Before I knew it, the season had flown by, and the year's end was fast approaching. The Arima Kinen was just around the corner. Over the last few years, the prestige of this G1 race had skyrocketed; before anyone realized it, the hype surrounding it had begun to rival even the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Though it was an international competition open to foreign challengers, the timing always made overseas teams hesitate. Consequently, the Arima remained Japan's ultimate G1—a logistical headache for officials wondering whether or not they should push for more global participation.
"Ugh, absolutely not. I'm busy enough as it is. You really think you can just push your agenda on me whenever it suits you?"
A phone call had come in for Rampage while she was working. That in itself wasn't unusual, but the way she was speaking to the person on the other end had the rest of the staff room walking on eggshells. Only Kamizuru and Sakahara remained completely unfazed.
"Hey... Hey, Kamizuru... That person Rampage is talking to... isn't that...?"
"If I recall, Sakahara-san, that's one of the top brass at the URA," Kamizuru replied calmly.
"I thought so."
"Wait, she's talking to someone that powerful with that kind of attitude...?"
Kamizuru and Sakahara looked at each other. "Are you only noticing that now?" they said in unison.
To the two of them, Rampage's behavior was old news, but to those around them, it was nothing short of scandalous. As for how it had come to this...
"They've been badgering her to do the commentary for the Arima Kinen for a while now, but she keeps turning them down," Kamizuru explained.
"She told me she was planning to take that day off to cheer for the racers," Sakahara added. "She even asked me to be the designated driver since she plans on drinking."
"Maybe I should tag along," Kamizuru mused.
"If you do, that means going to Rampage's place and having dinner with Princess Fine. If you're okay with that, be my guest."
"Actually, that sounds like a great experience, don't you think?"
"The fact that you can say that so easily is what makes you amazing..."
The Arima Kinen is the final and greatest G1 race of the year—the grand finale. While the Hopeful Stakes follows it, that race is seen as a fresh start for the new year, leaving the Arima with the title of the year's true "closing" G1. Naturally, the officials wanted Rampage on that stage, but she wasn't budging.
"I've already got my schedule set, you hear me? I'm planning for the Legend Race!" Rampage barked into the receiver. "And you wait until right before the Arima to call me up and beg for commentary? You think I've got time for some half-wit's nonsense? Oh, so now you're gonna lecture me? Hooo... is that so? Remind me, what was your name again? Ah, right. That's the one. I'll give it exactly as much thought as it deserves. Goodbye."
She slammed the phone down and took a sip of her coffee. As if to reward her for the trouble, Kamizuru offered her a tart from the fridge.
"Good work. So, what's the fate of that poor official who called?"
"It'd be a pain to bother U-chan about every little thing," Rampage sighed. "I'll just send a formal letter to the URA under my own name through the Mejiro family. I've got plenty of clout even without U-chan, though going through her is faster and packs more of a punch."
"I do wonder sometimes," Sakahara said. "Is it really okay to rely on Lord Uranus like that? She has her own affairs to look after."
"I've been behaving myself lately! U-chan says she likes being relied on by the younger generation, but you've gotta have limits. I invited her over the other day; we had dinner and she played Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games with Fine."
From Uranus's perspective, Rampage was a godsend for flushing out the corruption within the URA, so she had encouraged Rampage to call on her whenever needed.
"Right, that's the last of the paperwork... Is it just me, or was there less to do today?"
"You're just exceptionally fast," Kamizuru replied. "I'm still going to be at this for a while."
"How about you, Sakahara-san?"
"I'm still agonizing over the final touches for Maya... I can't decide which strategy to have her run. We're running out of time, but I need just a little more time to think."
"Got it. Well, I'm gonna go... I think I'll hunt down something sweet."
Leaving the staff room, Rampage headed for a nearby vending machine. She usually brewed her own coffee, but occasionally she craved the canned stuff. She pressed the button for a "Max Sweet" coffee—and to her surprise, the "Winner" light flashed. A second can tumbled into the tray.
"Huh. People actually win these things?"
"As expected of Rampage-san! Such incredible luck!"
"Gyaaah?!"
Rampage jumped, nearly dropping her drinks. Flora had appeared from behind the vending machine with a movement so fluid and silent it was almost oily.
"What is wrong with you?! What kind of biology are you operating on?!"
"Is that any way to speak to me? But I shall say this: where you are concerned, Rampage-san, nothing is impossible for me!"
"You're a straight-up cryptid... Ugh. Fine. In honor of your status as a cryptid—and out of a mix of respect, insult, and pure creeped-out-ness—take this."
"Wait, that is a very conflicting set of reasons!"
Using the "gift" as a pretext to get rid of the extra can she didn't want, Rampage shoved the Max Coffee into Flora's hands. It was a blatant attempt to shoo her away, but to Flora, it was a holy relic. She held the can up toward the heavens as if in prayer, tears streaming down her face.
"Ahhh... This... this is a divine nectar bestowed upon me by Rampage-san... I shall preserve this for all eternity..."
"Just drink it before it expires, you weirdo."
"Ha! I see! If I drink this, a part of Rampage-san will be inside of me...!!"
"..."
"Please don't back away in silence! It actually hurts my feelings!"
"It's because you're gross..."
Rampage truly wondered how someone like this had ever been her rival—let alone a world-class girl who had conquered the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. It was enough to give the URA a collective migraine.
Then, Rampage snapped her fingers. A brilliant realization had struck.
"Heh... I've got a great idea. Hey, Flora. You said you'd do anything for me, right?"
"For you, Rampage-san, I would dive through fire and swim the deepest oceans!"
"Great. Then you're doing the Arima Kinen commentary in my place."
"Consider it done! ...Wait, what?"
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