The flashes of cameras filled the venue as the first of the Satsuki Sho candidates arrived at the press conference. The venue was located just outside the Satsuki Sho course in Nakayama, in Funabashi, Chiba. A large crowd was seated directly in front of the podium, which would allow multiple candidates to speak at a time to the crowd and answer questions. Riku himself was backstage currently, as final preparations were being made before the event would begin. He was present, but did not need to speak at the event, thankfully, as the focus was on the Umamusume.
However, they've run into a small problem. The event is scheduled to start within the next thirty minutes, and two of their candidates are still missing. Azuma Hunter and Maruzensky. Azuma Hunter was less of a worry, as she had been seen loitering around the area, and her trainer was determined to track her down. She had qualified for this race by coming second in the Spring Stakes a week after her loss to Maruzensky in the Yayoi Sho.
Maruzensky, however, should have been here well over an hour ago. They had received confirmation from Vincent Nijinsky about her attendance and had been notified by him earlier today that they were ready to be picked up. So where were they?
Hitomi walked up to him, her heels clicking on the tile floor, her expression mixed with worry. "Still nothing?" Riku asked, picking up the bad news from her expression. He had tasked her with keeping an eye out for any word of Maruzensky's arrival with her trainer.
"Nothing. What will you do?" Hitomi asked as she caught Riku's stormy look at the information.
"I'll contact Vincent directly and arrange a pickup," Riku commented as he began searching through his phone. "I'm also going to find out why this happened." His brow furrowed further as he briefly stepped away to call Vincent.
"Ring..ring..ring…ring.." After a long period of ringing, the phone was finally answered. "Hello?" Vincent's voice rang out tentatively.
"Vincent. It's Riku Yoshida. We're waiting for you and Maruzensky at the venue. Where are you?" His worries eased a bit that Vincent was answering.
"Ah! Chairman Riku! I didn't recognize the number immediately." Vincent replied apologetically. "We're running a bit late, the driver the URA sent picked us up a bit ago. Although, I think we're somewhere around Saitama? We've stopped briefly at a local gas station." (A neighboring prefecture).
"You're in Saitama? Stay there, I'll be there shortly. I need to have some words with your driver about this." Riku frowned in thought. Their driver was scheduled to pick them up hours ago to get them here well before the start time of the conference. For them to only be in Saitama? Something wasn't right. "What station are you at?"
"You're coming here yourself?!" Vincent called out in shock. "We're at an Enneos station on route 56. Is it necessary for you to come?"
"You were supposed to be here hours ago, and the one responsible for your transportation is the URA. The blame for this solely lies with me; I'll be there to rectify it." Riku answered as he gestured for his bodyguard to follow him as he power walked to their chosen vehicle. "I'm on my way." He hung up before hearing Vincent's reply, his expression stormy.
"Hitomi!" He called out, her gaze meeting him. "If we're not back in thirty, inform them to delay for at most another thirty minutes. Okay?" She only gazed back at him for a short time before nodding.
"Understood, Chairman. Please be safe." Hitomi gave a deep bow as she watched him hop into the SUV with his usual security detail.
"Saitama, boss?" Buckshot called out as she took the driving seat, with Opal taking the passenger seat next to her.
"Yeah. Enneos on Route 56, take the private route. We're prioritizing speed here." Riku leaned back in his chair, grabbing the handle above him. His actions were well warranted, as Buckshot blinked at him before grinning fiercely. He only had time to firmly grasp the handle before she punched it out of the parking garage. Nearby people could only look in disbelief at the speed at which they blatantly drove.
As they sped past nearby traffic and took the private route meant for the government, and by extension, the URA, Riku pondered. It was clear to him that someone was directly interfering from within the URA to cause this issue. It wasn't outright malicious, but damaging Maruzensky's image by making her late to an event like this was petty. Regardless, he'd handle it. Whoever was causing this would not go unpunished.
Buckshot's driving speed was something to admire, if he was partially terrified of how much fun she was having driving. They were way beyond the speed limit and made their way into Saitama in half the time, perhaps less.
A minute later, they began to see a few of the Enneos gas stations positioned on the left and right sides of the road. "Almost there, boss." Buckshot grinned as they got closer, before pouting as they left the private roads into more residential streets. She couldn't drive as freely here.
"Over there, I see them." Opal's soft voice chimed in, as they saw Maruzensky and Vincent on the right, standing outside a black sedan while talking to a frazzled-looking man in a black suit wearing white gloves. Riku's eyes narrowed on the man, feeling a vague familiarity while looking at him. They pulled over shortly after, drawing the trio's attention.
The chauffeur, if possible, looked even more frazzled as they stepped out of the car, visibly sweating as they approached. Before Riku could get a world in, Buckshot cut in.
"Yo! Running a bit late, huh?" Buckshot grinned with her arms behind her head as her long strides got her to the group first. "That's a nice racing outfit you got there, Maruzensky!" She made an exaggerated look at Maruzensky.
"Hehe, thank you! Papa helped me design it." Maruzensky took various poses in her outfit, smiling brightly.
"Thank you for coming, Chairman. I hope we're not too late." Vincent bowed to Riku after smiling at his daughter's interaction. "Mr. Seki here said he lost track of time taking us there." Vincent gestured with his hand to the sweating chauffeur, whom Riku had been staring at this entire time.
"Seki?" Riku muttered, his eyes narrowed. His expression relaxed as the name clicked. "Ieyasu Seki. I remember you." Riku smiled at the man. It was not a nice smile, as the man began to shiver under his glare. "You're Masayuki Goto's son-in-law, aren't you? Tell me.. How's he doing?" Riku gave off a benevolent aura that fooled Vincent completely, but not Ieyasu. He was pissed off. (Masayuki Goto WAS the head of International Affairs.)
"Chairman.." Ieyasu stuttered. "I apologize for my actions! I didn't mean to make that–Maruzensky late!" He bowed deeply, his gaze fixated on Riku's feet as he did so. Riku stared at the man, noticing the slip-up of how he almost referred to Maruzensky. He shook his head briefly before turning to call in a security division to pick Ieyasu up. Best to have Ieyasu questioned to see if Goto really had a hand in causing this incident. If he did... Well, then, he guessed he'd have to remind the man of who he was messing with.
However, in that moment, Riku turned his gaze away from Ieyasu, and he acted. Ieyasu discreetly reached towards his back, pulling out a small pocket knife before lunging at Riku. Riku could only turn to look at the man, his eyes briefly widening in shock as the man closed the short distance with his knife. It truly was a distance any human would have trouble reacting in time to. Well… any human, anyway.
When Ieyasu's knife was merely a foot away from Riku's chest, he froze. Not due to any hesitation or second thoughts of his own. Unfortunately for Ieyasu, he had forgotten about the three Umamusume present, including the two who were there PURELY to guard Riku. Wrapped around Ieyasu's arm, painfully, was a small pale hand. His eyes traveled down to the white pint-sized Uma gripping his arm, her silver eyes staring daggers at him.
"Just what did you try to do, worm?" Opal questioned, her blank gaze drilling into him. Riku took a moment to briefly put a hand to his chest, to calm his heart, his breathing a little shaky after the attempted stabbing. Vincent and Maruzensky had frozen in the shock of the moment, Maruzensky in particular staring with a quiet intensity.
"You got him first, huh, Opal?" Buckshot made a sound of disappointment. She had been further back, talking to Maruzensky, and missed the opportunity. She strolled up and tilted her head down, gazing at the man. "Ooh, that looks like it's starting to hurt a bit. Want me to hold you instead?" Buckshot grinned sharply, making a grabbing gesture to the man who frantically shook his head negatively.
Riku backed away slightly before resuming his call. "Please send two security teams to my location, we have an urgent pick up." His breathing started to calm down as he ended the call, his gaze traveling to Vincent, who was still frozen in disbelief.
"What just happened? Are you okay, Chairman?!" Vincent looked back and forth between the chauffeur detained, the knife on the floor, and Riku himself. How had things turned out like this!? Riku was about to respond before Maruzensky surged into his personal space, looking at him all over.
"Are you okay, Mr. Riku?" Her voice came out uncharacteristically serious as she stepped back away from him after thoroughly checking. Riku could only blink at the change-up from the perpetually cheerful Maruzensky. Her gaze switched from him to the man held by Opal, her fists tightly clenched.
Riku stared at her for a short time before huffing in amusement. Truly, everyone was reacting far more than he was. He patted her head a few times between the ears, startling her and drawing her focus back onto him. "I'm fine, Maruzensky. We'll handle this, don't worry." He stepped back slightly as she frowned at him, her ears flattened. "Besides, aren't you forgetting why we came here?" He teased lightly, as Maruzensky's ears perked up. Vincent's eyes widened in realization. It had been about twenty-five minutes since Riku's initial call, and they only had thirty minutes till the start of the event.
The Umamusume present perked up as one, as the sound of multiple vehicles driving approached. Two black vans, emblazoned with a green JRA logo, pulled up. Several Umamusume disembarked from the vehicles, the drivers remaining in. In total, fourteen Umamusume security officers had arrived.
"Chairman! We're here at your request." The lead Uma, stepped up, dressed up similarly to the rest in matching black suits and sunglasses; their suits had a big pin with JRA over the heart. She was slightly shorter than Riku, her wavy blue hair making her stand out all the more. "Skyheart, reporting for duty." She gave a brief clasped fist over her heart before gazing at the people assembled, giving a brief nod to Buckshot and Opal, before narrowing her eyes at the man detained.
Riku nodded to her before stepping close to whisper near her ear. She nodded along, eyes narrowing as he described the situation further. As Riku stepped back, she whistled sharply before calling out. "Bermuda, Sugarheart." Two Uma, one with black and white streaked hair, the other a shining blonde, stepped up. She pointed to Ieyasu, as the rest quickly spread out and formed a short perimeter. The two Uma strolled up to Opal and, after a brief nod to her, took over the handling of Ieyasu. One produced zip ties, as the other held him tightly, the man grunting in pain as he was held down.
Riku glanced at the now assembled group in front of him. "They'll handle the rest of this. For us, it's time to put the world on notice that you're here, Maruzensky." He smiled at Maruzensky, who glanced back and forth between the Uma shuffling about with an uncertain smile. "Hop in, let's go." Riku gestured to the SUV they arrived in as they strolled up. "Opal drive, Buckshot, you'll take shotgun." Riku gestured before frowning as he realized the unintentional pun he had made.
Judging by Buckshot's grin, she didn't miss it. He cut her off before she could start. "Do you two have any preferences on seating?" Riku questioned Maruzensky and Vincent as he turned to them. However, he noticed immediately that only Vincent was there. As he blinked owlishly, he turned around and saw Maruzensky smiling, sitting in the middle of the back row of the SUV. "That answers that, I suppose." He shook his head before sitting on the left, behind Buckshot.
Maruzensky giggled a bit before turning to look at Riku curiously as she bumped shoulders with him, noticing his grip on the handle above him. He shared a look with Vincent before gesturing with his head to the one on Vincent's side. The father wisely took the hint and gripped his handle firmly, as Maruzensky glanced between the two, tilting her head. As she went to voice her question, the car quickly took off down the street. When they hit the private route, Opal floored it. Those in the backseat lurched back sharply as the acceleration hit.
Riku's gaze went to Maruzensky, taking in her signature racewear, taking in the outfit with its blend of red, brown, and gold. His gaze went up before paling as he realized a fact. Judging by Vincent's expression, he realized too. When driving at high speeds, unless she was driving, she would get extremely car sick. Predictably, she was extremely green in the face as she swayed from side to side, bumping into Vincent and Riku as she covered her mouth with her hands.
Luckily, she somehow lasted till they reached the venue, traveling at more reasonable speeds once they got close. They had about twelve minutes left till the extended start time Hitomi could give them. They quickly shuffled out of the vehicle, Maruzensky surging out to a nearby trash bin, breathing deeply as she recovered. Riku's eyes glanced over, Vincent taking the initiative to put her back and whisper to her. As he flipped his gaze back to the side entrance, Hitomi burst out, walking fastly towards him. He didn't get the chance to get a word in before she went full mother hen on him.
"Are you alright?! You should have taken a bigger security detail with you! Or not go yourself!" She huffed as she patted him all over, Riku giving an exasperated smile in response. He held her hands before she could continue to manhandle him, drawing her gaze.
"I'm okay, Hitomi. We made it, okay." He nodded to her as he noticed her eyes had gone a little misty as well. "The important thing is that Maruzensky is here. Did you manage to hold things off?" He asked, and received a nod of affirmation from her. "Wonderful, thank you. After this is over, we'll figure out the situation at the gas station." She stared at him intensely for a short while before nodding and stepping back into her secretary mode.
She glanced over at Maruzensky, who had collected herself, along with her trainer, Vincent. "Miss Maruzensky, Mr. Vincent. We're ready for you, if you'd follow me." She smiled, gesturing with her hand behind her to the side entrance. Maruzensky and Vincent turned their gazes to him briefly before following after Hitomi. The trio quickly vanished into the building, as Riku gazed around the venue, his thoughts jumbling slightly.
Maruzensky had successfully arrived at the venue, and her Satsuki Sho debut should go smoothly. However, more work had now piled up after this assassination attempt, along with its implications. Masayuki Goto was clearly implicated in this, as his own son-in-law had attempted to kill him. But was he acting alone? Riku wasn't sure. Regardless, they'd attempted to kill him. Clearly, they were still unhappy with him after being given an easy retirement. He'd have to make some calls.
"Reiko, it's me," Riku said aloud as he pulled out his phone and dialed his VP. "Do me a favor and send the records of Masayoshi Goto to the authorities." Buckshot and Opal gazed curiously at him while this was going on. "Yes, just him for now. Confirm with the interrogation of Ieyasu if anyone else was involved; I want the same done to them. Thank you." Riku ended the call with a sigh as he quickly checked his appearance.
"You can be pretty scary when you want to boss, heh." Buckshot grinned sharply as she crossed her arms. Opal merely tilted her head and smiled before gazing alertly around their surroundings.
"Scary? Hardly." Riku muttered as he brushed some imaginary dust off his shoulder. "Let's head in; we've made them wait long enough." Riku strolled through the open door that Hitomi left, Buckshot and Opal falling into step behind him.
As they traveled through the halls, multiple security officers stood at attention. They quickly reached the venue's doors after a few minutes of walking. As they entered, the announcer's voice rang out, announcing the next group of Satsuki Sho runners.
"Finally, we have our three favorites to win the race! First off, third favorite! With a record of two wins and two losses, she plans to prove she deserves that number one spot! It's Azuma Hunter!" A brief cheer went through the room, cameras flashing distractingly as Azuma Hunter strolled onto the podium. She was present in her G1 outfit this time.
Her ponytail was still the same as last time, with the same hunter's cap on her head. The difference was evident in her wearing a leather camo jacket, a green plaid shirt, ripped jeans, and specialized brown boots. There was also an abundance of belts all over her outfit, extra around her waist, and several on her legs. An interesting outfit that stands out here. She strolled through, briefly wincing at the camera flashes, until she was next to the podium. Her arms were crossed as she gazed around the venue, before gazing down the way she came, waiting.
"Second favorite! With a record of five wins, no losses! She might not be the favorite, but don't underestimate this Umamusume! Maruzensky!" Riku perked up, as did most of the room, as the woman in question strolled in. She waved and smiled brightly as the cameras began to flash. Maruzensky was in her signature G1 outfit, a heavily modified red and brown schoolgirl outfit. The large black ribbon above her tail swayed as she strode to her spot beside Azuma Hunter, smiling at her and winking as she did so.
Azuma Hunter grit her teeth, with a light blush, and looked away from Maruzensky. Their attention went to the announcer as the last candidate was entering. "With a record of three wins and no losses, she dominated the Spring Stakes and is ready to claim the first of the Triple Crown! It's Green Grass!" The final of the favorite trio strode to the podium. Green Grass was of a shorter height than the duo already present, wearing an elegant white dress with green stripes. She also wore long opera-style gloves and stockings, similarly colored and themed, with mismatched green and white heels.
Green Grass' gaze was calm and steady, completely unbothered by the cameras as she strolled up to the podium. Curiously, she did not turn to face the crowd after reaching her spot, but instead, her gaze was entirely on Maruzensky. This was not missed by anyone else in the room, who watched with bated breath, including the announcer who forgot to continue her job, as they waited to see what would happen.
Maruzensky had been completely focused on the crowd, and she blinked as the silence settled in, her gaze looking to Azuma Hunter. Azuma Hunter gave her a look of complete exasperation, as the woman's airheadedness was further solidified. Azuma used her hand to grip Maruzensky's chin and turned her head towards Green Grass, who had been waiting with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh! Hello! You must be Green Grass. Let's have a good race, yes?" Maruzensky held up a three-finger peace sign as she smiled at GG. Green Grass furrowed her brow as she felt Maruzensky wasn't taking her seriously, but a glance at the exasperated Azuma Hunter showed this might just be how she was.
"Maruzensky," Green Grass stated resolutely. "You are the first obstacle on my path. I'll beat you here." After making her challenge, she turned to look at the crowd before clasping her hands and closing her eyes.
"Eh?" Maruzensky blinked, not expecting the challenge right here. "Sure! You can try your best." Maruzensky smiled as she placed her hand over her heart, before also turning to face the crowd. Green Grass was just as cute as Azuma Hunter to her. Azuma could only look dead inside at these two next to her; they were definitely insane.
"Ah.. uhm." The announcer attempted to get back on track. "With that out of the way, let's get to our introductions from our contenders here!" After a loud, exaggerated ahem, she got back on track. The announcer passed a microphone to each of the three Uma. "Starting with Azuma Hunter, tell us your intentions here."
"Hah." Azuma Hunter let out a loud sigh into the microphone, as she scratched the side of her head, uncaring that everyone heard her do so. "I'm here to redeem myself and win the Satsuki Sho." A light applause met her words along with more camera flashes, as she intently turned and looked at Maruzensky. "I won't lose again." She crossed her arms and looked back towards the announcer.
"Ah, an excellent speech from Azuma Hunter!" The announcer clapped, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. "Next, Maruzensky!" She gestured with her left hand towards the waiting Uma, who was swaying from side to side.
"Hello!" Maruzensky cheerfully called out, the volume making the two next to her wince and shoot her irritated looks that she missed. "I'm here to win the Triple Crown and any other race I can~. Please cheer me on!" Maruzensky cheerfully waved with her other hand, soaking in the crowd's attention. Both other Umamusume gazed at her, catching her confidence in her victory.
"Thank you, Maruzensky!" The announcer was glad for the positivity. "Finally, Green Grass!" A silence had briefly settled over the room as everyone awaited her words. The Uma in question is taking a long pause with her eyes closed. When she opened her eyes again, her words took all their attention.
"I'm going to win the Satsuki Sho. My gaze is past this race, past the Triple Crown. My goal is to beat Tosho Boy and Ten Point, to secure my place as the best of this generation." To Riku's eyes, he could almost perceive an aura around her, flickering with blades of grass and leaves. His eyebrows felt like they were going to disappear into his hairline. To say you're looking past your competition in front of you, and looking ahead? He could respect the gall. Unfortunately, he felt she made a critical mistake doing so.
"She's got balls, that one," Buckshot muttered, a rare frown on her face, before it gave way to a blinding smile. She said it cruder than he would, but she was correct. Opal shook her head at the attitude of Green Grass.
The crowd erupted into a frenzy, their eyes focused on the next headline from Green Grass' declaration. Maruzensky and Azuma Hunter, and the Satsuki Sho were beneath her notice; she was aiming higher. The announcer took the reins of the crowd once more.
"Please give a round of applause for your top-voted favorites for the Satsuki Sho! The race will be with Sunday!" She made a grand gesture with her hands as the camera flashes rose in intensity with the crowd's roar.
Unseen by most, however, Maruzensky's smile turned slightly menacing along with the look in her eyes. "Looking past me, hmm? We'll see about that." She cheerfully thought to herself.
CHAPTER END