"Hey, you're the Uma Musume that jerk's been blabbing about, right?"
"Dunno who 'that jerk' is or what rumors you're talking about. Vague words don't prove a thing."
"Hah! That cocky tone? Yeah, you're definitely the one."
Sprawled on the rooftop, Rampage puffed on a cigar, the smoke curling lazily into the air. A lone Uma Musume loomed over her, exuding a bold confidence that seemed to radiate from her very core. It wasn't just Rampage's reclined position—everything about this girl screamed superiority, her smirk brimming with unshakeable self-assurance. Rampage knew exactly who she was dealing with.
"So, what's the deal, Sirius-senpai?"
"Drop the creepy polite act. You don't mean a word of it."
Sirius Symboli. Rampage knew the basics: a legendary Uma Musume who clinched the 52nd Japan Derby and blazed a trail as one of the first Japanese horses to embark on a two-year international campaign. But beyond the history lesson, Rampage knew her—the real Sirius, the Uma Musume, far better than the lore.
"Word is, the Emperor's got her eye on you," Sirius said, her tone sharp but curious. "So I figured I'd come check you out."
"Probably just salty that I turned down Rigil's recruitment pitch, then joined another team before they could try again."
"Hah, no doubt. She's always been a sore loser, stubborn as hell and dead-set on getting her way."
Sirius cackled, openly mocking the Emperor. Few could speak of Rudolf, the eternal sovereign of Uma Musume, with such brazen disrespect. Sirius was one of them.
"Eh, the Emperor's nothing to me," Rampage said, shrugging.
"Oh?" Sirius raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Don't get me wrong—I'm not denying her greatness. But I'm my own person. No matter what anyone says, I'll carve my own path. In that sense, I guess we're not so different."
"Big talk for someone aiming to 'pay back a debt.' Pretty noble of you."
"Damn right. I got back something I thought I'd lost forever."
Sirius's smirk faded, replaced by a piercing, almost magnetic gaze—sharp yet captivating, the kind that could charm anyone. As Rampage exhaled a plume of smoke, Sirius spoke again.
"Huh. You're more like us than I thought."
"Comes with being born on the wrong side of the tracks."
"Hah! Talking like that to a Symboli? You've got guts."
"Come on, Sirius. You're you, not just some Symboli."
"You get it." Sirius's grin widened. "I'm liking you more by the second."
In her roundabout way, Sirius was admitting she didn't fit the polished Symboli mold—and she liked it that way. Rampage's acceptance of that only seemed to fuel her approval.
"One heads-up, though," Sirius added, her tone shifting. "The Emperor's started digging into you."
"Figured as much. When someone hears 'repaying a debt' and 'revenge' in the same breath, they're bound to get curious."
"I've warned you. Handle it however you want."
"Thanks, senpai."
"Ugh, cut the 'senpai' crap. Just Sirius."
With that, Sirius sauntered off. Rampage watched her go, taking another drag on her cigar. She'd always known she'd be investigated. An ordinary Uma Musume from a nobody family, cozying up to the prestigious Mejiro clan and waltzing in and out of their estate? That was bound to raise eyebrows. With the Symboli family's resources, her secrets wouldn't stay hidden for long. And Rudolf? She'd come knocking, no question.
"A world where every Uma Musume can be happy, huh?" Rampage muttered. "Sorry, that's not my path."
She'd already derailed from that track. Part human soul, Rampage didn't quite fit the mold of an Uma Musume. And after taking her own life, happiness was a distant dream. If anything, she leaned toward Sirius's side—untamed, unapologetic.
"My goal's revenge."
Later, in the training room, Rampage decided to get some answers. She found Ryan working out, and as they used the equipment side by side, she struck up a conversation.
"So, me? I'm aiming for the Classics," Ryan said, her voice bright with enthusiasm.
"The Derby, huh? Can't blame you. It's practically a festival to crown Japan's top Uma Musume."
Rampage nodded, heaving the barbell up during a bench press. Countless Uma Musume dreamed of that stage, and at Tracen Academy, where two Triple Crown winners roamed, it was no surprise Ryan was drawn to it.
"What about you, Ran?" Ryan asked.
"Dunno yet," Rampage grunted, mid-rep. "Lamone-senpai's pushing me toward the Tiara route, you're gunning for the Classics, and I'm stuck in decision limbo… Hah! New personal record!"
She racked the barbell and grabbed a water bottle, mulling over her options. Sirius's visit had her thinking about international races too. A tough path, sure, but tempting for her revenge-driven goals. Still, it might be too grand for the smaller, sharper things she wanted.
Ryan piped up, her tone softer. "You know, like your grandma said, you could just get a lawyer. It'd probably be over quick."
"Yeah, I've heard that one. Didn't spend years scraping by, balancing budgets, and scribbling in diaries for nothing."
After her aunt and uncle vanished, taking her parents' inheritance with them, Rampage had clawed her way through life. Every struggle was documented, etched into those diaries. With that evidence, a lawyer could bury those two in court. She'd been told as much by the Mejiro family's legal advisor. But Rampage hadn't gone that route.
"It's not about that," she said, her voice low. "I want to make them regret it."
"Regret?" Ryan echoed, puzzled.
"Yeah. I want them to realize how stupid they were, how they screwed up. I want them to drown in 'why did we do that?' and 'what if we'd done better?'"
Ending their lives would be too easy. It wouldn't satisfy her. The human soul inside Rampage wasn't that forgiving—not after they'd driven her to the edge.
"I want them to think, 'If we'd been there, been proper parents…' Then, when they come crawling back, I'll shut them down and demand every cent of my parents' inheritance back. I don't care if they cry or beg—it doesn't matter. I'm taking back what's mine, no matter how long it takes."
What Rampage craved was atonement—the kind that came with pain. Ruin was too simple; she wanted eternal regret seared into their souls.
"That's… intense, Ran," Ryan said, eyes wide.
"I went as far as killing myself. I think I've earned this much."
"Yeah, you're right. My bad."
"Damn straight."
Some might call her malice excessive, but Rampage didn't care. This was her will now. She wasn't the original Rampage, but she was Rampage. And she'd live on her own terms.
"Live on my terms, huh…" Rampage chuckled. "Hey, Ryan, how about we aim big? Go for both the Classics and the Tiara—together."
"Dual Triple Crowns?!" Ryan gasped.
"Yup. I'll take the Triple Tiara, you take the Classic Triple Crown. I'm a Mejiro-approved Uma Musume, after all. You and me, pulling off a double Triple Crown—wouldn't that be the ultimate glory for the Mejiro name?"
Ryan froze, stunned. She'd dreamed of the Classics, but a Triple Crown? That was a whole new level. Doubt crept in—could she even do it? But the excitement, the thrill of chasing that peak with her best friend, drowned out the fear. To stand atop a generation together—what could be more glorious?
"That's it! That's perfect!" Ryan shouted, practically bouncing.
"Alright, I'm on the Tiara route. You better not choke on the Classics, got it?"
"No way! Oh man, I'm so pumped! Can't wait to debut!"
"Wanna take that energy to the track?"
"Hell yeah! Let's go!"
Ryan grabbed her hand, practically dragging her along with infectious enthusiasm. Watching her friend's radiant smile, Rampage felt a rare calm settle in her heart. She couldn't let that smile fade. For that, she'd fight harder than ever.