"So you're an actor now?" Jones asked, grinning slightly as he fiddled with his cap.
"And a part-time therapist. Or a marriage counsellor. One of the two." She smiled wryly as she effortlessly spun a pen in between her fingers. "Trust me, Tracen Central has become quite the favored spot for new couples to form. There isn't a year without some new 'scandal' about a trainer and a trainee eloping into the horizon."
"So basically like Nase-san and Creek-san." Jones summarized.
"Nn." Luna piped in with a thumbs up, before she returned to devouring the plates of food she'd just taken from the cafeteria. Thankfully, it was still early enough for the academy to still be somewhat silent. So there were hardly any eyes to witness the fact that an adult Oguri was currently eating together with the normal Oguri.
Belno softly sighed in awe. It was still incredible to see how similar yet distinctly different Luna looked compared to Oguri. Neither she or Star had really explained how many years from the future they came from, but however long it'd been, the two looked amazing.
Had Belno not known that Luna and Oguri were the same person, Belno could've almost mistaken Luna as a foreign umamusume. Even now, as she devoured her next plate of food, there was a dangerous elegance to her movements. Her eyes, blue as they were, seemed to take on a silver tint as the sunlight fell over her face.
And Star was confidence incarnate. She spoke with everyone with ease, fluttering between topics about the future and the past with no issue. And it didn't matter if she was talking to this world's Kitahara or Director Akikawa herself—she treated them all like they were all old friends. Which really wasn't all that far off from the truth, considering Star was one of the official therapists of Tracen Central.
"But an actor…" Jones smiled proudly. "I guess that makes sense. You've always been a theater kid."
Star looked rather offended. "Excuse me? To denote me as something so simple–" She playfully flicked her hair back, and Belno could've sworn the underside of her hair gained a flicker of orange as she grinned. "I am far more than a mere theater kid. I am a theater adult, thank you very much."
Jones snorted, before he jabbed a thumb towards her as he turned to Musaka. "This is our team's Hero, by the way."
Musaka sighed deeply. "What a hellish team."
It was clearly an insult, but Jones' grin just grew wider. "Oh, it definitely is. I mean, I'm the Demon King, after all."
A vein bulged in the man's neck. "You Goddess-damned–!" He sighed harshly as he tipped his hat down. He went quiet for a moment before he glanced at Star. "Oi, girl. How's the me from your world doing?"
Star chuckled. "My world's Musaka-san's still goin' strong." She grinned. "Last I heard he's been trying to retire again, but Akikawa-san keeps draggin' him back." She cleared her throat. "'We can't the Fairy Godfather's brilliance be lost to the world!', or whatever it is Akikawa-san said."
There was an odd gleam shone in Star's eyes as she mentioned Musaka's epithet, though Belno couldn't quite understand why. It was as if Star was enjoying a joke only she knew.
"So that damn names still hauntin' me even there…"
Kitahara grinned as he finally spoke. "I guess you're just that popular, Roppei-san."
Musaka scowled. "It's Musaka, you fool!"
Kitahara flinched back slightly, but after seeing the thumbs up Jones sent his way, his grin grew. Musaka sighed tiredly, likely wishing that Jones would leave soon so that this world wouldn't have to suffer a second Kitahara.
Belno personally disagreed. She found the subtle difference between her Kitahara and Jones incredibly fascinating.
Not that she would say it out loud.
Then, Belno's ears flicked as she heard someone approach, and she turned to see Light walking towards their table. "Akikawa-san and Hayakawa-san have reserved the track for us." She narrowed her eyes slightly, the star tucked in her chest pocket still faintly glimmering with silver. "There shouldn't be any witnesses."
Star hummed. "Is that so? That's good." She smiled faintly. "At least she didn't call on the military this time around."
Kitahara blinked. "The Director has what-?"
Star didn't answer as she stood up. She groaned softly as she stretched her arms. "Well, guess this is it." She grinned and Luna. "What do you think, Luna? Got any other places you wanna visit?"
Luna paused for a moment, before she shook her head. "It's fine." Her ears drooped slightly. "Our clubroom doesn't exist here."
Star blinked. "Ah, that's right. I guess Team Kitahara's clubroom isn't a thing here, huh?"
"Indeed it isn't." Light confirmed neutrally.
Jones frowned in disappointment. "A shame. It would've been awesome to see how different it would've been in this world."
The four otherworlders sighed together. Things were a little quiet after that, mostly because no one was too sure whether the disappointment they showed was real or was being played up.
At least until Oguri finally finished eating her portion and asked, "Can we do a run together-?"
"No." Musaka immediately said, glaring from behind his sunglasses.
"But–"
"You're still injured. No running means no running." Musaka scowled. "Don't make me force you."
Oguri's ears drooped flat onto her head, and Belno quickly began running damage control. "I-It's okay, Oguri-san! You'll recover soon, and we even booked that trip to 'Hawaii' for next week!" But even after that, Oguri still looked disappointed, and Belno began really panicking. Because an Awful-mooded Oguri was never pleasant to deal with, and she–
"Running, huh?" Star then said as she rubbed her chin. "Now that I think about it, it's been a while since I last ran."
Luna blinked. "Didn't you run when you were filming [Swift & Furious: Umadrift]?"
Star physically cringed before she rapidly shook her hand. "No, no. That's so far away from actual running that it isn't funny. That was more of an action movie than anything." She grinned as she playfully bumped her shoulder with Luna. "What'dya say? Want to have a quick run around the track? For old time's sake?"
Luna thought it over for a moment, before she nodded.
And the smile Star returned was bright and beautiful, and Belno shivered slightly as she saw the shadow that fell over Oguri's eyes.
…
Later, once they convened at the track Tazuna and Director Akikawa had reserved for the otherworlders' return, Star asked if they could do a quick little run around the track.
Naturally, faced with the possibility of witnessing two future legends race against one another, Director Akikawa immediately agreed. Tazuna agreed as well, though Belno also caught a trace of jealousy in her eyes as Star and Luna stopped just behind the starting line.
Star smiled fondly as she stared forward. "Mm~, it's been a while since I last saw this place." Her eyes softened. "Feels like it's been forever."
Luna nodded faintly. "We've travelled around a lot." She glanced at her. "Do you want to go back?"
"Maybe." She said, giving her legs one last stretch as she stood back up. "But we'll think about it once we're back in our world." She took a deep breath as she crouched low, placing the tips of her fingers on the Turf.
"Nn." Oguri leaned forward, prepared to run forward at any moment. A slow breath left her lips, and the dirt beneath her feet sunk down from the sheer weight of her legs.
"All runners are ready!" Director Akikawa said, standing atop a small stool as she raised her fan to the sky. "On my mark! One! Two!" She took a deep breath, and then smiled as she snapped her fan down. "Three–!"
No one could've expected what happened next.
The ground itself exploded beneath Star's feet as she lunged forward, moving with such speeds that it seemed unreal. Her blue cape fluttered behind her, and with the sun high above, the sunlight seemed to form into a crown of light that hung over her head.
Belno's eyes widened.
"A Great Escape!?" She cried out, now remembering what Light had told her about Star. The 'Hero' of Team Kitahara, who continuously dazzled her fans and opponents alike with an unstoppable Great Escape. But not only was it a Great Escape, but it was a Great Escape that lasted to the end of the race. The moment Blossom Star ran in a race, it was she who would inevitably designate the pace of the race.
But then, out from the cloud of dirt and dust came Luna, running just a few lengths behind Star. Star's forward advance was incredible to witness, but Luna was easily keeping up, and she didn't seem tired. In fact, neither of them seemed tired. This pace that would've left countless others shattered—the two of them treated it like it was just a normal walk in the park!
With the grueling pace Star set, the track was practically cleared in no time. It didn't take long for the two of them to eventually reach the second straight. Star's speed hadn't stopped increasing, and Luna was still shadowing her from just a few lengths behind. It was impossible to tell who was stronger, considering neither of them seemed to be giving it their all in the first place.
Then, the moment they reached the third corner–
Star's stomp reverberated all across the Turf, and Belno's jaw fell agape as Star accelerated again. The ground beneath her was gouged apart, and from the cloud of dirt came a streak of white. If Star's previous pace had been grueling, then her new speed would've genuinely left everyone else behind by dozens of lengths.
Everyone except Luna that was, who accelerated at the same time and was able to match Star. In fact, her acceleration was even more pronounced, considering she began at a slightly slower speed than Star.
But as they approached the finish line, it became clear.
Star was faster. It was hard to notice at first, but as the final hundreds of meters were cleared, the shrinking gap began widening once more, and by the time Star soared past the finish line, Luna was nearly 5 lengths behind her.
Everyone was stunned into silence. Even Light and Jones, who knew of Star's potential, were left with wide eyes and opened jaws as Star slowed to a stop. Her blue cape fluttered behind her, and her bronze pauldrons gleamed bright orange beneath the sunlight.
The first to break the silence was Tazuna, who stared at her and Luna with undisguised shock. "H-How…?" She whispered.
Star smiled slightly as she shook away some dust clinging onto her clothes. "My body's a little weird." She began, glancing at Jones. "I'm born with something known as the Saint's Body. Unlike other umamusume, I don't experience the regression that comes after a True Blooming." She shrugged. "But on the other hand, my True Blooming was extremely delayed, and it took awakening my Domain for it to even start."
Oguri's eyes remained dark with envy for some time, before she blinked. "Domain…?" Oguri whispered, before she tilted her head. "Ah, like Tama-chan?"
"Nn. Exactly." Luna said as she gently shook her head. "It's rare. In our time, only two other cases are known." She smiled slightly. "Secretariat is one of them."
"I-Incredible!" Director Akikawa eventually said, her eyes still wide in shock. "Are you the same, Luna-san?"
Luna blinked as she turned to Star. Star blinked back, before she smiled wryly. "Oguri's-, uh-" She scratched her cheek. "She's-, different from me. Her body's normal and all, but she just-, y'know." She twirled her hands as she tried to find the words, before she sighed. "It doesn't matter. Oguri's just built different."
Belno let out the breath she'd been holding for the past few seconds. The race she just watched, the Saint's Body, the mention of Secretariat—it was all so incredible that Belno felt somewhat dizzy. She'd somewhat understood how different things were in their world, but to see it first-hand was-, well. She didn't really have any words for it!
"But I think enough's enough." Star smiled as she waved her hand at Jones and Light. "It's about time we bring these two back."
Oguri's ears flopped flat onto her head. "Already?" She said, clearly unwilling to see them go. Or perhaps more accurately, to see Star go.
But Star shook her head. "It's better not to wait. There's no telling how much time has actually gone by since you both were brought here." She turned to Luna and nodded. "It's time."
"Nn." Luna narrowed her eyes, and her eyes flashed silver as she snapped her fingers.
And suddenly the star flew out of Light's pockets and floated into the air. It began glowing a bright silver, not unlike the silver of moonlight, and Belno had to raise her arm to shield her eyes. "Um-, Star-san!?
"What is it?" She heard Star say back, her voice seeming to echo across space and time.
"W-We won't forget this, will we!?" She asked, somewhat panicked.
She heard Star snort. "Nah, don't worry. We're not the Men in Black or anything." The silver light began glowing even more brightly, and she heard Star laugh brightly as she heard a strange metallic screech. "Alright, it's good to see you all, but it's time for us to go back to our own worlds now!"
"Nn. Goodbye, everyone." She heard Luna say.
"Farewell!" Director Akikawa said, using her fan to shield her eyes.
"G-Goodbye!" Kitahara said back.
Musaka huffed. "See ya', girl."
Belno took a deep breath, and she grinned as she shouted, "Thank you! Let's meet again!"
"Maybe!"
The screeching grew louder and louder, rising in temp together with the bright light, before everything abruptly ended. The screeching vanished, the silver light faded, and suddenly all the otherworlders were gone. The only evidence that remained of their presence was the ravaged track Star and Luna left behind from their race.
And then, she saw Oguri lower her head. "...goodbye, Star." She whispered.
Belno smiled sadly as she patted her despondent friend.