For the Uma Musume Rice Shower, there was one particular Uma Musume she looked up to, one she could truly call her 'idol.'
That was Mihono Bourbon, a strong Uma Musume of the same generation who gave off a cool and composed impression in everything she did.
She made a brilliant debut with a record-breaking win in her first race, followed by a first-place finish in her next open race. She also won the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, a G1 race for junior-class Uma Musume.
After moving up to the Classic class, she won her first G2 race, the Spring Stakes, and continued her winning streak in the first two legs of the Classic Triple Crown, the Satsuki Sho and the Japan Derby, setting herself up for an undefeated Triple Crown. In what was perhaps a warm-up before the Kikuka Sho, she even won the G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai, setting a new record with her overwhelming strength.
Rice Shower couldn't recall exactly when she began to idolize Mihono Bourbon, but it was certain that the other girl held a significant place in her heart.
Rice Shower won her own debut race but finished a disappointing 11th in the next. She then won the Fuyo Stakes, but after the race, she discovered she had a broken right leg and had to spend three months in recovery. From there, her rankings were unremarkable. While she, like Mihono Bourbon, entered the Classic series, she sank to 8th place in the Satsuki Sho. In the Japan Derby, she managed a 2nd place finish, but then finished 2nd in both her next two races, remaining far from victory.
Were these results because she trained alone, without a coach's guidance? Or was this the limit of an Uma Musume named Rice Shower?
Watching Mihono Bourbon being celebrated after her victories, the emotion Rice Shower felt wasn't resignation—it was something far more intense.
She wanted to be first. She wanted to win. She wanted to beat Mihono Bourbon, her idol. With that single-minded goal, she pushed herself through a training regimen that made her body scream, studied Mihono Bourbon's racing style, and ultimately, won on the stage of the Kikuka Sho.
For Mihono Bourbon, it was the big race where her undefeated Classic Triple Crown was at stake. But for Rice Shower, it was the perfect opportunity to win against Mihono Bourbon.
"I can win. I want to win. I will win."
With these thoughts burning in her heart, she sprinted to the finish line of the Kikuka Sho, but the finish was the entrance to a hell she never could have imagined.
The title of a G1 Uma Musume, which she had won for the first time, did not come with the congratulations befitting its status. Instead, her name, Rice Shower, which means "a shower of blessings," was met with a flood of misfortune.
Various voices from Mihono Bourbon's fans rained down on her.
"—I wanted to see Mihono Bourbon's Triple Crown."
"—Why did you get in the way?"
"—You did something unnecessary."
The voices came in protest, sometimes in outright abuse, showering over Rice Shower. The Uma Musume with the name of blessing was met with a downpour of voices of unhappiness.
The two-colored lights rejecting Rice Shower as she stood on the victory stage felt even more eloquent than the abuse. It felt like a deep, painful ache in her heart.
Mihono Bourbon said nothing, her thoughts a mystery. Machikane Tannhauser, who stood with her on stage, looked incredibly uncomfortable.
Rice Shower didn't remember what happened after that. She didn't know if she made it through the victory live performance, if she was unable to sing or dance, or if she ran away. The only thing she remembered was locking herself in her dorm room and crying. Zenno Rob Roy, her roommate, called out to her many times, but Rice Shower couldn't find the strength to answer.
After several days of crying, Rice Shower's tears finally dried up. She went to Tracen Academy after sunset, trying to avoid everyone, and learned that her trainer, who had been there to lend her name for races, had gone on leave.
"—Ah, I've brought misfortune again."
Rice Shower despaired. If she had known this would happen, she wished she hadn't won the Kikuka Sho. She wished she hadn't wanted to beat Mihono Bourbon.
The tears she thought had run dry began to pour out again. She cried and cried in a deserted place, and driven by a sudden, desperate urge, Rice Shower started to run—and that's when she met him.
"Gah!"
It was less a meeting and more a head-on collision. She ran directly into a male trainer she didn't know, and while he managed to brace himself, they both ended up on the ground with her on top of him.
"Ouch… hey! It's my fault for not noticing you sooner, but what if you'd gotten hurt running like that!?"
The trainer was angry. It was a natural reaction. A collision with a sprinting Uma Musume could lead to serious injury. He had seemed strangely prepared to catch her, but the force of the impact was too much. Rice Shower could only apologize through her tears.
"Ah... I'm... I'm so sorry... I'm just a useless girl, after all... I only cause trouble for everyone... hic... ugh..."
Confused by her crying, the trainer picked her up and carried her to the infirmary.
"So... who are you? Ah, sorry. What's your name?"
After confirming Rice Shower wasn't injured, the trainer let out a sigh of relief and asked for her name. This made Rice Shower realize, through the haze of her sadness, that she didn't know anything about him either.
Under the bright lights of the infirmary, she saw that he was indeed a trainer she had never seen before. Or at least, she didn't have any memory of him, though she might have seen him somewhere at Tracen Academy. She figured he wasn't a famous trainer. What surprised Rice Shower was that he didn't seem to know who she was. She wasn't one to brag about being a famous Uma Musume, but she thought her name had become unavoidable since the Kikuka Sho.
Even if it was for all the wrong reasons.
After hearing her name, the trainer took out his smartphone and started a search. The action made her wonder if he really didn't know her, but also filled her with anxiety about what he would search for.
The trainer was watching a video of the Kikuka Sho. As soon as she realized this, Rice Shower felt her body tense up. Her mind went numb and blank, and her breathing and pulse began to race as if she were running a race herself.
Even if he didn't know the name Rice Shower, he must know Mihono Bourbon, who had been on the verge of an undefeated Classic Triple Crown. And what would he say after seeing her stop Mihono Bourbon's great feat? Rice Shower wanted to run away. But she had been the one to crash into him, so she felt guilty about leaving.
An eternity seemed to pass for Rice Shower before the trainer finally spoke. His words were filled with admiration.
"—Wow, that's incredible."
"Huh?"
Rice Shower wondered if she had misheard him.
"That's amazing... No, that's truly incredible. To run like that against an undefeated Triple Crown candidate... And her spirit is so good. Man... what great fighting spirit."
She hadn't misheard. His words were full of genuine amazement and respect. They seeped into Rice Shower's heart, which had been torn and hurting, and soothed it.
If—just if—she hadn't met this trainer on this particular night, Rice Shower might have spent a very long time steeped in sorrow. She would have continued her training like a shell, believing she was a bad person who brought misfortune to others, her heart's wounds festering.
But that's not what happened.
"Congratulations on winning the Kikuka Sho, Rice Shower. You're an amazing Uma Musume."
"...! Uh, ugh... AAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Those words broke her. The tears that had refused to dry, no matter how much she cried, poured out again. But this time, they weren't tears of sadness.
They were tears of pure joy, for the heartfelt blessing from a single person, which she had longed for from the crowd, was the most wonderful thing in the world.
What followed was a dream-like time for Rice Shower.
The trainer praised and comforted her. He said the words she had truly wanted to hear and even set a new goal for her. So after he walked her back to the dorm, Rice Shower found the courage to speak up.
"Um... sorry to call so late, Mr. Hayakawa... it's Rice Shower..."
With this trainer, she felt she could move forward.
The very next day, Rice Shower immediately tried to recruit the trainer she had just met. For her, a trainer was necessary for races, but she hadn't seen them as particularly essential for her training. This wasn't because she looked down on them; rather, she felt it was a bother to make a trainer worry about her.
The fact that she actively sought out a new trainer showed just how much hope she had. The trainer agreed, telling her she should first meet his current Uma Musume.
"Rice Shower... so you're Rice-chan! I'm Haru Urara! Just call me Urara!"
Haru Urara's smile and voice were as warm as a spring day. They melted Rice Shower's heart, and before she knew it, they were calling each other "Rice-chan" and "Urara-chan."
Their age or racing record didn't matter. Haru Urara, who had become a friend regardless of status or age, had an honest and straightforward nature.
"Whaaat!? That's so mean! Trainer, do something! Rice-chan is so sad!"
Haru Urara was an Uma Musume who could get genuinely angry for the sake of others.
"Cause Trainer is amazing! So it'll be fine!"
At the same time, from Haru Urara's words and actions, Rice Shower could see the strong bond of trust between the trainer and her. Rice Shower felt a pang of envy, as she didn't have that kind of relationship. But she didn't resent it; she knew their bond was built over a long time with great closeness.
The trainer did ultimately agree to coach Rice Shower, but the training menu he proposed was completely unexpected. He had noticed a slight imbalance in her body that Rice Shower herself hadn't, a lingering strain from her broken leg. Rather than focusing on building stamina or speed, his priority was her recovery.
Rice Shower had been so used to her own training that she hadn't noticed the twisted muscle balance. To her, it just felt a little harder to run, but her trainer was furious about it. His prescribed training focused on resting her body, relieving the accumulated fatigue from her self-training while maintaining her physical strength. He also made sure she did pre- and post-workout stretches to prevent any further injuries.
To be honest, the training felt a bit lackluster for Rice Shower. However, by this point, she trusted her trainer. She had come to believe him when he said that if she didn't relieve the fatigue and fix her body's balance, she would reach her limit sooner rather than later.
Still, she couldn't say she had no doubts. Rice Shower believed that the spirit could overcome the body. But she chose to trust her trainer because he was so genuinely concerned for her physical well-being. He also stayed late every day, sometimes until after midnight, to gather information and help her as much as he could.
The small bit of doubt she had, combined with her desire to trust him, completely disappeared when she started to feel her body getting lighter, little by little. It might have just been her imagination, but she felt she was improving.
One day, on her day off, her trainer told her to show up in her casual clothes instead of her training gear. After giving her some behavioral advice, he said, "I think a bad girl like that needs a punishment... What do you think?"
"Huh... a punishment?"
She thought, "Am I a bad girl after all? What kind of punishment will he give me?" She was a little curious but didn't for a moment think he would ever abuse her. Their relationship, though short, was one of mutual respect.
After some more back-and-forth, the trainer announced his plan.
"For your punishment, absolutely no practice today! Rice, you're going to go out and have fun with Urara! And on your way back, you're going to stop by the shopping district and buy the ingredients on this list! When you come back, I'll make you a carrot hamburger steak for dinner, and finishing it will complete your punishment!"
Rice Shower couldn't help but wonder if this was really a punishment.
The day she spent with Haru Urara was truly peaceful. They played together, ate carrot crepes together, and went to the shopping district together.
Rice Shower was surprised to see how incredibly popular Haru Urara was there. She knew Haru Urara's warm disposition, and being around her always comforted her. But when they arrived at the shopping district, shopkeepers poked their heads out of their stores to greet her, and people passing by smiled and chatted with her.
"Hey, Urara-chan! You look so energetic today!"
"It's the produce shop uncle! Hello!"
"Urara-chan, stop by my shop later, okay? I'll give you a discount!"
"Hello, meat shop lady! Trainer is going to make us a carrot hamburger steak, so we'll come by to buy meat later!"
Everyone smiled and talked to Haru Urara. It was a scene that looked so bright and enviable to Rice Shower.
Noticing the unfamiliar Uma Musume next to Haru Urara, the people in the shopping district looked at them with curious faces.
"Oh, and who's this? We haven't seen you before..."
"This is Rice-chan! She's my friend!"
"I'm... Rice Shower..."
Introduced by Haru Urara, Rice Shower instinctively introduced herself. Lately, she had been afraid to tell people her name, but she felt it would be rude not to.
"Rice Shower... I've heard that name somewhere..."
"Oh, I know! She's the girl who won the Kikuka Sho the other day!"
Rice Shower's body trembled. That way of remembering her was scary for Rice Shower. Because what would come next was surely...
"That's right! Rice-chan is the amazing girl who won the Kikuka Sho! My trainer told me so! He said winning a G1 is a really, really amazing thing!"
But Haru Urara spoke up before anyone else could. She said it with heartfelt admiration, puffing out her chest as if she was proud of it.
"Oh, wow... that's incredible."
"Yes, it really is. How amazing."
The people in the shopping district who were talking to Haru Urara seemed to pay more attention to Haru Urara's attitude than to Rice Shower's racing record. With a gentle air, they took turns patting Haru Urara's head.
"Well, if you're a friend of Urara-chan's, we have to cheer for you, too. What's your next race?"
The man Haru Urara called the produce shop uncle asked, laughing. Rice Shower hesitated, then told him about the next race she hoped to enter.
"If I can run... it's the Arima Kinen."
"The Arima Kinen! The Arima Kinen!?"
"Is that a really big one?"
"It is, Urara-chan! Wow, I'm surprised. We'll have a reason to cheer for sure!"
As the shopkeepers laughed with Haru Urara, a genuine smile naturally appeared on Rice Shower's face.
It felt as if a light other than her trainer and Haru Urara had been lit in the world that had been darkened since the Kikuka Sho.
From then on, Rice Shower's heart and body began to recover, slowly but surely. The dedicated support of her trainer and the constant bright encouragement from her best friend, Haru Urara, healed her mind and body.
One day, the trainer suggested a practice race. Her opponent was Happy Meek, a junior-class Uma Musume whose name Rice Shower knew. She was a rising star of the same generation as Haru Urara, and Rice Shower felt a slight flicker of excitement in her heart.
However...
"Listen, Rice. Your body isn't in top condition yet. I know people might get mad at me for suggesting a race like this, but I've never seen you compete against other Uma Musume in person, even in a mock race. So today, I want you to run at a level where you won't strain yourself... maybe 70 to 80 percent of your full power. Can you do that?"
"...But if I do that, Rice might lose, you know?"
"It's okay if you lose. This is just practice. And if you do lose, no one's going to be mad at you. If anyone says anything, they'll just be criticizing me for being a lazy trainer who hasn't been able to properly guide a G1 Uma Musume."
The words "it's okay if you lose" didn't make her angry. She understood, as her trainer said, that it was important to take care of her body.
But when she thought that her trainer might be criticized because of her, a fire was mysteriously lit in Rice Shower's heart. At the same time, her chest ached so much it felt like she wanted to scratch it.
"Rice doesn't know the other girls who will be running. So... can you just tell me who the girl most likely to win if I wasn't here is?"
So it was only natural that she would ask this.
"—Watch me. Watch how Rice... no, watch how your Uma Musume runs."
The practice race was a 1600-meter mile run, a distance Rice Shower wasn't particularly good at. She also didn't know Happy Meek's exact abilities.
Still, Rice Shower decided she would pass Happy Meek with 80% of her power and with her serious running.
And Rice Shower won. She passed Happy Meek, using only about 80% of her power, just as her trainer had instructed.
"You did great, Rice! You really are amazing! Congratulations on first place!"
That alone made the trainer so happy. And that happiness made Rice Shower's heart tremble with joy.
Late in December, with only a few days left until the new year, Rice Shower's entry into the Arima Kinen was confirmed.
When the Uma Musume running in the Arima Kinen were giving interviews, as expected, there were reporters who tried to blame Rice Shower, linking her to the Kikuka Sho and Mihono Bourbon. But her trainer shielded her. That, too, made Rice Shower so happy.
"I would like to speak with you, Rice-san."
The sudden suggestion from Mihono Bourbon was completely unexpected.
Even so, Rice Shower wanted to talk to Mihono Bourbon. They hadn't interacted much before, but this was an invitation from the Uma Musume she had idolized. She was worried that Mihono Bourbon might scold her. But now she had her trainer and Haru Urara by her side. So she decided to listen.
Rice Shower faced Mihono Bourbon in the same infirmary where she had first met her trainer. She immediately felt a wave of concern seeing Mihono Bourbon's awkward movements.
"B-Bourbon-san... um, how are your legs...?"
"Condition: poor. I have been resting as instructed by my Master, but the time required for a full recovery is currently immeasurable."
A wave of shock washed over Rice Shower. As she talked with Mihono Bourbon, she started to feel like she had brought misfortune again, and she was about to look down.
"Don't look down, Rice."
"Yeah, Rice-chan. Rice-chan just tried her best."
But the words from her trainer and Haru Urara stopped her from looking down. And she was able to think, "That's right."
Rice Shower had just wanted to win against Mihono Bourbon.
"You are an amazing Uma Musume, Rice-san."
"...Huh?"
Perhaps because of that, Rice Shower didn't immediately understand what Mihono Bourbon was saying.
Her trainer and Haru Urara praised Rice Shower all the time. The way they praised her would sometimes be so over-the-top, they'd almost lift her up and shout with joy.
"In the final stretch of the Kikuka Sho... the moment you passed me, I despaired at the distance between us that I couldn't close. But at the same time, I thought, how incredible is the Uma Musume running in front of me..."
Mihono Bourbon's praise was different from her trainer's or Haru Urara's.
"I wanted to catch up to that back... but you were praised, and then criticized... and then I became more and more confused. I had overcome my childhood dream of a Classic Triple Crown, and I wanted to beat you, but... I..."
Mihono Bourbon had suffered from her loss, just as Rice Shower had suffered from her victory.
"No, I didn't come here to talk about myself. Rice-san, I came here to ask you a favor."
"A favor... for me?"
"Yes... If you'll allow me, I'd like to cheer for you at the Arima Kinen. That is all I wish for."
The words that the great Mihono Bourbon wanted to cheer for her and wish for her victory took Rice Shower by surprise.
"I want to cheer for my hero... that is all."
Those words made Rice Shower's heart tremble greatly.
She was surprised. She was in disbelief. She was joyful. A mixture of emotions boiled and heated her heart.
"Rice, it would be so encouraging to have Bourbon-san cheer for us."
"...Then?"
"Yes... If you want to, Bourbon-san, I want you to cheer for me."
She would win in front of Mihono Bourbon. She would prove that the Uma Musume who stopped Mihono Bourbon's Triple Crown was a strong one.
She would prove that she was an Uma Musume worthy of being cheered for by her trainer, Haru Urara, and Mihono Bourbon.
The day of the Arima Kinen was a beautiful, clear day perfect for racing. From the moment she woke up, Rice Shower felt her condition was better than ever. Her trainer had worked hard to care for her body, and her heart was burning like never before. She never thought she would be able to face the Arima Kinen in such a state.
The Uma Musume in the Arima Kinen were all strong opponents. But Rice Shower felt no anxiety or fear. She left the strategy to her trainer. She believed she could trust and do anything her trainer told her to, because of all that he had given her.
During the paddock presentation, she heard the audience say things about her, but Rice Shower couldn't hear them. Her original plan was to mark Tokai Teio, but after a glance at Tokai Teio, Rice Shower made a judgment call. She felt that Tokai Teio wouldn't be a threat today.
"...The pre-race plan was to mark Tokai Teio. But from the looks of it, I don't think she'll do well today."
"Yeah, Rice thinks so too. Today's Teio-san isn't scary."
She and her trainer agreed. It meant that even he could see that Tokai Teio was not in good form.
"Then... who should we mark instead...?"
The trainer was hesitating. But Rice Shower wasn't worried. She knew he was thinking hard and trying to come up with the best strategy for her to win.
"Rice, I'm about to suggest a crazy plan."
"Yeah, tell me. Rice will do anything and believe anything you say, Trainer-san."
She meant it. If he told her to win, she believed she could even pass Symboli Rudolf. She felt that with her current condition, it was possible.
"The ones we originally planned to be wary of are Nice Nature and Mejiro Palmer. Mejiro Palmer will probably try to break away, but I don't think she'll have the stamina to maintain it. And I'm a little hesitant to believe Nice Nature can win a G1 just by herself."
"Okay."
"So... mark Nice Nature, but if Mejiro Palmer's legs haven't slowed down by the time you reach the third corner of the second lap, try to pass her then."
The old Rice Shower would have thought it was impossible. She would have said so out loud.
"Leave it to me."
But now, she felt that if her trainer said so, it must be the right thing to do. She knew that he probably thought it was a reckless plan, but she also felt that he trusted her enough to pull it off.
"Do your best, Rice-chan! Me and Trainer will be cheering for you!"
"Okay... I'll be back, Urara-chan."
And with her best friend's words, all her remaining nervousness disappeared.
After saying goodbye to her trainer and Haru Urara, Rice Shower headed to the third corner of the outer track at Nakayama Racecourse, where the race would start. The Uma Musume were introduced one after another. When it was Rice Shower's turn, boos mixed in with the cheers. Still, Rice Shower was unshaken. She waited calmly for the start—and the gate opened.
Her start was perfect. But all the other Uma Musume in the Arima Kinen were strong. Starting from the outside gate, number 16, was a disadvantage. Rice Shower saw Tokai Teio was the only one who had a bad start. "Trainer was right, after all," she thought.
Her next focus was Nice Nature. She was in a good position, but Rice Shower saw that Mejiro Palmer had started her breakaway. She quickly gauged the distance and Mejiro Palmer's pace and thought, "I can't reach her from here." So she chased Nice Nature, as if she were trying to push her to move faster.
"No way!? Why!?"
Nice Nature couldn't help but yell. She understood that Tokai Teio had a bad start, but she never imagined that Rice Shower would be marking her. And Rice Shower wasn't just marking her. She was right behind her, a terrifying presence with an air of "I'm going to devour you."
Nice Nature was no pushover, ranked 4th in popularity for the Arima Kinen. She had won many races before. She hadn't won a G1, but her ability was on par with Rice Shower's. But...
"..."
Even if their abilities were on par, Rice Shower was a terrible opponent to have on this day. Nice Nature had been trying to maintain her pace, but her body had unconsciously started to accelerate.
Rice Shower continued to chase Nice Nature. Nice Nature continued to run from Rice Shower.
This balance was broken when the leading Mejiro Palmer reached the third corner of the second lap.
"I... can't believe it..."
Rice Shower, who had been right behind her, accelerated and passed Nice Nature. Nice Nature let out a gasp. There were over 600 meters left, could she really pull off a long sprint and still have the energy and stamina to finish? It seemed impossible. But today, Rice Shower had the fighting spirit to make the impossible possible.
So Nice Nature accelerated as well. Rice Shower's back got farther and farther away, but Nice Nature ran through the turf of Nakayama, refusing to lose.
As she felt Nice Nature's pursuit behind her, Rice Shower set her sights on her next target. It was Mejiro Palmer, the one her trainer had warned her about, who was still maintaining her breakaway. Rice Shower quickly gauged the remaining distance and Mejiro Palmer's pace and felt a moment of unease. But thanks to the two months of training her trainer had given her, her legs still had a lot of energy left.
And most importantly, as she passed the final corner, she could see her trainer, Haru Urara, and Mihono Bourbon cheering for her in the stands. Their voices were drowned out by the roar of the crowd, but Rice Shower could see that they were cheering their hearts out for her.
—A surge of power flowed through Rice Shower's body.
She passed Daitaku Helios, who had been falling back, and now only Mejiro Palmer was left. Her body and legs felt light. The cheers of the crowd were so loud the ground seemed to shake, and Rice Shower accelerated even more. But Mejiro Palmer still had power left. She had the stamina to lead the race from start to finish, despite the long distance of 2500 meters.
As she ran up the hill at Nakayama, she slowly closed the distance between herself and Mejiro Palmer. Having marked Nice Nature and then Mejiro Palmer, Rice Shower finally felt the strain on the last hill.
"GOOOOOOOOOO! GOOOOOOOOO RICE! JUST A LITTLE MORE! JUST A LITTLE MORE! PASS HER! PASS HEEEEEEER!"
"DO YOUR BEST RICE-CHAN! DO YOUR BEST!"
She could hear the voices of her trainer and Haru Urara amidst the cheers. They were almost drowned out by the roar of over 180,000 people, but they reached her.
"Win... Please win, Rice-san!"
And strangely, she felt as though the voice of her idol, Mihono Bourbon, was right next to her.
"—!"
She ran, and ran, and ran.
She caught up to Mejiro Palmer, passed her, and left her behind.
And Rice Shower earned her second G1 title since the Kikuka Sho.
After the race, while preparing for the victory live, Mejiro Palmer, who finished in second, and Nice Nature, who finished in third, came up to her.
"Well, I lost, Rice. Your final spurt was amazing."
"Her legs, sure, but I don't know why she was chasing me so much in the middle of the race... Did I do something?"
Mejiro Palmer said it with a laugh, and Nice Nature with a wry smile. There was no malice in their words. They seemed to genuinely praise Rice Shower for winning.
"Thanks, Palmer-san. My trainer was really wary of you, Nature-san... and you too, Palmer-san."
"Ugh... most people would be wary of Teio, not me..."
"Well, Teio did seem a bit off today."
Nice Nature groaned, and Mejiro Palmer shrugged. They hadn't talked much before, but Rice Shower felt a strange lack of fear around them. Maybe it was because of the fear she felt for the upcoming victory live performance.
"..."
Rice Shower trembled silently. But Mejiro Palmer put a hand on her shoulder.
"What's with the gloomy face? Come on, let's go, Rice."
"Yeah, yeah. Oh well... third place for the victory live..."
Urged by them, Rice Shower stood on the stage. At the Kikuka Sho, she had been greeted by two-colored lights and cheers for other Uma Musume, but now...
"Let's go, Rice!"
"Yeah! Rice-senpai!"
"You were amazing, Senpai!"
She heard Gold Ship's voice and the voices of the Uma Musume she had met in the practice race.
"You did great, Rice-chan!"
"Come visit the shop again!"
She heard the voices of the people from the shopping district she had visited with Haru Urara.
And then, she saw the blue lights of blessing held up by her trainer and Haru Urara.
It spread like a ripple through the audience, and in the end, her vision was filled with a sea of blue.
Mejiro Palmer laughed, and Nice Nature patted her on the shoulder with a wry smile. But Rice Shower couldn't respond.
She saw the sea of blue lights for the first time. It was as beautiful as the blue rose she always wore. She wanted to remember it, to burn it into her memory, but tears blurred her vision.
The meaning of the blue rose is—"a dream come true."
Blessed by the blue lights spreading like a field of flowers, Rice Shower shed tears of joy.
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