"...Rampage. No race records. Attended regular schools, not Uma Musume academies. And yet, she pulled that off?"
A lone trainer, her commanding presence evident in the empty space around her, stared at Rampage's name on the race roster. The cool, bespectacled woman radiated charisma as she mulled over the selection race.
(Her strategy was bizarre, but that final move—what was it?)
Ran's racecraft was impressive, but the last stretch overshadowed everything. As two leading Uma Musume stumbled, losing speed and nearly colliding with Ran, everyone—herself included—expected a crash. Yet, in a blink, Ran slipped past them, like a ghost gliding through.
"That's Ran for you," a voice said.
The trainer turned to see Mejiro Ryan, a middle schooler from the prestigious Mejiro family, already a topic of intrigue. Noticing Ryan's familiarity with the herbal-cigar-smoking Rampage, the trainer decided to probe.
"Got a moment?" she asked.
"You're... from Rigil?" Ryan replied.
"Yes, I'm Tojo. I want to know more about her—Rampage."
"Goddamn, they were persistent," Ran muttered, exasperated.
Sighing, she glanced skyward near the smoking area.
"What an incredible run! Please, let me coach you!"
"You could aim for the Triple Crown!"
"Let me scout you!"
The selection race was a stage for Uma Musume to shine, a chance to catch a trainer's eye for the Twinkle Series, the pinnacle of central racing. Being noticed was a good thing, but for Ran, their fervor ruined the high of her run. She'd shaken them off, saying, "I'm not officially enrolled yet, so save the offers for later."
Peeling off her race bib, she'd escaped here. Her human and Uma Musume emotions tangled, making her head spin. She reached for her medicinal herbal cigar, but—
"Oi, you're hangin' out here, huh?" a voice called.
Ran looked up to see a gray-haired Uma Musume smirking provocatively. She knew her instantly: Tamamo Cross, the "White Lightning," one of two legendary gray Uma Musume who reshaped an era with their fierce battles.
"Saw your race. Damn fine run," Tamamo said.
"High praise from you, Tamamo Cross. Should I say I'm honored?" Ran replied, smirking.
"Guess I didn't need to introduce myself," Tamamo said, leaning against the wall.
At 140 cm, she was 35 cm shorter than Ran, yet her presence loomed large—not an illusion. She'd only grow stronger, forged by her rivalry with Oguri Cap.
"Congrats on the Emperor's Cup," Ran said.
"Oh, you saw it?" Tamamo grinned.
"Nah, no time for TV, but word gets around."
"Huh," Tamamo said, intrigued. "And you are?"
"Rampage. Nice to meet ya."
They shook hands—Tamamo's small but powerful grip spoke volumes. Ran held up her cigar.
"Mind if I smoke?"
"Came here for that, didn't ya? Go ahead."
"Thanks."
Ran lit the device, inhaling and exhaling a plume of mist, letting her tension melt. The cigar steadied her heightened emotions, balancing her psyche. Tamamo watched silently.
"Phew... Sorry, I need this to chill," Ran said.
"No shame in that. I leaned on 'em for a bit too," Tamamo admitted.
"Oh? Not anymore?"
"Gum now. Too much hassle comin' to the smoking area," she said, tossing a piece into her mouth.
One puffed mist, the other blew gum bubbles. Amid the odd scene, Tamamo spoke.
"Your run was a riot."
"Caught your eye?" Ran asked.
"Hell yeah. That style'll work at any distance. Polish it, and you're golden."
A G1 Uma Musume like Tamamo Cross praising her run? Ran's approach—leveraging her height for a bold breakaway while rattling her opponents' psyche—was a masterstroke.
"You nailed the start, used your stride for a big lead. That makes the pack panic, chasin' hard to close the gap. They catch up faster than expected, so they slow to pace themselves," Tamamo said.
Exactly. Ran's breakaway sparked their competitive fire, pushing them to chase. They'd catch up, ease off to conserve energy, and then Ran would surge again. Catch, slow, surge—repeated over and over.
"You sly fox. You were droppin' your pace bit by bit, weren't ya?" Tamamo said.
"Yup," Ran admitted.
"So smooth, they didn't even notice."
The constant speed shifts threw off their rhythm. Accelerating and decelerating burned their stamina. By the final corner, they were too exhausted for their top speed.
"Pretty ballsy for your first real race," Tamamo said.
"Pretty much," Ran nodded.
"Damn, Tressen's gettin' a wild one."
Tamamo laughed, popping her gum and swallowing it.
"I like ya, Rampage. Once you're enrolled, let's race. I'll take you on anytime."
"Count me in—full throttle," Ran replied.
"Got some guts, huh? Bring it, wild one," Tamamo said, grinning.
"Hold that thought, Lightning," Ran shot back.
After a brief stare-down, Tamamo waved and sauntered off. Once she was out of sight, Ran took a deep drag, exhaling a massive cloud as cold sweat poured out.
"Man, that was intense... She saw right through me. Read me like a book on the first go," Ran muttered.
For her first real race, Ran had drawn inspiration from a manga she loved as a human—JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, specifically Dio's early strategy against Gyro. She'd baited her opponents, accelerating when they slowed, throwing their pace into chaos. She thought she'd nailed it, but Tamamo saw through it effortlessly. A slight blow to her ego.
"G1 Uma Musume, huh? Guess it's no surprise," Ran mused. "But if I refine it, it could still work."
Tamamo's words suggested potential. It was a card worth honing. For now, Ran was grateful for meeting a G1 legend. She took one last drag, caught the cigar in her portable ashtray, and headed toward Ryan.
As her figure vanished, a trainer emerged from the smoking area.
"A transfer student Tamamo Cross has her eye on? Gotta ask Hana about this one..."