It didn't take much time for Fujimasa March to make it to the beach. At first, she worried that she'd need to spend some time looking around—the beach was fairly big after all, and Oguri made no mention of where she specifically wanted to meet.
Her worries were unfounded, and she was instead left with mounting confusion as she saw Blossom Star sitting on a log, her face illuminated by a crackling campfire. A small pile of sticks and leaves sat just next to her, and she occasionally fed the campfire whenever the flames began weakening.
March stared incredulously for some time, and her surprise was why she didn't realize that someone was standing behind her. And it was only when a hand touched her shoulder did she notice, and she shrieked in terror as she quickly turned back. Only to find Oguri Cap standing there, her expression as monotone as usual.
The noise finally caught Star's attention, and she smirked slightly as she turned their way. "Ah, there you are, March." She gestured towards the other log she'd brought next to the campfire. "Take a seat, will you? I'm sure it's been a long day for everyone, and a little rest by a campfire wouldn't hurt, would it?"
March raised an eyebrow. Was…Star putting on an accent? It seemed like it—she was speaking like she was some kind of sage or something. And seeing the way her lips occasionally twitched, she was probably having the time of her life doing this.
Before she could think any further, Oguri gave her another subtle push. "Come on." She said, and though March felt a little reluctant, she eventually began making her way towards the small camp Star had clearly taken the time to create.
Star gestured for her to sit down, and March nodded silently as she sat at the log opposite of hers. And she sighed in relief as she felt the campfire's warmth on her skin; it might be the height of summer right now, but the night was still somewhat cold, even to her.
Oguri nodded once she saw March sit, before she sat down next to Star, her expression still monotone as she practically squeezed right into Star.
"So what's this all about?" She asked.
Star gazed at her for a moment before she fed another stick to the fire. "You know full well what this is about, Fujimasa March." She said, her blue eyes glowing eerily against the dark of night. "You cannot leave me with such concerning words and assume that I will remain unmoving."
…heh.
March grinned sharply. "It's true, isn't it?"
Star frowned deeply. "I cannot disagree, yes. But those words are too harsh." She fed another stick to the fire. "You and I are fundamentally different people. Comparing yourself to I would invite needless suffering."
"Comparison?" She scoffed. "As if. It's just the truth." The smile she gave was ugly and pained. "Stop hiding it; I don't have the talent to stay here. I don't deserve to be here." She clenched her fists. "You've seen it yourself, haven't you? I did that insane training for a month, and yet I barely improved." She took a shuddering breath as she looked down at her hands. "This is it. I've hit my peak. There's nowhere else to go."
Star went quiet for some time, her eerie blue eyes boring into hers. But despite the growing discomfort she felt, her anger burnt even hotter, and so she met Star's gaze with her own baleful glare, daring Star to try and say otherwise.
And eventually, Star was the first to close her eyes, and March was painfully ashamed at the gratification she felt for such a worthless victory.
But then Star suddenly stood up. "I suppose this is my failing." She admitted, sighing softly as she glanced at the starry skies above. "To fail to have mentioned something so obvious—I suppose my excitement got the better of me this time around."
"Talk about what?" March asked softly, glancing at Oguri to see if she maybe had some idea. But Oguri gave no indication, simply taking over Star's job as she began feeding a few sticks to the fire.
Star took a quick breath, before those eerily bright blue eyes turned back to her.
"March, why do you run?"
March blinked. "Huh?" She furrowed her brows. "Why I run? Why does that matter?"
And hearing her answer, Star's expression became downcast and a little fond, as if she was staring at something familiar. "Riddle me anyway." She said.
March frowned. "I run to win. Isn't that the point?"
Star nodded. "I suppose that is the standard answer, yes." She then sat back down, and with her face illuminated by the flickering campfire, her figure seemed almost ghostly amidst the darkness of midnight. "And that is your greatest weakness."
…what?
"I was like you, once." Star said, tracing small circles in the sand with her shoe. "I found no joy in running, and pursued my races solely to attain the crown. No more, no less. A strictly business relationship." She smiled faintly. "In hindsight, it made me miserable. And had everyone not been with me the entire way, I'm unsure where I would've ended up."
"There is nothing wrong with pursuing victory." She continued solemnly. "Such is the motto of our Tracen, after all. But to have victory be the sole reason for us to run is to curse ourselves to burn like dying stars." She shook her head. "That is no way for one to live."
…
March wasn't sure what expression she had on her face right now, but whatever it was, it must be so terrible that Star's eyes softened.
"So?" She asked, her voice toneless. "What does that have to do with me being weak?"
Star closed her eyes. "I'm sure everyone was quite surprised when Inari One first unveiled her Domain." She said instead. The sudden change in topic caused March to blink, but she let Star continue. "It certainly was quite the explosive showing. Even I was quite surprised at the intensity of those flames."
March stared, and then narrowed her eyes. The way Star said that made it seem as if–
"You already knew?" She asked.
"I suspected she stood at the precipice." She corrected. "And as I trained her, my suspicion was further reinforced."
March's eyes darkened. "So she's more talented-"
"No."
"Huh?"
Star smiled faintly. "Domains, Limits—perhaps talent plays some part in it, but only a small portion." She clenched her fist. "After some thought and questioning those who have touched that space, I now believe that a Domain has little if any to do with the strength of an umamusume." She shrugged. "Inari One effectively showed that, did she not?"
…she supposed Star wasn't wrong. After all, if Domains really were the pinnacle of power, then why had Inari One unlocked hers, while umamusume like Dicta Striker or Super Creek were still incapable of doing so.
"Instead, I believe it is driven by Desire."
March frowned. "Desire…?"
She nodded. "Tamamo Cross, Obey Your Master, Belno, Inari One—all of them carried with them another reason for running. Victory on its own meant little to them; each of them had their own reasons to step into the arena. Something they were willing to stake their entire lives on."
"March. What is your Desire?"
…Ah, so that was it.
She had none.
Winning races seemed like an obvious first choice, but the more she thought of it, she found that she found no true desire for it. It was simply a goal she'd arbitrarily set for herself. She'd just been going with the flow ever since she arrived in Central.
"I know you mentioned that you wish to step away from Central and return to local races, but I plead that you hold your decision." Star smiled softly as she extended her hand towards her, her skin lit orange by the campfire's glow. "Come with us back to Kasamatsu. Take your time. And perhaps you could find a clue to your answer."
"I'm coming back with you anyway." March said. "But fine. I'll hold off from it a little bit."
Star nodded seriously. "That's all I ask."
A moment of quiet settled between them all. March subtly relaxed onto the log she'd been sitting on, silently glad that the talk seemed to be over for the time being. She hadn't noticed it earlier, but having Star directly questioning her was not a pleasant experience. It felt as if her soul was being seen through—as if her inner thoughts had been completely exposed.
Then, out of nowhere, Oguri proceeded to pull an entire bag of marshmallows from somewhere. "Want some?" She offered to Star, tearing the bag open as she grabbed one herself.
Star blinked. "Where did you-?" She shook her head. "Nevermind." She then smiled as she took the offered marshmallow. "But I'll take one. You should as well, March." She grinned. "We even have some sticks to roast them with!"
March stared for a moment, baffled by the sudden whiplash, before she just scoffed as she took a marshmallow for herself.
They spent the rest of the night by that makeshift campfire, eating roasted marshmallows beneath the starry sky.