"Guwaaah! Gyaahh!" Turbo wailed.
"Chill, Turbo! Second place is damn good!" Rampage said.
"Gyaahh! Gyaaahh!" Turbo sobbed.
"Alright, alright!" Rampage sighed.
At year-end, Canopus borrowed a classroom for a party, but Turbo was a mess, crying into Rampage's chest.
"Turbo, calm down…" Tanhoiza tried.
"You were amazing, Turbo…" Rice added.
"Waaahh!" Turbo bawled.
Why? Turbo had run the final G1, Hopeful Stakes. Nature had won the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes after a third-place prior run, thrilling their local shopkeeper fans. Turbo, undefeated like Rampage until then, aimed to follow suit but got swarmed in the Hopeful Stakes. Marked as the favorite, her signature big lead was sealed, yet she fought on.
"Think, Turbo! I can escape, use Dokkan Turbo, and… Ran's step! Alright, one step or two, whatever! Dokkan Turbo!" she'd thought.
"Under 200m! Twin Turbo breaks free! Can she make it? Full throttle in the final stretch! Will she close the gap? So close, but Twin Turbo takes second!"
Combining Rampage's crossover step with Dokkan Turbo, she pulled off a miracle, surging to second after training alongside Rampage. Even Minamisaka praised her comeback, but Turbo was inconsolable.
"Turbo, stop crying. Second's awesome," Rampage said.
"But… but… I lost to Teio…!" Turbo sobbed, nodding.
"Promise?" Rampage asked.
"(Nod…)" Turbo confirmed.
"What promise with Teio, Turbo-senpai?" Ticket asked.
Sniffling, Turbo explained. "Like Ran and Ryan's promise, I swore to be Teio's rival. Teio aims to be an undefeated Triple Crown like Rudolf, and I vowed to match her, undefeated. But… I broke that promise in the Hopeful Stakes…"
She'd mimicked Rampage and Ryan's bond, pledging to rival Teio's dream. Teio admired Rudolf, aiming for an undefeated Triple Crown; Turbo swore to stay undefeated too. But she'd lost.
"I broke it… I broke it!" Turbo wailed.
"You fought your hardest, Turbo. Teio would understand," Ikuno said.
"No! I broke it… I wanna apologize, but I'm scared…" Turbo cried.
Her words didn't reach. Turbo ran to be a worthy rival, but while Teio kept their promise, she'd failed. The weight crushed her—not just a loss, but a broken vow.
"Turbo, I get it. Breaking a promise? Scary as hell," Rampage said, hugging her trembling form. Turbo idolized her teammate, wanting to run as cool as Rampage did for her own promise with Teio.
"But right now, you're the worst," Rampage said.
"Ran!" Nature gasped.
"Ikuno, wait—" Ikuno stopped Nature's protest.
"I broke it…" Turbo mumbled.
"No, Turbo. You're the worst for blaming Teio," Rampage said.
"Huh?" Turbo looked up, meeting Rampage's gaze.
"You broke the promise. Did Teio call you out? Say you're not her rival?" Rampage asked.
"No! Teio… she…" Turbo stammered.
Teio had watched the Hopeful Stakes, tried to talk, but Turbo fled, terrified of being called a failure.
"Exactly. Yet you're blaming Teio, saying you won't make another promise," Rampage said.
"Another…?" Turbo blinked.
"You're pissed you failed. So what's next? Try harder to keep the next one. Teio still sees you as her rival," Rampage said.
"Even after losing?" Turbo asked.
"A rival's someone you don't wanna lose to. Right, Ikuno?" Rampage asked.
"Absolutely. I still see you as my rival," Ikuno replied instantly, as if expecting the question.
"This loss made you stronger. Teio's probably thinking, 'I gotta beat her now,'" Rampage said.
"Teio… wants to beat me?" Turbo whispered.
Breaking free from a swarm at 200m and sprinting to second was unreal. Spica's trainer likely feared Turbo more than the winner. Teio, too.
"She's training to outdo you. What's your move? Quit? Give up?" Rampage asked.
"No! I'll keep going! Not undefeated, but I'll run hard and show everyone I'm Teio's rival!" Turbo declared, her tear-streaked face brightening with fire.
"That's it, Turbo. Finally stopped crying," Rampage grinned.
"What's first?" she asked.
"I'll meet Teio! Apologize and make a new promise!" Turbo said.
"Go for it!" Rampage urged.
"Okay, I'm going!" Turbo bolted.
Rampage watched her go, grumbling about the hassle while reaching for a cigar, then noticed everyone staring.
"What? Spit it out," she said.
"You were like Turbo's big sister," Nature teased.
"Her clinging to you felt like sisterly bonds," Ikuno added.
"A new little sister, huh, Big Sis?" Rice giggled.
"C'mon, Rice, you're my only sister!" Rampage protested.
"Senpai's blushing!" Nature laughed.
"She's embarrassed!" Ticket joined.
"I'm not! Ugh, it's hot in here! I'm opening a window!" Rampage huffed.
"Even Rampage-san has a cute side," Minamisaka chuckled.
"You too, Minami-chan? Aren't you my trainer?" Rampage groaned.
"Your trainer, yes. And Canopus's," he smirked.
"Teio, I'm sorry! Turbo was stupid… Let's make a new promise! I won't give up—I'll be your rival, a Turbo so amazing everyone knows it!" Turbo vowed.
"Deal! I'll be just as awesome!" Teio replied.
"Promise!" they said in unison.
"I apologized to Teio and made a new promise!" Turbo announced.
"Nice," Rampage said.
"Thanks, Ran!" Turbo beamed.
"Ugh, I'm beat from all this mushy stuff. Let's get this party started!" Rampage called.
"Yeah! Can I call you Ran-neechan like Rice?" Turbo asked.
"Anything but that," Rampage shot back.
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