Just the other day, Mejiro Rampage, the newly crowned Tyrant of the World, returned home. And the excitement surrounding the arrival of Sunday Silence, the horse girl said to have outrun fate itself in America, has yet to cool. In the midst of this fever pitch, the Twinkle Series is about to witness the birth of new history today. Will a Triple Crown Horse Girl be born for the third year in a row? Or will the horse girl standing in her way carve out her own history? This is the final battle of the Classic Front: The Kikuka-sho!!"
The Kikuka-sho had arrived only days after Rampage's return. Considering the Breeders' Cup Classic was held only a week prior, the schedule was brutal; the fact that Rampage's body could handle returning to Japan without a proper rest period bordered on insanity. Her physical durability was nothing short of abnormal.
Amidst the tremors caused by the Tyrant's return and Sunday Silence's declaration of immigration, the Kikuka-sho was set to begin.
"Ore~ Ore~! How's that, you little runts?!"
"Amazing, amazing~!!"
"See? How about this!"
"So hiiiigh!!"
In the middle of it all, Sunday Silence stood completely undisguised. Wearing black jeans, a white T-shirt, and a leather jacket, she appeared at the Kyoto Racecourse in a terribly rough outfit. Naturally, her identity was blown immediately... well, "blown" implies she was trying to hide it, which she wasn't. A crowd formed around her in seconds.
"Oi. Did you lot come here to see me, or did you come to see the Kikuka-sho? Which is it?"
"We came to watch Rice win the Kikuka-sho, of course!!"
The immediate answer came from the members of Rice Shower's fan club, the "Blue Rose Society." Hearing their response put Sunday in a good mood, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a grin.
"Orah! Then put some diaphragm into it and cheer louder!! Every single word you scream becomes power for her. If you have an oshi, make them your priority! This is their once-in-a-lifetime stage—so make it explode for them!"
"YEEEEAAAH!!!!"
In the blink of an eye, Sunday had seized control of the area. Perhaps due to her natural charisma, she instantly made the atmosphere her own. The fans remembered: they would have other chances to see Sunday Silence, but the Classic season comes only once in a lifetime. With renewed fire, they prepared to cheer with everything they had. Sunday nodded in satisfaction, then went back to entertaining the children nearby. She seemed to like kids, even lifting one onto her shoulders.
"It's lively out here..."
"Hah! It's a good thing for runts to be energetic. Alright, go back to your pops and momma now. Go on~."
"Okaaay~!"
Rampage, who had arrived properly disguised, commented on the scene while Sunday sent the children back to their parents. Watching Sunday give a thumbs-up to a waving child, Rampage thought she looked incredibly dashing—like the lead actor in a superhero show.
"So? How is Rice Shower looking?"
"Instead of me telling you, why don't you judge with your own eyes?"
"Fair enough."
As they spoke, the time for gate entry approached. Horse girls emerged from the underground passage, running onto the turf one after another. Everyone looked to be in top form.
"Following the undefeated Double Crown winner, Mihono Bourbon, here she comes—Machikane Tannhauser!! She is the third favorite. Like Rice Shower, she is a horse girl from Team Canopus, standing as one of the two pillars aiming to overthrow Bourbon. Her aptitude is said to be best suited for long distances, making this Kikuka-sho the perfect stage for her to display her true potential. We can certainly expect her long-awaited first G1 victory!"
"Tannhauser~!!"
"Do your best~!!"
"Tan-chan!!"
"Thanks for the cheers, everyone!! Ei, Ei, Mun!!"
"Ei, Ei, Mun!!"
Speaking of fan clubs, Tannhauser had a solid one of her own, named "Ei Ei Moon." They had adopted her catchphrase—the sound she made when psyching herself up—and their emblem was a crescent moon wearing Tannhauser's signature hat. It was quite stylish.
"And finally, appearing last is her teammate from Canopus. The one considered most likely to defeat Mihono Bourbon, the Blessing Star who is said to be able to unleash her greatest power on this chrysanthemum stage: Rice Shower!! She is the second favorite!!"
Finally, the general of the anti-Bourbon rebellion, Rice Shower, appeared.
While everyone wished for Mihono Bourbon's Triple Crown, they simultaneously yearned for a fierce battle with Rice Shower and Machikane Tannhauser—perhaps even an upset victory. The three shared a clear rivalry; there was no absolute gap in skill. Bourbon was slightly ahead, but depending on the luck of the day, the other two could easily win. It was a perfectly balanced relationship, making this clash unbearable to wait for.
And so—Rice appeared. But...
Fuuu... Fuuu...
When Rice emerged from the underground passage, the massive crowd, which had been buzzing with excitement, lost its voice.
The Rice Shower who walked out slowly, as if verifying the ground with each step, was a completely different person from before. It was famous that Rice had a "switch" that flipped during races, changing her personality entirely—but today, it was exceptionally pronounced.
Behind the dress that looked like a black mourning gown, her eyes shone red, yet they were wreathed in blue flames. Her expression was razor-sharp. The more one knew of her usual timid, quiet self... the more alien this figure appeared.
"Is... is that... Rice-chan?"
"She's totally different... Is this an evolution of her usual Hitman Style...!?"
"A-Anyway, scream and cheer!! It just means she's that ready, right!?"
"Yeah, yeah! It means she's sharpened herself to the limit to fight Bourbon!!"
"Do your best, Rice Shower!!"
"Hitman Style" was the affectionate nickname given to her because, once her switch flipped, she exuded the aura of an assassin. It sounded a bit like boxing, but that was probably a coincidence. Even her fan club was stunned by the intensity of her concentration.
Rampage felt the same. She knew Rice had been focusing on her mental state... but she hadn't expected her to climb this high.
"She's really sharpened herself..."
"---She's making a damn good face... I thought she was just a timid, shaky little thing, but I gotta correct that assessment... She's gonna run a hell of a race. I would've wanted to run against a guy with that kind of spirit. Though, Tannhauser should be in top shape too—after all, I was the one chasing her around."
"To a pitiful degree, really."
Rice had received the seal of approval from Sunday Silence—a legend who even said she wished she could have met this version of Rice in her own era. This was undeniably promising. But Tannhauser was the same; the effects of running while being hunted by Sunday were showing.
As anticipation built, Trainer Kuronuma, standing nearby, was momentarily at a loss for words, but then he smiled.
"Rejoice, Bourbon... You have already obtained a treasure greater than the Triple Crown. You are... a happy horse girl."
"Yes, Master... I am very happy."
As if to say she understood Kuronuma's will perfectly, Bourbon murmured the words while locking her eyes on Rice. Just moments ago, she had been excited by Tannhauser's condition. But this... this was something else. She was dying to run.
Fuuu...
"..."
Even as Rice passed right in front of her, she ignored Bourbon completely. She should have viewed Bourbon as the enemy to be defeated, yet she didn't even seem to register her existence. Bourbon shivered at the nature of that concentration.
I want to win.
I want to beat her.
The Kikuka-sho. The start was imminent.
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