At the party celebrating the Irish Champion Stakes, hosted by the King of Ireland, a skirmish erupted. A problem had arisen at an event where a nation's monarch was the host, and Rampage found herself, somehow, in the thick of it. Or perhaps she had walked into it herself, believing that any problem now was merely a ripple on the water compared to the storm she was about to unleash.
"You, too, must be kindred spirits with me, Miss Mejiro Rampage."
"Don't lump me in with you. You and I are too different—in our caliber."
The venue, which had just begun to grow lively with Rampage befriending Razgriz and her trainer Andersen, found its center dominated by two Uma Musume. One was Razgriz, or Booby, another Irish Uma Musume, and the other, a British Uma Musume named Silverstone, who was currently embroiled in the fracas. It seemed reasonable to assume she had been caught up with the Uma Musume known for her mischievous streak, and the voices certainly suggested as much.
"Can't just ignore this forever… I'll go have a word."
"You, Ramp-san?"
"I'm deeply indebted to the Princess here, so turning a blind eye just feels wrong."
"As fellow countrymen, we too shall accompany you. Trainer, if you please?"
"Of course. Indeed, I couldn't possibly allow such a national disgrace to go unchecked."
Andersen let out a heavy sigh, but used the cane he carried as a fashion accessory to move his reluctant legs. It was clear he didn't want to go, but as a sensible adult and an Irish trainer, he couldn't stand by.
"Don't be yelling at a party like this. Though, from the looks of it, you're clearly the cause… Just calm down for a moment. Be aware that everyone here is watching you."
"~ngh…!! You're right, I almost forgot… Calm down, me. Be rational. When blood rushes to your head, your running, your words, even your thoughts become nothing but a straight line… and that's fatal in the high-acceleration zone…" Silverstone muttered, trying to reign herself in.
"I think it's a bit late for that, your shouting has already been made known to everyone here!" the mischief-maker retorted.
"Hmph…!!" Silverstone growled.
"You shouldn't talk, you fake entertainer. Give some serious thought to who the real cause is." Rampage shot back.
Hearing Rampage's words, Silverstone, who had been on the verge of exploding again as if her tail had been stepped on while she tried desperately to calm herself, managed to rein herself in. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself and offered an apology.
"I'm sorry, I just let my temper get the better of me. He bumped into me and then said, 'Your body is as hard as a stone, just like your name, so you're not hurt!!'…!!"
"Well, no wonder you lost your temper. I get it, but like you said, you can't keep flying off the handle so easily. You need the spirit to swallow it and then fire back even harder if you have to."
"That's true… Wait, you're Mejiro Rampage!? Amazing, you're Japan's superstar! I always watch your streams, I've been a fan since the Japan Cup! Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Silverstone. An Uma Musume aiming for ultimate speed in the racing world!"
"Reacquainted, I am Mejiro Rampage, the dictatorial tyrant."
Rampage had only seen her rougher side, but fundamentally, Silverstone gave the impression of being quite accomplished. Her competitive spirit would also be a plus for a racer. Rampage felt they could become good friends; her racing attire somehow reminded Rampage of her own – a trench coat, pantsuit, and crash boots, all exuding a masculine vibe.
"I've always wanted to race against you! And I declare, I will challenge you to a great escape race at the Irish Champion Stakes and win! That's why I came here!"
"Oh? A runaway race against me, huh—I'll see if you can rival Turbo."
"Twin Turbo, last year's Triple Tiara winner. I'd love to race against her too… If I throw my hat into the ring for this year's Japan Cup, I wonder if she'll come out…?"
"If you want, I can ask her?"
"That would be a huge help, you're so quick to understand!"
She was surprisingly easy to talk to. Rampage wondered who she'd met last that was this easy to converse with… Just then, the mischievous Uma Musume, whom Booby (Razgriz) had pointed out earlier, came into view, circling behind Silverstone and peeking over her shoulder.
"Shall, you've gone far enough. What are you doing at a party hosted by His Majesty the King…?"
"What? A party like this needs an entertainer! Yes, in the name of my dance!"
"No such plans were made, as far as I know."
"That's precisely why it's a surprise! By spontaneously performing my dance, the anticipation for the live performance after the victory will skyrocket, you see!"
Rampage couldn't tell if she was a confident individual or just a simple fool. Well, compared to Garnier, she was still relatively calm.
"My esteemed colleague, I wish you'd turn the conversation my way sometime."
"My colleague, you say?"
"Indeed! You, too, are a presence that greatly livens up this world. Your charm lies not only in your running, but also in the sharpness of your live performance moves and your singing ability! In fact, the latter is superior! I, Shall We Dance, guarantee it!"
The troublemaker, Shall We Dance, declared this, but Rampage wasn't well-versed in that area. After all, that talent was originally possessed by the original Rampage. She was merely making the most of it.
"Don't you agree that the true essence of an Uma Musume lies not in running, but in dancing? Supple muscles and steps, and endurance… dance, which utilizes all of these, is the ultimate! For me, races are just the opening act for the winning live performance. Though, a live performance you can only experience after winning that opening act is also deeply satisfying. Even you, who frequently sings on your streams, must be kindred spirits with me, Miss Mejiro Rampage."
"Don't lump me in with you. You and I are too different—in our caliber."
Rampage thought another intense character had appeared, but upon hearing Shall We Dance's words, Booby sighed, and a vein began to throb faintly on Silverstone's forehead. What one loved most was a matter of personal preference, and no one had the right to complain about it. No, but—there was something she wanted to say.
"I get that you prefer live performances to races, but I love racing, and I've never once thought of it as an opening act. I run for the sake of those who dream through my running. Whether it's a live performance or a race, Rampage-san always gives her all. If I'm going to do something, I'll tackle it with full effort and do my best work. You might have your own philosophy, but… I won't lose to someone who treats another's soul as an opening act."
"Such strong words! Then, I shall present you with the humiliation of dancing behind me at the winning live performance. Your first defeat on my stage, the opening act, if you will."
"Hah! Keep dreaming. And one more thing."
"What is it? What more could you possibly say?"
"There's someone behind you who's turned into a Hannya (vengeful female demon). Is that your trainer?"
"Eh!?"
The moment she heard that, Shall We Dance's movements became sluggish, like rusty gears. As she turned with a creak that seemed to produce a sound, an iron claw shot out in an instant. It seized Shall's face and lifted her clean off the ground with one hand.
"Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble? Didn't you hear me…? How strange. I specifically told you it was a party hosted by His Majesty the King, and you nodded, didn't you…!?"
"It hurts, it hurts, I give, I give, I GIVVVE!?! The iron claw, stop the iron claw! I told you your grip strength is incredible, and now my skull just made a cracking sound!?"
"Don't worry, I'm very familiar with the limits of the human body. You can still go on… Now then, I've borrowed a room over there, so let's have a thorough talk…"
"R-Rampage, help me! Silverstone, I'm sorry about earlier, I'm sorry, so please explain to this violent person!?"
"No sign of remorse… I wonder if she'll be disqualified from the race."
"I'm truly, truly sorryyyyyy!!!"
Shall We Dance was dragged away, still suspended by the iron claw. Rampage and Silverstone stared wide-eyed at the incredible sight. Booby sighed in relief, grateful that Andersen had arrived just in time, and thanked him.
"His Majesty the King was satisfied with the assurance that her trainer would give her a severe warning. Truly, Shall-kun's bad habits are quite a handful…"
"To do something like that even when her trainer isn't looking, she must be really incorrigible."
"No, no, no, what was that just now!? She lifted an Uma Musume with one hand!?"
"That's Shall We Dance's trainer. She's… well, a stopper, or a brake, you could say…"
"…I guess I should bring her some stomach medicine later…"
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