A private jet landed at the airport on the morning of November 11th. As the door opened and the stairs led down to the ground, Director Akikawa and Tazuna stood side by side, waiting for the person to exit the plane.
Akikawa was barely capable of stopping the corner of her lips from curling up; why couldn't she? She is feeling ecstatic.
She opens her fan and covers her mouth while waiting. The word "Exciting" is a display on the surface of her fan, with the cat on top of her head meowing in agreement.
The wind subtly stings the skin of Tazuna and Akikawa; it's that time of the year. Tazuna is smiling comfortably before a lady steps out of the door and onto the stairs.
Badump. Badum.
Blood rushes through Tazuna's veins as she squints her eyes. The atmosphere became dense the moment she stepped out. Her muscles tensed, ready to explode, and her instincts shouted that the lady was strong. Impossibly strong.
The cat brooch of the lady's hair jingles as she lets out a soft smirk at the two, then in an instant, the suffocating atmosphere disappears. Her long, chestnut hair swayed in the wind with each step she took down the stairs.
"Haha, pardon me," her smirk transitioned into a soft smile when she was finally on the ground and making her way toward the two.
Tazuna's first reaction to the lady was, 'Tall,' she thought. That's right, the lady was tall. Around 165cm.
Kincsem turns her head and spots a small grey cat, lying on top of Akikawa's head. Her gaze immediately softens at the sight, as she reminisces about the past. Her cat has long passed away, but she still remembers the vibration of his purr.
Her gaze moved to Akikawa.
"Looks like you haven't grown all those years," Kincsem hums. This was the first for her. Akikawa's height was the same as it was when she first met Kincsem as a kid.
"Hey! I have grown since then! At least 5cm!" Akikawa rebutted, but only received Kincsem's pitiful expression. Tazuna couldn't help but chuckle at this.
"Anyway, I heard that someone will be crowned as Triple Crown champion today." Kincsem yawned as she stretched. Her butler has got her suitcase out of the place and is currently standing behind her elegantly.
Tazuna steps forward, clutching her clipboard as she smiles, "Of course," before stepping aside and guiding Akikawa, Kincsem, and Kincsem's butler to their private vehicle.
- - -
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! To the Kikuka Sho in St. Leger track!" the announcer's voice resonated throughout the stadium, receiving cheers from the audience.
"Eeh, quite enthusiastic folks they are," Kincsem remarked while lounging lazily on a sofa, currently in a VIPP booth, paid by the URA.
She propped her chin on her palm while gazing at the track.
"Today, the weather is clear; the turf is soft. We will see if Symboli Rudolf becomes the Triple Crown champion, or will her crown be snatched away!" The announcer roared, building the hype.
From the VIPP booth, the St. Leger track spread out like a perfect oval of November green. The crowd answered back with a roar that vibrated through the entire stadium. Yet Kincsem does not blink.
Down in the paddock, the runners were loading into the gates.
'Average... Average... A bit higher than average... Below average...' Kincsem thought while inspecting each runner's potential. So far, none of them has the potential to be a world star.
"Number 8 Gold Way is entering..." She moved without hesitation. This may be the last time she can race for the Triple Crown against Symboli Rudolf. 'Somewhat decent potential,' Kincsem thought.
"Number 11 Suzu Mach is entering..." Mach walks with her head down, lips moving as if chanting a mantra to calm herself. Kincsem noticed she was too tense, which isn't great for a race like this.
'What a pity, she has decent potential.' Kincsem shook her head for a moment before landing her eyes on the next runner.
"Number 7 Onward Cameroun is entering..." Kincsem immediately raised her brows; she found the dark horse of this race. Same amount of potential as Suzu Mach, yet she is quiet and reserved.
A smirk rises from the corner of Kincsem's lips; this type of girl was always the most interesting to watch. Intense fire to the winner is roaring inside that girl's heart.
"Number 4 Symboli Rudolf is entering..." Kincsem straightened slightly, just slightly. It has been a while since she last saw a potential this grand.
Symboli Rudolf stood in her gate, unmoving like a statue. Her expression wasn't hunger or ambition, like what you usually see with runners staring down a Triple Crown.
Symboli Rudolf is certain that she will win the crown.
"With a potential like that, no wonder she is arrogant on the track," Kincsem mused and chuckled. In her vision, in the world of monochrome colours, only Symboli Rudolf was emitting a vibrant colour. But that is all of her; Kincsem is only here for Echo Eclipse. She isn't here for someone with a predictable future.
Beside her, Akikawa let out a small, eager sound from behind her fan. Tazuna observes the track, wanting to see another legend being made today.
"Where's Echo Eclipse?" Kincsem asked.
"Somewhere in the spectating area," Tazuna responded, and Kincsem nodded. Looks like she will not meet the fable Echo Eclipse just yet.
She could easily get Echo Eclipse here to meet her, but there are still races Echo hasn't won yet. Her job as a tutor will only come true if Echo wins all her races by a massive length.
She is here for two reasons: to observe this Symboli Rudolf, and to see if Echo Eclipse really has what it takes to be the Second Eclipse.
Soon, the starting signal shrieked, and the gates exploded open.
All runners dashed forward, 3000m to the finish line.
Cameroun hit the front like a cannon while the crowd surged with her. Fighting for the forward. Head low, arms pumping, hooves cracking into the soft turf and driving off it cleanly. It was obvious immediately; she wanted the front.
And she got it.
Behind her, Gold Way settled into her rhythm, moving like a machine. Her eyes are checking every spot and making efficient decisions. Currently in third position, four lengths from the leader. Mach is right behind her. The prior tension she had dissipated when the gate opened, but this was only temporary.
"Cameroun is in the lead! With Rain Crimson in second place, trying to take the lead! Gold Way is in 3rd place, duelling Suzu Mach, who is in 4th place." The announcer quickly commentated, and a roar of cheers was heard from the audience, causing Mach to remember that there are over 50,000 people watching them race!
This causes her to gain tension, making her drop back to 5th place.
And behind Suzu Mach was Symboli Rudolf. Causing ripples of confusion throughout the stands. This wasn't like her before.
No matter, she did not care about the confusion of the audience. Simply running with her arms held low, and her stride long and unhurried. This is a 3000m long track; stamina is key here.
800 meters in, Cameroun's lead stretched to five lengths for the first time. She is in the spotlight and not part of the background. The crowd was screaming her name for the first time in her life. She pushed harder.
1200 meters in, Rudolf was fifth now, causing Suzu Mach to grit her teeth.
1600 meters, some of the runners who have been conversing stamina feel the exhaustion hitting them. It's the tension in the air that causes them to expend more stamina than necessary.
Gradually and slowly, Rudolf is moving on the curve. Mach is observing her; tension is leaving her body; she wants to win this. Her desire to win was so strong that she forgot about the audience.
Mach ran harder.
2000 meters in, Cameroun's lungs started to be exhausted, and her breathing slowly became more demanding. Affecting her speed, five lengths had become three. Three had become two.
The crowd was on its feet, but she could barely hear them anymore. Too far inside her own body, too focused on her vision.
However, she refused to slow down.
She refused.
2400 meters in, Rudolf came alongside her. Breath still steady, sweats trickling down her skin.
Cameroun looked behind her for a moment, seeing Gold Way's infuriated expression, before glancing back at Rudolf. And she was met with an indifferent expression from Rudolf.
"Do not think much of this; this is simply natural selection. Only I am born to rule," her voice was clear amidst the noisy stadium, her gaze was certain. Certain she will win.
Soon, Rudolf was past her.
600 meters left.
400 meters left.
The St. Leger straight opened ahead, and her stride lengthened. The crowd screamed, Gold Way, Mach, Cameroun are giving their all, pushing to their very limits.
But it was not enough, even if their legs felt like collapsing, even if their vision was dimming, their determination to win against Symboli Rudolf was the only thing holding their bodies together, and nothing else.
Rudolf crossed the line, and for a moment, the stadium was silent.
Then it detonated.
"Symboli Rudolf! Your very Triple Crown champion of this year!" The announcer's voice cracked; it was rare to see a Triple Crown champion occurring twice in a row. He had to stop. He tried again. But he can't; this is the new Triple Crown champion!
"Look at that, my crown has been taken away," Mr C.B. chuckled while leaning against Maruzensky, to which she responded, "Well, you're going to face her in the Japan Cup."
Mr C.B. shrugged, "We'll see if the current Triple Crown champion can beat me."
In the VIP booth, Kincsem watched Symboli Rudolf slow to a stop on the turf. Rudolf stood there, chest rising and falling, before looking up at the stands with an expression that was as close to relief and excitement as her face could show.
She then did her celebratory winning pose toward a certain someone in the spectator stands.
Kincsem was quiet for a long moment before lifting her tea and taking a sip.
'Is she a lover of Echo Eclipse?' she ponders, before tossing that thought away. She'll be able to tell once she meets Echo Eclipse herself.