"Waaaah! I've never seen the ocean look this blue!"
"I am going to swim with maximum power, si!"
"Training camp is officially the best thing ever!"
The girls of Team Pleiades had descended upon the Mejiro private beach like a colorful whirlwind. Having looked forward to this day for weeks, every one of them had arrived with a brand-new swimsuit. For young horse girls, the beach was a battlefield of sorts—even a single swimsuit was a strategic choice not to be taken lightly. Of course, since this was a private beach, their only audience was the Mejiro staff. The "beach hut" standing on the sand was currently manned by a man who was, in reality, a high-ranking butler for the Mejiro estate.
(For the sake of Lady Rampage and Lady Dober's summer memories, I shall stake my professional pride on this barbecue, these corn-on-the-cobs, and the perfect management of this hut!) the butler thought, his eyes burning with a silent, fiery loyalty.
"I swear, I will never be able to figure you out," Stay Gold muttered.
"What? Is it that weird for me to wear a swimsuit and go for a swim?" Rampage asked.
"It's not the outfit. It's the fact that your energy levels are through the roof. It's unsettling."
Stay Gold was rocking a stunning swimsuit of her own, and despite her grumbling, she was arguably the most hyped person at the camp.
"Oh, let it go," Rampage laughed. "Starting tomorrow, things are going to get brutal, just like last year. We might as well store up some good vibes while we can."
"Fair point."
"Alright then—charge!!" Mayano Top Gun yelled, preparing to sprint for the water.
"Wait just a minute!"
The one who stepped in to pull the handbrake was King Halo, who had slowly but surely become the unofficial "conscience" of Team Pleiades. King was also in her swimwear, but she had a light cover-up draped over her shoulders, giving her an air of authority—like a class president trying to keep a group of rowdy delinquents in line.
Usually, Bakushin O is the one playing the class rep, Rampage thought, watching the scene with amusement. This is a fresh look for King.
"We were told we could play, yes, but this is still a training camp!" King lectured, standing tall. "We must maintain our dignity and, more importantly, avoid injury. Team Pleiades is riding a wave of momentum following Maya-san's debut. Every action Maya-san takes reflects on the team's policy! Therefore, you must be more—well, I'm not saying we shouldn't have fun, because I've been looking forward to this too, but! Warm-up exercises are mandatory! Watch out for jellyfish! And furthermore—"
"King. Hey, King-san. Over here."
"What?"
King turned around and froze. There stood Rampage, her swimsuit revealing a physique that could only be described as a masterpiece of athletic violence. King's mother, Goodbye Halo, rarely wore such revealing attire, but even setting that aside, Rampage's proportions were staggering.
"Rampage-san... you're incredible?!" King blurted out, her lecture forgotten. "Your waist is narrower than my mother's, and your skin is... it's like polished marble!"
"Yeah, thanks. Don't tell your mom that, though; she'll probably get depressed. Anyway, look," Rampage pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "I appreciate you doing the speech for me, but... literally no one is listening."
At the end of her finger, Maya and the others were already sprinting toward the waves, clutching inner tubes and beach balls. Even Air Groove and Dober, who usually tried to stay composed, looked like they were ready to dive headfirst into the fun.
"But... I worked so hard on these!" King wailed, clutching a stack of pamphlets. 'King's Guide to a Safe and Joyful Pleiades Summer.' She had clearly spent hours making sure everyone would have an orderly, perfect time.
"I didn't ask you to do it, but you've got a real knack for leadership, kid," Rampage said, patting her shoulder. "Maybe I'll make you my official assistant from now on."
"O-Of course you will! There is very little this King cannot do, thanks to my mother's rigorous education! And if there is something I can't do, I shall study until I can!"
"Spoken like a champion. Now, enough talk. Get out there and have some fun."
"King-chaaan! Hurry up!"
"Let's play beach volleyball!"
"Hurry, hurry!"
King's face lit up at being called over. "Honestly! You lot are helpless! Fine, fine! But everyone must do at least one set of stretches first!"
She ran off to join them, her "regal" facade slipping to reveal the excited teenager underneath. Rampage watched them go, a content smile on her face. The sight of the girls chasing a ball through the surf was, by all accounts, a masterpiece.
"High, El!"
"YES! Attack!"
"Waaaah?!"
"Maya-no Receive!"
"Nice one, Maya-san! Spe-chan, it's yours!"
"Special... Spaiiiike—Oof!"
Thwack.
The ball connected squarely with Special Week's face, sending her tumbling into the shallow water with a spectacular splash.
"Spe-chan! Are you okay?!"
"How does she manage to take it on the chin every single time?" Rampage muttered from the safety of her beach umbrella.
"Bwahahaha! Spe, you're the best! You could make a living as a comedian!" Stay Gold roared with laughter.
"Stay Gold, that's mean!"
"Is there any blood? Let me see."
"Uuuugh... Just you wait! Next time for sure!"
The beach was a chaos of splashing water, flying sand, and bright, youthful laughter. Watching the way their athletic frames moved, the way their smiles caught the sunlight... it was a hell of a view. I guess the 'man' in me is coming out today, Rampage thought. If I keep staring like this, Suzuka's going to give me that 'look,' so I'd better behave.
A moment later, Kamitsuru—wearing a pair of red boxer-style trunks—sat down in the shade next to her.
"So," Rampage said, leaning back. "What do you think? A private beach full of beautiful girls in swimsuits. For a guy, this must be heaven, right?"
Kamitsuru didn't look. "I'm mostly just terrified that if I look the wrong way, someone's going to report me to the authorities."
"You're no fun. What, did you come over here to pick me up then? I'm told my 'style' is quite something."
"Um... well... honestly, I can't really look at you that way," Kamitsuru admitted, staring straight ahead at the horizon. "I see you as a colleague. A partner. The professional recognition is just too strong."
"Ouch. That's a bit complicated for a girl's ego."
Rampage playfully slid her arm through his. She felt him instantly turn into a pillar of salt. Ah, so the cool exterior was just a front, she thought.
"Don't be so stiff," she whispered, leaning in closer. "How about it? Wouldn't you like to spend a little summer magic... with me?"
"...If I said no, I'd be a liar," Kamitsuru choked out. "But spending time with you is... exhausting. In more ways than one."
"Tch. What a boring reaction. You could at least give me a little more than that."
"I once turned down a confession from a horse girl back in high school," Kamitsuru said, regaining some of his composure. "I have no openings."
"Wait, why'd you turn her down?"
"Because the aftermath sounded terrifying."
"You're either very sensible or very dull. I can't decide which."
"Sorry to disappoint."
Rampage stood up, stepping out from under the umbrella. She made a conscious effort to put a bit of a sway in her hips as she walked toward the water, calling out to the team.
"Hey, girls! I checked with the staff—we can do banana boats and jet blades later! Who's in?"
"Banana boats?! Are they delicious?!" Special Week shouted back.
"They aren't food, Spe!"
As the beach erupted into laughter again, Kamitsuru put his head in his hands, hiding a face that had turned a deep, shade of crimson. It wasn't just the summer heat.
"Give me a break..." he muttered to the sand. "I don't have the immunity for this."
Rampage's presence—in every sense of the word—was simply too much for one sub-trainer to handle.
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