Narita Brian clutched the autographed paper to her chest, beaming with joy. The sight was so jarring compared to Rampage's image of her that it sparked a surreal sense of dissonance.
"♪" Brian hummed happily.
"Nice one, Brian," Biwa Hayahide said, ruffling her sister's hair. "You've been wanting that forever."
"Thanks, Big Sis!" Brian chirped.
"I didn't do much," Hayahide said. "Thank Ticket."
"I didn't do much either!" Ticket laughed.
Hayahide smiled warmly as she petted her delighted sister, while Ticket watched fondly. This was Narita Brian—the Shadow Roll Monster, the fifth Triple Crown horse in history, lauded by Japan's top jockeys as a contender for the greatest of all time. Her flawless starts, clever pacing, masterful cornering, and devastating low-center-of-gravity sprints made her the ideal racehorse.
In Uma Musume, she was a cool, stoic lone wolf—blunt and solitary. Yet here, none of that was visible. Historically, her timidity—fearing her own shadow or puddles—led to her iconic shadow roll. Would this shy Brian transform into that fierce persona as she matured? Rampage couldn't wrap her head around it.
"Well, if she's happy, signing was worth it," Rampage said. "Wanna stick around and watch practice?"
"Yes!" Brian exclaimed, her tail shooting up, eyes sparkling.
This was the fearsome Narita Brian? The gap between her reputation and this bubbly enthusiasm gave Rampage a headache. At the course, Katsuragi Ace was observing Canopus's practice, and Rampage greeted her.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ace-san," Rampage said.
"You're here," Katsuragi replied. "Looks like you got put through the wringer."
"Yeah… ended up running mountain passes," Rampage said wearily.
"That sounds… rough," Katsuragi said, sympathetic.
Rampage could only sigh at the memory of Maruzensky's so-called "cornering drills." The final stint—actually racing through passes in the Countach—nearly killed her. She never wanted to ride in that car again.
"Ticket, join in," Katsuragi called. "Hayahide, you up for it?"
"Sure thing!" Ticket chirped.
"I'm with Rigil, so I'd need permission," Hayahide said. "Can my sister and I watch?"
"No problem," Katsuragi said.
Hayahide grinned at Brian, whose eyes were already gleaming. She whispered about asking for Katsuragi's autograph later, and Hayahide patted her shoulder, encouraging her to try. Brian nodded eagerly.
(The Shadow Roll Monster, huh?) Rampage thought. (They say she matures mentally around her Classic races… but going from this to that? Can't imagine it…)
"What's up?" Katsuragi asked.
"Just… the wonders of this world," Rampage said.
"Huh?" Katsuragi frowned.
Dismissing her musings, Rampage began attaching a new Shinzan iron to her shoes. At seven times the weight, it felt heavy just holding it—promising intense results. On the turf, Ikuno sprinted fiercely, with Turbo hot on her heels, refusing to be shaken off.
"You can't shake me!" Ikuno shouted. "My legs are still strong!"
"Turbo's not losing!" Turbo yelled back.
"Isn't that backward?" Rampage asked Katsuragi.
"No, it's right," Katsuragi said. "It's training to catch you."
Ikuno's goal was to become Rampage's true rival. Her training involved outrunning Turbo, a top-speed escape artist, to build the stamina to maintain elite pace. If Ikuno could sustain that against Turbo, she'd become a formidable threat to Rampage.
"She's got precise pacing and the mental strength to stick to it," Katsuragi said. "With heart and skill in place, it's about building her body."
"Sounds brutally straightforward," Rampage said.
"But the Elizabeth Queen Cup's too soon," Katsuragi said. "Physical conditioning takes time."
Mental or technical skills could be honed quickly, but physical endurance was tougher. Starting just before November left too little time. The Arima Kinen might be feasible, but the Elizabeth Queen Cup next week was impossible.
"So Ikuno's set to awaken next year?" Rampage asked.
"Exactly," Katsuragi said. "She's the type to bloom with slow nurturing, and she knows it."
Ikuno already had power, brains, and heart. With Katsuragi's physical training, she'd become a threat to all Uma Musume, not just Rampage.
"She's built for middle-to-long distances," Katsuragi said. "But she's got the smarts and heart to excel in miles too. Tough call, Minamisaka."
"She's just incredible," Minamisaka said.
"Is she a cyborg or something?" Rampage muttered.
The Iron Lady, as Ikuno would come to be known, outshone Rampage in versatility.
"Alright, Ikuno, Shinzan iron next," Katsuragi called.
"Got it!" Ikuno replied.
"Turbo, chase Rice Shower," Katsuragi said.
"On it! Let's go, Rice!" Turbo shouted.
"Okay…" Rice said nervously.
"Ticket, you're chased by Nature," Katsuragi instructed.
"Got it!" Ticket said.
"No problem!" Nature added.
As instructions flew, Rampage finished attaching her Shinzan iron. At seven times, each step clanged heavily, promising a grueling workout.
"Rampage, three laps with the Shinzan iron, then pair with Ikuno," Katsuragi said.
"Got it," Rampage said. "Let's do this!"
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