy task. Peh-yan and those three boys from the Third Division could be at the festival too, hunting for Draken. I frowned as I continued scouring the sea of people. I would only watch and not interfere.

"Is something the matter?" Hayato looked back at me, who had stopped at the curb of the street.

"Huh? No, I was just..." Anxious. Apprehensive. "...excited. I've never been to a Japanese festival before."

"Yeah, I thought that might be the case! C'mon, I'll show you around." He grabbed my wrist and cheerfully tugged me into the crowd. I let myself be pulled along by his energy.