"Come on, Stego! Get those knees up! Don't look pathetic in front of the rookies, or the rumors will start spreading before the first bell!"
"Shut... up...! I'm not... losing...!"
"Suzuka, Sunny—1000m dash! But I want that final straight at 100%. Don't hold anything back!"
"Got it! Alright, Suzuka, I'm not losing today!"
"I don't plan on losing either."
"So this... is Team Pleiades."
"It's so... cool desu..."
King and El stood at the edge of the track, staring in awe. For the first time, the reality of Tracen Academy was hitting them. While Pleiades was technically a "rookie" team in its second year, the atmosphere was electric. It lacked the suffocating, veteran heat of a team like Rigil, but there was a sharp, focused intensity that made the newcomers realize they weren't in a normal school anymore.
"Taiki, Air Air, Dober—to the uphill course. Don't overdo it, and listen to what Kami-chan tells you."
"OK! ☆"
"Understood."
"Yes, Chief!"
"Leave them to me," Kamimizuru said, giving a thumbs-up.
"And Maya... take a breather, then I want a 1600m run."
"Roger that! ♪"
King and El watched Rampage, mesmerized. They had seen her as a world-beating legend, but seeing her as a trainer—efficiently directing a group of elite prospects—was a different kind of impressive.
"Welcome to Pleiades. We're only in our second year, so we're still the new kids on the block, technically speaking."
"I'd heard the rumors," King muttered, "but it's still hard to believe you've built a team like this in just your second year as a trainer."
"The Chairwoman insisted," Rampage shrugged. "She thinks capable trainers should be managing as many girls as possible. Anyway, this year marks our first official debut. Maya, come over here."
"I'm Maya! Mayano Top Gun! I'm going to be Pleiades' super-duper rookie debutante this year!"
Maya bounded over and grabbed Rampage's arm, beaming at the newcomers. King and El flinched back slightly, overwhelmed by the pure, unadulterated energy radiating from the girl.
"I-I am King Halo. It is a pleasure to meet you... Mayano Top Gun... Senpai."
"I am El Condor Pasa desu. Um... S-Senpai... I look forward to... working with you."
"Aww, you don't have to be so formal! We're all teammates in Pleiades now. Just call me Maya! ☆"
King and El shared a confused glance. It was clear they were struggling to reconcile Maya's childish appearance and bubbly personality with the title of "Senior."
"Alright, let's go over the basics," Rampage said, reclaiming their attention. "Pleiades follows the same philosophy as the team I used to belong to, Canopus. Our core pillars are 'Mastering the Fundamentals' and 'Zero Injuries.' Everything I teach you is an evolution of those two rules."
"The fundamentals... a simple concept, but the most difficult to maintain," King mused, nodding.
"Mmm! Papa and Mama always said the same thing," El added. "If the foundation isn't solid, the techniques won't stick."
"Exactly. If your base stats are high, you learn technical skills faster. And even if two girls use the same technique, the one with the stronger foundation will always produce more power. Though..." Rampage glanced at Maya. "There are some 'natural geniuses' like Maya here who can master complex applications in a single try."
"Ehehehe! Rampage-san is so good at praising me! Maya's getting all bashful! ♪"
The two were practically attached at the hip. Watching them, King wondered if the bond between trainer and trainee was always this close, or if it was a unique dynamic between two horse girls.
"Okay! Maya's going to run the 1600 now! Don't take your eyes off me, okay? I'll be sad!"
"I know, I know. Go on."
"I'm off! ☆"
Maya sprinted onto the turf. In an instant, the bubbly, soft persona vanished. She became a streak of wind, her stride powerful and predatory. King and El stood frozen as they watched her tear up the track.
"What is that speed!?" King gasped. "Are you sure she hasn't debuted yet!?"
"Incredible desu..."
"Hmph. I'd be a lot more useful if she wasn't already such a finished product," Rampage grumbled, though her eyes were filled with pride.
Maya was already using her whole body—a primitive version of the "Full-Body Stride." Her coordination between her upper and lower body was still a bit raw, but she was grasping the essence of it. This is why geniuses are such a pain, Rampage thought, and why they're so damn fun to train.
"If you want to learn to run like that, I can teach you. I think both of you are talented enough to pull it off."
"F-For real!? You really mean it!?" El shouted.
"Big sister Rampage never lies."
"To run like that..." King whispered, her eyes igniting with a new fire.
Monsonny had once said that only those with true "talent" could master that stride. Looking at these two, Rampage knew that "talent" was the one thing they weren't lacking. If they mastered the full-body movement... Rampage felt a mix of excitement and a cold shiver of dread at how strong they might become.
"T-Trainer-san! I want to join Pleiades... seiseki!"
"Your grades?"
"I think she means 'officially' (seishiki)," King corrected.
"Yes! That! I want to join officially desu!!"
El stared straight at Rampage, her shyness momentarily forgotten. To be honest, Rampage wanted her. Not just because of her stats, but because she wanted to see El conquer the world. In the history she knew, El had lost the Arc to Montjeu by a heartbreaking margin. In this world, Rampage wanted to show her the view from the very top.
"You don't have to stay here just because the school assigned you to me for a while," Rampage said, testing her resolve. "You could choose Rigil, Spica, or Canopus. If you choose Pleiades... will you have any regrets?"
"None! El is... El is going to become the strongest horse girl in the world! Stronger even than you, Rampage-san!!"
The voice that had been tiny and timid only minutes ago now roared across the training grounds. The other girls on the track actually stopped for a second to look. King looked startled, but her shock quickly melted into a smirk of approval. Rampage felt the same.
"Nice declaration. Then try it. Take everything I give you, make it your own, and become stronger than me. Try and snatch that 'World's Strongest' title out of my hands!"
"I'll do it desu! I'll even become the fastest!"
"No, that part's not happening."
"Eek!?"
King and El jumped, spinning around to find Silence Suzuka standing right behind them, having just finished her run.
"U-Um... hello...?" El stammered.
"The one who's going to see the view beyond Rampage-san is me," Suzuka said, her voice quiet but absolute. "I will be the world's fastest."
"Wh— This is... a rival declaration desu!?" El's eyes widened, but she didn't back down. "Even if you are my senior, El won't lose! I won't lose!"
"I'm not giving up the view from the front to anyone."
Rampage watched the sparks fly between the two. Is this the 'Daily Hai' rivalry manifesting early? she wondered. Well, a little healthy competition was good for the soul.
"My, my..." King muttered, shaking her head. Then, she spotted something in the distance. "Wait, is that... Sunday Silence-san? Why is she carrying someone?"
"Huh?"
Rampage looked toward the gates. Sure enough, Sunday Silence was marching toward them with a girl slung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"E-Eeeek! Why is this happening to meeee!?" the girl wailed.
"Stop squirming! I like your fire, so I'm gonna train you myself!" Sunday barked.
"Noooo! Tracen Academy is scary! Mom, help meeeee!!"
Rampage stared, dumbfounded. "Seriously, what is the context for that?"
No one had an answer.
And so, the "Golden Generation" officially arrives—one way or another.
-------------------------------
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