The current race story is based on Air Groove Wikipedia Mar 2, 1996, Hanshin Tulip Sho G3, Turf 1600m, 14 participants, 1st place.
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Hayato pulled up Air Groove's stats, scanning through the short list. Three skills, and that was all she had to work with. He swiped to Suzuka's stats window, and eight skills blazed back at him, including her ultimate. His heart kicked up a notch as he processed the gap between them. This wasn't even close.
Downhill Speedster for downhill sections and Highlander for uphil sections, Final Push for that explosive acceleration front-runners need. Just those three alone put Suzuka on equal footing with Air Groove, and his fingers curled against the railing as he ran the calculations. Actually, way better than equal footing.
A mile didn't need much stamina, and Suzuka could run this distance in her sleep. The Japanese Oaks at 2400 meters, though? That would test her limits hard, but that was a problem for later. Right now, Silence Suzuka has this race to win.
Down in the corridor, Air Groove's shoes clicked against the floor as she walked up to Suzuka. "Didn't think we'd meet on the track this soon, Suzuka."
Suzuka's head lifted, her expression calm and focused. "Are you aiming for the Triple Tiara too, senpai?"
"Yeah." Air Groove stopped close enough that Suzuka had to tilt her chin up slightly. "Even if you're my junior, I won't go easy on you."
Suzuka's hand balled into a fist so tight her knuckles went bone-white, her whole face set with that dead-serious expression that said she meant every single word. "I won't either, Air Groove senpai!"
Air Groove actually laughed, the sound genuine rather than mocking.
This version of Suzuka hadn't tasted defeat yet, still had that rookie fire burning hot with the kind of belief that came from never losing. Silence Suzuka had no idea what real competition felt like yet.
"Hey, Air Groove! We meet again!"
Biwa Heidi bounced into the corridor, practically radiating energy with every step. Last year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies champion, the girl who'd claimed 176 votes for Best Juvenile Filly while Air Groove had only managed to get one. Just one single vote, and that gap had to sting.
"This time, I won't lose either!" Heidi's smile was bright and confident, the kind that came from already having success under her belt.
Air Groove's entire face went hard, a vein pulsing at her temple as her jaw tightened. "Yeah, but today I only have one opponent." Her voice dropped lower as she turned, locking eyes with Suzuka instead of acknowledging Heidi at all.
Heidi's expression shifted, confusion spreading across her features as her ears pressed down against her head. Air Groove wasn't even looking at her anymore, and the realization clearly stung. She stared at Suzuka like she was trying to figure out what made this rookie so special that Air Groove would dismiss an actual champion before.
Her hand closed into a fist before she thrust it out toward Suzuka, a smile forced back into place. "Hello."
"Hello." Suzuka started reaching out to shake.
Heidi yanked her hand away at the last second, leaving Suzuka's hand hanging awkwardly in empty air.
"Fuhahaha!" The laugh came out sharp and performative before she thrust her hand out again for real this time. When they finally shook, Heidi's grip was aggressive enough that her knuckles went white, making it clear this was more than just a polite greeting.
Hayato watched the whole exchange from his position above, recognizing the petty power play for what it was. Heidi was rattled, completely thrown off by Air Groove's dismissal, and she was taking it out on Suzuka.
The atmosphere shifted after that, the pre-race tension settling over everyone like a heavy blanket pressing down on their shoulders. Even from up here, Hayato felt his own pulse pick up as the weight of what was about to happen sank in.
Suzuka brought her hands together, fingers locking as her eyes slid closed. Same ritual every single race, that moment where the world disappeared, and it was just her and the track ahead. Her chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm as she found that calm zone where nothing else mattered.
"Alright, all the Uma Musume have entered the gates! This year's Triple Tiara is about to begin! For whom will Tokyo's cherry blossoms bloom? The much-awaited Tulip Sho—"
CLANG!
The gates crashed open like a thunderclap, metal slamming against metal.
"AND THEY'RE OFF!"
The crowd's roar hit like a physical force, the sound washing over everything. Eighteen uma musume burst forward in an explosion of motion, hooves hammering against turf, bodies surging with raw power that made Hayato's breath catch in his throat.
Suzuka shot to the front like she'd been fired from a cannon, her start so explosive it left everyone scrambling. Air Groove lunged for second place, settling into her rhythm, while Heidi snatched third with her face already showing the strain of keeping pace.
The three of them tore away from the pack, opening up a gap that made everyone else look like they were standing still. Hayato's hands gripped the railing tight, his whole body leaning forward as adrenaline spiked through his system.
"Huh?!" Air Groove's voice cracked with genuine shock, her eyes going wide as she processed what she was seeing.
Suzuka was pulling away, not slowly but actively accelerating like she'd just found another gear nobody knew existed. The gap opened up with every stride, one length becoming two, the distance growing in a way that made Air Groove's confident expression crumble.
"Not bad, Suzuka, you've improved so fast!" Air Groove's voice carried over the thunder of hooves, and she actually sounded shaken, that surprise bleeding through despite her attempt to stay composed.
The three of them were locked in this brutal pace, but Suzuka kept edging ahead with that relentless forward momentum. Behind them, the rest of the field descended into chaos as bodies crashed together, fighting for the inside lane, some getting boxed in while others swung wide to avoid the mess entirely.
"She's accelerating! Silence Suzuka is showing her front-running prowess once again! Is she really planning to dominate this GII-level race from the front?!"
Heidi's stride broke for just a second, her whole rhythm stuttering as the realization hit her hard. Her ears pressed flat against her head, her face going pale as she made the split-second decision not to chase. She wasn't good at front-running, that's how she'd won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, but this was something else entirely, a level of speed that made chasing feel like suicide.
The other uma musume made the same calculation, their faces showing that look when you knew you were outmatched and fighting would just burn you out for nothing in the beginning.
Suzuka opened up five lengths, and Hayato's fingers drummed rapid-fire against the metal railing. Five lengths were perfect, strong enough to look dominant but not so far ahead that it seemed impossible to catch. Let them think they still had a shot, let their guards drop just enough.