Starlight found it a bit difficult to answer that question, so in the end, she said nothing, merely narrowing her eyes and smiling with a hint of a troubled brow.
"Starlight-chan, what do you look like when you cry?"
At that moment, Mejiro McQueen suddenly leaned in close to Starlight, her purple eyes wide with curiosity.
"...Why don't you two just head out. I'm sleepy."
Having said that, Starlight lay down somewhat awkwardly, pulling the duvet over her head to pretend she had fallen asleep.
Tokai Teio blinked and reached out to poke the bulge in the blankets.
"Starlight-senpai~ Don't be like that! I'll stop asking, so come out~"
"Sigh... McQueen! This is all your fault! Starlight-chan is ignoring us now."
Mejiro McQueen was not pleased and retorted with her hands on her hips.
"Ha?! Wasn't it you who started the questioning? I was merely curious... Star— Starlight-chan~ Come out and eat lunch. The curry rice I made today is very delicious."
Tightening her grip on the duvet, Divine Starlight wiggled her body a couple of times, her muffled voice drifting out from under the covers.
"Hmph. You two came here specifically to tease an injured person, have you no shame? I'm not talking to either of you today."
Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen stood up, locked eyes, and then darted to the side to begin a frantic, whispered conspiracy.
"What do we do... Senpai seems really angry."
"Didn't I say it's your fault? You just had to see what Starlight-chan looks like when she's mad! Now you've seen it, and you're not happy about it."
"I was just joking! Besides, McQueen, didn't you say something similar?"
Peeking slightly at the two little Uma Musume, the corner of Starlight's mouth curled upward.
'That's what you get for teasing me. I'll give you a little scare...'
Click.
The door was suddenly pulled open.
Symboli Rudolf entered wearing her school uniform, carrying a cup of carrot juice.
Seeing Teio and McQueen huddled in the corner chattering away, she asked curiously:
"What are you two doing over there?"
"Ah! P-President?!"
Hearing the voice, Tokai Teio scrambled to her feet and turned around. R
ushing to Rudolf's side, Teio pleaded:
"What should we do, President? I think we made Starlight-senpai angry. She's curled herself up and is ignoring us—"
Hearing this, Rudolf narrowed her eyes and looked toward the hospital bed.
After watching for a long moment, she seemed to see through the act.
She gave a slight smile and walked over slowly.
She set the carrot juice on the bedside table and then decisively pulled back the duvet.
This move was so sudden that the silver-haired Uma Musume didn't even have a chance to react.
She sat there, looking at Rudolf in total embarrassment.
Setting the covers aside, Rudolf slowly reached out and pulled Starlight into an embrace.
"Are you angry?"
"..."
Stroking the girl's head, Rudolf looked at the two bewildered Uma Musume nearby.
"She isn't. Starlight is just teasing you. You must have said something that made her a bit unhappy, right?"
Tokai Teio scratched her head sheepishly, while McQueen guiltily averted her gaze.
After placing the carrot juice into Starlight's hands, Rudolf sat down beside her and spoke.
"This year's Japan Cup will be very exciting. Do you want to go watch? Silence Suzuka has also announced her participation..."
"What?! Hasn't she only been recovered for a short while? Why is she racing again so soon?!"
Faced with Starlight's surprise, Rudolf shook her head, also finding it somewhat puzzling.
"I'm not sure. El Condor Pasa, Air Groove, and Special Week are also participating. It feels like it will be quite the spectacle."
"I've prepared a wheelchair, I'll push you there when the time comes."
"That... maybe I shouldn't. Watching on TV or my phone is fine, there's no need to trouble you."
Rudolf narrowed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips as if she were up to some mischief.
"Then I won't go to the track either. I'll just stay here and watch with you~"
...
One look at that expression and Starlight knew Rudolf was "threatening" her with kindness.
After taking a sip of the carrot juice, she shook her head helplessly.
"Alright, alright. I'll trouble you then, President."
"I can help push Starlight-chan too!"
"...You should focus on cheering for your teammates..."
McQueen sent a party request, Rudolf rejected the party request.
In the afternoon at the Tracen training ground, a drop of cold sweat rolled down Ryo Nishizaki's forehead as he held his binoculars, watching the orange-silhouetted Silence Suzuka sprinting on the inner track.
Gulp.
Invisible waves of air were being continuously torn apart by Suzuka.
Sweat slowly slid down her forehead and across her cheeks, her eyes held a rare look of serious intensity.
The aura radiating from her body seemed to make the air around her turn stagnant.
"What's going on? Suzuka-senpai's speed is so high, and the aura around her is way too strong!"
Daiwa Scarlet asked in surprise.
Special Week had changed into her training gear and originally intended to follow along, but Silence Suzuka was simply too fast.
After chasing for two laps, she was forced to step back, drenched in sweat and panting.
"Wow, Suzuka-chan is amazing, I can't catch up at all..."
"Hehe, Spe-chan, you have to work hard for the Japan Cup too. Suzuka is putting in so much effort."
Tokai Teio said with a smile, crouching beside Special Week.
"Yeah, you're right! I've finally gotten the chance to have a real race against Suzuka on the track..."
BAM—
The sound of an explosive burst rang out.
When the members of Team Spica looked toward the training ground, they discovered that Silence Suzuka had actually changed her running form.
Through the binoculars, Ryo Nishizaki's pupils shook violently.
As a trainer, he saw it clearly: A silver silhouette seemed to overlap behind Suzuka, and the two's strides were gradually merging.
'This... this is Divine Starlight's stride? And her explosive burst of spee— Suzuka has actually mastered Starlight's style...'
...
...
...
Cheers erupted as the Japan Cup stadium was packed with spectators.
Silence Suzuka returning from injury, the "Empress" Air Groove, and the strongest of the new generation, El Condor Pasa and Special Week.
With four top Uma Musume competing in the same race, the excitement was at its absolute peak.
Everyone was looking forward to a neck-and-neck battle.
The eighteen Uma Musume entered the gates in order.
BANG.
The moment the gates opened, an orange figure was the first to bolt out.
After a perfect start, Silence Suzuka's speed climbed at a staggering rate. In just an instant, she had opened up a gap of three lengths from the pack.
Watching Suzuka's back, Special Week steadied her heart.
'I finally get to run with Suzuka, I can't fall behind!'
This thought lasted until the second half of the race, when it was completely extinguished.
Looking at the silhouette in the distance that had opened up a massive lead, every Uma Musume— Special Week included— deeply felt the overwhelming pressure of a "Great Escape" runner.
It was that specific feeling: Even though their legs were swinging desperately, the distance between them and her wouldn't shrink by even an inch.
El Condor Pasa felt it most acutely. If Suzuka hadn't been injured last time, the scene would have looked exactly like it did today.
Clatter, clatter, clatter—
The clear, resonant sound of hoofbeats echoed through the entire stadium, and the originally noisy stands gradually fell into a hush.
Many spectators realized what those hoofbeats meant. It was the rhythm that belonged only to Divine Starlight.
"I won't lose, Starlight-chan! I won't let you lose... I won't!"
Focusing her mind, Suzuka's speed surged once more.
After rounding the final corner, she tore across the finish line in a single breath.
Slowly coming to a stop, Suzuka stood on the turf.
The breeze brushed past her sweat-streaked cheeks, and her white-and-green racing clothes fluttered slightly.
Silence Suzuka looked toward the stands and performed the exact same curtain call bow that Starlight always did.
Only then did the crowd snap out of their shock.
There was no "neck-and-neck" battle— there was only absolute crushing dominance.
In the VIP box, Starlight sat in her wheelchair.
She looked through the glass at Silence Suzuka taking her bow below, her face filled with complex emotions.
Was she moved?
She was indeed moved, after all, her dear friend was using another form to let her "stand" on the track...
But Starlight didn't want it this way. What she wanted was for Suzuka to run the race in her own style, as her own self.