"Please, Rice Shower sign this!"
Peach Waves held out a pen and a blue-and-white handkerchief.
Rice Shower blinked, startled.
"Eh? Why…?"
Peach Waves pouted dramatically.
"Rice-chan, don't you want to sign autographs for your fans? That's so sad~"
Rice Shower's eyes widened.
"I didn't know… you were a fan of mine…"
She took the pen with trembling fingers and signed her name carefully across the fabric. As she handed it back, her heart swelled with warmth.
"Thank you, Rice-chan. I'll be your lifelong fan. A very loyal one."
"Really… really?"
"Of course. So don't let your fans down."
Rice Shower nodded, her face glowing red with pride.
"Rice will work hard!"
Peach Waves smiled.
"Alright, let's eat. Class starts soon."
That afternoon, Peach Waves greeted Okino at the training ground, then broke away to begin her solo training.
Okino watched her go, unfazed.
"She's prepping for the Newcomer Challenge Cup. Let her do her thing."
He turned to the rest of the team.
"Alright, everyone else—let's get started. I've got a plan for you."
Special Week leaned toward Silent Suzuka.
"Suzuka-chan, why does Peach-chan train alone?"
Suzuka glanced at Peach Waves in the distance.
"Because her training intensity is on another level. If we followed her plan, we'd be in the hospital by tomorrow."
Special Week gulped.
"Oh…"
Then the end of the month arrived.
Suzuka rose early, placing her carrot plush gently beside the still-sleeping Special Week.
"Suzuka-chan… isn't today the weekend? Why so early?"
Suzuka smiled at her reflection in the mirror.
"I'm going to watch a race. Want to come?"
"A race? Sure! Whose?"
"Hmm… secret."
"Hey, why?"
Hanshin Race Course – 2000m
The stadium buzzed with excitement.
Okino leaned against the fence beside was Peach's grandpa, watching Peach Waves warm up.
"Morning, Senior."
"I heard you recruited Peach Waves."
"Ahaha, news travels fast."
"Just remember—if you mistreat her even a little…"
"I won't. I'm grateful."
"You'd better be."
Suzuka and Special Week arrived quietly.
"Suzuka-chan, isn't that… the trainer?"
Special Week pointed. Suzuka quickly covered her mouth.
"Shh. Don't let him see us. This way."
They slipped into the crowd.
"Suzuka-chan, what does the trainer think of this race?"
"Next to him is Peach-chan's grandfather. Just a heads-up."
"Her grandfather?! So Peach-chan must be racing!"
Suzuka nodded.
"Let's watch. It's starting."
"Welcome to today's Newcomer Challenge Cup!" the commentator Akasaka announced.
"Let's meet our contenders. Second most popular: No. 8, Princess!"
"Top favorite: No. 3, Grass Wonder, with two wins under her belt!"
Peach Waves, masked and focused, exchanged a nod with Grass Wonder before entering the gate.
"Two thousand meters… this is my turf," muttered the confident Uma Musume in Gate 7.
"Grass Wonder seems mysterious today," Condor observed.
"She's fine. A month of speed training should be enough." Hana Toujou said calmly.
"President, Princess is in the outermost gate."
Rudolf narrowed her eyes.
"She looks better in person than in photos. But that one… she's a bit of an eyesore."
Condor spotted Suzuka and Special Week.
"Hey! Suzuka, Spec—you're here too?"
"Hi, Condor!"
"How confident are you in Grass Wonder?"
Suzuka hesitated.
"It'll be tough."
"Same here. But the trainer says she's ready."
All eight Uma Musume entered the gates.
Green light. The gates slammed open.
Peach Waves exploded forward, her stride powerful and clean.
"Whoa! Princess takes the lead immediately, pulling ahead by three lengths! Is she changing her running style?"
Hana Toujou's eyes widened.
"She's not chasing—she's escaping. That changes everything."
Her carefully crafted tactics for Grass Wonder were now useless.
Rudolf leaned forward, intrigued.
"Chase and escape? Interesting…"
Okino frowned.
"She's never led before. Her field adaptability isn't strong. This is risky…"
Condor nodded.
"If she can't hold on through the uphill stretch in the final third, she'll be overtaken."
Suzuka clenched her fists silently.
Come on, Peach-chan…
Special Week tilted her head.
Why is this so complicated? Who should I cheer for? Suzuka didn't say anything…
On the track, Grass Wonder hesitated.
She's not chasing me… I can't contain her mid-race…
Peach Waves surged ahead, her speed increasing.
Behind her, the second-place runner struggled against the swirling airflow Peach Waves left in her wake.
"Princess is still accelerating! Is she going for a full-course escape?!"