"Alright! I'm ready!" Urara declared, her fighting spirit burning bright in her Personal Racing Outfit. McQueen glanced left and right, helping Urara adjust her gear. Kousei, meanwhile, hammered horseshoes onto Urara's sneakers. She hefted the shoe in her hand, finding it surprisingly light.
Kousei's own horseshoes weighed a hefty 85 grams, while Urara's were only 60 grams—even lighter than the standard weight.
Given her petite frame, lighter horseshoes must be intended to boost Urara's running speed, Kousei thought. However, these shoes might pose some challenges in intense races or harsh conditions.
"What are you spacing out for? Are Urara's horseshoes ready yet?" McQueen stood before Kousei, hands on her hips.
"Done. Here you go."
McQueen eyed Kousei suspiciously but didn't press the matter.
"Okay, Urara, stay still now!" McQueen crouched down to put the sneakers on Urara. Urara let out a delighted whoop and dashed around the Training Room.
"So fast! So fast! Urara's running so fast!"
Urara frolicked in the Training Room, her new sneakers making her ecstatic.
"Look! Urara finally has her Personal Racing Outfit too!"
Without a trace of pretension, Urara proudly showed off her Personal Racing Outfit. Even though it was remarkably simple—were it not worn by an Umamusume, one might mistake it for ordinary sportswear—Urara was overjoyed. She wore it all day, playing recklessly and accumulating a few Band-Aids along the way.
These were just minor scrapes, nothing serious. Still, if Kashimoto Riko saw them, who knows what she might say?
"Even though McQueen lost, it's not all bad," Teio said. "At least we have control over track selection. Choosing a Dirt track will greatly benefit Urara, and her opponents' poor adaptability will prevent them from performing at their best. Hmm~ what a wonderful start."
Teio nodded confidently. Urara was their team's sole Dirt specialist. Such adaptability was rare on the Central stage; even star Umamusume rarely made Dirt their primary domain.
This was their surprise trump card—perhaps it could secure a victory for Sirius.
"Has anyone here undergone Dirt adaptation testing?" Teio suddenly asked.
"Ah! What's that?" Typical Twin Turbo, I thought.
"No, the Mejiro Family has never focused on that," McQueen replied, shaking her head. "Palmer did participate in something similar, though—I heard it was called an Obstacle Race."
Kousei raised her hand. "I've participated in one."
McQueen looked at Kousei in surprise. "How did you end up taking a Dirt Adaptation Test?"
McQueen's surprise was understandable. Central Umamusume rarely paid attention to dirt racing. Since Kousei aimed to emulate Rudolf, McQueen assumed her path would closely mirror Rudolf's.
"Well, my performance on Turf was abysmal. The trainer in charge of rookie Umamusume thought my talent might lie in dirt racing. Even though dirt racing isn't highly regarded, it's better than getting stuck at the Debut Race, so he took me to participate."
"And what was the result?"
"Mediocre. The staff said my adaptation was fine, but I just wasn't fast enough."
McQueen fell silent. She's telling such a sad story so casually...
"So, Urara is the best among us, then?" Teio's words instantly quieted the excited Urara.
"Urara is Number One?"
"That's right, Number One!"
"Wow! That's amazing!"
Like a spring flower blooming, Urara's smile burst forth in radiant splendor.
"Go, Urara! Keep aiming for Number One!" One simple sentence filled Urara with boundless determination.
Kousei and McQueen exchanged admiring glances. "Oh~ a pro."
"What are you two getting at?" Teio retorted, clearly sensing their teasing.
"Oh my~ I thought the Tokai Teio only cared about herself," McQueen quipped, settling a personal score from Teio's earlier jab. "Turns out you've been paying attention to others after all."
"Indeed," Kousei added, feigning seriousness. "I always thought Teio's remarks should be more childish. But today, you're acting so mature. I'm not used to it."
Speechless
"You two are truly stumbling blocks on my path to growth."
Despite the banter, Urara was about to take the stage. The customary cheers were a must.
"Eh! Eh! Oh!"
"Go get 'em, Urara!"
"Oh!"
The crowd watched as Urara clenched her fists, brimming with energy.
In the stands, this showdown felt different from past races. Renowned runners like Narita Brian, McQueen, and Air Groove had already competed. With Tokai Teio inevitably facing Symboli Rudolf, the audience was uncertain what to expect from the remaining contenders.
"Hi everyone! I'm Urara!"
Amidst this tense atmosphere, an Umamusume with cherry blossom-pink hair waved her arms and trotted onto the track.
"Who is she?"
Everyone's first thought was this question. Before they could even ponder it properly, they were captivated by her smile. No one recognized her, yet when she smiled, a warmth inexplicably radiated from her.
"Urara's a great general, you know!"
Her voice held no hint of pretense; her words were as genuine as her smile, and her actions matched her words perfectly.
People began to size her up: her petite frame, simple Personal Racing Outfit, and lack of the imposing aura one would expect from a champion.
She seemed like the cheerful girl next door, and as an Umamusume, she appeared to lack innate talent.
"Everyone, have you eaten? Urara ate lots of carrots today~"
This was the Seishun Cup Grand Race, hardly the time for such a casual question.
"I had char siu ramen today. Ramen is my favorite! It was so satisfying."
"My husband and I finally went to that expensive yakiniku restaurant we'd been saving up for. After years of scrimping under the weight of loans, we finally had a little extra. We'll have to tighten our belts again afterward, but it was so worth it!"
"My business went bankrupt, so I returned to my hometown after a long absence. My mom made my favorite tofu dish, and after so many years away, I was surprised at how happy it made me to taste that familiar flavor again. I hope I can eat that tofu dish again, so I've decided to give it another try."
Suddenly, everyone began talking about their own stories. Behind the scenes, Kashimoto Riko watched in astonishment. These were unrelated people, yet they were all sharing their personal stories with each other.
Urara smiled, not looking at anyone in particular, yet everyone felt like she was listening to them.
"What did you eat today?"
Does she really possess such magic? For a moment, no one could answer. Why had they all gathered here? What did they hope to gain from the Umamusume race?
"Go for it, Urara! First place!"
A sudden burst of cheers erupted as a group of middle-aged men and women waved banners with undiminished energy.
"Ah! It's everyone from the Shopping District!"
Their boisterous display naturally caught Urara's attention.
"Go for it, Urara! Everyone came especially to cheer for you!"
"Thank you!"
One side rejoiced, while the other cheered.
Caught up in the atmosphere, the chants of "Urara, Number One!" grew louder and louder. Even though no one had known Urara before, they were now enthusiastically urging her on.
"Are you envious?"
McQueen's words jolted Kousei awake, a hint of melancholy flickered in her eyes.
To deny envy would be a lie. If she could, Kousei would have loved for everyone from the Shopping District to be there cheering for her in person. But that was impossible—the journey was too long, and they had to earn a living. Watching her on television was already the best they could manage.
"No, not at all."
McQueen glanced away. Those skilled at deception often deceive themselves first.
A wave of icy chill emanated from the Winner's Passage, sending shivers down their spines and silencing the joyous cheers. A slender figure emerged, cold as frost. Like millennia-old ice, she radiated an unapproachable aura.
Silent, yet powerfully unsettling.
In those Sakura cherry blossom-hued eyes, the Frost Dancer was reflected.