"It's been ten years... ten long years! I've waited so long for this moment!"
"Keep it down, you're gonna burst my eardrums!"
The Pleiades clubroom was filled with the sound of a voice screaming in pure ecstasy from Rampage's smartphone. Rampage sat at her laptop, wincing as she held the phone away from her ear. Her friend on the other end was beyond consolation.
"But it's official! It's certified! I don't care about anything else anymore—!"
"Look, I get it. I'm honestly jealous. I've got work to do, and here you are living the dream."
"Heh-heh! For me, this is work~!"
"Still jealous."
Rampage was talking to Armdrinx, one of the strongest competitors on the international circuit and a close personal friend. Rampage had recently acted as a go-between for a contract with a company Armdrinx favored, and the resulting news had caused her friend's emotions to overflow.
"Ten years, huh?" Rampage mused. "I wonder if that time felt long or short to us."
"I was busy enjoying the previous series, so I can't really say," Armdrinx replied, her tone finally leveling out. "But I can't wait to see what kind of struggle is waiting for us this time."
"Well, give me your review once you've had a taste. I'll talk to you later."
"Roger! I'll make sure my requests get through. Talk soon!"
The call ended. Armdrinx was going to be very busy soon—not just as an Uma Musume, but in a different "theatre of war" entirely. As Rampage pondered the nature of a ten-year wait, the members of Pleiades filed into the room.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rampage-san."
"Welcome back. I've prepared a grand welcome for you all," Rampage said, her voice dropping into a mock-villainous tone.
"Listen to her," Stay Gold snorted. "Sounding like Lord Zarbon. What kind of 'welcome' are we talking about?"
In response to Ste-Go's provocation, Rampage pulled a large box from the clubroom's refrigerator. It was a custom fruit cake from the Mejiro family's private pâtisserie. Every girl's eyes lit up instantly. When Rampage followed it with a tray of premium carrot juice, tails began to wag in unison. True to her promise, Rampage always provided high-end refreshments for their strategy meetings.
"Very, very delicious! This is the best!" Taiki Shuttle cheered.
"Oh man, I can't stop eating... Can I have seconds?!" El Pasa asked through a mouthful of cake.
"Take as much as you want, I bought plenty."
"Yay! Hey—Maya wanted that chocolate plate!"
"First come, first served," Sunday Silence grunted, snatching the garnish.
"Muuu—!"
"The juice is quite excellent as well..." Air Groove noted, maintaining her dignity even as she reached for another glass.
Rampage watched them enjoy the spread for a moment before tapping the table to bring them to order. "Alright, while you eat, let's get through the agenda. For now, Pleiades is in a holding pattern. Maya's debut won't be until June at the earliest."
"Maya's okay with that!" Topgun chirped.
The team's true debut would be next year; until then, they needed to focus on building their foundations. However, with the G1 season in full swing, "business as usual" was still going to be incredibly hectic.
"The G1 circuit isn't slowing down," Rampage reminded them. "The Kikuka-sho, the Shuka-sho, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the Japan Cup, the Champions Cup... this time of year is a gauntlet."
"I know that better than anyone," Air Groove sighed. "The rotation from the Shuka-sho to the QEII and then the Japan Cup... that was a lot to handle."
Looking back, that schedule was borderline suicidal. Only an Uma Musume as physically durable as Ikuno Dictus could truly survive it unscathed. But this year's circuit was going to be even more turbulent than usual, because El Gutz, Silverstone, and Stahl Almeccor were all staying in Japan to compete. World-class G1 winners were invading the domestic scene—a phenomenon largely caused by Rampage's own global fame.
"This affects all of you," Rampage said seriously. "In the past, international runners usually only targeted the Japan Cup. But this year, three of them are ignoring the traditional schedule. This might become the new normal. By the time you girls hit your Senior years, the influx of international talent will be massive."
Rampage specifically had the year 1997 in mind—the year Pilsudski, the brother of her friend Fine Motion, would historically come to Japan and snatch the Japan Cup. Given how things were changing, he might arrive even earlier.
"The international scene... it used to feel so far away," Air Groove murmured. "But under you, Big Sister, it feels like it's right at our doorstep."
"Having Taiki here probably helps too," El added.
"Oh?" Taiki tilted her head, smiling.
Being in Team Pleiades gave them a perspective on the world that no other team in Tracen Academy could match.
"Anyway, I might be getting pretty busy toward the end of the year," Rampage said, glancing at her sub-trainer, Kamimizuru. "I might not be around as much, so make sure you listen to what Ue-chan tells you."
Ue-chan was currently sipping coffee instead of carrot juice. Compared to Rampage, he was still green. While the "Rampage faction" like Air Groove looked at him with slight skepticism, the more energetic members like Taiki, Sunny, and Maya treated him more like a fun playmate than a stern trainer. Stay Gold simply ignored him entirely.
"I'll do my best to look after them," Ue-chan said. "I know I haven't earned your full trust yet, so I'll work until my actions speak for me."
"That's the spirit."
He was learning, but he was still a "Novice Driver" in the world of training. It would take time.
"And Suzuka," Rampage added, "I'm gonna be slammed in December, so give me a break on the mountain pass trips for a bit."
"Are you two still doing that?" Air Groove asked, exasperated.
"We go two or three times a month," Suzuka said simply.
"Ehhh?! Maya wants to go too!"
"Why are you going to be so busy, though?" Sunday Silence asked.
"Because," Rampage said, her eyes flashing with a familiar fire. "The first-ever URA Finals and the Legend Race are being held at the end of the year."
The room went silent. The Legend Race—the massive project Rampage had been spearheading behind the scenes—was finally happening. Suzuka was the first to realize the implication.
"Wait... Rampage-san... does that mean you're entering the Legend Race!?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
Rampage said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but the impact on the girls was seismic. They thought they had seen the last of her on the turf. To think they would see her fly across the track once more... it made their hearts race.
"The lineup is already insane. Maruzensky, Katsuragi Ace, and all three of the TTG legends are confirmed. And that's just the start."
"Those names... that's unbelievable!" Air Groove gasped.
"I have to see this-desu!" Taiki cheered.
"Once Maya and the others debut next year, I won't have the time to compete as a legend," Rampage explained. "So I'm going all out this year."
Rumor had it that many runners from the Dream Trophy League were begging for a spot in the Legend Race. Under the rules, they were allowed to enter, but doing so meant withdrawing from the Dream Trophy Winter Race due to the proximity of the dates. It was a choice between the official league or a chance to face the "Legends."
Many were choosing the Legends. The URA was currently having a headache trying to decide how to handle the influx of applicants, but Rampage didn't care. She was going to do things her way.
"Now then," Rampage grinned. "I wonder which 'Legend' I'll get to crush first."
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