Chapter 205: A Test of the Mind
After seeing Makoto and Kitasan Black again in the university division, Bamboo Memory began to take an interest in the trainer–uma girl duo she had once met in passing.
She asked around afterward and watched recordings of their races, only to discover that this junior's results were remarkably impressive.
Especially considering that before her debut, she hadn't been highly regarded in middle- to long-distance races.
Yet now, she was achieving outstanding results in exactly those kinds of races, and at the G1 level, no less. That only made Bamboo Memory even more interested.
It just so happened that on the day of the Kikuka Sho, Bamboo Memory was off duty, so she invited Oguri Cap—who had also met Makoto and Kitasan Black before—to come watch the race together.
Seeing that her senpai wasn't particularly focused on the race and had her mind set entirely on eating, Bamboo Memory felt helpless, but still went along with it.
A short while later, near the food stalls inside the racecourse.
The five skewers of grilled meat and the Gold Ship bento from earlier had long since been reduced to nothing but sticks and empty boxes. After tossing those into the trash, what Oguri Cap now held in her hands were three portions of okonomiyaki and five servings of takoyaki.
"...Senpai, you really can eat just as much as you could when you were still active," Bamboo Memory said, staring in disbelief. Then she joked, "I'm starting to understand why I could never beat you back then. It was probably because of the difference in how much we ate."
"Mm, to be precise…"
Freeing up one hand to pat her stomach, Oguri Cap thought for a moment.
"I could already eat a lot before my debut."
"And after retirement… I still eat just as much."
"I see…"
Nodding, Bamboo Memory grew curious. "You eat that much… but I don't remember ever hearing you worry about your weight, senpai?"
In the Twinkle Series, body weight was a crucial factor, being too heavy would naturally affect speed, and in turn, results.
Bamboo Memory remembered clearly that during her racing days, all three daily meals had strict standards. Only on rest days could they relax a little and eat foods they actually liked.
"As for me…"
Oguri Cap touched her chin and smiled. "I guess I'm the type who doesn't gain weight no matter how much I eat? At least, that's what everyone says…"
Despite knowing Oguri Cap for many years, weight was a sensitive topic for girls, after all. Bamboo Memory rarely talked about it, and only now did she learn that her senpai had such an enviable constitution.
"Looks like that kind of body type was one of the reasons I lost back then, too…"
After sighing in reflection, Bamboo Memory glanced ahead. Seeing that they were about to reach the stands, she casually asked:
"So, senpai, about this Kikuka Sho… you really don't have any thoughts on it at all?"
"Like, in your opinion… Who do you think will win?"
Hearing that, a glint of light flashed through Oguri Cap's usually cool, calm eyes.
"Winning the race… that's not something I can judge," she said, her voice growing slightly more serious.
"You know, I never ran any long-distance races other than the Arima Kinen."
"And the Arima Kinen is special, it's only 100 meters longer than 2400 meters, the upper limit of middle distance. That's very different from the 3000 meters of the Kikuka Sho."
"If I really had to say how to judge it…"
That glint appeared in her eyes once more.
"I think… you'd have to ask Super Creek."
"Creek-senpai…"
Bamboo Memory's eyes lit up. "Right! She won the Kikuka Sho back then, and you could say her long-distance ability was unmatched."
"Mm. We actually talked about the Kikuka Sho, and also the Spring Tenno Sho."
Oguri Cap nodded. "She told me that with my talent, it would probably be very difficult to run races at those distances. The challenges of those races are completely different from mile and middle distance."
Oguri Cap had mainly run mile and middle-distance races during her career, while Bamboo Memory specialized in sprint and mile races. Hearing this, Bamboo Memory pressed on:
"So… what kind of challenge is it?"
Oguri Cap answered simply:
"Right here, in the mind."
She tapped her temple. As she spoke about the race, Oguri Cap became calm and heavy with focus, yet there was also a burning intensity in her eyes.
She said in a low voice, "You know how strong Super Creek is."
"But even for her, after running more than 2000 meters, her stamina drops sharply."
"And yet there's still nearly 1000 meters left."
"Then your brain starts to feel dull, it''s hard to make it work. Your vision even becomes blurry."
"The movements of your rivals, how much distance remains, how much strength you still have, your arm swing, your stride frequency… The farther you go, the harder it becomes to perceive all of that."
"And in the final one or two hundred meters, I didn't even know how I finished running."
"That's what Super Creek told me."
Bamboo Memory fell silent for a moment.
"Listening to that," she said with difficulty, "it sounds like… the race itself becomes terrifying, from the way you describe it, senpai…"
Oguri Cap suddenly smiled.
"Terrifying… maybe."
"But about that junior you mentioned earlier… she's called Kita, right? I'm not very good at remembering names, did I get it right?"
Bamboo Memory froze for a second, then nodded. "Mm. Kitasan Black."
"She should be fine."
"…Huh?" Bamboo Memory didn't quite understand.
"Kitasan Black. She should be fine."
They had already reached the stands. As Oguri Cap walked up the stairs, her gaze turned toward the giant screen directly opposite the seats.
On the screen, a short-haired girl in black-and-gold colors stepped out lightly and swiftly. Brimming with energy yet carrying a touch of composure, she raised her arm high toward the camera.
At the same time, the commentator's voice echoed across the racecourse.
"At this moment!"
"The chief celebrant of the Kyoto festival takes the stage!"
"Her footsteps are war drums that awaken the gods, her black hair a storm that tears the heavens apart!"
"She turns the racetrack into her sacred palanquin, bringing with her a run that sweeps everything away!"
"The energetic girl stepping in time with the festival beat—"
"The undisputed fan favorite, number one in popularity—"
"Kitasan Black!!"
A roaring cheer rose from the stands. Gazing at Kitasan Black on the screen, Oguri Cap freed both hands and began to clap softly.
"I remember seeing her at the start of the year," Oguri Cap said with a light chuckle. "Back then, I don't think she'd even debuted yet…"
Nodding, she continued, "In less than a year, she's standing on the stage of the Kikuka Sho… I had a feeling she'd be outstanding, but I never imagined she'd be this outstanding."
"So that's why I think she'll be fine."
"What do you think, Bamboo?"
Still staring at the screen, Bamboo Memory nodded unconsciously.
"Yeah… I think so too—"
Before she could finish, a voice filled with surprise and delight came from beside them.
"Eh—? Is that… Oguri Cap-senpai? And Bamboo Memory-senpai?"
Both of them turned around. Behind them stood three Umamusume. Two looked quite similar to each other, while the third had long hair and eyes with a gradient of colors.
"You are…?" Bamboo Memory asked, exchanging a glance with Oguri Cap.
"Ah, pardon our rudeness…"
One of the two similar-looking Umamusume stepped forward.
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Satono Crown. This is my younger sister, Satono Diamond, and this is our friend, Duramente."
"We… oh, right."
Satono Crown looked toward the screen.
Kitasan Black's introduction had just ended, and the next one to step onto the stage was REAL STEEL herself.
"We're from the same generation as Kitasan Black and Makoto-san. We just came from the preparation room, where we went to cheer them on."
"Senpai… would it be alright if we watched the race together with you?"