"I'm Rampage. Nice to meet you."
Having successfully transferred to Tressen Academy, Rampage faced the truth.
System: the staggering reality of meeting Mejiro Ramonu as her roommate, Ran was now ready to tackle her new life as a third-year middle school student at Tressen Academy. With high school just around the corner, things were bound to get hectic, but having graduated college in her human life, she figured she'd manage... somehow.
"Same class, huh? Lucky us!" Ryan chirped during a break, her face lighting up.
"That's my line," Ran said, her tension easing at Ryan's enthusiasm.
"You're in Miho Dorm, right? Who's your roommate?" Ryan asked. "I don't have one yet. They're saving spots for high school transfers."
"Lucky you. Mine's so intense I nearly fainted," Ran said, half-joking.
"Whoa, who?" Ryan pressed.
"The dorm leader's classmate."
"Dyna Galloper? Or maybe Nippon Teio?" Ryan guessed.
"Nope. The Mejiro family's crown jewel."
Ryan's face froze. "No way..."
She leaned in, whispering, "Ramonu-san...?" Ran nodded.
"Seriously?!" Ryan gasped.
"Tell me about it," Ran muttered. "I'd rather bunk with you."
"But think about it! It's a chance to hear stories from a legend!" Ryan said, eyes sparkling. "She's huge!"
"...Guess you're right."
Ran had been intimidated by the gap in status, but flipped around, it was a rare opportunity to learn from a battle-hardened champion. Ramonu's stories could be invaluable—a treasure worth more than gold.
"Wanna hit the cafeteria for lunch?" Ran asked. "You coming, Ryan?"
"Oh, sorry, go ahead without me. Teacher called me over," Ryan said.
"Got it. I'll head out then."
Parting ways, Ran strolled through the halls in Tressen's uniform—a skirt, which she'd worried about, but tights made it bearable. No skirt-flipping paranoia, so it was fine.
"Look at her, she's huge," a voice whispered.
"Where?" another asked.
"Her chest, obviously."
"Nah, her hips."
"No, her height..."
Ran's towering 175 cm frame drew stares. With Hishi Akebono not at Tressen, she was likely the tallest Uma Musume here. No wonder she stood out. The next tallest? Probably that Uma Musume. Shrugging it off, she reached the bustling cafeteria.
UMA Musume eat—a lot. With their intense training, massive portions were standard. But...
"That's all you're getting?" the cafeteria worker asked, eyeing Ran's tray.
"Yeah, not super hungry," Ran replied.
"You sure? Refills are free! At least grab seconds!" they urged.
"Did I... do something wrong?" Ran muttered, confused.
Taking her modest plate of rice, miso soup, fried egg, and potato salad, she sat down, only to hear murmurs ripple around her.
"Is she on a diet?" someone whispered.
"That body and that little food? No way she's okay," another said.
"What's her fuel efficiency?" a third wondered.
"Did I screw up somehow?" Ran mumbled.
"You did, you goof," a voice cut in.
Tamamo Cross plopped down across from her, holding a carrot hamburger set, her face a mix of exasperation and amusement.
"Tamamo-senpai? What's up?" Ran asked.
"Listen," Tamamo began, but was interrupted.
"Sorry for the wait!" another voice called.
Two more Uma Musume joined them, and Ran looked up to see legends: Oguri Cap, the gray monster who sparked the Heisei racing boom, and Super Creek, the high-speed stayer. Together, they'd turned gambling into a sport.
"Didn't see you there," Oguri said. "Mind if we join?"
"Go for it," Ran said. "I'm not that petty."
"Thank you~" Super Creek said, her voice soft and warm.
Super Creek's refined beauty contrasted with Oguri's airy, almost ditzy vibe—natural charm radiating within seconds. These were the icons who ignited a racing revolution. They gawked at Ran's plate, especially Super Creek, who looked worried.
"That's... enough?" Super Creek asked. "Want some of my hamburger?"
"Are you feeling ill?" Oguri added. "If something's wrong, don't hold back, okay?"
Their concern left Ran baffled. Tamamo sighed, using her chopsticks to point between Ran's tray and theirs. Oguri's plate was a mountain, Super Creek's nearly as large—fitting their tall frames. Even Tamamo, petite as she was, had a hefty portion. Ran's? Way Hawkins' level.
"Miso soup, a fried egg, potato salad, and rice—all regular portions!" Tamamo exclaimed. "That's nuts!"
"Oh... crap," Ran groaned, clutching her head. "I get it now. Damn it."
At the Mejiro estate, chefs and nutritionists curated her meals, so she'd eaten what was served. Here, she'd defaulted to her old, human habits—thinking her modest tray was a feast. Old habits die hard.
"It's not... that bad," Ran said. "Back home, this was a luxury. Guess the Mejiro folks didn't fix me as much as I thought."
"Sounds like a story," Tamamo said.
"It's... complicated," Ran hedged.
How to explain? She wasn't ready to spill her family drama. But Tamamo grabbed her hand, gripping it firmly.
"It's fine, don't sweat it," Tamamo said. "You've been through a lot, I get it. But this is Tressen Academy—eat as much as you want! Oguri, grab her your favorite! Creek, you too!"
"Got it. Not sure why, but I'll do it," Oguri said, heading off.
"Understood," Super Creek said, her eyes softening. "You've had it rough, huh? Leave it to me♪"
"Uh, wait—" Ran started.
"No worries!" Tamamo cut in, flashing a thumbs-up. "We've got your back!"
Tamamo's fire, fueled by her own humble roots, sensed Ran's struggles. She couldn't let her go hungry. Oguri wanted Ran to try her favorite dish, and Super Creek... something in her sparked, a fierce need to protect and pamper Ran.
"This is... too much," Ran said, eyeing the growing pile.
"No holding back!" Tamamo insisted. "Eat up! You won't get strong without fuel. I'm eating hard, so you better keep up!"
"If it's too much, I'll eat it," Oguri offered.
"Here, this carrot potage is packed with nutrients. Open wide~" Super Creek cooed.
"...This is getting intense," Ran muttered, a shiver running through her.