"It went by so fast, yet it felt like forever," Maruzensky said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "Kinda sad this is our last run together."
"After all the chaos you caused, hearing you say that is… complicated," Rampage replied, chuckling. "I'm happy, but I didn't even come close to catching you, let alone passing you."
"You won't catch me that easily!" Maruzensky teased, winking playfully.
Rampage grinned back, used to Maruzensky's antics by now. The past two weeks of relentless training had left her Tressen Academy tracksuit tattered and stained, a testament to the ferocity of their sessions. The frayed fabric spoke of the intensity of running against a legend like Maruzensky.
"Now show that spirit in the Japan Cup," Maruzensky said. "You've got what it takes to shine. The rest is up to Ace."
"Thank you," Rampage said earnestly.
"No, thank you," Maruzensky replied. "It was fun having someone join my midnight mountain time attacks! Good experience, right? Why not get a car and hit the roads with me?"
"I've got my bike already," Rampage said. "But a car might be handy for errands… I'll think about it."
"Sweet! I'll email you some car recs," Maruzensky said. "Catch ya later—bye-bye!"
With a roar, she gunned her Countach, accelerating away with the same explosive energy as her running. Rampage couldn't help but see the parallel—those "cornering drills" on mountain passes felt suspiciously like Maruzensky's personal joyrides. And the tire changes she got roped into? Probably just her whims. Still, driving the Countach was a thrill, even if it barely counted as training.
"Maybe a car wouldn't hurt," Rampage muttered. "Can't keep making Minami-chan drive me everywhere…"
She loved the wind-in-your-face feel of her bike, a nod to her running spirit, but a car was tempting. I'm definitely corrupted by Maruzensky, she thought. Those cornering drills were supposedly about mastering fear, but they were mostly her having fun. Still, the experience wasn't half bad.
"Alright, time to go," Rampage said.
She bowed to the Metjiro racecourse that had been her battleground, hopped on her bike, and revved the throttle. The front wheel lifted in a slight wheelie before she sped off.
"Crap, her acceleration habit's rubbing off," Rampage groaned. "Gotta fix that… not like the infirmary can cure this one."
"I'm back, Minami-chan!" Rampage called, stepping into Canopus's clubroom at Tressen Academy.
"Ran's home!" Twin Turbo shouted, tackling her with a hug.
"Whoa!" Rampage laughed, catching her and nodding to Minamisaka, who returned a warm smile.
"How was the special training?" Turbo asked.
"Sticky situation," Rampage quipped.
"Ne-i-cha!" Turbo shot back, nailing the punchline.
"Chill, it's just our classic gag," Rampage said, grinning. "Obā-sama set me up with something wild. Let's just say my confidence got smashed to bits."
She raised her hands in mock surrender, but the two weeks of brutal training had changed her. Her outward demeanor seemed the same, yet there was a new aura about her—hard to pin down, but undeniable.
"Welcome back, Big Sis," Rice Shower said shyly.
"Rice!" Rampage exclaimed, pulling her into a hug and nuzzling her cheek. "You got even cuter while I was gone!"
"Eek! Big Sis, that's embarrassing!" Rice squeaked, blushing but not entirely displeased.
Tannhäuser leaned toward Ikuno, whispering, "Is it me, or is Rampage-san… brighter?"
"Yeah," Ikuno agreed. "Brighter, or maybe more outgoing."
Rampage, usually cool and reserved, was showing a rare openness. Noticing their stares, she scratched her head, sheepish.
"Uh, sorry, Rice," she said. "The folks training me were extra lively. Kinda rubbed off. Built my confidence, maybe? Or numbed my senses…"
"My worst fears confirmed," Katsuragi Ace said, stepping into the room with a wry smile. "You've caught her vibe."
Rampage winced. "Sorry… keeping up with her energy meant matching her wavelength."
"I get it, but she's gone now," Katsuragi said. "Shift gears back to normal. How long you planning to stay in overdrive?"
"My bad…" Rampage muttered.
Katsuragi sighed but seemed satisfied—things had gone as planned.
"Now show everyone what you learned," she said. "Not that she taught you much, but show what you picked up."
"Absolutely," Rampage said, catching herself. "…I mean, of course."
"It's contagious, isn't it?" Katsuragi said.
"Yeah…" Rampage admitted.
Katsuragi gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. Maruzensky's quirky phrases were oddly catchy, a relic of their era.
"Here, new tracksuit," Minamisaka said, tossing one over.
"Thanks, Minami-chan," Rampage said.
She told the others to go ahead while she changed. Looking at her old tracksuit, she marveled at how much wear it had endured in just two weeks. Her shoes were no better. Stepping outside, she spotted Ticket and Biwa Hayahide.
"Senpai, welcome back!" Ticket shouted. "You're really here!"
"Yo, Ticket, still loud as ever," Rampage teased. "Good to see you too, Hayahide."
"It's been a while, Senpai," Hayahide said. "I was shocked to hear Katsuragi Ace was at Tressen."
"She's an OG, so it's not that weird…" Rampage trailed off, sensing something behind Hayahide. A glimpse of black hair, peeking out, then ducking away.
"Someone back there?" Rampage asked.
"Yeah, she's shy," Ticket said.
"Come on," Hayahide said gently to the figure. "You wanted to meet her, right? That's why you came with Ticket to Canopus."
Hayahide extended a hand, her voice soft and encouraging, but the Uma Musume stayed hidden, buried in Hayahide's long white hair.
"Did I do something?" Rampage asked.
"No, Senpai, it's not you," Hayahide said. "She admires you—how you shine so boldly on the big stage. Come on, today's your chance to say hi. You don't want to trouble me, Senpai, or Ticket, do you?"
"Ugh…" a small voice whimpered.
Trembling, the Uma Musume stepped out, mustering courage. Her glossy, smooth hair contrasted Hayahide's wild curls, and a bandage adorned her nose. Given her connection to Hayahide, Rampage could guess who she was, her jaw dropping internally.
"N-N… Narita… Narita Brian," she stammered. "C-Can I… get your autograph?"
"Uh, yeah, of course!" Rampage said, recovering. "Happy to."
"Thank you… so much!" Brian said, her eyes shining.
"Good job, Brian," Hayahide said, patting her head. "That took guts."
"Amazing, Brian!" Ticket sobbed. "So moving!"
Hayahide praised Brian's bravery, Ticket wept with pride, and Brian, flustered but thrilled, beamed as Hayahide ruffled her hair. Rampage stared, dumbfounded.
"What is this?" she muttered.
And there you have it—Biwa Hayahide's little sister, the Shadow Roll Monster, Narita Brian, makes her entrance! In Uma Musume, she's portrayed as a formidable, stoic lone wolf, but in real history, she was so timid she'd shy from her own shadow or throw her rider at the sight of a puddle. We've adopted her historical personality as the first in a series of such interpretations.
--------------------------------------
🚀 Want to read the latest chapters before anyone else?
✨ Come join me on Patreon!
👉 pat*eon*com/Greyhounds
There, you'll get advanced chapters and some exclusive content just for supporters. If you're enjoying this journey, Patreon is the place to go even further with me! 💖