It was the middle of class, a time when the track should have been deserted. Yet, one Horse Girl had claimed the turf for herself, tearing across the grass. Though she wore the standard academy tracksuit, the sheer, terrifying speed at which she moved made her look less like a student and more like a falling star. A comet scorching the earth—if anyone had been there to witness her, they wouldn't have been able to resist scouting her on the spot.
Perhaps that was exactly why she chose this hour to run. That girl was Mejiro Rampage.
"Gotta get the blood pumping every now and then..." she muttered to herself. "Way too early to let myself get rusty."
Even as she transitioned into the world of training, she hadn't neglected her own regime. It hadn't been that long since her retirement, but her pride wouldn't allow her to let her edge dull—besides, it felt like a waste of talent. The girls of Team Pleiades, and so many other students at Tracen, had seen their dreams reflected in her. She felt it was her duty to keep that dream alive.
"Right then, let's keep it moving—"
"E-Excuse me!"
She had been ready to go another lap, this time at a true full-out sprint, when a voice stopped her. It was a voice she didn't recognize. Turning toward the sound, she found a young man—a trainer—staring at her.
"Can I help you, young man?" Rampage teased. "Or did you think since the track was empty, this was a good spot to pick up girls?"
"Pick up—!? No! No, that's not it at all! I mean, I did call out to you for a reason, but it's definitely not anything improper, I swear...!"
"Pfft... Hahahaha! Relax, kid. Don't let it get to you. I was just teasing."
It was meant to be a light jab, but his total meltdown sent her into fits of laughter. Well, at least he's a fun one to mess with, she thought.
"So? You need something?"
"Um, right! You! Do you... do you have a trainer yet!?"
"A trainer?" Rampage tilted her head in genuine confusion.
What was he getting at? If she took the question seriously, her trainer was technically Minamisaka, but since she'd struck out on her own, she didn't currently have one in the traditional sense. More importantly, she was a trainer now.
As her brain stalled for a second, the young man suddenly bowed deeply, extending his hand as if he were confessing his love in a school drama.
"I fell in love with your running! Please... will you be my partner? Let me be your trainer!"
"——Hah?"
Her mind went completely blank. Wait, is this a scout? He's actually scouting me?
She wondered if he had any idea who she was. She knew she was famous, and she usually took care to wear a disguise when she went out. Today, she was just in a standard tracksuit, and perhaps without her usual "superstar" aura, he didn't recognize her.
As her brain rebooted, her mischievous side took the wheel.
"Ho-ho... You've got a sharp eye to pick 'Yours Truly' out of a crowd. I'm flattered, really. But you know, scouting me is a tall order. You ready for that?"
"I-I'm fully prepared for the responsibility of training a girl of your caliber! I'm a rookie starting this year, so I'll give it everything I've got! I promise!"
"Kukuku... Hahahaha! I like you! Fine then, I'll accept that 'confession' of yours."
Rampage gave him a grin of approval, and the rookie's face lit up with pure joy. For a new trainer, the first and tallest wall is finding a girl to work with. Naturally, any student aiming for the Twinkle Series wants a trainer with a proven track record, which is why most rookies start as sub-trainers.
Time for a little preemptive strike, Rampage thought, watching him celebrate.
"I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Mejiro Rampage."
"Mejiro? As in the Great Mejiro Family?! Man, I've landed a real powerhouse... wait."
The color drained from the trainer's face. Then it flushed red. Then it seemed to cycle through a strobe light of different shades as the gears finally turned. Rampage, meanwhile, just kept on smiling.
"U-Um... Mejiro Rampage... As in, the one who won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Breeders' Cup Classic last year...?"
"Yep. Set the world records, too."
"—What have I done!?" the trainer screamed to the heavens.
"Ahahahaha!"
"Come on, come on. Lift your head up. The tea's ready."
"...I want to crawl into a hole and die..."
"Want me to get some explosives and blast one open for you?"
"Please don't. Please don't say that with a straight face."
They had relocated to the Pleiades clubroom. The rookie trainer, now fully aware of the sheer audacity of his earlier words, remained hunched over, hiding his face in his hands.
"Look, you were so captivated by my running that you didn't even notice who I was. For a Horse Girl, there's no higher compliment than that," Rampage said kindly.
"You're too kind..."
He introduced himself as Kamizuru. He had passed the grueling trainer exam, but on the day his results arrived, he'd been hit by a car while out celebrating and had been hospitalized until just recently. Today was his first day back at the academy. The first person he saw running was Rampage, and he had acted on pure, unfiltered instinct. It was a much more understandable story than some of the other eccentric trainers she'd met.
"Let me try that again... I'm Kamizuru. I've been appointed as a trainer starting this year."
"And I'm glad to meet you. We're both rookies, so let's look out for each other."
"I... I appreciate that," he said, reaching out to shake her hand with a sheepish, apologetic grip.
His first impression was a shock to the system, but he seemed like a sincere, pure-hearted guy. He might be a bit 'normal' compared to some of the eccentric types around here, Rampage thought, but that's probably just because the others are so over-the-top.
"So, what's your plan? You've gotta find a team to join as a sub or find a student, but being fresh out of the hospital puts you behind the curve, doesn't it?"
"Exactly... Tazuna-san told me to keep my chin up, but it's going to be an uphill battle..."
"Well, about that. Don't you think you should take responsibility for trying to scout me?"
Kamizuru practically jumped out of his skin. The memory of his blunder sent a fresh wave of shame through him.
"P-Please, have mercy..."
"What I'm saying is," Rampage grinned, "how would you like to be the sub-trainer for my team?"
"Wait... sub-trainer?" He blinked, staring at her in disbelief.
"My team is brand new. My first student won't even debut for another couple of years. It's a great place to cut your teeth and gain some experience."
"Are you sure? I mean, I really am a complete rookie..."
"So am I. There's nothing wrong with two rookies helping each other move forward, is there?"
Of course, Rampage had her own reasons. As the overall supervisor for Nemesis, she was bound to get bogged down in paperwork and management. Having another pair of hands—another trainer—around would be a massive help. Besides, she knew the academy was suffering from a shortage of trainers. Creating a foundation for the next generation was just another part of the job.
"I-I would be honored! Please let me join you!"
"Alright! It's a deal. Let's go introduce you to Tazuna and the Chairwoman."
"Wait, right now? To the Chairwoman?! It can't be that easy to get an appointment..."
"Don't worry," Rampage said, tossing him a wink. "I've got an all-access pass."
And just like that, Team Pleiades gained a new member.
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