"We won't be doing it alone, not if we're doing it right," Aika assured the American.  "We'll have help; I'm sure by then, we'll have found at least one of the Protectors."  And if Yamashita was the final boss, then the city would have been cleared of the gangs, and maybe, just maybe, Nori and Yuyu could come along to help, as well.  "We won't have that answer until we're done with the Fangs and the Red-Black Viper."  They had wanted to step sideways and take on the Azure Riders in the Residential District...but that wouldn't have gotten them any closer to here.  Just then, a soft chime heralded the appearance of another prompt - the headliner on it stating flatly that this was their last pick of  the night.<br/><br/>More discussion between her and Joy.  Joy, it seemed, was going to talk to the crowd, see if there's anything more to learn, even if it yielded no RUMORS.  "I suppose I can give it a try..."  Pressing<tt class="bbc_tt">START RACES (FINAL)</tt>, she stepped over to the umbrella stand, and took the green flag out of it.  She clicked on her heeled boots, holding the flag with both hands like a parasol, to the center of the two lines of cars - six in all, winner and runner-up of each set.  Aika could see Ichiro sitting there, and the Tennin felt one eye briefly, but slowly, close and re-open when it strayed across him.  The call of "READY!"  came, and she raised the flag, followed by "SET!" as she slightly arched her back for a little more height, and then on "GO!" she brought the flag down in the best fashion she could manage, feeling the cars rocket past her on the final race of the night.<br/><br/>Slowly re-rolling the flag, Aika made her way back to the queens' stand, and deposited the flag in the umbrella stand.  "It does feel different than watching it," she commented to Joy.  Oh, quite different.