"...Run according to your plan, Trainer? In that case, you just watch my performance today, Trainer," Mejiro McQueen said with a smile.
Okino was a bit dazed by this cool, elegant smile.
"That's weird... When did McQueen get this 'intellectual beauty' vibe? For a second, I felt like I was looking at a grown-up McQueen. Something's wrong. Very wrong. Today's McQueen is definitely not right..."
Okino was still thinking about McQueen's smile all the way to the stadium. It wasn't until the race started that he began to seriously observe the competitors. When he saw McQueen complete her start with a perfect form, Okino excitedly clenched his fists!
Amazing!
It seems that although McQueen is a little nervous, her performance in the race is still flawless. No, it's even better than usual!
"It's fine. She can do it. It's a bit different from the initial plan, but if she keeps running at this pace... Go, McQueen!"
Okino was thrilled. Although McQueen's first year was ruined by her physical condition, as long as she wins this G-grade race, then all she has to do is win the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen...
Okino could already imagine McQueen's future race schedule.
On the track.
Mejiro McQueen used her magnificent start to burst into first place.
'So Ryan is in this race too? I don't remember her from before. But then again, the "me" from back then hadn't become the "me" I am now. I probably wouldn't have paid attention to such an unremarkable horse girl.' McQueen glanced at the surrounding competitors.
In her opinion, the pace of this race was weak. The fighting spirit shown by the runners was insufficient. She couldn't feel that intense obsession for victory.
But this was expected. Feeling no real competition, Mejiro McQueen had no intention of holding back. She activated her skill directly.
"Bang!" Her horseshoe struck hard. A shockwave erupted from Mejiro McQueen. In an instant, she shot forward like an arrow, breaking the wind resistance and accelerating.
From this moment, the Kikuka Sho had officially begun!
In the "Spica" clubroom, the members were watching the live broadcast. As one of the most-watched runners, Mejiro McQueen got a lot of screen time thanks to her leading start. "Alright, the race has begun! All horse girls had a beautiful start! In the lead is this horse girl, running her first G-grade race. But McQueen seems a bit impatient, starting to accelerate in the very first section..."
Mejiro McQueen was sprinting. After securing the lead, she had no intention of relaxing. She continued to dash at an astonishing speed. This was an unheard-of running style. Even horse girls who specialized in "Escape" tactics wouldn't do this. "Escape" runners would usually relax and maintain their rhythm after getting the lead, not continue to mindlessly sprint like McQueen was doing now.
"What the hell is McQueen doing?!"
Gold Ship slammed the table and stood up. Seeing McQueen's seemingly mistake-ridden run, her temper exploded. She couldn't imagine McQueen making such a rookie mistake. But on the screen, McQueen was still accelerating, already pulling a huge distance from the others. While it looked amazing, it was undoubtedly a cardinal sin in racing. No one would dare run like this even in a short-distance race, and they would definitely gas out. Let alone in the 3000-meter, super-long-distance Kikuka Sho!
"What the hell is that trainer doing?! Didn't he say it would be fine? If Teio wins her debut but he loses with McQueen, wouldn't that be hilarious? Is this his plan? Have McQueen pull away in the first section? Even if McQueen's stamina is better, doing this is just a meaningless waste of her stamina!"
Gold Ship didn't know she was wrongly accusing him. At this moment, Trainer Okino was also in the stands, dumbfounded, watching the runaway McQueen. If he could shout loud enough for her to hear, he would be yelling at her to stop.
Damn it, this isn't right. She's not supposed to run like this!
Is it because McQueen used that skill yesterday? Does she think she can run like the McQueen from the dream?
Don't be ridiculous!
We don't even know if that McQueen could exist in reality! How can any horse girl pull off a "Great Escape" in a real-life long-distance race!
This is bad!
Based on his observations, if McQueen continued this, with her stamina, it would be impossible to finish the race, let alone win.
Okino looked around for an empty spot in the stands near McQueen's lane, wanting to get in position to yell a warning. Even if she's wasted stamina, if she can just calm down and conserve energy in the middle leg, with her quality, she still has a chance. But just as he found a suitable spot, before he could figure out how to get there, he saw McQueen run past. His face twisted in pain.
It's no use!
He could never catch up to McQueen in this state. And there weren't enough open seats to find the right opportunity to give her instructions.
"If only I'd brought a megaphone!"
Okino was filled with regret. Even if it broke the rules, even if he'd be thrown out, if it could help McQueen, he wouldn't hesitate. But he'd never imagined this situation. What trainer would think to bring a megaphone to a race?
Helpless, Okino could only stop and return to his original seat. As a privilege for the trainer, his seat was excellent. He could see the whole track and was near the finish line. As long as the horse girls hit the final straight, they could see their friends and family. This was all specially arranged by the event organizers.
"Something's wrong. McQueen's expression seems..."
Okino, forced to calm down, looked at the close-up of McQueen on the big screen. He saw her expression was extremely calm. She didn't have the anxiety or panic of a runner who'd made a mistake. If anything, it was an expression of contempt, as if victory was already in her grasp. But what gives her that confidence?
He knew that Mejiro Ryan, a strong horse girl, was in this race. As a fellow Mejiro, McQueen couldn't not know her sister's strength, right?
That's a powerhouse who almost became a Triple Crown horse girl! And as a Mejiro, she also has strong long-distance suitability. Her stamina isn't much worse than McQueen's. Plus, she has that powerful finishing kick. To choose an "Escape" strategy on this track, against this opponent... it's just terrible!
Okino found it hard to believe McQueen had any chance of winning. In this situation, choosing to "Escape" was no different from suicide. Not just a Chuuou trainer like him, but even a trainer-in-training could see the logic. He could already imagine the public outcry he'd face after this race. Even if it was McQueen's decision, as her trainer, he was responsible for failing to stop it. He powerlessly unwrapped a lollipop and stuck it in his mouth.
Yes.
At this moment, including Okino, not a single person believed in McQueen anymore.
The commentator didn't even know what to say. No matter how he phrased it, talking about this runner sounded like sarcasm. But the problem was, she had made an unbelievably amateurish mistake.
However, there was a certain group of people. They knew nothing about these things. They just liked watching horse girls run, dance, and sing. And many of them had also had that "dream" of the other "Kikuka Sho." They were instantly excited. They gripped their support sticks, disbelieving, and stared at that purple figure.
"Could it be—"
Silence. Bated breath. Their bodies trembled, blood pumping. They heard the so-called Aemushi (fans) around them sighing and analyzing her mistake, and they felt only disdain and excitement. Because they were sure they weren't mistaken. As pure oshi (supporters), they would never mistake a horse girl's form or aura!
On the track, Mejiro Ryan, who was in the back, heard the commentator talk about McQueen and frowned. Although they were rivals, she was worried about McQueen's condition. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do, and she didn't want to lose this race. She could only suppress her feelings.
For the other runners, McQueen's mistake was a ray of hope. Since McQueen's recovery, she had run three races in a month, earning one second-place and two first-place finishes to get here. Although her popularity was unfortunately ranked fourth due to her first-year record, they all knew she was a strong enemy. Now, seeing her major blunder, they felt like one strong rival was already gone.
The only opponent left to worry about was Mejiro Ryan. Regardless of Ryan's past record, everyone knew the strength of the Mejiro bloodline in long-distance races.
Mejiro McQueen, running in front, felt the stares on her disappear. It seemed both the audience and her rivals had written her off. This was a first for her since her debut. She found it novel.
In her original world, she was treated as a major threat in every race. Opponents were always trying to stop her "Great Escape." But now, not only was no one stopping her, they were ignoring her?
'You can't even gauge your opponent's strength? You are all so weak.'
Meanwhile, Miss Rice Cake (original McQueen), floating behind as a spirit, was horrified. Her thoughts were the same as everyone else's: she thought Mejiro McQueen was self-destructing. She had previously thought this 'other me' was here to win for her, and she had been disgusted. But now, seeing the 'other me' was here to make her lose, she regretted her previous thoughts. If this is the case, I'd rather you just win for me!
"You bastard! Take this race seriously!"
Although the other person had beaten her with this running style in the dream, Miss Rice Cake didn't think she could bring that style into reality. It was just a dream, after all. And even if she did have that strength, Miss Rice Cake knew her own body wasn't worthy. Her stamina couldn't possibly support that kind of run.