Chapter 42: Receiving the Burning Passion

A few days had passed since the Satsuki Sho. It took me some time to fully process the emotions and watch the race footage again after cutting away the frustration of losing by mere centimeters—but now, I’d say I’ve pretty much recovered mentally. Right now, I’m in the middle of all sorts of preparations for the Japanese Derby.

If there’s one thing that’s changed recently, it’s that Seiun Sky and her trainer, Kisaragi-san, have been swamped with interviews and media coverage. Just like Guriko and her trainer after the Oka Sho, they’ll probably be busy for the next week or so. According to Guriko, "After my Oka Sho win, my break was eaten up by interviews and photoshoots. Right now, I’m barely managing to adjust for the NHK Mile Cup. Sei-chan’s probably gonna be just as busy until the Derby."

Oh, and Tome’s vibe has shifted a little too. How do I put it…? It’s not like she was unreliable before, but now she’s got this really dependable air about her.

As I sat in my dorm room, watching the Satsuki Sho footage on my UmaPhone, something suddenly crossed my mind.

"Huh, now that I think about it…"

After some hesitation, I realized I hadn’t updated my UmaStar since the Oka Sho. My last post was "Two-shot with the Oka Sho winner, Green Titan-sama!! I’ll do my best too!!"—and I hadn’t even opened the app since then. With a deep breath, I decided to post about the Satsuki Sho.

"I lost the Satsuki Sho... Sei-chan was really strong. ...But! I’ll work hard to win the Japanese Derby!"

"...Yeah, that should do it."

Honestly, part of me was worried about getting mean messages. But I still felt like I owed it to the fans who supported me to at least acknowledge the race.

Please, no hate comments or scary messages… I prayed, then tapped Post with a burst of determination. The scary thing about the internet is how one button can send your words out to the whole world—including people who might not like you.

—Then, a flood of notifications hit me. "Uma-iine!" and "You’ve got a message!" popped up one after another, making my tail shoot up in shock. I nearly threw my UmaPhone and dove under the covers to hide.

Cautiously, I picked it up from the floor, checking for cracks before opening the notifications. And there they were—countless "Uma-iine!" and supportive messages.

"Great job at the Satsuki Sho! That close second had me on the edge of my seat—I was so frustrated for you! Rest well and get ready for the Derby! I’m rooting for you!!"

"I love how hard you run. I believe in you for the Japanese Derby!"

"I’ve been a fan ever since I randomly saw your debut race!! I love how you never give up, Apollo-chan!! Go win the Derby!!"

"Oi, I believe in ya, Apollo-chan! Ya gonna take that Derby!!"

In just minutes, these passionate messages from nameless fans poured in. Fighting back the warmth rising in my chest, I kept reading every single one.

---

One night, while taking a break from race research, I noticed a message from Mejiro Palmer on UmaStar. Tapping her icon, I opened the DM screen to find this:

"You free next Thursday? If you are, hit me up!"

Sent a few hours ago. Normally, I’d drop everything for an invite from Palmer-chan, but with the Derby just a month away, free time was scarce.

Still, that Thursday happened to be my day off. Excited, I replied:

"I’m totally free that day! What’s the plan?"

Given how long ago she’d messaged, I expected a delayed response—but then the "Typing…" indicator popped up instantly. Gyaru reflexes, huh?

"Sweet! We’re throwing a hype party for you with Helios and Maruzensky-san!!"

"Whoa— Wait, is this gonna be okay…?"

I was thrilled that my seniors would go out of their way for me… but the combination of Maruzensky × Gyaru Squad was unprecedented. I could barely keep up with Maru-chan and the gyarus’ lingo on my own—what kind of chaos would erupt with all three of them in one room?

As I kept messaging Palmer-chan, I had a vivid mental image of Maruzensky flashing a peace sign with a "BATCHIGUU~!"

---

And so, Thursday arrived. I stood at Tracen Academy’s front gate. When I’d asked what to wear, Palmer-chan said "Uniform’s fine~" so I came straight here after class.

Current time: 13:00. I’d hung out with those three before, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous. A dual Spring/Autumn Grand Prix champion, a dual Mile Championship winner, and an undefeated legend—their achievements were on another level.

Especially with Maru-chan… looking back, I can’t believe I had the nerve to email Maruzensky directly. What was I thinking? …Well, I guess that’s just fate.

Come to think of it, meeting Palmer-chan and Helios-chan was pure chance too—running into them at Tracen, picking up Helios-chan’s handkerchief, Palmer-chan knowing me through McQueen-chan and taking a liking to me…

"Man, I’m really lucky…"

Just as I muttered that, a limousine pulled up to the gate. Its engine was so quiet even my horse ears barely caught it—not unusual around Tracen (thanks to the Mejiro family), but when it headed straight for me, I finally noticed. What’s this about? I took a step back, watching cautiously—until the rear door slid open automatically.

Out popped Daitaku Helios’ beaming face, waving me inside.

"Weeey! Apollo-chi, lookin’ fresh~!"

"Helios-san! Wait, so this limo is…"

Before I could finish, Palmer-chan peeked from behind the door with a "Yo!" Yep, definitely a Mejiro family limo. In seconds, I was dragged inside, sandwiched between the gyarus as they bombarded me with questions.

"Did you change your hair oil?" "Had boba lately?" The conversation zigzagged wildly while Helios-chan ruffled my bob cut. Before I knew it, the car stopped—we’d arrived. I’d only been told "Be at the front gate by 13:00 on Thursday," so I had no idea where we were going—

"…Palmer-san, is this place…?"

"Yep, my place!"

The limo had stopped in front of an unbelievably massive mansion—the legendary Mejiro estate. Wait, hadn’t I heard that Palmer-chan once ran away from home? Was everything okay between her and her family now? Well, she seemed on good terms with McQueen-chan and Ryan-chan, so maybe there was no need to worry about disownment or anything.

Timidly stepping out of the limo, I spotted a familiar bright-red supercar parked nearby—and leaning against it, a bubbly, glamorous woman. Maruzensky noticed the limo and sauntered over, waving casually.

"Heyyy, everyone! Palmer-chan, thanks for the invite~!"

"No prob! C’mon in!"

With a disarmingly cheerful smile, Palmer-chan ushered Maruzensky inside while Helios-chan wrapped an arm around me and dragged me along.

"Welcome back, young mistress."

"I’m home! We’ve got guests today, so we’ll be using the lounge. And you know what to do!"

"Understood."

This place is like a museum… I thought, gaping as we were led into an absurdly spacious parlor. Was wearing my uniform really okay? Shouldn’t I have dressed fancier? I stood stiffly, forcing a nervous grin.

"Why so tense, Apollo-chan?"

"I-I’ve never been to a house this huge before…"

"Mmm, just pretend it’s your own place and relax~"

"Uh, that’s kinda—"

"WEEY! Let’s get this party started!!"

Before I could protest, Maruzensky and Helios-chan—donning party sunglasses and fake mustaches (where’d those come from?!)—began rampaging. Servants wheeled in cakes and sweets, and a mysterious kusudama decoration was hung from the ceiling.

As I blinked in confusion, the three counted down—"Three, two…"—then yanked the kusudama open. A shower of rainbow confetti burst out, unfurling a banner that read:

"GO GET ‘EM, APOLLO RAINBOW!! JAPAN DERBY FIGHT-O!!"

On cue, the servants pulled party poppers from their pockets, filling the room with applause and a glittery mess that’d take ages to clean.

"WEEY! Peace, peace~!"

"Yo, who brought a disposable camera?!"

"A… disposable what?"

Sandwiched between Helios-chan (now sporting a ridiculous fake nose), a bewildered Palmer-chan, and an overexcited Maruzensky, I found myself grinning for a photo. By the time the servants whisked away the debris, only the four of us remained.

"S-So… what was all that…?"

"We told you—it’s your Derby pep rally! A lil’ early, but hey, gotta hype you up!"

"We wanted to do it before the Satsuki Sho, but schedules clashed. Today was our only shot!"

"Not to sound rude, but after your close loss… we figured you might need a pick-me-up. But you’re already bouncing back! Big sis is proud!"

Nodding, I shamelessly grabbed the fanciest-looking dessert. The others dug in too, and soon, we were chatting nonstop—with me stuck translating Maru-chan’s outdated slang for the gyarus and vice versa. Despite the chaos, it was a blast.

The highlight? When Maruzensky yelled "ATARIMAE DA NO CRAKKKERRR!!" while firing a party popper. I lost it. So did Palmer-chan and Helios-chan, which only made Maru-chan preen: "Heh, the kids dig my style!"

As dusk fell and the snacks vanished, we students had to head back before curfew. Palmer-chan stood beneath the banner for closing remarks.

"Thanks for coming, everyone! Sure, we just goofed off, but—whatever! To wrap up, Maru-san’s got something real for Apollo-chan. Listen up!"

Startled, I turned to Maruzensky—and met her gentle gaze. Helios-chan, who’d been clinging to me, silently slipped away to join Palmer. The mood shifted, and I gulped.

Maru-chan smiled, ruffling my hair. "Eep!" I squeaked, flustered. Her grin deepened, radiant as a goddess’s.

"Apollo-chan… you know this, but I never got to run the Derby. Or any Classics. I begged them to let me enter, even from the outermost gate—but back then, the rules barred me…"

Maruzensky continued stroking my hair as she spoke, her voice soft yet carrying the weight of years. She told me about how, during her prime, strict JRA regulations had barred her from not just the Derby but all the Classics. Though she had no regrets about the races she did run, she admitted to sometimes wondering—what if she’d been allowed to compete, even from the outermost gate?

Her hand stilled, and she sighed.

"Apollo-chan, you’re my precious kouhai. I know I shouldn’t play favorites, but… well, you’re special. I want you to win the Classics—the Japanese Derby—in a way I never could."

Through her touch, I felt it: the flicker of her "Territory Zone," the unshakable longing tangled within. The "Red Supercar" who dominated her era, hailed as the strongest of her time—yet her heart still ached for the one race she couldn’t run. The glory of the Derby, the title of "Luckiest Uma Musume," remained just out of reach.

My throat tightened.

"I’ll be rooting for you in the Derby," she murmured.

As her hand lifted, I looked up to find her usual playful grin back in place. I didn’t mention what I’d glimpsed in her heart. Whether it was real or just my imagination, some things were better left unspoken.

Maruzensky was cheering for me. That was enough.

"YES! I’ll win the Derby for sure!!" I shouted, puffing my chest out.

"…Good answer," she winked.

Helios-chan and Palmer-chan immediately piled on.

"Pfft, I was too busy hopping between allowance races and jumps to even glance at the Classics. But as a fellow front-runner, I’ve got high hopes for ya!"

"Sameee! I was a hot mess during the Classics—too many injuries, zero wins. But you? You’ve got this, Apollo-chaaan!!"

They said it lightly, but I knew their histories. Palmer-chan, the rogue who thrived in unofficial dirt races and jumps before finding her stride as a senior. Helios-chan, whose brilliance only ignited after the Classics. All three of them—Maruzensky, Palmer, Helios—had paths that diverged from mine. Yet here they were, throwing me a party, pouring their hopes into me.

As sunset painted the room gold, they huddled around me.

"Alright! Time for the real pep talk! Apollo-chan, turn around—we’re gonna smack some fighting spirit into ya!"

"W-Wait, really?!"

"You sure? I won’t hold back!"

"Hehe, full power, okay? No regrets~"

"Do it!!"

"Three, two—"

"GO GET ‘EM, APOLLO RAINBOW!!!"

—THWACK!

Three palms slammed into my back, sending a jolt through me—not just pain, but the heat of their collective resolve. I clenched my teeth, swallowing the urge to cry.

—One month until the Japanese Derby.

And now, their dreams were stitched into my spine.