Under normal circumstances, a winner's circle interview is a chaotic swarm of reporters, all clamoring for a soundbite from the champion and a hint at their next move. For Team Pleiades, however, the scene was eerily different.
"Well, this is a surprise," Rampage muttered, scanning the sparse crowd. "They actually kept their distance."
"It might just be a performance," Sakahara noted. "The media loves to play the part of the 'reformed' observer until they see an opening."
"Trainer-chan, you've gotten so cynical!" Maya teased, poking his arm.
Indeed, the usual mob was absent. Whether it was the fallout from Rampage's blistering livestream or a sudden revolt by the few remaining "journalists with a conscience" within the newsrooms, the vultures who had been chased out after the Shiganui Stakes were noticeably absent.
"S-So then! We shall begin the interview with Mayano Topgun-san!"
The mistress of ceremonies sounded like she was bracing for impact, her voice cracking as she addressed the few attendees. Among them were the regulars from Monthly Twinkle and a few newcomers from Flash, their shutters clicking in the heavy silence.
"Trainer Sakahara, it's been confirmed that you were originally Mayano Topgun's primary trainer. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Sakahara said, his voice steady. "To my shame, an accident left me hospitalized, and I feared my recovery would hinder Maya's debut. I made the difficult choice to entrust her to someone else. However, through my connection with Trainer Rampage, I was transferred to a facility with cutting-edge medical care. I recovered far ahead of schedule, joined Pleiades as a sub-trainer, and I'm now honored to be handling Maya's training once more."
"Ehe-he! And Maya is super happy to be back with Trainer-chan! ♪"
As expected, the questions focused heavily on Sakahara. A trainee in Pleiades being handled by someone other than the "Tyrant" herself was a juicy curiosity for the press. Amidst the professional queries, Otonashi—the high-energy reporter from Monthly Twinkle—suddenly raised her hand so vigorously her senior colleague had to physically restrain her. Rampage sighed and pointed to her.
"Otonashi, Monthly Twinkle! Congratulations on a spectacular win!" she shouted. "Regarding your previous interview—is the plan still the same? Are you truly heading where you said you would?!"
"That's the plan," Rampage confirmed. "Maya's next stop is the G1 Hopeful Stakes."
"We're convinced Maya already has the strength to compete at the G1 level," Sakahara added. "In fact, I'm confident that even if we pitted her against the current Classic class right now, she'd come out on top."
The lead and sub-trainer were in perfect lockstep. They weren't just predicting a win; they were declaring that Maya had already outgrown the Junior class. Rampage caught the look of shock on the reporters' faces and cleared her throat before Otonashi could spiral into another outburst.
"The Hopeful Stakes will be the litmus test," Rampage said, her eyes narrowing. "It will determine how she steers her course through the Classics. Maya, the real Twinkle Series starts here. Don't lose your edge."
"I know! Maya won't let her guard down. I'm gonna fly right into the heart of the fireworks with everything I've got!"
"A trial by fire at the Round Table, then?" Sakahara mused, a faint smile on his lips.
"Hah. I wonder which of them will end up being the 'Pixy' in that scenario," Rampage joked.
"With your reputation? You're less of a 'Demon' and more of a 'Grim Reaper,' aren't you?"
The banter was cut short by a sudden, explosive shout from Otonashi.
"STUNNING!!!" the reporter wailed. "The two of you don't doubt her victory for a single second! It's as if you're saying that if she falls, you'll both gladly descend into hell with her! Such an unshakable, soul-bound connection, yet you maintain such cool composure! Truly, you are veterans of a hundred battles!"
"Hey! I told you not to do that on a live broadcast!" her senior hissed, dragging her away.
It was too late. From that moment on, Otonashi became a local celebrity—the "Eccentric Legend" of Monthly Twinkle. While her antics skyrocketed the magazine's popularity, the editorial board was left nursing a collective headache over their runaway star rookie.
"Now then," Rampage said, looking toward the track as the sun began to dip. "Let's see how our Canopus juniors fare."
"And now, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup! The prestige of this race has reached a fever pitch in recent years, and the tension on the track is absolute!"
With legends like Mejiro Rampage and Twin Turbo proving the strength of Japanese mares on the world stage, the "Tiara Route" had shed its reputation as the "lesser" alternative to the Triple Crown. Today, the Classics and the Tiaras were seen as two sides of the same golden coin.
In the gates for the QEII Cup stood Hish Amazon and Dragoon Lance. Across from them was Oguri Roman of Team Spica, hungry for revenge. These three were the "Big Three" of the current Tiara generation, and the air between them practically hummed with electricity.
"Let's goooo!" Amazon roared.
"I'm not losing to you!" Dra-Ran yelled back.
"W-What is with this intensity?!" Roman gasped, her eyes wide. "I'm not getting left behind!"
"The 'Double Tiara' of Canopus—Dragoon Lance and Hish Amazon—are on fire! Dragoon Lance takes the lead with a suicidal Grand Sprint! But Hish Amazon is glued to her back! Oguri Roman is right there with them! These three have broken away from the pack! They've opened up an eight-length gap on Bird Sea Carol in fourth! We're past the 800-meter mark and they aren't slowing down! This is the raw power of the Three Strongs!"
Amazon and Dra-Ran were running with a ferocity that bordered on the divine. Their mock race with Mejiro l'Amone had done more than just sharpen their legs; it had tempered their souls. They had felt the weight of a Legend—the girl who had first conquered the path they now walked. They understood the sheer scale of the mountain they were climbing, and it only made them hungrier for the peak.
""THIS CROWN IS MINE!!""
"Into the final stretch! Dragoon Lance still has the lead, but Hish Amazon is charging! Oguri Roman finds another gear and pulls alongside! They're three-abreast! A wall of thundering hooves! Who will break first?! The Cherry Blossom, the Oaks, the Shuka Sho—and now, the final showdown! Who will inherit the title of the True Queen?! WAIT—HISH AMAZON! Hish Amazon is pulling ahead! She's got a nose lead—a neck—SHE'S GOT IT! HISH AMAZON WINS!"
"First in the Shuka Sho, and now a victor in Kyoto again! Hish Amazon has claimed the Queen Elizabeth II Cup!"
"SHAAAAAAA!!!" Amazon's victory cry echoed across the stadium, her fist pumped high toward the sky. "Did you see that?! That's my race! That's my strength! COME AND GET IT!!"
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