The contestants began to line up at their positions along the track, each team standing by their assigned checkpoints, batons ready.
However, what was once meant to be five teams had been reduced to four—one team never fully assembled.
At the center, their teacher scanned the field, trying to locate the last missing team, only to let out a defeated sigh.
The race had already been delayed far too long.
"Alright," she muttered, clapping her hands once, "we're starting as is."
Around the track, students who weren't running, those left behind, gathered along the sidelines—some cheering, some chatting, others watching quietly.
At the final-leg position, Rush stretched around her legs and arms, warming herself up while calming her nerves.
As her eyes drifted around, Mary stood beside her, completely calm, focused, and sound.
Not far from her, Murashi, too, waited; her posture was poised properly, too, her gaze locked onto the track.
Two giants.
Rush clenched her fist.
"Rush-chan!"
She turned.
Urara waved wildly from her position, bouncing on the spot,
"Let's win this, okay?" Urara called out, cupping her hands.
Rush paused—then smiled faintly.
She raised her thumb in response.
As she turned back to the track, she lifted both hands and lightly slapped her cheeks.
*Slap*
*Slap*
I can do this, she whispered to herself.
And for the first time—
She believed it.
Just as Rush readied herself, prepared to run to her full extent, to win this.
"Don't get your hopes up, Rushing."
She turned. Murashi stood beside her, chest puffed, confident.
"This track has my name written all over it," Murashi smirked. "Try your best to catch me, if you can."
Rush clenched her fist. "Keep that nose up while you still can, because this time, I won't lose," she responded. "This time, I will win."
Murashi chuckled. "You do realize who you're challenging, right?" She pointed to herself. "I am Ryu Murashi—the Dragon that Seized the Sky."
Rush didn't look away.
"Besides…" Murashi leaned in slightly, mocking. "Who are you, anyway?"
Upon hearing that, Rush froze.
The words struck harder than expected.
"Who… am I…?" Rush whispered. Her gaze fell to the ground. "I— I— I'm… Rushing Sky… right?"
She lifted her head to answer—
And froze.
Suddenly, the track was no longer surrounded by just their classmates.
Students from all over other classes joined the line at the sides, spectating. All drawn by the only presence of Mary Jane, the Unshaken Field Demon, and some to Ryu Murashi herself, due to her being somewhat popular in the school.
"Do your best, Mary! Give them hell!"
"Murashi, show them what you got!"
"I'm clearly sure that Mary is going to win this thing, nonetheless."
None had said the name of Rush, not even a mention; the crowd clearly wasn't here for her. After all, she was just another ordinary, unnamed Umamusume.
"So?" Murashi asked again, snapping through the noise. "Who are you, Rushing?"
Rush swallowed.
"I… I am Rush—"
Before Rush could finish, someone or something intruded.
"You're just an ordinary Umamusume! You're a nobody!"
Her heart jolted.
Rush looked around wildly.
Suddenly, the track, the crowd, the noise—everything faded into sheer darkness, a blank silent void.
"What… was that?" she whispered.
Then, a figure appeared in front of her.
It was herself.
"You're just an ordinary Umamusume! You're a nobody," the figure said, pointing straight at her.
Then, the figure shifted.
First, her younger brother. "Don't try to overplay yourself, big sis! You will never amount to anything!"
Then her mother. "I wish I could have a different daughter student, one who will actually bring pride to us instead."
Then her teacher. "Rushing Sky, what're you trying to prove here? You know you will never be Mary Jane or Ryu Murashi. Might as well give up now."
Then Murashi. "Remember the last time I crushed you? Don't worry, I will personally make sure it happens again. You're nothing, Rushing, you will always be nothing!"
Then Mary. "You're an utter disappointment, Rushing Sky, not to me, but to Urara. You shouldn't ever be close to her. Not when your parasitic side is crawling out all over her."
Then, each one repeated the same words.
"You're just an ordinary Umamusume! You're a nobody!"
Rush shook her head, cowering, "No… that's not true!"
"Please... that's not—"
"That's not..."
Then, the final figure stepped forward.
Urara.
"Urara...?"
Before Rush continued, "You're just an ordinary Umamusume," said the figure.
"But Urara… you said I am—"
Urara cut her off, smiling wickedly. "You know it was all lies, Rush-san. You'll never be great. You're just a fool pretending to be."
Rush stuttered, "No... Urara—"
"You used me," Urara continued. "Us. For your own sake."
Behind her, more figures appeared—Meshi, House, Glitter, Lidden—silent, watching.
"No… you're wrong… I—"
"I—..."
"I..."
Silence came as she quivered, hurdled in this blank, suffocating space.
"Please..."
"Plea..."
"..."
***
***
***
Suddenly—
Whiiiiiistle!
The sharp sound tore through her illusion.
The world snapped back into place immediately.
The track. The crowd. The lanes.
Rush lifted her head, realizing it was all just an illusion playing tricks inside her head.
Meanwhile, the race had begun.
Loud cheers erupted around the track as spectators shouted the names of their friends and teammates.
Meshi, as the first leg, launched forward, her legs revving hard.
But her lack of athleticism was immediately shown.
Her breath grew ragged quickly, and her pace was completely all over the place, like having two left feet.
Meanwhile, the opposing teams, especially Mary's and Murashi's, ran with precision. Their form was good, their strides were strong, and they had clearly done their homework.
Meshi, upon realizing it, panicked.
But Meshi clenched her teeth. She did not want to give up; she didn't want to be the black sheep of the team.
With just a little bit further,
"Run! Meshi! Yaaaaaaaarh!" she screamed, forcing her legs to keep moving.
Thankfully, the relay course was short.
Within minutes, Meshi finally reached her checkpoint—though by then, Mary's and Murashi's teams had already passed their batons.
With one final burst of strength, Meshi lunged forward and slammed the baton right into House's hand.
House staggered for half a step, then positioned herself—
and charged ahead with full throttle.
Despite Murashi's and Mary's teams holding the lead, House was naturally decent in athletics, even without proper training; her form and her pace allowed her to close the gap quickly.
She never cared much for racing, but House proved herself a capable runner.
"Lidden!" House called out as she neared the checkpoint, just a few strides away.
Lidden jolted at the sound, fumbled for half a heartbeat, "Wh— what...?!"
She then turned and realized, "Oh!"
With a quick inhale, "I can do this!" she snapped into place, her eyes locked forward, preparing for her own launch.
Then, in mere seconds,
"Lidden, grab it!" House shouted as Lidden stretched her hand backward.
"I can do it!" Lidden muttured again.
As House reached the homestretch, she deeply pressed her foot right into the turf, driving her leg to propel one last short boost. One last time to pass the two contestants.
Then... Instantly, she surged ahead!
Slipping past the two contestants beside her and reaching the checkpoint just enough to be first.
With a smooth push, she passed the baton cleanly.
Lidden caught it.
It was her turn, it was her turn to run. Immediately, Lidden bolted forward.
With her previous shorthand training, Lidden kept good form and a proper stride. Dashed forward with a decent speed.
Meanwhile, Murashi's runner, too, quickly drew alongside her, pushing hard to reclaim first place.
Hearing the footsteps beside her, Lidden tightened her jaw and accelerated.
"I can do this!" she uttered again.
From the sidelines, Young shouted, "Let's go, Lidden! Show them what you've got!"
With a strained, guttural cry, Lidden and Murashi's runner kept on their dash, dueling for their righteous first place.
It was Lidden's, no, it was Murashi's Runner's, no, it was Lidden's, no— They kept going back and forth.
Their duel finally ended when they reached the checkpoint together, both sending their batons into their teammates' hands at nearly the same moment.
"I can do this!" With one last utter, Lidden pushed the baton forward.
But... As Urara was about to grab the baton, Lidden's clumsiness struck.
The baton slipped.
"Ah—!"
The baton was falling...
Urara and Lidden immediately startled, "OH NO!"
With a quick drive, Lidden lunged forward, trying to snatch it mid-air, but her balance gave way.
"Ah—!" she yelped.
She tumbled face-first onto the track, arms stretched upward, still holding the baton.
"Are you alright?!" Urara cried out.
Then, Lidden gave a shaky thumbs-up.
Without hesitation, Urara shouted, "Thank you, Lin-chan!" and took the baton from the sprawled Lidden and bolted forward.
"Alrrrright! It's Urara's turn to shine!" she declared, even as Murashi's team surged far ahead and Mary's team trailed close behind.
Urara, instantly, bolted forward, running with all she had and declared, "Urara is going to win this!"
Just as she nearly reached half through the course, as always... her stamina and pace betrayed her.
Her pace and speed rapidly declined, her breath became ragged, and her legs became increasingly heavier with each tread.
In a short amount of time, Mary's runner closed the gap and passed her completely.
Still, Urara refused to stop. She screamed, pushed forward, and swung her tail hard—the clumsy finisher that she believed spinning her tail could actually increase her speed.
Just as Murashi and Mary's teammates nearly outpaced Urara completely.
Then—!
The unexpected happened...
Mary's runner stumbled and fell with a yelp.
Urara shot ahead, eyes wide and startled.
Despite hesitating to help the runner, Urara decided to keep going, "Now is my chance! I can do this!" she gasped.
The finish checkpoint drew near. Rush's silhouette came into view.
"Rush-chan!" Urara shouted with everything she had left.
Hearing her name, Rush snapped into position.
Meanwhile, Murashi's runner already passed the baton.
"See you at the finish line," Murashi smirked and launched first, exploding into the homestretch.
A heartbeat later, a wheezing Urara, too, arrived and slapped the baton right into Rush's hand.
With that, Rush burst forward, chasing after her redemption.
Meanwhile, Urara just collapsed behind her and melted.