Walking further back, the two then meet proper, and start walking side to side.
Gary-D: "What up, C to the Andy? How's my fellow shortbread?"
He means well, she thought, so she replied in earnest.
Candy: "Oh, fine. Italian air never fails to give me a.. pleasant feeling."
Gary-D: "For sure, girl. Us short peeps gotta stick together, yo."
Sudden mention of their short statures has her ask..
Candy: "Did Ginnie give you a hard time."
Gary-D: "Nonsense, it's the other way round, you feel me?"
Acting oddly suave, Candy didn't take that all in full face..
Candy: "Yeah, yeah. You're a real charmer."
Remembering Gary of a certain good friend of hers, Candy had to ask..
Candy: "I miss your other.. girl, you know what I mean?"
Gary-D: "Hell yeah, you do. I miss her and all, and really hope we come back. Gary and Cierra, double the trouble on protecting fate and order."
Candy: "What about Bon?"
Gary-D: "My homie Bon's a little too infrequent.. and foreign. Don't worry: he's cool, girl. The G-dog don't discriminate! I can prove this: have a look see."
Gary scrolled through his phone he's just taken out, then into his favorites folder and showed a picture of the three Chosen, having kebabs in the middle of the London night.
Candy: "Ohh.. You're all quite close, huh?"
Trying to hide her affection for the French aristocrat, she can't hide her blushing, but before anyone can notice, they arrive to a small group of vehicles..
There was somebody overseeing this scene, and it's none other than a certain Assassin of infamy..
Candy approaches her and a familiar F40, calmly greeting.
Candy: "Ginnie."
Ginoa: "Candy. Mon bebe! Still alive, huh? Your shoulder healing fine?"
Candy: "I've gotten worse from madame."
Ginoa: "An encounter with the madame of crimson, though.. you shrugging that off means it seems you got real lucky."
Showing that serious but not quite serious tone that she's known for by her peers, Ginoa makes a quick check on Candy's general outlook, until Gary then interrupts the girl on girl hellos.
Gary-D: "Umm, where's CK?"
Like clockwork, the aforementioned CK walks in.
Clark: "Morning. You all right?"
He spoke with his usual tone towards the one guest..
Candy: "Not quite, but I'm good."
Clark: "Hmm.. I suppose you are. I can't f[BLEEP]ing say the same for Cierra. A shame."
Gary then adds as Clark stretches his arms for a small moment.
Gary-D: "And us without her, yo. She maintains our rides when we need.. y'know, maintenance."
She listened keenly and remembered all the mechanics she's ran into, and wonders..
Candy: "From Graham.. to Kirk.. to Ramlie oji-san. Having someone handy REALLY makes you miss her, huh?"
Ginoa: "Miss who? The timid, beret lady?"
Playfully replied Ginoa as she twirls a spanner around like a pro.
Clark: "She is miles more important to our exclusive racer's club than these two dunderheads are, and that speaks enough about how critical her presence is."
While Ginoa gets mildly flustered and frowns a little, Gary slumped..
Gary-D: "Dog, don't be like that.."
Not thinking to keep on this morale breaking streak, Clark reassures..
Clark: "Not meaning to devalue you both in any form. Both you lot are always reliable muscle."
Candy, being mostly ignored, waves..
Candy: "So, umm.. back to me, Mister Max, sir."
Clark: "Well, yes. You. Again, I appreciate you coming over in such short notice.. knowing you have a race next week in Austria's bull pen. Little miss ambitious do want those f[BLEEP]ing points, hmm?"
She knows he's being bitter, and replied with a little tongue in cheek..
Candy: "That I do, but I feel saying no to a guy like you is a recipe for disaster. What's the matter? Afraid of a nice little high speed test drive?"
Clark: "Unwanted, but I like your gusto. Been talking to The Cinderella lately?"
Upon mention, Candy then got to a thinker's pose..
Candy: "Umm.."
Coming back to yesterday, she hosts a video call while in Roma's train station, sorting out a conversation with The Cinderella, through Peigi's contact details.
Candy: "No sign?"
The Cinderella: "How dense are you, no means NO. You want me to look through a telephone directory or sumthin?"
She's always acting like this, but Candy didn't heed too much of it, replying..
Candy: "I'm taking the first steps to be selfless for once, Cindy.."
The Cinderella: "Yeesh, alright. That's sound talk you giving. But really, much as I know Cierra.. she's a real ghost when she needs to get scarce."
For an amnesiac, Candy notes personally that she knows her good, following..
Candy: "That's one thing I don't like about her. When she's tending to herself, you swear she might be missing."
The Cinderella: "Hahaha! Too true. And speaking of ghost, I better scram before my roomie's back, beca-"
Peigi: "CINDYYYYY!! I'M BAAACK!"
Unusually, Candy can hear that declaration..
Candy: "Umm.."
The Cinderella: "Oh s[BLEEP]! Peggy.. PEGGY WHAT THE HELL?! Ugugugugugugu...."
..and watched helplessly as the princess gets taser prongs attached and voltage sent, causing a shock.
Peigi: "Talking to strangers, Cindy?! What happens if that Atlas bloke finds you, darling? You'd be dead before you can even say bollocks! Now open wide.."
From where Candy watches, she sees a little monkey hop on to The Cinderella's pained body and open a small pill bottle.. only that monkey is a certain street racing wunderkind..
The Cinderella: "No.. not the pill! Please! PLEASE!!"
Peigi: "KEEKEE!!"
Remembering that escapade, Candy thought..
Candy: "Had a video call and.. talk is.. an interesting way to put it."
Not shocked by the development, he replied, though with a gruff tone..
Clark: "Any act involving that brat's in some form 'interesting'."
Candy: "Yay, verily."
Clark then moves towards the roadster, notifying the pair infront him..
Clark: "Aside, you two."
..as he posed himself, ready to present, though it wasn't Candy that started asking..
Gary-D: "This says BVLGARI, right? CK, I know you're into them fancy brands, but this look to me it's a whole ride, not a pair of sweet shades."
Clark: "Strange, isn't it. There's no end in f[BLEEP]ing choice, so I suppose this will be my first exposure, personally, to a BVLGARI product that's this large. Even though it is a fully functioning sports car."
Ginoa: "Much as I don't know racing, I know enough that this is their first foray into this."
Gary-D: "For sure, baby."
Then it was her turn..
Candy: "What is this.. or rather, why is it here?"
Clark: "BVLGARI Aluminum Vision Gran Turismo. Why it's here? Well, I'm recording a Sim Gear review tomorrow. Problem is, it will be at the Italian valleys, not a race track. It didn't stop production wanting some track ready opinions.. ugh.."
He didn't hide his disgust enough for Candy to wander..
Candy: "Mister Max?"
He knows enough to grumpily reply, frowning..
Clark: "I know you know from Giles, Candy. That me and racetracks are like Superman and kryptonite. We don't f[BLEEP]ing get along at all, because.. I'd rather not mention."
Ginoa: "Which is a shame. He's brought a small sect of his Prophecy people to enjoy the sights of Italian racing on the whole."
With a pause, he then follows, looking down on the Hong Kongese sweet toothed wolf..
Clark: "And so I come to you."
Candy: "What is it? You want me to test out the car? Don't say a word, I'm on it.."
She was ready for that question, and had the answer, as if it's been her life's work for however long this story has existed in this thread.
Gary though didn't hide his anticipation.
Gary-D: "We got track privledges? Oh man! I've been meaning to ride the Cobra out on these roads, yo."
Clark: "In.. an hour or so. That and.. I plan to pitch this car to our favorite Count Boniface. See if he wants to get ahold of another lightweight sports car to his collection."
Inspecting the details, she can gather its lightweight nature, and chimes in..
Candy: "It looks to me it's the kind of car that's up his alley."
Clark: "I was going to bring him instead, but correct me: his sister has a surgery.. tonight, I think?"
Candy: "Not counting timezones.. yes it's tonight."
Clark: "Indeed. But you, being able and going to be in Austria next week, will do nicely. How about you two get prepared?"
The couple then readied to leave, but not without a parting note.
Ginoa: "And miss you on your prime? Whatever."
They left, prompting Clark to explain their connection on the whole.
Clark: "You can say I have a colorful relationship with those two. I've a deep respect for their talents.. and what respect I f[BLEEP]ing get back is.. well.. not the best, but I'll take it."
Candy: "Disrespect is normal, trust me. Don't get me started on Alan."
Clark: "Oh, Alan will ruin my composure. He always does. Angry as he can get me or my brother, it's why I love the old geezer."
She then thought of what Ginoa said..
Candy: "Oh, isn't that special.. though.. she mentioned your prime?"
He responds by walking a little, taking in the beauty and history of Monza..
Clark: "My past life's career started here. In Monza."
Not too deep with Clark's backstory, Candy replied with a query..
Candy: "It did? I'm surprised you chose not to make a comeback after what's happened."
Clark: "Said track life killed me. Not by my hand. By theirs: the authority, the big men, the corpos."
Clark then turned back and took something out his jacket pocket.
Clark: "I'd like you to see this.."
What's shown is a small picture of this brown haired, but happy young woman.
Candy: "Let me guess.. this is the girl?"
Clark: "Aye. She's Dorah Kayne. Smart office gal, real administrative angel of an American international airliner. You've noticed the prominence of Fly America stickers going around in a few cars today? She was to lead that division, but.. well, you know what happened."
Candy: "Trust me.. I too have my dead memoirs but.. you're much more dedicated to hers than what I ever do."
Displeased, he rebutted..
Clark: "f[BLEEP] me.. what's your point?"
Candy: "That if you're clinging on to her.. wouldn't you say straying away from the track is to insult her memory? Is being the greatest street racer in all of Europe going to get this smile back?"
He stood still, retreating the picture back as he began to listen, still with discord in his head.
Candy sees no reason to stop now..
Candy: "I was alone on this path too. I know your pain. Losing a loved one and running away. Figures.. it seems we do have something in common."
She took a brief pause to remember her former master, but Clark didn't take long to speak..
Clark: "You have proved your point, Candy. But I suppose I should decide my future. Not you."
Thinking nothing's changed, she mumbled..
Candy: "Drat.. Perhaps there's someone who has the gift of gab I can learn from.."
Clark: "I appreciate your small show of courage, however. f[BLEEP] me, I need a moment to myself.."
And as he leaves her be, she thought..
Candy: "Or not.. a smile like that means I've touched him somewhere."
