Time flowed on like water.
At this moment, the April wind ran wild through Central, loud and restless.
In the current Flash Series, because McQueen held an absolutely overwhelming advantage over the rest of her generation, almost no one saw any real suspense in the Tenno Sho (Spring) at the end of April.
Because of that, even though Mejiro McQueen carried the glory of being called the strongest active racer, she was not the main focus of public and media attention right now.
The true center of the storm was the first race of the Classic Triple Crown on April 14: the Satsuki Sho.
In that race, eighteen new-generation Classic-year Uma Musume would decide who would be the first to take that dazzling step forward.
Who would be the first to announce her existence to all of Central.
Inside a classroom on the middle school floor of Central Tracen Academy.
"Clap."
The lesson plan closed softly.
The elderly teacher at the podium unscrewed his thermos and took a sip of water, his weathered face calm and composed.
"All right, that's enough theory for today. Next period is cooking class, so remember to prepare the ingredients and aprons you'll need."
As he spoke, the old teacher paused and glanced through the lower edge of his reading glasses toward several corners of the classroom.
"Mmm... as for Tokai Teio, Nice Nature, and Ibuki Mai Kagura, you three can decide for yourselves whether you want to go or not."
If the cooking teacher ever heard herself dismissed like that, she would probably burst into tears.
"Yes, sir!"
The moment the old teacher finished speaking, a bright, lively voice rang out from the front row.
Teio had already shot her hand high into the air, the ears atop her head twitching happily as she gave an energetic response.
In the other corners of the classroom, the other two girls exchanged glances as well.
It was true.
Compared to a filler class like cooking, which meant very little to them, the upcoming Satsuki Sho was the battlefield they had poured everything into and had to face with absolute seriousness.
Once the bell rang, the classroom gradually turned noisy.
Dozens of youthful, adorable Uma Musume began moving about, some walking around, others gathering in little groups to chat about gossip and everyday life.
Suddenly, one sharp-eyed classmate noticed that Teio was quickly packing up her schoolbag and could not help asking about it.
"Yep!"
Teio grinned, swung her packed shoulder bag onto one shoulder with a cool flourish, and said as if it were only natural,
"There's only one week left until the Satsuki Sho, so I can't afford to slack off! And since cooking class is the last period today, I'm heading straight to the training grounds to work out."
"Ugh... Teio, you're already this amazing and this talented, and you still work this hard behind the scenes. How are the rest of us supposed to survive?"
One mischievous girl leaned over and pretended to wipe away tears.
"Exactly! Teio, at least leave the rest of us a little dignity when we lose to you in a race!"
"Sigh, I can't beat that, I really can't. I've decided. I'm eating two hamburg steaks in cooking class later to heal my wounded heart!"
"You just want to eat, that's all!"
Right then, a faint elegant fragrance drifted past the two of them.
A tall girl slowly walked over and gave them both a gentle smile.
"Teio, Nature, would it be all right if I joined you?"
The one who had come over was the third Uma Musume in the classroom, aside from Tokai Teio and Nice Nature, who would be running in the Satsuki Sho.
Ibuki Mai Kagura.
Her long brown hair flowed smoothly down to her waist.
On her head was a pure white hood, making her already delicate features look even quieter and more mysterious.
She looked like a literary girl who had stepped straight out of a classical poem.
"Hm? Kagura?"
Teio did not really understand why this classmate, who usually kept to herself and had such a quiet personality, suddenly wanted to walk with them.
But Teio had always been the type to welcome anyone, so she immediately smiled brightly.
"Sure. Let's all go together!"
Kagura smiled and nodded, joining the pair, and the three Uma Musume walked out of the school building side by side.
...
"La la la~ la la la~ sweet honey carrot drink, drink it and you'll run so fast..."
On the academy's tree-lined path in the afternoon, the three girls walked side by side, each with her own distinct charm.
Teio was in the middle, practically bouncing along like a cheerful little cat.
As though remembering something, she stopped her little song and turned to the others.
"I don't train at the academy's public track, you know."
Nature nodded as if that were obvious.
"I know. You're going to Chasing Light's private training grounds, right?"
A trace of longing flashed through Kagura's eyes, and she sighed softly.
"That sounds wonderful. Chasing Light really is worthy of being Central's best team right now. Even the training facilities are so complete."
"Right? Right?"
As they kept chatting, the topic naturally drifted to the race the three of them would all be running together next week.
"The Satsuki Sho..."
Just hearing the name made Nature think back to Teio's almost invincible bearing in the Yayoi Sho last month.
She let out a small sigh and scratched her cheek helplessly.
"No matter how much I prepare, once I remember that one of my opponents is you, Teio... I honestly have no idea how I'm supposed to win."
"Exactly."
Kagura nodded in agreement, a little helplessness in her voice as well.
"That's what you'd expect from one of Chasing Light's Uma Musume. Whether it's talent or ability, she's overwhelming."
Even Teio, who normally had quite a thick skin, felt a little embarrassed when two such strong classmates praised her so intensely right to her face.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
"Aw, it's not as exaggerated as you two are making it sound..."
"You're both amazing too!"
"I'm really not."
Nature was convinced Teio was just trying to comfort her, and she laughed at herself in a quiet voice.
"I'm just a really ordinary Uma Musume."
At that, Teio shook her head and said with absolute seriousness,
"That's not true at all. Trainer brought you up specifically before and said you were really exceptional!"
Nature blinked.
"Trainer Kuroha?"
"Mhm. Even though I don't really know what kind of category he was putting you in exactly."
Teio tilted her head, then went on brightly,
"But if he compared you to the President, then that definitely means you're amazingly, seriously incredible!"
"P-President Rudolf?!"
Nature stared in surprise.
She had never imagined that Chasing Light's head trainer, whom she had only met once, would have given her such a high evaluation.
The girl stared blankly, wide-eyed, and pointed at herself.
"M-Me? Teio, you didn't hear him wrong, did you...?"
To be compared to Symboli Rudolf, the Emperor herself.
That was the kind of thing she had not even dared dream about.
"Of course not!"
Teio nodded with total certainty, then turned to Kagura and kept trying to lift both of their spirits.
"Nature is amazing, and Kagura, didn't you beat Nature in the Spring Stakes before? So that means you're super amazing too!"
After saying that, Teio stopped walking and turned around, now moving backward as she faced the two of them.
Her bright blue eyes looked straight at them, and her smile was like sunlight breaking through the clouds.
"Besides, the three of us have never really faced each other in the same race before, right? So how can we say we're definitely going to lose before the race has even started?"
"Anyway, let's all do our best together!"
"In next week's Satsuki Sho, let's run the most exciting race we can. A race with no regrets!"
"..."
The two Uma Musume behind her stood there in silence, staring at the tiny girl before them and that dazzling, unshakable confidence of hers.
Something in their hearts seemed to be stirred.
Before they knew it, they had reached a fork in the road.
Nature and Kagura were headed to the academy's public training grounds for their regular practice, while Teio was heading for the Mejiro training grounds.
So the three of them parted ways there.
"All right, Nature, Kagura, I'm off!"
Teio waved at them energetically with a bright smile, then turned lightly and ran toward the academy gates.
Only Nature and Kagura remained where they stood.
"Teio really is always like that..."
Nature lowered her eyes and murmured softly.
She had known Teio for quite some time now.
In her eyes, Teio seemed able to keep that passion for running forward no matter how much pressure she was under.
It was the kind of personality that inspired both admiration and envy.
"Talent and hard work. Those are the true source of Teio's confidence."
At that moment, Kagura suddenly spoke.
Her normally gentle, quiet voice now carried a trace of steel.
Nature turned toward her in surprise.
Kagura, the quiet girl in the white hood, slowly raised a hand and gently clenched it into a fist in front of her chest.
She turned to look at Nature, and it seemed as though light was rising in her eyes.
That light grew brighter and brighter, and in an instant it became a blazing fighting spirit so fierce it was hard to look at directly.
"Teio is dazzling, yes. But just as she said, until we cross the finish line, the final crown still hasn't chosen its owner."
"Kagura..."
Nature could only murmur blankly as she watched.
Kagura let out a soft laugh, lowered her arm, and gently closed her eyes, returning to her usual quiet, elegant demeanor.
"Then I'm heading off too. See you tomorrow, Nature~"
She said goodbye in that same gentle tone, and Nature could only nod blankly in response.
Kagura left.
Now Nature stood there alone.
The twin-tailed girl remained where she was for a long time, then finally let out a small sigh.
"Everyone has something they absolutely refuse to give up. Something they have to prove."
But someone as ordinary as me...
Do I even have anything like that?
(End of Chapter)
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