Her petite frame began to tremble as Tokai Teio huddled closer behind Starlight.
"Senpai... can I crawl into your bed tonight? I'm a little scared~"
"Me too!"
The moment Teio spoke, Mejiro McQueen turned around and chimed in urgently.
Suddenly, Starlight found herself in a difficult position
Teio was one thing— she was certain Teio was just an Uma Musume— but McQueen carried the risk of being possessed...
'What if she wakes up in the middle of the night and gives me a one-two punch? Wouldn't I be finished?'
Her lip twitching, Starlight looked at McQueen with a pained expression.
"Well... my bed might be a bit small. I don't think it can fit a third person. How about..."
"Here it goes again. Are you two isolating me again?"
"Of course not! We've never isolated you."
"Then what is this supposed to mean? You and Teio watching movies together, sleeping in the same bed, and never including me."
"Even that box of chocolates... you placed it right between the two of you."
Listening to McQueen's grievances, Starlight felt like crying, though no tears came.
'Didn't I ask you when I walked in? You said you weren't eating any!'
"Then... does McQueen-chan want to eat some chocolate now?"
To her surprise, Mejiro McQueen simply waved her hand dismissively and turned her head away.
"I'm not eating. Eating chocolate late at night will make me gain weight."
Tokai Teio spoke up tentatively:
"Um, McQueen-chan, are you sure you're... okay right now?"
"What could be wrong with me? I've always been myself."
Seeing that their little three-person group was on the verge of splintering, Starlight steeled herself and decided to go all out.
"Then how about we push our beds together? The three of us can sleep together."
McQueen nodded, the tension in her brow relaxing slightly.
Tokai Teio had no problem with the suggestion either, and so the three Uma Musume pushed their beds into one large platform.
After the lights were out, Starlight lay flat in the middle, her eyes closed as she waited for sleep to take her. Suddenly, Mejiro McQueen's voice whispered in her ear.
"Starlight... I want to be in your group too. For the Idol Selection."
Her tone trembled slightly, clearly laced with a hint of bashfulness.
"But... aren't the rules for the competition two people per group?" Tokai Teio asked from the other side, sounding confused.
"I might have a way to handle that. Starlight, would you be willing?"
"If I can be in a group with McQueen, of course I'm willing..."
"Good to hear."
With that said, the corners of McQueen's mouth curled into a smile, and she slowly closed her eyes to sleep. Starlight was deeply puzzled by those words— until noon the following day.
The Academy issued an official notice:
[The upcoming Idol Selection event has received sponsorship from a certain family. After consultation with the Board of Directors, the following minor adjustments have been made to the competition rules.]
[The number of members required per group has been changed from 2 to 3. Uma Musume, please take note.]
Sitting on a chair under a sunshade, Starlight wiped the sweat from her face with a towel, staring at the notification in utter disbelief.
"So that's how you solved it?"
"Hmph, well? Now we can be in a group together, can't we?"
Mejiro McQueen stood before Starlight with her hands on her hips, her head held high with immense pride.
"That's incredible, McQueen. Your family actually agreed to this?" Tokai Teio looked on with a face full of surprise.
"This was just out of my own allowance, naturally, they agreed."
Watching McQueen wave it off as if it were nothing, Starlight couldn't help but marvel at the sheer depth of the Mejiro family's resources.
Training continued as usual until the week before the new semester began. All the Uma Musume returned to the Academy.
Everyone had a week of rest, which was a nice change of pace.
But Starlight had no intention of stopping. Her next race had already been decided.
It was a G3 event a month and a half away: the Sankei Sho All Comers, a middle-distance 2200m race. The venue was set for Nakayama Racecourse.
(T/N: This race is currently a G2, but it used to be a G3. Unless stated otherwise, we'll assume that it never got upgraded to a G3 in this world.)
Inside an activity room just outside the Tracen Academy training grounds...
Starlight sat on a stool, listening to Kiryuu Inami as she constantly drew and wrote on a chalkboard in front of her.
"This is our training plan for the upcoming period... Since it's a Graded Race, the strength and seniority of the Uma Musume participating will increase."
"Therefore, we'll be adding extra training sessions in the afternoons. Can you handle that, Starlight?"
"Of course, no problem."
"Good. Based on your current performance, this race shouldn't be an issue."
"Alright, let's start training then."
And so, while everyone else was still resting and recuperating, Starlight had already begun her pre-race training.
One evening, on an extended path by a small stream.
Under the reflection of the setting sun, a silver figure galloped past.
Pedestrians and Uma Musume out for a stroll were all struck with admiration by her speed and beauty.
Then, about a dozen meters behind her, a smaller figure followed closely.
That intense, piercing gaze made Starlight feel somewhat uneasy.
After running a few more paces, Starlight slowed to a halt. As she looked back, panting slightly, only golden and orange-red fallen leaves drifted down, carpeting the path.
Aside from some boisterous pedestrians in the distance, there was nothing else.
A cool autumn breeze brushed past. Starlight reached for the towel hanging around her neck to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
She frowned in confusion.
"Strange. I keep feeling like someone is stalking me... Is it an illusion, or is my paranoia acting up?"
She rested for a moment. Once her breathing stabilized and seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Starlight turned around and resumed her run.
As the silver figure grew distant, a petite figure slowly stepped out from behind a tree.
The girl's small hands were clenched anxiously against her chest.
After taking a deep breath, she started running again to keep up.
Her running shoes, caked in mud and worn out of shape, hit the ground with a peculiar sound. It seemed as though they were at risk of splitting apart.
But this Uma Musume didn't care at all, continuing to shadow Starlight closely.
Her black hair fluttered in the air, her eyes resolute as she earnestly observed the silver-haired Uma Musume's stride, silhouette, and breathing.
For several days in a row, Starlight was followed like this.
It left her feeling quite jittery, she even briefly wondered if some foul spirit attached to Mejiro McQueen had jumped over to her.
In the beginning, it only happened in the evenings, but now it occurred during morning practice and regular afternoon training as well.
Starlight could always feel that faint, lingering sense of being watched.
Finally, a week after school started, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
During the long break after the first morning class, Starlight took a recommendation letter in hand and headed to a "secret classroom" on the west side of the top floor of the school building.
After knocking softly three times, she stepped inside.
"Excuse me..."
The interior decor was very peculiar. The floor was covered by a large carpet patterned like a magic circle.
The ceiling was designed to look like a Starlight night sky.
Dark curtains were tightly drawn, blocking out all sunlight and making the classroom feel very dim.
Looking straight ahead, an orange-haired Uma Musume sat there with a mysterious air.
On the table in front of her, a crystal-clear glass ball sat inside a deep red box.
Three lit candles were placed on either side.
"Welcome, lost guest... Since you found your way here, you must have been recommended by someone, yes?"
Nodding, Starlight hurried forward a few steps and handed over the recommendation letter.
"S-Sage-sama, here is the recommendation letter for your perusal."
Raising an eyebrow, the orange-haired Uma Musume slowly reached out to take it, opening it with unhurried grace.
"Mm, no need to be formal. Just call me Matikane Fukutaru. Have a seat—"
"Alright..."