"Where have you been? You're back so late," Just a Way asked curiously.
"I was hungry, so I grabbed a bite on the way."
"Oh no! What am I supposed to do with all this food I bought?"
Kousei looked closer and saw that Just a Way had, for some reason, bought a mountain of pizzas.
"Why did you buy so many pizzas?"
"The pizza place is doing an Umamusume collaboration. They say the rare card is McQueen, but I've already pulled so many and still haven't gotten her."
"McQueen?" Kousei hesitated for a moment. "Let me see."
Just a Way handed her phone over. Kousei looked and saw that there really was a collaboration. Umamusume merchandise wasn't anything new; ever since Oguri Cap, it had become standard practice to create dolls for popular Umamusume—a win-win strategy.
"That's amazing, McQueen. Your fame has reached this level," Kousei said, genuinely happy for her.
The renowned Mejiro McQueen... Your name is heard in every corner of the world. I wish I could tell everyone that I once competed on the same stage as Mejiro McQueen.
"Have you completed your mission?"
It was a shame McQueen wasn't there. If she had been, Kousei would have pressed her for details about all the hardships she'd endured in her absence.
"Alright! Let's get ten more!"
"Huh? Ten more? Way can't eat that much!"
"It's fine, I'll go get Reiko and the others!"
So, the group gathered around to eat pizza. In the end, they still didn't pull the rare card, making Kousei wonder if it even existed.
Fortunately, none of the food went to waste, though most of it ended up in Kousei's stomach.
"Hey, kid! There's a phone call for you," Doctor Takuya called from the doorway.
"Who is it?"
"She said her name is Vodka."
"Vodka?"
Kousei only knew one Vodka. But Vodka was her junior, and they hadn't interacted much. Why would Vodka be calling her?
"Hello?" Kousei answered the phone.
"K-Kousei-senpai! It's Vodka!" Vodka sounded nervous on the other end.
"Vodka, what can I do for you?"
Kousei didn't even have to think; she knew Vodka must have gotten her number from Tachyon.
"I do, but first, I wanted to ask... Senpai, are you doing well abroad?"
Kousei paused for a moment before replying, "I'm doing fine."
"That's great!" Vodka sounded genuinely happy, her personality as straightforward as Kousei remembered. "Senpai, I have a question I hope you can help me with!"
To seek advice from someone thousands of miles away... Kousei thought. This must have been troubling Vodka for a long time.
Kousei felt a pang of nervousness. She had always treated the title "Senpai" as just a formality, something she was called simply because she debuted earlier than Vodka. Now, with her junior seeking guidance, Kousei worried if she could truly live up to the responsibility.
"Tell me about it," she said.
"Well, I lost to Scarlet in the Oka Sho. It's frustrating, but she's really strong."
"So, are you feeling lost because you lost to Scarlet?"
"No, that's not it. I'm actually thinking of skipping the Japanese Oaks and entering the Derby instead."
Kousei thought that after years in the racing world, she had seen every kind of absurdity. Yet, Vodka's idea still left her momentarily speechless.
"I guess you think it's a crazy idea too, huh, Senpai?" Vodka's voice wavered, her confidence clearly shaken.
Kousei didn't answer immediately. Vodka's question was too sharp, too profound. "Crazy" wasn't the right word; "utterly fantastical" was more accurate.
In the world of Umamusume racing, it was common knowledge that talent determined success. It was also common knowledge that racers on the Classic Triple Crown route were stronger than those on the Triple Tiara route.
When comparing two racers, people rarely even considered putting them in the same category. While Triple Tiara contenders were allowed to enter Triple Crown races, none had ever emerged victorious. It was an objective fact: Triple Crown racers were faster and stronger.
Vodka's plan to skip the Japanese Oaks for the Derby was shocking from every angle. Even when Kousei was still at Central Tracen, her most ambitious thought had been racing abroad—she had never imagined a Triple Tiara contender attempting to conquer the Classic Triple Crown.
But from another perspective, if Vodka could actually win, she would become the first Triple Tiara contender to conquer the Derby—a feat that would surely become a legend.
(Note: In reality, Vodka was not the first filly to win the Derby.)
If she truly pulled it off, it would be nothing short of a miracle.
"What's making you so anxious?" Kousei asked, answering Vodka's question with one of her own.
Vodka replied in a dejected tone, "Honestly, I'm terrified, especially after losing to Scarlet in the Oka Sho. I decided to run in the Derby because I admire you and Tanino-senpai so much. I thought my mind was already made up.
"But after losing to Scarlet, my confidence shattered. When I announced I was switching to the Derby, almost everyone criticized me.
"They called me selfish and reckless. Some even claimed I was just running away from the Japanese Oaks because I was afraid to face Scarlet again. I don't know what to do anymore. I came to the URA to chase my dream, but... why has it turned out like this?"
"Even that idiot Scarlet doesn't understand me! Damn it!"
Against the backdrop of her Oka Sho defeat, Vodka's decision to switch to the Derby was widely seen as an act of cowardice. The prevailing sentiment was, "Losing to a Triple Crown contender is no disgrace, as long as it's not Scarlet." Kousei understood the immense pressure Vodka was under.
Public opinion had become far more terrifying than anyone imagined. First came the series of controversies Kousei herself had caused, followed by the tragic news from the Kikuka Sho that had branded her peers the "Unlucky Generation." The current climate was utterly unforgiving.
"No mistakes allowed. No defiance permitted. You must follow the correct path."
Vodka knew that a single misstep would lead to her ruin. That's why she was so terrified, so anxious.
A wave of shame washed over Kousei. Her own reckless actions had created this harsh environment for the next generation.
"I see," Kousei said, her voice heavy with understanding. "I understand now."
Kousei certainly knew what the "correct" thing to do was. And she understood perfectly why, even at this stage, Vodka had still sought her out.
"Go run in the Derby, Vodka."
Continuing with the Japanese Oaks was undoubtedly the "correct" choice. But it wasn't what Vodka truly wanted. Her hesitation stemmed from that very desire. If that was the case, there was no need to worry about anything else.
"Advance into uncharted territory. The answer lies within the thorns."
Go. Go and win.
Strive for greater speed, greater strength. The finest, most potent wine is reserved only for the warriors who defy fate.
Miracles are never born from the expected.