It was hella' early in the morning. Early 'nuff that sunrise hadn't come yet.
As expected, Tracen Central's practically a ghost town this early on during the day. The classrooms were empty, the hallways quiet, the cafeteria still closed. The usual chatter and noise that symbolized Tracen Central wasn't there just yet. The only ones awake were a few staff, and maybe the Green Devil.
That's fine. She enjoyed the quiet this time around.
Tamamo Cross breathed heavily as she slowed down, having crossed the finish line just moments before. Small beads of sweat fell from her chin, and she scowled as she wiped them away with the back of her hand.
It was damn annoying that she'd forgotten to bring her hand-towel, but that was fine. She'd deal with it.
She took a big mouthful of air as she gazed at the track in front of her. She could still see the imprints her steps had left behind—the small, slightly sunken grooves her cleats had made as she ran. Her legs still pulsed with that slightly uncomfortable warmth that signified all the effort she'd put in during that last lap she did.
It still wasn't enough.
Even here, unimpeded by Belno Light's Domain, she still couldn't catch up to the speed Oguri Cap had shown back in the [Osaka Hai]. That explosive acceleration seemed more like a force of nature than anything an umamusume should've been able to unleash. Hell, the Hanshin Racecourse had to be closed down for an entire day to repair all the damage Oguri did to the Turf track.
She still remembered it like yesterday. The way Oguri had shot right past her, darkness swirling around her like the event horizon of a black hole. The way she stood at the finish line, completely unbothered by the awe and fear her display had inspired.
And of course she was frustrated! Of course she was! Oguri had come back after her injury and basically destroyed everyone else! She'd already won the [Japan Cup], then the [Osaka Hai]. For the Goddesses' sake, her winning streak from all the way back in Kasamatsu was still going!
But complaining ain't gonna get her anywhere. She didn't lie to herself; compared to Oguri, she'd fallen behind. Or rather, she didn't improve fast enough.
Not a surprise, considering she should've retired months back. Awakening her Domain had pushed back her deadline, but that was all it did. Eventually, the same weakening that all umamusume faced would strike her too, and once that happened, all she could do was hope that her retirement was a grand one.
…Why the fuck would that even matter anyway? Ain't like her pa would be there to see it in the first place.
"Because that would certainly be what he would've wanted from you, Tamamo-senpai."
Tamamo blinked when she saw someone offering her a hand-towel, and she looked up to find that it was Blossom Star. "Da hell? Why'rya awake?" She whispered, though she gave a small thanks as she accepted the towel.
"Mm, felt like I've been sleeping a little too much lately." She said, before her eyes glanced to the left, seeing something only she could see. "And someone told me that I had something to do."
"Right." She said, entirely unconvinced, though she didn't call Star out on it.
Things were quiet for a little bit. Star had a small smile as she glanced around, occasionally looking up to stargaze. Meanwhile, Tamamo just wiped away the sweat on her face, her eyes cold as she began thinking of the umamusume standing next to her.
Ha, right. It wasn't just Oguri Cap. Blossom Star was also just as strong. Her win at the [Spring Tenno Sho] was still being talked about to this day, after all.
It was scary. She never thought she would witness something like that in her life. That was the stuff of legends—the things that get you forever stamped into the history books. And it was even scarier to realize that the thing holding Star back wasn't herself, but the fact that Japan just couldn't offer more Long races to make full use of Star's monstrous stamina.
It was embarrassing when she first felt relief over the fact that Star wouldn't be able to operate at 100% in the [Takaruzuka Kinen].
And it was even more embarrassing when she then realized that Star had been staring at her for who knows how long. "Watds'it!?"
"Nothing, nothing~" Star smiled. "It's just nice to finally talk to you after a while, Tamamo-senpai."
"I'was busy." She muttered.
"Is that so?" Star hummed, clearly pretending to understand.
Tamamo grit her teeth, feeling that familiar acrid taste in the back of her tongue. "Jus' spit'it out 'lready!" She hissed.
Star remained quiet for a moment, before she suddenly sat down on the Turf. "Why don't we sit down?" She said, patting the space next to her. "Have a little chat and all. I mean, not like anyone's gonna see, right?"
Tamamo stared at her, idly wondering if the time in America had knocked some screws loose in Star's head. But Star only continued to smile as she waited, and Tamamo sighed harshly before she eventually sat down. Star's smile grew, and Tamamo just scoffed as she slung the towel around her neck. "So?"
"So." Star closed her eyes for a moment, before she glanced at her. "Y'know, I've heard that you've been pretty quiet as of late." Her smile lowered. "Got anything planned. Maybe some secret training you don't want others to know about?"
"Nothing like 'dat." She whispered, doing her best to keep an irritated scowl from her face.
"Eh~? Are you sure? That lap you just ran looked pretty intense!"
She silently clenched her fists. "It ain't anythin' special." She said through grit teeth. "All the noise was jus' gettin' to me."
Star hummed. "Is that so?" She smiled calmly. "I guess I can understand that. Running in the middle of the night's pretty nice. I mean, I can't run too fast or I'll wake people up, but having the entire track to myself is-"
"Can ya' just get on wit' it!?" She shouted, no longer able to hold back her irritation at the way Star kept clearly dancing around whatever she truly wanted to talk about. But then,
"Are you sure?"
Tamamo paused at the sudden shift in tone, and she felt a chill creeping up her back as she saw Star's eyes drilling into her, those bright blues shining eerily beneath the soft glow of moonlight.
She forced the words out. "Jus' get on wit'it."
Star stared for a few more seconds, before she nodded. "I won't fault you for avoiding everyone." She said softly. "Grief is no small thing. It tears you from the inside—rips out everything you thought you knew and leaves you nothing but a shell."
"But it isn't just you. Your mother, your siblings—they are all grieving too. To shut them out, even if to try and mend your own heart, will only breed resentment and hatred in those you call family."
"And you know better?" She bit out. "Stuff'it back, you wannabe hero. You know nothing 'bout me."
She nodded. "It's true. I don't. My parents still live." She said, though the way she said it was odd. A flicker of pain showed in her eyes, before it left just as quickly as it came. "I am not you. I can never truly understand what you feel." Then, her eyes hardened. "But this I know."
"If your father truly loved you, then watching his family breaking apart, seeing you isolate yourself—this is the last thing he would've wanted."
"You-!"
"Perhaps it's presumptuous of me." She continued. "But that's what I believe. When I was blinded by my own sorrows and nearly killed myself, the only thing I hoped for was that my parents could eventually move on."
Tamamo paused, eyes turning towards her in a panic. "Wait, you almost what-!?"
"I know your father was sick, and had been sick for a long time." She looked up to the starry sky, eyes lost in reminiscence. "Being confined to a hospital bed, incapable of even breathing with your own lungs—such experience is no better than torture. Perhaps death had served a blessing for him."
"Yet I am sure that his final thoughts were not for himself, but for you." Star went quiet for a few moments, before she took a small breath and placed a comforting hand on Tamamo's shoulder. "Grieve for him, and then live. Even if he isn't here anymore, the love he felt for you still remains." She huffed. "You're still here, after all."
…
"Well, I guess I'll leave you to your thoughts for now." Star said with a smile, though her smile seemed a little forced. "Don't stay out for too long, senpai." Star breathed softly as she stood up. "Just remember; you still have your mother and your siblings. Your life isn't over just yet."
Star grinned. "Keep fighting. Don't go hollow."
And with those words, Star turned around and left, casually waving her hand as she walked away.
Tamamo stared at that fading back for quite a while, lost in her own thoughts.
.
.
.
AN: Apologies for the delay. This chapter was a little heavy, so I took my time with it. I didn't want something subpar for something like this.