The Fan Appreciation Festival came to a close, and Tracen Academy began its slow drift back toward its usual routine—or so it seemed. In reality, the fires of competition were burning hotter than ever. On the same day the festival ended, the All-Comer—a critical trial race for the Autumn Tenno Sho—had set the track ablaze. It was a clash of Team Canopus's finest: Twin Turbo, Rice Shower, and Ikuno Dictus. Even those watching from the giant monitors at the festival had been held breathless by the spectacle.
"Twin Turbo is still in the lead, but Rice Shower and Ikuno Dictus are closing in from behind! Can she hold them off?! We're under 500 meters to go, and it's a fierce battle for the front!"
Rice Shower had been marking Turbo from the start, refusing to let her out of her sight. Turbo's signature hyper-pace had scorched the track from the opening gate, but Rice had shadowed her relentlessly. A step behind them, Ikuno Dictus watched the pair with a cool, analytical gaze, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. As they hit the final straight, Rice made her move to overtake, and Ikuno ignited her own late-stage kick.
"Twin Turbo clears the fourth turn! Rice Shower is making her move! She's taking the lead—no! Turbo is sticking! She refuses to give an inch! The Turbo Engine has found a second gear! Rice and Ikuno are giving it everything they have, but the gap is widening! The Turbo Engine is redlining, screaming past its limits! With every ounce of her soul on the line, number eleven, Twin Turbo, crosses the finish line first! The Fugitive, Twin Turbo, has done it!"
In the post-race interview, the girls' trainer, Minamisaka, praised Rice and Ikuno's performances as flawless. Yet Turbo had simply overwhelmed them. The clock read 2:10.3—a time so staggering that no one could dispute the result. With Mejiro Rampage retired, Turbo had effectively reclaimed the title of the "Fastest in Canopus."
"Heh-heh-hen!"
"I get it, I get it. How long do you plan on standing there with that smug look on your face?" Rampage asked.
Turbo had come to the Pleiades clubroom specifically to gloat about her legendary victory. She was already looking toward the Tenno Sho, fully intending to sweep the competition there as well.
"Turbo's gonna win! I'm gonna beat McQueen and Teio, just you watch!"
"That's a lot of confidence. I hope it goes that smoothly for you," Rampage replied, though she knew the reality was far grimmer. Teio was one thing, but Mejiro McQueen's current rate of growth was terrifying. As strong as Teio was, McQueen was becoming a truly monstrous opponent.
"Still, I guess all you're gonna do is run away at full speed like always, right?"
"Because I'm Turbo! That's what I do!"
"Right you are. Refining that style is your best bet, anyway."
"Heh-heh! I knew you'd get it, Shishou! Alright, I'm off to go polish my engine!"
With a loud declaration, Turbo zipped out of the room. Rampage wondered if she'd really just come by to show off, but that was Turbo for you—she didn't overthink things. And maybe, Rampage mused, that was exactly why she was so fast.
"Rampage-san? I just saw Turbo-san flying out of here... did something happen?"
Silence Suzuka entered, tilting her head in confusion. To the members of Pleiades who didn't know the chaotic inner workings of Canopus, "Turbo being Turbo" wasn't an explanation that made much sense. Only someone like Air Groove would truly get it.
"Did you see the All-Comer the other day, Suzuka?"
"Oh, yes. I watched it on the monitor. Turbo-san was incredible. I couldn't believe she still had that much speed left at the very end."
"The duration of her 'Second Stage' Dokkan Turbo is getting longer," Rampage noted. "She's getting better at knowing when to build up her energy and when to let it rip. She's still got plenty of room to grow."
While Turbo's method of "building up and exploding" remained the same, she was learning to regulate her output so she could sustain her top speed through the final straight. It was a pure performance upgrade. To outrun specialists like Rice and Ikuno... Rampage found herself wondering how she would have fared against that version of Turbo back in her prime.
"I heard she found that running style on a mountain pass... is that true?" Suzuka asked.
"Yeah, it's legit. The idea came from the 'Dokkan Turbo' used by street racers. I even got some help from a real-life driver to help her master the mechanics of it."
"I see... though I don't think that style would suit me."
"True. You're both 'Fugitive' types, but your styles are worlds apart. Turbo pins the accelerator from the start, but you—you finish your gear shifts within the first few steps. The physics are totally different. If you ask me who's 'better,' I'd say you have the edge, but in terms of pure instantaneous acceleration, Turbo wins every time."
"Is there a way for me to use her method?"
"There is. I actually did something similar at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. I used the momentum from the downhill to boost my acceleration and then just... kept it there."
"Really? Wow... mountain passes really are amazing."
"Uh... I guess?"
Rampage could see the look in Suzuka's eyes. She's going to ask me to take her to the mountains this weekend, Rampage realized. She'd have to talk to her usual shop manager about some new tires. Sunday Silence had been frequenting the same shop lately with her new GT-R, making it famous as the "Legend's Garage," which made Rampage feel a bit bad for the overworked staff. Still, Rampage wanted to test her own car's new suspension balance anyway. One look at Suzuka's eager face confirmed it: they were heading to the pass this weekend.
"Oh, that reminds me," Rampage said, changing the subject. "Team Pleiades is getting a new member."
"A new member? Really?"
"Yeah. Tazuna-san asked me for a favor."
It was rare for Tazuna to personally request a trainer to take on a student. However, the student's original trainer had recently been involved in a serious accident and was facing a year of hospitalization and rehab. They wouldn't be able to return until long after the student's debut. For the sake of the girl's future, the trainer had tearfully stepped down.
"That's awful... should we go visit them in the hospital?" Suzuka asked softly.
"It might be good to go pay our respects. Tazuna said other teams turned her down because they're focused on their own veteran runners. Since we don't have anyone in the Twinkle Series yet and we've got a solid support system with our sub-trainers, they figured we were the best fit."
"I see. So, who is she?"
"She's one year senior to Air and the others."
"So... she's debuting next year?"
She was part of the '95 Generation—the same year as Genuine from Team Nemesis. Rampage had considered saying no at first, but she actually knew the girl personally. They were friends, and Rampage felt that if anyone could handle her, it was her. Just then, the clubroom door swung open.
"Excuse me~! Third-year Middle Schooler, Mayano Topgun, reporting for duty! I'll be joining Team Pleiades starting today! I look forward to your guidance!"
"Welcome to the squad, Maya," Rampage said with a smirk. "Just a heads up: I don't go easy on my team. You ready for that? Do you copy?"
Mayano's formal tone vanished instantly, replaced by a beaming, energetic smile. She snapped a crisp salute.
"I copy!"
With Mayano Topgun officially on board, Team Pleiades was now guaranteed to crash the Twinkle Series next year. But her arrival meant more than just a new teammate. It meant they were about to declare war on the titans of her generation: Narita Brian, Sakura Laurel, Hishi Amazon, and the legendary "Dragon" runners.
To challenge the very girls her partner had raised... the thought sent a delicious shiver down Rampage's spine.
"Alright then, let's get to work. Maya, let's see what you've got on the track."
"Roger that! Maya's gonna give it her all!"
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