"Good grief... this forced inactivity is grating on my nerves even more than I expected. It's a different kind of burn than the post-Japan Cup fatigue."
It was mid-January, and Rampage was still forbidden from running. While she knew she should be focusing entirely on her duties as a trainer, the simple fact was that for a horse girl, being unable to run was a unique form of psychological torture. She was being a "good girl" and following the doctor's orders to the letter, but the itch in her legs was becoming a constant, dull ache.
"The staff room is surprisingly rowdy for the start of the year," she muttered, looking around.
Usually, the winter months were a quiet period of adjustment and specialized training as everyone prepared for the spring season. But today, the office had the frantic energy of the first day of a new semester. As Rampage sat at her desk, sifting through paperwork, Hana Tojo approached and set a cup of coffee in front of her.
"You realize this is mostly your fault, right? Black, I assume?"
"Thanks. And what do you mean, 'my fault'? I've been a model of restraint lately. Practically a saint."
"The Finals," Tojo said simply.
The "Finals Effect" was in full swing. The event had stripped away the polite veneer between Central and the Regions, proving beyond a doubt that elite-level talent wasn't exclusive to the Central Trecs. There were girls in general schools and regional circuits with legs that could match the best in the country. Now, the Regions were desperate to find the next Oguri Cap to revitalize their local economies, and Central was equally desperate to ensure they didn't let such gems slip through their fingers again.
It had sparked a scouting war.
"The Academy has been in a frenzy since the first of the year," Tojo explained. "Half the staff is out in the field. We're fast-tracking scholarship programs and financial aid systems just to keep up with the regional recruitment drives."
"Well, well," Rampage smirked, taking a sip of the coffee. "Look at me, accidentally starting a revolution."
The barrier for girls in general schools had always been a mix of financial hurdles and lack of specialized guidance. Now, under the leadership of Chairwoman Akikawa—and with significant backing from the Mejiro, Symboli, and even the Uranus families—those barriers were being systematically dismantled.
"Is the URA playing nice with the regional circuits during all this?" Rampage asked.
"Surprisingly, yes. The regional trainers have been very cooperative, though they're still insisting that the final choice remains with the girls themselves."
The usual hostility had been replaced by a strange sort of busy-work. Because Rampage had dumped the international inquiries onto the URA's lap, the organization was currently buried under the most intense workload in its history. They were too busy drowning in paperwork to obstruct the scouting efforts, leaving the actual talent acquisition to the Tracen trainers.
"I'm actually heading out to a regional Trec myself soon," Tojo added. "It's been a while since I've done field scouting."
"Sorry about that. Sounds like I've added to your plate."
Tojo waved it off. "Don't be. It's a chance to bring some fresh blood into Rigil. Besides, I hear the regional circuits have some unique training menus; I'm looking forward to seeing them firsthand."
Rampage watched her colleague walk away and felt a small sense of accomplishment. All the sweat and broken records had been for something. The world was moving.
"No point in dwelling on the past, though," she whispered to herself. "I've got my own problems to solve."
She had a team to lead. This year, the first star from Team Pleiades was set to make her debut: "Mayaya," better known as Mayano Top Gun. Given who her trainer was, the spotlight on Maya's debut would be blinding. Rampage knew Maya wasn't the type to crack under pressure, but the Twinkle Series had a way of tripping up even the most confident rookies.
"I'm worried about Ama-chan, Doralun, and Laurel too," she mused.
The upcoming Classic and Tiara seasons were going to be a bloodbath. Narita Brian and Sakura Laurel would be clashing in the Classics, while Hishi Amazon and Doralun fought for the Triple Tiara. In the original history, Amazon had been barred from the Classics as a "foreign-bred" runner; Rampage wondered how her presence would shift the scales here.
"But first... my team."
Rampage left the staff room and headed toward the Pleiades club room. As she approached, she heard a heated discussion from behind the door.
"I'm telling you, the liver of that turn was the grip!"
"I don't know... she completely pierced the turf. Look at that power!"
"Look at this! The moment the sprint starts on the straight—that's the key!"
"Oh! Maya thought the same thing!"
"Yeah, but look at Hosho Tsukige's form here. I think I should base my stride on that."
"Don't overdo it. If you lose your own rhythm, it's pointless."
"Sister's run... is just impossible to mimic."
Rampage pushed the door open to find her team huddled around a monitor, rewatching the Finals and Legend Race footage with notebooks in hand.
"What are you lot up to?"
"Happy New Year, Chief!" they chirped in unison.
"Happy New Year. Is this a self-study session?"
"Yes," one of the girls explained. "We all watched the streams over the break, so we're comparing notes on what we saw."
Rampage felt a surge of pride. Pleiades was more disciplined than she'd given them credit for. They were dissecting the top-tier runs, debating tactics, and trying to figure out how they would have fared in those same shoes.
"Alright then. What's the verdict?"
"To be honest..." one girl sighed. "The level was so high that we can't find a single element we're actually capable of copying yet."
"Heh. That's the right answer."
Rampage was relieved. They weren't panicking; they were being realistic. They understood that there were no shortcuts to that level of greatness.
"If you want to reach that stage, you take it one step at a time. No jumping the queue. Now, Stay Gold—come here. These are your new 'Shinzan Irons.'"
"Ugh... another level up already?" Stay Gold groaned, eyeing the heavy training weights.
"Blame your own physical potential. These are weighted at 2.5 times the previous set. And Maya, we're aiming for a debut before summer. We're going to polish you until you shine. If you want to sparkle out there, you'd better find some grit."
"I copy! ☆" Maya chirped, giving a sharp salute.
"Air Air (Air Groove), you're debuting next year. Starting today, your menu shifts to reflect that."
"Understood!"
"Suzuka, Sunny, Taiki, Dober. Don't get impatient. Your goal for this entire year is fundamental conditioning. We're building the foundation."
"OK!/Yes, Chief!"
"Good. Then let's make this year count. Pleiades—move out!"
"OH!!"
Team Pleiades: The Journey Continues.
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