"No-, no more…" Inari One mumbled, her eyes spiralling as she fell onto the sand. Her usual cheerful attitude was gone, replaced only by exhaustion.
Fujimasa March didn't give the plucky umamusume a response. Mostly because she couldn't. She was too tired after the hellish training she'd just undergone, and her stomach was twisting into knots when she realized that she wasn't even halfway done through today's reps.
Ah, she was going to die.
"I doubt that'll happen." Blossom Star said, grinning slightly as she sat next to her. March's eyes twitched slightly, but she didn't bother giving a response. She was the one who requested this training, after all. "Ah, better close your eyes. Oguri's coming."
March felt a spike of panic stab into her head, and she quickly brought her hands up to shield her eyes. And just moments later, a massive explosion sounded not too far away, and she barely heard Inari One screaming as a massive wave of sand splashed onto all three of them.
Star grinned wryly as she idly dusted away all the sand in her hair. "Satisifed?"
Oguri Cap nodded, tail gently swaying. "Feels good to run." She said, doing a few quick hops on the sand. "Wanna run too, Star?"
Star's ears perked up, and her grin grew. "Don't mind if I do~" She stood up, though she quickly turned back to her and Inari. "Take a quick rest, you two. Oguri and I will go on a quick run." And right after saying that, another explosion of sand rose into the air as Oguri and Star lunged across the sand.
Inari One screamed once more as the sand splashed onto her face, and she coughed weakly before her head dropped back onto the sand. "Agh, there's sand in'ma eyes'n ears…"
March just sighed, thankful that she'd at least protected her eyes from the sand.
…
She secretly snuck a glance at the umamusume lying just next to her.
March had to admit that she was jealous. She despised it—despised the way it made her feel about Inari one, despite knowing that she performed no fault. But no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, she couldn't help but feel like there was a baleful fire burning in her chest whenever she caught sight of this fox-like umamusume.
Because Inari One stood as another reminder that March was ordinary. Inari had only started training with Star just a few days ago, and yet she'd already managed to surpass March's progress. Inari could run faster, last for longer, and she could bounce back for another rep in less time.
It hammered home that though she'd been a 'genius' back in Kasamatsu, she was nothing but an ordinary umamusume here in Central.
"Whats'it?" Inari one asked, raising an eyebrow after noticing the way March had been staring at her for the past minute.
She blushed in shame. "It's-, nothing." She said as she quickly turned away.
Inari One tilted her head in confusion, before she eventually gave up thinking and laid her hands out, too tired to even think.
March took a moment to breathe, before she spoke. "Your next race…" She began, unconsciously clenching her fists. "It's the [Sapporo Kinen], right?" Inari blinked, and then nodded weakly. March hummed as she looked away. "I see."
The [Sapporo Kinen], was it?
Then it was impossible. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't run against Inari One. She wasn't like Oguri or Star—her adaptability to Turf had never gone anywhere, despite how much she'd tried to train herself for it.
Of course, everyone was understanding. The races in Kasamatsu were predominantly run on Dirt after all, and it was mostly luck that all three core members of Team Kitahara could also run on Turf. And besides, with Belno Light winning the Undefeated Dirt Triple Crown, the popularity of Dirt races in Central had been going up. There was nothing wrong with focusing on Dirt races.
Even so, she wanted-
…no. It didn't matter.
"Good luck, Inari-san." She eventually managed to say, her voice hoarse.
Inari blinked at her words, before she grinned. "Of course!" Though her face was covered with sweat and sand, there was an undeniable brightness to her expression as she raised a fist into the air. "Just watch me! The trophy's gonna be mine!"
March smiled kindly, even if the back of her throat burned with brimstone.
.
.
.
Later that evening, just as I was jogging back to our shared condo to get some dinner, I encountered someone…unexpected.
"Oya, oya? If it isn't the White Comet herself?"
I blinked, and then turned around to find an umamusume walking towards me. It was someone I'd never met before—her wild brown hair and blue eyes were ones I was not familiar with. Yet I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of familiarity with her, as if I'd glanced at her once or twice before.
I narrowed my eyes slightly, though I still managed to return the greeting. "Ah, it's good to meet you." I said, bowing slightly. "I suppose it's rather redundant, but I'm Blossom Star."
The umamusume pursed her lips as she rubbed her chin, before she smiled freely. "Waow, the juniors are so polite these days." She chuckled as she twirled a lock of hair. "Still remember the days when we'd be seconds away from getting into a brawl whenever someone gets too close to someone else."
I blinked. "I'm sorry?"
She snorted as she shook her head. "Sorry, sorry~! Just reminiscing, that's all." She winked as she jabbed a thumb towards herself. "Name's Mr. C.B."
My pupils shrunk. "Mr. C.B…?" I whispered, finally realizing why this umamusume in front of me had felt so familiar. I hadn't recognized her at first—mostly because that little white hat on her hair wasn't there this time around, but now that I knew who she was, it was hard not to notice who she was.
I took a small breath.
Of course I knew who Mr. C.B. was. A wild and freedom-seeking umamusume, but also the 3rd holder of the Classic Triple Crown. The only reason why she was less known was because Symboli Rudolf became the 4th holder of the Triple Crown just a year after C.B., practically eclipsing C.B.'s achievements.
And she also happened to be the person Rudolf had been struggling with for the past few years, constantly living with regret over how she forcefully ended their friendship during the peak of their careers.
In other words, the person in front of me was the reason why I was playing counsellor to the Emperor herself.
I then smiled. "Well, it's an honor to meet you, senpai." I smirked slightly. "Didn't think I'd encounter someone so legendary here in Okinawa." I playfully narrowed my eyes. "I mean, what're the chances that you just so happened to be here, right senpai?"
She chuckled shamelessly. "Mhm! Totally a coincidence! I just wanted to have a little tropical get-away, that's all~"
I nodded seriously. "Of course. Absolutely a coincidence."
C.B. grinned at me, happy that I was playing along. "Anyway~!" She did a playful twirl as she stepped towards me. "Since we're already here, why don't we go on a little detour?" She asked, before raising an eyebrow. "Unless you have something urgent to do? I mean, if you do, then don't let little ol' me distract you."
I rolled my eyes. "I can spare some time, senpai."
"Well, then!" C.B. winked. "Come on, I'll lead the way~"
…
If only I knew what I was getting myself into.