Chapter Text
Umamusume.
They are born to run.
They inherit the names of horses from another world,
Whose histories were sometimes tragic and sometimes wonderful,
And run ever forward.
That is their fate.
No one knows how the races waiting in the futures of these Umamusume will end.
But they will continue to run, aiming only toward the goal in front of them.
Grandeur can be a blessing and a curse. Efforia had been at Tracen for a week now, and it felt just like the place she'd always dreamed of. If there was an amenity or service she could think of, Tracen had it.
But now, after the honeymoon phase began to die down, she began to grow homesick. Her parents called occasionally, yes, but she hadn't seen their faces much since she left. And everything felt huge to her. She briefly looked out from her sixth-story window; the tallest buildings back home only had two floors. Tracen had tracks of various sizes and surfaces. Back home, all she had was a so-called "track" in a park with a hill, formed by feet tamping down on grass. Her face was outwardly calm, but her hands couldn't help but clutch at her bright red scarf, which she had ever since she was much younger, as if her body was trying to remind itself of home.
She pulled out a well-worn book from her hefty backpack, titled "The Greatest Umamusume Races in Japan, and What Makes Them so Great". Contained within the book were accounts of iconic races in Japanese history, written in enough detail to make one think the author was running in the races themselves. The spine was cracked and creased from being opened so many times, and she instinctively flipped to a section containing some of her favorite races, as if she had read about them a million times. She adjusted her frayed scarf, such that it draped over the back of her neck, leaving the text on the book unobstructed as she read.
No two races were ever truly alike; she knew this well. However, there were patterns to be found. Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet at the Autumn Tenno Sho. Oguri Cap and Tamamo Cross at the Arima Kinen. Meisho Doto and TM Opera O at the Takarazuka Kinen. Meisho Doto and TM Opera O at the Takarazuka Kinen again a year later, for that matter. And, and, and. Always with the ands. In Efforia's eyes, all the truly great races had a rivalry at their center. Umamusume pushing each other towards their absolute limits, and then pushing each other even further than that.
Grandeur swung back towards being a blessing. Her hometown was nice, yes. It was cozy. Safe. But it had so few people, and even fewer Umamusume. And out of those that were there, most everyone with any semblance of skill wanted to get out as soon as they could. What was left were Umamusume who lacked skill, ambition, or both.
Well, except for one. But… Well, she's got some problems of her own.
Once the big fish in the small pond eats all the little fish, it's doomed to starve eventually. She needed a lake, even if she'd miss parts of the pond. She kept reading intently, and with every word, her desire grew stronger and stronger. Her heart caught fire. Her legs twitched. Her face switched from its usual calm expression to a determined scowl, as if she were standing in the starting gate in this very moment.
Yes, she could feel it, the crowds watching intently, her rivals flanking her in the gates next to her own, and the desire to best them all. In fact, she swore she could hear the gate doors fly open, and the sound of the other Umamusume dashing forwards, the footsteps sounding like a magnificent stampede.
"Now's not the time to be reading. Classes start soon." A voice snapped Efforia out of her trance, prompting her to look up from the book, her fierce expression changing to a more dazed one. She quickly realized the sounds of the gates and the footsteps were actually her roommate opening the door to their room and speed-walking off to class. "Hurry." Her dark-haired roommate added flatly.
"Alright alright, Taiho, no need to rush," Efforia said, stuffing the book back in her bag and following her roommate at a much slower pace.
"My name is Titleholder." She stopped dead in her tracks, other Umamusume awkwardly shuffling around her as Titleholder jolted her head to look back at Efforia with a piercing glare. Efforia's eyes blinked rapidly, not having seen such a serious look in her eyes before. It was terrifying and… exciting, in a way.
"Sorry, sorry, I won't do it again." Efforia raised her hands slightly. as if to "surrender". Her voice had a tense yet calm tone, trying to defuse the situation. "You really are serious about that, huh?
"…Yes." Titleholder took a breath of relief, her shoulders relaxing as she began to walk forward once again. "Remember my name. If you don't, my accomplishments will make you."
"Then I'm looking forward to seeing them." Efforia nodded, her voice conveying earnest excitement. As they walked, Efforia saw a flood of students exiting their dorm buildings alongside them. Efforia scanned the crowd, peering over everyone else's heads. She wondered if any could stand the test of time and go down in the history books alongside her, and which ones would fold under the pressure, and go home by the end of the year.
The two of them managed to make it to class on time, sitting down next to each other as the teacher entered not long after. The first classes of the day were always the more academic ones, followed by the classes regarding races and their history. The teacher began writing about a math concept on the board, one Efforia couldn't bring herself to care about. Efforia watched as Titleholder wrote down everything the teacher was saying with precision, and raising her hand every time the teacher called on the class.
"Can't we just skip to the tryouts already?" Efforia muttered, unable to take her mind off the tryouts scheduled for later that day. The daydreams played in her mind on loop, the thoughts of getting scouted by an astounding trainer, one who will force her to go beyond what she thought was possible, all in the name of proving herself the best out of her rivals. She rubbed her scarf with her fingers, her fidgeting betraying her apparent boredom.
"If you don't pay attention in class, they won't let you into the tryouts," Titleholder whispered, not taking her eyes off of her notes.
"You're a teacher's pet…" Efforia groaned, slouching against her desk.
A glance from the teacher stopped the two students from conversing any further. Titleholder rigidly jolted her head down towards her notes, as if she were a robot being commanded to do a task. Meanwhile, Efforia began to pretend to pay attention. Worrying about math would take too much energy. She needed to save that for her tryouts. Efforia looked out the classroom window, which had a view of the large, open training track. Efforia smiled, imagining herself already out there, trainers watching her in the stands as she outpaced her soon to be rivals. She imagined them arguing over who would get to scout her as she crossed the finish line ahead of everyone else, picturing them swarming her after all is said and done.
"Efforia!"
Efforia jumped back to reality as the teacher asked her about a math problem, one which Efforia had no idea how to solve. She sat there stammering for a good few seconds, before the teacher sighed and let Titleholder answer it just so the class could move on.
The classes fell into a formula. Titleholder would pay attention dutifully, her notebook growing incredibly full of knowledge. Efforia would daydream about racing against potential rivals, while following along just enough to not embarrass herself again. Occasionally during the more racing oriented classes, Efforia might actually answer a question or two, much to the surprise of Titleholder.
After many hours of this, classes finally ended for the day, marking the beginning of tryouts. The hot afternoon sun shined down upon Efforia, and while she'd be damned if she'd take off her scarf just because of a little heat, it did prompt her to tie it slightly looser. Several other Umamusume were doing so as well while chit-chatting with each other, some excited, others nervous.
"You seem very different." Titleholder stood beside Efforia, looking up curiously at her roommate's expression.
"How could I not be?" Efforia replied, her hand excitedly toying with her scarf once more. "Today's the day I finally get to show what I'm made of. I might get scouted, I might even find myself a rival here on this very track," She explained proudly, excitement seeping through her voice as she looked down at Titleholder.
"If you're implying that rival is going to be me, I'll have to decline."
"Eh?" Efforia snapped out of her determined trance, slightly shocked by Titleholder's blunt refusal. To her, Titleholder seemed like a shoo-in for the role. An Umamusume of similar skill level, trying out on the same day, with a polar opposite personality, And they were roommates! It seemed like a gift from the Three Goddesses, really.
"If I am to leave a legacy, I must be unrivaled," Titleholder explained. "I can't let there be any sort of debate."
The refusal stung, like a wasp right on the cheek. But it couldn't be helped, Efforia thought. At the very least, Titleholder wasn't the only other Umamusume trying out today. Maybe someone else could prove to be a suitable rival.
"Well well well, you did manage to make it in after all."
…Or maybe the wasp would bring a friend.
"Danon the Kid." Efforia slowly turned around, meeting the sudden guest eye to eye. She saw that familiar brown hair, which was a similar shade to her own, and the giant cowboy hat slanted on her head. The hat had a hole pierced in it for her ear, as if it was haphazardly stabbed with a knife. "Really, I could say the same about you. Figured you'd blow up on somebody during the entrance exam or do some pushing and shoving and get kicked out."
Danon the Kid rolled her eyes, before leaning in with a smug grin on her face. "You're a decent runner, Efforia. But I know you better than anyone, and you're thin skinned. If you can't even handle somebody yelling at you, I don't know how you're gonna handle racing in the big leagues."
"The yelling isn't the problem," Efforia grumbled. "It's the fact that you're a jerk while doing it. I know you can be better than that." Efforia's expression grew tense, tapping her foot in frustration.
"Have you ever tried pushing back?"
"Have you ever tried, y'know, not being such a pain?"
The two of them were locked in what went beyond "staring contest" and into "glaring contest", both of the Abira girls gritting their teeth, until a third voice piped up from below.
"This is not the place to argue." Titleholder said, looking comparatively tiny compared to Efforia and Danon the Kid. Danon the Kid turned her attention to Titleholder, slightly turning her head towards Titleholder to sneer at her.
"Oh? Who's your buddy here, Efforia?"
"My name is Titleholder."
"Right," Danon said flatly, like she didn't even really care. "Listen, Efforia. I don't care about you or your little buddy-"
Titleholder's voice dropped down an octave. "My name. Is. Titleholder."
"Oh shut up." Danon the kid dismissively waved at Titleholder, before going back to speaking to Efforia. Titleholder's face contorted into a mix of shock and anger, as if she had just been shot in the chest. "It's only a matter of time before you fold, I'm sure of it. If I were you, I'd admit you're not cut out for it, and then go back home and read your books and whatnot." Danon the Kid adjusted the cowboy hat slanted on her head, a smug look in her eyes. "But hey, the choice is yours." And with that, she left. Efforia sighed in relief, and Titleholder stood straight up as she watched Danon the Kid walk off.
"You know her," Titleholder stated.
"Yeah… Yeah I do." Efforia looked down slightly, shaking her head. "She's not a terrible racer, that's the thing. She could've been a good rival, but… Her attitude is just insufferable."
Then, the PA system came to life, the speakers ringing as the announcement played over the entire track. "It is time for the following Umamusume to proceed with their tryouts: Zinc Yell. Danon the Kid. Efforia. Titleholder. Black Chrome. Please proceed to the gate. The race will be 900 meters long over turf."
"Ah, well, seems like it's time. Pretty short distance if you ask me." Efforia marched towards the starting gate confidently, the others mentioned following suit. "Good luck out there, Titleholder.
Titleholder's expression returned to neutral, her shoulders lowering as she entered the gate next to Efforia. Efforia's face morphed into a determined expression the moment she entered the starting gate, before she looked around at the other four Umamusume running alongside her.
To her right, Titleholder walked into the gate with a sense of poise, a controlled expression on her face.
To the left now, Danon the Kid grumbled as she entered the gate, mumbling about it being a "damn cage…" as she gritted her teeth.
In the outer gates stood the other two Umamusume. Zinc Yell in gate #1, grinning as she stepped in. Black Chrome in gate #5, She actually had brown hair. Efforia gave them both a quick glance. They're probably not bad runners, but while you can never be too sure about anything in racing, Efforia was more worried about her immediate neighbors than she was about them.
Out on the terrace, trainers looked out at the track, some using binoculars to get a better view of the Umamusume down below. This included a lone pair of Umamusume ears, the white haired trainer they were attached to peering down intently.
The five Umamusume running stood in the gates intently, poised to dash at a moment's notice. Efforia looked unflinchingly ahead at the metal doors of the starting gate, out at the wide open turf track ahead of her. And then… They flew open.
The racers pushed ahead vigorously, quickly settling into position. Titleholder casually took the lead, with Danon the Kid and Efforia neck and neck in second and third, with the other two lagging behind. Efforia's eye's narrowed with determination, as she tried to find an opening to overtake. Her heart began to beat rapidly, her stomach feeling like it was on fire as she felt the euphoria of running against actual competition for the first time in a long while.
"Hahaha!" Danon the Kid cackled, trying to push up as hard as she could. Her running seemed bold, bordering on aggressive, as she ran up close to Titleholder, who was keeping her composure.Danon the kid pressed her luck, inching closer and closer to Titleholder, almost brushing shoulders. Efforia was a length and a half off the pace, and her competitors in front didn't seem like they were letting up any time soon as they passed the early turn. She glanced over her shoulder to check on the other two in the back, and they seemed to be a good few lengths behind her. Efforia passed the 400 meters point now, and she realized it was now or never. Knowing she had more than enough clearance from the girls behind, she moved a bit to the outside, planted her foot with an in the ground with an intense stomp, and blitzed forward, her long strides aiding her in catching up to Kid and Titleholder.
"Eh?" Danon the Kid looked to the side, noticing Efforia's sudden surge forward. But she quickly shook it off, trying not to fall off the pace. Titleholder put extra power in her steps, trying to edge out the two girls now flanking her. The white-haired Umamusume in the stands leaned in curiously, getting a better look at the racers dashing down the track.
"Haaaaaah!" Efforia and Danon the Kid shouted at the same time, both of their faces forming a scowl, not wanting the other to win. Titleholder leaned in slightly, racing ahead silently. They passed the 300 meters mark, then 200 meters, then 100. They all put maximum effort into their strides, striking the ground with their feet as they ran onward. They blitzed through the finish line in a cluster, making the steward double check who beat who. But after all was tallied up, the PA system rang out again.
"Titleholder wins. Danon the Kid placed second by a neck. Efforia placed third by a neck."
Several of the trainers on the terrace smiled and paused their stopwatches. Meanwhile, the white haired Umamusume lowered her binoculars and smiled, walking slowly out towards the track.
Titleholder looked up at the PA system in pride for a brief moment, flashing a soft smile before turning to meet the other two. Efforia bent over, clutching her knees as she recovered her breath. A pained smile was spread across her face. She enjoyed the feeling of racing against equals, but she knew she had to improve. Danon the Kid meanwhile gripped her hat tightly, clinching her teeth together in frustration.
"Hah… hah… hah… That was a good race, wasn't it?" Efforia asked, slightly turning her head to face Titleholder.
"You could say that," she replied. "But I can't get too excited right now. I still need a trainer to actually scout me."
"I can't imagine that'd be too farfetched. I mean, you did just win after al—"
"Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!"
Danon the Kid's yell made the two girls look over at her, as she looked up with an enraged glare. She pointed at Titleholder, her voice sounding violent on the outside, but whiny only an inch below the surface.
"You only won because there was barely anyone running! You'd crash and burn in a real race with a real field."
Titleholder simply shook her head, looking down and pinching the bridge of her nose. Presumably, she was under the impression that wasting time responding to that would dignify Danon the Kid's excuses. This prompted Efforia to respond to Danon the Kid, clearly not looking forward to at least three more years of her excuses. She's already had enough of them as is.
"Listen, Danon the Kid," Efforia said, walking forward slightly. "You can throw excuses around all you want, but the fact of the matter is that she won, and you didn't. So please, for the sake of everyone else, take your attitude and excuses somewhere else."
Danon the Kid gripped her hat even tighter, as if she was about to tear a chunk clean off. "You didn't do much better, Efforia. Don't throw stones in a glass house," she said through clenched teeth.
The PA system rang out once more, this time calling for everyone to get off the track so that the next group of Umamusume can prepare. And with that, Efforia and Titleholder walked off, Danon the Kid going the other way, kicking up grass as she turned.
"…And yet I'm the thin skinned one," Efforia mumbled.
"I see why you call her insufferable," Titleholder said.
"Yeah, she is… Something else. You should see her when she wins," Efforia replied.
Efforia's ears then perked up at the sound of feet approaching, and lots of them. She turned to see if the next tryout had started already, only to see a bevy of trainers headed Titleholder's way. Some of them seemed so eager that they were practically falling over themselves as they tried to be the first ones to get to her.
"Hey, Titleholder, look alive!" Efforia pointed at the trainers, prompting Titleholder to turn her head. Her eyes widened a bit as she noticed the trainers running over towards her, before taking a deep breath to compose herself.
"Hello, I am Titleholder," she said. However, before she could add another sentence, the trainers began talking over each other, trying their hardest to convince Titleholder to come join them. They stood about as close to Titleholder as they could without making things weird as they spoke excitedly to her.
"My training regimens are top notch!" "I can make you the best in the world!" "I'm an expert strategist, join me and you'll never lose again!" The wall of voices was deafening to Titleholder, who seemed unable to understand what anyone was saying. She winced slightly, backing up with a loud stomp.
"One at a time, one at a time… Please." She said, her ears folding in a bit to shield her from the cacophony, the brown ear coverings wrinkling as they curled inwards. The trainers seemed shocked for the most part, giving Titleholder more space and beginning to take turns speaking. Efforia sighed with a weary smile, determining that Titleholder had this from here as she walked away.
Efforia couldn't help but compare the tryout to the daydream from earlier. She was flanked by runners who COULD'VE been rivals, said runners being the ones that outpaced HER instead of the other way around. There was a swarm of trainers… But they went for someone else. One could say she was the world's worst psychic. She began to think ahead to the next available tryouts, and then the next ones, and the next ones. She'd do them every day, if she could, even if her legs would give out, even if she'd fall flat on her face. She'd push and push beyond what most would consider excessive, until she finally managed to impress somebody enough to get scouted.
As Efforia indulged in yet another daydream, A white haired Umamusume noticed her standing there, biting her lip as she got lost in thought. The Umamusume approached, her simple clothes contrasting with the gym clothes and Tracen uniforms everyone else was wearing.
"You, you're Efforia, right?"
This prompted Efforia to snap back to reality, looking over at the Umamusume that called out to her. She looked the girl over, noticing one thing above all else: A glimmering trainer's bade attached to her clothing, shining like a priceless gem. Efforia squinted at it a bit, wondering if she was still in a daydream before looking up at the Umamusume's face.
"Oh! Yeah, that's me!" Efforia exclaimed, rubbing the back of her head. "And you are?"
"Dolomite. Trainer Dolomite, to be exact," she replied, a soft, earnest smile on her face. "I'll put it in simple terms. I saw you race out there, and I think I like what I saw," She said with a sense of calm determination. Efforia couldn't believe what was happening, causing her to blink in confusion as she went quiet. Were this a cartoon, her jaw would probably hit the ground. She shook off the confusion, before pointing out to a couple spots in the training area.
"Wait, are you… Are you scouting me? I mean, I'm flattered, but… if I may ask… Why me? Like, Titleholder's over there, and Danon the Kid… Probably went that way. So why settle for third place?" Efforia asked, tilting her head a bit as she spoke.
Dolomite took a breath, her smile growing wider as she took a step closer. "Well, firstly, Titleholder seems a little preoccupied at the moment," she said with a chuckle.
"Okay, fair… But what about Danon the Kid?"
"Regarding her… First of all, you and her seemed pretty evenly matched, physically speaking. You did only lose by a neck, after all."
"Yeah, but wether you get beat by one length or ten, you still lost, y'know?" Efforia asked with a shrug.
"It does feel that way, yes. But think of it this way…" "Danon the Kid… She's bold, aggressive, stubborn, and forceful. She's good at accelerating quickly at a moment's notice, and she seems hard to intimidate."
"That all sounds like reasons to scout her over me, though. Why exactly are you going for me?"
Dolomite shook her head, but her voice did not carry a tone of disapproval."For starters… Danon the Kid is bold, aggressive, stubborn, and forceful."
"…Huh?"
"You heard me. Those traits have good and bad sides to them, y'know. I'm willing to bet she'd be a royal pain to work with. But also…" Dolomite paused, as Efforia thought about what she was saying. "I can't help but think she cares about winning more than she does racing. You saw how close she was to Titleholder, Like she wanted to dominate her. And then that argument after the race… That was an argument you two were having, yes?"
"Less an argument, more so her throwing an excuse-laden hissy fit, but I understand what you mean," Efforia said with a slight chuckle. She was beginning to smile now, playing with her scarf excitedly as she conversed.
"Exactly. That's what somebody who wants victory for victory's sake alone does. I've seen people who act that way, and it causes nothing but problems. So before I make my offer, tell me…" Her smile widened as she posed with confidence. Dolomite crossed her arms, her ears standing up tall as she prepared to ask the million dollar question. She paused, took a breath, and then she spoke.
"What exactly is your dream? What do you race for?" Dolomite asked, awaiting patiently for Efforia's answer, a softly excited look in her eyes.
Efforia paused, before returning the smile, confidence beginning to flow through her body once more. "I want to form great rivalries, and secure my place in history alongside them."
Dolomite sat with the answer for a few seconds, anticipation building inside Efforia. Dolomite closed her eyes, before opening them back up and nodding intently. "Hm. Good answer. Now then, would you like to be my trainee?"
"Of course!" Efforia exclaimed as she reached out her hand, Dolomite reaching out hers in kind for a strong, confident handshake. Efforia beamed with anticipation, while Dolomite's smile seemed calm yet sincere.
"Then it's settled. Get some rest today, and meet with me tomorrow on the track after classes. We've got some training ahead of us."