"Explain. Everything."
The words dropped like a hammer.
Written Tycoon stood with her arms crossed, shadow stretching long and dramatic over the two girls kneeling before her. Veins nearly pulsed at her temple. The air around her felt hot—not metaphorically. It was the kind of anger that made people swear the temperature actually rose.
Her eye twitched.
Once.
Twice.
"I am being remarkably patient right now," she said, teeth clenched so tightly it was a miracle the words escaped at all. "And I suggest you take advantage of that before I redefine what 'discipline' means in your dictionary."
Saiya visibly shrank, small pink ears plastered flat against her head. Lunar knelt beside her, back straight by force of fear alone, shoulders heavy, gaze fixed firmly on the ground like it might swallow her whole.
Neither spoke.
Black Caviar cleared her throat. "If I may—"
"No."
The single word snapped like a whip. Written Tycoon didn't even look at her.
"Don't say anything," she continued sharply. "I don't want any explanations from you. I want explanations from them."
Black Caviar paused, then let out a quiet breath. She stepped back, raising her hands in surrender. "Sorry, girls," she said mildly. "I can't help you with this one."
Saiya's head snapped around, eyes wide with betrayal. "B–but you said you'd have our back!"
Black Caviar tilted her head thoughtfully. "Well," she said, deadpan, "I am behind you, aren't I?"
Invi, who had overheard the exchange, physically recoiled, shoulders crawling up toward her ears. "Ugh," she muttered. "That joke hurts me."
Persian and Namawa said nothing, but the pity in their eyes as they looked at the kneeling Lunar and Saiya was apparent.
Written Tycoon turned back slowly. Painfully slowly. "Well?" she demanded. "Anything?"
Lunar took a deep breath.
Then released.
"IDIDN'TBRINGFLOWERSFORMOMMASOIFELTASHAMEDANDTHENIRANANDTHENSAIYAFOLLOWEDANDTHENWEWENTTOTHEFLOWERSHOPANDGOTTHESEANDTHENAUNTNELFOUNDUSIMSORRY—!"
The words burst out in one breathless, panicked rush.
Lunar shot her arms forward, holding up the bouquet of pink cosmos like evidence in a trial. Beside her, Saiya mirrored the motion instinctively, lifting the white cosmos with both hands, eyes squeezed shut.
Silence fell.
Written Tycoon stared at them.
Then at the flowers.
Then back at them.
Her mouth opened.
Closed. Opened again.
"You disappear without warning," Written Tycoon continued, voice clipped and merciless, "send half the town into panic due to us searching for you, pull multiple people away from their responsibilities—"
She jabbed a finger toward the flowers.
"—and this," she hissed, "is all you have to show for it?"
Her eyes twitched again, her glasses might just break at this rate.
As Written Tycoon's verbal execution continued—ruthless, thorough, and showing no signs of ending anytime soon—Black Caviar shifted her attention away from the kneeling fillies.
Two familiar figures had just arrived.
Her chest rose and fell just a little more than usual, as if she had been running… or perhaps briskly jogging. A thin sheen of sweat clung to her temples, her sleeves slightly rumpled. Her smile was calm, polite, as per usual.
Though the faint, ominous green aura radiating from her, however, was anything but.
Beside her, More Than Ready was bent forward slightly, hands on her knees, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
Black Caviar blinked once—then let out a soft, amused chuckle.
"…I see," she said lightly.
Her gaze flicked to More Than Ready first. "Sorry I left you behind, More," she said lightly. "I panicked. You ended up running all over the place on your own, didn't you?"
More Than Ready forced out a strained laugh between breaths. "Y-yeah… something like that…"
Black Caviar's eyes then shifted to Tazuna.
Despite the sweat and signs of exertion, Tazuna looked nowhere near as worn down. She stood straight, breathing steady—composed to an unsettling degree. If not for the very visible green aura curling off her like smoke, one might have thought she had simply taken a leisurely walk.
Black Caviar inclined her head respectfully. "Thank you as well, Tazuna-san," she said sincerely. "For helping look for them. Especially when you're human—and far slower than Uma Musume like us. It must have been quite a hassle… particularly since More left you on your own…"
More Than Ready's ear twitched. Her head snapped toward Black Caviar, mouth already opening.
"A-actually—"
She stopped, realizing Tazuna was looking at her. The moment their gazes met, More Than Ready froze.
The sensation crawled under her skin, cold and suffocating. It reminded her too much of that day at the Champagne Stakes—the feeling of being chased, pressured, slowly cornered, and then utterly humiliated and ravaged by that scary rich woman.
Fusaichi Pegasus.
Always at her back. Always breathing down her neck. Always winning.
She wont forget that Kentucky Derby either. If it wasn't for the pressure that woman gave and locked onto her… she would have…
But alas, the thought collapsed before it could finish.
The same helpless tension seized her lungs. More Than Ready stiffened instantly, swallowing the rest of her words as a chill slid down her spine.
She straightened, snapped her mouth shut, and looked away.
"…Never mind," she muttered.
Message received.
Tazuna cleared her throat lightly and lifted a hand, giving Black Caviar a small wave. "It's really nothing," she said with her usual pleasant smile. "It wasn't a hassle at all. More-san was kind enough to slow her pace so we could search together."
Black Caviar blinked, a hint of surprise flickering across her face. "…She did?"
That would explain it, she supposed. Tazuna didn't look particularly winded—barely a sheen of sweat, posture still neat and composed.
But then…
Her gaze slid sideways to More Than Ready. Disheveled hair, uneven breathing, wobbly legs.
Black Caviar tilted her head. "If you slowed down," she asked calmly, "why are you this exhausted?"
More Than Ready visibly jolted.
"H—Huh?!" Her brain spun, panic flashing across her face as she scrambled for something—anything—that sounded reasonable. "U-oh, uh—well—actually I—!"
She straightened abruptly, finger snapping up as inspiration struck. "I carried Miss Tazuna!" she blurted out. "Yeah! That's it! I carried her while running—but, uh, slower than usual of course! So it wouldn't be too overwhelming for her!"
Silence followed. Tazuna's ominous green aura flickered… then dimmed, just a little.
Black Caviar studied them both for a brief moment—then nodded once. "I see."
She turned her attention to Tazuna. "Did it make you dizzy? Or uncomfortable in any way?"
Tazuna shook her head smoothly. "Not at all," she replied. "More-san was going at a very gentle pace. Quite slow, by Uma Musume standards."
Another nod from Black Caviar. "Understood then."
She let the matter drop entirely, her attention shifting back to the far more pressing scene at hand.
"Do you both have the slightest idea." Written Tycoon continued, voice now fully unleashed with unrestrained fury, "How many people you inconvenienced with that stunt!?"
She paced back and forth like a storm given legs, every step punctuated with indignation.
"How many schedules were derailed, how many search teams were mobilized all because of two missing troublemaking fillies—"
She stabbed a finger dramatically toward Lunar and Saiya.
"—who vanished without so much as a note, a message, or even the decency to tell someone, anyone! That they were leaving to buy some flowers!"
The two girls shrank further into themselves.
Meanwhile, off to the side—
Namawa leaned closer to Persian and whispered, "Hey Persi… how long has this been going on?"
Persian didn't even look up. "Fourteen minutes and twenty-three seconds."
"Wow," Namawa whistled under her breath. "That officially overtakes fourth place."
Persian nodded. "And at this rate, it's on track to claim third. About thirteen seconds to go."
Invi leaned in, brow furrowed. "Wait—how do you even have data for th—" She paused, then sighed to herself. "…Never mind. Of course you do."
She glanced between them. "So what's number one?" Persian chuckled under her breath and looked meaningfully at Namawa.
"Carrot stew prank incident."
Invi blinked. "…The what incident now?"
Namawa visibly shuddered.
Her mind betrayed her immediately—it went back to that night. To the dining tables and the bowls laid out neatly. And to the one bowl she had, in a moment of ill-advised genius, enhanced with an ungodly amount of ghost pepper paste—meant for Aunt More, who always sat there.
Except Aunt More hadn't shown up. Instead, Aunt Tycoon had.
One innocent sip was all it took for forty-three minutes.
Forty-three uninterrupted, breathless, reality-warping minutes of scolding that only ended when Aunt More finally came home—laughing so hard she could barely stand, singlehandedly defusing the situation.
Namawa swallowed. If Aunt More hadn't returned that night…
She didn't want to imagine how long it would've gone on.
Invi snorted quietly, biting her lip to keep from laughing, while Namawa hugged herself and shivered.
Up front, Written Tycoon drew in a sharp breath, clearly nowhere near finished. "And don't think for a second," she continued, eyes blazing, "that your justification— even one as good as buying flowers for your late mother—somehow balance out that level of irresponsibility—"
Her words were clipped, precise, relentless.
"This was not a simple mistake," she said coldly. "This was recklessness. And recklessness—"
A hand touched her shoulder. Just for a second.
Written Tycoon froze mid-sentence. She didn't jerk away or snapped, she simply stopped as she realized who had done so.
Autumn Sun walked past her.
Written Tycoon exhaled sharply through her nose and stepped back without a word, arms relaxing as she ceded the space.
Autumn Sun approached Lunar and Saiya with Anonym trailing right behind her. Once face to face, she stopped in front of the two kneeling girls.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Mahogany hair framed her face, the evening light intensifying the deep, rich brown tones. Her expression was unreadable. Her black pupils seemed to swallow what little light reached them, gaze heavy and unblinking.
The air went dead quiet.
The heat left behind by Written Tycoon's fury collapsed, crushed beneath something colder—an icy, suffocating silence that pressed down on everyone present.
Saiya and Lunar glanced at each other, small, shaky looks meant to steady themselves. Neither of them knew what to expect from the woman standing before them.
But before they could think any further, Autumn Sun moved. She dropped down and pulled them both into her arms, hard and sudden.
Both girls flinched in shock.
No one spoke or moved at the sight, even the ever-knowing Written Tycoon didn't quite know what to do.
By then, Autumn Sun's shoulders shook. A sharp, broken breath escaped her—and then another. "…Don't," she choked, voice cracking. "Don't ever—ever—do that again…"
Her grip tightened, hands trembling as she pressed them closer, forehead bowing between their heads.
"You both can't just disappear like that," she sobbed. "Not like that. Not without telling anyone. Not—" Her voice broke completely. "Please... not again."
Saiya froze, eyes wide. "…Y–yes," she whispered, clinging back without really thinking. "We won't…"
"Yes," Lunar echoed, her own voice shaking as she wrapped her arms around Autumn Sun in return. "U-um, we promise… Aunt Autumn…"
At the answers, Autumn Sun simply tightened her hold on the two. Behind her, Anonym hesitated, unsure of what to do—then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her mother from behind, pressing her cheek against her back.
The embrace became a tangled knot of bodies and quiet sobs—fear, relief, and love all woven together in the silence that followed.
Black Caviar watched from a short distance away.
She knew some would find this strange, perhaps excessive, and very much out of character out of Autumn. But she herself understood.
From the outside, Autumn Sun had hidden it well. Well enough that even Black Caviar had almost been fooled. Throughout the journey, she had appeared cool, calm, collected as ever.
But the moment they stood before Guair's resting place, that mask shattered.
Autumn had crumbled right there at the grave—kneeling, grieving openly, desperately—as all the emotions Black Caviar had expected finally came pouring out. The pain she had buried for years surged back to the surface, raw and immense.
And now—
Now imagine it.
Facing the very force that had haunted her life and taken so many of the people she loved. The same force that had taken her parents. Her best friend. Her loved person. To be standing at that person's grave—and then, under her watch, the daughters of both the loved person and best friend vanished without a word.
That alone would be enough to break even the strongest heart. No—scratch that. It would be enough to shake even the three goddesses themselves.
So it was easy to understand why Autumn Sun broke.
And watching her now—clutching those two girls as if letting go might invite death itself to claim them as well, Black Caviar felt nothing but understanding.
Time passed quietly. It wasn't too long, but it was enough to be felt. At last, Black Caviar stepped up.
Her movements were gentle as she placed a hand on Autumn Sun's shoulder and spoke softly, but firmly enough to be heard by everyone present. "Autumn… we've delayed long enough."
Autumn Sun stiffened, just for a moment, then let out a slow breath. Her arms loosened, the tension draining from her hold.
"Lunar hasn't had the chance to properly visit Guair yet," Black Caviar continued gently. "She deserves that moment too."
Autumn Sun nodded once, solemn and exhausted. She allowed herself to be guided back as I Am Invincible stepped in, slipping an arm around her shoulders. Anonym followed close behind, small hands supporting her mother's side, protective in her own small and quiet way.
The space cleared, Lunar stood there, suddenly aware of her own heartbeat—loud, uneven, insistent in her chest.
Her gaze drifted forward to the tombstone.
Her mother's name was carved into the stone, clean and clear, as if permanence itself had taken shape there. Lunar took a step closer, then another. The pink cosmos rested in one hand, their petals trembling faintly with her movement. Her other hand reached out on instinct, fingers brushing against the cold, hard surface of the grave.
It was nothing like her mother's hands.
That truth had lived in Lunar's mind for a long time now—but it never hurt any less when she felt it again.
She stood there, breathing shallowly, taking in everything. It's been too long, Momma, she thought, chest tightening. Way too long. I miss you.
Slowly, carefully, Lunar knelt down. She placed the pink cosmos beside the red spider lilies Aunt Autumn had already laid there—the soft pastel petals resting against the vivid crimson, side by side.
"I'm sorry," Lunar whispered, voice trembling. "I was so selfish, Momma. I got lost in my own despair… so much that I forgot to bring you anything."
Her fingers curled against the grass.
"If you were here," she said quietly, a fragile smile flickering through tears, "you would've scolded me, wouldn't you?"
Her throat tightened.
"Please forgive me," Lunar whispered. She glanced down at the flowers in her hands. "I brought your favorite ones. From Hanako-san's place. She… she misses you a lot too."
Her fingers trembled slightly around the stems.
"Hanako-san said you loved pink cosmos because…" Lunar hesitated, then forced the words out. "Because they represent a mother's love." Her voice softened to a near whisper. "That they're a symbol of your love for me."
She swallowed.
"…Is that really true, Momma?"
No answer came.
Only the wind stirred, gently brushing through the petals and making them sway.
Lunar bowed her head, her hand still resting against the stone—lingering there just a little longer. Her vision blurred. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, hot and heavy, threatening to spill over.
She drew in a shaky breath. As she gathered her composure back, she realized something.
Behind her, Saiya stood quietly, one hand holding the white cosmos. Aunt Nel was there too, just a step back. And beyond them, the others waited in silence—no one rushing her, they all gave her all the space and time in the world to grieve properly.
The tightness in Lunar's chest eased, just a little. Thank you, she thought.
As the moment passed, the tears never fell. Instead, a small smile broke through, soft and genuine.
Lunar reached back and took Saiya's hand. "Come here, Saichan." she whispered.
Saiya blinked, then nodded, stepping closer without hesitation. Lunar turned slightly and gestured to Black Caviar as well. Black Caviar met her eyes for a moment, then moved forward together.
"Momma," Lunar said softly, her voice warm despite the ache beneath it, "look. Aunt Nel brought you flowers too."
Saiya immediately caught on. With careful hands, she lifted the small bouquet of white cosmos and offered it up to Black Caviar like it was the most important mission in the world.
Black Caviar accepted it with a quiet nod.
She knelt beside the grave, movements unhurried and respectful, and placed the white cosmos next to the pink ones—beside the red spider lilies Aunt Autumn had laid earlier. Different colors, different meanings,
Black Caviar bowed her head.
"I will keep my promise," she said softly. "You have nothing to worry about, Guair. So rest well… and wait for me over there."
The wind passed through once more, stirring the flowers as if in response
Lunar took a small step forward, still holding Saiya's hand. "Momma," she said softly, a hint of warmth returning to her voice, "this is Saiya. She's Aunt Nel's and Aunt Autumn's child."
Saiya stiffened for half a second, then hurriedly straightened. Her ears flicked nervously as she bowed deeply. "H-hello, Aunt Guair," she said, cheeks already warming. "N-nice to meet you."
Lunar smiled at her, then turned back to the grave.
"You were always worried about me not making friends, weren't you?" she said softly. "Well…" Her fingers tightened around Saiya's hand. "Saichan is my very first friend. And she's really special to me."
Saiya's face burned even brighter.
"So please don't worry anymore," Lunar continued. "I have a friend now—"
She paused, then let out a small, embarrassed laugh. "…No. I have lots of friends now."
Lunar lifted her gaze and looked further back.
Persian stood beside Namawa, arms folded as usual, watching quietly. When Lunar met her eyes, Persian understood immediately. She stepped forward without a word. Namawa blinked in confusion, but hurried after her.
A moment later, Anonym noticed the movement and followed too, stopping just behind them.
Lunar turned back to the grave, warmth blooming in her chest. "This is Persian," she said. "She loves Uma Musumes too, just as much as you.." A small smile tugged at her lips. "I think you would've liked her a lot if you'd met."
Persian stiffened, then cleared her throat and looked away. "…It's an honor," she muttered, bowing slightly. "To be friends with your daughter." A faint blush crept up her cheeks.
"And this is Namawa," Lunar continued, glancing at her. "She's always loud and cheerful, and somehow she always knows how to make me smile when I'm feeling down." Her smile widened. "I think you would've loved her energy too."
Namawa scratched her cheek, grin turning bashful. "Ah—well—uh… yeah," she said, bowing a little too fast. "Thank you for bringing Lunar into the world, Aunt Guair!"
Lunar's gaze softened as she turned to the last one.
"And this is Anonym," she said quietly. "She's… really easy to be around. Being near her makes me feel safe." Her voice dropped, tender. "Like you did. Especially when I sleep… she reminds me of you."
Anonym froze for the briefest moment but then composed herself. She bowed carefully, a small, shy smile on her face. "I'll take good care of Lunar," she said softly. "Please rest assured, Aunt Guair."
Lunar looked at the flowers again—at the colors resting together—and felt something warm blooming in her chest.
Lunar drew a slow breath, then lifted her free hand and gestured gently around her.
"Momma… even though you're gone," she said, voice steady despite the ache beneath it, "I'm not alone."
She looked at the faces surrounding her, one by one. "I found a new family," she continued. "People who love me… just as much as you did."
Her gaze drifted first to Invincible Caviar. " There's big sis Invi," she said with a small smile. "She's loud and a little scary sometimes, but she always stands in front when needed." Pride crept into her voice. "I won my first race against her, by the way. Are you proud of me, Momma?"
Invincible snorted, folding her arms. "Hey—don't get cocky. I'm beating you next time, got it?"
Lunar nodded at once, eyes bright. "Mm. I'll be waiting."
Her attention shifted to More Than Ready. "Then Aunt More," Lunar added. "She's really kind in her own way, even when she tries to mask it with her silliness and pranks."
More rubbed the back of her nose, putting on an exaggerated grin. "Eh~ Lunar caught me~" she said theatrically. "The ever-kind, ever-gentle Aunt More, exposed at last~"
Lunar let out a small laugh—soft and light before her eyes moved again.
"And Aunt Tycoon," she said, glancing toward Written Tycoon. "She yells a lot…" She hesitated, then smiled. "…But it's because she cares. A lot. She's really smart too. I want to learn as much as I can from her."
Written Tycoon scoffed, but there was a faint smirk at the corner of her lips. "My classes are always open," she said. "Provided you're prepared to keep up."
Lunar nodded seriously at the invitation, hands curling with quiet determination.
"And there are people who you knew too," she went on. "People who learned to love me, because they loved you."
She looked toward I Am Invincible "Aunt Invincible," Lunar said gently, "She is always so kind and patient with me. Momma… you guided her a lot when you were younger, didn't you?"
I Am Invincible's lips curved into a gentle smile, and she nodded once, eyes warm. "Yes, she really did," she said softly, her gaze lingering on the grave.
Lunar turned slightly, looking toward Tazuna. A small laugh escaped her lips. "Miss Tazuna helped all of us visit Tracen Academy," she said, the memory lighting her tone. "She also told me so many stories about you… especially the ones where you worked as a waiter and were… really, really bad at it. I can't believe you had that side too, Momma!"
A soft chuckle escaped Tazuna. She stepped forward, bowing her head respectfully toward the grave. "The baby you carried back then grew into someone with a beautiful soul, one exactly like yours." she said gently. "I'm glad I got to see you again, Guair… even if it's a little too late."
Lunar's eyes stung at that, but she kept smiling.
She glanced to the side, where Autumn Sun stood just a little farther out, standing a little farther back, one hand pressed to her chest. "Aunt Autumn," Lunar whispered gently, "she cried for you, Momma. She misses you… just as much as I do. Can you feel how loved you are?"
Autumn Sun's black pupils glimmered with emotion. A fragile, tear-streaked smile appeared as she nodded ever so slightly, her heart echoing the words Lunar spoke.
Lunar looked around once more, taking everyone in. "See, Momma?" she said softly but with full certainty. "All these people… they're my family now."
Her fingers tightened around Saiya's hand. "Just like you brought happiness into my life," Lunar continued, voice gaining strength, "they bring me happiness too."
She lifted her chin, pale yellow eyes now golden bright. "I ran with you," she said. "And now… I'll run alongside them."
A small, determined smile spread across her face. ""You told me to run with joy, didn't you, Momma?" she murmured. "Then as long as I run, I'll carry that joy with me—every step, every race."
Her heartbeat quickened, steady and strong. "I'll run with joy, I'll perform with joy, and I'll become the greatest Uma Musume there is while I'm at it!"
She laughed softly, tilting her face up toward the sky, letting the sunlight brush across her features. "And then… on that other side, I'll run with you and Eclipse—no," she corrected herself, golden eyes widening with fierce, endless determination.
"I'll overtake both of you."