On the first day of summer vacation, Shuta An took Oguri Cap and Berno Light from Nagoya to Sapporo.
After getting off the plane, he turned to Berno Light. "According to your plan, do we head straight to Noboribetsu, or look around Sapporo first?"
"The JR train to Noboribetsu doesn't leave until after 1 PM, so we have five whole hours,"
Berno Light said, blinking mischievously. "Naturally, we should explore the area around Sapporo Station, right? Unless Oguri and I go check out the shopping street while Trainer guards the luggage in the waiting room?"
"I'm going shopping with you," Shuta An declined immediately. "I'm not sitting alone watching luggage. Forget it."
"Last year when I came to Hokkaido, I didn't get to explore Sapporo properly," Oguri Cap mumbled. "Only Ann went out alone to buy a gift for my mother."
"That trip was for the Hokkaido expedition. This one is for vacation—they're completely different," Shuta An replied. "Oguri will have plenty of time to wander around in the next two months."
"That's true" Oguri Cap squeezed her left hand. "But I can't just rest for months, right? I still need to maintain normal training. Otherwise, it'll be hard to return to form by autumn."
"Daily training should be maintained year-round," Shuta An said calmly. "And if Oguri wants, I don't mind arranging a Central major race for you this summer."
"A Central major race?" Berno Light blinked in surprise. "Are there any suitable high-level races for her in summer?"
"Not high-level, but definitely good practice," Shuta An said with a small smile. "At the end of August, there's the G3 Sapporo Kinen—2000 meters on dirt, at Sapporo Racecourse."
"2000 meters on dirt" Oguri Cap visibly balked. Leaning against him, she protested, "Sapporo Kinen is impossible—and what about relaxing like we agreed?"
"The prize money is only 31 million yen, and it's a dirt race she doesn't need to run," Shuta An reassured her, pecking her cheek. "We're not entering Oguri. Our real target is the Autumn Tenno Sho."
"Autumn Tenno Sho" Oguri murmured. "The biggest opponent should be Tamamo, right?"
"Indeed," Shuta An admitted.
"Tamamo Cross-senpai is so strong. Ever since she met Oguri last year, she feels like she awakened, winning nonstop. A few days ago, at the Takarazuka Kinen, the heavily favored Akitsu Teio got crushed by her."
"That's normal," Shuta An said, recalling the broadcast. "Akitsu Teio is a G1 Uma Musume, but the gap distance adaptability between her and Tamamo Cross is too clear."
He gave his assessment. "Tamamo Cross has the level to become this year's URA Uma Musume of the Year. She's easily the strongest of her generation."
"It's a pity she didn't run the Classic Race. The results might have been different," Berno Light whispered.
Shuta An disagreed. "Tamamo Cross only reached her current strength in the latter half of last year. Even if she participated earlier, the Classic Race results wouldn't have shifted much. She didn't have the power to shake Sakura Star O back then."`
"But now it's different. Times have changed." He turned to Oguri Cap. "Even though you both have two G1 victories, we must approach the Autumn Tenno Sho as challengers."
"There are still months until then," Berno Light sighed. "Ann, don't tell Oguri all this so early."
"My bad, my bad." Shuta An tapped his forehead. "Let's go to the mall. Starting with Daimaru—the place where I bought Mrs. Narubi's gift."
"You changed your tune quickly" Oguri commented, though her eyes softened with a smile.
After visiting all the major malls around Sapporo Station, the three had a simple lunch, rested briefly in the waiting room, and boarded their train. It took a little over an hour to fly from Nagoya to Sapporo—and another hour by train from Sapporo to Noboribetsu.
Around three in the afternoon, they arrived at the entrance of Bourou Noguchi.
"So why are we soaking in hot springs in Hokkaido in the middle of summer!?" Oguri Cap exclaimed, noticing how deserted the tourist streets were.
"To avoid the heat in crowded Okinawa? Oguri would be mobbed for autographs the moment she stepped outside," Shuta An reminded her. "Don't forget—you're not who you used to be."
"I don't feel any different" Oguri muttered, though in truth she had grown used to being recognized.
"Even though we booked a hotel here, transportation is convenient and there are plenty of nearby attractions," Berno Light added.
"Exactly. We can visit Shiretoko Forest Park, Lake Toya, and more," Shuta An said. After being dragged through shops all morning, he unpacked, set up his laptop, changed into a yukata, and headed to the hotel's hot springs. (Lake Toya, Gin-chan bamboo sword :D)
Leaning against the pool edge, he exhaled deeply. "Even in summer, this is pretty comfortable."
With nearly three months of vacation ahead, Shuta An mentally reviewed his upcoming schedule.
"I'll be relatively free. Even with this pace, I'll cap at training two Uma Musume at once."
Training more than two? Just imagining the workload made his head hurt.
"Excuse me!" A voice called as the door opened—a familiar gray-haired Uma Musume.
Even though schools were on vacation, the Twinkle Series continued. Summer races were mostly moved to the cooler Hokkaido region. As a result, Noboribetsu was filled with Central Uma Musume visiting hot springs after their races.
Oguri Cap—now a two-time Classic Race winner—was especially popular. Every time she went out, she got surrounded for signatures, and her hand nearly cramped. Because so many Uma Musume recognized her, even more flocked to Noboribetsu hoping to see her. Recently, Oguri had been considering wearing disguises just to step outside.
"You'll have to face this eventually," Shuta An advised. "Instead of hiding, it's better to appear openly. Once they get used to seeing you, they'll stop crowding you."
"Next time I'll just refuse them," Oguri said with a pout, rubbing her sore wrist. "Taking a stroll is more tiring than training."
"It'll settle down eventually," Shuta An soothed, patting her head. "How about we go out exploring for a few days soon?"
"Okay!" Oguri brightened immediately.
"Then it's settled." Shuta An struck his palm with his fist. "Let's explore Shiretoko National Park. We'll stay nearby and experience the forest and the ocean."
So, when reporters—who had gotten wind of her trip—arrived in Noboribetsu, they found no sign of Oguri Cap.
She, Shuta An, and Berno Light had already reached Shiretoko National Park. Recognized as a national nature park over twenty years ago, it closed to protect the environment from November to March.
"If we came in winter, exploring would be impossible. At most we'd visit nearby ranches," Shuta An said as he led the way. "Since it's a peninsula, exploring it fully takes days. Let's drop our luggage at the hotel first, rest, and start this afternoon."
"No problem!" both Uma Musume replied. Even Oguri, a Hokkaido native, had never explored the peninsula.
But upon arriving at the "hotel," the two Uma Musume froze. It looked more like a ranch with a guesthouse.
"It feels pretty safe to stay somewhere like this," Oguri commented.
"If we stayed elsewhere, news of you being here would spread instantly," Shuta An said. "So I chose this ranch-turned-guesthouse."
"Oh, oh, oh~" Oguri nodded.
But as soon as she stepped inside, she stopped cold.
"What's wrong?" Berno Light asked, stepping in—and froze as well.
Shuta An only needed one look to understand: the guesthouse was decorated wall-to-wall with Tamamo Cross posters and merchandise.
"Is the owner a fervent fan of Tama-chan?" Oguri asked.
"That's right!" A middle-aged woman emerged, resembling Mrs. White Narubi. Staff members followed behind her. (In this fic, the setting of Tamamo Cross wasn't like the Anime. The author said it was closely related to the RL situation)
"We're Tama-chan's most loyal fans!" one of the uncles said proudly.
"Tama-chan grew up on our ranch! This guesthouse was built with her prize money," another added.
"Is that so?" Shuta An was genuinely surprised. "So you're all old acquaintances of Miss Tamamo Cross—and she sponsored this place?"
"A large part of her prize money must've been spent here—" Oguri muttered. "No wonder she told me she wanted to win more races to earn more prize money"
She felt her cheeks warm remembering how she had teased Tamamo Cross about being greedy.
After settling in, Oguri video-called Tamamo Cross.
"Eh? Why are there posters of me behind you? Did you switch hotels?" Tamamo Cross immediately asked.
"Doesn't Tama find it familiar?" Oguri blinked.
"It does look familiar—" After a moment, Tamamo realized, "Oh! That's our ranch's guesthouse!"
"I didn't expect Oguri to stay there. Are you avoiding the attention in Noboribetsu?" she asked teasingly.
"It's just a coincidence," Oguri replied. "I was shocked—the whole lobby is full of your posters and merchandise. I thought I walked into a fan headquarters."
"Hehehe, everyone spoils me a lot!" Tamamo said proudly. "I helped pay off their debts and built a guesthouse so the uncles would have work. I want to earn even more so everyone can live even better!"
"Even so, I won't go easy on Tama in the Autumn Tenno Sho," Oguri pouted. "I have my own reasons for needing to win."
"I know. And you'll need to give your all, or you won't beat me," Tamamo Cross grinned. "I watched the replay of your French Derby, so I'm sure of this—the current Oguri is missing something compared to me. Unless you completely master that sensation—you had in the final stretch of the French Derby, you won't defeat me."
"Really?" Oguri Cap murmured, not entirely convinced.