Treve turned out to be surprisingly well-behaved and thoughtful.
After their utterly baffling conversation—which began inexplicably, ended inexplicably, and felt like it had never actually happened—Gotham Song was startled to realize that, aside from that odd interlude, Treve was actually quite easy to handle.
After their strange chat, while waiting for Dancing Brave and Found to finish discussing business, Gotham Song inevitably faced a moment of idle awkwardness with Treve. Their solution?
A casual run-and-chat session.
Of course, Gotham Song was careful not to run seriously—after all, even if the little filly next to her was destined for legendary fame, at this moment she was just a newcomer.
Jogging leisurely side-by-side, Gotham Song became curious and casually asked Treve why she'd watched her races.
The answer she got was…
Initially, it was just because Gotham Song looked very, very similar to Twilight Song.
But after following her journey—from debut races all the way through her stunning victories at Yasuda Kinen and beyond—Treve became genuinely captivated by Gotham Song's reckless and bold running style.
Now, one might wonder: Could arrogance and recklessness really make someone popular among Uma Musume fans?
The answer: if that arrogance and recklessness were aimed squarely at a region you held a grudge against—absolutely.
The explanation was long but simple enough to summarize:
Treve was actually a massive Twilight Song fan.
Thus, seeing Gotham Song humiliate Japan so thoroughly had thrilled her beyond words!
Gotham Song said nothing, silently vowing to herself:
If I ever mention this to anyone else again, I swear I'll go dance at a Mejiro family party.
Wait—had she really been that famous in her previous life?
Even after so many years, did younger generations of Uma Musume still admire her legend enough to cheer on anyone who avenged her perceived injustices?
Was that even reasonable?
Gotham Song felt a bittersweet surge of emotion—joy and sadness mingled into an utterly indescribable, chaotic mess.
Thankfully, after skirting around this sensitive topic, their conversation never again ventured into territory that would leave Gotham Song simultaneously speechless and embarrassed.
Eventually, Found and Treve took their leave. Left behind was a very satisfied Dancing Brave and a clearly tired Daiichi Ruby.
"So, how was the kid?" Brave asked teasingly.
"Um… well… impossible to read?"
By now, Gotham Song truly couldn't grasp Treve's inner thoughts or logic at all. She had an uneasy feeling that she'd missed something important—like a habitual blind spot in her assumptions.
Maybe experience from different life circumstances can't always apply universally. And maybe, just maybe, some people are destined never to become exhausted office workers...
Why was she even thinking this?
Shaking off her confusion, Gotham Song finally relaxed a bit now that Treve had left. Meanwhile, Dancing Brave had been in high spirits ever since learning Astronomer's whereabouts, barely hiding her amusement all day.
However, after facing Gotham Song's rather pathetic attempts at an angry glare once more, the legendary Uma Musume pretended to suppress her grin, checked the time, glanced at the sky, and offered a suggestion:
"Instead of eating at home tonight, why don't we go out, have dinner, and stroll around Paris?"
She deliberately paused before adding mysteriously:
"After all, it's everyone's first time here, right?"
Gotham Song blinked. Naturally, she had no objection. Although she'd visited Paris before for the Arc, her mind had been wholly fixated on the race, her mania nearly capable of generating its own magnetic field. Back then, sightseeing hadn't even crossed her mind.
Now that a knowledgeable local tour guide was literally right in front of her, how could she refuse such a golden opportunity?
Inside Brave's spacious car, Gotham Song gazed curiously at this unfamiliar version of the city. She sat at the window seat, with Daiichi Ruby comfortably in the center, and Neo Universe quietly on the opposite side. Thankfully, none of the three Uma Musume were particularly large, so they fit easily without feeling cramped.
After parking downtown, the group continued their exploration on foot—no trouble at all for Uma Musume accustomed to running races, even casually.
Yet very soon, Gotham Song once again encountered what could only be called "Paris shock."
From the car window, Paris looked like a bustling modern city, perfectly normal in every way. But the moment they entered a bustling shopping plaza, Gotham Song witnessed something that utterly demolished her composure.
What exactly had she seen?
Her own face—displayed prominently on a giant, 360-degree wraparound screen at the center of the mall.
And what exactly was being shown?
A repeating clip of her legendary moment in the Arc years ago—collapsing, then miraculously rising again, bathed in her shimmering [Zone] and dashing through the finish line covered in blood.
Yes. That legendary, unforgettable moment was now continuously looping, 24 hours a day, in full public view.
Gotham Song knew perfectly well that this particular moment was hailed as "the greatest miracle of the era," but…
Seeing herself replayed so dramatically over and over again on a massive public screen was unbearably embarrassing!
She instinctively tightened her tail, averting her gaze in embarrassment.
Thankfully, none of her companions noticed her unusual behavior, since Gotham Song had strategically positioned herself at the very back. None, that is, except Dancing Brave—who'd clearly orchestrated this entire scene on purpose.
The legendary Uma Musume glanced back with a mischievous smirk.
Oh~ Do you really think just looking away can spare you embarrassment?
Take a look at this, then!
Before Gotham Song had recovered, her attention was drawn to something else—a nearby shop. Or rather, not just one shop, but dozens lining the plaza, selling…
Twilight Song merchandise.
How to describe it? Put simply, Twilight Song's popularity in Paris had reached absurd heights. You'd easily find seven out of ten people on the street who were her fans.
Under such conditions, any mall in Paris that didn't have an extensive Twilight Song merchandise section could hardly be called a mall at all. They even had dedicated Twilight Song stores, each bustling with enthusiastic fans.
Under Silic's earnest explanations, Gotham Song felt as though the sky she'd painstakingly rebuilt was once again crashing down around her.
What did this feel like?
It felt like completing your life's dream, sleeping soundly, and then waking up to find the entire world suddenly knew who you were—and even worse, were wearing your face on their clothing!
Before Gotham Song could find words, Dancing Brave sauntered over holding something in her hand.
"Want to end up like her?" Brave gestured toward Silic, dressed identically to Twilight Song and now swarmed by enthusiastic fans for selfies.
A chill instantly ran down Gotham Song's spine.
Absolutely not!
Wait—if Brave mentioned that, did she have something that could solve this problem?
Brave-san, you're an angel after all!
Filled with gratitude, Gotham Song eagerly took the face mask Brave offered—but upon seeing it clearly, she froze.
Printed across the mask was… her own face.
Gotham Song stared at Brave. Brave innocently stared right back.
What are you looking at me for? Put it on already.
Put this on? Wear my own face… over my own face?!
Gotham Song trembled with barely contained outrage. But Brave calmly pointed toward Gotham Song's face, stepped aside, and revealed the crowd of curious shoppers behind her.
You sure you're okay letting all those people see your face clearly?
Speechless, Gotham Song reluctantly unfolded the mask with trembling fingers.
This… this couldn't be helped, could it?
Dancing Brave… I'll remember this grudge forever!
Closing her eyes, she slipped the mask over her face.
Achievement unlocked: I wore myself!
Dancing Brave practically exploded with glee. Daiichi Ruby stood by, puzzled, though sensing Gotham Song's discomfort, she quietly moved closer in silent support.
Neo Universe turned her icy stare toward Brave, immediately forcing the legendary racer to raise both hands in mock surrender.
But Brave wasn't done yet.
Under Gotham Song's mortified gaze and Neo Universe's cold stare, Dancing Brave calmly retrieved another identical mask from her pocket—and put it on her own face.
"…Huh?"
"Why the shocked expression? Is it so strange for me to wear a Twilight Song mask?"
Wait—hold on! You were literally my opponent in that race! Isn't that incredibly weird?
Gotham Song nearly shouted out her frustration, barely keeping her voice down.
You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You absolutely planned this whole thing!
Dancing Brave merely shrugged nonchalantly.
Honestly, maybe it was a bit strange.
But Gotham Song overlooked a crucial point:
Why did you think I've been so obsessed with you all these years?
Why did you think I've waited so desperately for your return?
Why do you think learning that Gotham Song was you completely derailed my original plans, making me despise Astronomer's actions so deeply?
There's only one possible reason!
Without hesitation or shame, Dancing Brave proudly wore Twilight Song's face mask in public.
Who was the world's greatest Twilight Song fan?
Secretariat, who'd never actually faced her? No. Definitely not.
It was me, Dancing Brave!
Secretariat? You're just a challenger!
As Twilight Song's final opponent—the one who'd faced her at her peak—Dancing Brave held the greatest claim to that title.
Seeing Brave standing proudly, Gotham Song felt completely defeated.
What could she even say?
Speaking up would only expose her. But staying silent felt incredibly awkward.
Dancing Brave… why did you turn out like this?
Honestly, she missed Brave's old rebellious attitude.
"Don't you have anything to say, Song-san?"
"I… what could I possibly say?"
Gotham Song desperately searched for a counterattack.
She briefly considered finding a Dancing Brave mask to wear in retaliation—but the entire mall exclusively sold Twilight Song merchandise. Dancing Brave had no merchandise at all!
You—an acclaimed local legend—got completely overshadowed in popularity by an outsider, and yet you don't feel ashamed?
Ah, what's that? The legendary racer herself was actually just another Twilight Song fangirl?
Never mind, then. Damn it, this was infuriating.
Thus, the shopping trip ended in Dancing Brave's complete victory and Gotham Song's utter defeat.
Finally, back home after an exhausting half-evening, Gotham Song received some good news to brighten her spirits.
Who provided it?
Of course, it was a certain someone across the ocean.
[Astronomer]: "Arrived in Japan~ Now, what should I do first?"
Scrolling down, Gotham Song nearly burst into laughter at the next post:
[Astronomer]: "Since I'm here in Japan, naturally I should visit Mejiro Manor, home of the famous Ruka-san! First step—contact the head of the Mejiro family."
Mejiro Ramonu.