"Ehehe~♪ Fufufu~♪ Wehehe~♪"
Canopus's clubroom wasn't huge, just big enough for its growing roster and accolades. On a prominent shelf, three shining proofs of victory caught Turbo's eye, making her burst into uncontainable laughter.
"Triple Tiara Turbo's in high spirits," Rampage teased.
"Ehehe~♪ Turbo won! Triple Tiara! Turbo's awesome!!"
"No doubt. Everyone knows it."
Turbo's stunning escape in the Autumn Flower Stakes had clinched Canopus's second straight Tiara sweep, sparking a frenzy. Media and publishers clamored for interviews, but—
"Turbo's interviews are already set," Rampage had declared, wielding her undefeated ten-crown clout. She'd steered the requests to a trusted publisher, wary of overwhelming Turbo after her own media-dodging days. Minamisaka had warned of pushy reporters.
"Ran's pick? I'm in!!" Turbo had agreed eagerly.
The articles were spot-on: "Twin Turbo's Two-Stage Escape Victory!!" "Comparing Past and Present Triple Tiaras." They analyzed Turbo's run, compared it to Rampage's, speculated on a hypothetical race, and hyped the Twinkle Series, thrilling readers.
"Man, feels like ages since we were mid-tier. Now we're practically the academy's strongest, right?" Rampage said.
"If Nature takes the Chrysanthemum Stakes, we're golden," Minamisaka added.
"Whoops, jinxed it…" Rampage muttered.
Next was Nature's Chrysanthemum Stakes, the final Classic Crown, her last showdown with Teio. One loss, one draw—could she win? Glancing at Minamisaka, Nature got a smiling nod.
"Nature's stronger than in the Derby—speed, stamina, power, grit, tactics, everything. The question is how she handles an equally improved Teio," Minamisaka said.
"Three months since camp, right?" Rampage asked.
"Yes. The basics we drilled are paying off now."
At camp, Teio had trained relentlessly under Minamisaka. Now, those fundamentals were showing results. But Nature had trained just as hard, mimicking Teio's regimen alongside Canopus. Basics were about persistence.
"What's Teio's camp gains, Minami-chan? I was busy with Shin-san's training," Rampage said.
"Hard to say. I focused on basics. No advanced stuff—results depend on mastery," Minamisaka replied.
"So it's up to Okino and Teio," Rampage noted.
"Exactly."
Rampage knew Teio's stats from camp's end, but they'd likely shifted. Okino wouldn't skip advanced training, and Teio, rediscovering basics' value, likely split focus—basics for herself, advanced with Okino. Her growth was unpredictable.
"Basics add up; advanced stuff multiplies. She'll spike soon," Minamisaka said.
"Wish she'd gone to Rigil. Would've been easier," Rampage sighed.
"Nah, that's scarier. Her balance improves and her advanced skills level up," Nature countered.
"Yeah… terrifying," Rampage agreed.
Teio's growth was inevitable, no matter where she trained. The Chrysanthemum Stakes wasn't just against her—other strong Uma Musume loomed. Nature's win looked tough.
"Knew it'd be brutal from the start," Nature said, unfazed.
"Why so calm?" Ticket asked.
Smiling, Nature replied, "Turbo's race showed me: winners run their own race. It's about believing in yourself. For me, that's Canopus—the me who's run with everyone. Believing in them means believing in myself. Doubting myself when I trust them? That's absurd."
Your race wins. Nature's run was forged with Canopus's shared experience. Alone, she'd falter, but with her team, she feared nothing and burned to win.
"Nature-senpai's so cool!! Believing in the team means never losing! I'm tearing up!!" Ticket sobbed.
"Why're you crying?! Nothing sad here!!" Nature exclaimed.
"That's just Chikezo, crying over sushi," Rampage laughed.
"But Nature-san's cool, right?" Turbo added.
"Ugh, now I'm embarrassed…" Nature mumbled.
Canopus ran as a unit. Tanhoyza's Machitan Form blended teammates' strengths. Rampage, Ikuno, Turbo—all reached this point through collective effort. Nature's words rang true.
"Chrysanthemum Stakes, bring it. My Emperor's Cup's close too. Make it big," Rampage said.
"Haha, I'll try to set you up, Ran," Nature replied.
"Don't need it. Prep your own flowers."
"Ohakoharo-chao~♪ Today's guest is~!!"
"Yo, everyone~!! Turbo's here!!"
"The Triple Tiara duo! Don't miss a mental screenshot, folks~!"
"Yay~!! Everyone watching?! Peace, peace!!"
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