The backstage area buzzed with controlled chaos.
Silence Suzuka stood perfectly still while costume designers worked around her. One adjusted the hem of her white dress, another pinned back a loose strand of fabric near her shoulder. The costume was white with green and yellow horizontal stripes across the bodice, the colors sharp and clean against the white fabric. The pleated white skirt mirrored those same green and yellow accents.
Her hair had been styled for the performance, pulled back neatly with a simple white ribbon.
"Hold still please, Silence Suzuka-san," one of the designers said, making a final adjustment to the bodice. "There. Perfect."
Silence Suzuka nodded slightly. She could see herself in the full-length mirror. The winner. The dual-crown champion. It still felt surreal.
A few meters away, Fight Gulliver paced back and forth. Her outfit was black with gold accents. The design was sharp and aggressive, fitting her racing style.
"Can you stop moving?" her costume designer pleaded, trying to fix a clasp at her shoulder. "I need to secure this."
"Sorry," Fight Gulliver said, forcing herself to stand still. But her foot kept tapping. Third place. She'd gotten third. The photo finish had gone against her by the smallest margin.
Next time, she thought.
Air Groove sat in front of the makeup mirror, her posture straight despite the exhaustion. Her costume was striking, a yellow and black sailor-style top with dramatic black peacock-like feathers adorning the high collar, giving her an imposing, regal silhouette. The feathers caught the light, creating an almost otherworldly effect.
The makeup artist worked carefully, touching up areas where sweat had smudged the earlier application. Air Groove's face remained neutral, professional.
"Almost done," the makeup artist murmured, applying a final touch of highlighter. "You look beautiful, Air Groove-san."
"Thank you," Air Groove said quietly.
A coordinator rushed past, clipboard clutched to her chest. "Three minutes to stage!"
The announcement sent a ripple of increased activity through the backstage area. Staff members moved faster, voices got sharper, the energy shifted from preparation to execution.
This wasn't unusual. After spectacular races, the organizers often invited the top finishers to perform together. Give the fans what they wanted to see.
Silence Suzuka had done group performances before. But never after a race like this.
A vocal coach appeared at her elbow. "Your voice okay, Silence Suzuka-san? That was an intense race. If you need water or throat spray..."
"I'm fine," Silence Suzuka said quietly. Her throat was a bit dry, but nothing she couldn't handle. She'd practiced for this. Hayato had made sure of it, drilling her on breathing techniques, making her run through the choreography until it was second nature.
The coach nodded and moved on to check on the others.
Fight Gulliver caught Silence Suzuka's reflection in the mirror and their eyes met.
"You good?" Fight Gulliver asked, her voice carrying across the space between them.
Silence Suzuka turned to look at her directly. "Yes. Just thinking."
"About the performance?"
"About everything."
Fight Gulliver grinned, fierce and genuine. "Don't overthink it. We've practiced this. Just gotta get out there and give them a show."
"Don't overthink it," Air Groove's voice cut in, steady and professional. She'd finished with makeup and stood now, smoothing down her costume. "The choreography is simple. Just let the music carry you. Feel the rhythm, trust your body, and the rest will follow."
Silence Suzuka nodded. They were right. She'd trained for this. The steps were ingrained in her muscle memory, just like her racing stride. She just had to trust herself.
Another coordinator appeared, headset crackling with chatter from the stage crew. "Two minutes! Positions please!"
The three of them began moving toward the stage entrance. Staff members called out final encouragements, made last-second adjustments to costumes, handed them their wireless microphones.
"Mic check," a sound technician said. "Silence Suzuka-san?"
"Testing," Silence Suzuka said softly into her mic.
"Good. Fight Gulliver-san?"
"Check," Fight Gulliver's voice rang out clearly.
"Air Groove-san?"
"Confirmed," Air Groove said with perfect diction.
"All set. You're good to go."
They lined up at the stage entrance. Silence Suzuka in the center as the winner, just like on the podium. Fight Gulliver to her left, third place. Air Groove to her right, second place. The formation felt natural after spending 2400 meters together on the track, their positions burned into memory by that brutal final stretch.
Through the entrance, Silence Suzuka could see the massive screen behind the stage. It dominated the backdrop, easily ten meters wide and six meters tall. Right now it was displaying highlight reels from the race, cycling through different moments.
The start. The gates opening. Silence Suzuka immediately pulling away from gate thirteen, that outside position that should've been a disadvantage but she'd turned into an advantage through sheer speed.
The backstretch. Her impossibly far ahead, the gap looking insurmountable. Ten lengths. Fifteen lengths. The other runners looking like they were standing still by comparison.
Air Groove's charge from the middle pack. That moment when her vision-enhancing skill had activated and she'd seen the path forward. Her sudden burst of speed, closing the gap with surgical precision.
Fight Gulliver's devastating acceleration from the back. The predatory focus, the relentless pursuit, passing competitor after competitor like they weren't even there.
The crowd visible beyond the entrance was loud. Thousands of voices blending together. Light sticks waved in coordinated patterns, creating waves of green, yellow, and gold.
Some fans had brought banners. Silence Suzuka could see hers, "GREAT ESCAPE QUEEN" in bold letters. Fight Gulliver's section had "GOLDEN HUNTER" written in aggressive slashes. Air Groove's supporters held up "HEISEI EMPRESS" in elegant script.
"One minute!" The stage manager appeared beside them, headset blinking. "Everyone ready? Feeling good?"
Silence Suzuka took a deep breath. Her heart was pounding. Performance anxiety mixed with determination.
Fight Gulliver bounced on her toes, unable to keep completely still. "Born ready."
Air Groove simply nodded.
"Remember," the stage manager said, "the screen will be running replay footage synced to the lyrics. Don't worry about it, just focus on your choreography and let the visuals tell the story of the race. The editors have done an amazing job cutting it together."
Silence Suzuka glanced back at the screen again. It was showing the final turn now, all three of them converging. Her in the lead, Air Groove and Fight Gulliver locked in their desperate battle for second. The camera had captured it from multiple angles, showing the intensity on all their faces.
"Thirty seconds!"
The lights in the stadium began to dim. The crowd's noise built even higher. Silence Suzuka could feel thousands of people waiting to see them.
She looked at Fight Gulliver to her left. The fierce competitor met her eyes and gave a sharp nod.
She looked at Air Groove to her right. The older Uma Musume gave a small nod.
Silence Suzuka felt ready. They could do this together.
"Ten seconds!" The stage manager held up his hand, counting down on his fingers. "Five... four... three... two..."
The stadium went completely dark.
The crowd's scream built to a crescendo.
"One... GO!"
Then spotlights came on across the stage, brilliant white cutting through the darkness, and they walked out together into the roar.