AN: Well, seems like the reaction to this IF story was unanimously positive, so I'll put this here as well. The second upload for today will be returning to the usual story, mostly because I don't have any extra chapters yet for this IF story. But since everyone seems to like it, I'll try and write more in-between the Main story.
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When Light first mentioned that she'd won 3 G1 races, everyone was naturally surprised. After all, Belno herself was only a support umamusume, so to suddenly find out that another version of her was so prolific that she'd won 3 G1 races in her Classic year alone was mind-boggling.
They believed her though. Not just because the situation was so strange that lying was out of the question, but because of the presence that rolled from Light. It was a weight that would cause many to tremble, and for Oguri and Belno, it almost reminded them of how it felt when they first stood before Symboli Rudolf.
But it didn't mean such statements were to be taken at face value, and so Director Akikawa proposed a small test race to see whether Light could truly live up to the words she'd spoken.
Unfortunately, Oguri Cap was still too injured. She couldn't train, much less run.
Which only left Belno as the sole participant.
Suffice to say, Belno had been completely crushed. And it wasn't even a comparison; by the time they'd finished the 1200 meter sprint, Light was leading by nearly 9 lengths and had done so with relatively little effort, while Belno was left on the ground, eyes dazed and gasping as she tried to not pass out from exhaustion.
"Astonishment! Light completely dominated!" Director Akikawa said, the word 'Shock!' written in ink across her fan. "Incredible speed, and an adaptability to both Turf and Dirt—such talent is rare!"
Hayakawa Tazuna nodded slowly, though she found herself narrowing her eyes. Halfway through that Sprint, she'd felt a crushing pressure emanating from Light, almost as if she'd been at the precipice of something before forcibly pulling herself back. "Could it be…?" She whispered.
Musaka Ginjirou had been stunned into complete silence. He was more than familiar with Belno Light—he understood that her talent for running was lacking. And yet now he bore witness to a Belno Light that proved otherwise. Moreover, just from this practice race alone, he could tell that Light possessed the strength to easily compete against the Ashen Monster herself.
And speaking of that monster,
"Her running…" Oguri Cap whispered, remembering the way Light had bent low as she ran, each of her steps causing the ground to tremble in her wake. "It's like mine."
Musaka grunted. "Not just 'like'." He narrowed his eyes. "It's exactly the same."
Meanwhile, back on the track,
Belno was gasping loudly. Her chest felt like it was burning! She hadn't noticed it earlier, but she'd been completely swept into Light's pace, and before she knew it, she'd completely burnt herself out. And all the while Light hadn't even struggled at all!
Her ears twitched, and when she turned she saw Light holding a hand towards her, a small frown on her lips. "You're a support umamusume, right?" Light asked. Belno nodded in between her gasps, and Light smiled. "You're definitely stronger than you let on, Belno-san."
Belno chuckled weakly. "I still lost." She grasped Light's hand, and she grunted as she slowly stood up. "Ah, you're so strong, Light-san…"
"I have to be. I can't let Oguri and Star leave me behind." She chuckled. "I can't let myself always remain 3rd in Team Kitahara."
Belno went quiet for a moment. "How did…" She paused for a moment, before she steeled herself. "How did-, um, how did you get to Central?"
"Ah, that's…" Light smiled fondly. "It's nothing too complicated. We wanted to make it to Central by our own strength, so we delivered a performance that couldn't be ignored." She huffed as she thought back to those days back in Kasamatsu, when they were all too tired from the consecutive races they ran. "Each of us ran 2 races a month, and by the time the new year came around, the URA was practically begging us to go to Central."
"T-Two races a month…?" Belno whispered, terrified by such a spartan schedule. "And you won them all!?"
Light nodded. "We had to."
Belno stared in awe. And what else could she feel but awe? The way Light had described it—she and her team had basically clawed their way to Central by their own means.
But–
"How did you keep running?"
Light blinked at the strange question, though her eyes then narrowed as she saw the way Belno was looking away. "Keep running, huh?" She whispered, her eyes softening as she saw the way Belno shrunk back in shame.
Light closed her eyes. "Because someone believed in me from the very start."
"Eh?"
Light smiled fondly. "I doubt our start was any different." She began, thinking back to those first days back in Kasamatsu Tracen. "I wasn't good at running. I practically came last during that first trial race we did." She giggled. "Unsurprisingly, there wasn't a trainer that wanted to make me their trainee."
"And that was when Star first approached me." Light opened her eyes, and she grinned as she raised a hand towards the sky. "Even though I was slower than everyone else, she looked at me and believed that I was strong. That I could run." She clenched her fist. "It's because of her that I'm here today."
Belno smiled. "She sounds incredible."
Light nodded. "She is. In fact, she's the reason Team Kitahara still exists in my world." She grinned slightly. "Back in the [Chukyo Cup], Symboli-san saw Oguri racing and wanted her to go to Central-"
"Eh? Symboli Rudolf met you too!?"
Light stared. "Wait, that happened as well?" Belno quickly nodded, and Light blinked. "...huh. Interesting." She shook her head. "Anyway, she wanted Oguri to come to Central, though she was also interested in having Star and I at Central as well."
Belno went still. Light had mentioned it casually, but Belno didn't miss it. The Symboli Rudolf from Light's world believed that Light was talented enough to go to Central. Which meant that Light was already so incredible even back then.
And for a moment, Belno felt a deep sense of…frustration, maybe. She couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if she just continued racing. If she just kept pushing on despite the doubts she had. Could she also become like Light? Could she have entered Central as a racer instead of being only a support?
She didn't know. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.
"Going to Central had always been our target, but doing so that early meant leaving Kitahara behind." Light continued, and her lips curved into a triumphant smile. "Of course, we didn't want that. Kitahara had been there from the very start, and the thought of leaving him behind was unthinkable."
Belno stared for a moment, before her eyes went wide. "Kitahara…joined you to Central!?"
Light nodded. "That's right." She grinned fondly. "Star stood against Symboli-san and made her stance; Team Kitahara would not enter Central without Kitahara-san with us." She giggled. "And together with Musaka-san, we eventually agreed that Kitahara would be joining us as his Apprentice, even if it meant losing his Regional license."
Belno gulped. From all these stories, Blossom Star seemed like such an incredible figure. Inspiring Light to keep running, keeping their team intact, going against the Emperor herself—it was almost as if Blossom Star was some kind of Hero from a shounen manga or something!
But if that was the case, why did Belno never hear of her?
And she wasn't sure if she could ask about it. Because she'd seen the way Light's expression had darkened when she first realized that no one here knew who Blossom Star was. It was almost as if Light believed that–
"Kitahara came to Central!?"
Belno blinked, and then shrieked when Oguri suddenly came up next to her, having run all the way from the other side of the track. Her eyes were twinkling as she stared at Light, clearly wanting to know whether what she'd accidentally heard was true.
"He did, yes." Light said, grinning slightly as she saw Musaka walking towards them, clearly displeased over the fact that Oguri had ignored his warning and ran all the way here. "In fact, he's also in America with the rest of-" Light continued sharing stories about their team, and Oguri listened with growing wonder, her tail wagging excitedly whenever Kitahara came up.
Belno giggled at her friend's obvious excitement, though her expression fell for a moment as she thought back to this Blossom Star. Light had made it clear that Blossom Star also came from Kasamatsu, which made it strange that she'd never heard of her, especially since she was so strong that Symboli Rudolf wanted her to go to Central as well.
Maybe she should call Kitahara and ask if he could find out if Blossom Star also existed in this world?
…
Strangely, an eerie chill crept up her spine when she considered that idea.