Kousei scratched her head. Rice Shower was so happy, and she didn't want to spoil her mood. Besides, she thought, the Central Committee is too preoccupied to manage anything else right now. Kashimoto Riko has no intention of continuing the "Thorough Management Education Program," so surveillance will surely be reduced. There shouldn't be much of a problem now.
"Rice, why did you come back this time?" Kousei asked tentatively.
"I'm going to run in the Spring Tenno Sho," Rice Shower replied directly.
Her demeanor was far more decisive and resolute than her usual self-pitying image.
"Rice, are you going to become a great hero?!" Urara's eyes sparkled.
"Well said, Little Rice! That's the spirit! Just charge ahead!" Twin Turbo pumped her fists, her excitement palpable.
Kousei and McQueen exchanged silent glances, a flicker of astonishment visible in each other's eyes. Rice Shower's personality had changed so drastically. Just what did Morgan do?
"My friends once stood up for me," Rice Shower said, her gaze fixed on Kousei and the others. "Now, it's my turn."
They were among the first to oppose the "Thorough Management Education Program." Though their efforts ultimately failed, the conviction they sought to convey would not vanish with defeat.
Successors would always emerge to reclaim the lost will and begin anew.
Kousei smiled. "I had prepared some words, but it seems they're no longer necessary."
She then turned to Morgan and said solemnly, "Thank you."
Morgan merely waved a dismissive hand and walked away impatiently.
Rice Shower wanted to stop her but ultimately held back. Seeing this, Kousei asked, "Do you want her to stay? Should I go..."
Rice Shower shook her head. "No need. Morgan just doesn't want any contact with the Central Committee."
Although they were now all in the same boat, Rice Shower knew there was friction between Kousei and Morgan. Minimizing their contact would help maintain their current alliance.
"It seems you and Morgan get along well."
"She certainly has a terrible personality, but most of my friends have their own difficult quirks."
Rice Shower's remark made Kousei a little embarrassed. Reckless actions, prone to losing control... Back in the day, the media had heavily criticized her for those very traits.
Kousei's thought processes and actions on the track were seen by others as extremely radical and dangerous. This was a major reason people feared her.
"We all have friends with difficult personalities," Kousei said, thinking of Twilight Cloud and Speed.
"By the way, where did Palmer and Sweep Tosho go?" Rice Shower asked, growing puzzled after searching for them for a long time.
"Palmer went back to the Mejiro Estate, and Sweep Tosho returned to Speed. After the race, everyone went back to where they belong."
Hearing Kousei's explanation, Rice Shower smiled. "It seems everyone is moving forward properly."
"Yes, everyone is moving forward properly," Kousei echoed, feeling a deep sense of relief.
Central might be in chaos now, the future uncertain.
"Central rose from its lowest point before, and it will do so again," Kousei murmured, her voice too low for anyone to catch the words that seemed so out of place for her.
Afterward, the group enjoyed themselves for a while before parting ways.
Rice Shower went to the cemetery alone, watching from a distance. Before Toyama's tombstone, the Cyborg stood motionless, her head bowed in silent mourning.
Trainer's death had trapped her in this moment, and over time, she became a ghost of this cemetery.
"Bourbon."
Rice Shower appeared behind Bourbon. Bourbon froze for a moment, then turned to face her.
"Rice Shower."
They hadn't seen each other since the Kikuka Sho. Then, Toyama passed away from esophageal cancer. Bourbon was devastated, and Rice Shower lacked the courage to face her friend.
One avoided, the other sank into despair. Under such circumstances, a rift naturally formed between them.
Reunited now, the friends found themselves at a loss for words. Bourbon had been living in a daze, retiring from racing and spending all her time outside of school at the cemetery, rarely interacting with anyone.
"Bourbon, I've decided to run in the Spring Tenno Sho."
A flicker of emotion crossed Bourbon's face, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "Is that so... Good luck."
"Will you come cheer for me then, Bourbon?" Rice Shower asked, her eyes filled with hope as she gazed at Bourbon.
"Me? Why?"
Instead of answering directly, Rice Shower walked to the tombstone and placed a bouquet of flowers before it—the same flowers she had been too cowardly to give at the hospital back then.
"Mr. Toyama was truly amazing. Everyone calls him a revolutionary pioneer now. At Central, any athlete aiming for long-distance races prioritizes slope training."
"Yeah... but only after he died."
This epoch-making duo had changed Central's entrenched training philosophy, yet their final outcome was heartbreakingly tragic. Toyama's forward-thinking theories went unrecognized until Kousei shattered the barriers of innate talent, forcing people to finally acknowledge the correctness of his ideas.
From "The Trainer Who Abused His Athlete" to "Central's Revolutionary Pioneer"—the transformation happened overnight. The thought was laughable, yet utterly helpless.
"Central is moving in the direction Mr. Toyama hoped for. If he knew, would he be pleased?" Rice Shower's question sounded more like she was talking to herself.
"As long as the Central Committee exists, the future Trainer envisioned will never arrive," Bourbon replied, her voice calm.
Rice Shower was taken aback, but after a moment's thought, it made sense. Toyama must have seen through Central's true nature. As his partner, he surely discussed his vision for the future with Bourbon many times—his body just couldn't hold on long enough to see it through.
"I want to know... why are you so obsessed with becoming the Triple Crown Winner, Bourbon?"
Why did Bourbon want to become the Triple Crown Winner?
There was never an answer. People only knew that this young girl, with her poor bloodline and lack of innate talent, had her sights set on the rookie year's throne from the moment she debuted.
Would Bourbon answer now? Of course not.
Bourbon tilted her head back, the blinding sunlight forcing her to squint. She reached a hand toward the sky, her fingers moving as if trying to grasp something.
Rice Shower watched, bewildered, until Bourbon's expression turned desolate and she lowered her hand. Bourbon stared at her palm, seemingly lost in a daze.
Rice Shower didn't dare make a sound, simply waiting by her side.
"Because I want to," Bourbon finally said, lifting her eyes to meet Rice Shower's. "Because I want it."
Bourbon didn't explain her motivation; she simply presented the result. Did the motivation even matter? Outcomes vary, but Umamusume are creatures who express everything with their backs as they run.
As long as an Umamusume runs on the racetrack, people will naturally place their hopes upon her.
Rice Shower had thought Bourbon was trapped in a slump, unable to escape. Now she saw how wrong she was. Bourbon was the No. 1 of her generation; how could a mere setback break her?
Even the strongest figures need time to rest. Bourbon was no different—she needed time to heal the wounds in her heart.
"Do you know what people in society call you?" Bourbon asked in return.
Rice Shower smiled faintly. "I know."
She then stood up, lightly brushing the dust from her clothes. Her eyes held a smile, as radiant as a spring flower.
"I will definitely participate in the Spring Tenno Sho. Everyone has fought desperately to get this far. I will absolutely not let everything they've done be in vain."
Rice Shower turned and walked away, as if having made a firm resolution.
"The Central Committee has been entrenched for a long time. They won't be easily overthrown. You can't win."
The wind blew her hair aside, revealing her azure eyes. For a moment, it seemed as if her black Personal Racing Outfit had materialized on her. She tightened her grip on her dagger and smiled confidently.
"When we stand united, how could we possibly lose to mere villains?"
Blue roses scattered through the air. For an instant, Bourbon seemed to smile.
A blue flame burned fiercely in Rice Shower's left eye—she was both the Black Assassin and the Hero Who Saves Her Friends.