"Whoa~! Bestie, you type so fast!"
"Anyone can do this with enough practice. Real programmers are way faster than me, anyway. Besides, isn't this boring to watch?"
"Nope! It's like that scene in that anime where they hack the system! It's so cool! What was it called... something about a constellation day?"
"Are you thinking of The Day of Sagittarius?"
"That's the one!"
"Well, for the record, I'm not the battleship Orion."
They were in the staff room. Usually, this was a place where trainers bustled about their work, but today, an eerie, hushed atmosphere hung over the office. Princess Fine Motion of Ireland was currently perched on Mejiro Rampage's lap, sipping juice while watching her work, while the SP Captain stood nearby, vigilant and sharp-eyed.
"It seems my word to your father bore fruit. I'm glad to see you made it to Japan."
"Oh? Did you have a hand in this too, Minami-chan?" Rampage asked the screen.
"Indeed. When I was speaking with Turbo-san, the subject of Her Highness wanting to visit Japan came up, so I took the liberty of facilitating the conversation."
"Yay! Thank you, Minamisaka-san!" Fine cheered toward the monitor.
"Think nothing of it, Your Highness. It was my pleasure."
While the other trainers in the room were practically vibrating with the pressure of Fine's presence, Minamisaka remained perfectly composed, chatting with Rampage and Fine via video call as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Apparently, he had been the one to smooth things over with the King.
"...Minamisaka," Rampage said, her voice flat. "You say that so casually, but how exactly does one 'facilitate a conversation' with the King of Ireland?"
"Simple. He told me he was a fan of mine and asked for my autograph. I simply took that opportunity to mention that the Princess wished to see the Legend Races in Japan."
"That's not what I mean. Even if he's a fan, he's a head of state. How can you be so nonchalant about it?"
"When one hangs around you, Rampage-san, one encounters extraordinary people quite often. I've simply grown accustomed to it."
Hearing him say that to Okinon and Tojo made Rampage let out a silent sigh. He's blaming me because I happen to know presidents and ministers? Well, it wasn't entirely untrue, so she couldn't exactly deny it.
"Is... is that really a princess...?"
"I saw her on TV a few years ago... you know, for the Tenran Race."
"Yeah, I remember... Good lord, what kind of connections does that woman have?"
Whispers drifted in from the corner of the room. Whether they underestimated the hearing of a horse girl or were simply too flustered to care, they were making no effort to be quiet. Rokuhira, the veteran trainer, walked over to the gossiping group.
"You lot better give up on trying to needle the girl," Rokuhira grunted. "Her skill as a trainer is obvious. And more importantly—she doesn't just have the King of Ireland in her pocket. She's got ties to the leaders of the U.S. and Dubai. If you harass her so much that she decides to take her talents overseas... well, imagine what would happen to you then."
"""...W-we'll stay on our best behavior..."""
"See that you do."
Rampage noticed Rokuhira driving that final nail into the coffin. He was likely doing it as a favor in return for her help with Oguri Cap, but Rampage wasn't so petty that she'd flee the country over a few jealous trainers. She had already survived a brush with death; if she were going to leave, she'd do it through a courtroom with a lawyer, not a quiet exit.
By lunchtime, the trio headed to the rooftop to enjoy Rampage's homemade meal.
"I've always wanted to do this! Spreading out a sheet on the roof and eating lunch together, just like in the anime!"
"It is a classic trope of school life, I suppose... though I didn't actually bring a picnic sheet."
"Do not worry," the Captain said, pulling a folded sheet from her bag with mechanical precision. "I have prepared for exactly such an eventuality."
What are you, a professional butler? Rampage suppressed the urge to quip as she sat down.
Fine carefully unwrapped the bento. Since it was for horse girls, it was packed into a multi-tiered jubako box. In the human world, you'd only see this at a school sports day, but in the horse girl world, it was a surprisingly common sight for a hearty lunch.
"Well... I hope it's to your liking."
It had been a while since Rampage had put this much effort into a bento, and a sliver of anxiety touched her. But when the lid came off, Fine let out a squeal of delight, and even the Captain gasped in genuine admiration.
The boxes were a masterpiece. Inside were rice balls decorated to look like horse girls—chicken rice wrapped in thin omelets, and thick rolls with intricate flower patterns. There were golden-brown fried chicken pieces tucked into paper cups, heart-shaped tamagoyaki, classic "octopus" sausages, and a fresh salad featuring plenty of carrots. It was a lavish, vibrant spread.
"Incredible! It's way more amazing than the ones in anime! Look, look! This rice ball looks just like me!"
"Is this... a 'character bento'?" the Captain whispered, leaning in. "Wait, is this one... me?!"
Rampage had even gone as far as recreating their specific white blazes (markings) on the rice balls. Fine recognized herself instantly, and there was no mistaking the one meant for the Captain.
"It's your first bento, so I might have gone a bit overboard," Rampage muttered, looking away. "Don't expect this level of effort every day, alright?"
"Bestie, you can do anything! I bet if you made this for my big sister, she'd be so happy!"
"She would be over the moon, Your Highness," the Captain agreed. "Princess Pilsudski absolutely dotes on you."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just eat already! Itadakimasu!"
""Itadakimasu!!""
Rampage reflected on how long it had been since she'd eaten a homemade bento like this. Usually, she just hit the cafeteria. It had been less than ten years since she lived a normal life, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.
"Mmm! This fried chicken is still so juicy, even though it's not hot anymore!"
"And these red rice balls... the egg wrap is a perfect substitute for seaweed."
"If you like it, eat as much as you want."
"I will!"
—"Oh my, Ran-chan, you really do love your mother's fried chicken, don't you?"
"...!"
A sudden, unbidden memory flashed in Rampage's mind. Back then, had her mother looked at her with the same expression she was wearing now as she watched Fine eat? Perhaps taking the girl in had been a good idea for her own sake, too. To hide her sudden surge of emotion, Rampage took a long sip of the clear soup she'd brought in a thermal flask.
Once the highly successful lunch was over, it was time for the next item on the agenda: meeting Team Pleiades.
"Alright, listen up. I'm going to be looking after Fine Motion, the Princess of Ireland, and her SP Captain, Piccolo Player, for a while."
Rampage introduced them in the clubroom after school, but the reaction was... underwhelming.
"Tough crowd," Rampage noted. "A bit cold, aren't you?"
"Rampage-san, I don't think they're being cold. I think they're just in shock!" Maya Top Gun chirped.
"And yet, you aren't shocked at all, Maya?"
"I figured if it's Rampage-san, anything is possible! Hey, just call me Maya, okay? ♪"
"Sure! And you can just call me Fine! ♪"
Rampage had to hand it to Maya; her social skills were elite. The others, however, were still short-circuiting.
"As expected of Rampage-san..." Air Groove muttered, trying to keep her composure. "To have a true VIP seek her out like this..."
"Rampage-san is just... well, she's her. Of course this would happen," Mejiro Dober added, forcing herself to accept the reality. They were members of Team Pleiades; if they were rattled by every world-class event Rampage pulled off, they'd never survive the season.
"A-A real princess?!" El Condor Pasa stammered. "Uh... buenos dias! It is a lovely day, is it not?!"
"It's okay! I'm just here as a person, not a princess. Just Fine is fine."
"Then you can call me El! El Condor Pasa, si!"
"Howdy~! Pretty little princess!" Mayano continued.
"My mother has had some impressive guests, but Rampage-san is in a league of her own," King Healo said, crossing her arms with a smirk. "I am King Halo. A pleasure."
Led by Maya's energy, the team quickly warmed up to Fine's bubbly personality. Pleiades was a collection of "problem children," but they were also perhaps the most welcoming team in the Academy.
"Ireland..." Silence Suzuka murmured.
"What is it, Suzuka?"
"Nothing. I was just wondering... what kind of scenery Rampage-san saw when she was leading the pack over there."
"You're always thinking about that," Stay Gold interjected. "Usually, you'd be worried about the international competition."
"The world, huh..." Suzuka continued. "I wonder if I'll ever get to go."
"Don't wonder, just say you're going," Stay Gold snapped, her eyes burning with ambition. "I'm going. I'm going to win big and scream my name to the whole world. The title of 'World's Strongest Horse Girl'? I'm taking that for myself."
"Hmph. I won't hand over the title of 'Fastest' so easily," Suzuka countered.
As Stay Gold and Suzuka began to spark off each other, the rest of the team felt the temperature in the room rise. Rampage watched them, her eyes narrowing with professional focus.
"Aiming for the world is fine by me, and I won't force you either way. If you want to go, go. There's no shame in focusing on the domestic circuit, either. But now that the introductions are over, it's time for Pleiades to get to work. Maya, you've got a graded race coming up. Get your head in the game."
"You got it!"
"And Air Groove, you're debuting next year. We're setting your debut date by the end of this year. Show me that potential."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The atmosphere shifted instantly from a friendly social gathering to a razor-sharp training environment. Fine's eyes widened at the sudden transition, and the Captain noted the incredible tension in the air. This is why they get strong, she realized. The environment was perfect; every girl was driven. She found herself desperately wanting to see them compete.
"Well, Fine? You coming? If you're going to study here one day, you'd better take a good look at how Tracen trains."
"Yes! I'm coming!"
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