Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Uma Musume: Stairway To Heaven

Chapter 1 - Tokai Derby

May 5, 1988 | 2:21 PM | Chukyo Racecourse

Haaahaaahaaaahaaaa!

“The racers are beginning to approach the fourth corner! Four hundred meters to go!”

“Look at how Number 4, Tomishino Shenron, has made her move! With her incredible speed and explosive power, coming from the back, she surges forth half a length behind Number 1, Tokai Shark, she is closing in fast!”

“Number 2, Mogami Maruzen, currently in the middle of the pack, is keeping her cool and maintaining her position in the inside line!”

Fujimasa March, hearing the announcer’s voice booming from the loudspeakers, broke her rhythm and took the focus off her pace for a moment to give a quick scan of the chaotic environment surrounding her. 

March is currently in fourth place, right behind Gifu King, the Umamusume that had defeated her in their last race back at Kasamatsu.

The frontrunner right this moment is Eiwa City, her strides are fast and relentless, but breathing down her neck is Gold Fully On, one of the most powerful Umamusume that is racing today with a consistent track record of wins and podiums. But March could see it clear as day, it looks like Gold had paced herself too fast and her form is faltering,  she is struggling to hold on, let alone take over the lead.

Right behind March is Mogami Maruzen, with three straight wins to her name, who herself is currently under mounting pressure from Tomishino Shenron, who is another top favourite to win today. And lingering on the far outside, Shinwa Top is still waiting for an opportunity to begin her strike. 

That is all that March could take in before the rush and pressure of the race takes over her mind again.

This was her ideal position, the sweet spot for a pace chaser, not too close to the pack to be swallowed, but not too far ahead that it drains her stamina. And yet unease gnawed at her mind. She had raced against most of her competitors here before, and so she knows all about their strengths firsthand.

Not on par with Oguri Cap, who had even been nicknamed ‘The Monster’ in the nationals, of course. But the entire lineup in this field consists of the most elite Umamusume in the Tokai region under the NAR. Many of them she will have to face again in the Tokai Derby. The thought should have fueled her with thrill and excitement. 

To claim the crown, to stand proudly atop as the strongest Umamusume in the region, she would have to defeat all these powerhouses. And overcoming that challenge should’ve been her sole obsession. Instead, even though she is rapidly approaching her long-sought dream, there is a slight but nevertheless aching hollowness in her chest, as if something, someone was missing.

‘350. 320. 300 meters left. Now. It’s time to begin my spurt,’ with that thought in mind, Fujimasa March slammed her foot onto the turf tracks and kicked off with all the strength she had saved up! Her body surged forward, closing in on Gifu King.

But then, she felt something flash into her peripheral vision…

Her eyes reflexively glanced to the right. No. Someone. A blur shot past her in just a matter of seconds through the inside line.

“Look at that! Number 4, Tomishino Shenron, had managed to blaze through Number 2, Mogami Maruzen, Number 6, Fujimasa March and Number 3, Gifu King! She is rapidly closing on the lead at a neckbreaking pace!”

‘Damn it!’ March grits her teeth in frustration. ‘I knew she was strong! I should’ve made my move sooner!’

Her legs swing around at full power as she forces her body to move faster and faster, to accelerate as fast as possible. At the same time, she sees Gifu King, who is just a half a length ahead of her, begin her spurt as well.

‘Gifu King defeated me last time, her power lies in her incredible front running. However, her speciality lies in shorter tracks, this is her first time running an 1800m track, so she has opted for a pace chasing strategy. In that regard, I am more experienced in,’ she is fueled with determination to get her revenge.

After all, she is Oguri’s rival, she can’t allow herself to lose to anyone else again. That is the weight of her pride!

“Number 6, Fujimasa March has closed the gap with Number 3, Gifu King! They are surging ahead together and catching up! Number 11, Gold Fully On, is slowing down! At this pace she will fade into the pack!”

“I will defeat you today, King!” From the top of her lungs, she roared out a war cry, as her heart rapidly pulsed full of adrenaline. Her voice is tearing, her body hot and sluggish, but she will win today no matter what.

“I’ll crush you to the ground and make you taste dirt, March!” Gifu King shouted her heart out back, with a surge of blazing resolve. Both Umamusume charged ahead shoulder to shoulder, fighting with all their might to gain even an inch of ground over the other, all the while closing the distance on the leaders.

“Now!” “Now!”

Two apex predators struck at that moment.

Mogami Maruzen and Shinwa Top, who were watching the racetrack like hawks, waiting for a perfect moment to strike their prey, finally made their move.

“Number 10, Eiwa City, is fighting to maintain her lead over Number 4, Tomishino Shenron, as they’re neck and neck! Number 6, Fujimasa March, and Number 3, Gifu King, are two lengths behind them! Number 11, Gold Fully On, has fallen to fifth place, as Number 2, Mogami Maruzen, is rapidly closing the distance. Number 5, Shinwa Top, is finally surging from the back and blowing past Number 1, Tokai Shark, and Number 8, Head and Heart, while Number 9, Ardent Love, and Number 7, Fuet Caesar, trails behind!”

“Only 100 meters left! It is a toss-up!”

March drove forward with all the power she could muster, but it wasn’t enough, Gifu King wasn’t being shaken off. Her eyes frantically scanned for an opening.

‘I need to break away as soon as possible!’ Panic crept into her mind, as she couldn’t maintain her focus anymore due to the accumulated exhaustion taxing on both her body and mind.

The inside line is a death trap. The outside line? Blocked. It is the work of Gifu King.

‘The far outside is free of threats, but it would be foolish to attempt to go there.’ To pull off a stunt such as surging from the far outside, you need to have an insane power advantage over your competition. Her opponents are too strong for something like that to work.

But then, March noticed the expression on Gifu King’s face. It wasn’t just fatigue, she wasn’t even facing towards the Umamusume or track ahead, utterly unfocused, her eyes not even fixed on the race. 

Gifu King has reached her limits. And for the first time in months, triumph flickered in Fujimasa March’s chest. Seeing her enemy, who had defeated her last race, already spent, with 70 meters remaining. The prospect of winning… Seems all the more possible!

‘Go! Go! GO!’ she internally screamed at herself, as her eyes locked onto the leading two Umamusume. She has to close the gap, it is only one and a half lengths. Her body feels like it is about to break free, as if she is about to reach a breakthrough. Her legs were moving faster than her body could keep up!

“50 meters left! Number 4, Tomishino Shenron, has passed Number 10, Eiwa City! Number 6, Fujimasa March, is one and a half lengths behind! Number 2, Mogami Maruzen, is right beside her on the inside, while Number 5, Shinwa Top, has passed Number 3, Gifu King, and caught up from the outside!”

“Who will it be?!” 

‘50. 40. 30.’ Just when she felt like she was about to latch on to new heights of strength, the light at the end of the tunnel retreated further and further away. Her eyes returned back to the real world, her trance broken. 

March could barely focus on the race ahead of her. Only a few dozen meters left, she should’ve caught up by now. Or at least, she thought she would be able to catch up. But it seems like while everyone else is speeding up, her legs are becoming more and more difficult to lift.

Her vision wavered. The finish line felt ever so distant, as if it was getting further and further away. Just like that. Fujimasa March realised that she couldn’t do it.

“Number 4, Tominoshi Shenron, passed the finish line with Number 10, Eiwa City, by a neck! Tominoshi Shenron is the winner of the Chunichi Sports Hai!”

‘Huh?’ The world around her blurred, her body uncomfortably hot and fatigued, her eyes searching her number on the scoreboard as she panted, trying to catch her breath.

Fifth place.

‘I… Lost? Again?’ Her heart sank, as if it plunged to her stomach. She felt like a hollow darkness swallowed her whole, no matter how much she tried, no matter the struggle. Nothing ever changed. She lost again.

She could feel the tears well up in her eyes and struggled to hold them back. The taste of defeat was once something she had never experienced before. But that has been everything she had for months, this would be her fourth straight loss.

‘I just… I don’t know what I should do anymore.’

She raises an arm and wipes the tears off her face. 

‘Next time… I won’t lose again.’ That is what she always tells herself after every defeat she suffers. But ever since her loss to Oguri Cap all the way back at Gold Junior, the indomitable self-confidence she had forged through the tears and blood of others has slowly wavered.

She thought that after gaining such a powerful rival, she would be able to push herself to new heights. But every time she had felt like she should be able to win, her legs would just give out. 

‘I will win the Tokai Der-’ An uncomfortable feeling stops her thoughts in its tracks, it felt like she had just spoken a lie. It is as if she no longer believed in her own abilities.

March only continued to look down as she walked back to the stands, she could see her trainer from her peripheral vision, nevertheless she just slowly trotted forward, keeping her head facing the ground. After all, for the supposed prodigy of Kasamatsu, the sworn rival of the star known as Oguri Cap, her performance has been disappointing.

She couldn’t bear to face her trainer after handing him a fourth consecutive loss, and this time, not even at least a podium finish. 

“March. Good work out there, today.” Shibasaki said in a comforting tone, treating her as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn’t just handed another loss. It bothers her a lot that her trainer never seems to be upset about her losses, she knows she has fucked up.

“Trainer…”

“Hmm? What do you want to say, March?” 

“No. Nevermind, it was nothing but a stray thought.” 

March closes her eyes and breathes in the air, focusing on regulating her breathing, it has the sort of calming effect she needs. It was then that she felt a hand touch her hair before moving up and stroking her head. 

“Don’t ponder upon your losses, as long as you can still run, your future still lies ahead.” Shibasaki's firm and cool voice contrasts with the gentle caresses on her scalp. Normally, she would’ve felt embarrassed, but at this moment, her chest felt a little bit lighter after hearing that.

“Do you really think that I could still reach my dreams at this rate?” March looked up at him, meeting Shibasaki straight in the eyes, all the while his hand was still ruffling her hair.

“Is that something you need to ask me?” A frown appeared on Shibasaki’s face. 

“Yes, it is.” March vehemently replied.

“In that case, I would like to believe so, and whether you win or not, in the end, everything comes from your interpretation.” March’s ears perked up in response, particularly focused on the last word.

“My interpretation?” 

From March’s perspective, those words seem abstract and vague, as they could mean a lot of things, or, on the other hand, they might not even mean anything. Her head tilts inquisitively, waiting for him to explain.

“We can discuss this later on. For now, have some water, and let us walk around for a bit. Your body needs to cool down after high-intensity activities. I’m sure you are already aware.”

“Hey, Trainer. Are you by any chance calling me an imbecile?” 

“And where did you get that idea from?” Shibasaki shrugged her accusing glare off and shook the can of water in front of her face. Her eyebrows furrowed in response.

‘Sometimes it feels like he’s treating me like a child,’ she thought. Her nerves were still tense, the race and all the negative thoughts were still fresh in her mind, so her irritation was probably unwarranted. She forced herself to stop thinking about it.

With a long sigh, March finally relented and took the can of water from her trainer’s dominant hand. Popping the lid off, she chugs the cool, refreshing liquid-

“Pufft-! Yuck! What the hell did you just give me?!” The water tastes off, a bit sour, and most egregious of all, it was fizzy like soda. It was unexpected and tastes awful right now, any lingering comfort she had completely evaporates.

“It is sparkling water, I heard it helps with digestion. I have never tried it before, but Kitahara seems to enjoy the bubbly sensation.”

“You know, Trainer,” wiping the disgusting drink from her mouth, her eyes narrowing, “maybe I should dropkick you after all,” she said flatly.

Shibasaki gave her a troubled look as he brought his hand up to scratch his head, as if weighing whether speaking now would help or only make things worse.

May 8, 1988 | 2:12 PM | Kasamatsu Tracen Academy

A wave of exhaustion rolls through her body and seeps into her mind as she rounds the track for yet another lap. Her breath comes unevenly. She doesn’t feel very well today, something feels off. She gradually began slowing down her pace, not because of pain, her foot doesn’t feel cramped or anything, it is still in good condition, but her movements have already become sluggish and dull, as if her body is lagging behind.

Her pace reduces to a normal walking pace as she feels out her condition. March had her lunch just around two hours ago, and she had rested for about half an hour after that. While that may be a little bit short of time to recover, she has done it plenty of times before. 

She had felt a little bit uncomfortable since the morning, but she had shrugged it off, it looks like she should’ve gotten it checked. March walks over to the starting gates, which are where she had left her water bottle. Even though the weather is quite cool, she feels warmer than usual, and it is not in a good way. 

Bending her body downwards, she reached out with her hand to grab her water bottle. She brings the bottle up and opens the cap before drinking the cool, fresh, normal water. Unlike what Shibasaki gave her at the end of her last race. 

The drink feels refreshing to her water-deprived mouth. Part of the problem seems to be just her not getting enough water into her system, as she has been too focused on working her body till failure. Her feverish, hyperactive mind right now isn’t helping either, thinking too much takes up much of her mental energy, which could also be why she got tired really early.

March walked over to the outer edge of the inner gate. She crouched down before lying down on the grass field, her back being supported by the wall of the gate, and finally relaxing the muscles in her body. It would surprise a lot of people if they saw her resting, after all, she used to be single-mindedly or study in her free time. 

But when your trainer, Shibasaki in this case, keeps telling you to take a rest, that they sound like a broken record, it’s something you just eventually just do. It feels a bit uncomfortable to March, as she’s been resting more and more each day that passes by, she doesn’t feel much in terms of improvement. In fact, she fears her muscles might atrophy if she continues resting.

But even if she wants to get back up to continue running, her body has already started relaxing, and her heartbeat is slowing down to normal levels. It honestly would be a pain to warm up again.

Her heterochromic eyes wander towards the clouds in the sky. Something as mundane as the formations of the clouds, it somehow felt novel, despite being outside most of her time. When all you think of is running, you just zone out a lot and end up not appreciating the beautiful world around you.

Even so, that is all there is to it. It is an oddly enjoyable activity, but she holds no sentimental attachments to it, completely unlike how it is often described in novels or manga. Is she just detached? Is she boring as a person? She never really cared about such things before, but maybe she should.

Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. She heard her fliphone buzzing from within her sling bag. Her hand reaches towards the zip to unlock her bag, and, probing through the various items within it, she manages to locate her phone.

Her gaze wanders to the back of her flip phone, where there is a screen that displays the name attached to the message. Shibasaki Kouichi. Getting a message from her trainer today is unexpected.

Unfolding the phone, her phone screen proceeds to light up to the main interface that displays the current time. Typically, she wouldn’t open her phone until she finishes her training, not that it makes a difference, as she hardly adds anyone to her contacts, so it is usually empty anyway.

‘The time is currently 2:21 PM, I guess I will just rest until 2:30 PM.’ March thought to herself, before her thoughts focused back on what she was doing before..

Her fingers tapped the mail key, which brought her to the Sha-Mail messaging app, to which she selected the most recent message she had received.

Hi March,

Faith’s medical check-up finished earlier than expected. We will be back soon.

It was a short and concise message. That is just about what she expected. Although she does feel a little bit excited. It means Faith No More would be joining her in training. Despite both March and Faith training under Shibasaki, it is quite rare that they meet each other.

Faith No More is a veteran Umamusume two years her upperclassmen, so not only are their school schedules often not aligned, but the races they run are also incompatible. But beyond that, Faith is also the reason why Shibasaki has been quite busy and showing up less to March’s own training.

That is to be expected, as a former racer in the nationals, her abilities are off the charts. Although only ever raced in a graded race once, Faith took second place in her first and only G3 race. Soon after, she transferred to the regionals for no explicable reason, and here in Kasamatsu, she is currently on her fourth win streak.

Although March feels a bit relieved that she now has more privacy in her training, it feels bittersweet knowing it was because her trainer had simply found a better talent. She doesn’t hold it against him, although admittedly it does sting a little… 

Maybe more than she would like to admit. 

March shakes off those thoughts from her head. It doesn’t matter to her, instead of wallowing in the past, she needs to look at the future ahead of her. After all, the racecourse of her dreams is just a month ahead.

That is right. The Tokai Derby is to be held on the 8th of June, exactly one month from now. It is a Super Prestige I race, or SP1 for short, the highest grade for local circuits in the Tokai region.

‘Back on the 21st of March, I ran in the Nagoya Racecourse once for the Sports Japan Prize Spring Cup, which was an SPII race,’ and she had lost back then, too. March had adopted her frontrunning style as usual back then and had gained a decent lead over the others…

‘And I let my guard down at the homestretch, that Tokai Shark came out of nowhere at the last second and took the gold by a millisecond.’ Even though Tokai Shark had performed poorly in their last race, there are many factors that could have led to a slump in performance.

In other words, March has to watch out for her if she does come to the Tokai Derby. Even so, beyond researching her competitors, there are other things she has to work on, too.

Notably, the racecourse itself. Where the Derby will be held, where the Spring Cup she participated in months back, the Nagoya Racecourse, also known as the Donko Racecourse, is a right-handed dirt track. Normally, this arrangement isn’t of any issue.

All her life, she has run on dirt tracks, no matter the condition of the track. March is confident in her power and stamina to endure. The issue, rather, is the weather, she has been very fortunate so far, as her races have always been mostly sunny with an occasional cloudy day.

However, her next race will be taking place in June, the month with the highest rate of rainfall. Although she has never run in a rainy race before, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how it feels to run in mud. The track will become much more difficult to run on, especially since it is a dirt track, meaning muddy ground will work hard against you.

Of course, there’s a chance it won't rain that day. But, approaching such an important race, is she really going to be negligent in her preparation? 

March looks back down at her flip phone and presses the center key, causing the screen to light up again. The time stands at 2:28 PM. Seeing that, she folds her phone closed and stuffs it inside her bag before zipping it right back.

“I should consult Shibasaki on that when the time comes.” March by all means isn’t an expert at racing. Despite her diligence, she is still just a high school student, her access to information is very limited to what she can find in the library, or on rare occasions, she would surf the net.

What she could do, however, is to keep training her body. Speed, power, stamina, those are the things she has to improve on if she wants to become an Umamusume that stands atop the world. But for this race, it is imperative to train her stamina. Not only will it be her longest race yet, but she will also surely need it if the track conditions are poor.

She stretches her body up and down, left to right, warming up her body with a set of jumping jacks. And finally, she feels like her body is ready to go, her mind clear and focused, and any uncomfortable sensation she had before is gone for now.

Three. Two. One. Go!

She kicks off with a massive stomp on the ground with her right foot, running with all her might, leaving her footprint of blood and sweat on the ground.

…

Her trainer sighs in discontent, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Good grief. I thought I told you not to push yourself too hard, March.” Her ears drooped in shame, hearing that.

“Sorry, Trainer.” She tripped while running her laps right as Shibasaki arrived. That is all you needed to know.

“It is of no matter, but it is so unlike you to have an accident like that. Are you really fine?” Shibasaki’s hand nuzzled her hair. March’s hand swiftly shoves it off in response.

“Stop doing that already.” 

“Take a break for the rest of the day, it's no good to continue if you’re going to be like this. I forbid it.” Her eyes widen in shock, hearing that. She can’t just stop training like that. 

“You can’t just do that, Shibasaki.” March raises her voice in response, yet still cold. Her eyes narrow in discontent. She’s livid. Time is ticking, every second she loses on training, the further the chasm between her and her competitors widens.

“My position on this is firm. Please understand, March.” Her glare met with Shibasaki’s pleading eyes. She knows that Shibasaki is telling her this for her own good

But he decided that this was the best course of action? Shibasaki had never previously overstepped in managing her, even if he didn’t entirely approve of her decisions. 

Why is he acting differently this time?

‘It was only a minor accident, I didn’t pull any muscles, my legs are still perfectly good to run with. I don’t understand why he is asking me to go this far.’ Her mind is repulsed by the idea of resting so excessively. It is such a waste of time, time better spent on improving her skills. 

If she ever wants to make it to the top, she has to work harder, train harder than anyone else.

Just as she was going to say something, the front door of the club slammed open, causing a deafening thud that silenced the room. As the other team member of the club and March’s de facto senpai stood by the door with a slingbag on tow.

“I got your bag just in time, rainwater is starting to drizzle, and the track is going to soak up pretty soon.”  Faith energetically walked up to March, who was sitting by the table.

“Here! March Tosho!” The black-haired umamusume offered the bag to her.

“Ah… Thanks. Also, it is Fujimasa March.” March hesitantly took the bag from her upperclassman’s hold, as she corrected Faith again. Every time they have ever met, Faith always remembers March’s name wrong. March would be flabbergasted usually, but right now her mood is a bit awful to feel slighted.

“Whoops! Totally misremembered your name again! I got half of it right, though.” Faith laughs heartily.

“But, man! Talk about clumsy, you completely face dived into the dirt! Your knees okay?” Her entertained smile turned into one of pensive contemplation as Faith turned to Shibasaki for input.

“Please forget what you saw.” March’s expression reflexively turned stone-faced to hide her chagrin. Her hand went to touch the stinging sensation on her leg, and to which she felt the texture of the medical plaster her trainer had applied.

“It is a minor laceration that will fully heal in a couple of weeks. However, I’m much more worried about the possibility of mental fatigue being the root cause of the issue.” He went over to the fridge to take out a bottle of cold water.

“Do you want some?”

“I refuse. Why do you have those in the fridge?” March’s eyes look upon the bottle in disdain, her mind brought back to the incident a few days ago.

“It is just normal bottled water, you know. You don’t need to be frightened by it.”

“I don’t believe you.” Her expression turned into one of disgust as she saw her trainer popping the lid and downing the drink. He even looks like he is enjoying it.

“Pffftttt. Get a room already.” The two who are being referred to turned to look at Faith. 

Confusion was their reaction at first. But no sooner than that, Shibasaki's eyes widened in realization as he choked on his drink. He went to the sink and coughed out the invasive water that seeped into where it wasn’t supposed to.

“We’re not like that. Please do not joke around like that, unsavoury rumours might sprout.” He wipes his mouth with the hem of his suit.

“... I don’t get it? What is that supposed to mean?” An irritated look came from the silver-haired Umamusume’s expression. But she’s not lying, she doesn’t know what they were talking about, although from the way they phrased it, it’s not something good.

“...March, even as an excellent student, there are things that you cannot learn through formal education. You will struggle to connect with your peers in your future at this rate.” 

“Hmph.” March huffed and turned away in pique. Again and again. Shibasaki always has something to critique about her. 

Even though she refuses to look at him, her ears could hear one of the drawers being opened as someone was shuffling some items.

“Faith, let’s practice for a little bit in the rain. If the weather doesn’t improve, we’ll cut training early.” 

“Ehhhh!” A moan of displeasure came from the Umamusume. But she reluctantly obliged after Shibasaki gave her a stern look. Her trainer’s eyes turned to look at March, who was still sitting with her head resting on top of her arms, facing the other direction.

The silver-haired girl was plainly expressing her infuriation about the situation. She heard the TV being turned on, before something or two being placed right next to her on to the table.

“I didn’t mean to belittle you.” 

March felt her Trainer’s presence standing behind her for another few seconds, she thought he was going to add something to that. That is, until she heard his footsteps exiting the room and the creaking of the door closing shut.

The girl continued wallowing in the silent room by herself. She still felt ticked off, but it was more sulky than outraged. Her chest feels a little empty, and a tinge of regret creeps in.

‘I don’t need to get wrought up by this. Trainer wouldn’t get resentful for little things like this.’ Thoughts of reassurance came to calm her mind. They’ve been through rougher patches before, something like this isn’t world-ending.

Her head finally lifted from the table to look at what her Trainer had left for her on the table.

It was a pack of Pocky...

Her body slumped back down to the table. The TV continues playing in the background, as it is covering a URA race that is happening right now.

March’s eyes lazily looked up to watch the race. But then, something catches her eye. Maybe she might be mistaken, but she thought she recognized one of the umamusume racing.

In the back of the pack… It looks like!

“-and on the outside, Oguri Cap is chasing about fourth place from the back-” the announcer said.

March straightened her back, her eyes fixated on the TV screen. Her ears perked up, she doesn’t want to miss a single detail.

“-Furthermore, this area is a thick group with a strong footing. Each umamusume is heading towards the third corner, and in the lead is Glory Shisa, who is in the lead, followed by Singline Alpiga in second and third place-”

“-Oguri Cap has made her move and is moving up to the pack!”

“-they are approaching the curve of the fourth corner. Now, the battle for the front is spreading out among about three umamusume! Power Winner is coming in from the outside!”

“-Koway Spurt has made it to the homestretch-what?! What is this?!”

“It’s Oguri Cap! From the inside, Oguri Cap took the lead from second place, Koway Spurt!”

“Oguri Cap breaks out of the pack! Oguri Cap is pulling ahead! Oguri Cap takes the gold by a six-length lead!!!”

“…”

Of course she would. She is Oguri Cap after all. Her hand went to the remote to shut down the TV. It’s not like she hated her, it is the complete opposite, actually. She wants to stand by her sworn rival’s side once more.

Fujimasa March is just too weak. Only barely able to compete in local races, while Oguri has already moved on to a grander stage. And the glutton is still hungry for more, defeating national racers with her overwhelming power.

‘There was once a time that I was considered to be her superior in racing.’ And what had happened? In terms of speed and power, March had once matched Oguri in all of those aspects. When exactly had Oguri pulled ahead?

March sat in silence, as she searched her memories. It all started in... Even before her loss in Gold Junior, the first time she had lost to Oguri was back in Junior Crown. She still recalled the date, October 4th, 1987.

It was their first rematch since the day March defeated Oguri in their debut race. March had done her usual strategy back then, she did not change her plans for a minor thorn like Oguri. After all, she just had to run as fast as she could and pull ahead far enough that even an end closer like Oguri wouldn’t be able to catch up.

That was how overconfident she was back then, as much as she feels embarrassed about it now. But that confidence was backed up by results. That day, Oguri had begun her spurt earlier than expected, which threw March’s mental simulations out of the gate.

March should’ve defeated her regardless, as it was a bad play on Oguri’s part. Her strength, her power, it was meaningless before March, with about the same amount of stamina left, and their power being on par with each other. Oguri Cap shouldn’t have been able to catch up.

“I refuse to lose. To anyone…” her mouth subconsciously mouthed off, but it was true for her back then. Even though that day has long passed, even though she now has suffered countless defeats, she could still feel the burning fever.

Yes… A fever of some sort, something in her had changed for a moment, her body pushed beyond its limits, that day she ran ever faster. Her hopes, her dreams, it all seemed as limitless as the sky beyond. 

Back then, her dream was unwavering, and her strength seemed to grow ever stronger. 

But. She couldn’t replicate it, that feeling of going faster than her body could keep up. Ever since that day, she always felt as if that peak, that blissful state of mind that she was encroaching on, felt ever further. 

“Don’t look back. Don’t look back. I wish I could tell her that back then. Ignore the monster behind you.”

That hypnotic trance that she felt, that wall that she was bordering on climbing past, that fever dream vanished as quickly as it had come. All because her mind had caved in to the pressure from the beast behind her.

It is just a race in the sticks known as Kasamatsu. It wasn’t even important in the grand scheme of things. And yet, the effect of that faithful day persisted till this day.

‘But really? Trance? State of mind? Fever?’ She doesn’t like using hyperboles, it makes her sound like she’s describing a shounen battle manga rather than a real event. But, she just doesn’t have any other description for it.

Shibasaki used to always praise her in all aspects, her consistently perfect starts, her physical abilities that surpass all her competitors, and he even commended her intelligence and racing instincts.

“You’re wrong, Shibasaki…” ‘I’m not the Umamusume you think I am.’

If all of that were really true, then she would’ve figured out what the fuck she did back then. If March had been the true genius everyone had always labeled her, she would’ve turned that experience into her own weapon. A genius would’ve continued to grow stronger and stronger.

In that aspect, Oguri Cap is the real genius. The power she obtained that day, she didn’t just let it pass by, she didn’t let it fade into a bitter memory. Oguri Cap had absorbed and turned it into her own strength that she could call upon.

“God. It’s always Oguri. Oguri this, Oguri that. I even have a fucking plushie of her.” She’s tired from all that thinking. The fact that her thoughts have begun to use vulgar words is proof that she needs to stop.

March grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulders. 

Shibasaki is right. She should just go back to the dorms and just study or something. Training isn’t going to be productive if her mood is down like this.

“Should I congratulate her right now?” It would be a bit weird, she usually never calls Oguri, not because she doesn’t care about her, but March is usually not up to date with Oguri’s activities.

“No, it doesn’t really matter anymore, does it?” She should stop clinging to the past. As long as March continues to stay at Kasamatsu, Oguri doesn’t need her. 

‘If I want our paths to meet again, I will need to transfer to the nationals. And to do that…’

“I have to win the Tokai Derby. No. Not just win.” 

Tomishino Shenron. Tokai Shark. Gifu King. Shinwa Top. Ardent Love. Gold Fully On. Yamano Southern. With the exception of Shiba Sen, she has raced against pretty much everyone in the lineup for the Tokai Derby before.

March has to crush them all with overwhelming might. After all, that is what Oguri Cap would’ve done. To defeat a beast, wouldn’t you need an even bigger monster? 

She didn’t forget to take the Pocky with her.

May 13, 1988 | 3:29 PM | Kasamatsu Tracen Academy

“Maaann. I flunked that Math test so hard.” Rudy groaned in disappointment. 

“Heh. You shouldn’t have procrastinated for so long, you barely even studied.” Mini snickered, provoking Rudy’s ire. 

“Why, you little!” 

“Don’t pretend like you did much better Mini, I saw you fidgeting around your seat, trying to sneak glances at our answers.” 

“Ack-! I got caught.”  

Norn sighs in exasperation. The exam was tougher than she expected, too, even though she spent three nights reviewing the materials, the numbers that she ended up with are terrible. Then again, the Math teacher is notorious for his difficult exams. 

Even though Kasamatsu Tracen focuses on developing their skills as an Umamusume, it is still one of the region’s best schools. Obviously, they would employ top-notch educators.

“So, what about you, March? How did you do?” She walks towards the back of the class and asks their silver-haired childhood friend, who has already begun packing her bag. 

“It wasn’t too difficult. It took a bit longer than usual. My only worry is that I didn’t have time to triple-check the numbers.” March regretfully said after a momentary pause. Her mind had been preoccupied with a lot of things these days, and the midterms being scheduled early is not helping either.

‘I guess I expected that response. A genius who got a fully funded scholarship from the academy.’ Norn wistfully thought to herself. March has always excelled in everything, whether physically or academically.

Norn has always looked up to March as an example, and even her loss to Oguri did not change that perception. But she had felt something change in March recently, whether it is for the better or worse.

Norn had an outing planned with Rudy and Mini today, since it is a Friday. Meaning they’re pretty much free for the rest of the day, as they still have time to prepare for exams on the weekends. She hadn’t invited March, as she knew March would always prefer to spend her time training.

But… Looking at March’s distant expression right now, maybe she should extend a hand? 

“Hey, March?”

“Hm?” March’s red and yellow heterochromic eyes looked up towards her and she let out an inquisitive hum.

“Me, Rudy and Mini are planning on going to the city soon. Are you free to join us?” 

“Hmmm…” March’s hands halted in place in the middle of bringing the bag up. Her head tilted up, eyes looking at the sky beyond the classroom window.

“I’m not sure, my trainer had asked me to come to the club today.” 

‘What a bummer.’ Norn dejectedly thought for a moment, although…

“Do you mind me talking to him? If it’s not too important, I’m sure Shibasaki-san wouldn’t mind letting you skip a day.” She hopefully said. Although March didn’t let out any reaction.

“Yoohoo? March, you there?” Norn waves her hand in front of March’s face, which snaps her out of her thoughts.

“Ah-! Yeah, I guess it won’t hurt to ask.” March promptly zipped her bag and carried it. Right after, she walked towards the exit of the classroom. Norn follows suit.

“Hey, where do you think they’re going?” Mini popped up from under the table, where she was hiding from Rudy, who was hopping mad earlier.

“No idea, are we still doing the hangout?” Rudy scratched her head, contemplating DM’ing Norn on LYNE.

…

In the end, they had gone to see Shibasaki. He permitted, to Norn’s surprise. March was indifferent to it, though it looks more like her mind was somewhere else at the moment. Given that they live in the dormitory, they quickly changed their clothes before going out.

“Norn is taking a while to get done,” Rudy complained to herself. They didn’t have any place in mind, so she didn’t go all out. She is just wearing navy blue jeans, a plain shirt, and her usual white letterman jacket over it. 

“Whaddya expect? She has always gone the extra mile with her makeup. It’ll probably be 5 PM before we leave.” Mini snickered while scrolling through Umastagram reels, which were mostly full of hysterical videos, in other words, brainrot.

Rudy looks at her short friend’s phone screen in absolute disinterest. Among the three of them, Rudy has always been the least active on social media platforms. She would still watch UTube videos, but that is about the extent of it. Norn and Mini, on the other hand spends a lot of time on them, one of them mostly produces content, while the other one here mostly mindlessly doomscrolls for hours.

A familiar silver-haired girl emerges from one of the rooms. 

“Oh, March. Are you done changing? That was quick.” Rudy expressed slight surprise, straightening her back. She’s not one to talk, but not only did March shower in like five minutes, but she also changed in the same amount of time.

‘Does this girl even use any skincare products? It feels unfair how genetically gifted some people can be.’ The yellow-haired girl grumbled to herself.

“Yes, I am. I tried on the attire you guys helped me pick last time.” March spreads her arms open, giving a clearer view of her outfit. 

For her upper body, she is wearing a navy blue turtleneck sweater with a grey jacket over it, while for her lower body, light brown cargo pants with a leather buckle belt. 

Norn initially picked a button-front skirt to go along with it, basically just a copy of one of her outfits, but Rudy felt that March would prefer to wear something else. That’s how they ended up with this combination. The colour of the jacket feels a little out of place in her opinion, but…

“That jacket fits you perfectly. The night is going to get a little cold today, so that extra layer of clothing will keep you snugly warm.” March had seemed content with it, so Rudy decided to go along with her preference and instead complimented the upsides the outfit offers.

“Mhm,” March affirmatively nodded, “Have you planned where we’re going this night?”

“We wanted to try out this new Karaoke place and eat out at this ramen shop that has been blowing up on Umastagram, but it closes at 6 PM, so we will be cutting it really close.” Mini hopped off her reels and opened the maps to show pictures of the locations.

“So whaddya think?” The short girl asked.

“That ramen looks pretty good. However… What is a Karaoke?” March’s head hung to the side, her hands held up her chin, striking a thinking pose. Her eyebrows furrowed, trying to recall information that was never there in the first place.

Her two friends' eyes locked onto each other’s and looked back at March. Even though they haven’t spoken a word, both of them perfectly understood the sheer utter dismay going through the other’s head right now. 

“I’m done. Let’s quickly go catch the train. I’m starving.” Norn, who emerged out of her room a bit earlier than usual, lacking the context of the situation, fortunately, changed the direction of the conversation. They were going to need to bring their silver-haired friend around more, she is abysmally out of touch with the current culture.

…

It would take them only around 15 minutes if they had put in a moderate amount of effort using their legs to get there, however, as much as they do enjoy running, that would defeat the purpose of the trip. They did jog their way to Kasamatsu Station, though, as it would take a while if they had chosen to walk, but right after, they just boarded the Meitetsu-Nagoya Line for a short trip. 

“We will be reaching Meitetsu-Gifu Station soon.” The train announcer says, the train continues to zoom past the buildings, gradually slowing down in pace as it approaches its destination. 

The train is relatively crowded at this time, but there’s still quite some time before the night rush of people returning from work, so they were still able to secure some seats with little difficulty. It was only a few stops from Kasamatsu, so they hadn’t really even needed to wait that long. But that’s not the reason they would avoid rush hours. With how many people that would be on the train, it would be as cramped as a can of sardines, and it would smell quite a bit.

The train slowed down to a halt, as the four of them got out of their seats and exited as the doors all opened at the same time…

June 5, 1988 | 9:00 AM | Kasamatsu Tracen Academy

“Good morning, Trainer.” 

Shibasaki looks up from his uMacBook, as he hears the door to the faculty office open. It was a Sunday today, and none of the other teams have any races scheduled soon, so he isn’t expecting anyone else other than her today.

“Morning, March. Please take a seat, no one else will be coming in for a while.” She nods in acknowledgement and places her bag down onto the table.

“Are we going to do some last-minute training today? I thought you wanted me to keep to light exercises leading up to the race.” She asks in curiosity. There’s a hint of excitement in her voice, too, betraying her real desire to run.

“I’m glad you took my advice to heart. We won’t be doing anything strenuous today, there is something else that we must do.” He dubiously said as he watched March’s slight smile turn flat.

Shibasaki felt a little remorse in snuffing her hopes, but giving reality checks is also part of his duty, that is the reality of training an umamusume. They’re far more genetically gifted compared to normal humans, which grants them the ability to perform at the highest levels, reaching speeds rivaling vehicles.

That is exactly the issue, if any accidents were to occur on the track, the consequences would naturally be far more severe. If say, he were to run at top speed and trip on a rock, he might get some scrapes and bruises. For March, who possesses incredible strength even among umamusume, the chances of dire injuries are all the more real. 

“...I understand. In that case, what did you have in mind? Why on Sunday too?”

“Ah, sorry about that. There was something I had to get first. On the other hand, let’s review what we have discussed for your race on Wednesday.” Shibasaki pulled open his drawer and pulled out a folder containing all the materials he had gone over the past month whenever he had time to oversee her training.

“The Tokai Derby will be taking place on the Nagoya Racecourse, and for this year, it will be the ninth race of the day. It is scheduled to commence at 5 PM flat, it should still be bright.”

“And the weather forecast?” March asks. Her trainer fell silent for a moment before breaking a sigh.

“From the latest meteorological information available, there is a 30% chance of rain. Much higher than the initial estimations last time I checked. It is the worst-case scenario, but it doesn’t change our strategy.”

‘Trainer has mentioned this a couple of times.’ It wasn’t the main focus of her training the past month, but many different factors need to be taken into consideration. One such thing is going to be the track conditions. For dirt races, there are four different classifications: Fast, Good, Muddy, and Sloppy.

“As a dirt track, Nagoya Racecourse is much more prone to becoming muddier than turf tracks. On a rainy day, especially as one of the last races, the track is going to be in poor condition. But whether it is only Muddy or outright Sloppy depends on our luck.” He explained. 

“I have no qualms about Muddy conditions. Back in my race in January, I managed to place first even in those conditions.” She replied.

Shibasaki nodded in agreement.

“I remember that race. Gifu King, Tomishino Shenron, Tokai Shark, and Yamano Southern were there. That is why I am embarrassed just to realize this.” Her trainer fidgets with his pen, spinning it around on his hand. 

“Is there something we haven’t taken into consideration yet?” She is unsure of what he could be talking about, so she decides to put her question out there. 

“Yes. It is the fact that you significantly performed better than everyone other than Tokai Shark in the only Muddy race you have raced with them. You are probably going to be their target.”

“Huh?” She could only let out a confused reaction. Unsure of what to make of this sudden revelation.

“Not only the fact that everyone in the academy knows about your scholarship status, but also your early win against Oguri Cap, who is now making a name for herself in the nationals. They also have a loss record against you in Muddy track conditions, and it was a decent lead too.”

What he speaks of… It makes sense, she supposes. At the same time, she can’t really imagine it. Despite all of that, she’s not even a top-three contender to win the Derby. The reputation she had built, along with all her achievements, had all happened in the past. Distant enough that she felt like she was watching her dreams fading in real time, but still close enough that sparks of that feeling remain.

“While I wouldn’t say you should take this as a sign that you would definitely win, after all, it is only based on one previous race, psychologically, they will definitely be watching out for you.” 

At the same time. Did she really win because of her skill in navigating worse track conditions? Or did she only win due to having superior physicality back then? 

She has always been taller than most other umamusume she has met, standing at 170cm, which allows her body to grow more muscles. But she is a relatively light eater, so she hasn’t been able to put on much weight, resulting in her body remaining slim. On the other hand, everyone else seems to have gotten stronger over the past year.

March is starting to regret not trying to bulk up her muscles more. But it is a bit too late to course correct, with the race coming up in a few days.

“And March,” She snapped from her thoughts, her eyes meeting with her trainer’s.

“Don’t think too hard about it. Loosen up, and run as you like.” 

Her eyebrows raised in response to the unexpected words coming from Shibasaki. Not too long ago, he had a lecture about the ideal timings and every minute detail that she should keep out for. Now he is… Telling her to do whatever she wants?

“All our training, in the end, is just to prepare you for the real thing. What makes a truly great umamusume isn’t just the level of their preparation, but also having the ability to take advantage of the opportunities given to them.”

“Something like… Going wide in the corners rather than forcing yourself to get into the inside.” Her eyes widen.

“Why would I ever do something like that? Running on the outside for extended periods could effectively increase the distance by dozens of meters. I’d be racing a completely different race at that point.” She struggles to understand, it has always been drilled into her that taking the inside line is just objectively better. It is practically common sense.

“I’m not quite sure of it myself. I also have no real example to show you, but…”

“In the rainy days I have watched, it is always apparent that by the end of the day. The track on the inside line is usually always in really poor condition, on the other hand, the outside, no, especially on the far outside, the track is still perfectly suitable for running.” Shibasaki explained the factors leading to the idea he had concocted, an idea that defies common sense itself. 

March thought her trainer had gone nuts or something, but she doesn’t have anything to discredit his suggestion. Almost no one had ever willingly chosen to go on the far outside, or even the outside if they could help it. Even a monster like Oguri only enters the far outside momentarily just for the sole purpose of overtaking.

“So if rain really comes down, I’d have to either choose to run a shorter distance with terrible track conditions, or run a longer distance with good tracks. Is that what you’re telling me?” 

“You don’t need to risk it if you don’t feel like it, although it will be in your best interest to keep your options open. That is all I ask for.” He opened the cap of his water bottle and took a sip.

“And aside from that. Some basic facts that will come in handy in letting you accurately gauge the distance.” He began listing information about the track, as usual.

The full circumference of the track is 1180m, with the width being 30m, significantly larger than Kasamatsu’s 20m wide tracks, alongside the length of the straight being 240m, making it one of the longest straights for dirt courses. While it is a racecourse managed by the NAR, URA races do run here, some of them graded even.

“Do you have anything you want to add?” Shibasaki asks while taking out more paper files. She shook her head in response.

“Great. Now, I won’t be going over every one of your opponents, while every one of them is the cream of the crop, the most elite in the region, three of them currently stand out.”

“First, addressing the elephant in the room, and the one your defeat is owed to in the Chunichi Sports Hai, Tomishino Shenron. Her preferred style is being an End Closer, conserving her stamina till the very last corner.” March knows all of this, she has visualized racing many times in preparation. Shenron isn’t the fastest at ramping her power to the maximum, but her top speed is not to be taken lightly. 

March has made adequate preparations for this day, she has been working on maintaining her speed for longer and longer races. There are really only two main tactics to winning as a frontrunner

The first option is to set the pace of the race, whether fast or slow, as long as it throws the others off rhythm, they would like to tire out quickly. While the second option is to pull away far enough from the pack that they couldn’t catch up even if they tried.

“Next up, Shiba Sen, another up-and-coming star.” He pulls out an image of a chestnut-haired girl. She remembers her, although March has never raced with Shiba Sen before, among the profiles that Shibasaki has gone over with her before, this girl is different.

“Still undefeated, she is currently on her sixth winstreak after her victory last week. A Late Surger through and through, you will definitely be battling her for the lead by the homestretch. One fortunate thing is that she is in the eighth bracket, starting from the outside, even a late surger will have trouble.” Shibasaki puts away her files.

“Lastly, watch out for Yamano Southern. She has been accumulating a lot of wins recently, and while historically, you have outperformed her,” He said after a brief suspense. That name…

“I have noticed that she has always been eyeing you whenever you participated in the same race. Yamano is also another frontrunner, worse, she is on bracket four, right next to you.”

She remained silent. March really doesn’t have anything to say to that. It is not like your records dictate whether you would win your races, it is just statistics and probability. But it sounds like she will have a lot more competition than she expected.

“Well, now that is all done, why don’t you try these on? If there are any issues with them, I will get them altered as soon as possible.” Her trainer went to the very bottom of his drawer to pull out what appears to be some brand new clothing still wrapped in its plastic packaging.

“What are these for?” She took out multiple pieces of clothing that looked like they were meant to be worn together. 

“It is the signature race wear you will be wearing both on the day of your race and the day you will be interviewed by the press, which happens to be today.” The moment he finishes his sentence, he feels March’s eyes piercing through his skin, akin to sharp needles.

“...You couldn’t have told me sooner?”

“I planned to tell you sometime ago, but the opportunity never came up. I thought it would be embarrassing if you showed up without your race wear. The tailor had fallen ill for several weeks, and I was planning on skipping it if it wasn’t done by then.” 

His guilty expression almost makes her want to punch him really hard in the face. She wouldn’t actually do that, but it doesn’t mean she can’t imagine it.

“I also recruited the help of Kawamura’s trainees to help put your outfit together. They should be coming soon.” Without even being prompted, Shibasaki turned towards the exit. Her eyes continued glaring at her trainer’s back as she started taking her shirt off.

“You really need to fix that bad habit. One day, you’ll embarrass yourself.” He left the room without looking back, only sighing in exasperation. 

‘Even if her temper had mellowed, it feels like that girl never changes.’ Shibasaki shook his head, lamenting to himself.. 

‘I always wear my sports uniform underneath, you know...’  She huffed, keeping her protests to herself.

…

He waited just outside the door. Not very long after, he sees Kawamura’s trainees coming down the hallway. It is quite atypical for him to contact his colleague’s trainees, but ever since Gold Junior, the distance between them has closed.

In fact, it is not quite unusual for them to visit his club, or the other way around. He did worry a little at first, because they have a reputation for being delinquents and could be a bad influence on March, but they’re all good kids.

‘I did ask them to help, and mostly left the creative decision up to their liking, but..’ 

They seem to be holding bags upon bags of items, much more than he had expected. He doesn’t know any good stylists, but he remembered from conversations that Rudy Lemono’s family owned a clothing shop and Norn Ace’s obsession with fashion, so he thought they would be suited to help.

He lent them about ¥20.000 to purchase all the necessary goods, which was not an insignificant amount, but he would’ve given more if he could. After all, this is March’s first SP1 race, a career defining moment for her. Unfortunately, his earnings are quite tight, being a regional trainer does not pay much. Luckily, with the addition of his second trainee, Faith No More, his wages are not solely dependent on March’s performance anymore.

It doesn’t matter, there is a reason why, after graduating from university, he immediately decided to pivot into becoming an Umamusume Trainer.

He wasn’t from a well-off family, his parents had always placed expectations of academic excellence on him. So he did, he graduated as the top student of his high school and managed to be accepted in the most prestigious university in the nation, the University of Tokyo. He had chosen to study Engineering, as it had good earning prospects.

However. Like many others, he had to take a part-time job to help support himself. His grades suffered, and it was then that he realized that he wasn’t really a genius, he was just willing to put more effort than others. Something he can’t do now, as he could no longer fully devote the necessary study time to earn the highest marks.

It looked bleak, honestly. He was constantly tired and burned out, he didn’t hate the courses he took, but he never had a burning passion for them. It was one faithful day, while he took a short break in the back of the store he worked at, his boss had invited him to watch an umamusume race on the TV. He thought nothing much about it back then, he never really had any interest in watching sports. But that day was different.

Symboli Rudolf.

He didn’t know why he was drawn to her that day, in the 1984 Japanese Derby. But he would start tuning into the races that she participated in, and eventually, he even started purchasing tickets and physically showing up to watch. By the time Symboli Rudolf won her seventh G1 race, he finally realized he had watched the rise and fall of a legend.

To see and hear thousands of others standing beside him, chanting her name, shouting their hearts out to cheer one sole Umamusume, one sole person, one sole girl. For the first time, he didn’t understand what he was feeling, a torrent of different emotions.

Was it joy or relief? Or was it sorrow or grief? He still doesn’t know even now, but he knew one thing for certain. He wanted. No. He needed to search for that sensation again. But watching wasn’t enough.

That is the story of how he ended up here. Kitahara Jou had mentioned it a couple of times, he wanted to find a star that could make his heart race, who makes him want to cheer them on. While Shibasaki chastised Jou for being so picky and unrealistic, sometimes, he wonders if he is also looking for the same thing.

His heart didn’t race watching any of the students' performances, even Fujimasa March’s phenomenal legs didn’t strike any chords. But he knew that out of all the candidates, she was the cream of the crop at the time. 

Sometimes he wonders if it was the right choice. Especially after seeing Jou’s trainee, Oguri Cap, becoming such an outstanding racer. It didn’t help either with how temperamental March had been. ‘Maybe Oguri Cap is the one I was looking for-’, was a thought that crossed his mind a number of times. 

It was a dangerous line of thought, so he decided to work on another promising trainee. Shibasaki won’t admit it to her face, but he was actively avoiding March for a while. He needed to get his thoughts sorted. He still felt lost.

And then, he saw a rare moment of frailty from March. Even though she was trying to hide it or perhaps she wasn’t even aware of it herself, after her fourth consecutive loss, she had become almost resigned. Spacing out a lot more, her body language was much less enthusiastic, and her eyes were no longer focused during training

He didn’t know what to do, so he told her to take more breaks, which she surprisingly didn’t put up much of a fight. Nowhere as much as she used to, at least. Her mood had also improved since the day he permitted her to have a girls’ night out with Kawamura’s trainees. 

So could companionship really be the solution to helping his trainee out of her slump?

He heard the door creak open.

“Hey, four eyes! We are nearly done here. You can come take a look now, but the finishing touches will take a couple more minutes.” Rudy said while leaning her head out of the door.

“Then, I will wait till you are finished. And also, address me as ‘Sir’.” Shibasaki lightly reprimanded her for her language. Even though they are now a bit more familiar, his dignity as an adult won’t allow such casualness, especially from a student.

…

“So, what do you think about it?” Norn puffs up her chest, proudly showing off her work.

March’s hair had been cut short. That is the first thing that Shibasaki noticed. Her silver hair, which used to flow down all the way to her waist, isn’t even touching her shoulders. Even though her hair had been braided the same way as usual, it gave off an appreciably different vibe.

But that isn’t an unusual thing. For most umamusume, their signature racewear would be their last opportunity to express themselves beyond their running. It represents their branding, when someone thinks of an umamusume, their outfit will be what comes up in their mind first.

With her signature hair ornament, a red and white cord tied into a bow around her left ear. On her body she wore a navy blue blazer with gold diamond cufflinks, as well as a white dress shirt with a red tie, and a dark gray waistcoat with gold diamond-shaped buttons. Completing the set, she wore white pants and brown dress shoes with white soles.

Shibasaki hadn’t been quite sure how the outfit he discussed with the tailor would turn out in the end. But it looks like there was no need to worry after all.

The girls had also applied a little bit of makeup, more so to enhance March’s natural look. And lastly, her fingernails had been painted a light blue, a slight change that completes the look. His trainee has transformed into a stunning Prince Charming. 

The silver-haired umamusume stood there, fingers jittering, shuffling her feet, waiting for a certain someone to speak.

“It looks well put.” He gave them a thumbs up and kept his appraisal concise. 

Although he does have some second thoughts now. Will it really be fine to have her race in a three-piece suit? He had prioritized making her stand out, among other things, the tailor had assured that the materials they used would be suitable for umamusume, but it really doesn’t look much different from normal suits.

“How does it feel wearing it? Can you breathe in the outfit?” He wanted to clear his doubts, it was better to ask now than later.

“It feels a little tight on the waist, but the pants are pretty flexible. It might get a little hot, though.” March stretches her legs, demonstrating her condition in the outfit. 

Those are the expected trade-offs of wearing a suit, he hopes that March would be able to tolerate running in that environment. 

“Hey, you didn’t forget your promise, right?” Mini popped up in the conversation after standing in the sidelines all this time.

“Don’t worry, the three of you can come with us. I will send a message to your trainer first, though.” The three delinquents high-fived each other’s hands. They were supposed to be training later on in the day, but they struck a deal with Shibasaki in exchange for their help.

Shibasaki would be concerned if his own trainees were to act like this, he could only pity his colleague, whom he had conspired against.

“Eh. All of you are coming too?” March voiced her surprise. She wasn’t expecting they would know about her trip to the city, especially since she hadn’t even found out until half an hour ago.

“Of course! Isn’t it exciting to go to the city again? We can’t miss out dear ol’ friend’s big moment, your pre-race interview will be aired on TV even!” Norn was clearly thrilled by the idea. March had only seen her act like this whenever they talked about Oguri, so it felt a little flattering to hear.

March herself hasn’t really given much thought about it. Even though she had known this day was coming, it feels unreal how close she is to finally racing in the Tokai Derby. 

The interview day isn’t just to build up fanfare and publicity, but it is basically a designated day for each participant to talk to their rivals and develop camaraderie. Every one of them who has reached this stage has been chasing the Derby all their life, even if they stand across as enemies, they all deserve respect.

A bunch of notifications rang from her trainer’s phone as he stuffed it into his pocket. 

“Let’s go catch our ride. I will treat all of you to lunch when we get there.” His pockets are not very deep, but he feels the responsibility to pay for their meals, since he’s the one taking them out.

“Really?! Thanks!” The girls awaited the feast they would be having.

??? ??, ???? | ??:?? PM | ??? Racecourse

Where is she? She is running, she feels like she can’t stop, no matter the cost. Her body felt heavy, as if she were carrying the burden of a thousand regrets. It doesn’t matter, she just has to continue moving forward!

Her eyes rapidly convulse. Spotting several other umamusume. Is she racing? What is she even racing for? What date is it today? She doesn’t know, her memory is so foggy, disjointed, but she knows she has to win this race.

“--!!!” Her mind felt so tired that she couldn’t even make out what the announcer had said.

She gasped. This racecourse. It feels all too familiar. How could she forget? For most of her career, she has always been racing here, on the Kasamatsu Racecourse.

Fujimasa March can’t afford to lose again.

They are all approaching the final corner, she knows it in her heart. The other racers have started their spurts, it is high time that she does too. 

‘Graaa-AAAAAAAHhh!” With all her might, she stomped on the-! Her legs! They are too weak, she can’t speed up! Why can’t she muster her strength?

‘No! No! Not like this-not again!” She is out of breath, there is not enough oxygen being delivered to her body. The finish line is right there, she can’t just accept defeat!

“Ha-haaah-aaaah-haaaahaa-” Her arms raised forward, her hands trying to clutch the figures racing ahead of her. The silhouettes pull further and further away, her legs being unable to provide the strength to catch up.

Her eyes teared up as they crossed the finish line. This would be her ninth loss in a row. And there is nothing she could do. 

It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for her to cross the line, too.

Without any reason to stand out here, she beelined towards the exit. She doesn’t want to look back at that embarrassment of a race, there’s nothing to be said. It was a horrible performance.

“...I’m sorry, March.” She heard her trainer say. She passed by him without looking up, without saying anything, she didn’t want to. Her head is spinning, her stomach feels like it is about to regurgitate her insides, no, it really feels like she is going to do so.

Her hand held her mouth closed, she had to go now.

…

She barfed her breakfast out onto the toilet sink earlier, her mouth tasting the gross, foul, acidic aftertaste that clung to her mouth, even as she tried cleaning it up with water. 

“Haa-haaa-haaah.” Even after reaching the locker room, her body is still exhausted, and yet another defeat is added to her collection. It is as hilarious as it is depressing. 

Her ears barely picked up the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Her head turned to look behind her to see who it was. Her eyebrows shot up as she recognised the familiar figure, the person to whom she didn’t want to show her pitiful self, the most.

Oguri. Why is she here? Did she watch her race? 

‘She saw how pathetic I have become.’ March could see the horrified expression on her friend’s face. That is a new look Oguri is giving her, but it shouldn’t be surprising at this point.

“March…” Standing there in her red training uniform, a distinctive colour reserved for umamusume racing at Central. March used to think she deserved to wear those colours too.

“Are you okay?” Oguri asked hesitantly, still with a bewildered or maybe even frightened look. March started maniacally laughing in the sheer bittersweet irony of the situation.

“Ha-HAHAHAH! Listen to me, Oguri!” March yelled hysterically, her friend was taken aback.

“I came to the central division too-! To catch up to you, I’ve been training harder than ever! The result? Last place fourtimes in a row! I came back to Kasamatsu, and what do you think!?” Oguri kept quiet while March paused to let her next words sink in. 

“Even in Kasamatsu, I’m dead last!! That’s hilarious, right?! Me! Who used to be a special scholarship student!!” Her laughter echoed in the locker room as she finally understood the pain she had tried denying all this time.

Fujimasa March is worthless.

Oguri’s aghast countenance only makes her feel even worse and worse about herself.

…

Fujimasa March startles awake. The nightmare she just dreamt of is still extremely vivid in her mind. Her body was sweaty, and the bed coverings were damp from the accumulated moisture her body excreted.

Her breaths were rapid, and her chest felt heavy. That was a distressing dream, alright. While she isn’t unfamiliar with terrible nights, it isn’t every day that she gets so riled up by it. Her brain was toying with all her worst fears, she didn’t want to imagine something like that.

“...” She got up from her bed. Her eyes went towards the digital clock on her desk. It is 1 AM right now, which means she only got four hours of sleep. Tomorrow isn’t race day yet, but it would be problematic if this were to persist.

Earlier in the day, she had the pre-race interview. It was her first time being in front of so many cameras, it felt a little intimidating. But she managed to pull through giving some basic answers. 

Seeing her rivals in their own signature outfits was a sight ot see. It made it feel all the more legitimate. A couple of them made their declarations to claim victory so boldly, she could feel their resolve, but the way their eyes lingered on her longer than the others…

Maybe she was just imagining things. Before the interview, March and Shibasaki took another look at inspecting the Nagoya Racecourse to confirm any changes. To which they found the track to be completely the same, they watched a couple of the races running that day, too.

Some time after the interview, they were given a short break. Her friends brought to her attention the race Oguri was participating in just earlier. They watched it on Norn’s uPhone, on the URA UTube channel, where they saw Oguri completely crushing her competition with a seven-length lead, setting a new record for the track.

That is probably when her feelings, which she had stayed away from in the weeks leading to the race, had been reignited. 

Maybe she should try to resolve her problem by going to the source of it all. 

March picked up her flip phone and quietly exited her room. Walking down the stairs, she leaves the dorm building and meanders around with no target in mind.

It is no surprise to her that her dreams always end up having to do with Oguri Cap. Her life has been influenced by her rival to such a degree that it wouldn’t have made sense otherwise.

Even though it has been nearly half a year now, it seems like she is still chasing Oguri’s shadow. Her chest feels empty, she really misses her rival turned friend. March could already feel her irrelevancy creeping closer and closer, at this rate, she might never run beside Oguri anymore.

Will she be forgotten at this rate? Even at the academy, she could feel her name brought up less and less. While she used to enjoy whatever peace she could get, now, it feels like something is missing from her life.

She took her flip phone out of her pocket and opened her contact list. On the last day before Oguri and Belno left for Tokyo, March had decided to exchange contact numbers. 

It did turn out that Oguri didn’t even have a phone, so March only received Belno’s contact. Later on, Belno had sent her the number of their dorm landline.

‘Should I call?’ At this time of the day, it is unlikely anyone is even awake to receive her call. Not only that, Oguri had just run and won a G2 race earlier, so she is probably even more exhausted and is probably sleeping like a log right now.

It would be terrible of her if she had woken Oguri up.

“...” 

No. If Oguri was already asleep, it is unlikely that she would even hear the phone ring. She should give it a try, if no one picks it up, then she is content leaving it at that.

March selected the contact and dialed it up. She waits in silence, with only the sound of the breeze and the full moon accompanying her in the night.

To her surprise, someone had picked up the line.

“Hoaa-ahhhh… Hello? Who is this?” A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.

“O-Oguri? Sorry, did I wake you up?” March asked worriedly with a tinge of regret.

“Ah, March! No, that’s not it. The cafeteria had tiramisu for dessert today, I ate a little too much of it.” Oguri expressed her remorse. 

“Pfft-Looks like someone is regretful right now.” She chuckled in relief, guilt alleviating from her shoulders. Tiramisu is made of a tiny bit of coffee powder, Oguri must’ve eaten an unimaginable amount. It looks like even her belly has its limits.

“Sorry for eating so much.” “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to eat.” 

She hurriedly reassured Oguri. Even though Oguri had just claimed another victory, March supposes that the stress and exhaustion from racing is still fresh on Oguri’s mind. Not to mention being awake at this ungodly hour is another contributing factor.

“The days we last saw each other feels like yesterday! How have you been doing? Did you win the Tokai Derby?”  Oguri clearly mustering all the excitement she could, even though her feeble voice betrays her fatigue.

“Yeah, the days we raced each other feel so far away now. But, no, I did not yet. It is going to be held this Wednesday.” She started reminiscing about those days, it was fun enough for droplets to start to fall from her eyes.

“You mean, you haven’t yet? Right?” Oguri’s inquiring brought March back to reality. She fell silent for a few seconds to formulate a response.

“...Sorry. That is unlike of me, was it?”

“Is there something wrong, March?” 

“To tell you the truth, Oguri. I haven’t been doing very well. The past four races since you left, I have only gotten two runner-up finishes.” She stopped talking at a bad time, struggling to think of what to say next. 

“...But you haven’t given up, right, March?”

“It is just so… frustrating. I felt like giving up, it feels like the only reason I am still running is that it is already too late for me. Might as well try running the Tokai Derby since it is already so close.” 

“You can’t give up, March. Even if you won the Tokai Derby, you’re not allowed to just end it there!” Spooked by Oguri raising her voice, March reeled back from the phone. She looked around to make sure no one was around and lowered the volume a little.

It is the first time Oguri had sounded… So stern. The Oguri she knew had always been either happy or unbothered, this one is a first for her.

“Heh. Why is that so? It doesn’t bother you over at Central, I bet you’ve found many more powerful rivals by now.” Fujimasa March brushed it off, disassociating from herself to mask the internal turmoil she felt.

“Because… You are my rival, March.” That sentence stopped March in her tracks, her heart felt like dropping, as if a huge bombshell had been dropped onto her.

“Didn’t you promise that your legend will be longer than mine? If you give up now, you’re basically just letting me win!”

“That is why, March. After you win the Tokai Derby, come to Central and fight me!” Hearing Oguri insisting like that, something inside her shifts. 

‘After I win, huh?’ She thought to herself.

Oguri still had faith in March despite everything she had told her. It filled her with a feeling that she couldn’t describe. That is right, how can she brush off Oguri’s feelings like that?

“Heh. Haha-Unbelievable. I didn’t know you had become so demanding, Oguri.” March teases her friend, who became flustered and started sputtering, trying to formulate arguments turned apologies.

“Well, don’t worry. I will definitely win. So, how about you?” March diverted the conversation, it was good to get her feelings out there, but it would be unfair if all she talked about was her own problems.

“I saw your race earlier, the New Zealand Trophy, was it? Now that you’ve won a G2 race, where are you setting your sights next?” Oguri gasped in response

“You were watching, March?” March gave an affirmative hum.

“I don’t know. The Tokai Derby, the Japanese Derby… Everyone told me they’re the best races, so that’s what I aimed for.”

“But… Now that those races are over, how do I know which race is the best?” 

“Really, that’s it? Then, your solution is simple. You just need to make every race you run your best race.”

“Become the best in Japan, Oguri Cap.” March decreed so, even though she won’t be there to challenge her, she will always be watching her best friend.

“The best in Japan… In that case, that goes for you, too, March.” “Eh?”

“I will be waiting for you here. Until then, I can only imagine how our rematch will go.” Oguri said sentimentally, even now, to hear that her friend continues dreaming about things like that. It is unabashedly gooey that it is on the verge of melting March’s heart. 

“Huhmmm- I’m getting sleepy now. Let’s talk again sometime.” Oguri yawned again.

“Yeah, alright. Get some sleep, Oguri.” “G’night, March.” 

She hung up her phone. Her hands drooped down, hanging like a wet noodle. Even though there are still plenty of unresolved feelings, there is something for her to look forward to now.

How can she give up after hearing all of that? She has to win and go to the Central.

June 8, 1988 | 4:59 PM | Nagoya Racecourse

Her heart is pounding. She could feel the weight of everyone’s expectations, as well as her own. Her hands are shaking as she is trying to button up the last few buttons on her race wear. It is her second time trying this outfit on, and she’s still awestruck by how stylish it is.

She had just gotten here just in time. March and her trainer faced some unexpected delays coming to the racecourse, and she barely had any time to change her clothes, which is why she is still buttoning the blazer up right now.

Not a particularly good start to the day, but, it doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things. She will win with her legs, not her clothes. 

March could feel the tension, the pressure of everyone standing among the gates. As she sneaks a glance at her left. If it weren’t for the fact that everyone was facing forward, focused on the rainy track ahead, she’d have thought that they were all scrutinizing her.

In her peripheral vision, standing atop a raised stand, she sees the bearer of the red flag, who signals the commencement of the race, also called a ‘Starter’. While his assistant, standing ahead of the track by about 100m, holds a large white flag.

The starter’s flag dropped. Loud trumpets heard all across the racecourse start playing, her anxiety rises in response, this will be the last break that she will be having. The race will commence soon after the trumpets stop playing. 

Fujimasa March should’ve been used to this. She has raced countless times before, and she has always had absolute confidence in her own ability to win. 

But this is different, the way her race outfit wraps around her body, while comfortable as it was custom-tailored, it further accentuates the difference between this race and the ones she has participated in before.

All her life, it has only been leading up to this very day, this very moment. The Tokai Derby, her first SP1 race, the most prestigious race in the Tokai Region that decides who will be crowned the strongest umamusume of this era.

All the umamusume on the gates, including herself, exchange nods and glances. Some were giving her odd looks while glancing down. What are they looking at… Oh.

Her hands were trembling, as she just realized. Her eyes wander down, she had never been this nervous before. But, seeing her nails painted blue, the jumpy feeling on her chest eases.

On this stage, she is no longer the student, Fujimasa March. What happened in the past stays in the past: her defeats, losses, fears, worries. Today, she stands on the gates because she is recognized as being among the strongest. That is why she is allowed to stand here, to race in her own signature uniform.

Because nobody knows how the race will end, and at every step of the way, a legend could be born. After promising Oguri her victory, she refuses to back down. No matter what, she will not lose. 

In these clothes, she will become a legendary racer who will outshine even a star.

‘Oguri Cap. Watch me.’ She thought to herself, taking a deep breath. Lowering her body to the starting pose that she has practiced countless times, that is practically second nature to her.

The trumpets die down as the world around her falls to a twilight silence. A booming voice originating from the speakers catches everyone’s attention.

“Sorry to have kept everyone waiting. The ninth race this day, the 18th Aichi Governor’s Cup Tokai Derby SP1, at the Nagoya Racecourse.”

Her eyes were fully focused on the track ahead of her. A total length of 1900 meters, and she has been itching to run for days now. But what is her strategy for this race?

Currently, the rain is still pouring down hard. She remembered Shibasaki’s files a few days ago, comparing to the images she remembered, these tracks were in terrible conditions and would probably be classified as Sloppy. However, there is one silver lining that she is grateful for. The rivals her trainer had told her to watch out for are all in the outer position. 

If she could get ahead on the start, then her position on the inside should be secured. That leads to the main problem, she could get boxed in if the pace is faster than she expected.

“And it has started.” The announcer said just as the gates slammed open. With that, her foot kicks against the dirt and propels her body forward, her train of thought immediately ceases at the same moment.  There is no time for doubts. 

She feels her red blood’s pulsating flow as she breaks free from the shade. Her body surges forward in a flash, her left leg has already swung forward like a pendulum to lead into her second step!

Immediately, she could feel the innumerable rain droplets making contact with her skin simultaneously. Some people would be bothered by running in these conditions, but for everyone who has had to work their way to the top, persevering through such minor inconveniences is nothing. 

“A good start from all the umamusume.” 

“Immediately leading the pack is Number Two, Fujimasa March, with a top-notch start, she’s half a length ahead of Number Three, Yamano Southern-” The announcer continues listing off the other racers in order of their position.

For a few seconds, all she could hear was the sound of the rain and the squelching noise from everyone’s feet making contact with the muddy ground. With each step forward, her foot kicks up a lot of mud, it is without a question that her shoes and the bottom of her pants have already started staining.

And this is even with her leading the pack, those who are stuck in the middle are probably experiencing hell. That is another reason why she had chosen to forgo pace chasing.

However, she could feel the drastic difference in drag, the muddy ground is acting like a suction force that is trying to anchor her foot to the ground. Even though it is not an issue right now, this extra bit of effort that is required will get more and more challenging over time, conserving her stamina is absolutely vital.

But… Does she really need to? What if she just finishes the race quicker?

Such thoughts she would never consider normally, as she knows her limits very well. But, this searing desire to let go, to throw all caution to the wind, is a rebellious flame begging to be set free.

‘No. I must stick with my plan.’ She closes her eyes and calms down, feeling the motion of her entire body. Approaching the first corner of the race, her body and running technique are still on top form.

Her ears pick up the noise coming from behind her. The pack has decided to accelerate, for the racers on the outside, the corners are always the optimal location to overtake the leaders. But March doesn’t need to respond, even if she were to lose her position or two, she would go to the straights in better condition than if she were to rush now. 

There is no way she could lose in this race. Her path to victory is clear in her mind.

“Number 3, Yamano Southern, finally takes the lead from Fujimasa March after being on her trail for a while. On the other hand, Number 7, Gifu King, has broken from the pack and is up to third place, and behind her is the favourite of the race, Number 4, Tokai Shark.”

March took a glance at her frontrunning rival, and unexpectedly, their eyes met.

‘So she really had her eyes set on me.’ March pondered to herself, her eyes going back and looking forward to the track ahead. Everyone’s pace is slightly faster now, influenced by Yamano’s aggressive moves. It is only a minor setback, but she should be able to coast along. Conserving her stamina is key, she won’t allow someone else to dictate her pace.

Entering the straight after leaving the first corner, she continued pacing herself like she normally would. 20 meters. 50 meters. 70 meters? She is falling back in placement as the other front-runners overtook her.

‘The pace isn’t slowing down at all!’ As if a siren had suddenly blared, the calmness she had maintained broke. It isn’t just the front-runners, even the pace chasers had caught up with her!

‘This doesn’t make sense. Can they not see? Yamano has not slowed down at all!’ Normally, after overtaking, the leading umamusume would likewise slow down their pace to conserve their stamina. That is the common convention.

March thought it was a trick, or even a mistake from Yamano’s part, as she is continuing to pace herself too fast for this track length. But everyone else is doing the same, too?

Is she just… Too weak? Have her rivals already eclipsed her in ability, as Oguri Cap had done? There’s no way they would make the mistake of overexerting this early in the race.

Doesn’t that mean that March is just too slow? This unexpected, extremely confusing situation caused her to cast doubt on her own worthiness. She could go run with all her might right now, but she knows that she wouldn’t have the stamina to maintain that pace.

“March!” Suddenly, she heard faint shoutings. Her head turned to the stands, where the sound came from. She sees Shibasaki, who had called out her name, standing there next to her friends.

Her trainer gave her a stern look, his arm pointing forward.

March realized at some point that her eyes stopped focusing on the race. 

She worked up a smile and nodded in response.

What is she doing for her trainer to reprimand her in the middle of the race? She has a battle to win today. Even though she cannot deny the voices that had cried defeat in her mind…

She can’t change what has already happened, but she could change the outcome of what hasn’t yet. Whether it is victory or defeat, it all depends on your interpretation on the matter. She remembers her trainer’s words that day. Losing meant that you still have room to grow.

Maybe for once, she should stop clinging to a past that will never ever be again. How stupid has she been all this time? Although she hasn’t noticed much difference, it is elementary to state that she has grown older.

Even if she hadn’t felt any significant changes, it is an undeniable fact of nature that her body has matured. The conditions that she could tolerate must have changed, and preconceptions of her own limits are soon to be, if not already, outdated. 

Thus, she pushed on, continuing to wait for the perfect opportunity.

“The racers are now approaching the second corner, with Number 3, Yamano Southern, fighting for the lead with Number 8, Gifu King!”

March is boxed in. There is no way to move forward through the inside line with all the fighting in front, while her outside line is being blocked by Tokai Shark. If she rounds the corner while being on the inside, in her current position, all she could do is to reserve herself and hold her position.

However, there is one more option.

Not the outside, but the far outside.

‘Forget just standing by, this is how they want to play it. In that case, no one ever said that the third corner decides everything.’ The time has come to fight, now it’s all up to her.

Playing safe doesn’t matter if the result is always a loss. She has to go for an all-or-nothing strategy.

Instead of sharply redirecting the kinetic energy of her body, which takes more stamina due to centrifugal force. March sees another path she could take. It is risky, but there is merit to it.

She only slightly turned her body, most of her energy was spent to pass through the slight gap between the front half of the pack and the late surgers behind. If she messed up, she could accidentally disrupt another racer and be disqualified.

Fortunately, due to the nature of rounding a corner. The other racers’ speed slowed down just enough for her to pass through with no issues.

“!!!” Visible shock runs through her competitors' faces, as they wonder what the hell March is doing.

The silver-haired umamusume heads towards the far outside of the track. Even though the ground is still damp, it is far firmer compared to the track she has been racing on all this time.

It did cost some time from having to run all the way out here, but being able to maintain her speed slightly reduced the time loss. But it doesn’t really matter.

She will win, because she can conceptualise the path she will take. Even if she can’t win with her current abilities, then all she needs to do is picture a version of her that could.

‘Imagine a version of myself who has freely surpassed my limits!’ “I’ll do it!”

Her mind and body yelled at the same time. 

“What is this? Not only had Fujimasa March done the unexpected and gone wide, but she is accelerating! No, is she planning on beginning her spurt from all the way from the backstretch?!” The announcer yells in disbelief.

Normally, a declaration like that would attract the attention of all the other racers, who would put pressure on the spotlighted umamusume. But out in the far outside, Fujimasa March races alone, free of pressure, the only person she is racing against… Is herself.

With a strong foundation, and a little bit of sense and imagination. It takes just the slightest trigger to change a person.

Even though she has played out how this race would’ve gone over a hundred times, she has never been very satisfied with the results. Out of the countless mental simulations she has run, she loses a significant portion. Even the wins that she managed to pull through are too close for comfort.

However, an unexpected eureka had hit her. The light that she had been chasing all this time, the sensation that always escaped her grasp at the last moment, was suddenly, now firmly clutched within her hands without her even trying.

ZONE: ████ ██████████

The world around her felt extremely slow. And within March’s mind… Is a vague image, no, it was almost as if her fate had suddenly been illuminated. Rather than trying to imagine what she must do from start to finish, which by its nature will encounter many deviations, it is better to work on optimizing her actions within shorter time intervals. 

Mental images of herself, split into ten junctures. That is the limit of what she felt she could imagine, but that is enough. She can visualize the continuation once she completes the current set.

Don’t stop. If she stops for a second, if she freezes just once, then this path will collapse. It requires speed she hadn't thought possible before. However, right now? It doesn’t feel impossible either. 

She will surpass her limits no matter what.

An immense force stomps down on the firm ground, leaving a footstep that is reminiscent of a beast. Her body, as if defying physics itself, accelerated to maximum speed in a moment’s notice, as she easily broke away from the relative position of the pack.

Do not look back. Even if there is a monster behind you, all you need to do is outrun it, no? Her running technique must be splendid, she has to transfer the energy with perfect efficiency.

In a race, speed and power aren’t the only factors. It doesn’t matter how strong you are if you waste a lot of energy with each movement. That is why most umamusume prefer to save their strength for the last moment, as they will use up a lot of energy for the final push.

But that is unnecessary for Fujimasa March. As long as you run in perfect form, then there isn’t a reason why you can’t maintain fullspeed till the end of the race?

“Fujimasa March easily took back the lead at an incredible pace! Her lead has extended to eight-No! It’s already ten lengths and still growing further and further apart!”

Of course, even if she has the means to envision an outcome, it doesn’t mean she could perfect it in action, she could feel that her energy usage is still far from optimal. Still an ugly running form at best. But for now, that is passable, since she already can see the finish line.

Her mind closes off all her other senses, those that are not necessary right now. ‘Run’ is the only thing on her mind.

Crossing hundreds of meters in a moment’s notice, she should’ve reached her limit already. Her body shouldn’t be able to maintain this pace much longer, her lungs should feel like bursting, and her legs as heavy as logs. 

But none of that is true today.

Her mind is still clear and focused, in fact, she feels better than she has ever been before. The world is so calm and slow, as if she is jogging by herself beside the river back in Kasamatsu. Her legs don’t feel fatigued at all. If anything, she hasn’t even pushed with all her power yet. She had reached the ten timestamps she had marked in her head with no issues, as if the world itself was obeying her will. 

It means she could push even further! She will try imagining twelve reference frames then!

“Number 2, Fujimasa March, had already reached the third and final corner! Can the rest catch up?!” 

March ran the corner like a straight, coming from the outside, she returned back to the inside. As she entered the home stretch, she couldn’t see where her rivals were. But it doesn’t matter, she won’t stop here. 

She will not make the same mistake as that day in Gold Junior, she will give her all. After all, she is in this battle, not for Norn, Rudy, or Mini, not just for Shibasaki or Oguri, but herself too.

The adrenaline in her body had started running low, as she could feel her breathes fiercely born from the nearly unbearable pain of her lungs. Her stomach feels like it is being tortured by a hundred lashes. It is as if her body is being torn apart with each step she takes. 

But, until the time when Fujimasa March can walk by Oguri Cap’s side, she won’t let go of this momentum!

“200 meters left! Fujimasa March is ahead by an incredible distance, it is unreal! The other umamusume have already begun their spurt, but they aren’t catching up at all!”

The world started to feel slightly faster, and there is a slight tinge of discomfort in her head. 

No. No. No. She can’t lose focus yet. Was twelve too ambitious? She struggled to maintain the path in her head.

The finish line that had looked so close just now feels like it is moving further and further away. She nearly stumbled over herself, but she is able to recover instantly, her legs swinging at overtime.

The fight is still raging on, whether she likes it or not. Even if there is no end in sight, she will not run away, she will not back down. Even if she falls, she has to stand right back off the ground!

The wavering path that was about to disappear into thin air is now just barely holding on, as she is scantily grasping at its mirage. Her target is just in front of her. 

‘Thank you… Trainer Shibasaki… Thank you… Oguri Cap… All of you!’ Her eyelids were heavy, her body extremely fatigued.

Her breaths running ragged, lungs expanded beyond their limit, burning in pain beyond her imagination. Her legs feel like they are about to collapse, the sheer strength that she is exerting feels like it is going to knock her off balance at any moment.

However!

As long as she keeps her heart, her pride going strong! She won’t waver. No longer will she cower, no longer will her spirit be broken! All her burdens, she will keep carrying them on! 

‘My legs… My dreams… My life! I won’t stop here, I will chase you to the ends of the world.’ So you can bet that her will won’t easily fade. ‘Just you wait, Oguri!’

“Gaaa-AAAAAAHHHHH!” A war cry came deep from within her soul.  Something primal within her, drawing every single ounce of hidden power still left in store, no matter the cost. 

“Fujimasa March is pulling further and further ahead! 25! 27! 28! How many more lengths will she widen the gap?!” The thunderous cheering of the crowd reached an all-time high. 

Today on the Nagoya Racecourse, they alone are privileged to witness the birth of a legend.

“Here comes Fujimasa March to the wire! An unbelievable record-shattering performance, finishing with a 31-length lead!” 

‘I was born to run.’ 

Her body passes the finish line. The deafening roars of the crowd barely registered by her ears, as all her mind hadn’t even realized the gravity of the situation.

Her body slows down to a moderate pace as she continuously eases. The resounding beating of her heart, the rush that had surged throughout her body, steadies to an aerobic pace. That scorching fire that had lit the path to victory in her eyes fading away, akin to a hallucination.

She. Fujimasa March. Had won.

As if she were awoken from a dream, her eyes widen in realization. 

“It’s going to be Yamano Southern second, Tomishino Shenron third, Shiba Sen fourth, and Gifu King fifth!” A few seconds after March finished, the announcer finally spoke again.

“An amazing, inconceivable performance by this miracle umamusume! As if the heavens had blessed her with unfathomable power today! Fujimasa March has broken the national 1900 meter Dirt record, previously held by Ryuboy, with a time of 1:56.3!”

The resounding applause of the crowd was the only thing binding her mind to this reality. All the doubts that she had about herself were completely shattered and dragged around. The race was breathtaking, even as the rain continued to drench her suit, she continued to blankly stare at the endless sky, watching the birds soaring above.

It is as if the rainwater rolling down her cheeks were her own tears. Her eyelids felt a little warm. Her hands went up to wipe the water that was blocking her vision.

“I’m–crying?” Under her uneven breaths, she muttered in a pained surprise.

It was her own tears. 

“The future of this umamusume is endless, as she wins her first SP1 race with a world-level performance!” 

“I kept suffering defeat after defeat-I-I finally won!” The tears of joy overflowed from her tear ducts. She finally did it.

She feels like she is about to pass out, barely holding on to her consciousness. But, as an act of defiance to her body’s limits, she used all the energy she could muster to raise her arm, fist clenched up.

“Once again! The winner of the 18th Aichi Governor’s Cup Tokai Derby is Fujimasa March!”

‘Thank you for waiting for me, Oguri. I’ll see you soon at Central.’

…

At the end of the winning live, her trainer immediately pulls her aside and made her take a seat. He looked pretty serious. March wonders what had caused his happy expression from earlier to turn grim.