"In that case, do you need me to explain the rules and all that, kiddo?"
In the early morning park, two Umamusume and two ghosts had gathered in front of the bench near the entrance. This was the starting point Kagura had always liked using for her morning training, and now it would also serve as the starting line for this friendly match.
"No. My 'friend' taught me how to run."
Kagura still remembered this little one's name—Manhattan Cafe. And beside her was that "friend" of hers, Sunday Silence. The little Umamusume's movements looked much more proper than those of most children her age. Even the various stretches she did for her warm-up were on point. From the looks of it, that "friend" of hers had probably once been a powerful Umamusume too.
Only, compared to Eclipse, Sunday Silence was exactly like her name: much quieter. It had always been Manhattan Cafe who communicated with Kagura. Kagura didn't know whether Sunday Silence had been borrowing Cafe's body to speak with her all along, or whether Sunday Silence herself was simply that quiet.
"Kiddo, since you're the one who issued the challenge, then according to Tracen custom, you can decide the course."
Kagura did not particularly care what distance they ran. Every distance in Japan, from long to short, fell within her range of aptitude. Even if she followed the unwritten rule among Tracen students and handed the right to choose the distance to this little Umamusume, it would not affect her much. Besides, in the first place, having a fully matured Umamusume like herself race against this little one was already bullying her.
"2,400—no, 1,600 meters."
"Manhattan Cafe" seemed as though she had originally wanted to say another number, but after apparently considering something, she finally said 1,600. Sunday Silence only nodded beside her, looking as though she approved of the little one's suggestion.
While Kagura and Cafe were doing their warm-up exercises, Kagura noticed out of the corner of her eye that Sunday Silence had approached Eclipse and seemed to be saying something to her. She had no idea whether the two of them were communicating through some ghost-specific channel. Kagura could only see Eclipse nod a few times. Even at such a close distance, she somehow did not hear a single sound.
"Ah, Kagura. Since that little one is running with you today, I won't join in for your first lap. You two run once first. I'll watch the finish line for you."
Then Eclipse suddenly made a suggestion that surprised Kagura a little. Kagura knew Eclipse had some inexplicable fondness for competition. If something could make her suddenly change her mind, then what exactly had Sunday Silence said to her?
Turning to glance toward Sunday Silence, Kagura saw her walk over to Manhattan Cafe's side and pat her head, then dissolve into a cloud of golden dust and vanish.
After that, Kagura saw Cafe, who had finished warming up, walk over with a determined look in her eyes. Then, with great seriousness, she bowed to Kagura.
"Please don't hold back. In the race after this, use your full strength without reservation."
"..."
Kagura, who had originally been wondering whether she should go easy on the little one, did not answer immediately. She simply shifted her gaze slightly and looked at Eclipse, who was standing beside the bench. Eclipse said nothing either. She only nodded silently, then gave Kagura a thumbs-up.
Looks like Eclipse-san agrees too… Is this what Sunday Silence-san discussed with Eclipse-san just now?
Since this was the sort of thing that slightly went against the spirit of competition, Kagura could not exactly ask Eclipse about it outright. Since even Eclipse had agreed, Kagura planned to start according to her normal race rhythm.
After finishing their warm-ups, Kagura and Manhattan Cafe stood in front of the bench. Eclipse stepped forward slightly and extended a hand, asking the two Umamusume who were already prepared:
"You both should already be clear on the distance and course condition, so I won't repeat them. Are you both ready?"
"I am ready."
"Mm."
Only after seeing Kagura and Cafe both nod and take their starting stances did Eclipse lower her hand.
CLACK!
Kagura heard Eclipse produce a sound identical to the opening of a starting gate by some unknown method. Although she was curious, she did not let herself get distracted. That sound meant the race had begun, and she immediately stepped forward and charged out.
Manhattan Cafe seemed to have some issues with concentration. Kagura noticed that Cafe started running a little later than she did. Part of it might also have been because she was startled by that damn sound Eclipse had made. Still, for a little Umamusume who had not received much systematic training, having this level of focus at the start was already fairly good.
In any case, since she had made a slow start, she had to pay the corresponding price. Kagura had no intention of holding back in this race to begin with, so she opened with a Runaway at extremely high starting speed. The distance between her and Manhattan Cafe quickly widened to two or three lengths.
"It's completely overwhelming… That fellow made a request like that before the race started. Is she really not afraid of dealing a blow to that little girl?"
Eclipse saw Manhattan Cafe fall behind not long after the start, and the distance was still widening at tremendous speed. She knew this friendly match no longer held any suspense. No—rather, from the moment Sunday Silence had requested that Kagura use her full strength, there had already been no suspense.
After all, an Umamusume who had not undergone honkaku was trying to contend with a powerhouse who could easily leave her opponents behind by a massive gap even in G1 races. Even if Sunday Silence possessed the little Umamusume's body, she would still be limited by that body and unable to use her full strength.
It was just like when Eclipse had once possessed Kagura and opened her Zone, nearly draining Kagura's stamina dry. And Kagura's current condition was utterly complete. This 1,600-meter distance was already enough for Kagura to leave this little one so far behind that she wouldn't even see her tail.
In the quiet park, Kagura ran along the path. The fresh air and tranquil atmosphere made her feel comfortable and excited, and she unconsciously raised her speed.
"So strong…"
Manhattan Cafe chased after Kagura. She raised her speed within the limits her stamina allowed, but the distance between her and Kagura did not shrink at all.
In her field of vision, the figure of her "friend" was chasing from a little farther ahead, likewise raising her speed appropriately. But even the "friend" in her memories, the one in perfect condition, no longer seemed to have much leeway under that terrifying speed. There was still a gap of one or two lengths between her and Kagura.
Kagura, who was only focused on charging forward, did not pay much attention to what was happening behind her. Unless someone was sticking to her so tightly that she could not pull away, the only chances she had to observe the rear during a race were basically when she passed through turns, using the few seconds when the corner of her eye could see behind her to glance back and confirm the approximate distance.
As expected, is this still too much for a child who hasn't undergone honkaku? Why would she ask me to use my full strength?
When she had run about halfway, Kagura checked behind her. The distance between Manhattan Cafe and herself had already far exceeded ten lengths. If the park's straightaway had not been long enough, she might not even have been able to see the little one behind her anymore.
Or was the one who asked me to use my full strength… not Manhattan Cafe?
Thinking that, Kagura looked back again. She did not spot Sunday Silence. She did not know whether Sunday Silence had used some method to hide her position, or whether she really was not there. After all, Eclipse could also use little tricks like retinal projection to manifest only before Kagura's eyes.
"Friend… I'm sorry. My body is still too weak… I can't catch up to her. She's much stronger than I am."
Seeing that the gap had become so large that she could not make it back even by running all-out, Manhattan Cafe knew she probably had no chance of catching up, and apologized to her "friend."
'No, it's all right, Cafe. This friendly match is unfavorable to you to begin with. You haven't undergone honkaku yet, and your opponent is this year's strongest newcomer Umamusume. Just do your best.'
Her "friend" shook her head. The distance of 1,600 meters was not long. In Manhattan Cafe's eyes, the "friend" in her memories, the one in her most perfect condition, had already begun her sprint. Kagura's lead was large, but her "friend" was also pursuing Kagura and rapidly closing the distance. Now, with her eyes alone, Manhattan Cafe could no longer judge the situation ahead.
"Just a little distance left."
After turning through the final corner, Manhattan Cafe saw that her "friend" was almost about to catch up to Kagura. But Kagura also suddenly picked up speed over the final stretch, freezing the chase distance in place. From where Cafe was, the gap between the two was too small to judge.
"Hah… Final spurt, is it? Why can't I see that fellow?"
Seeing Kagura getting closer and closer to the finish line, Eclipse, who was crouched there, looked behind Kagura, only to fail to see Sunday Silence's location.
She did not believe Sunday Silence would do nothing. From the way Sunday Silence had been so full of fighting spirit when they chatted just now, it was clear that she definitely wasn't the type to stop at empty words. Since Sunday Silence had specifically said at the start that she wanted to face Kagura, then she was surely competing against Kagura through some method right now.
"Heh… Old thing, you sure care about your diginity. What's this, you won't even let me see where you are? Afraid of being left too far behind and embarrassing yourself?"
After observing for a moment, Eclipse immediately guessed what method Sunday Silence was using to compete against Kagura. During the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Eclipse herself had once used the same method. Even without anyone noticing, she had still been able to run side by side with Kagura.
Temporarily forgetting Sunday Silence, whose position was still unclear, Eclipse turned her gaze toward Manhattan Cafe behind them. At this point, based on what Eclipse could estimate by eye, the gap between Manhattan Cafe and Kagura had already gone far beyond ten lengths by who knew how much. Eclipse was already thinking about how she should comfort the child afterward.
'So strong… So strong… It's thrilling!!'
Sunday Silence looked at the Umamusume beside her, who was now neck and neck with her. The two were locked in a stalemate, neither side able to overtake the other by even the slightest bit. For the first time in a long while, her heart filled with exhilaration and excitement. Clashing against the strong was precisely where the joy of competition lay. If every race was a crushing stomp against small fry, that could not be called competition at all. It was merely one person running alone on the track.
Amid the excitement of her surging fighting spirit, she only felt regret. Because she was a ghost. She no longer had the chance to meet Kagura on the racecourse. She believed that the ghost standing at the finish line must surely feel the same way she did.
After that brief clash on the final straight, under Manhattan Cafe's slightly shocked gaze from behind, Kagura and her "friend" charged across the finish line together.
"Race over!! Kagura—crosses the line with a massive gap!!"
Eclipse swung her hand down and announced the result of the race. After charging past the finish line at full speed, Kagura ran another two steps forward before stopping. She did not show any obvious panting or flushing. After all, 1,600 meters was still nowhere near the limit of her stamina.
Only after several more seconds did Manhattan Cafe, who had chased Kagura until she had lost speed, slowly come rushing up from behind, panting hard. Kagura moved close and supported her, letting her catch her breath for a little while before handing her the water bottle she herself had brought and placed on the bench.
"You… are very strong."
Manhattan Cafe accepted the water bottle Kagura handed her. She did not immediately lift it and drink, but kept looking at Kagura, as though doing so would carve Kagura's figure deep into her heart.
There was no obvious frustration or unwillingness in her eyes, because she also knew that for a child who had not undergone honkaku to try to fight a G1 champion, and this year's Best Newcomer Umamusume at that, was certainly far too much to ask. Even so, being left almost a hundred meters behind still made her a little uncomfortable. That was inevitable. After all, every Umamusume had a desire to win. Even if she was mentally prepared, she could not avoid those feelings.
"Thank you for being willing to run with me. This is for you."
Manhattan Cafe took a small bag out of her pocket and carefully placed it in Kagura's hand. Kagura could smell the rich aroma coming from inside. Her keen kitchen instincts told her that what was inside should be something like coffee beans. At the very least, it was related.
Not everyone could receive recognition like this from Manhattan Cafe. Because people who could surpass her "friend" were truly few and far between. So far, among everyone around her, there had not been a single person who could run neck and neck with her "friend"—let alone surpass her.
The black-haired Umamusume before her made Manhattan Cafe feel curious, and interested.
"Huh? What's this?"
"Ground coffee… I ground it myself."
It seemed that Manhattan Cafe was also a coffee lover. Kagura seemed to understand where the intense coffee scent she had smelled on Cafe before had come from.
Although Kagura instinctively wanted to decline, seeing how serious Manhattan Cafe looked made it hard to say no. In the end, she accepted the small gift, then took out some milk candy she carried with her and placed it in Cafe's hand.
"What… is this?"
"Milk candy. I didn't bring much with me when I came out, so this is all I can give you in return, kiddo~"
Seeing how cute Manhattan Cafe looked as she gazed up at her, Kagura smiled and patted her head.
"Oh, right. If you really like coffee, then when you go into the shopping street at the exit of this park, there's a convenience store on the right. On the fourth row of the shelf farthest to the left after you enter, there's a type of biscuit that goes very well with coffee. Too bad I don't have any with me. I really recommend you try it when you have time, kiddo."
After saying that, Kagura even took out her phone and showed Manhattan Cafe what the biscuit packaging looked like. Cafe nodded curiously. Although she did not reply, she silently remembered Kagura's words and prepared to go take a look later.
Different from during the race… She's a kind, good person. And she understands coffee to some extent. Mm.
Looking at Kagura's smile, Manhattan Cafe thought to herself.
...
——Hey, old thing. You hid yourself even while running. Come on, tell me. How was the result?
'I crossed the line at the same time as her. There was no photo-finish equipment here, so I don't know who won.'
——Oh, is that so~ I suppose you don't have much reason to lie to me. So what was your purpose in running this race?
'I wanted to know the distance between me, and her, and the summit of this era.'
——Mm~ Then… how did it feel to you?
'Exhilarating! Having a strong opponent like that is what makes a competitive career complete! You… surely think the same, don't you? You… are also looking forward to the day when she can grow to run neck and neck with you, aren't you?'
——Well, maybe I am… Who knows~
---
T/N: manhattan cafe
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