"Hankakusee, odatsuna yo!" Rampage muttered, flipping through newspapers in Canopus's clubroom while fitting new horseshoes.
"What'd you say?" Nature asked, startled.
"Means 'don't mess around Idiot,' East Japan dialect," Rampage clarified.
"Why the outburst?" Nature pressed.
"This." Rampage held up a magazine with a dramatic L-shaped gesture. The Teio Sho coverage irked her.
"What's it say? 'Mejiro Rampage crushes rivals, king's might unquestionable.' Sounds like praise," Nature noted.
"Surface-level crap. Calls it a blowout. What part of that race looked like a blowout? It was a damn close win," Rampage grumbled.
The articles glorified her victory, ignoring Lady Saber, Amazing Dina, and others' fierce efforts. It felt like hearsay, not truth.
"Got it. It wasn't a rout; you barely clinched it," Nature said.
"Nature's got it right," Minami agreed. "I'm with her."
"Thanks, folks," Rampage nodded.
The media's winner-centric focus was lazy. Those magazines, from outlets she'd blacklisted, missed the race's real story.
"Here's the good stuff," Rampage said, pulling out articles from a trusted publisher:
"Tempestuous Ten Crowns: Mejiro Rampage's Dirt Dash" "Dirt Uma Musume's Pride Pushes Rampage to the Brink" "Dirt Racing's Triple Crown Era Begins?"
These pieces highlighted her rivals' grit, not just her win. Amazing Dina's interview stood out: "We challenged Rampage as one, but not as a team. Each of us fought her individually, no regrets. Though, yeah, we all lost."
The articles credited the record-breaking 2:01.9 to their collective fire, ending with their vows: "Next time, I'll win!" "I'll sharpen my skills—er, legs—for revenge!" "Let's race again, and I'll take it!"
"These sell best," Rampage noted. "They're sparking dirt race hype."
"You're boosting dirt's profile, Ran," Nature said.
"Dirt's always had charm. I just lit the fuse," Rampage replied.
The Teio Sho shifted fan culture. Turf-only fans now flocked to dirt races, filling once-empty stands and fueling Uma Musume's passion, creating a cycle of thrilling races and new dirt devotees.
"I'm curious, but dirt's not my thing," Nature admitted.
"Smart move. Even I wasn't born for dirt. It's a different beast from turf," Rampage said. Canopus members had some dirt aptitude from beach training, but Rampage's was higher.
"What's your next race?" Nature asked.
"Sapporo Kinen, G2," Rampage answered.
For August's race, Sapporo's European-style turf would test her overseas potential. The academy's similar course helped, but this was the real gauge.
"Sapporo, huh? Souvenir shopping already?" Nature teased.
"Don't plan that far ahead," Rampage laughed.
"Gotta make the most of Hokkaido!" Nature insisted.
"Fair enough," Rampage conceded, swapping to Shinzan-iron shoes for hill training.
"How many runs today?" Nature asked.
"Three," Minami replied.
"That's brutal," Nature winced.
"Blackmarsh has Bourbon doing four," Minami added.
"Tresen's dragon is unreal," Rampage muttered.
As she prepped, Turbo tackled her. "Ran! Training? Turbo's in!"
"Hill sprints with Shinzan irons. You sure?" Rampage asked.
"Trainer said one hill. I'm good!" Turbo chirped, dashing to change. Her shoes' heavy clank revealed Shinzan irons—now a Canopus staple, except for Ticket, who'd likely get hers by winter.
"Ran! Turbo's taking the license test soon!" she announced.
"Studying's solid?" Rampage asked.
Turbo flashed her phone—past tests, all 90+ scores. "Nailed it!"
"Impressive. Practical test?" Rampage probed.
"Practiced with a butler's car at the sanatorium. Passed!" Turbo beamed.
Nature had called Turbo's academics shaky, yet she aced license prep. Teachers must be baffled.
"Got a dream car?" Rampage asked.
"Wanna drift like Akiyama's brother!" Turbo grinned.
"Starting as a street racer? Maybe a Silvia or Civic," Rampage suggested.
Chatting, they hit the hill. Post-sprint, Turbo gasped, "Why… you… fine?"
"Been training with Shinzan irons longer," Rampage said, unfazed, marveling anew at Bourbon's stamina.
Note: Turbo's gearshift from race to road dreams mirrors Rampage's fiery adaptability. Shinzan irons and dirt's grit forge champions, but Turbo's license hustle? That's next-level.
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