Leaving Northern Taste's office, Dream Weaver returned to the clubroom she had called home for over a year.
As she walked through the grounds of Central Tracen Academy, she noticed the other Uma Musume casting startled glances her way. Word of her comeback must have already spread.
She pushed the door open. Behind a virtual immersion pod, Sugar Lights looked up from where she was tinkering with a wrench. Seeing it was Dream Weaver, she spoke up.
"To match your current level, the virtual immersion gear needed an upgrade. Software tweaks weren't enough; I had to overhaul the hardware too."
"It's just about finished, though," she added. "You'll be able to use it in a moment."
"Thanks for the hard work," Dream Weaver said softly, noticing the dark circles under Sugar Lights' eyes.
"You've been at this since we got back yesterday. Why don't you take a break? I could always start with some real-world training first."
"And whose fault do you think that is...?"
Sugar Lights puffed out her cheeks in a small pout. Sitting back in her wheelchair, she rolled over to Dream Weaver and gave her a playful poke in the ribs.
"If a certain someone hadn't suddenly decided to come out of retirement, do you think I'd be pulling an all-nighter? We've only got thirty-some days until the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe! Every second counts when it comes to getting this pod ready."
"My apologies..."
Dream Weaver raised her hands in a mock surrender, a wry smile on her face. It wasn't that she had wanted to keep them in the dark.
It was just that if Liberty Island had won the Japan Cup yesterday, she wouldn't even have had the chance to compete in the Arc in this world. Because everything had been so uncertain, she hadn't said a word to the others.
Seeing Dream Weaver give in so easily, Sugar Lights didn't press the issue. She turned her wheelchair back toward the rear of the immersion pod.
"Actually, it's fine," she murmured. "Dream Weaver already helped me fulfill my dream. Now, I have to help her fulfill hers."
"That's what friends are for, right?"
Watching Sugar Lights focus intently on the machinery, Dream Weaver was momentarily speechless. She eventually shook her head.
"I only provided the data for the ST-2 and ran one training session with you using my Zone. I didn't really do much; I can't say I've 'fulfilled' your dream, Doctor Lights."
A mechanical Uma Musume couldn't perceive the Zone. Sugar Lights still had a long road ahead before her dream truly became a reality.
"And all I'm doing is fixing some machines for you, aren't I?"
"I can't help you with much else, so let me pay you back this way. Of course... if you want to pay me back with some fine wine later, I wouldn't say no."
Just as Dream Weaver was about to agree, the clubroom door swung open with a loud bang. A familiar voice rang out behind them.
"I heard the word 'wine'! You two were planning on sneaking out for a drink without me again, weren't you!"
"How cruel! Even though we're a team of three, I always feel like a third wheel. And I was the first one here!"
With those words, Agnes Tachyon lunged at Dream Weaver's back, wrapping her long, white sleeves around her shoulders.
Leaning in close to Dream Weaver's cheek, she whispered, "I dug up that formula I developed based on your old physical data. We'll test it during training, and I'll adjust the dosage based on the results."
"But I should warn you..."
Dream Weaver saw a flicker of that wild, dangerous glint in Agnes Tachyon's eyes.
"The price of returning to your peak is a painful one. I hope you're prepared."
"What?"
Dream Weaver let out a soft, confident laugh. "The one thing I'm definitely not afraid of is pain."
Agnes Tachyon didn't respond immediately. She simply stared into Dream Weaver's eyes, as if searching for a spark of starlight within those pitch-black depths.
"Now I see it."
"See what?"
Ignoring the question, Agnes Tachyon pressed her forehead against Dream Weaver's, staring straight into her soul. "Can you say that one line to me again?"
"You mean, 'If this is what you all hope for, I can try to win the Arc'?"
Dream Weaver shook her head and gently unpeeled Agnes Tachyon from her back. She set the girl down firmly in front of her before speaking.
"Even if no one expects it of me, I am going to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe."
She didn't repeat the words as Agnes Tachyon had asked, but the scientist's grin didn't fade. If anything, it widened.
"Now that's more like it," she whispered. A hint of fanaticism flickered in her eyes as she looked at Dream Weaver. "That's what it means to be an Uma Musume."
"If we aren't running for ourselves, what reason is there to even step onto the turf? We Uma Musume are selfish creatures by nature. Because the champion—"
"Can only ever be one!"
Agnes Tachyon threw her arms wide, her oversized white sleeves fluttering as she let out a manic laugh.
When Dream Weaver had first announced her comeback yesterday, Agnes Tachyon had been the first to clinically state it was impossible.
Yet here she was, vibrating with excitement like a completely different person.
The reason was simple: yesterday, Agnes Tachyon had been the scientist. Research required a rational, rigorous mind to succeed.
She had thought that the part of her that was an Uma Musume—the part that existed before that conversation after the Oka Sho—was no longer necessary.
She had tucked that burning competitive spirit away, existing purely as the team's medical support.
At that time, Dream Weaver was the Trainer, and she was the Pharmacist.
But seeing the news of the comeback sweep across the globe, and realizing it wasn't a joke, the Uma Musume known as Agnes Tachyon had returned to the world.
Dream Weaver was now an Uma Musume once more, and so she followed suit.
The Agnes Tachyon who was an Uma Musume who would never utter the word "impossible." She would only ever believe in the infinite possibilities inherent to her kind.
"Repairs complete!"
Just as Dream Weaver wondered if she was about to be devoured by Agnes Tachyon's feverish gaze, Sugar Lights poked her head out from behind the pod and called out to them.
"Want to give it a whirl?"
"Let's do it. We'll start with a simulation to find your rhythm."
Agnes Tachyon flicked her sleeves, looking a bit miffed at being interrupted, but she didn't complain.
This was a vital step in exploring Dream Weaver's potential. She took her seat at the monitors, expertly prepping the system before nodding to Dream Weaver.
"Ready when you are."
On the other side, Sugar Lights helped Dream Weaver settle into the pod. As Dream Weaver prepared to dive into the virtual world, Sugar Lights gave her a final heads-up.
"To keep up with your intensity, the opponent data in this sim is significantly stronger than what Liberty Island and the others usually face. Stay sharp."
"I understand," Dream Weaver replied. Then, she closed her eyes.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.