Umamusume, they are girls born to run, race, and earn their legacy. Some have an arduous fate; some are left behind a legacy. In this strange yet amusing world, they continued their journey via racing and dueling in the future. No one knows the result, no one can speak for the end of others. Yet, they will keep running, searching for their own finish line; they can call it legacy.
In a small, remote town in Kouchi lived a young, lively Umamusume, known as Haru Urara. She was upbeat, energetic, and optimistic. Yet during her younger years, she was more timid, quietly watching the world with curious eyes.
On a lively afternoon, the chatter from outside collided with the voice of a television broadcast. Across the screen, the announcer declared:
"And here she comes, Akitsu Teio, the Mile Monarch! She is passing everyone in the front, storming through the final stretch—!"
Before the glowing screen sat a fragile young Haru Urara. Her eyes widened, lips parted in awe.
She was amazed by the speed, the brilliance, the sheer tenacity of this Umamusume. Her small hands clenched into fists, and her face leaned so close, it seemed as if she wanted to leap into the screen itself.
Her mother walked in, carrying a folded cloth, pausing at the sight. "Urara, you're way too close to the screen. Please sit a foot more back, please."
But Urara paid no attention. She was too engrossed in the dazzling sprint playing before her.
At last, her mother stepped forward.
*Click*
She pressed the button on the remote.
The screen went black, and Urara was startled.
She turned to see who came to ruin her afternoon. Met only a woman, swinging the remote in one hand, and sighed. "Haru Urara, I said, distance yourself a little."
Urara 's eyes were wide with protest. "Please, Mom! She almost crossed the finish line!"
"Until you distance yourself, Urara!" Her mother stood, one hand firm on her hip, the other waving the controller.
With a hasty shuffle backward, Urara moved herself a few feet away, "Mom, faster! Faster!" she urged.
Her mother relented, sighing again as she pressed the button. The screen came alive once more.
Urara cheered. Instantly, she shifted back to the screen.
"Just... Remember to help around the house after the race is over, okay?" her mother conceded.
"Yes, mom," Urara replied monotonously, her gaze locked back onto the screen, too concentrated on the match to notice anything else.
Her mother sighed, placing the remote gently back on the kotatsu, which sat at the center of the living room, as she left.
***
***
***
Sometimes later...
Evening came, as usual, and Urara's mother decided to bring Urara outside and play in the field nearby.
Meanwhile, the small pink critter, Urara, urged her mother to hurry as she skipped ahead.
"Come on, Mom! Faster!"
"Yes, yes, coming," her mother replied warmly, gently locking the door behind her.
The journey was short, given that the field was only a mile away from their house.
When they arrived at the field, Urara frolicked around.
"Oh! A dragonfly!" said Urara, chasing it.
"Oh! A dandelion!" said Urara, picking it up.
"Oh! A pebble-" said Urara, hurling it.
Her steps were light and playful.
After exploring the field, she soon planted herself at a self-made starting line, her small arms spread as if addressing a roaring crowd.
"On the number 4, it was the fan's favorite, Haru Urara! She was about to take off and show the world what it meant to be the fastest and greatest Umamusume ever!"
With that, she broke into a dash, imitating the very style she had seen Akitsu Teio display on television.
Her mother sat on a nearby bench, smiling softly as she watched her daughter run with boundless spirit, every innocent.
Urara's speed was not exciting, yet in her eyes it was dazzling. The world swirled around her view; the gust of wind crackled before her ears. It was magnificent. It was too beautiful.
But just as she became completely lost in the thrill of running, beneath the grass, a snake slithered out across the field. Seemingly crossing the path before Urara.
Urara's eyes caught it. Fear struck her as she froze and yelped before stumbling.
Her steps tangled, and she tumbled hard to the ground, her knees scraping against the grass as pain rushed through her.
The fall, the quaked from Urara's tumble, just as feared, the snake quickly slithered away, vanishing into the weeds.
On the field, Urara remained stricken. Her eyes were wet as she perched on the spot.
Her mother gasped, rushed from the bench, and hurried to her side, wrapping her arms around her, whispering softly, trying to calm her daughter down.
"Shh... It's okay, Urara... It's okay. The snake was gone. Let's go home, okay?"
Her soft phrases came as they went. Urara was too shocked to react; she walked away only when her mother carried her.
Instead of being traumatized for weeks or months, from that day forward, the memory of the snake haunted Urara for years.
This made her afraid of racing in open spaces, especially when she always thought something might be lurking around the corners of the fields, waiting.
As the wide outdoors became a place she no longer wanted to visit.
She shut herself away from the open fields, choosing instead to stay indoors. Rather than playing outside, she chose to watch the races on television, eyes glued to the screen as if the world outside no longer existed.
This worried her mother, but this didn't stop her mother from trying many small tricks to lure her outside again.
"Haru Urara, let's go get some popsicles."
"Haru Urara, let's go get some fresh carrots, so I can cook your favorite carrot rice."
She will say.
And every time, her mother would deliberately take a long detour, circling past the very field where Urara had fallen.
Yet the little Umamusume would only clutch her mother's arm tightly, hiding behind her as they crossed, eyes wary and afraid.
Beyond that, Haru Urara naturally disliked water, especially showers. Her mother had to chase her down just to bring her into the bathroom.
Some say she despised showers because when she closed her eyes under falling streams made her uneasy.
Or perhaps she simply hated wasting time on cleaning when she could be watching her beloved Akitsu Teio instead.
After all of that, even with her fear of running open spaces, she still adored the idea of it.
She never stopped loving the races she saw on television. From time to time, she would even mimic the running, except it was inside her own home, sprinting through the corridor, imagining herself among the greats. But not the grand outdoors.
"Here goes, Urara!" she would declare. Blazing through the corridor like a gremlin on its sugar rush.