Archive of Our Own

Aoi Kiryuin. Rookie Trainer at Tracen Academy, bursting with boundless potential. Together with the teachings of the Kiryuin manual, there is nothing Aoi can't conquer in the world of umamusume, from designing just the right training regimen for her trainee, to maintaining proper emotional connections with said trainee. Not even the bizarre and mystical happenings at Tracen can deter her from her dreams. Her promise is clear: she will ensure Happy Meek will succeed and excel in the Twinkle Series and beyond. But unfortunately, there is something that it can't help with. Something Aoi has had to figure out on her own throughout the years to little avail, and may never have peace with.

There is no section in the Kiryuin manual on how to cope with the crippling reality of not being an umamusume.

Aoi watched from outside the rail, a forlorn expression on her face as she observed Happy Meek's form. Kouji was here as well, his trainee—Agnes Tachyon—partner running with Meek on the turf as part of today's training.

Aoi had noticed that Meek tended to be shy when running scrimmages, resulting in her getting blocked and unable to advance for her spurt. That's what gave her the idea to do partner running to improve Meek's confidence when in close proximity to her fellow racers. By sheer coincidence, Kouji happened to also need a partner runner for Tachyon—she tended to bully the other racers in scrimmages—so they both agreed to it. It seemed to be working, too. Tachyon purposefully held back on Kouji's recommendation, and Meek was doing better at asserting her lane on Aoi's instruction.

At least, those were the thoughts Aoi had when she was in Trainer mode. Now that she had the confirmation she needed of Meek's improvement, she had transitioned firmly into Yearner mode. All she could do now was watch Meek and Tachyon run and envy what she would never have. It had always been like this, when she would watch Luna run and stream ahead of her with ease, while she sputtered and struggled to catch up. She wanted to catch up, to surpass Luna and soar ahead, while leaving everything in the dust. But she was human. She could never outrun her.

Aoi thought it would get easier now that she was constantly watching umamusume run. Exposure therapy and all that. Maybe it would get so routine that the painful envy in her heart would get bored and move onto something she could control, or something like that. But that never happened. If anything, it only solidified even further, a silent vice gripping her heart tighter and tighter as the days went on. Only her years of experience in dealing with this pain had allowed her to focus on anything else at all, especially her trainer duties to Meek and her colleagues. But it needed release, lest it blow and ruin her even further. So she allowed herself these moments to imagine what could have been. Maybe, if the Goddesses were kinder, she would be at the front with them, blazing a trail across the track and leaving them in the dirt. Or turf, she supposed. She didn't know what her aptitudes would be. Too bad she'd never find out.

"You think it'd be nice to run like them?" Kouji suddenly asked, interrupting Aoi in her yearning.

She looked at him, caught off guard by his question. It wasn't that she didn't feel that desire—Goddesses know she felt them—but the fact that someone else could have those desires. Everywhere she went, from school to the trainer academy to even Tracen itself, she never met someone who shared that same yearning as her that wasn't already an umamusume. So finding out that someone did?

"Yeah," Aoi replied.

Kouji shot her a slightly incredulous look before returning his gaze to the track. Meek and Tachyon were approaching the second corner, Tachyon still trying to respect Meek's lane, and Meek trying to assert herself when Tachyon veered too close. Once they'd passed the corner and entered the next straight, Aoi shot Kouij a quick glance. He had a distant, forlorn look on his face that she was very familiar with. Maybe he had the same desire she had after all, a kindred spirit.

"If I could run that fast, I could feel the wind blowing against my face and ears, my tail counterbalancing as I sink closer and closer to the ground. My body relishing the burn instead of being crushed by it. I could just…be free. Unconstrained," Kouji remarked, a large hint of melancholy in his voice.

"Running normally helps a little, but it's not really the same, is it? There's no wind working against me, nothing to balance me if I try to lower my stride. And my stupid stamina is so tiny that I can barely sustain myself for more than thirty minutes," Aoi mused.

"Tried running as well, couldn't really do much with it, unfortunately. My body just sucks, man," Kouji complained.

"I feel you. Even with how much I do it just doesn't scratch that itch, you know? It didn't matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't ever catch up to Luna." Aoi thought for a moment, quickly realised her slip-up, and moved to change the topic. "Tried swimming?" she suggested.

Kouji didn't seem to notice, thankfully. "The pool's nice. You know, I wanted to be surprised Tracen has an olympic-sized pool, but I just can't. Because of course it does." Aoi could understand Kouji's detached perspective from the antics of Tracen. Goddesses knew she had already witnessed enough for a lifetime.

"Yeah, anything can just happen. No rhyme or reason. Honestly, it keeps things fresh around here," Aoi said, with amusement in her voice.

Aoi and Kouji proceeded to trade tales of bizarre happenings as Tachyon and Meek crossed the final corner into the last straight of their current set. Returning to Trainer mode, Aoi gave her observations to Meek—she was doing better with her confidence, but needed to work on not letting Tachyon block her in—before she and Kouji sent them off for another set. 2400 meters on turf. Soon after the first corner they let themselves return to Yearner mode.

"Just doesn't get any better, does it?" Kouji said with that same hint of melancholy. Aoi related to his struggle. Now she wanted to ask him a question.

"Kouji, can I ask you something?" Kouji nodded, "Why did you become a trainer?" He seemed to think about it for a moment, a resigned sigh escaping before he answered.

"I guess because I realised that I wouldn't ever run like them. It sucked, but, well, that's just life sometimes. So I thought that maybe I could guide them to run in my stead. Lead them to the heights I wouldn't ever reach. And, well, if I saw them run enough, I'd maybe move on to something else."

"But you never moved on, did you?" Aoi stated, matter of factly. She was keenly aware that it didn't work for her. Why would it work for him?

"Nope. Never did," Kouji ruefully answered.

"Me neither."

Aoi and Kouji sat in silence for a moment, lost in unfulfilled desires. Now that she had someone that shared her desire, she might as well indulge a bit.

"If you were born an umamusume and had an umamusume name, what would it be?" Aoi asked.

Kouji paused at her question, a dark expression over his face as he turned it over in his mind. He looked at her, at Tachyon, then back at her before steeling his resolve.

"Marie. Or something involving that."

Ah. Aoi punched herself internally for not connecting the dots sooner. Of course Marie wanted to be a girl. It comes prepackaged with being an umamusume, after all. Aoi already had that, so it never crossed her mind that someone who didn't have it would share the same yearning.

"Marie," Aoi tested the name on her mouth. It suited her. "It's a nice name, Marie."

The soft smile Marie had made up for her mistake. Just a little bit. Aoi was certain that Marie's tail would be wagging if she had one.

"Do you…also have an umamusume name?" Marie asked. That was fair—Aoi had asked the question first.

"I haven't really thought about it, not in years, at least. I kind of just gave up once it set in that I just couldn't ever be like them. But if I was, then…" Aoi gathered her courage; it would be the first time she would admit this part of herself to anyone else.

"Taisho Aoi."

Marie gave her a soft look. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Taisho Aoi."

Now Aoi really wished she had a tail, because it would certainly be wagging at being called her umamusume name—her true name. She did love the Kiryuin family for everything they'd done for her. But Aoi Kiryuin wasn't a name she really connected with. It was why she preferred to be called Aoi over Kiryuin.

"Um…if you could call me Marie in private, I'd appreciate it. Only Tachyon knows as well. I'd rather not get…outed," Marie quietly requested.

"Of course, Marie," Aoi agreed. "Actually, could you call me Taisho again?"

"Anytime, Taisho Aoi."

Her tail would definitely be wagging if she had one. If only.

Tachyon and Meek were at the last straight. Aoi and Marie quietly returned to Trainer mode as their trainees passed the marked finish line. Tachyon gave Aoi a curious look before returning her attention to Marie. Aoi thought nothing of it, even when she probably should've.

One foot in front of the other. And then the next in front of that.

Aoi could feel the burn of lactic acid in her muscles as she ran. Nowhere near umamusume speeds, of course. And it sucked. She wanted to feel the wind racing against her face, the scenery rushing by in a blur, her tail whipping behind to balance her as she leaned almost parallel to the ground. But she didn't get any of that. All she got was a mediocre mockery.

She checked her smartwatch. 3200 meters so far, 12 minutes 21 seconds. Really good for a human, honestly. By all accounts, Aoi was incredibly athletic as-is.

But that time would be absolutely pathetic for an umamusume. And it certainly didn't feel impressive when she watched an umamusume in the uma lane whiz by her. She wanted to do that, not this…pale imitation. But she didn't have a choice. Reality doomed her to mediocrity.

And it would've doomed her to even less were it not for her own actions.

The Kiryuin manual had a section on the physiology on umamusume, and how one as a trainer needed to account for that physiology when crafting training regimens for their trainees. While it did highlight the similarities between human and umamusume physiology, the Kiryuin family itself was very pragmatic and utilitarian in terms of its focus on umamusume training. Running was only meant to simulate. The running form, the burn of lactic acid, the spatial awareness.

But Aoi wanted more. She always wanted more than she could get.

"I'm practicing proper running form so I can correct it in my trainee," she'd tell people. And they believed her. Aoi would try to run like an umamusume (with an artificial counterbalance), and she was able to apply what she learned to Happy Meek. But it wasn't the sole reason why.

She ran like them because she wanted to run like them.

The burn was getting to be too much to bear, so Aoi ended her run for the day. 4000 meters in total, 14 minutes and 55 seconds. A very impressive pace…for a human.

An umamusume could run that distance in a fourth of the time, if even that.

Aoi sighed. This was supposed to take her mind off her thoughts, but it seemed to only make things worse in that regard. It had been like this a lot lately. Her runs would make the yearning worse more often than better. She looked forlornly at the uma lane. The simplified painting of the umamusume taunted her from the other side. It had the proper running form. And Aoi couldn't ever do it naturally.

She shook her head; the thoughts were becoming unproductive now. The sun was beginning to set, so she needed to head back to the dorms. Once again cursing her terrible stamina, she hopped on a bus back to Tracen Academy, too tired to even walk back.

Why are you so cruel? Aoi idly thought to the Goddesses.

She might never know.

Aoi could only avoid the mirror for so long. She'd intended to have a shower before going to bed to freshen up after running. But she just had to catch her reflection in the mirror by accident, and now she couldn't look away. It wasn't even that it was entirely wrong. Aoi could still recognise herself in the mirror and be…mostly okay with it. The base was there; she was satisfied with it. But it was incomplete.

It was missing the umamusume ears that should be on her head. It was missing the umamusume tail that should be swaying behind her. Her ears should have been flicking in annoyance at her own procrastination. Her tail should have been still due to her emotions. Her ears should have been swivelling to and fro to catch every sound that was happening in the immediate area. Her ears and tail should have been there.

Aoi closed her eyes, pretending that the sensations she felt weren't reality. She pretended that she did have umamusume ears, and that she did have an umamusume tail. She could feel her ears flick occasionally and her tail sway behind her with no rhyme or reason; that was just how they were. She snapped her fingers on her left and felt them swivel to capture the sound, pretending that it was just a little louder than it actually was. She tried wagging her tail and and it listened, happily wagging behind her. For a fleeting moment, she felt…okay. Just a little more complete. But as with all fleeting moments, it had to end.

Aoi opened her eyes. The umamusume ears weren't there. The umamusume tail wasn't there.

She wasn't an umamusume.

…

It's getting really bad tonight, isn't it? Aoi sighed heavily. Looked like she'd need some relief.

One uncomfortable and dysphoric shower later, Aoi went to her secret box she kept in a closet. She felt embarrassed by the contents, plus she often hosted other people in her room. Pulling it out, she opened it to reveal her attempt to relieve these terrible feelings.

A pair of cosplay umamusume ears and tail, styled with the same colour as her hair, and a set of pants with a tail hole. Aoi grimaced at what she was about to do. She felt terrible every time she did this, but when it got this bad, what choice did she have except to indulge her fantasies?

She slipped on the uma ears, styled her hair to hide her human ears, pulled the tail through the hole in the pants before putting them on, and went back into the bathroom.

One last accessory was needed for her…cosplay. Happy Meek had given her a custom ear ornament before they parted ways. A token of her appreciation, she had said. Aoi, while appreciating the gesture, had internally winced upon receiving it. All it did was remind her what she'd never have.

But she could pretend, for at least one night?

Aoi clipped the ear ornament on her left uma ear and then suspended her disbelief.

She felt okay. For once, she felt complete.

Taisho Aoi was staring back at her.

She couldn't help the small smile that emerged at the sight. What was this feeling called? Euphoria? That's what Marie called it. Surely it applied here, right? All she did right now was bask in that feeling of contentedness. The wicked feelings from before were successfully banished. For now.

But it was not to last. As Aoi continued to admire her reflection, the illusion began to crumble.

Her umamusume ears never moved, no matter how hard she tried. Her tail was still, no matter how happy she was. And though she did her best, she still knew her human ears were there.

The euphoria was gone in an instant. Dysphoria rushed back to take its place, even stronger than before. Tears were forming in her eyes as the bad thoughts returned in full force. It was all wrong. She would never be a real umamusume. All she could be was a fake. An impostor. A fraud. A freak-

Aoi dashed out of the bathroom and collapsed on her bed, sobbing silently into her pillow. All she could do was cry, to curse this cruel world for what it had forced upon her, to blame Happy Meek for giving her a false sense of happiness that was ripped away as soon as-

No. Happy Meek didn't deserve this. She just wanted to show her appreciation. She didn't know of her struggles with these feelings. Ideally she'd never know. Aoi didn't want to burden Meek with her frankly childish problems.

So all she could do was cry herself to a dreamless sleep.

Aoi woke up. A part of her didn't want to, yet she did anyway. She was drained from crying her eyes out last night. She wasn't quite cognizant yet, but she could hear voices in her room. Wait, voices? She hadn't forgotten to lock her dorm room, did she? No, she did. But in that case, who would have a key?

She could make out who was speaking. Happy Meek, and…Luna?

"What happened to you?" Rudolf quietly muttered.

"Trainer should be okay now. I want to make sure of it." Meek responded.

She blearily opened her eyes, and sure enough, they were standing over her bed, Luna with a bewildered expression and Meek looking exhausted. Did she not get enough sleep? Aoi had told her again and again how important it was to get proper rest, so why…?

Aoi shot up out of the bed and dashed to the bathroom, locking the door once inside. Rudolf called out to her but it was too late. She had completely forgotten that she went to bed with her umamusume cosplay, and now her trainee and her childhood friend had both found out about her deepest fantasy. This was the absolute worst case scenario. She didn't even want to think about how she would get out of this scot-free.

What she absolutely needed to do right now was get out of this cosplay, so she reached for the ears and-

"OW, FUCK!"

Cursing herself for swearing in front of Meek, Aoi cried out in pain. That was very confusing. They weren't glued to her head, were they? Luna wouldn't pull a prank that mean, right? She reached up again and-

"Aoi, you okay?!" Rudolf called out from outside. Her left ear flicked in annoyance at the volume…

She saw it. Her left ear had flicked. It had moved! She could feel the weight of the ear ornament on her head! And then her right ear flicked! She looked down at her reflection and- there it was! Her tail was swaying behind her! But this didn't make any sense. Aoi was human, so why would she…

It finally hit her. She wasn't human anymore. She was an umamusume.

Staring back at her in the mirror wasn't Aoi Kiryuin.

It was Taisho Aoi.

Happy tears fell down her face as the realisation kicked in. She reached a hand to her now-real uma ears. Being careful this time due to how sensitive they are, she gently pet them, the adaptive feedback more concrete proof that Aoi truly was an umamusume. Feeling her ear, she finally understood why pretty much every umamusume were very cagey about letting people touch their ears. She could quite easily fall asleep standing up just by petting her own ears. Resisting that urge, she pulled back and turned her head, seeing the tail that was now wagging furiously behind her. Her face was starting to hurt from how hard she was smiling, but she didn't care. It was all real. Taisho Aoi truly was an umamusume in every sense of the word.

"Aoi? Are you okay?"

Right. Luna. And Meek. And Director Akikawa and Secretary Tazuna. And…Marie.

Oh Goddesses, how on earth was she going to explain this to them? Her smile faltered as everything came back into focus. Luna and Meek had seen her in her "cosplay" that, until this morning, was indeed fake. But it wasn't anymore. It was all real. How?

"Yeah, just…give me a moment."

Aoi steeled her nerves as she faced the locked bathroom door. As nervous as she still was, it was now or never.

She unlocked and opened the bathroom door to a thoroughly surprised Rudolf and…she couldn't quite place the expression on Happy Meek this time. Just that it was positive in some sense.

"Um…hi?" Aoi had no words to say on what had just happened to her. Rudolf was similarly speechless as she took in the newly formed umamusume's features. Meek ended up being the one to break the silence.

"I told you, Rudolf."

…what?

"Okay, Meek, you have to understand how unbelievable it sounds when you say that your trainer became an umamusume overnight and that we had to check on her, right?"

What? Aoi was left flabbergasted.

"I know. That's why I wanted you to come. So you could see it for yourself."

Rudolf contemplated as she spoke, "Alright, setting aside that Aoi is an umamusume now, that creates several logistical challenges." She looked at Aoi, wanting her attention. "First, we'll need to create or at least update your identity to reflect your new status. I think the Director is our best bet for that. Next, you'll need to deicide whether to remain as Happy Meek's trainer or to enter the Twinkle Series yourself, granted you can meet the benchmark times. Then there's the matter of your wardrobe needing an update to accommodate your new features, your tail chiefly among them, as well as a tracksuit and proper cleats for running. You'll also need to adjust to living as an umamusume. I can definitely help with that, and I think Meek would like to as well."

…alright. Aoi honestly expected Rudolf to act like this in some capacity. After all, a trainer, nay, anyone becoming an umamusume would require a lot of effort in order to integrate them into society. But she had left out something Aoi wanted to hear above all else.

"You're…okay with this?" She desperately asked.

Rudolf gave an exasperated sigh, "Aoi, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but you aren't nearly as subtle as you think you are. I've had my suspicions for a very long time. The tail is certainly giving it away."

Curse you, tail! Aoi gleefully thought.

Luna's expression darkened a bit before she continued. "To be honest, when I saw the uma ears and tail, I thought it was a cosplay at first, and…" Rudolf trailed off, before turning to Meek. "Can you give us some privacy?"

Meek looked conflicted on whether to insist on staying with Aoi or to respect Rudolf's request, but ultimately acquiesced and left the room, leaving the two umamusume to talk it out.

"I remember when we were, like, twelve? You decided to dress up as Maruzensky in her race-wear for Halloween that year. You were, uh, very insistent on having the uma ears and tail. 'It must have them to be authentic,' to use your words." Rudolf chuckled slightly as she reminisced on fond memories, now with added clarity and context given the current situation. "You were…so happy, dressed up as Maruzensky. And when the other uma kids recognised your costume, you just beamed so brightly. At the time and even recently, I just thought you were excited to go out as your favourite racer."

Aoi remembered it just as well. She'd told everyone that she just wanted to be her favourite racer she saw on T.V. And everyone believed her. Yet that wasn't the real reason, and she suspected Luna knew this now.

"But now, I know what you really wanted to be back then." Rudolf gave the kindest expression she could.

"You…really wanted to be an umamusume, didn't you?"

…

"…yes. I did," was all Aoi could muster, already feeling more tears forming in her eyes.

Rudolf pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back in comforting motions. "I still don't understand how it happened. But you have this now. You can be an umamusume. You are an umamusume. No one can tell you otherwise." Rudolf cooed. "And we can run together, like you've always wanted."

Rudolf…was actually okay with this? Aoi couldn't believe it. She thought she would be shamed, thrown aside due to having her deepest secret exposed. But Luna welcomed it with open arms?

She returned the embrace fiercely, crying even more tears into Rudolf's shoulder as the weight of acceptance came down on her.

It was real. Aoi could have this.

Taisho Aoi could finally run.

"ASTONISHING!" exclaimed Akikawa, unfurling her fan to reveal the selfsame words. "To think that one of our own trainers would receive the blessing of the Goddesses!"

Taisho Aoi was seated in front of the Director, with Happy Meek on her right. Akikawa sat boisterously as always in the imposing wooden desk, with Rudolf and Hayakawa flanking on both sides. Aoi's tail was still wagging all this time later, the high of realising she was an umamusume still not having worn off.

"Director, are you sure you're okay with this?" Aoi couldn't help but ask once again.

"Nonsense!" Akikawa proclaimed, flipping her fan shut. "It is my duty and purpose as Director of Tracen Academy to fuel the dreams of all umamusume!" She pointed her fan directly at Aoi. "No matter your origin, you have my full support in chasing your dreams to the heavens and back!"

Aoi breathed a sigh of relief, even though she knew this was likely what Akikawa would say.

"First, I have a very important question for you." She unfurled her fan again to reveal "DESIRE." "Tell me, Trainer Aoi. Do you aspire to run?"

"Yes," she immediately answered. "I can't wait to start running." She had been waiting to say that all morning.

"Then so it shall be!" Akikawa flipped her fan closed once more before continuing. "That brings me to the purpose of this meeting. If I am to fulfill your dream to run, preparations must be made! Tazuna, if you would?"

"We will need to update your documents and identification to match your new status, as well as inform the rest of the training faculty and student population should it come up," Tazuna began. "Tracen has associates in the civil services that can help us expedite the process. Still, there's an important decision to be made regarding your status as a trainer. Rudolf?"

Rudolf cleared her throat and looked at Aoi with a determined look in her eyes.

"My involvement will depend on whether you will continue as Happy Meek's trainer, or decide to enroll at Tracen Academy to join the Twinkle Series."

Aoi froze. Her ears pinned back. Her tail stilled. She had completely forgotten about that when Rudolf was talking to her earlier.

Right now, she wanted nothing more than to run. To chase the glory, prestige, and fame that could be won in the Twinkle Series. To cement the name Taisho Aoi in the annals of umamusume racing history. She so desperately wanted that, to sing in Winning Live concerts and feel the thrills that could only be wrought from the highest caliber of racing.

But she was also Happy Meek's trainer. And she never forgot the promise she made to her. She would aid Happy Meek in every step of her journey in the Twinkle Series. And despite her own deepest fantasies being fulfilled, the empathetic part of her mind reminded her of the promise she made to Meek. She would be a terrible trainer if she abandoned her trainee when she still needed guidance.

And besides, there was a bigger problem with Rudolf's suggestion.

"Rudolf…I'm too old to run in the Twinkle Series." Rudolf gave her a pointed look at her dismissal.

"Aoi, Fuji Kiseki and Seeking the Pearl were your age when they debuted." Rudolf countered. "Sure, you'll be at a disadvantage compared to your peers, but that's no reason to give up now. It never stopped them, and it doesn't have to stop you."

Aoi hated when Luna was being reasonable. She knew that Kiseki and Pearl were older than average, and yet they still went on to have amazing success in their careers. But still, that ignored the other side of the argument.

"Even so, I…" She took a moment to gather her thoughts, before speaking in earnest.

"Even though I've become an umamusume and gotten everything I've ever wanted out of it, I am a trainer first and foremost, regardless of my lineage. I made a promise to Happy Meek when I scouted her: I would guide her through every step of her journey in the Twinkle Series and beyond. I never forgot about that promise, and I don't intend to break it now. So that is my decision. I will remain as Happy Meek's trainer."

Rudolf's expression was pained. Luna knew more than anyone here how much Aoi wanted to race, and hearing her rejection must've hurt her a lot.

"Trainer…you don't need to worry about me." Happy Meek assured. "You want to race. I can see that. You don't need to be beholden to me. If you want to race, you can race. I'll be okay."

Aoi winced internally. Her resolve to remain as a trainer was steadily weakening.

"Meek, I'm not breaking my promise to you. I'm seeing your entire journey through to the end," Aoi declared. Happy Meek seemed to ponder for a while before asking Rudolf a question.

"Symboli Rudolf. Why does Trainer need to choose? Can't she do both?" Rudolf grimaced as she delivered the bad news.

"Unfortunately, no. A clause in the regulations that govern the Twinkle Series forbid trainers from racing if they have trainees already racing there. It's to prevent conflicts of interests when trainers and trainees are in the same race."

"As much as I am loathe to admit it, I am in support of this clause." Akikawa ruefully admitted. "I have personally seen the damage such conflicts of interest can have in the careers of aspiring umamusume, and I must take the necessary steps to prevent them. Sadly, Trainer Aoi must make the choice."

"You do not have to decide immediately, but if you wish to enter the Twinkle Series proper, I suggest you exercise haste in your decision." Tazuna added.

Aoi was stuck at a crossroads. She could choose to chase her dreams and seek glory in the Twinkle Series, or she could fulfill her duty and promise to Happy Meek as her trainer. The agonising and monumental decision paralysed her. She really wanted to race, but she didn't want to break her promise—

"Tazuna. I would like to dissolve my contract with Trainer Aoi," Happy Meek suddenly said.

Everyone in the room was taken aback. What was Happy Meek thinking?!

"Happy Meek, this is a very sudden request. Are you sure you want to do this?" Tazuna questioned.

"I don't want Trainer Aoi to be denied her dream. And I've already told her that she doesn't need to worry about me. I can find another trainer. But I can only find one Aoi. And I want her to be happy." Meek turned to face Aoi.

"I want you to be happy. That is all."

Aoi…didn't know what to say in response. The promise she made lingered in her mind, but Happy Meek herself was saying that it wasn't necessary anymore.

"Are you really sure, Meek? You aren't doing this just so I can run?" She asked.

"I want you to run. I want you to race. I want you to cement your place in the history of the Twinkle Series. That is how you keep your promise to me. Not by tying yourself down and denying your dream. But by chasing it with everything you have. I want to see your Winning Live. And I want to see your Winning The Soul."

Dammit, Aoi was gonna cry again. Did Happy Meek really mean all that? Truly?

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes, Taisho Aoi. I do."

The use of her (true) name instead of 'Trainer Aoi' broke all her remaining resolve. She turned to face Rudolf once more, this time a different resolve building within her.

"Then, in that case?" She held an almost manic face as she made her decision on the spot.

"I will cement my place in the Twinkle Series, come hell or high water."

Rudolf and Tazuna smiled, Akikawa cackled in her usual boisterous manner.

"It it settled now!" She flipped her fan open to reveal "REGISTRATION." "Symboli Rudolf and the Student Council will assist with your registration to Tracen Academy and entry into the Twinkle Series. Tazuna will handle the dissolution of the trainer-trainee contract, and I will handle the matter of your identification with our associates in the civil services! I believe we are clear on what needs to be done?"

"I do have a question," Aoi objected. "Do I have to retake high school classes?"

Rudolf snickered while Akikawa clarified. "Only if you desire! You may enroll in our tertiary division and study towards a degree of your choosing!"

Aoi smiled, very thankful that she did not need to repeat high school. "Then I'll do just that. I don't know what I'll study right now, but I'll get back to you once I do."

"Actually, you only need to declare your major before your second year. You have plenty of time," Rudolf informed her. Aoi was genuinely surprised by that.

"Oh, that's good to know. Still, I think I want to decide before I get enrolled, to make things easier on everyone."

"Any other questions?"

"Do I have to wear the Tracen uniform?" Aoi asked, with a slight hint of fear.

"Absolutely!"

Rudolf practically deflated. Aoi just admitted defeat. Win some, lose some, she supposed.

"If that is all from you, Taisho Aoi, then let us make haste-"

The door was slammed open, causing everyone in the room to flinch. Aoi turned around to see none other than Jungle Pocket, out of breath, walking into the Director's office.

"I'm so sorry, but there's a situation in the infirmary that—" Pocket's eyes went wide when she saw Aoi. Right, no one else knew right now. Aoi awkwardly waved her hand in greeting.

"Wh—huh? Ah, whatever. Director, there's a situation in the infirmary that needs your attention!"

Akikawa became alert at Pocket's words, her fan unfurling to reveal "EMERGENCY." "Speak, Jungle Pocket! I will forgive this intrusion if you have good reason!"

Pocket was silent for a moment, looking at Aoi and then the Director.

"So…if I have this right, we have a repeat of Aoi's situation with Tachyon's trainer."

Marie?! Aoi immediately shot up and faced Pocket, worry spread across her face.

"Are they okay?"

"I think so, she just woke up. You might wanna come as well, Aoi."

She? Oh my. It looked like Taisho Aoi wasn't the only one who got her wish today.

Aoi instantly recognised Marie upon entering the Tracen infirmary alongside Rudolf and Pocket, despite her looking completely different from the last time they met. The beaming smile, the wagging tail, the look of pure joy. She recognised all of it. She had done all the same just a few short hours ago.

Marie was currently talking with Tachyon, and she could see her ears swivel in her direction as she and Rudolf walked in. Marie really did get her wish. She really did become an umamusume like her.

Like her. Like me. Aoi would never get tired of that implication.

She looked remarkably similar to Tachyon and Pocket, what with the short build and chestnut hair. The main difference was the purple eyes with the same CRT scanlines as Tachyon.

Marie spotted her first, her eyes widening for a moment before giving a small wave.

"…hey, Aoi."

She looked visibly relaxed, that was good. Certainly better than her own experience with Luna and Meek, happy ending aside. Aoi smirked at the new umamusume in front of her.

"Looks like you got what you wanted after all."

Marie gave a sheepish smile at Aoi's comment. She could tell Marie had been smiling ever since she woke up. Goddesses knew Aoi did the same thing when she realised.

"Yeah…I did."

Rudolf wore another bewildered expression, though notably more muted than when she'd met Aoi that morning.

Tachyon interrupted. "Ah, fortuitous timing! Allow me to introduce the result of my great experiment: Agnes Marie!"

Agnes Marie, hm? Just from context clues, Aoi could deduce that Tachyon had been the one to grant Marie her greatest wish.

"Agnes Marie?" Marie questioned.

"Yes, my guinea pig!" Tachyon affirmed. "Because you are my greatest creation, the culmination of all my research and experiments!"

"Agnes Marie…" She looked like she was turning the name over in her head. "Yeah. I think I like the sound of it. Agnes Marie."

Rudolf cleared her throat to gather everyone's attention. "Well, it's nice to make your acquaintance, Agnes Marie." She proffered a hand that Marie shook. "Since we're already in the procedure, we can lump you in as well. Creating a new identity will admittedly be harder than simply updating it, but I'm sure the Director will spare no expense."

She focused on Marie as she continued. "Now, much of what will happen will depend on your decision on a few matters. First, do you intend to remain as Tachyon's trainer or do you intend to enroll at Tracen Academy and enter the Twinkle Series?"

Marie gave a pleading look at Tachyon, almost like she was asking permission to race. To chase her dreams. Aoi knew the internal struggle as well. But from what she knew of Tachyon?

"Marie." Tachyon took her hands in her own, adopting a serious, quieted tone that was absent of her normal mania. "I know how much you've wanted this. To chase the glory of the Twinkle Series. To feel the thrill of the track. To make your mark in umamusume racing history. So do not do yourself or I a disservice by remaining as my trainer. My career is reaching its conclusion, I can find a suitable replacement. But you are completely irreplaceable, Marie. And you deserve to be happy. Never forget that."

Marie was stunlocked by Tachyon's quiet yet passionate speech, like she wasn't expecting to receive permission to be happy.

"Are you sure?" She almost pleaded.

"Yes. Even the axioms of mathematics cannot be as certain as I am now." Tachyon affirmed.

Marie looked like she was about to cry. Goddesses knew Aoi almost did. She looked more and more resolved as she withdrew from Tachyon and turned to face Rudolf.

"Rudolf?" She nodded for her to continue.

"I will tear up the turf in the Twinkle Series."

Rudolf smiled at Marie's determination. "I like your fire, Marie. I can't wait to see you and Aoi on the tracks."

Marie blinked at Rudolf's comment. "Wait, Aoi? Why her?"

Aoi blinked as well. Did Marie really not know?

"Marie, have you not noticed yet?" Aoi asked.

Marie spent several seconds looking at Aoi with concentration, trying to figure out what Rudolf was trying to imply. And Aoi could tell the exact instant she realised by the way her eyes widened with realisation.

"Really?"

Aoi smirked. "Yes, really. I can't wait to meet you on the track." Marie returned the same hungry determination. This would be great.

In the meantime, Rudolf had turned her attention to Tachyon. "So I can safely assume you were responsible for Marie's transition?" Tachyon nodded in affirmation.

"Good, that's one down. Still, we don't know exactly how Aoi became an umamusume—"

"I beat up Godolphin Barb." Happy Meek interrupted. Wait, when did she—

…WHAT?!

"She seemed like the easiest one to beat in a fight. I wasn't wrong."

THAT DOESN'T HELP?!

Once Marie was cleared, pretty much everyone decided that a race was the only natural follow-up to this chain of events. Aoi and Marie still hadn't experienced the thrills of racing, Tachyon and Meek wanted to race against their former trainers, and Rudolf could finally race against her childhood friend after all these years.

Since neither of the new umamusume had any training, Rudolf decided to err on the side of caution, thus selecting the 1200-meter track for the race. It was far outside her and Tachyon's distance aptitude, but neither cared much if it meant racing with Aoi and Marie. Meek simply did not concern herself with such notions.

Tazuna had offered to blow the whistle, since every umamusume present wanted to race. Once the racers got changed into tracksuits and cleats, with Aoi and Marie getting fitted for properly-fitting ones, everyone made their way over to the track Rudolf had reserved for their use.

Taisho Aoi stood ready to take off, flanked by the other racers for this mock race. Anticipation began to build as she waited for Tazuna to blow the whistle. She had long studied and practiced proper umamusume racing form. The fact that she would be able to apply them properly filled her with joy. She would get to race. She was going to race!

…just as soon as Tazuna blew the whistle. Come on, stop taking your sweet time! Aoi angrily thought.

…

The whistle blew.

Aoi exploded forward.

The sheer acceleration caught her off guard, stumbling a bit at the start. It took a few steps for her to orient herself, implementing the proper running form she'd practice over the years. And once she did?

"Euphoric" couldn't even begin to describe the feeling. The wind rushing against her face. Leaning far closer to the ground, her tail acting as a proper counterbalance to keep her upright. The scenery whizzing by, being left in the dust by her own efforts. The steadily building burn in her legs that no longer felt like a raging fire that left only ash in its wake—no, this was the fire of a well-tuned engine, all the heat-driven combustion serving the sole purpose of propelling Aoi forward on the track. And Aoi loved all of it.

The first corner came up. Aoi was on the relative outside; she'd need to either move closer and compete for the inner railing, or stay outside and be forced to cover more distance. Meek was the only one in front of her, which mean Tachyon, Marie, and Rudolf were behind. With no one directly next to her, Aoi made the call to move toward the inner railing. With less distance to cover, she could continue accelerating forward to compete with Meek for first.

Heh, seemed like front running fit her like a glove.

Coming out of the first corner into the last straight, Aoi was gaining on Meek. If Marie was a pace chaser like Tachyon and Rudolf, all three would be preparing for their final spurts around now, given the short track length. She would need to put enough distance between them that they wouldn't be able to catch up. So Aoi began accelerating even faster. The engine of her legs still had more fuel to burn. For once, she was delighted to feel the burn; it felt great.

She caught up to Happy Meek some 400 meters away from the finish, by her estimation. Behind her were the growing presences of Tachyon, Marie, and Rudolf. If she had any hope of winning, she had to act now.

The Shogun thus imparted Her declaration upon the world. She was no longer on a track. The fields of battle were for Her to conquer. The adversaries that stood in Her way faltered, and Her presence oppressed the environment into Her desired form. Thus did The Shogun traverse upon these fields, leaving all who opposed her to struggle in vain.

A new presence asserted itself upon The Shogun's domain. A long repressed desire, the chains that shackled and bound It had been shattered and broken. It could now roam free and wild, riding with the winds or bending the winds to Its desire. The Shogun would not stand for this resistance. Her will was absolute, the lands of Her Shogunate Her dominion.

The Right To Run would not be so easily denied. Chained for generations, It would not cede Its freedom ever again. The lands before It had hardly been explored. Yet It intruded upon Her Shogunate. Thus did The Shogun challenge this Right To Run to a duel of honour and glory.

Yet as She sparred against this new foe, She began to extend her respect to this valiant opponent. It, too, had known the pain She had gone through. All It desired was to be wild and free, never again shackled. The Shogun understood this desire all too well. It understood The Shogun's pain as well. An unexpected camaraderie, but not an unwelcome one. So It would give The Shogun an honourable defeat.

Yet The Shogun was not so easily denied. She had her pride, and it would not accept defeat. Thus did The Shogun press the attack, hurling Herself upon the foe. It fought a valorous battle against Her. The freedom It fought for with Its bare hands would not be stripped away. Thus did The Shogun proffer and swear to an oath. An oath of protection against Their foes. An oath for the freedom They had fought for. It swore upon this oath in turn, The Shogun earning Its respect within this duel. But it must come to an end.

The Right To Run hurled Itself upon The Shogun.

The Shogun hurled Herself upon The Right To Run.

Aoi came back to her senses, having long since crossed the finish line. She was completely out of breath, and her legs burned, finally out of fuel from the trying race. But her most pressing question was what in the ever living hell was that? For the last 400 meters, she just…lost herself in running. It was surreal, looking back on the memory of it.

Looking around, she spied Marie similarly out of breath, while Meek, Tachyon, and Rudolf fared a lot better. Rudolf had a shocked expression as she observed Aoi and Marie. Tachyon was downright manic at whatever had happened. Happy Meek was just being Happy Meek. Aoi walked up to Rudolf, desperate for answers.

"Do you know what the hell happened?" Aoi asked, incredulous at her own question. Rudolf was seemingly trying to organise her own thoughts as Marie came up next to her.

"That was weird." Marie commented, to Aoi's immediate agreement. "Like, before I entered my last spurt, I was still there on the track, right? And then I was just…somewhere else? Something else? I don't know how to describe it."

"Then let me describe it for you," Rudolf began, "What you two just experienced was the Zone. The state of heightened concentration and performance that umamusume can enter during high-stress events, like during a race. I'm quite frankly shocked both of you were able to tap into the Zone that quickly; normally it takes at least a year for a competitive racer to unlock it."

"That you were able to tap into the Zone so quickly excites me!" Tachyon not-so-quietly mused.

Aoi and Marie looked at each other. As former trainers, both had studied the Zone extensively, as it could make or break a racer's chance to win. And sure, they'd heard anecdotes from other racers about what they experienced in the Zone and in other racers' Zones.

But experiencing it themselves? Nothing could've prepared them for the surreal whirlwind that Zones actually were. It was insane. It didn't make sense.

And it was wonderful.

"Oh, right!" Marie remembered. "Do you know who won?" Aoi had momentarily forgotten that she had just run in a race, still trying to wrap her head around what she experienced in the Zone.

"I believe it was a dead heat." Tazuna announced as she walked up to the group. A dead heat? So her and Marie tied?

"What do you mean, believe?" Marie questioned.

"Just from my observation, I couldn't tell who was ahead when you two crossed the finish line. All I can say is that both of you took 1st and 2nd."

Aoi was in disbelief. She won against Luna? Against Meek and Tachyon? They had years of racing over her. This was her and Marie's first proper race, nay, her first proper run as an umamusume!

Was the Zone really that powerful?

"Congratulations, Aoi." Meek told Aoi. "How was your first race?"

"How was it?" She echoed. "Where do I even begin?" Aoi could see Marie chatting with Tachyon, most likely about the race and Marie's thoughts.

"It was everything I ever wanted and then some," Aoi answered truthfully. "I can't even begin to describe how right it felt to run." She quickly wrapped Meek in a tight hug. "I don't know if you actually beat up Godolphin Barb, but if you truly were responsible for this? Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Happy Meek returned the embrace. "You can thank me by letting me watch your Winning Live." Meek responded. Of course she'd say something like that. "Your Zone was beautiful. Marie's Zone was beautiful. I hope to see it more."

Aoi laughed at the absurdity of Meek's words. "Then I'll make it so. I'll win my debut, you'll be there to watch my Winning Live. And after that? You'll be there to see me front and center to as many concerts as I can. For every step of my journey through the Twinkle Series. That's my promise to you, Happy Meek."

Happy Meek nodded enthusiastically. "I accept this promise. It's much better than your old one."

Aoi chuckled. It really was a better promise, wasn't it? Because it wasn't just about Happy Meek anymore.

It was about Taisho Aoi. And she would, like she always did, fight with everything she had to keep it.

Happy Meek, Agnes Marie, and Symboli Rudolf had, by some miracle, got front row seats to this Make Debut's Winning Live. And by the Goddesses, they were thankful that fate smiled on them today. Because today was a very special day for a certain someone the group wanted to celebrate.

Today was Taisho Aoi's first Winning Live. And she would be front and center for this concert.

Her Junior Make Debut race had gone exactly how she wanted it to. 1200 meters on turf, exactly Aoi's best distance and surface aptitudes. Despite concerns about her age, Taisho Aoi had proven them wrong by winning her debut with an impressive 4 length lead over 2nd place. The trainer in Marie could tell Aoi would be a serious competitor in the graded sprinting and mile races. She was a little sad that their distance aptitudes meant they wouldn't be able to challenge the Crowns together, but Marie knew that Taisho Aoi would make a splash. Agnes Marie's debut had gone similar, 1st place with a good 3 ½ length lead. The Hopeful Stakes wouldn't be ready for her.

The concert hadn't started yet. Marie knew that the other racers were going through the final preparations and rehearsals. One thing she was glad for was being able to share dance rehearsals with Aoi back at Tracen. They'd been having a blast together, much to the chagrin of the instructor.

Marie turned to face Happy Meek and Symboli Rudolf. Meek looked ecstatic to see Aoi's Winning Live. Rudolf had a proud smile on her face. All had glow sticks ready.

"I can't wait to see Aoi's Winning Live." Meek said, excitement bleeding into her usually monotone voice. Marie couldn't blame her. This had been one of Happy Meek's promises to Aoi, and now it would be fulfilled.

"We went to who knows how many concerts back then. Never thought I'd be going to one of hers." Rudolf reminisced, a smile on her face. "I know she'll blow it out of the water. She wouldn't allow anything less."

"With how hard she throws herself into rehearsals? We certainly have a show to watch." Marie commented.

"Marie." Meek suddenly asked. "I would like to see your Winning The Soul. I know Aoi would like to as well."

Marie felt warm at that. She really would like Aoi to see her Winning The Soul.

But that was for the future. Neither Marie nor Aoi were in their classic years yet. The road ahead would be difficult and strenuous. But it looked very surmountable with Aoi by her side.

"Don't count me out of Aoi's Winning The Soul, either!" Marie promised. Meek nodded in assent.

The lights dimmed. The concert was starting soon. Marie, Meek, and Rudolf held their breaths in anticipation.

The lights came back on. And who was front and center for this Winning Live?

Taisho Aoi.