My sister, Mejiro Ramonu.
Honestly, when Gotham Song heard that name, she felt genuinely shocked.
After everything Neo Universe had said, she inevitably wondered what might happen when she finally met Mejiro Ramonu.
And just as inevitably, her daytime thoughts turned into nighttime dreams.
Though she was pretty sure most of those dreams wouldn't come true—after all, she still didn't know what Mejiro Ramonu was actually like now.
But none of this stopped Gotham Song from feeling a subtle sense of… well, anxiety?
Maybe even fear.
"Can I ask why you chose me specifically?"
Why Gotham Song? Ardan herself wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps because Gotham Song resembled Twilight Song so closely?
But the bigger reason was probably intuition.
Ardan felt she should keep Gotham Song close, ensuring history wouldn't repeat itself as it had with Twilight Song.
Driven by that thought, she had even quietly requested Gotham Song's medical records from enrollment exams and post-race checkups.
Thankfully, Gotham Song was healthy—so healthy that it was reassuring.
Of course, intuition wasn't her only reason.
The resemblance between Gotham Song and Twilight Song was too striking. If Gotham suddenly appeared in Mejiro Ramonu's line of sight, who knows if her currently fragile sister might lose control?
But if Ardan herself introduced Gotham Song to her sister, the situation might remain more manageable.
Simply put, Ardan believed that introducing Gotham Song under controlled circumstances now was far safer than a chance encounter later on.
"I suppose… I just felt you'd be the best company, Song. It's been a long time since I've met with Ramonu-neesan."
Inviting a stranger because you haven't seen your sister in a while? Ardan-san, when did we get so close?
Gotham Song's thoughts raced quickly. She stayed calm, carefully considering whether agreeing to this was a wise idea.
But the more she thought about it, the less dangerous it seemed.
Aside from Ardan-san being with her, the most important factor was—
Neo Universe hadn't warned her to refuse.
Neo Universe had even reminded her about trivial things like her hair before the morning jog. If today's invitation was truly dangerous, Neo Universe surely would have said something already.
That was the main reason Gotham Song felt confident enough to make her next decision.
It's great to have a veteran player guiding me.
"Alright, Ardan-san. It should be fine. Send me the address, and we'll meet there."
Ardan smiled gently, relieved, reaching out to softly stroke the younger girl's hair.
Just as cute and gentle as Twilight Song—and they look so similar, too.
Ardan wore a strange, bittersweet smile she herself wasn't even aware of, unnoticed by Gotham Song, who had lowered her head slightly.
"I'll text you the location. Don't be too nervous—it's just accompanying me, nothing more."
Gotham Song nodded, then suddenly remembered another important detail:
"Wait, it's not at Mejiro Manor, right?"
...
"You mean...you actually agreed to meet Mejiro Ramonu together with Mejiro Ardan?"
Neo Universe returned to their dorm, stunned by the words she heard from Gotham Song, who was calmly reading in her chair.
Something had definitely gone terribly wrong here…
"Yes... Was I not supposed to?"
Turning around, Gotham Song, for the first time, saw confusion and uncertainty flicker across Neo Universe's normally composed face.
"I… I don't know."
Wait, Neo Universe doesn't know...? Gotham Song felt a chill run down her spine. But before she could think further, Neo Universe leaned weakly against the wall, pressing her hand against her temple, a pained look crossing her face.
"Neo Universe?! Are you alright?"
Quickly, Gotham Song embraced the blonde-haired Uma Musume, gently soothing her.
"I'm sorry, Song… I—I can't give you an answer for this one."
Can't give an answer…
Gotham Song immediately realized what Neo Universe meant.
All of Neo Universe's vast knowledge came from experiences across countless parallel worlds. In other words, she wasn't omniscient—she'd simply lived through numerous possibilities.
But—could a single existence truly exhaust all infinite possibilities?
Gotham Song had already pondered this before, and now she had her answer.
Neo Universe's inability to respond told her all she needed to know.
This invitation was something Neo Universe was encountering for the very first time among countless parallel worlds.
In other words, Neo Universe couldn't step ahead this time and provide Gotham Song with certain guidance.
Previously, this had only been a theoretical thought—but now, seeing Neo Universe curled up in frustration, uncertainty, and a hint of fear, Gotham Song found herself becoming surprisingly calm.
Blaming Neo Universe? Only a total scumbag would think like that. Instead, Gotham Song gently comforted the Uma Musume in her arms, patiently waiting until she relaxed again.
"I'm sorry, Song… The universe is too vast, after all. I still haven't seen every possibility. This time, I may not be able to help you."
"It's alright, Neo Universe. You've already helped me so much. But can you at least tell me if there are any common patterns from when you've encountered Mejiro Ramonu in other worlds?"
Neo Universe nodded slowly, gathering her thoughts.
"Usually, there are two possibilities for Mejiro Ramonu. One is that she's suffered trauma and amnesia, forgetting everything. That's the most dangerous version, because when she meets you, her memories suddenly awaken, and she immediately tries to drag you back to Mejiro Manor."
"The other possibility is that Ramonu becomes cold and withdrawn, burying all her emotions deep within. Twilight Song's existence becomes a forbidden subject locked away in her heart. Yet despite this, she remains convinced that Twilight Song has reincarnated, and searches constantly for this hypothetical rebirth."
"In other worlds, if you meet the first kind of Mejiro Ramonu, nearly every time, you're forcibly taken to Mejiro Manor. The second type is gentler—she attempts persuasion first, and resorts to force only after repeated failures."
Hearing all of this, Gotham Song's mouth twitched slightly.
Ramonu-neesan… It's not that I don't want to see you—I really do—but you're genuinely scary right now…
"So, Song... What will you do?"
What will I do…? Truthfully, Gotham Song already had an excellent idea. Though things were urgent, she realized something important—
Mejiro Ardan never said Gotham Song couldn't bring someone else along.