"Then stop chasing after them." Obey said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
"What?"
Obey slowed down for a moment, and suddenly they were both running just next to one another. There was a solemn look in Obey's eyes, but also one of empathy. "Stop trying to win." She said simply, her expression unbothered even as everyone else began passing them both. "We both know we're not winning this. There's no need to lie to ourselves."
"Ya' think its'that easy?" She whispered, and for the first time, she felt within herself fury. A part of her wanted to grab Obey by the neck and beat her down to the ground for daring to say something like. "This is my retirement race, ya' fuck! Da' hell d'ya mean 'ah shouldn't try to win!?"
"Even if it means you won't walk again?"
…
"Ain't gonna race after this anyway." She said. "What's the point?"
"You will." Obey said instead.
A despondent grin came onto her lips. "What? Ya' gonna drag me to one o' those Dream races or somethin'?"
"If I have to."
Obey was quiet for a moment before she sighed.
"Look-, I-" She paused for a moment, frowning slightly. "I've been there. Wanting to catch up to others even when I can't. Wanting to win knowing that I'm just not fast enough." Her eyes darkened for a moment. "Wanting to be happy, knowing that I don't deserve to."
She turned to her. "Tamamo Cross. Why do you run?"
…
"Belno Light is now 4th place! But Oguri Cap and Inari One are just behind her!"
"I…"
Why did she run, was it?
Once, it'd been for the money. Her family was poor, and being a successful racer was the easiest way to pump in some Yen to their bank account. Not that she was a good runner in the beginning, but she got there eventually. Financial security had long stopped being an issue.
Once, it'd been for enjoyment. She just liked running. There was something nice about the way the wind washed over her face as she ran. It'd been a while since she last felt that way. These days, the only thing she could feel was the way her bones ached after every run.
Once, it'd been out of spite. There used to be the anecdote about how grey-maned umamusume weren't able to run. That they were unskilled, that they were born wrong. She shattered that perception long ago, and Oguri Cap ensured that something so ridiculous could never be treated as fact again.
Once–
"Dicta Striker is pushing ahead! The {Railgun} has fired! The gap between her and Blossom Star is shrinking!"
Once–
"Blossom Star isn't letting her take it! She's accelerating as well!"
"Oguri Cap is now 3rd, but Belno Light is right behind her! Super Creek and Inari One are close as well!"
Once upon a time–
"Pops…" She whispered. "I ran-, 'cause pops liked seein' me run."
Obey's eyes softened with relief. "There you go." She grinned. "Wasn't that difficult, was it?"
Tamamo chuckled. In hindsight, it all felt so stupid. What would her pops think if she saw what she was about to do? What was the point of breakin' her damn legs if that just meant she'd have to face pops' disappointed look when she finally met him at the river on the other side?
"So," Obey grinned, and the nebulae surrounding her turned brighter, growing until they looked like a pair of wings made from starlight. "You ready?"
"What an idiot." Tamamo Cross couldn't help but think. Though who that exactly was aimed towards, she didn't know.
Regardless,
Finally, White Lightning once again burst forth from her soles, and Tamamo grinned as she thumped her fist onto her chest. "Yeah, I know." She said, and quietly she glanced at Susanoo. His form was barely visible by this point, having bled from all the damage he had endured.
And though he did not speak, she could feel his approval, and she smiled.
"One last ride."
Obey smiled. "One last ride."
{Descent of Susanoo}—
{Wild Joker}-—
Their foot stomped onto the Turf, and the world itself trembled as their souls sang at once, Susanoo reformed around Tamamo, smaller but whole once more. The dancing nebulae around Obey's form grew outwards. And together, their two Domains seemed to merge into one; Lightning merged with Starlight, and combined–
"Tamamo Cross and Obey Your Master are accelerating! They're chasing after the lead…!"
It was a miracle.
Tamamo Cross shouldn't have been able to run as fast as she could now. She had long exhausted her stamina, and just moments ago, she was on the verge of permanently injuring her legs. Her True Blooming had ended months before—she shouldn't have the strength to run like she was now.
But a God cared not for what reality thought, and so with the aid of the Wild Joker to keep his form intact, Susanoo's roar boomed across the entire track as Tamamo and Obey ran forward, still side to side as they chased after the lead that they could never reach.
The first they passed was Yaeno Muteki, and she only smiled as she silently cheered them on. "Go, Tamamo-san." She whispered.
The next they passed was Sakura Chiyono O, and though she was tired and weakened after attempting to catch up to Dicta and Star, she cheered loudly as the two ran past her. "Go, Tamamo-san!"
Then it was Mejiro Ardan, whose smile only deepened as they passed her. "I'm not giving up yet." She said, and for a moment, a pulse of blue spread across the Turf as she chased after them.
Eventually they encountered a wall. Inari One and Super Creek were competing for 5th place, and no matter how much Tamamo chased after them, the distance between them didn't shrink. And they'd already passed the 700-meter mark—there wasn't much left before the race was over.
But then she felt Obey softly pat her back, and Tamamo turned to her just in time to see Obey's Domain fall apart.
Or at least that was what she thought, because a moment later, she felt a renewed strength surge into her, and her eyes widened as she realized that the nebulae had suddenly seeped into Susanoo, giving him a new pair of wings that sprouted from his back.
"A little trick I picked up after studying Oguri and Star." She explained casually, before she grinned. "Go, Tamamo."
"...Yeah."
"Tamamo Cross is moving forward! She hasn't given up!"
"Go, Tamamo Cross!!"
With a burst of renewed strength, Tamamo screamed as she lunged ahead. Each step she made left behind a burst of Lightning, glowing white and purple. The Turf beneath her trembled with each impact, and Susanoo himself let out another bellowing roar as they both ran forward.
When they passed Inari One, the foxlike umamusume's eyes sparkled with awe as she saw the new form Susanoo had taken. "So cool…!" She whispered, and then yelped when she felt one of the flames slap her on the face, almost as if jealous. She quickly shook her head and grinned. "But I ain't lettin' ya' run away, Tamamo-senpai!" Her flames burnt even brighter, and she chased right after her.
When they passed Super Creek, she only giggled as she saw the determination in her eyes. "Welcome, Tama-chan~" She said. Tamamo returned an unimpressed stare as she passed her, and Creek only giggled as she followed right after her.
And suddenly,
"We've passed the 500-meter mark!"
Tamamo had reached 5th place, but beyond this was a seemingly uncrossable gap.
Dicta Striker was nearly 4 lengths ahead of her. Belno Light was even farther, her Domain now entirely focused on increasing her own speed. And all the while, Blossom Star and Oguri Cap fought for the lead, literally neck-and-neck.
She tried anyway.
"The 400-meter mark has been passed!"
Tamamo's eyes widened as she saw the approaching uphill, and she quickly readied herself for what was to come. Creek was just behind her—she was quite literally in the most dangerous position.
As she expected, the moment they reached the uphill, a great gravity slammed onto everyone, and this time not even Star and Oguri could escape her pull. The pace abruptly slowed down, while Creek suddenly sped up, quickly running past Tamamo as she reached for the lead.
Susanoo would not let her.
He turned towards the sky and roared. His body glowed brighter and brighter, and suddenly a massive pillar of lightning shot towards the cloudy sky. Any lingering snow and clouds were blown away, causing the weather just over the Nakayama Racecourse to suddenly turn sunny.
"T-The skies are-!"
But more than anything, Creek's own Domain was overwhelmed, and Tamamo quickly made use of the chance to move ahead.
Now, there were only three umamusume standing between her and victory. Just three more.
…Well, those three might as well have been the Three Goddesses themselves.
"Blossom Star, Oguri Cap, and Belno Light are running ahead! They're leaving everyone else behind!"
"Can Tamamo Cross keep up!?"
"Of course not." She said, smiling wryly as she watched those three vanish into the distance. There was no way she could win against them; not with Belno's terrifying Domain still active, and not with Star and Oguri's freakish natural talent.
And besides, Susanoo had finally broken apart. He'd performed his last dance to help her escape the clutches of Creek's Domain.
This was it.
So, she softly closed her eyes.
"Oguri Cap crosses the finish line first!"
"She's achieved her 7th G1 victory!!"