The Paddock
Okino: "..."
Vodka: "Hm? What's up, Trainer?"
Okino: "I don't know… McQueen looks… off. Something's wrong."
Daiwa Scarlet: "What? She was perfectly fine when she was with us a minute ago!"
Gold Ship: "Hey, you didn't say something weird to her again, did you?"
Okino: "As if! It's right before the main event, for crying out loud!"
"Actually, your hunch isn't far off."
Okino spun around. "—!? Hikigaya!"
"Hey, Okino. And the rest of you from Team Spica."
Special Week: "Hello! Um, what do you mean by 'not far off'?"
Hachiman: "The Rice Shower you're seeing today is on a level that makes her runs at the Nikkei-sho and the Kikuka-sho look like warm-ups. I hate to say this in front of you lot, but today… Rice is going to win. Absolutely."
Tokai Teio puffed out her chest. "Heh-heh! As if! McQueen is the reigning two-time champion of this race! She's not going down that easily!"
Hachiman looked at her, his eyes cold and hollow. "...I hope for her sake you're right."
Teio recoiled slightly. "Hey, what's with that tone?"
"I just went to the waiting room to give Rice the final strategy," Hachiman said, gesturing behind him. "And the two people who were with me ended up like this."
Rudolph & CB: "..."
Teio: "Wait… Pre… President?"
Symboli Rudolph stood perfectly still, her hands clenched at her sides, visibly trembling.
Teio: "P-President? What's wrong?"
"Do you see it now, Teio?" Hachiman asked. "The pressure was so intense it has the 'Emperor' herself shaking. When a girl reaches that level of perfection, how can you possibly think she'll lose?"
Okino whispered, his voice full of dread: "...McQueen."
"Anyway, we'll be taking our leave now. Good luck," Hachiman said, walking past them.
Announcer: "The fanfare for the Tenno Sho (Spring) echoes across the Kyoto Racecourse! Fifteen Uma Musume, ready to challenge the grueling 3,200 meters of the Yodo track, are beginning their approach to the gates!"
The stands were a roar of cheers for McQueen. But as the favorite approached the starting line, the cheers turned to murmurs of confusion. McQueen wasn't gliding gracefully into her stall; she was resisting.
Announcer: "Mejiro McQueen is refusing to enter the gate! This is highly unusual—what could be happening?"
Color Commentator: "It's rare to see her this unsettled... has something occurred on the track?"
While the crowd worried, McQueen was fighting a battle they couldn't see. Her legs wouldn't move because they were frozen with primal fear. The source was the black-clad girl standing like a statue to her right.
McQueen: (A beast? What is this? This presence… it's as if she's waiting for the chance to tear my throat out...!)
McQueen stole a glance.
Rice: "...…"
McQueen: (No… I have a reason to win! I cannot falter here!)
Announcer: "Mejiro McQueen is finally in! The remaining girls follow suit. Power and stamina are the names of the game here at Kyoto. All fifteen are locked in! Now, the Tenno Sho (Spring)..."
CLACK-BOOM!!
Announcer: "And they're off!! As expected, Mejiro Palmer takes the lead with an explosive start! Behind her is Monsieur Siecle! Ikuno Dictus and Kyowa Hagoromo are fighting for the third spot! They're heading into the third corner—the Tenno Sho has only just begun!"
Daiwa Scarlet: "McQueen looks like she's in a good rhythm."
Okino: "No… it's too early to tell. She can't let Palmer get too far ahead, but she has to be careful—!"
Okino: (Wait… she's not looking at Palmer. She's looking at...)
Announcer: "McQueen is currently in fourth! And right on her heels, marking her every move, is Rice Shower! Machikane Tannhauser and Shako Grade follow closely behind!"
Rice: "...…"
Announcer: "The fifteen runners pass before the main stands! Let's check the positions!"
Hachiman watched from the rail, his face unreadable.
Rudolph: "She's marking McQueen relentlessly. Was this your plan, Brother?"
Hachiman: "Yeah. If Rice locks onto someone's back, she won't let go until the end. You two know that better than anyone. And with every passing second, the pressure she exerts grows. The weight McQueen is feeling right now must be staggering."
CB: "Worse than what we felt...?"
Hachiman: "2 minutes, 4 seconds... the 2,000-meter split is more than two seconds faster than the last Tenno Sho. It's a blistering pace."
Rudolph: "—!?"
Announcer: "They're approaching the climb of the third corner! Mejiro Palmer is still in the lead, maintaining a five-length gap! But here comes Mejiro McQueen, making her move! The Tenno Sho is becoming a true test of endurance!!"
McQueen: (Now!!) WHOOSH!!!
Announcer: "Wait! Here goes Mejiro McQueen! She's kicked into her spurt! McQueen is closing in on Palmer! It's Palmer! It's McQueen! NO!! Rice Shower is surging forward from the outside!!!"
Gold Ship: "What the hell?! She's not falling back at all!?"
Special Week: "Is something wrong with McQueen-san?"
Okino: "No. McQueen is perfect. She's running the race of her life."
Spica: "Eh?"
Okino: "The one who's 'wrong'... is her opponent. (So this is what Hikigaya meant!)"
Mihono Bourbon (from the stands): "...Rice. Go, Rice!!"
Rice: "...…" VROOOOM!!!
Announcer: "They've cleared the fourth corner! It's a sprint for the finish! A three-way battle! Tannhauser is trying to join in! McQueen takes the lead as they hit the straight! Mejiro McQueen is in front! OH!! RICE SHOWER IS COMING AT HER FROM THE OUTSIDE!! RICE SHOWER IS CLOSING THE GAP!!!"
Rice: "...…" ROAR!!!
McQueen: (This spirit... but I won't give up!!) ROAR!!!
Announcer: "Rice Shower has pulled level! The 3-peat is in jeopardy! Is this girl going to play the spoiler once again!!?"
"Stop it! Go, McQueen!!"
"Are you going to be the villain again!!?"
The shouts of the crowd reached Rice's ears.
Rice: (Rice… isn't a villain...)
Rice: (Rice is...)
Rice: "A HERO!!!"
BOOM!!!
At that moment, Rice's legs found a gear that shouldn't have existed.
Announcer: "Rice Shower has passed her! Rice Shower is ahead! Rice Shower!! RICE SHOWER!!! Just like at the Kikuka-sho, she has shattered a dream! Rice Shower is in total command! Two lengths! Three lengths! RICE SHOWER CROSSES THE FINISH LINE IN FIRST!!!"
The stadium fell into a deafening, stunned silence.
Announcer: "—!? Look at the time...!!"
The electronic scoreboard flashed: 3:17.1. Above the numbers, four glowing letters: RECORD. A new world record for the Tenno Sho (Spring).
Rice: "A record...!"
But her joy lasted only a heartbeat.
"Aw, man, seriously?"
"I wanted to see the 3-peat..."
"She did it again. What a mood killer."
"Why her? I shouldn't have even come today."
"What a disappointment."
The boos began to rain down from the fans who had come to see history made by McQueen. The words were cruel, sharp, and merciless. Rice closed her eyes, took a breath, and offered a deep, polite bow to the crowd. She turned to head toward the underground tunnel, her head low…
Rice: "...Eh? Big Brother?"
Hachiman: "...…"
There, standing on the turf in front of the tunnel, was her trainer. And he was holding a microphone.
Rice: "B-Big Brother? Why are you..."
"I've reached my limit," Hachiman said, his voice amplified across the entire stadium. "I think it's time for a little stress relief."
Rice: "...Huh?"
Hachiman took a deep breath.
Hachiman: "ALL OF YOU WHO JUST HURLED INSULTS AT MY TRAINEE, RICE SHOWER—STEP FORWARD RIGHT NOW!!!"
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