"Yes, that's the situation. It looks like my return to Japan will be delayed a bit longer…"
"I figured as much," Rampage replied into the phone. "But taking three different titles at the Breeders' Cup is a massive deal. The US media isn't about to let a golden goose like you leave just yet."
As predicted, Trainer Minamisaka's return was pushed back, leaving Rampage to take the lead for the upcoming Queen Elizabeth II Cup. While Trainer Sasada was on-site, he was still technically a sub-trainer and felt the weight of a G1 was a bit too much to carry alone. Thus, the "Tyrant" stepped in as the acting lead for Team Canopus.
"Sasada-kun, you've got it rough, don't you? You probably wanted Minami-chan here to hold your hand," Rampage teased.
"I've gotten used to the daily grind," Sasada admitted, "but when it comes to a G1… the pressure is just different, you know?"
"You're telling me? I'm still technically a second-year rookie myself," Rampage said with a shrug. "Though I suppose in terms of seniority within Canopus, I've got the tenure."
Rampage arrived at Kyoto Racecourse to finalize the strategy with Sasada. Since Trainer Sakahara was handling Mayano Topgun's stakes debut, Rampage could focus entirely on the Canopus duo. The rest of Team Pleiades had stayed back at the Tracen Center under Trainer Kamimizuru's watchful eye, leaving only Maya and Sakahara to make the trip to Kyoto.
"The QEII is the main event, but the Kyoto Junior Stakes is up first," Rampage noted. "I'm not too worried about the schedule."
"So we're the headliners and the kid is the opening act?" Hish Amazon grinned, stretching her arms. "If she wins big, it'll give us the momentum we need to blow the roof off this place."
"You do realize you're on different teams, right, Ama-chan?" Rampage asked.
"Pfft. She's your trainee, Rampage-senpai. That makes her a junior member of the Canopus family by extension!"
Amazon and Dragon Rampage (Dra-Ran) were preparing in the waiting room. This was their first true test in the Senior Class. Instead of just facing their own generation in the Classics, they were now up against seasoned veterans. Despite the stakes, both girls looked remarkably relaxed.
"Nature and Tannhauser are prepping for the Japan Cup, and Ticket is getting ready for the Arima Kinen with Laurel," Dra-Ran noted. "I think knowing they aren't in this field helps me breathe a little easier."
"Honestly," Amazon added, "compared to the mock races Senpai sets up for us, a G1 feels like a walk in the park. Seriously, though, stop bringing Mejiro l'Amone out of retirement just to spar with us! My heart can't take racing against the first-ever Triple Tiara winner on a random Tuesday!"
"What can I say? Sister L'Amone and I were roommates. She's family," Rampage replied nonchalantly.
Sasada shook his head. "That's where you and I differ, Rampage. I bring in peers or promising juniors. You make one phone call and a Legend appears. It's terrifying."
The "Tyrant's" training sessions had become legendary for their absurdity. Most trainers struggled to find high-level sparring partners; Rampage treated it like ordering a pizza.
"Wait, wait, wait! This isn't a mock race, this is a massacre!" Amazon had screamed during their last session.
"Hah! Don't be a baby!" L'Amone had laughed, her eyes flashing with that old, predatory brilliance. "It's been a while since I've faced a girl who actually looks me in the eye. This is going to be fun!"
"Fine! If that's how it's gonna be!" Dra-Ran had roared, her competitive fire ignited. "I've been running with the world's fastest tyrant my whole life—I'm not scared of a Legend! Let's go!"
L'Amone had been impressed. She'd come as a favor to her "younger sister," but she found herself genuinely invigorated by the raw spirit of the "Amazoness" and the "Dragon." It was the most fun she'd had since her days running against Symboli Rudolf.
"I still can't believe we actually raced L'Amone-san…" Dra-Ran muttered, snapped back to the present. "Senpai, please. No more 'takeout Legends.'"
"I've never ordered takeout in my life, so I don't know the feeling," Rampage replied blankly.
"That's not the point!" Sasada barked. "My heart almost stopped watching her mentor you. I felt like I was being judged by the goddess of racing herself!"
"She's actually very kind to anyone who takes racing seriously," Rampage insisted. "If you just talk to her normally, she's great. She's not nearly as scary as you guys think."
'That's only because you're you,' the other three thought in perfect unison.
Seeing that the Kyoto Junior Stakes was about to begin, Rampage left Sasada with the girls and went to find Sakahara.
"Did I make it?"
"With time to spare," Sakahara said, pointing to the track. "She's just about to head to the gates."
They were in a quiet corner of the stands. Rampage's preemptive strike against the media via her livestream had worked; although people recognized her, they kept a respectful distance. She turned her focus to the turf. Eight runners. 2,000 meters. The same conditions as the Shuka Sho. Maya wasn't on the Triple Tiara path, but this was her first Graded Stakes challenge.
Rampage looked at Maya's face on the monitors. She wasn't nervous. She looked… dangerous.
"She's got a good look in her eye, Maya-ya," Rampage murmured.
"I made sure she was relaxed before she headed out," Sakahara said. "She's ready."
Maya handled the gate loading perfectly. While some of the other runners were acting up, causing a delay, she remained perfectly still, her concentration absolute. Then—the gates crashed open.
"And they're off! A clean start for the field. TM Taiyo takes the early lead, with Jet TM and Prodigy City pressing from the outside. Hyper Energy is in the mix, and the heavy favorite, Mayano Topgun, is holding back on the inside. Narita Jack is moving up to challenge!"
Maya settled into a position between the leaders and the mid-pack, her eyes constantly scanning her surroundings. Being the favorite meant she was being heavily marked; the other runners were already trying to box her in against the rail.
"It's getting a bit tight in there," Sakahara noted, leaning forward.
"She's small," Rampage countered. "For Maya-ya, that 'tight' space is a highway. I'd be struggling, but she's fine."
"Well, yeah. If anyone tried to mark a 'Grand-Sprinting' monster like you, they'd just burn out and die."
As they talked, Maya maintained her own rhythm. She didn't panic as the walls closed in. In fact, as the infamous Yodo Incline—the steep hill of the Kyoto course—came into view, she did something unexpected. She sped up.
Automatically, the girls marking her increased their pace to keep her boxed in. They hit the slope at a punishing speed.
"They're hitting the Yodo Incline! TM Taiyo still leads by a length, but the pace is picking up! Prodigy City and Hyper Energy look like they're struggling to adjust—wait! Mayano Topgun is making her move! She slips past Prodigy City and Jet TM like they're standing still! She's into second!"
On the track, Maya glanced at the girl next to her and flashed a tiny, devilish smile. "This hill is easy for me… but how are you guys holding up?"
The other runners looked like they wanted to scream. The golden rule of Yodo was to climb slow and descend slow to save energy. By baiting them into a high-speed climb, Maya had shattered their stamina. As soon as they hit the crest and started the descent, Maya exploded.
"She's flying down the hill! Mayano Topgun has seized the lead before they've even hit the final turn! She's into the stretch and she's pulling away! Ski Tyii and Narita Jack are trying to close the gap from the back, but Topgun is too fast! She's widening the lead! It's five lengths… six lengths! The rookie from Team Pleiades is in a league of her own! Mayano Topgun crosses the line—a dominant seven-length victory!"
"Four starts, four wins! Mayano Topgun is still undefeated!"
"Yay! Trainer-chan! Rampage-san! Did you see that?!"
Maya was jumping for joy, waving frantically at the stands and blowing kisses to the crowd. Watching her, it was hard to reconcile the bubbly, cute girl with the tactical genius who had just ruthlessly dismantled a stakes field. That gap—the "Little Devil" persona—was exactly why her popularity was skyrocketing.
"First stakes win in the bag," Sakahara breathed a sigh of relief. "Next up… the Hopeful Stakes. Our first G1. We've got to give it everything we've got."
"Damn right," Rampage agreed, a smirk tugging at her lips. "The real show starts now, Maya. If you want to be a true 'Top Gun,' you're going to have to fly through the Classics—and that means facing the monsters who just graduated from Nemesis."
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