"DORYAAAAA!"
"Let's go one-on-one! Time for a real showdown!"
"Don't forget I'm in this too!"
Three Uma Musume tear across the turf: Dragoon Lance—known as Draran—Hishi Amazon, and Sakura Laurel, all from Canopus, training relentlessly for their debut next year. Each runs with a style as unique as their spirit. Draran, a front-runner, dances with a rapid, pitchy stride, weaving through the course with nimble precision to pressure her rivals. Hishi Amazon, a closer, surges from the back with explosive bursts of speed, overtaking all in her path. Laurel, with a keen eye for the race's flow, times her sprint with calculated precision, reminiscent of Turbo's tactical flair.
"ZERYAAAAA!" Draran's battle cry echoes.
"Man, Draran's got some wild moves," Air Groove mutters, watching from the sidelines.
"Such intensity…" another adds, awestruck.
Even Air Groove can't help but comment on Draran's electrifying presence. Shouting during a sprint isn't uncommon—yelling can briefly unlock a burst of strength by loosening the body's limits. But Draran takes it to another level. It's not just her voice; her face radiates a fierce, almost predatory determination, like she's ready to devour the track.
"SHAAAA! Victory's mine!" Draran roars as she crosses the finish line.
"Phew… second by a neck," Laurel sighs.
"Third by a nose! Argh, so close!" Amazon groans.
The trio checks the leaderboard, their emotions a mix of triumph and frustration. Today's victor is Amazon, her razor-sharp final kick stealing the show.
"Nice one, Ama-chan," Rampage calls out, strolling over. "Perfect timing on that sprint. Your course management was solid, but pushing through Draran's pressure? That's what sealed it."
"I'm always fighting myself in a one-on-one," Amazon replies with a grin. "Beating my own limits means I'm ready for anyone."
"That's the spirit. Draran, you were close."
"Ugh, so frustrating!" Draran slumps, catching her breath. "I got too caught up trying to rattle Ama-san and totally forgot to watch Laurel-san."
"I just slipped through the gap," Laurel says with a modest smile.
Draran explains that her shouting acts as a safety valve, keeping her from overheating mentally. When she gets too fired up, she goes silent—a sign she's losing control. This time, she noticed herself clamming up just before the finish.
"Laurel, your sprint's getting sharper," Rampage notes. "Your legs are holding up better too, right?"
"Yes," Laurel replies. "I've been following the trainer's regimen to strengthen my body every day."
Like Takion and Aldan, Laurel struggles with fragile legs—a "glass cannon" weakness that could lead to injury if she's not careful. To counter this, Trainer Minamisaka crafted a tailored program to minimize strain, which Laurel has diligently followed since joining Canopus. The results are starting to show, her body gradually growing more resilient.
"But don't push too hard," Rampage warns. "That regimen's built with your debut year in mind. It's tough, but pace yourself."
"No worries, Rampage-san," Laurel says confidently. "I'm fine with this. I can't call myself Brian-chan's rival if I'm not tough enough."
"That's the attitude. And Draran… you okay?"
"Barely…" Draran wheezes, clearly the most winded.
Draran's got plenty of strengths, but her tendency to get overly competitive when challenged is a hurdle she needs to overcome.
"So, who's running with me next?" Rampage asks.
This 1600-meter mock race doubled as Rampage's tune-up, with Minamisaka instructing her to race against top-tier teammates. The trio, thrilled at the chance to run with Rampage, gave it their all. Amazon, as the winner, assumes she's the pick, but it's not about placings.
"Obviously—Ama-chan, Laurel, and Draran," Rampage declares. "All of you. Be ready in thirty minutes."
"Hah! Knew you'd say that, Senpai!" Amazon laughs, pumping a fist.
"Yes!" Laurel cheers with a small fist bump.
"Yesssss!" Draran's joy explodes, though she promptly collapses backward.
"Whoa, Draran, you good?" Rampage asks, half-amused.
"I'll manage… after a break," Draran pants. "Ama-san, Laurel-san, lend me a shoulder?"
"Geez, you're a handful," Amazon teases, helping her up.
"Are you okay?" Laurel asks, supporting her other side.
As the trio shuffles off to rest, Rampage starts hammering horseshoes onto her racing boots. Air Groove watches quietly until a man approaches—not Minamisaka, but another trainer, his badge glinting. Air Groove turns, then sighs with faint disappointment.
"Oh, it's you," she says.
"Hey, tough break getting stuck as sub-trainer for this team," the man says with a grin.
"Haha… it's good experience, I guess," he replies, looking weary.
This is Sasada, a rookie trainer who aced the academy's exam—a rising star handpicked by Minamisaka for Canopus's sub-trainer role. "I heard a team needed a sub-trainer, so I jumped at it. Didn't expect Canopus," he admits. "It's a bit intense for a newbie."
"No kidding," Air Groove says. "With this crew? Good luck."
Sasada slumps, sighing. Other trainers vied for this role, but Minamisaka chose a rookie for a reason—though what that reason is, nobody's sure. Air Groove, however, isn't impressed. She stomps the ground, glaring.
"Seriously, what's with that mopey face? We Uma Musume rely on our trainers. If you're this spineless, how are we supposed to trust you? Minamisaka picked you, so stand tall and act like it!"
"I… can't argue with that," Sasada mutters, chastened.
Rampage chuckles at the exchange. "You two might actually make a great team."
"No way!" Air Groove protests. "If I'm picking a trainer, I want someone solid like Minamisaka, not… this."
"Ouch, so blunt…" Sasada winces.
Still, Rampage can't help but see shades of Air Groove's app-version self in her sharp words. Maybe they're more compatible than she thinks. And if Sasada's lacking in skill, Canopus will forge him into something greater—whether he likes it or not.
"Alright, time to warm up," Rampage says, standing. "Sasada-chan, mind timing me?"
"Sure, but I'm not 'Sasada-chan'…" he grumbles.
"Oh? Then… Tawake?" Rampage teases, using Air Groove's term for "fool."
"That's not a nickname! And if you say it, it'll stick!"
"Then earn a better one," Rampage shoots back. "Tawake."
"It's already sticking!" Sasada wails.
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