The person Rampage wanted Suzuka to meet was Maruzensky. Having heard that Rampage had finally taken on a student, the legendary speedster had been dying to meet the "little bird" for herself. For now, the trio had decamped to Rampage's private residence. It was a bit of a tight squeeze—Rampage in the passenger seat with Suzuka perched on her lap—but since Suzuka was still a middle-schooler, they made it work without any legal incidents.
"Mmm, I love this Impreza!" Maruzensky chirped as she checked the car over. "You haven't gone overboard with the customizations, but the suspension and handling are meticulously maintained. Tearing through a mountain pass in this would be quite the thrill!"
"Um… I'm sorry?" Suzuka blinked, looking between the two older girls.
"Think of it in Horse Girl terms," I explained. "Instead of focus on the silks—the flash—I'm focusing on the horseshoes and the gait. Making the shoes lighter, adjusting the stride… that sort of thing."
"Oh! When you put it that way, I understand perfectly," Suzuka nodded.
The two cars sat side-by-side in the driveway: a screaming red Countach and a deep, metallic blue Impreza. While Maruzensky checked the tire pressure on the 'Imp,' Suzuka watched with her ears twitching, clearly trying to process the strange hobby of her mentor.
"You see, the Impreza is a legend in its own right," Maruzensky lectured, patting the hood. "It was built for the WRC—the World Rally Championship. It's a monster. If you tinker with it too much, you ruin the balance. Finding that perfect adjustment for the suspension is where a driver's personality really shines. It's a lot like the relationship between a Horse Girl and her trainer."
"I think… I can sort of feel what you mean," Suzuka murmured.
"Don't feel like you have to force yourself to get it, Suzuka," I said. "Anyway, Maruzen-nee, what's the plan?"
"Is that even a question? We're going to go tackle the pass! Mochi-no-ron!"
"I figured… Alright, alright, let's get on with it."
I had mixed feelings about introducing my student to the world of illegal mountain drifting, but considering it was how I'd mastered my own cornering techniques, I couldn't exactly call it "useless." I wasn't going to force Suzuka into it, but I figured even just watching Maruzensky work would be a masterclass in physics.
"If it's okay… I'd actually like to experience it," Suzuka said, her eyes surprisingly bright. "I'm very curious about this 'pass-tackling' you and Maruzensky-san do."
"Is that so? Well, I've already cleared your overnight pass with the dorms, so you're staying with me tonight. Let's go get groceries first."
"Ooh! In that case, let me drive the Imp!" Maruzensky shouted. "The Countach is no good for a three-person grocery run."
"Just don't do anything reckless, you hear me?" I said, tossing her the keys.
"You betcha! O-kay!" Maruzensky chirped with an 80s-flavored wink. I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me as Suzuka and I buckled into the blue beast.
"By the way, Ran-chan," Maruzensky asked as she put the car in gear, "is it okay for you to be away from Canopus today?"
"A bit late to ask, isn't it? It's fine. I left the 'problem' in Flora's hands."
"—And so, that is my history. A record of my battles with Mejiro Rampage. As you can see: a total, humiliating, catastrophic string of defeats."
In a quiet, borrowed classroom at Tracen Academy, Agnes Flora was giving a lecture. On the television at the front of the room, a reel of race footage played. It was a meticulously edited compilation of every time Flora had challenged Rampage, pulled from every broadcast and livestream angle available.
Air Groove and Mejiro Dober sat in the front row, their eyes glued to the screen.
"The pain of losing eventually turned into admiration… and here I am now. It took until my very last race for me to finally break out of my shell. It took an embarrassingly long time."
Flora spoke with a candidness that was rare for her. As the two younger girls watched the footage, they weren't just seeing the legend of Rampage. They were seeing Flora's obsessive, desperate attempts to counter her. Every technique, every tactic, every ounce of effort Flora had poured into defeating one woman was laid bare. They realized, for the first time, just how seriously this woman had fought.
"You did all of that… and you still couldn't win?" Dober whispered.
"From start to finish, you saw the result," Flora replied. "That woman was simply on another plane of existence. But I still wanted to beat her… because I admired her more than either of you ever will."
There was a weight to Flora's words that neither of the girls had ever felt before. Agnes Flora had bet her entire career—her entire life in the Twinkle Series—on defeating a single Horse Girl. Had she focused on other races, she likely would have retired with a trophy cabinet rivaling Rampage's own. But she hadn't. She had fixated, obsessed, and sacrificed everything for a ghost.
"I was lucky," Flora continued. "I walked a path so dangerous I should have fallen off the cliff and been ruined a dozen times over. Looking back, I was a fool."
"...Is admiration really such a bad thing?" Dober asked, her voice trembling. Her confidence, which had seemed so unshakable, was starting to crack.
"Admiration is important for motivation, yes. But…" Flora paused, her expression turning sharp. "Admiration is the emotion furthest from true understanding. It's nothing more than you projecting your own feelings onto someone else."
"I-I'm not projecting anything!"
"Then answer me this. Suppose you did become Rampage-san's student. Because of her legacy, the world would watch your every move. They would demand perfection. Could you handle the weight of being 'Mejiro Rampage's student' everywhere you go? Could you look at the same heavy crown she wears and not crumble?"
"..."
Neither girl could answer. They knew the stats, the records, and the honors. They knew the "Tyrant" spoke to heads of state and world-class athletes. Could they truly stand in that shadow? When faced with the question of their own worthiness, they found themselves silent.
"Suzuka-chan is different. For better or worse, she's obsessed with the run itself. When she talked to Rampage-san, she didn't ask about her fame or her medals. She asked about the view from the front. She's looking at the result, not the person. She wants to see it for herself. She's self-contained enough that the outside pressure won't reach her heart. That's the difference."
"Wait… are you saying Rampage-san knew we would be crushed by the pressure?" Air Groove asked.
"Yes," Flora nodded. "She was protecting you."
"So it wasn't that she didn't recognize our talent…?"
"Quite the opposite. She recognizes it so much that she's letting you walk your own paths first. She's giving you time to become yourselves before you have to deal with her."
The silence that followed was heavy with understanding. The girls finally exhaled, the toxic jealousy that had been eating at them replaced by a profound sense of relief. They weren't being abandoned; they were being shielded.
Dober and Air Groove both stood and bowed deeply to Flora.
"Flora-senpai… please forgive our rudeness. We were… arrogant."
"We didn't know our own place. Thank you for telling us."
"Ah, don't worry about it," Flora waved them off, slipping back into her playful persona. "I'm used to Rampage-san treating me like a stray dog, so a little backtalk from you two is nothing. But, since you're listening now… want to know why Suzuka was the one?"
"Yes! Please!" they said in unison.
"Because she has a defined 'Self.' Her style is hers alone. She wants the lead because it's where she belongs. If you want Rampage-san to look your way, stop trying to follow her. Find your own run. Build your own individual 'Self.' Do that, and she'll be the one coming to you with a training menu."
"Yes! Thank you, Flora-senpai!"
The two girls sprinted out of the room, their footsteps echoing with a new, focused energy. They were likely heading straight to Minamisaka to ask for more drills. Flora watched them go, then pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hey, Rampage-san. The kids are all fixed up. They'll be much better from here on out."
"I owe you one for the trouble," the voice crackled on the other end.
"We're more than friends, aren't we? If you really want to thank me… remember that time in the hotel bath when Taki-chan and I—"
"Drop dead. (Click)"
"Wait! Hello?! Aww… she's so shy!"
Meanwhile, on a winding mountain road…
"So, Suzuka. How was your first taste of the pass?"
Suzuka sat in the passenger seat, her eyes wide and her ears pinned back, though she wasn't trembling. "...It was breathtaking. The way the scenery just… slides past you. I've never felt a sensation like that!"
"It's totally tubular, right?!" Maruzensky laughed from the driver's seat.
"Um… Rampage-san?" Suzuka looked back at me. "Could we come back here again sometime? I'd like to see it from the driver's seat eventually."
"You've created a monster," I groaned, rubbing my temples.
[Training Results]
Silence Suzuka's Stamina decreased by 30.
Speed increased by 15.
Power increased by 15.
Grit increased by 25.
Hint Level for [Curved Line Professor] increased by 4!
Hint Level for [Downhill Specialist] increased by 3!
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"