Chapter Text
To Ms. Manhattan Cafe
Budapeszt, December 27th, 2000
You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings. I arrived here yesterday, and my first task is to assure my dear Cafe of my welfare and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking.
As I walk the streets of Europe so far away from home I start to notice just how much I missed being able to do that. I feel the breeze and see snow falling on festive city happy to be just one of many faces in the crowd. Do you understand this feeling Cafe, or are you still unknown enough that it doesn’t concern you. The festive spirit present fills me with purpose to continue on the path I started since I realized I cannot breach the limit. I have seen here culinary creations that would confound Tracen staff and amounts of food on display that would satisfy Oguri Cap. Streets lit by red lightning and churches staging their performances before their steps. Quiet countrysides and endless fields blanketed by snow, no wonder that an uma who could run more than any before or after we know of would be born here.
For Cafe I had a vision, such a wonderful thing it was. A vision of an Uma that stood taller than any other and reached the stars, an uma that would be fire to lit the path for all. Once upon a time I longed to be her. It was then in that faithful Satsuki Sho I realized i wasn’t meant to be the trailblazer. My legs are too weak, my vision too grand for my capabilities. I gave into despair as you no doubt seen until I realized. It wasn’t my place to be the an illuminating blaze so I would be as Vivian to king Arthur, Chiron to Herakles, Frankenstein to his monster. I will be the new Prometheus and as he brought fire to humanity so I would bring the light to Umakind to inspire them to reach past that gate that exits in all of us. For us to finally scale the waterfalls and emerge as dragons. Do you see it Caffe? Will you think me mad?
It doesn’t matter for I have obtained what I have searched here for and am ready to take a next step in this run. I shall feel the forces unearthly and speed unimaginable for umas again soon as my next journey takes me to the gloomy islands of long dead empire. The lands of British lovers of tea and former masters of weaves. A nation with a great place in history of the sport we both hold dear. Or is the Tracen motto not “Eclipse first, the rest nowhere”, as you very well know she who has managed to win the race by so much as to disqualify all others. Her place of final rest shall also be my final destination on this trip.
I hope you like the coffee I sent with this letter.
Police Archives of Osaka Prefecture, evidence related to disappearance of Oda Hakurei a worker at local convenience store.
Recording starts with a scratch as the tape is wound taunt.
“Tell me have you ever though of being someone else, someone better? Of running faster than all the girls you see on that TV?” Asked a feminine voice full of maniac energy.
“Miss this is 7/11, are you going to buy something?” Replied male voice like it has been drained of all energy it could have ever had.
Shuffling of plastic packets is hear on recording before something is placed down on metalic surface with characteristic sound.
“Yes, please ring this bag of instant ramen,”- Was fired out by the energetic one -”but you have not answered my question yet. Rather curious isn’t it. So have you?”
ping
“That will be 12 hundred yen, thank you for your purchase" And with that male voice fell silent, for he could not bring himself to utter the words until the owner of the female one was almost out of store, interpolating from loudness of steps and a shuffle of automatic door.
“I never stopped from the moment I have seen them first, to run free as the wind as crowd cheers you on. Once I believed I could have been one of them, then I grew up.” A spark could almost be heard sneaking through monotone growing into the fire as voice grew quieter whispering last part.”In my weakest moments I still want to.”
Footsteps preassumably belonging to female voice are heard getting closer to recorder.
“I can make this happen,” Energetic voice was heard more clearly now “ you just have to take a deal and follow me. Look at yourself, do you have anything in life to even fear death from my hand?”
New set of footsteps, this one louder presumably belonging to Oda is heard before a small plastic object drops onto the floor. It has later been confirmed to be Oda's work identification card.
From there both sets of footsteps continue to grow quieter until the door closes and with it all sounds cease.
Click
Case is shuffled into unsolved section as archive moves on with its day.
Straight Line was excited, she was one of many umas slowly walking into the boxes on the regional track of her small town.
With a spring in her steps she placed herself in her spot, careful not to breach regulation in any way. It was her first graded race so she wanted to put on her best possible performance. Her family wouldn’t survive embarrassment if their firstborn daughter stained their honor this way especially since her father took a leave from his office job to support her here.
In attempt to calm her nerves she checked the boxes next to her, in the right one was her longtime friend and rival Weird Way. Unfortunately she got the better spot than her today. Then not wanting to make her resentment show to her friend at gate assignments she glanced to the left.
Big
That was the only thought on her mind as she pointed her chin upwards only to catch the gaze of a strange uma.
Her eyes were green.
Straight blushed in a distinctly un-straight way, and forced herself to look away catching a glance of the stranger's deep brown hair.
Oh god she was coming off as a schoolgirl with first crush quickly she needed to say something
“So what is your name? I am Straight Line and I am going to win this race and then treat my family to the best restaurants in Tokyo!” She shouted the last part proudly still a little embarrassed with herself. Despite knowing that all good racers needed to be confident, thats what her trainer told her.
“It doesn’t matter, I am just here to drum up my numbers. This race isn’t important enough to even show on my record and your name is not worth the neurons it would take to hold it in my memory.” Said a surprisingly high rumbling voice of amazon next to her.
Rude, I will show you not worth neurons, you colossal waste of space.
“Don’t look at us down you bastard!” Someone shouted.
Oh that was me.
That was Straight Lane only thought as she suddenly felt small next to a stranger that could probably kill her before the judges could react and her face burned in shame at her outburst.
“Then prove you are worth remembering little uma. At least you have the guts to talk back, it will not let you win, but makes you better than the rest of minnows that made the mistake of talking to me.”
She wanted to reply but before she could the announcement started.
Today at the Saga Prefecture's annual 3000 meters uma race we will be witnessing the bright spirit of Saga amateur uma athletes who will compete for the grand prize of 600 thousand yen.
Additionally a guest from URA japan has been invited to provide a professional commentary for the first time in history of our race.
Taking sprinting position already imaging herself in first place, she knocked on her rivals box walls to let her know she is there receiving one in reply.
Finally gates opened and she could see the track, remembering her strategy she should focus on getting ahead of the pack and into the innermost lane as frontrunners were supposed to do.
Bang!
Then with shot of a pistol they were off.
Our competitors are off to a rather middling start wouldn't you say miss Tokino?
I wouldn't discount any umas yet, besides it’s bad form to judge performance before the finish line.
Straight flew straight out of gate her legs easily finding purchase in dry turf. Looking behind herself she found her rival stall empty clearly a sign of her being better than most other umas who remained still in their boxes clearly not used to racing.
Number 6 Straight Lane is getting into the lead by 3 lengths.
It wouldn't matter anyway, she was here to win and less competition meant it would be easier to do so and get enough money to fund her family vacation.
Number 9 Magnum Opus has finally managed to start again and takes the outermost lane.
The few remaining ones didn't try to contest her lead as she took her desired place at the front of the pack and maneuvered herself to the right lane, slowing her pace and breathing to maintain stamina for later contesting of the spot on last straight.
Magnum Opus is passing, Aler-Magum Opus has passed Alert Noise Number 13 and is now approaching middle of the pack.
It was then she heard something that sounded a lot like steps of elephants she used to watch on TV.
Magnum Opus is speeding up she is passing the pack. She has passed the pack she is approaching Straight Lane.
Looking back in instinctual fear she saw the amazon from earlier running so much faster than something that big should, her movements too fluid to be natural. Despite sprinting much faster than anyone else Straight has ever seen her upper body seemed to be still in comparison to everything else in the world.
It was then that Straight Lane looked into the approaching uma eyes once again and for the first time in her life she felt like she was going to die. The Monster - for that was all that Uma could be - had eyes so empty that corpses of animals she had seen on Weird's farm seemed full of life by comparison. To make matters worse she could have sworn that in the moment she blinked the monster had teleported from far back of the pack and had gone from being the being last one to leave her box to nipping at her heels.
Worse than that, the Monster not slowing down in the slightest, she seemed to be accelerating. Soon despite being in outermost lane she was overtaking Straight Line, who despite all her efforts and burning muscles couldn't maintain even half the pace her enemy was casually reaching.
What an upset! Magnum Opus has passed Straight Line by a length and seems to still be accelerating. Will we have the winner?
Her lungs burned and she almost stumbled as waves of pressure left by passage of that uma pushed her with far more force than a human sized object should generate.
She couldn't let that bitch win! She needed to go faster no matter if it would lose her the race from exhaustion, if only so that monster wouldn't have the satisfaction of being next Eclipse.
With that realization she felt something settle in her being, it felt like that one thing she always wanted to have never being able to name. That new thing wanted to be used, and so she followed her instincts and did it.
All of her fatigue disappeared in the flash as she reached speeds that she couldn't comprehend.
Yet, as she looked upon the last lane she couldn't find the monster she was going to crush.
A sinking feeling of dread crept upon her as she followed the track to its conclusion and saw there that bitch waving at her without a care in the world.
And with first place winning by 30 lengths despite a late start is Magnum Opus. Her time is 2 minutes and 30 seconds, ladies and gentleman we have a new record.
Everything that she felt before that moment disappeared, and she felt her muscles burning as they couldn't maintain the pace she set for them a moment ago.
Soon she was leaving holes in track trying desperately to slow down.
Straight Line in second place with fantastic 2 minutes and 55 seconds, she would have been the new record holder if not for our winner.
Barely registering passing the finish line she felt something big catch her and spin around, gradually slowing down before settling her on the ground.
Her vision was blacking out as she heard someone speak something to her.
“You were almost a worthy opponent. Don’t disappoint as much next time.”
That couldn't stand!
But as her mind was forming a report she saw a white ceiling with fluorescent lamps and felt a rather distinctive antiseptic scent invade her nose.
When did she get there?
In the dark alleys behind the countryside stadium a meeting was taking place, its participants shrouded in shadows of nearby tribunes could barely be heard over sounds of crowd going crazy after a concert that had happened on their other side.
“You did good enough that some offers from URA to participate in G3 races came. Of course I accepted them for you my Magnum Opus." Said an excited voice, of a smaller figure in a suspicious trench coat and beret.
Then before the bigger figure could reply she continued” Of course you cannot participate in them in something that wouldn't look out of place in high school PE class. So I took the liberty of picking out your outfit, you will be measured for it soon.”
“Will you let me pic–” before the bigger figure could finish she was cut off by a smaller one.
“No talking, remember what I was telling you about, maintain breathing rhythm at all times. Remember you agreed to this.” With that bigger figure fell silent.
“Now follow me.”With that a smaller figure started to move away from the stadium in the direction of the train station ”You need to get more training in, your late start may have still allowed you to win this farce of a race, but it was an embarrassing failure that looks bad on someone who is meant to be a pinnacle of all umas.”