Inside the Team Canopus clubroom, a smart young man in a sharp suit with light brown curly hair was holding an Uma Musume training schedule.
"Hey, hey, Trainer Minamizaka! When are we starting training? I want to get out there already!"
Minamizaka patted Twin Turbo's head, his gaze focused on the documents in his hand as he replied casually.
"We'll start once everyone is here. Don't be in such a hurry..."
Clatter!
The door swung open instantly, and Nice Nature rushed up to Minamizaka, speaking excitedly.
"Trainer, I want to enter the Kikuka Sho!"
"Eh? The Kikuka Sho... But, but you still need to—"
"Tokai Teio said it! She's going to participate!"
"What? Isn't Tokai Teio injured...? Fine, let me see, first you'll need to—"
Nice Nature was too impatient to wait for Minamizaka to react, she snatched the forms right out of his hands and began flipping through them.
"I just need to enter five more races, right? I want to get out there and race. I want to test myself against Tokai Teio!"
"Yay! Me too! I want to join too!!"
Minamizaka looked at Nice Nature's stubborn expression with a hint of helplessness and waved his hand dismissively.
"Twin Turbo, your record isn't good enough for the Kikuka Sho yet."
"Aww, no way!"
Fortunately, the lively Twin Turbo wasn't discouraged.
She hopped over to Nice Nature and shouted enthusiastically:
"Let's train together!!"
"Yeah... let's train together!"
Back on the training track, Tokai Teio was alone in the outermost lane, putting all her effort into practice runs and walking.
She was still far too conscious of the injury to her right leg, making it impossible for her to concentrate.
Clop, clop, clop.
The members of Team Spica ran past her in two neat rows.
Teio looked ahead at her teammates running freely while she was stuck here practicing race-walking.
Combined with the dull, throbbing pain in her leg, she felt incredibly frustrated.
"Argh, I've had enough! I just want to run fast already—!"
"That's it! Tokai Teio, bottle up those desires and then release them all at once! Believe in yourself, you can do it!"
On a distant hillside, Ryo Nishizaki, sporting two dark circles under his eyes, was shouting through a megaphone.
He hadn't been idle these past few days.
Getting an Uma Musume with a serious fracture to recover in such a short time and participate in the Kikuka Sho was no simple task.
He had spent nearly every waking hour brainstorming strategies and training plans.
Watching that trembling, persistent figure, Ryo Nishizaki felt that he couldn't slack off either. He had to make every second count.
Time passed slowly.
Symboli Rudolf stood in the distance, watching Tokai Teio's pace quicken day by day.
August was coming to an end.
Teio began to run across the turf, her body swaying slightly.
Cold sweat lined her face, and she looked as though she might collapse at any moment.
"It really looks like there's hope."
Beside her, Starlight slowly approached, pushing her wheelchair.
She looked at Tokai Teio in the distance and spoke with a smile.
"Yes, she is surprisingly tenacious. I truly hope she succeeds... how is your injury?"
"Hehe, my right leg is completely healed. As for the left, the cast should probably come off by the beginning of next year."
"Is that so? That's good..."
The gravity on Rudolf's face gradually dissipated.
A small smile curled on the corner of her lips as she moved behind Starlight to push her wheelchair toward the exit.
"There's nothing left to see here. Accompany me to the Student Council room, I have some unfinished work to attend to."
"Ah, oh, okay..."
At the Student Council room, Starlight had a look of mild resignation.
After Rudolf placed her on the sofa, the two of them sat side-by-side.
Watching the other girl sip her tea with total leisure, Starlight eventually asked:
"Wasn't there work to do? Why have you just been sitting here drinking tea?"
"Necessary rest is important. It's still early, so there's no rush. Here, have a cup."
"Ah, uh... thank you..."
Taking the teacup handed to her, Starlight held it in both hands, watching her own reflection in the water's surface.
"You want to run again too, don't you?"
"Eh? Um! Of course. What Uma Musume likes sitting in a wheelchair every day?"
"Quite right. Who would be content with that? The same goes for Teio. Her stubbornness and strength won't let her fall easily, and neither will yours."
"I believe in that."
"...Mm, thank you, President. But you really should say those things to Teio yourself."
Upon hearing this, a faint blush crept onto Rudolf's cheeks, and she awkwardly turned her head away.
"She doesn't need my comfort to be the same."
"The President probably just doesn't know what to say~"
At that moment, Grass Wonder walked in carrying some documents, her tone flat and calm.
"Tsk... you don't have to be so blunt."
"My apologies. I overstepped."
"It's fine. Alright, since the documents are here, I'll get to work."
Clack.
Placing her teacup on the table, Rudolf stood up to take the papers from Grass Wonder and returned to her desk.
"Starlight-chan, I brought some cookies. Would you like to have some with me?"
"Sure~"
Grass Wonder moved quickly, producing a small box of cookies.
She sat down next to Starlight and began chatting lightheartedly with her.
From across the room, Rudolf looked up at the two of them and pursed her lips.
'She really is a social butterfly...'
September, at the hospital.
Tokai Teio walked into the examination room nervously, handing her medical report and X-rays to the same doctor she had seen before.
She sat down slowly and asked, "Um... can I return to the races now? I feel like I can run normally already—"
"Mmm, let me see..."
The doctor uploaded the images to the computer. Looking at the magnified X-rays, his eyes narrowed slightly.
After a moment, he let out a regretful sigh.
"While it has mostly healed, it's still not enough. Look here— there is still a difference compared to a healthy Uma Musume's bone, and the fractured area isn't fully mended."
"Even if you can run right now, you likely won't be able to give it your full strength."
At the doorway, Teio stared at the bold medical advice on her form, the sorrow in her eyes impossible to hide.
Her body trembling slightly, she lowered her head and walked out.
Out on the street, facing the setting sun, the cheers and expectations of fans she encountered along the way felt grating to her ears.
"Do your best, Teio!"
"We're all waiting for you at the Kikuka Sho!"
"You're a genius, there's no way you'd stay down for long!"
...
She let out a heavy sigh.
It was as if she couldn't take the impact of those words anymore.
At first, she could force a response, but now...
Tap, tap, tap—
With a trembling frame and unsteady steps, she began to run.
Feeling the strange sensation coming from her leg, it felt as though she were bound by cold, ruthless iron chains, making it impossible to exert herself.
As she passed the park, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of a familiar silver-haired figure.
She slowly stopped and focused her gaze.
Divine Starlight, bathed in the red glow of the sunset, was struggling to support her body, standing on a single leg.
Her other leg was still wrapped in bandages.
Her face was drenched in sweat. It wasn't hard to guess she had been at this for a long time, and yet she was still gritting her teeth and persevering.
"Ten more seconds... just ten more seconds..."
Drip.
A single tear fell, dampening the grass beneath her.
Tokai Teio could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes.
"Eh? Teio? What's wrong...?"
Having sat back down in her wheelchair, Starlight hadn't even had a chance to grab a towel to wipe her sweat before she saw Tokai Teio standing at the park entrance with her head hanging low.
"Come here. What happened? Don't cry, don't cry~ Talk to me, okay?"