Rampage sighed, puffing her cigar, her expression unusually somber for an undefeated legend. A group of junior Uma Musume approached, shouting, "Senpai, please accept these!" They offered cutely wrapped boxes, some with letters. She quickly masked her mood, striking a pose with her cigar and flashing a grin.
"Thanks for the awesome gifts!" she said, her response polished. The girls squealed, thrilled as she accepted their presents and took selfies with some before they left beaming. Alone again, she resumed puffing, smoke leaking from her nose. "Gimme a break…"
February meant Valentine's Day, the "Maiden's Jihad" at Tresen's all-girls academy. Rampage, a prime target, was drowning in gifts. "Last year, dirt racing kept me busy, but this year? No escape," she groaned.
Ryan, arms full of chocolate bags, laughed. "You're getting buried, Ran!"
As a sporty Triple Crown star, Ryan was popular, but Rampage's fame—surpassing even Rudolf's—drew an absurd volume. "Do I have to eat all this? I'll get diabetes," Rampage muttered.
"Mine's mostly protein bars, so I'm good. Yours, though…" Ryan teased.
Rampage's tough, masculine image fueled her Rudolf-level popularity, but the sheer quantity was maddening. "And these letters! Six out of ten have them. I'm not a post office!"
"They're all for you, not for delivery," Ryan chuckled.
"That's worse!" Rampage snapped. Most were fan letters—cheering her overseas, inspired enrollments at Tresen, or dirt racing ambitions. No love letters, thankfully… though she feared Flora's.
"Called?" Flora appeared, emerging from the chocolate pile.
"Where'd you come from?!" Rampage yelped.
"From your chocolate mountain," Flora said.
"Creepy!" Rampage shouted. Flora's uncanny obsession, rivaling a yandere, unnerved her. Was she like all Agnes-named Uma Musume? No, Digital was different. Flight? Unknown.
"Just snuck around," Flora clarified.
"Still creepy! Disappear!" Rampage barked.
"Ran, that's harsh," Ryan interjected.
"You wouldn't say that if someone read your mind and called it love!" Rampage countered.
"Fair, that's terrifying," Ryan admitted.
"Stop! You're making me cry!" Flora wailed.
"What do you want? I'm figuring out how to deal with this chocolate," Rampage said.
"I brought some too," Flora said, offering a box.
"Nope, hard pass," Rampage refused.
"Why?!" Flora cried.
Flora's gifts were too intense—possibly spiked by her sister Takion. Rampage accepted all others, but Flora's felt dangerous.
"Take it, Ran. It's from a rival," Ryan urged.
"You're too kind, Muscle Expo!" Flora cheered.
"Who said bodybuilding chants?" Rampage groaned, relenting. Flora opened the box, revealing heart-shaped chocolates with "True Heart and Love" written on them.
"You're that type!" Rampage exclaimed.
"No! It's just my feelings! I don't hate you—I like you!" Flora protested.
"Uh… what now, Ran?" Ryan asked, face twitching.
Rampage grabbed a chocolate and shoved it into Flora's mouth. "Thanks for the sentiment, but keep your love and go!"
"You quick-cancelled me?!" Flora choked, swallowing.
"Is she… glowing?" Ryan pointed.
"What?!" Rampage and Flora gasped. Flora's body emitted a faint orange light.
"What's in that chocolate?!" Rampage demanded.
"Just store-bought!" Flora insisted.
"Then why are you glowing? Did you tweak it?" Rampage pressed.
Flora recalled making it at home with Takion's help. "A secret ingredient… to make it tastier," she remembered Takion saying.
"What was it?!" Rampage roared.
"Call an ambulance!" Ryan urged.
"What did you put in, Taki-chan?!" Flora wailed.
Elsewhere, Takion sneezed. "Heh, sis is talking about me. Gotta hear her thoughts on that drug…" Digital reported Rampage's furious return. "She didn't eat it? Tough one!" Takion laughed.
"Big sis was scary…" Flora whimpered, comforted by Creek.
"It's okay, I'm here," Creek soothed.
"Big sis… I made dinner, not chocolate. Will you eat it?" Rice offered shyly.
"You're an angel, Rice," Rampage said, her spirits lifting.
Note: Digital won the Diamond Stakes despite a Long-Distance F aptitude, earning a title. What's with this girl?
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