Lunar stood in front of her locker, halfway through changing out of her uniform and into the academy's training tracksuit, when she finally began to notice just how tense the atmosphere inside the mare locker room had become. What should have been a normal, routine moment felt strangely suffocating, the air thick with an unspoken hostility that lingered between the students scattered throughout the space, broken only by the occasional sharp glance or the subtle shifting of bodies as girls from two different classes were forced to share the same room.
When Lunar had first arrived, several students from Junior B were already there, which meant that the girls from Junior A had no choice but to change alongside them, and the result was exactly what one might expect. The room had split into invisible halves, an unspoken boundary drawn between the two sides, and every so often, sparks would fly—not physically, but close enough that Lunar could almost imagine them.
Her gaze drifted instinctively across the room, catching on familiar faces, and what she saw made her pause.
Quenya, who had seemed so reserved and gentle just earlier in class, now carried an entirely different presence. Her demeanor was cold, her expression unkind, and her usually soft eyes were now hardened like ice as they locked onto someone across the room. Following her line of sight, Lunar spotted a brunette haired filly leaning casually against her locker, a smirk playing on her lips as she met Quenya's stare without hesitation. Then, as if to provoke her further, the girl stuck her tongue out in an almost childish taunt.
It worked instantly as Quenya's expression dropped another degree, her gaze turning even icier, and for a moment, the tension between the two felt so razor-sharp that Lunar half-expected something to actually happen.
Her mind flickered back to what Via had told her the day before, the memory surfacing clearly amidst the tension. "There's a lot of rivalry between Junior A and Junior B," Via had said, her tone casual but her eyes serious. "Some of us end up racing in the same events, so things can get… competitive. Just be careful, okay? If you don't want to get dragged into it, it's better to stay out of their way."
At the time, Lunar had understood those words only in theory, but now, standing in the middle of it, surrounded by the quiet hostility and barely restrained tension, she understood clearly what Via had meant.
"…This is a bit intense…" she murmured under her breath, the words slipping out as she quickly pulled on her tracksuit, adjusting the zipper with slightly stiff fingers. Without even realizing it, she tried to make herself smaller, less noticeable, instinctively shrinking into the background in a space that felt like it could erupt at any moment.
And then—
She felt a light tap against her back.
Lunar jolted slightly, her shoulders tensing as she turned around, only to find herself face-to-face with Final Neia, who was looking at her with a curious, almost impressed expression.
"…Your dorsi muscles are really well-defined," Neia commented casually, her tone completely at odds with the tense atmosphere surrounding them, as though they weren't standing in the middle of what felt like a silent battlefield. "They're refined, not bulky, which is actually ideal. That kind of build is really efficient for acceleration."
Lunar blinked, momentarily caught off guard—not just by the sudden comment, but by how oddly specific it was. "…Ah—thank you," she replied after a short pause, her voice a little awkward as she instinctively zipped her tracksuit all the way up, covering herself more securely as if to shield against further observation.
Neia let out a soft chuckle at the reaction, clearly amused by the way Lunar immediately retreated into herself. "You're pretty shy, huh?" she remarked lightly, her lips curving into a small smile.
Lunar rubbed the back of her neck, offering a sheepish smile in return before her gaze drifted back across the room, the earlier unease slowly creeping back in as the tension around them refused to fade. "…Is this… normal?" she asked hesitantly, lowering her voice just enough as she gestured vaguely toward the invisible divide that split the room in two.
Neia followed her line of sight, her expression shifting into something more knowing as she took in the scene, and after a moment, she let out a small, resigned sigh. "…Yeah," she admitted with a faint shrug, her tone calm but carrying a quiet sense of acceptance. "The rivalry's always been there. At this point, it's basically tradition—something that gets passed down, even from the seniors."
She paused briefly, her eyes narrowing just a fraction in recollection. "But lately… it's definitely gotten worse," she continued, her voice lowering slightly. "A lot worse, actually. Ever since that race."
Lunar tilted her head, her curiosity immediately piqued despite the tension around them. "…What race?" she asked.
Neia blinked, clearly surprised. "…Wait, Sakura didn't tell you?"Neia blinked, a hint of surprise flickering across her face as she looked back at Lunar. "…Wait, Sakura didn't tell you?"
Lunar gave a small, awkward smile, rubbing her cheek lightly. "…She wasn't really in the mood to talk earlier," she admitted, thinking back to Sakura's unusually quiet and intense demeanor before all of this.
Neia stared at her for a moment longer, as if processing that, before letting out a quiet breath. "…Right," she murmured. "That makes sense."
Neia let out a small breath before beginning her explanation that is laced with the kind of familiarity that suggested this story had been told more than once already.
"A couple of months ago, there was a pretty big race," she said, adjusting her weight slightly as she leaned back against the lockers. "It was a sixteen-filly lineup, and about half of them were from Junior A and Junior B, while the rest came from other academies. Even for a maiden race, the audience turnout was huge, so there was already a lot of attention on it from the start."
She paused briefly, glancing at Lunar to make sure she was following before continuing.
"And out of everyone there, the one who stood out the most was… well, obviously Sakura," Neia added with a small shrug. "She was already popular back then, way more than anyone else in the lineup, so naturally, a lot of attention was on her going into the race."
At that, something clicked in Lunar's mind. Her brows furrowed slightly as she recalled a conversation from not too long ago, and she tilted her head as she spoke. "…I think I remember something," she said slowly. "Sakura mentioned losing a race once… she said it was by, like, a hair's length? And that the person who won kind of… rubbed it in afterward."
Neia's eyes lit up immediately as she pointed at Lunar. "Bingo," she said, a hint of emphasis in her voice. "That's the one."
She straightened a little, then glanced around the room, trying to locate someone among the crowd, her gaze briefly scanning the Junior B side. For a moment, it seemed like she was searching for a specific face, but when she didn't find what she was looking for, she simply clicked her tongue softly and gave up.
"…The one who beat her," Neia continued, drawing the moment out just slightly before finally saying it, "her name is Validissimus."
The name hung in the air for a second before Neia went on, her expression turning more serious.
"She didn't just win and leave it at that," she said. "She got… really cocky about it. From what I heard, she started talking like she was leagues above Sakura, and then she went a step further and claimed that Sakura was only popular because of her looks, not because of her actual racing ability."
Lunar's expression tightened almost immediately at that, her brows knitting together as a quiet irritation stirred in her chest. The image of Sakura she knew—the effort she put in, the way she carried herself—clashed with that claim, and the idea of someone dismissing her so casually didn't sit right with her at all.
Neia noticed the reaction but didn't comment on it, simply continuing with a small sigh.
"That whole exchange didn't stay between just the two of them," she explained. "Word got around fast, and before anyone knew it, pretty much all of Junior A had taken Sakura's side. And then, because Validissimus is from Junior B…" she trailed off for a moment, gesturing vaguely toward the other half of the room, "…that resentment kind of spread to the entire class."
She gave a helpless shrug, her expression carrying a mix of resignation and mild frustration. "Not everyone in Junior B agrees with what she did, of course," Neia added. "Some of them think she went too far too. But by that point, it didn't really matter anymore. Things had already blown up, and now it's just… stuck like this."
Her gaze drifted across the room once more, staying briefly on the tense stares being exchanged before she let out another quiet sigh. "It's been, what, a month now?" she muttered. "And it's still going strong." Then, with a faint shake of her head, she added under her breath, "…Honestly, it's so childish."
Lunar remained silent for a moment, letting Neia's explanation digest fully in her mind, turning it over as she processed everything that had been said. After a brief pause, she tilted her head slightly, curiosity slipping through her expression as she looked back at Neia. "…Then how come you're not like the others?" she asked, her tone gentle and sincere rather than accusatory. "You don't seem as… fired up about all of this."
Neia blinked once at the question, then shrugged lightly, as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world. "I guess I'm just a pretty carefree person," she said, her lips curving into a relaxed smile. "Don't get me wrong, I think competition is fun—it's exciting, it pushes you forward—but at the end of the day, running is something you're supposed to enjoy, right?"
She stretches arms, glancing briefly toward the rest of the room where the tension is still stuck in the air. "So what's the point if you start mixing in spite?" she continued, her tone soft but firm. "All that does is ruin the fun for yourself."
With that, she pushed herself off the lockers and began walking toward Quenya, who still stood locked in that silent standoff with the brunette from earlier. Without any hesitation, Neia reached out, grabbed Quenya gently but firmly by the arm, and pulled her away from the tension. "Alright, that's enough glaring for one morning," she said frustratedly, already steering her friend toward the exit. "Save it for the track if you really need to."
Quenya let out a small, surprised sound but didn't resist, allowing herself to be dragged along as the two of them made their way out of the locker room together.
Lunar watched them go, a small smile forming on her face. "…Gotta enjoy it, huh…" At the same time, however, another thought surfaced, sharper and harder to ignore. What that girl said about Sakura… that's not okay.
Her expression softened just slightly, but there was a new firmness beneath it now, something subtle yet resolute, a quiet understanding beginning to take shape. In that moment, she finally understood why Sakura had looked the way she did earlier, why there had been that edge in her voice, that fire burning behind her eyes. "…I get it now," Lunar thought, before pushing herself off her locker and heading out as well.
Lunar didn't make it far before a pair of familiar voices caught up to her from behind, calling out just as she stepped into the hallway.
"Hey, Lunar! Wait up!"
She turned just in time to see Via and Rickey slipping into step beside her, both already changed and ready, their presence immediately easing the lingering tension she had felt inside.
"So?" Via asked, glancing at her with a sly smirk as they walked. "How was it in there?"
Lunar let out a soft breath, shaking her head slightly as she recalled the atmosphere. "It's exactly like you told me yesterday," she admitted, her tone half-amused, half-weary. "But honestly… it felt like ten times worse. The tension was just… way too uncomfortable."
Via chuckled at that, clearly unsurprised. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
Rickey, on the other hand, leaned in a little closer, her eyes bright with curiosity and anticipation. "So then, are you planning to run today?" she asked, her voice carrying a noticeable spark of excitement.
Lunar shrugged lightly, her expression relaxed. "If I get chosen, I'll run," she said simply. "And if I don't, then that's fine too."
Rickey's grin widened almost immediately, clearly pleased with that answer. "I kinda hope you do," she said, her tone practically buzzing with energy. "I really want to see you run—and if we end up in the same race, I'm not going easy on you, you know?"
Lunar met that energy without hesitation, a small but confident smile forming as she replied, "I'd be disappointed if you did. Bring it."
Rickey let out a delighted laugh at that, clearly pleased with the response.
Just then, Lunar felt a pair of fingers poke lightly at her side, pulling her attention back toward Via, who was now watching her with a more thoughtful, slightly serious expression.
"Hey," Via said, her voice lowering just a fraction as they continued walking. "Remember what we talked about yesterday."
Lunar blinked once, tilting her head slightly. "…About staying out of trouble?"
Via nodded. "Yeah. There are definitely going to be some… heated moments out there," she added carefully. "If things start getting messy, don't jump in. I'll give you a signal if it's safe to go and race, got it?"
Lunar listened, then gave an easy, reassuring smile. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm not planning to get into any scuffles."
She paused for just a fraction of a second, her gaze drifting forward as a certain name crossed her mind again, and when she spoke next, there was a quiet edge beneath her calm tone. "But…" she added, her voice firm with conviction, "…if push comes to shove, I'm not the type to just back down either."
The three of them continued forward side by side, their pace naturally falling into sync as they made their way toward the field, and for a short while the conversation softened into something lighter before gradually fading beneath the growing noise ahead. With every step closer, the atmosphere began to shift again, not as suffocating as the locker room but charged in a different way—louder, and filled with anticipation.
By the time the field came fully into view, it was already clear that the students had separated themselves without needing any instruction, forming two distinct groups on opposite sides. Junior A stood together on one end while Junior B occupied the other, and the invisible line between them was just as obvious as before, only now it felt less like a quiet divide and more like the edge of a battlefield waiting to ignite.
Her eyes searched through the crowd, picking out familiar figures one by one. She spotted Sakura immediately, standing among the Junior A group with a noticeably hardened expression, her usual warmth nowhere to be seen as she focused forward with quiet intensity. Not far from her were Neia and Quenya, the former looking relaxed as ever while the latter still carried that cold, sharpened edge from earlier, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the opposing side.
But then Lunar's attention shifted upward.
Standing on the slightly elevated spectator stands was Principal Sato, his presence calm and composed as always, yet somehow commanding enough to oversee the entire scene without needing to say a word. Even from a distance, there was a certain gravity to him that made everything feel more official and structured.
As Lunar, Via, and Rickey stepped into place alongside the rest of their class, another figure moved almost immediately in response. Ryuno Amazoness, the class president of Junior A, turned the moment she noticed them and raised her hand high without hesitation, her voice ringing out clearly across the field. "Principal! All students of Junior A are present!"
There was an unmistakable sense of pride in the way she spoke, as if she were presenting the class itself as something polished and dependable.
Principal Sato responded with a small, approving nod. "Good work."
His gaze moved briefly after that, landing on Lunar, and he offered her a subtle, almost grandfatherly wave. Lunar returned it with a small, respectful incline of her head, the gesture respectful and understated.
Ryuno, however, wasn't quite finished. Turning back toward her class—though her voice carried just enough to reach beyond it—she added with a confident edge, "As expected, Junior A responds faster and maintains better discipline."
A wave of cheers and affirmations rose from the Junior A students, voices overlapping with confident energy.
"Yeah!"
"Of course we do!"
"That's our class!"
Across from them, however, the response was far less enthusiastic. Several students from Junior B openly frowned, some clicking their tongues while others folded their arms, their irritation clear even without words.
It didn't take long for the final few members of Junior B to arrive, and with them came another figure that stood out just as clearly. An uma musume stepped forward from their side, her long chestnut hair braided neatly down her back while a pair of round glasses framed her bright mint-colored eyes, giving her an intelligent yet slightly striking appearance. There was a firmness in the way she carried herself that made it easy for Lunar to guess her role even before she spoke.
"All students of Junior B are present," she announced, her tone polite on the surface but edged with just enough bite to mirror Ryuno's earlier remark.
Principal Sato gave her the same nod of acknowledgment. "Very well."
Lunar watched the exchange quietly, her gaze drifting between the two groups as the energy between them continued to crackle. "…They're really treating this like a full-on competition," she thought to herself, a hint of disbelief slipping in despite everything she had already seen.
Even knowing the story behind it, even understanding the tension, it still surprised her just how far it had escalated—how something that started from a single race had grown into something that now divided entire classes so completely.
Principal Sato remained where he stood, his gaze sweeping calmly across the field as he took his time ensuring that every last student had arrived and settled into place.There was no urgency in his movements, yet there was a quiet authority in the way he observed everything, as though nothing, no matter how small, could escape his notice. His eyes briefly shifted toward the stands, landing on Speedy, who was seated casually to the side, completely unfazed by the tension below as she munched on a sandwich with relaxed ease, waiting for things to begin.
Once he was satisfied, Principal Sato stepped forward slightly, his presence alone enough to draw attention without needing to raise his voice. "I trust everyone here understands why you've been gathered today," he said.
The response came immediately and almost perfectly in unison, voices overlapping with energy and anticipation. "YES WE DO!"
A small, pleased smile formed on his face at the unified answer, and he gave a slow, approving nod before continuing, his tone shifting just slightly, taking on a note of quiet finality. "Good. In that case," he said, pausing only for a brief moment, "let us not delay any further."
He lifted a hand, gesturing toward the stands. "Those who have official races scheduled within this week, step forward and take a seat with Speedy."
The reaction that followed was mixed, as a few groans slipped out from those who had clearly been hoping to participate, while others let out softer sighs of relief as they stepped out of formation without complaint. One by one, they made their way toward the stands, where Speedy greeted each of them with an easy grin, already reaching into a basket at her side to hand out sandwiches.
"Courtesy of the cafeteria auntie," she said cheerfully, passing one over.
Among those stepping away, Via turned back briefly, catching Lunar and Rickey's eyes as she flashed them a quick wink before lifting her hand in a small wave. "Good luck," she said lightly, her tone relaxed as ever before heading up to join the others.
With that, the number of participants on the field noticeably thinned.
Principal Sato waited until everyone had seated before continuing. "Class presidents," he called, "count your remaining students."
Both Ryuno Amazoness and her counterpart moved immediately, their voices overlapping as they began counting with precision. It almost felt like a competition in itself, each trying to finish first without making a mistake.
"Twenty-two!" the Junior B president declared, her voice ringing out just a fraction earlier, carrying a hint of triumph.
"Eighteen," Ryuno followed closely behind, clicking her tongue softly in mild irritation at having been beaten, even by such a small margin.
Principal Sato stroked his beard thoughtfully, repeating the total under his breath. "Forty…"
A small, satisfied hum followed as he gave a slight nod. "That is ideal. Five races with eight runners each." After a brief pause, he lifted his voice again, addressing the field. "Is anyone feeling unwell today? If so, raise your hand."
The field remained still, not a single person stepping forward.
"…No one?" he asked again, his gaze sweeping more carefully across the group this time, but still, no response came.
"Very well," he continued, his tone steady, "if there is anyone who does not wish to participate, you may step out now and take a seat."
There was a brief moment of hesitation before movement began.
Neia was the first to step forward, casually rubbing the back of her head as she approached, her demeanor as relaxed as ever despite the charged atmosphere around her. "I'll sit this one out, Principal," she said with an easy shrug. "Not really feeling it today. I'd rather take it easy."
Principal Sato nodded at that. "Of course."
Another student followed shortly after, then two more, each stepping away from the field and making their way toward the stands, leaving the group slightly smaller once again.
"Thirty-six, then," Sato murmured, adjusting his calculation smoothly. He lifted his head, his voice carrying clearly across the field as he addressed them once more. "In that case, we will proceed with four races, nine runners each." Then, raising his tone just enough to invite a response, he added, "Is that acceptable to all of you?"
The answer came back just as strongly as before, voices rising in excitement and readiness.
"Yes!"
"Sounds good!"
"Let's go!"
Principal Sato stepped forward once more, and with that single movement, the attention of everyone still gathered on the field naturally shifted back to him, his presence alone enough to quiet the lingering chatter. With a simple gesture of his hand, he began issuing the next set of instructions, his voice calm yet firm as it carried across the space.
"Those remaining," he called, "form two lines, separate it by class."
The students responded immediately, Movement rippled through the field as Junior A and Junior B split apart once again, each group instinctively returning to their respective sides before arranging themselves into orderly lines. There was a brief shuffle of feet, a few quiet exchanges between students, and then stillness settled in as everyone took their positions.
Somehow—without quite realizing how it had happened—Lunar found herself standing right at the very front of Junior A's line. "…Huh?" she murmured under her breath, glancing back in mild confusion, only to find Rickey standing directly behind her with an amused grin, while the rest of their classmates lined up neatly in succession behind them.
"Front row, huh?" Rickey whispered teasingly, leaning forward just slightly. "Guess you're getting picked first."
Lunar's shoulders stiffened slightly as her gaze drifted forward again, just in time to see Principal Sato begin walking towards the space between the two lines, his eyes moving across each student with careful consideration.
And then, they locked onto her.
Lunar felt her heart skip, her body straightening instinctively as a quiet wave of nervousness washed over her. Oh no… he's definitely picking me first…
Before she could spiral any further, however, Principal Sato turned away, moving his attention back to the group as he began calling out names. "Dear Rickey, Nobuly Day, Carina Cham, Quenya, Last Shot, Shine Beck, Jump Over, Power Impact… and Live Baffy."
He paused briefly before continuing, "You will prepare at the starting line for the first race. The rest of you, remain seated here for now. Do not stray from your positions."
One by one, the students whose names had been called stepped forward, breaking away from the line and making their way toward the track with varying degrees of confidence and excitement.
Rickey let out a small groan of disappointment as she stepped out from behind Lunar, her shoulders slumping just a little. "Awh~ looks like I'm not racing you this round," she said, glancing back with a slight pout.
Lunar smiled softly in response, lifting a hand in quiet encouragement. "There's always next time," she said gently. "Good luck out there."
Rickey's expression brightened almost instantly, her competitive spark flaring back to life as she pumped her fist lightly with renewed determination. "Yosh~ Watch me win this~ " she declared, before turning and jogging off toward the starting line, her earlier disappointment already replaced with a renewed energy."
And just like that, Lunar found herself sitting alone at the front.
She moved slightly, her gaze wandering as she tried to calm her nerves, and it eventually landed on a small group of Junior B students seated across from her. The moment their eyes met, they froze, clearly not expecting to be noticed so directly.
For a brief second, the silence stretched awkwardly. Unsure of what else to do, Lunar hesitated before lifting her hand in a small, tentative wave, offering them a gentle smile—something simple, something peaceful.
They looked surprised at first, then slowly, sheepishly, raised their hands in return, mirroring her gesture with hesitant smiles of their own. It was… nice.
But just as quickly as it formed, the moment broke.
Their expressions suddenly tightened, and almost in unison, they turned away, as if something had startled them from behind or snapped them back to attention.
Lunar blinked, caught off guard by the abrupt shift. What was that about…?
The question had barely settled in her mind when she felt an arm slip gently but firmly around her waist from behind, followed by the soft weight of someone leaning against her back.
She tensed for a split second, startled by the sudden contact, but the faint glimpse of pink at the edge of her vision gave it away almost immediately. "…You're back?" she asked, her voice softening as her body relaxed.
Sakura rested her head lightly against Lunar's shoulder, her hold tightening just a fraction as she let out a quiet breath. "Yeah… sorry," she murmured, her voice low. "I was… really irritated earlier."
A small pause followed before she added, more honestly this time, "…Still am, actually."
Lunar didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned back just slightly into the contact, tilting her head so it rested gently against Sakura's, offering comfort in a way that didn't need many words. "It's okay," she said softly. "I understand."
Sakura's eyes widened at that, a hint of surprise threading through her voice. "…You do?"
Lunar gave a small nod. "Neia told me what happened," she replied.
At that, Sakura let out a quiet, frustrated sigh, her grip around Lunar tightening just a little more as the tension she had been holding resurfaced.
"I know it's childish to hold onto something like that," she admitted, her voice quieter now, edged with built up irritation. "But I just… hate it when people downplay what I've worked for. Saying it's all just because of how I look…" She clicked her tongue softly. "It's so frustrating."
Lunar listened, her expression soft as she remained close. "I don't know if this whole rivalry between the classes is a good thing," she said after a moment, her voice calm and thoughtful. "But…" she added, her tone gaining a quiet certainty. "…your anger? That part is totally justified.."
Sakura's expression softened at Lunar's quiet reassurance, and for a moment the sharp edge in her gaze melted away completely, leaving behind something far more genuine as she looked at her with a small, grateful smile.
"…Thanks," she murmured softly, before letting out a controlled breath and continuing in a calmer, more reflective tone. "I really didn't want things to blow up like this, you know? It was just one race… one stupid moment, and suddenly it turned into this whole thing."
Her gaze drifted out toward the field, brows knitting slightly as she watched the tension between the two sides. "But I guess the rivalry was already there to begin with… that incident just gave it a reason to explode."
She paused briefly, then added more quietly, almost as if thinking out loud, "And it's not just about me either… there are already cliques forming in both classes, and people with their own personal rivalries layered on top of that. When you pile all of it together, it just… spirals out of control."
Before Lunar could respond, Principal Sato's voice cut cleanly across the field, calling for the runners to get ready, and just like that, the atmosphere grew more excited as all nine participants stepped up to the starting line.
Lunar's attention followed them, but her curiosity lingered as she tilted her head slightly. "Who are those people?" she asked, her eyes still scanning the runners.
Sakura lifted her hand and pointed subtly. "See her?" she said, indicating Quenya, whose usual timid aura was nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by a rigid, cold focus. "She's normally really shy and quiet, but the moment…"
Her finger shifted across the track toward another runner positioned further out, a girl with shoulder-length grey hair and sharp green eyes, "Nobuly Day shows up, she turns into that. They seriously can't stand each other."
The starting signal rang out before Lunar could ask anything further, and the race exploded into motion as all nine runners launched forward at once, their strides striking the turf in rapid, synchronized impact. Dear Rickey surged ahead, her acceleration clean and decisive as she carved out a lead within seconds, quickly leaving the rest scrambling to match her pace.
Lunar's eyes widened slightly as she followed the movement. "…She's fast," she murmured, watching how effortlessly Rickey began to stretch the gap, her rhythm smooth and controlled as she took command of the race and stretched the gap step by step.
But as impressive as the lead pack was, Lunar's gaze soon drifted further back, where her expression subtly tightened at what she saw unfolding. Two fillies, one with bright blonde hair and the other with grey ones—were practically colliding as they ran side by side, their shoulders knocking repeatedly, their strides uneven and unstable as neither seemed willing to yield even an inch.
Sakura clicked her tongue in visible annoyance. "There they go already," she muttered. "Same old nonsense."
"Why are they… doing that…?" Lunar asked quietly, her tone carrying genuine disbelief as she watched them struggle more against each other than the actual race.
Sakura let out a short, resigned snort. "As usual, they're so busy trying to one-up each other that they're basically throwing the race away."
And it showed. While the rest of the pack pushed forward with purpose, those two were already slipping behind, their pace broken, their rhythm ruined, and their focus completely consumed by each other rather than the finish line ahead.
Closer to the front, another runner was trying to close the gap between herself and Rickey. Lunar's gaze shifted again, landing on a girl with vibrant orange hair who was trailing a few lengths behind the leader, her form strong but not quite enough to match Rickey's momentum.
Sakura's expression darkened at the sight. "That one's Power Impact," she said, her tone edged with clear disdain. "She's part of Validissimus' group… one of the ones who laughed that day I lost."
There was clear disdain in her tone, and when she let out a small, mocking snicker at the distance between them, it wasn't subtle at all. "And look at that gap… she can't even keep up, how weak." Sakura added, her words edged with spite.
Lunar didn't feed into it, Instead, she let out a soft, almost absent-minded whistle, choosing to focus entirely on the race itself rather than the tension simmering beside her. Rickey, meanwhile, had fully taken command of the front, holding a lead of more than three lengths as they crossed the halfway mark, with less than three furlongs remaining. Her pace remained balanced and confident, as she was dictating the rhythm of the entire field rather than simply running within it.
Lunar watched the race unfold with growing fascination, her eyes locked onto Dear Rickey as the girl continued to dominate the field, and the more she observed, the more impressed she became—not just by the lead she held, but by the way she ran, because her strides were unusually long, stretching forward in a way that almost looked unnatural at first glance, yet the longer Lunar stared, the more she realized that it wasn't forced at all, it was simply how Rickey's body was built, her long legs allowing her to cover more ground with each step in a way most others couldn't replicate.
Without even realizing it, Lunar found herself comparing the sight to someone familiar. …She runs a bit like big sis Invi, she thought absentmindedly, recalling how the older girl used to move in a similarly elongated rhythm, though not without its drawbacks. And just as that thought crossed her mind, she saw Rickey begin to slow significantly as she approached the final corner, her long strides making it harder to maintain balance through the turn, forcing her to adjust her pace just enough to stay stable.
Lunar's pale yellow eyes shimmered.. Yeah… just like that.
She remembered clearly how the older girl used to struggle with corners for the exact same reason, how those long strides that were so advantageous on the straight became a liability when turning, until she eventually learned to compensate for it by digging her heels in and powering through the curve with sheer force. It wasn't elegant, but it worked exceptionally well for her.
As the runners exited the final bend and surged into the home straight, Lunar's attention instinctively focused toward the back of the pack, where a sudden burst of movement caught her eye. A girl with striking black-and-yellow hair—someone Lunar immediately recognized as one of the students who always sat at the very front of the classroom—had begun to accelerate strongly, her pace changing almost like a switch had been flipped. With surprising ease, she closed in on Power Impact, slipped past her cleanly, securing second place in a single decisive move before immediately driving forward in pursuit of Dear Rickey at the front.
"…She's kinda fast too," Lunar murmured, her focus narrowing as she watched the gap begin to shrink, albeit slowly.
Sakura, who had been watching just as closely, let out a small hum, her expression noticeably more impressed than it had been moments ago. "That's Last Shot," she commented, her tone carrying a hint of approval. "Her final kick is really strong… she always saves it for the end."
And it showed. Last Shot was gaining, her speed in the final stretch undeniably powerful, her form tightening as she pushed forward with everything she had—but the distance was still there, and despite her best effort, it wasn't quite enough.
Dear Rickey held on.
She crossed the finish line first with a lead of roughly one length, sealing the victory and immediately drawing a surge of cheers from the Junior A side. Only then did she begin to ease off, her stride gradually relaxing and shrinking as she passed beyond the line, her dominant performance earning her loud and well-deserved praise from her classmates.
Just behind her, Last Shot crossed in second place, her expression tightening with clear disappointment despite the strength of her finish. Still, the reaction from the crowd softened the moment—cheers mixed with encouragement rather than pure celebration, offering her at least some comfort as she slowed to a stop.
One by one, the remaining runners followed, crossing the line in steady succession until the race finally came to a close, leaving only the settling noise of footsteps and breathless recovery in its wake. Near the finish, Power Impact came to a halt more abruptly than the others, her frustration evident as she stomped lightly against the turf, her gaze snapping forward toward Rickey and Last Shot with visible irritation as the result sank in.
Principal Sato glanced down at his race clock, the numbers reading 1:15.29, and though his expression suggested it wasn't particularly outstanding, he gave a small nod of acceptance nonetheless. "Good job, everyone," he called out, his voice carrying easily across the field before his gaze settled briefly on Rickey. "And especially you—well done on that front-running."
With that, he gestured toward the stands. "All runners, head over and join the spectators. Take a seat and a sandwich for yourselves."
They all then began making their way off the track and toward the stands, the earlier intensity slowly melting into a mix of chatter and exhaustion.. Among them, Dear Rickey approached with a light bounce in her step, clearly riding the high of her win, but the moment her eyes landed on Lunar and Sakura, she froze mid-step, her expression along with it as well.
Her eyes widened first in obvious surprise, then narrowed ever so slightly as something clicked in her mind, and finally curved into a slow, suspicious smile. Because what she was looking at was, objectively speaking, a rather compromising scene.
Sakura was still wrapped around Lunar from behind, her arms snug around Lunar's waist while her head rested comfortably against Lunar's shoulder, and to make matters even more questionable, her legs were tucked in such a way that they supported Lunar from beneath, making the entire scene look less like two classmates sitting together and more like a couple quietly cuddling on a date.
Lunar, who had just opened her mouth to congratulate Rickey, immediately faltered the moment she registered that expression. "…C-congrats…?" she managed awkwardly, though her voice came out uncertain, like she wasn't even sure that was the right thing to say anymore.
Rickey barely responded at first, her grin stretching wider into something downright goofy as she gave a teasing, "Thanks~," her tone dripping with implication that Lunar absolutely did not understand, but could somehow feel judging her anyway.
Then, with a small wave and that same ridiculous smirk still firmly in place, Rickey added, "I'll just… go sit with the spectators now. Good luck later, Lunar~ Sakura~" before turning away as if she had just witnessed something incredibly entertaining.
Lunar blinked after her, completely lost. "…What was that about?" she muttered, glancing slightly to the side towards Sakura who simply shrugged, equally clueless, as she made no attempt whatsoever to change her position.
Meanwhile, Rickey made her way up the stands and reached for a sandwich from the basket resting on Speedy Kick's lap, grabbing one without hesitation. "Congrats on the win, Rickey-senpai," Speedy chimed cheerfully, watching her with bright eyes.
Rickey, already mid-bite, gave a muffled "Thank you" around the mouthful as she plopped herself down beside Via, who had thoughtfully saved her a seat. The two exchanged a quick look, and judging by Rickey's expression, whatever she had just seen earlier was absolutely going to become future conversation material.
Back on the field, Principal Sato stepped forward once more, his presence immediately drawing attention as he approached the remaining students lined up for selection. He glanced over them before speaking once more.
"Alright then…" he said, stroking his beard lightly as his eyes scanned the group. "Who's next…?"