"Yo, Rampage!" Teio called out cheerfully.
"Hey, you undefeated Triple Crown champ," Rampage shot back, hefting a barbell. "How's that crown taste after taking down our Nature?"
"C'mon, don't put it like that…" Teio pouted.
"Relax, I'm kidding. Nature's not sweating it, and neither am I."
A few days after the Kikka Sho, with the Tenno Sho looming, Teio had strolled into Rampage's training space. Bold move, visiting a rival team's turf, but their usual banter wasn't exactly cutthroat, so Rampage didn't mind.
"As promised, I snagged the Triple Crown," Teio said, grinning. "Now I'm finally on your level, Rampage."
"On my level?" Rampage smirked, setting down the barbell. "Comparing your Triple Crown to my undefeated ten? That's a stretch. Don't give me that look—it's a joke!"
"That was just plain mean!" Teio laughed.
"My bad, my bad. Here, grab some honey water with your pocket money and cheer up."
Rampage tossed her a coin, part peace offering, part hydration break. Teio had delivered on her promise, beating Nature, and now her sights were set on Rampage for the Arima Kinen. Rampage was ready to meet that challenge—but not yet. Her focus was elsewhere.
"Sorry, but I'm locked in on the Tenno Sho, the Elizabeth, and the Champions Cup," Rampage said. "I'm not exactly planning my year-end showdown with you. My vision's not that wide."
"Pretty chill, huh?" Teio teased. "Am I not even worth considering as a rival right now?"
"Nah, you're worth it," Rampage admitted.
That run in the Kikka Sho—Teio's full-body sprint, straight out of Monsigny's playbook—had caught her off guard. Who'd have thought Teio could pull it off?
"I watched all your races," Teio explained, eyes sparkling. "Your form shifted so much in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, I had to study it. Picked it apart and made it my own."
"Studied it, huh?" Rampage muttered.
Rampage had clawed her way to that form through Monsigny's brutal training. And Teio? She'd cracked it just by analyzing tapes. Was that the gap in raw talent? A bona fide genius, plain and simple.
"It's an incredible style!" Teio said, practically bouncing. "I'm faster, and my legs feel lighter. My trainer was floored!"
"Glad you're thrilled," Rampage said dryly.
Teio demonstrated, stepping lightly in place. Her old injuries stemmed from a body that couldn't keep up with her insane talent. But Monsigny's full-body form, syncing every muscle, eased the strain. It must've lightened the load on her Teio Step, too.
"I bet I could even give the Prez a run for her money now!" Teio declared, puffing out her chest.
"Then say you'll beat her, you cocky punk," Rampage shot back, grinning.
Now that she thought about it, Minami had always said she and Teio were cut from the same cloth. She'd even been called a bigger Teio once. If Rampage could master that form, it wasn't surprising Teio could too. A rival who could match her stride for stride? That was thrilling.
"Oh, since I'm a Triple Crown champ now, you gotta have me on your stream!" Teio said.
"Sure, I'll drag you on sometime," Rampage replied.
"You're up for the Tenno Sho next, right? Not nervous?"
Teio's question came as Rampage did one-armed push-ups. The Tenno Sho was a G1 like any other, but with the Emperor and Empress attending—an unprecedented honor. Even McQueen seemed antsy, taking deep breaths to steady herself. Yet Rampage, her rival, showed no cracks.
"Doesn't matter who's watching," Rampage said, unfazed. "They're just spectators. Think I'm some delicate princess who'd flinch at a couple extra VIPs?"
"You don't exactly scream 'princess,'" Teio teased.
"Exactly my point."
Truth be told, Rampage had barely registered the royal audience. Her mind was consumed with facing McQueen's challenge, the thrill of the fight drowning out everything else. She needed to cool her head—focus, then fire up.
"Yo, Rampage, your phone's ringing!" Teio called.
"My bad." Rampage grabbed it. The caller? Monsigny. She picked up immediately.
"Hey, sorry, I was training—took me a sec."
"Good. Get back here, now."
"Huh? Why?"
"Obviously—to perfect your form."
The reason was crystal clear, though Monsigny's tone hid the real motive: Teio's run. She'd mirrored Rampage's style, and for Monsigny, who'd drilled it into Rampage, that was a personal affront.
"Teio's run was the same, but crude. Still, she pulled it off. You know what I'm saying."
"The original can't lose to a copy, right?" Rampage said.
"Exactly. Teio's talent is freakish, but don't worry—I've got your back. I'll drill you 'til the Tenno Sho."
"Yay, so thrilled," Rampage deadpanned.
"Haha, love the enthusiasm. Minami's already signed off. Get over here."
The call cut off abruptly. Rampage let out a long, heavy sigh.
"What's up, Rampage? That was a huge sigh," Teio said, concerned.
"Don't worry about it. Your genius just sentenced me to training hell. Go sip your honey water and leave me to my fate."
"That makes it way harder to drink!" Teio protested.
"Nah, don't sweat it. Your talent's so insane, I've gotta grind myself to death to keep up."
"Sorry!?" Teio squeaked.
"Let me gripe a little," Rampage said with a smirk. Getting re-forged by Monsigny was exactly what she needed to face Teio head-on. A chance to sharpen her edge? Perfect.
"No way I'm letting you catch me," she muttered.
"So, uh, why's Shin here?" Rampage asked, spotting another figure.
"Heard from Minami you're getting re-forged," Shin said. "Figured I'd lend a hand. Good to work with you, Monsigny."
"Likewise," Monsigny replied. "Rampage, we need to talk. My room, later."
"This ain't my fault!" Rampage groaned.
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