Starlight and McQueen took only a brief stroll before returning to the dormitory cabins. With training scheduled for the afternoon, they had to set aside some time for rest.
After a short nap, Starlight woke up at 2:30 PM.
By the time she, McQueen, and Tokai Teio had changed clothes and stepped outside, quite a few Uma Musume were already out and about.
Some were training, while others were simply there to play.
However, the training ground for the three of them wasn't here, it was at the foot of a nearby mountain. When the three Uma Musume arrived, Kiryuu Inami was already leaning against a large tree, waiting for them.
"You're here... The training volume this afternoon is quite high. To ensure safety, let's start with a warm-up."
Nodding, Starlight and the others didn't say much and began a light jog along the path.
Meanwhile, on a rocky outcrop elsewhere, Seiun Sky sat on a small stool, holding a fishing rod, leisurely passing the time.
"I've been sitting here all morning and haven't caught a single one. Surely I won't go home empty-handed this afternoon too, right?"
"Aha! Found you, Sky-chan~"
Suddenly, a soft voice called out from the shore nearby. An Uma Musume with short black hair, wearing a white floral dress, waved and shouted toward her.
"Ugh~ Oh no, how did Nishino Flower find me here?"
"Didn't you already rest all morning? Why are you back here again this afternoon?"
Stepping carefully over the rocks, Nishino Flower approached Seiun Sky.
Her eyes darting around, Seiun Sky gripped her fishing rod tighter. "I trained this morning, Flower-chan. You just didn't see me."
Tapping Seiun Sky on the head, Nishino Flower put her hands on her hips and spoke with a fierce yet adorable tone.
"I watched you fish over there all morning from the cafe behind us. You're lying again."
Seeing that her cover was blown, Seiun Sky's ears drooped slightly, but she still argued with a trace of stubbornness. "I trained properly when I arrived yesterday. Let me relax a bit today."
"Didn't you tell me before we came that you would strictly follow the training plan?"
"Ah! My fish..." Because she was busy listening to Nishino Flower's lecture, Seiun Sky could only watch helplessly as a fish swam over, snatched the bait, and flicked its tail away.
"Sky-chan, you're actually still thinking about the fish?!"
Don't let Nishino Flower's small stature and soft voice fool you, she possessed an innate authority that completely suppressed Seiun Sky.
"I get it, I'm going..."
"That's more like it."
Evening came. After training ended, a dejected Seiun Sky clutched her toiletries and trudged toward the bathhouse.
"My fish~ what a pity. I'll have to find time later... There are so many people bathing at this hour. I'll come back later."
Sighing, she walked to a nearby drink shop. At a glance, she spotted a silver-haired Uma Musume sitting by the window.
The girl was dressed in a yukata, her hair still slightly damp, looking like she had just finished soaking in the bath.
"Starlight-chan..."
Hearing the lifeless voice, Divine Starlight set down her glass of milk and turned around. "Oh, Sky-chan. Good evening."
After ordering a glass of carrot juice, Seiun Sky sat down next to Starlight. "Good evening, Starlight-chan."
Having said that, she slumped directly onto the table. Staring at the ocean view outside the window, she fell into a deep trance.
"What's wrong? You look like you've lost your soul." Reaching out to pat her head, Starlight asked curiously.
"Sigh~ I fished all morning and caught nothing. I thought I'd catch one or two this afternoon, but then I got lectured by Nishino Flower and sent to train... Right before I left, I saw a fish taking the bait. And then—"
As she spoke, Seiun Sky began to feel sorry for herself. She picked up her carrot juice, downed it in one go, and looked at Divine Starlight.
"I feel like my life is already over— sob sob sob..."
Starlight listened to her rambling, completely bewildered. By the time she realized what was happening, Seiun Sky had already burrowed into her arms and started crying.
'This... what am I even supposed to say to this?'
She slowly reached out and stroked Sky's head.
"There, there, Sky-chan. Don't cry. How about I go fishing with you another day?"
Sky let out some muffled whimpers and grunts that Starlight couldn't quite decipher. Until—
"Sky-chan~ Please don't make it sound like I'm bullying you."
At the sound of that voice, Seiun Sky's body stiffened instantly.
"And this is..."
"Nice to meet you, Starlight-senpai. I am Nishino Flower."
"Hello, Nishino Flower. Come, have a seat."
With a towel wrapped around her head and wearing a black yukata adorned with red flowers, Nishino Flower walked over with great politeness.
"So what exactly is going on here... Flower-chan?"
"Senpai, Sky-chan loves to slack off. Before we came here, her trainer asked me to keep an eye on her."
"As it turns out, on only the second day here, she ignored her training schedule and sneaked off to go fishing."
Once Nishino Flower explained, Starlight nodded, finally understanding the situation. She reached down and patted the little head of the now-motionless Seiun Sky.
"Sky-chan, is what Flower-chan said true?"
Releasing her hold, Seiun Sky crawled out from Starlight's embrace and scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Well... she's not wrong about that."
"You made the schedule yourself, yet you don't follow it. Your self-discipline is really poor, Sky-chan," Nishino Flower added, waving her hand dismissively from the side.
"Sky-chan, after our last race, didn't you say you wanted to beat me next time? I'm actually quite looking forward to our next match."
"But if you're going to be like this..."
Starlight lowered her eyes with a hint of disappointment and turned her head away, no longer looking at Seiun Sky.
"I get it... Nishino Flower, Starlight, please don't be like that."
"I'll follow the training plan. I'll wait until the rest days to go fishing..."
Seeing this, a slight smile played at the corners of Nishino Flower's mouth. She smiled at Starlight.
"Thank you for the help, Starlight-senpai. Otherwise, Sky-chan would just keep hiding from me."
"It was nothing. I saved a piece of cake for you, Flower." Starlight pushed the cake in front of her toward Nishino Flower.
"Thank you, Starlight-senpai. You really are as gentle as the rumors say."
Witnessing this exchange, a confused Seiun Sky asked, "Senpai, you— what's going on with you two?"
Nishino Flower took a spoon, shoveled a small piece of cake into her mouth, and spoke while eating.
"Starlight-senpai and I added each other as friends a long time ago. I messaged her about your situation back then, and she said she'd be willing to help persuade you."
"That's right. Sky-chan, you just promised, so you'd better keep your word."
Nodding, Seiun Sky looked at Starlight and asked, "Then Senpai, about what you said— about going fishing with me?"
"I'm not very good at fishing, I don't know if I'll be able to catch anything."
"It's fine! I'll teach you, Senpai. Nishino Flower, you should come along too!"
An image couldn't help but float into Sky's mind:
She was leaning back in a lounge chair. To her left, Nishino Flower was feeding her fruit, to her right, Starlight was fanning her. Then, the fishing rod would twitch, she'd give it a magnificent flick, and a plump, massive fish would leap out of the water.
Now this is what a slacker's life should be. Absolutely blissful.
"Sure, but only if you stick to your training, Sky-chan."
Seeing that Seiun Sky was already lost in a silly daydream and hadn't heard a word she said, Nishino Flower shook her head. She turned to Starlight with a smile.
"Senpai, let's go to the beach to look at the stars together. I brought a Polaroid camera."
"Sounds good. Send me a copy of the nice photos."
"No problem!"
The two Uma Musume walked away chatting and laughing, completely ignoring the thoughts of the cyan-haired girl beside them.
"Eh? Where are you guys going? Hey, wait for me..."
"...Forget it... I guess I'll go take a bath first..."