Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience: Chapter 1

Clear blue skies cast high above the ocean below with the sun radiating its warmth onto the waters below, gentle waves swishing around with the sound of seagulls flying overhead. Small gusts of wind blew through the air, making it easier for the seagulls to fly faster as they receive a nice tailwind, the day itself perfect for relaxation. Yet at the same time the scenery was slightly disturbed by a plane flying over the vast sea, its engines creating a bit of noise as it flew towards its destination.

Within the plane several groups of people sat and talked amongst one another, several asleep, others reading or watching something on their devices, and one trying to calm their crying baby. The stewards and stewardesses accommodated their guests during the long flight within food and drinks, ensuring that the calm atmosphere remained for everyone.

In another section of the plane it was more quieter and had less seats, the way they're arranged with more space and looking a bit like cubicles means that they're of a higher tier. And in one seat sat the person of focus.

Emerald green eyes gazed out the window at the sea and horizon below with a bored expression, a hand below his chin to keep it elevated. Slightly messy black hair sat above their head that reached almost towards his neck with a few bangs covering his eyes a bit, but it didn't bother him as he continued to look out towards the ocean calmly. Attire wise he wore a simple white T-shirt with the sleeves up to his elbows and light brown cargo pants with white and blue sneakers. He was of a lean build yet the clothing fit loosely on him and to finish it off he wore a black sportswatch on his left hand.

What really stood out however… were the pair of small black horse hears atop his head and a slightly long horse tail next to his leg swishing lazily.

"So Mach, you ready to see how Japan is like?" a low and somewhat gruffy voice said to him. The young person in question turned to the source while sighing annoyingly.

"How much longer do we have until we get there uncle? I'm getting fed up just sitting here for hours." the young person whined.

The other person, an older man with short gray hair and beard with brown eyes smirked at his companion. Wearing a grey long sleeved collared shirt with a blue vest over and blue jeans with black sneakers and a similar sportswatch, the older man crossed his slightly muscular arms and grinned wider. "Hehe relax kid we only got an hour and half left, just hang tight a bit more."

The young person sighed again and slid down his seat further. "Least we don't have to deal with those crazy people at the airport back there."

Letting out a hearty laugh the older man placed a hand on the young man's head and ruffled it. "That's the perks of being famous Mach. And don't worry in Japan only very few know of your accomplishments so I wouldn't worry too much."

Rolling his eyes the young person chuckled and lightly pushed the latter's hand away. "Yeah and to what you said, yeah I'm pretty excited hehe."

With a nod the older man took out his phone and scrolled through it. "You'll definitely like it there and as an inspiration ambassador you'll create shock waves throughout their school and whatnot."

His fingers traced the touchscreen until he stopped. "Name: Mach Infinite. Age: 16. Height: 5'6ft. Affinity: All-rounder with unmatched specialization beyond 3200 meters yet incredibly extraordinary in 1200 meter sprints. Top speed: 54 miles per hour with an average speed of 51 miles per hour over long distance, though rumors state Mach to be even faster than confirmed reports. Accomplishments: winner of two Triple Crowns in the Americas and in England, undefeated with a streak of over a hundred wins and notable victories in prestigious events. Trainer: Damon Felix, age 55, winner of several cross-country and track and field world events with specialty in long-distance yet immense proficiency during sprints, able to threaten even the fastest back in his prime years. Heck with stats like this we'll be causing quite a bit of commotion."

The young man known as Mach Infinite smiled and sighed as he relaxed back into his seat. "I'd rather lay low and try to live normally Uncle Felix. I mean they said that we won't be doing anything competition related for a bit and will only be demonstrating what we can do to inspire others." Mach said.

"And that basically means you won't be laying low that much hehe. Apparently where we're headed to is Japan's elite school for their uma racers." Damon explained. "They produce top notch candidates for high level races and at the moment are wanting to expand their influence beyond their borders, which is why they requested one of the world's best to show them what's it like outside of Japan."

"Hehe you think too highly of me uncle, I just like to run and play video games." Mach mused as he reached for a bag under his seat and pulled out a portable gaming console. "While I like the thrill of the competition and going up against others, I honestly hate being said as if I'm the best of the best. Makes it seem as if I'm snarky and too full of myself."

Damon smiled and nodded. "And that's what I like about you kid. Your mother raised you to be a nice person, though you have some of your dad's habits hehe." He crossed him arms again and grinned wider. "Yet you were born a prodigy. Winning your first junior race at the age of five and rising through the ranks quickly to which you won your first Triple Crown at age nine, and that's while you were still at school. And funny enough you were their fastest and strongest uma and at the top of your class as well!"

Mach rolled his eyes turning on his game console. "Yeah uncle stop praising too much. Mom would have slapped you upside the head with talk like that hehe, and to be fair you deserve the credit for being where I am today."

Damon chuckled. "My sister wouldn't do such a thing to a poor old man like me haha. And yet she should also be proud of herself for raising someone as humble as you are. Loving the spirit and passion of running and not focusing too much on the glory behind it."

"Exactly Uncle Felix. Definitely excited for Japan though and hopefully they have some tasty food there!" Mach said excitedly as he dove into his gaming. Damon shook his head smiling and patted Mach's head, watching the latter's cheerful expression.

'And you'll definitely be excited for what's in store for you my nephew. As some of the very few uma males out there, I have not told you more on what you'll be facing…'

…

…

"Finally glad to be on a bed again!" Mach shouted gleefully as he jumped onto the mattress.

THUD.

"Ow!"

Only to feel a firm and stiff mattress.

Mach got up slightly and felt the cushion incredulously. "What the heck is this uncle?"

Damon leaned on the doorframe with a smirk. "That is a futon my boy. Here they sleep on those to feel closer to the earth and it helps with relieving sore muscles after a long day."

"Okay but we've slept on plush beds before so we couldn't get one?" the young uma boy asked.

"Nope and you'll have to get used to. I mean we can but since we'll be staying here a while might as well take part in the cultural aspect of this country." the older man answered as he stood from the doorframe and crossed his arms. "Anyway gets some shuteye as we got a big day tomorrow. We'll be meeting up with the head honcho people over at Tracen Academy and they'll be showing us around."

Mach whined. "But I don't feel tired uncle. Can't I stay up longer?"

"You're not tired right now but you'll feel the jet lag in the next few days, so get as much rest as you can today because we went through three different time zones hehe." Damon turned and began walking away. "Hehe just like your father I swear."

Hearing the door close Mach blinked twice and sighed. "He's right, need to get some sleep since we aren't technically on vacation."

Upon changing into only pajama pants with his top bare, Mach proceeded to crawl into his futon after turning off the lights. Crossing his arms behind his head the young uma boy looked around his room. Simple brown furniture such as a dresser, desk and a stand with a TV on top greeted him along with a set of doors leading to the closet greeted him. Aside from that bare blue walls surrounded him on all sides with a large window to his left that showed the outside world, the full moon cascading a gentle glow onto his covered body.

Giving another sigh Mach turned his gaze to the ceiling and smiled.

"Another step of my journey to reach my goals. I hope you continue to watch over me mom and dad…"

The softness of the futon and his approaching tiredness reached his mind and did his eyelids begin to cover his emerald orbs, the influence of slumber taking over.

'But… I need to be… stronger…'

…

…

RING RING!

Mach's ears flinched from above the bed sheets he was covered in, an audible groan coming from below them as his alarm sounded off to awaken him from his peaceful sleep.

A hand reached out from under the covers and with a single digit pressed the touchscreen of his smartphone repeatedly until the annoying presence to his ears ceased. Another groan came out.

"Man… *yawn*… uncle's right, I feel like shit." Mach slowly came out of the covers with a tired expression, his black hair in a mess with eyes still closed and not wanting to open. "Well, still gotta get used this futon thing."

Getting up and grumbling more to himself he opened his eyes to see the gentle glow of early daylight from outside his window, the sun steadily coming out of the horizon. "Man that's some sunrise. Think I might like it here hehe."

Upon getting dressed in a same set of clothes that he wore yesterday he did his morning routine (brush his teeth, comb his hair, relieve himself, etc.), Mach came out of his room and headed downstairs to the kitchen area to grab a bite to eat. He looked at his surroundings to familiarize himself that he was in a new place.

"Can't believe uncle never told me that he had a place bought here already." the young uma boy said to himself as he proceeded to grab the essentials in order to make a PB sandwich. "Per his guidance, will need to eat light for today since he told me to do that for some reason."

Finishing his small breakfast with a side of orange juice he placed his hands towards his mouth. "Hey uncle I'm ready to go!"

Silence.

Mach raised an eyebrow. "Uncle? You here?" he called out.

Still no answer.

The sixteen-year-old was about to head to his uncle's room until his eyes noted something on the kitchen counter.

"Huh?"

Getting a closer look Mach began reading a note.

"Mach, I'll be heading out before you to take in the sights and enjoy the wonders of life."

Mach sweatdropped rolling his eyes. "Of course he would…"

"Jokes aside, meet me at Tracen Academy within the allotted time I wrote down. It's a 3500 meter route and I programmed it into your sportswatch so make sure you note the markers. I want 65% output today but you can go faster if you want; this will be intro to bring you up from the jet lag and see if you had enough recovery. Start time will be at 6:45am sharp."

The young uma teen looked at his watch.

6:10am

"Welp to make the food go down a bit hehe."

And once 6:44am rolled around.

Mach was in a ready stance about to take off from the front of his house, his green eyes glancing at the time.

6:44:50am

'Ten seconds.'

Breathing in and out steadily, Mach closed his palms a bit feeling the wind against his body.

'Five seconds.'

Looking straight ahead his smirked. A nice straightaway.

6:45am

BOOM!

Mach took off and sped through the straightaway, his arms and legs moving like a blur with his breathing steady. Noticing a turn up ahead he checked his watch which showed him not only his elapsed time but also a map showing his location and the distance covered.

'Straightaway was 400 meters.'

He arrived at the turn and quickly strode through the inner corner without sacrificing his speed. Another straight path greeted him and he used this time to take in his surroundings to note several houses up to two stories and trees lining alongside the sidewalk. If anything the area he will be living in is peaceful and well maintained. To him though they flew by at very fast speeds that he didn't get to focus too much on them, each house disappearing behind him within a second as he looked ahead to the next turn.

'This one was 500 meters in 16 seconds. Barely a minute and already covered near a third of the route hehe.'

His feet continued to pound the pavement below him as he swung his arms in tandem, Mach taking the turn with ease and speeding off further towards his destination. The next part of the route had him about to cross a bridge with train tracks at the side and a few pedestrians in his way. With a smirk Mach increased his pace determining the quickest way through while at the same time his peripheral vision eyeing an upcoming train about to meet him.

"WOAH!"

The people on the bridge yelped in surprise from Mach passing by them at breakneck speeds, the tailwind behind him brushing against their bodies. He turned his head slightly to see the train beside him matching his speed. People inside were either watching their phones, listening to music, or looking outside the windows.

A small child took note of his presence and smiled widely as she waved. Mach returned the smile and waved once before looking ahead and accelerating faster. He dodged several pedestrians as Mach enjoyed the run he was doing, his breathing remained steady yet his nimble limbs propelling him well above the speed of the train.

Reaching halfway on the bridge Mach saw that he reached the first cart of the train with the conductor in it. Said conductor looked over to his side and noticed Mach keeping pace, a shocked look on his face as he darted his eyes to the dashboard in front of him.

'Likely seeing his speedometer hehe.' the young uma boy grinned as he looked at his watch. '800 meters to the end of the bridge. Top speed at 51 miles per hour… maybe I should go fast-OH SHOOT!'

Mach almost missed a pin tight turn and saw ahead a path that curved slightly all the way with a secondary one that would take him below some bridges and above after, signaling man-made hills formed from asphalt.

'Can't believe I almost missed that hehe. Okay, map says this part is 1500 meters before the last stretch heading towards the academy. Let's get some hills done.'

The teen continued his trek down the path at blistering speeds going up and down the sets of hills, his peripheral vision seeing a river to his left with some boat docks and grassy areas covering the side of it. To his right he noted apartment buildings that disappeared from view within seconds due to his speed.

"Alright I should finish this within 43 seconds. Huh?" Mach looked ahead to see a group of girls running together in red and white tracksuits. He noticed their horse ears and tails as well.

'Umas? Huh, they're probably from the academy.' the teen thought and also noticed that they were running at a fast pace. 'Looks like they're doing a tempo run.'

Mach also noticed that he was catching up to them quickly so he smirked. 'Alright let's finish this run off!'

In his heart and mind, a golden flame ignited.

'Infinity Rush!'

The teen's pace became a blur as his form passed the group in a second.

"WAH?!"

"KYA!"

Mach's ears flickered at the uma girls' yelps but he pressed on, his gaze falling upon the buildings to his right showing a tall clock tower in the middle. 'That must be it!'

His assumption was correct as he approached an open entrance that led to the school and seeing it open he sped right in. The flame in both his heart and mind continued to burn intensely as his pace only increased further, the smirk on Mach's face getting wider as he felt the wind rush against him.

'500 meters left! 53 miles per hour!'

He was close to approaching the entrance, his form crossing the long walkway within seconds. The uma boy took note of two sets of trees ahead of him lined up near perfectly across from each other. 'That's my finish line.'

Giving more fuel to his legs he slingshotted further ahead, his body almost warping from the speed.

'200 meters!'

He crossed the set of trees in 8 seconds.

'Done!'

Mach immediately pushed his heels onto the ground to stop himself, his soles screeching below the pavement until he made a complete stop.

"TIME!" he shouted as he hit the stop button on his watch which beeped confirming his final result.

"Haha thatta boy!"

Mach jumped slightly upon hearing a voice next to him. Upon turning he met the happy look coming off his uncle, an angry tic appearing on the uma boy's head. "Don't scare me like that uncle! And you should've told me yesterday you were leaving ahead!"

"Haha and what fun would that be? Anyway you got here just in time and it looks like at 80% output, your stubbornness to go harder always there even on easy days." Damon replied.

"Yeah whatever." Mach then noticed that his uncle wasn't alone. Two ladies were next to him smiling as well. "So um, who are they uncle?"

Damon jumped slightly. "Oh shoot forgot to introduce you to them, but before I do that." the older man took out his phone and showed it to the shorter lady with blonde hair and white highlights wearing a light blue and white dress with a matching hat that had a black cat on top. Her blue eyes widened considerably.

"THAT'S HIS TIME?!" she shouted. The other lady beside her who had long dark brown hair and a green uniform peered at the phone as well, her green eyes widening a bit in surprise. "Oh wow…"

Mach looked down at his watch, knowing that his device was connected to Damon's smartphone with the times synced.

'1 minute 49 seconds.'

His thought was interrupted by the blonde-haired lady rushing up to him with starry eyes and taking his hands.

"HOLY MOLY 3500 METERS AT THAT TIME?! AND NOT ON A TRACK?!" she blabbered happily while shaking his hands wildly. "WELCOME TO TRACEN ACADEMY YOUNG UMA!"

Mach was bewildered at her energy and kept his mouth slightly open in confusion. His uncle Damon grinned wider. "And that's not even his personal best, just wait until he goes all out hehe."

The green uninformed lady walked up to the shorter one and pulled her back with both arms while giving a smile. "We apologize for the director's actions. She's normally excited but not by this much."

"Don't worry about it Ms. Secretary, we tend to get that a lot from important people in the places we been to. Glad that we are welcomed nonetheless!" Damon replied with a thumbs up.

Mach felt a hand slap his back snapping him out of his confusion by his uncle.

"We've gone through this many times my boy. Remember your manners hehe." Damon reminded the sixteen-year-old. Clearing his throat and composing himself Mach nodded scratching his cheek. "O-Oh yeah um, we appreciate the greeting and um, it's okay I wasn't bothered by her outburst. Just surprised."

The green-uniformed lady nodded and let go of the smaller lady who calmed down a bit but kept a huge grin on her face. She then pulled a small white fan out of nowhere and pointed it directly at Mach.

"Apologies for surprising you young uma, but a time like that shows us that we at Tracen Academy have so much to improve on in order to compete at the international stage! And you will help us in achieving the dreams of our fellow students!" she then pointed the fan to herself. "My name is Yayoi Akikawa and I am the chairman or director of Tracen Academy!"

The green-uniformed lady bowed on her part. "And I am Tazuna Hayakawa, the secretary of Tracen Academy. Again we welcome you to our humble institution."

"Damon Felix once again and this young lad here is Mach Infinite." Damon introduced both he and Mach, the latter giving a nod in agreement. "Yes, I am Mach Infinite."

Yayoi became excited once again and proceeded to do the same handshake to the sixteen-year-old as before. "Your trainer has told us so much about you! Winner of two different Triple Crowns at the highest level and if I am correct currently undefeated at over a hundred wins!"

"Director I believe you are making the young uma flustered once more." Tazuna informed. "We must not make our important guests look negatively at us."

Damon waved a hand with a grin. "Hehe don't worry about it Ms. Secretary, we've seen it all and this is no different."

Mach sweatdropped but agreed. "Y-Yeah, honestly great to hear such kind words."

"Haha good to know. Anyway let us give you the grand tour of our lovely establishment!" Yayoi kept a hand locked onto Mach's own and pulled him towards the entrance building. "You will be amazed at our passion and dedication at our wonderful school!"

"H-Hey not s-so hard!" Mach yelped and looked back at his uncle with a nervous look. Damon simply chuckled. "Relax kid she won't eat you."

The older man sighed as he and Tazuna proceeded to follow them.

"You have trained a very impressive young uma. I am still surprised that at his age he would have such noticeable accomplishments." Tazuna said.

"Yeah well he really doesn't care much about the recognition. He has a big passion for not only running but to be the best that he can be. Mach's not one to gloat much about his achievements and only wants to see how far he can go." Damon replied.

Tazuna nodded. "So he is reserved yes?"

"Sort of, but he'd rather like to see people have a good time and enjoys the inspiration he gives to others. When it comes to our races he focuses more on the spirit of running itself and not about the victory." Damon chuckled and closed his eyes crossing his arms. "Yet he can be unaware that doing that shows him the keys to victory and in the end, he achieves just that."

The secretary nodded once more and smiled. "A humble individual by the looks of it. And it is quite rare to see an uma boy in Japan."

"Yeah, the international racing federation decided to send an uma male in order to test out and possibly introduce a diversity program that will improve results even more. It'll develop their strengths at a higher pace and reduce weaknesses present." the older man sighed afterward. "Some were iffy about the program so they all agreed to make it an ambassadorship so our stay is temporary, though they haven't told us how long we'll be here for some reason."

Tazuna blinked in response. "Well we hope that we can meet your expectations and that our collaboration will meet its goals. Again we are grateful to have both of you here."

Damon nodded. "No worries, and I'm sure Mach will fit just right in hehe. I can't wait to see his face when he finds out."

A giggle came out of Tazuna. "Yes, it will definitely be a surprise and hopefully a nice one."

…

…

Several pairs of eyes peaked out from a set a bushes nearby, whispers happening among them. The owners were a group of girls with horse ears and tails wearing red and white tracksuits, apparently the group from before.

They all had one thing on their mind.

"Is that an uma boy?"

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 2

“And to finish off the tour here are the outdoor dance stages!”

Mach watched in awe at the large venue that had unpowered lights, monitors and various decorations.

‘I didn’t know Japan did idol shows after their races. Quite… interesting.” Mach muttered out loud.

“Oh yes, they are to expose our umas to talent agencies for scouting and increase publicity to Tracen Academy.” Tazuna stated.

“And don’t forget about the GENEROUS REVENUE they bring hehe!” Yayoi added while rubbing her hands and chuckling. Both Mach and Damon sweatdropped with the latter eyeing the stage.

“It’s pretty impressive, and if you expanded this idea to other countries I’m sure it’ll help increase derby racing’s popularity and reach.” Damon said.

“And that is why we are excited to have people that traveled all over honor us with such an opportunity to learn about our practices!” Yayoi grabbed Mach’s hand once again. “Before we head to my office to finalize some things I want to introduce you to one of our trainers!”

Mach was once again at the mercy of being pulled by the director of the academy while Damon and Tazuna laughed amongst one another.

The sixteen-year-old meanwhile recollected everything about the tour in his head. ‘Okay so there’s the main school building, the classrooms, a cafeteria, the dorms where the students stay, a library, the track itself, a pool which is pretty nice, a gym, a dance studio and apparently dance stages. Very different compared to the states and other countries hehe.’

Mach turned his attention to Yayoi who kept a firm hold on him. If anything he felt the soft sensation of her hand on his and how small it is compared to his larger one. For some reason this made him feel flustered.

‘S-So this is how a girl’s hand feels. Though she’s probably way older than me, the only other hands I held that were from girls were my mom and grandma. That’s it.’ Mach gulped at the realization and was glad to see that Yayoi didn’t notice. ‘She might be energetic and loud, but I think she’s passionate and kind… stop thinking like that Mach! She’s weird overall!’

The group walked into the gym they were at before and proceeded to head to one of the changing rooms which had the door closed. Voices were heard from beyond the door.

“Okay it looks like they just finished their training session this morning. Not only will you meet him but you’ll also meet some of our students.” Yayoi informed.

A bellowing scream emanated from behind the door as well.

“And it looks like he might be causing ruckus yet again.” Tazuna sweatdropped.

“Should we be worried?” Damon asked.

“Not at all, it’s a normal thing and his team are used to it.” the secretary replied.

Yayoi grinned and clasped onto the handle letting herself and Mach in. “GREETINGS MY UMAS AND TRAINER!”

…

Mach was confused at what he was seeing while Damon tried to hold in his laughs.

A man with brown messy hair in a short ponytail with yellow eyes, a yellow shirt with a black unbuttoned waistcoat, long black pants with a white belt and plum colored leather shoes was currently being pretzeled by two uma girls in red and white tracksuits with one holding his arms and the other his legs. There were five other uma girls wearing the same clothing watching with a mix of concern and relief.

“ARE YOU GONNA STOP FEELING OUR CALVES OR DO WE HAVE TO SHOW YOU WHAT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE OF YOUR ARM THE OTHER WAY AROUND LOOKS LIKE?!” yelled an uma girl with auburn hair set in twintails with several accessories such as blue puffy hairbands and a tiara.

“THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR TOUCHING MY STOMACH YOU PERV!” another uma girl with short dark brown hair with a ponytail and white highlights on her bangs with accessories added with fury.

“OKAY OKAY I’LL STOP! STOP I CAN FEEL SOMETHING ABOUT TO BREAK!” the man cried out tapping the floor with a free hand.

The uma boy was shocked on his end while Damon began to let out several laughs. Tazuna remained smiling with her eyes closed while Yayoi grinned. It looked like they didn’t hear them come in so the director cleared her throat.

“AHEM!”

Immediately did everyone in the room before they came in stop what they were doing and turned to the four. The two uma girls let go of the older man who sighed in relief while the rest of the uma girls bowed quickly.

“We’re very sorry Ms. Chairman!” they all announced.

“Haha do not apologize my umas, it is only another day to your normally exciting routine!” the blonde-haired lady said.

The messy brown-haired man slowly got up from the floor twisting his back of the soreness before walking over to Yayoi and waved. “Greetings director, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence.”

Yayoi grinned wider. “Well we have very special guests that will be staying with us for a while and we want to introduce them to everyone here at the academy!”

Tazuna bowed and raised a hand to Damon. “We would like to first introduce the trainer of the ambassador.”

Damon walked over to the trainer in the lemon-colored wear and extended his hand. “Damon Felix, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The younger trainer smiled and shook his hand. “Okino Trainer, coach of Team Spica here at Tracen Academy.”

It was only two seconds until Okino’s eyes widened like dinner plates.

“W-Wait… Damon Felix… the famous cross country and track and field legend that DAMON FELIX?!” Okino asked in astonishment.

Damon grinned and gave a thumbs up. “Yup that’s me!”

Okino stuttered. “B-But i-if you’re h-here then that m-means-!!!!!” the younger trainer darted his eyes towards Mach, the latter jumping slightly upon noticing how quickly the older man closed the distance between them.

‘His face is too close!’ Mach mentally yelled.

“YOU MUST BE MACH INFINITE!” Okino suddenly bowed with his hands and knees to the ground, his face literally mushed onto its surface. “OH MY GOD THE GODS HAVE GRACED ME WITH AN ALMIGHTY PRESENCE OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!”

Mach sweatdropped and laughed nervously. “Calm down dude you’re embarrassing yourself.”

Immediately Okino rose and breathed out once heavily, eyes firmly fixated onto the sixteen-year-old and then he immediately bowed again. “I APOLOGIZE FOR THE RUDENESS!”

Damon laughed. “Chill out man don’t hyperventilate. If anything the director wants us to get to know each other.”

The younger trainer slowly got up and tried calming himself through deep breathing. “Easy for… you to… say. I just can’t believe it I’m meeting an absolute legend!”

“Uh dude, it’s not that big a deal-!” Mach began before getting interrupted by Okino’s manly squeal.

“NOT A BIG DEAL?! I READ ABOUT YOU IN THE OVERSEAS NEWS ARTICLES AND YOUR WINS ARE INCREDIBLE! TWO TIME TRIPLE CROWN WINNER WITH OUT OF THIS WORLD PERSONAL BESTS AND FAMOUS VICTORIES IN PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS LIKE THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND DUBAI WORLD CUP! NOT A BIG DEAL?! THAT’S A BIG DEAL!” Okino blabbered out rapidly.

“If I may interrupt Mr. Okino but you’re only making our guest more uncomfortable than he already is. Please refrain from overdoing it.” Tazuna gently said with a shadowed look on her face which caused the young trainer to gulp and compose himself.

“Ahem yes many apologies for my outburst and I won’t do it again, but I am absolutely honored to meet a huge legend such as yourself!” the brown-haired man said.

Mach smiled and nodded. “Not a problem and yeah it’s fine, I’m still getting used to some of the surprises here hehe.”

Okino laughed. “You’ll see those often here at the academy, but not only that… like I still can’t believe it, I’m also meeting an actual uma boy in person!”

“Yeah we know, apparently you meet more of them in international races such as the Americas.” Damon stated. “The competition there can get quite fierce especially among the uma guys.”

Yayoi chimed in. “It’s a huge opportunity for us to experience and learn more from one the best in the world! So why don’t you introduce him to your team?”

“Oh yeah that’s right thanks for the heads up! Girls come over here!” Okani announced. Behind the uma girls huddled and walked over to them, their eyes set on Mach.

The non-uma folk watched intently.

“This is pretty exciting!” Okami whispered. Damon nodded in agreement. “Yup, from what you people told me Japan doesn’t have uma boys.”

“This will be the first time the girls see one hehe!” Yayoi chuckled. Tazuna stayed silent with a smile but at the ready in case the director does something.

Mach began to get nervous at the uma girls silently watching him. He noted their expressions varying from awe, surprise and a weird one he couldn’t figure out. He did get a bit of a hint based off their slightly rosy cheeks, but he brushed it off possibly due to them finishing a workout.

WHOOSH!

One of them quickly rushed to Mach and began sniffing him, surprising the latter.

‘H-HUH?!’ the uma boy recoiled a bit at the closeness as he felt the uma girl’s nose move around his upper body. He noted her long straight silver-gray hair with straight bangs and a strapped brimless cylindrical brown hat with a purple bow on her right ear. Mach’s ears twitched at the whispers coming from the other uma girls and could make out their conversation talking about the one that was currently taking in his scent. The girl in question had her eyes closed while she was doing this and Mach continued to remain stiff as a board not knowing what to do. His emerald eyes darted to the non-umas in the room as they smiled widely, his uncle grinning from ear to ear.

“HMPH!”

With a large exhale of air from the nose the strange uma girl pulled away and stood straight. Mach raised his eyes a bit to see her closed ones, determining that she stood about an inch taller than he was.

‘What the heck was she doing?’ Mach thought.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing rosewood pools and her expression immediately turned cheerful.

“YAY!” she bellowed out raising her hands in the air.

And jumped into the air throwing her legs straight at Mach.

‘OH SHI-!’ Okino tried to reach out to stop her, but it was too late.

Gasps came out of the uma girls at what happened next.

…

…

“Well that’s something you don’t see every day.” Damon smirked.

“KYAAAA!!!” Yayoi squealed in delight.

“Oh… my…” Tazuna covered her mouth in disbelief.

The uma girls were stunned at what they were watching. A sudden dropkick was thrown at Mach and normally it would hit its target.

Yet the one who threw the dropkick let out a cute sound, her expression shocked as Mach instantly dodged her attack and held her in a princess carry.

Mach himself raised an eyebrow at her. “You know it isn’t polite to suddenly kick people like that.” he let her down after that and smiled. “That was impressive nonetheless hehe.”

The uma girl in question whimpered slightly with a flustered look and her ears flat on her head. She then proceeded to walk backwards towards her group and turned a 180 as she placed her hands on her face. Mach sweatdropped at her behavior.

“H-Haha d-don’t mind her, she’s interesting but she’s really sweet!” another uma girl announced as she approached the uma boy. Mach saw another one with a short brown-purple bob type hair with white bangs and braids around the back of her head, her eyes a light purple and looking joyful.

“Anyway hello there! I’m Special Week and it’s nice to meet you!” the young uma girl said extending her hand. Mach returned the gesture and nodded. “I’m Mach Infinite, a pleasure as well.”

With Special Week he had to look down a bit and guessed she was around 5’2, the shorter of the uma girls. Special Week eyed Mach up and down with interest. “This is a big surprise for us. Personally I never seen an uma boy and I didn’t even know they existed?”

“Well uncle said there aren’t that many of us hehe.” Mach said scratching his cheek. Special Week smiled. “I’m glad to meet you though and I hope to get to know you better!”

Mach nodded and saw another uma girl approach Special Week from behind, noticing her wrap both her arms around one of Special Week’s own. This surprised her a bit as she looked. “Oh hey there Suzuka-chan.”

The sixteen-year-old saw an uma girl with long, silky reddish-orange hair with trimmed bangs and several accessories like a white headband and a silver star atop her head look back at him nervously, aqua-blue eyes focused on his own emerald ones.

“Hey there.” Mach waved. This caused the redhead to jump a bit and hide behind Special Week further. The latter sweatdropped. “Don’t mind her as well, this is my best friend Silence Suzuka. She’s actually really nice once she opens up to people she just met.”

“Noted.” Mach then saw another one approach who was way smaller than Special Week, long amber brown hair tied in a ponytail with a pink ribbon and accessories along with a streak of white hair in her bangs. Sky blue eyes focused on him with big energy.

“Hello stranger! I’m Tokai Teio and wow I can’t believe you’re a boy!” the next uma known as Tokai said. “Like Spe said even I haven’t seen one and it’s so cool!”

Mach gave a grin. “Well you’re looking at a living and breathing one right in front of you. Pleasure to meet as well.”

“Alright out of the way I’m next.” a feminine but rough sounding voice came from behind Tokai who yelped and did just that. Approaching Mach was another with short dark brown hair that curl upward from the tips and a ponytail with a fade that goes to white along with a similar white patch in her bangs and some accessories. Her tough expression made Mach assume she was the rowdy one on the team.

“Sup bro, I’m Vodka and don’t you forget it.” the uma girl going by Vodka announced while raising a fist. “Can’t wait to see how do against me on the track.”

Mach sweatdropped and figured he was being challenged, but nonetheless he nodded and fistbumped her. “Nice to meet you.”

“Tsk.” Vodka walked away after that to which Mach turned his eyes to Special Week. She nervously laughed.

“So you’re the guy that flew past the other team huh?” the twin-tailed uma girl said as she also approached, hands on her hips. “Get this bub, I’m striving to be number one here and I won’t let a newcomer like you get in my way!”

“Uhhh…” Mach was dumbfounded. The busty beauty then raised a hand to her chest. “I’m Daiwa Scarlet and same way as my rival, don’t you forget it!”

The male teen simply nodded as she huffed and walked away. He wondered why her cheeks were red though.

‘Probably from a workout and I guess they know about what happened this morning?’

The last of the group made herself know and unlike the other uma girls, she looked more elegant. Bright lavender hair flowed behind her with brown tips on her eyes with a teal ribbon on one of them, violet eyes with white highlights staring back at him as she flipped her hair.

“I am Mejiro McQueen, the best for last.” she announced extending her hand.

Except she did it with the palm facing down. “You should be honored of being greeted by the heir of the esteemed Mejiro family. I will allow you but a touch as you seem to be of high caliber.”

Mach raised an eyebrow. “Um, okay. It’s nice to meet you and honestly I don’t really care. I’m just happy to be here.”

Mejiro huffed and puffed out her cheeks as if insulted. “I allowed you to grab my hand in a formality and this is how you repay me? I will not have my honor-ACK?!”

The lavender-haired uma girl was suddenly pushed away by the first uma who tried to kick him, doing a large jump and landing in front of me.

“HEYO! I AM GOLD SHIP, THE KING OF SHOJI!” the uma girl introduced. Mach was taken aback by her sudden appearance again. ‘Woah talk about a 180 there!’

“Hey just between you and me.” Gold Ship moved closer covering the side of her mouth. “I like hot mustard.”

The sixteen-year-old raised an eyebrow. “Okay? Thanks for telling me that hehe.”

“Alright! I’m gonna go on a trip bug-catching and then making a quick trip to the Phillipines now.” Gold Ship bowed and walked backwards continuing to look at him. Mach felt himself getting nervous. ‘What the hell...’

She wasn’t finished speaking though. “Oh yeah, all of us talked and we agreed that you’re cute!”

“HUH?!” Mach was thrown aback.

“DON’T TELL HIM THAT!” both Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet covered Gold Ship’s mouth furiously, their faces horribly red.

Mach emerald eyes were wide as he averted them to the others. Special Week and Silence Suzuka stared at the floor shyly with blushes on their faces, Tokai Teio grasped her side bangs and brought them to her face in an attempt to hide as she watched Mach cutely, and Mejiro McQueen looked to the side averting her eyes, face bright red and holding her arm.

“HAHA IT ISN’T AN ENTIRE DAY AND ALREADY MY BOY’S BECOMING QUITE THE HIT!” Damon laughed holding his sides. Okino had a hand into a fist raised his face, eyes closed and a face scrunched up with anime-styled tears dripping down “He is a legend in the derby racing world, and he’s a legend at capturing women’s hearts.”

Yayoi grinned widely. “HAHAHA! Even I was intrigued by his looks.”

Tazuna continued to smile and raised a hand to her cheek. “Mach sure looks like quite a catch. Ah if only I was younger~.”

“You guys aren’t helping here!” Mach turned to his trainer. “Uncle knock it off!”

“BAHAHAHA don’t look at me Mach! I’m not the one responsible!” Damon continued to laugh.

Mach’s face started to turn red as he rubbed his temples and sighed. Special Week managed to overcome her embarrassment and waved her hands. “I-It’s okay! What Golshi said is true but we won’t bring it up again!”

After a minute of awkwardness and laughs did the ambience ease.

“Oooh man that sure was hilarious, but anyway it’s nice to meet you young ladies. I’m Damon Felix and I’m the trainer for Mach Infinite.” Damon announced to the team. The group gave a bow and returned the gesture.

Yayoi added after. “These two will be staying in Japan for a while and will reinforce our current training methods so that we can further improve everyone’s times and have our limits surpassed even further!”

Damon nodded crossing his arms. “We won’t be changing anything to what the trainers provide here as it is satisfactory, but we will be adding new elements that will give more impressive results. And as a heads up.” the 55-year-old grinned. “The training I normally give to Mach is very, very intense and will apply to you girls as well.”

The uma girls gulped a bit while Okino smiled widely. “We look forward to the training you provide in collaboration with us! We want the girls to not only surpass their limits but also dive in the realm of the elite!”

“Then it’s settled! For now we’ll allow you to change back into your uniforms while I speak with them in my office on accommodations. Follow me please!” Yayoi announced as the group aside from Team Spica began to walk out.

“WAIT!”

Okino shouted stopping the group. “Can I just do one more thing please?”

Tazuna’s eye twitched knowing what it is. “Mr. Trainer, you better not-.”

“Hey Mach do you mind if I can do something with you real quick?” the younger trainer ignored the secretary’s words entirely. Mach was confused but shrugged. “Yeah what’s up?”

Okino walked up to Mach and placed his hands on his shoulders, causing the sixteen-year-old to be even more confused. The Team Spica coach then dropped to his knees and started feeling his calves.

“WHA-?!” Mach was surprised at this sudden action.

“TRAINER! LET GO OF HIM NOW!” Special Week screeched in anger. Silence Suzuka watched with disappointment, Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet looked as though they were about to blow a gasket, Tokai Teio had her hands on her mouth in shock, Mejiro McQueen stared him down and Gold Ship looked at them dumbfounded.

“Holy moly these are unlike anything I ever felt! So this is an uma male’s strength and potential! Your soleus is diamond hard and your calcaneal tendon feels incredibly formidable! Like I can see why you’re a two-time Triple Crown winner!” Okani squealed as he rubbed the sixteen-year-old’s solid calves.

Damon was ready for another round of laughs. “W-WHA-HAHAHA!’

Mach was getting uncomfortable by the younger trainer’s actions and already the earlier predicament made him feel embarrassed. It was only a few seconds until a large tic mark appeared on his forehead, and he snapped.

“DUDE! GET OFF!” Mach raised a leg and kicked Okani right in the face, sending him flying away.

SMASH!

Right through the wall and he kept flying away plowing into the building across and disappearing into it, sounds of continuous blows being made as he kept going.

BOOM!

It ended in a very loud explosion within the large hole made onto the other building as broke debris flew out, almost everyone watching in complete shock.

Mach was seething, eyes filled with rage and sharp looking teeth clenched tightly. He quickly turned and started making his way out while Damon chuckled and patted his head briefly. “So which one of them do think is the prettiest hehe?”

“Uncle… just stop.” Mach muttered walking away. Damon smirked and looked at Yayoi. “Forgive my nephew, this happens very rarely.”

The small director was stunned, blue eyes slowly turning to the older man. “T-That w-was i-i-insane!!”

For the first time, and probably the very first time in her life, Tazuna’s mouth was through the floor. Damon sadly scratched the back of his head. “If you need us to pay for the damages we’re more than willing too.”

The secretary shook her head regaining her composure. “N-No it’s f-fine, we take take care of it… this was… really surprising. I didn’t know someone like that can be that strong.”

“Hehe well that’s partly my fault, but aside from that what about Okino? Won’t he need medical assistance or… is he…” Damon started getting anxious.

Tazuna waved her hands frantically. “Oh no no he’s alright, he has taken quite a bit of beatings from the girls and should survive hehe… he’ll just take a longer time to recover.”

Yayoi shook her head and sighed. “Well it is his fault and he should have had it coming. Anyway let us head to my office so we can discuss the schedule and accommodations post haste!” she announced, the cat on her giving out its first meow. “And I assume you girls can take care of him correct?”

Team Spica were broken out of their stupor and nodded. “Y-Yes Ms. Director, w-we’ll check that he’s okay!” Special Week replied.

“Excellent! Come along now, we have much to discuss!” Yayoi, Tazuna and Damon headed out closing the door behind them. Once they were fully gone did the uma girls look at one another in astonishment.

“THAT DUDE IS HELLA STRONG!” Vodka bellowed with wide eyes.

“He literally sent Trainer-san almost halfway across the school!” Tokai Teio added with hands on her mouth.

“If that’s his strength when he’s angry, I honestly don’t even think we’ll be able to beat him on the track!” Daiwa Scarlet, one that work very hard to achieve first place, admitted.

Mejiro McQueen and Silence Suzuka didn’t say anything and continued to stare at the hole in shock.

Special Week tried to ease everyone down. “L-Look girls let’s not get worked up too much about this.”

“Not get worked up?! Spe, that guy from how Trainer spoke is definitely an elite derby runner! When Trainer felt you up the very first time did you put all your power into your kick?” Vodka told her. Special Week looked down in embarrassment not wanting to remember. “W-Well, yes.”

“And you didn’t even send him that far. This uma guy sent him STRAIGHT INTO THE OTHER BUILDING!” the delinquent uma girl replied as she looked down. “Honestly, I feel like I shouldn’t have challenged him.”

“N-No Vodka, don’t do that.” Daiwa Scarlet comforted. “As your rival it wouldn’t be fair to see you retract your statement. Sure what he did was intimidating but we shouldn’t give up on surpassing our limits!”

Vodka felt the hand of Daiwa Scarlet on her shoulder and she smiled. “Well alright, but at where we’re at we’re definitely gonna be needing quite a bit of training.”

“And that’s what Ms. Director said will happen.” Mejiro McQueen broke out of her trance to say. “I am very astonished and impressed at Mach’s power, but if his trainer is here to provide us with an opportunity to train like the best, we should take it!”

“I-I agree!” Silence Suzuka meekly spoke. “I wish to see where my limits are at against an uma boy of the highest levels. That way I can become much stronger and reach my dreams!”

“Yeah! I agree with everyone, we shouldn’t let this bring our spirits down. We should take this chance and see what we can learn from the best of the best out there!” Tokai Teio cheered.

Special Week looked at everyone in surprise and focused onto Gold Ship after. The tall uma girl grinned with hands on her hips. “We must kindle the fire within us and have it burn brightly so we can all become kings of shogi!”

Special Week sweatdropped but nonetheless smiled. “Alright girls, let’s show them what Team Spica can do!”

“YEAH!” they all agreed.

“Let’s go get Trainer-san and tend to his injuries now.” Silence Suzuka suggested as they all nodded and went to go fetch their trainer.

“So who will be his wife?”

“GOLSHI!!!”

…

…

“And that’s all there is to it!” Yayoi finished her conversation with Damon and Mach at her personal office. Tazuha stood behind her at the side with hands over one another on her lap while the two males sat on chairs in front of the director’s desk. “So as per agreement, you will collaborate with our trainers here at the academy with your own training methods and how we can utilize them to make our umamusumes a lot stronger and faster.”

Damon nodded. “And Mach will demonstrate his abilities to the uma girls so that they can get the inspiration and morale on what it’s like at the top level of derby racing.”

“Exactly! While we also wished for an uma girl at the top level to be present as well, an uma boy will allow us to hopefully open up an uma boys’ school down the road and eventually develop mixed races for higher competition and opportunity!” the director added.

Tazuna sighed. “And no Ms. Director you cannot use the added revenue to cover your own personal expenses as it is the school’s money.”

Yayoi looked at her in shock. “But what if we need to expand our pool facilities?!”

“Ms. Director, no. The pool we have is sufficient enough.” Tazuna replied. Damon and Mach sweatdropped at their exchange.

“Hahaha and that’s why you are my most valuable secretary!” Yayoi announced with the cat above her giving another meow. Tazuna huffed in approval. “So anyway this would in turn increase the talent pool and hopefully attract more upcoming stars across Japan!”

“I can see this working in the long-term, but I wouldn’t want to establish mixed racing yet as the skill gap between an uma girl and uma boy is quite large. It’s best to have them train each other on how to improve and overcome their weaknesses.” Damon suggested. Yayoi nodded in agreement. “Of course! Even I will accept any recommendations from the best of the best in the world. I appreciate your feedback!”

“Alright so if that’s the case then we should be done with everything for today.” Damon said getting up. “I look forward to seeing what Tracen Academy has to offer!”

Yayoi stood as well. “And we look forward to you showing us what it takes to reach the pinnacle of derby racing!”

Mach stood as well looking nervous. “S-So um that’s fine and all but-.”

“Hahaha don’t you worry Mach, you are not at fault for what happened today!” the director interrupted.

The sixteen-year-old chuckled anxiously. “Yeah I get that but um… why do I have to enroll in Tracen Academy? Aren’t I just an ambassador and will only be present during training sessions?”

“Yes you are Mach but remember you are still sixteen and have not graduated from high school yet. While you were taking online courses during your racing career it made sense because we were always on the move, but now that we’ll be staying here in Japan and you’ll be taking a small break from high level competition for a bit it’ll save us time and money if you go to an actual school.” Damon answered.

“Why is that though? I thought with the earnings and sponsors we have it wouldn’t be an issue at all?” the young uma boy countered. His uncle chuckled and petted his head. “You also haven’t been with others around your age for a while now and you can’t always keep talking to me my boy. You need to go out and live a little hehe!”

Mach frowned and silently had to agree, but a question remained.

“But the thing is… I’ll be attending an all-girls school.”

“And the problem is?” Damon asked.

The uma boy looked back at the director and secretary with a face asking for help.

They continued to smile.

“Like… do you not see anything wrong with this?!” Mach tried to get his point across. “This is an all-girls school, I’m a guy!”

“Trainer-san’s also a guy and he’s a faculty member here, I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Yayoi said.

“And we have several male trainers that train the umamusumes here so it’s nothing new.” Tazuna added.

Mach’s eye twitched slightly. “Okay let me say this one more time: I’m going to attend an all-girls school where I’m AROUND THE SAME AGE as the students here. Does that not ring any bells?”

“Hahaha not really! Your trainer has told us much about you before you got here and we have much faith in you that you will not harm or do anything to negatively affect the umamusumes here at our academy!” Yayoi cheerfully said.

The secretary nodded. “We are normally more concerned about Trainer-san’s actions towards the girls but he is a good person overall. You will do just fine studying here at our institution.”

Mach realized he was not winning this battle so he sighed in defeat. “Well alright there’s no point in me getting through to all of you.”

GROOOWWWL!!

“Ugh…” Mach grumbled as he clutched his stomach.

“Hehe seems like my boy is hungry!” Damon raised a hand to Yayoi. “We will begin our collaboration tomorrow as planned.”

Yayoi earnestly shook his hand. “We look forward to the opportunity from the upper echelons themselves!”

As the two males began heading out the door, Mach felt a small hand grab his shoulder stopping him. The uma boy turned in confusion and saw Yayoi grinning as she moved close to him, raising herself on her tippy toes to place her mouth close to his ear.

“When you get the chance, you can stop by my office any time. I’m very interested in your capabilities, Mach-kun.”

Mach recoiled instantly blushing up a storm watching Yayoi giggling with red on her cheeks. Turning around the sixteen-year-old quickly walked out closing the door behind him. The director sighed and headed over to her desk as she leaned onto it, her hands under her chin with a blissful look on her face.

“Ms. Yayoi, please do not. He does not know that you’re only a child and that you only took this position because your mother was very busy with her own work.” Tazuna warned.

“He’s not that much older than me Tazuna. I think I have a chance hehe~.” Yayoi took out her fan and opened it up looking out the window with a grin. “Besides, I’m also looking forward to what he can bring to the table to make our umamusumes reach their dreams and go beyond what the other parts of the world can offer.”

…

…

 After an uneventful lunch and dinner with some sightseeing, Mach and Damon were back at home getting ready for their first day at Tracen Academy the following day.

“You know Mach, you gotta admit those girls were really cute. It’s been some time since you spoke with someone your age and of the opposite gender hehe.” Damon joked.

Mach grunted as he got his futon ready. “Quit it uncle, I just want to get some shuteye and worry about everything else later. And besides not like I had a chance before since almost all the uma girls at the top leagues are like in their twenties or thirties or older.”

“Well you can always go after the older women you know. They tend to be more interesting.” the 55-year-old suggested. The uma boy blushed and averted his eyes. “Shut it. Anyway we’re here to inspire the girls even further on their dreams and that’s it.”

Damon watched his nephew get in his futon and lie down, his emerald guys turning towards him. “But you know Uncle Damon, while today was super weird and everything…” Mach formed a smile. “I actually had fun.”

His trainer grinned. “Glad to hear that kid. Now have a good night and remember, school starts at 8am so you don’t need to wake up super early this time.” Damon was about to leave but poked his head back into the room. “And remember to wear the stuff that they gave you.”

Mach frowned rolling his eyes. “Fine if I have to.”

“He, sweet dreams Mach.” Damon shut off the lights and closed the room.

Mach looked at his window to see the moonlight let in its gentle glow, the soothing sight making his eyelids grow heavy as slumber overtook him.

In his mind Team Spica and their smiling faces appeared before him, their eyes full of determination and potential.

…

…

Damon stood in front of Mach’s door as he sighed.

‘He’s got talent and I’m glad to be his trainer… but I do hope that Tracen Academy can give him more of a normal life.’

The older man turned and walked towards his room, a smile on his face.

“I wished I could’ve given you more of that my young nephew… and now you got your chance.”

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 3

The bright early morning greeted the city of Tokyo below as people walked and drove towards work or school, about to start the day for themselves.

“ACHOO!”

And for a certain young uma boy, he can already tell that his first day at the prestigious Tracen Academy will be unlike any other day he normally goes through. The day before a preview of what he will encounter for the rest of his time in Japan.

As the only uma guy visiting the country as well.

Mach could feel stares at him as he walked down the sidewalk towards the train station, his horse ears curving a bit in annoyance with his tail swishing gently behind him. He made sure not to cause much attention and continued to stare ahead, though the whispers he could pick up made him more anxious.

“Is that...?”

“Yeah, but that’s a dude?”

“I thought only uma girls existed?”

“I’ve seen some on TV, but I never thought I would see one in person!”

“Isn’t he just cosplaying though? I mean you can get the ears and tail at a store.”

“I don’t think he is, I don’t see a headband or so. I think it’s the real deal.”

“Meh, probably glued on or something.”

“Maybe but also look at what he’s wearing. He’s definitely the real deal.”

Mach sighed to himself at their comments, the last one making him flinch. He looked down at the stuff his uncle told him about yesterday.

‘I can’t believe I have to wear this…’ the sixteen-year-old mulled in his head.

Mach was currently wearing a mainly white short-sleeved buttoned down school shirt with the sides having a thick vertical dark purple stripe and the sleeves being a solid light purple with the collar mainly white with purple edges. A striped white and purple tie hung down his neck with a small golden horseshoe emblem attached to the neck area. Below his waist were white khakis with a thick purple stripe around the ankles and a thinner one above it with a white belt holding it up, though it was hidden due to him not having his shirt tucked in. Dark brown sneakers were present on his feet as well and to finish it off Mach carried a brown messenger bag around his form, the back slinging a bit as he walked.

‘It’s a good thing they allowed me to wear sneakers and not those penny loafer things like I asked them to. But man this collar fricking bothers me.’ Mach thought as he pulled the collar out a bit, its tightness restricting his throat a bit. The uma boy clenched his teeth and decided to unbutton the topmost button, a sigh of relief coming out of him as he felt the fabric loosen around his neck. ‘Much better.’

He got to the train station and was able to board it with not much waiting. Luckily he took one of the very early ones due to the fact that Mach didn’t want a bunch of people coming up to him with questions, so the cart he was in didn’t have that many people. There were stares but aside from that Mach ignored them and listened to the music in his headphones as he watched the buildings pass by him.

‘I could’ve just ran to school, but uncle didn’t want me to because it will dirty my uniform. Heh, not like I’m running trails in the city.’ Mach thought watching the train pass by the river below the bridge they crossed. Sitting straight in his seat Mach closed his eyes and rested, thoughts about how the first few days with play out.

Minutes later the train stopped at its destination, Mach quickly getting out and started heading over to the school gates. He saw several students walking ahead of him and by the looks of it he hasn’t been seen yet, the uma male looking behind him and relieved that no one was there as well.

He took the opportunity to see a pair of vending machines and hid behind one of them, leaning on the metal surface and sliding down to a kneeling position.

“Ah man I’m super nervous!” Mach tried to mutter quietly clutching his head. “It’s an all-girl school! I’m the only guy! How did it fly over their heads?!”

Mach breathed in and out several times to calm himself while remaining silent, lest he want to attract attention. Eventually he will but the first thing in his mind was to take it slow and focus on the fact that he was only there to inspire them to become stronger umamusumes and reach their dreams.

‘Would’ve been easy if it was just coming to their training sessions, but to be with them for an entire day both in the class and on the track… what the hell were they thinking?’

SLAM!

Mach jumped in fright upon hearing a thud come from behind him. Feminine voices reached his ears as Mach tried his best not to freak out.

“Hey so did you hear the announcement about that uma boy coming to our school?”

“Yeah the director said it over the loudspeakers! I’ve never seen an uma boy before, I wonder what he’s like?”

“I heard that he was able to defeat Team Rigil yesterday during the last part of their run. They were bewildered and sort of mad haha.”

“Really? Then the rumors that he’s a high-level derby runner are true.”

“Not only that but I heard from someone that Vodka said that he’s handsome. Like isn’t she more into girls?”

Mach rolled his eyes at the last statement, then became relieved upon hearing the voices fading away and footsteps walking further. The sixteen-year-old continued to lean there, wondering what to do next.

‘Maybe I should hang out here for a bit until it’s almost time.’ Mach looked at his watch. ‘7:45am… screw it. Just suck it up and go in there. You dealt with intense pressure before like the Belmont Stakes for example.’

Taking a long deep breath Mach stood up and came out of his hiding spot, walking towards the front gate and going in.

His eyes steeled themselves to the front and did his best not to look around. The uma boy’s peripheral vision took note of the very large courtyard that greeted him with several students. Large grassy areas covered the landscape with trees here and there, welcoming anyone warmly to the school grounds.

And at the same time his ears picked up hardly any noise.

The reason being?

Once he walked through the entrance, all the girls stared at him.

‘Just keep going Mach, don’t make yourself look like an idiot. And the front actually does look nice. Man I went too fast yesterday and probably should’ve taken in the sights hehe.’ Mach thought. He continued to walk to the main building and ignored all the eyes on him.

“Hey that’s him!”

“Holy moly an uma guy! This is the first time I’ve seen one!”

“I hope he’s nice and doesn’t bite.”

“He definitely has good looks. Is he single?”

‘Oh my god…’ Mach mentally rolled his eyes. He took note of the uniform they all wore which was the same color scheme as his. White short-sleeved blouses with purple on the sides and sleeves and a collar with the same pattern as his albeit large and a dark purple bow in the center with a golden horseshoe emblem. They all wore white skirts that reached up to their mid-thighs with two purple stripes around the lower end and high thigh-length socks with a light purple stripe on the top and brown penny loafers with short to medium heels. Other than that the uniform he wore was tailored to match the color scheme of theirs.

Mach continued to look straight and tried to ignore the stares. Some were very surprised, others were in awe and some had a peculiar gleam in them that he couldn’t recognize. The young uma boy noted one hiding behind a tree looking.

‘Is she drooling?’

His ears picked up something and he froze, eyes widening a bit.

Incoming footsteps were quickly approaching.

‘Wait what are they saying?’

His ears flicked once.

Twice.

‘… dash? No wait that’s in English, it-.’

“BAKUSHIIIIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Mach quickly turned around to see an uma girl rushing towards him at breakneck speeds. Chestnut-brown hair flew rapidly behind her which was tied in a long high ponytail with her bangs on each side of her face and a golden headband with several ribbons and other accessories in her hair. Her eyes were intriguing as they were a purplish-pink color with cherry blossom patterns at the center, the uma girl’s gaze focused on him.

Locked in and on a mission.

“YOU THERE!” she announced, her arms and legs swinging in quick succession as she continued to say ‘bakushin’ multiple times. Mach noticed how quickly the distance between them was getting shorter.

‘Oh heck no!’ Mach did a 180 and applied instant power to his legs, quickly taking off. The sixteen-year-old heard a loud gasp behind him and quicker footsteps. “HEY STOP! DON’T RUN FROM ME!”

Mach ignored her and flew into the center courtyard that had a fountain in the middle. Groups of girls yelped at the speed he was going and Mach dodged several of them trying to get away from the uma girl chasing him. His ears still picked up her footsteps.

‘She’s quick! Will have to go faster if anything!’ Mach increased his speed and took a sharp turn towards the right building, his arms and legs working flawlessly back and forth in order to escape. Several uma girls barely noticed Mach rush through the doors as they jumped out the way, the young uma teen making it inside and speeding through the hallway.

He looked back quickly to see the uma girl burst through the doors, though their distance was quite large. “STOP! WHAT THE HECK YOU’RE FAST?!”

Mach focused his gaze upfront again and turned a corner, scaring three uma girls. The uma boy apologized quickly and continued his run. More of them covered the hallway and Mach weaved side to side in order to get across, his form a blur as the uma girls could barely make out who just passed by them.

On one swerve he was close to the wall and wasn’t able to get to the center of the path, a door opening in front of him.

‘SHIT!’

Thinking fast he moved closer to the wall and jumped using his right leg, placing his left one in the air and using his foot to angle it to the wall. From there he placed his right one after and began ascending up the wall in a curve.

He started to wallrun.

Mach dashed above the open door and heard a yelp from below, peripheral vision seeing short messy brown hair and a white lab coat. He ignored them and descended down the other side, jumping off the wall and landing back on the floor as he kept his pace.

His ears didn’t pick up the uma girl’s footsteps anymore but to ensure he really lost her, Mach noticed stairs to his side and he quickly ascended them not slowing down at all.

’Can’t go above 50 on these steps but just need enough speed to get away!’ Mach felt the slight burn in his legs from the climb but luckily he was able to reach the second floor within seconds, letting out a huge breath of relief as he was met with an empty hallway. The sixteen-year-old slowed his pace to a walk and let off a sigh. “That’s one way to warm up.”

Mach looked around to make sure he was really alone and turned a corner that was located halfway through the hall, leaning on its wall and sliding down to sit and calm himself.

“Okay so let’s see…” Mach looked at his watch. “7:57am… don’t think the teacher will mind if I’m late. I mean it my first day.” the young uma boy looked at his surroundings and peaked around the corner where he came from.

 No one in sight.

‘Looks like there’s no morning classes in this part of the building… I’ll give it until 8:05am and I’ll just tell them I got a bit lost. Great excuse hehe.’ Mach then dug into his bag and rummaged through it until he pulled out a piece of paper to look at. “First class is… homeroom.” the uma boy did a double take. “Wait isn’t homeroom supposed to be like after one or two main classes?”

RING! RING!

Mach jumped at the sound of the bell signaling that the school day had begun. Looking around once again to make sure he was still alone the dark-haired uma boy looked at his schedule once more.

“Okay so after that I have my regular set of classes along with three training sessions. The director said that the students here normally take two with one being before lunch and the other some time after. But the way they did it… it’s only adding extra time to the second one? What?”

The sixteen-year-old took another look at his watch. ‘8:02am. I bet the third session was uncle’s suggestion so I can do my own workouts.’ Mach then got up and stretched. “Alright so by the looks of it I shouldn’t have much of a hard time here, but the uma girls will be something else.”

Once he loosened himself up and calmed his nerves the sixteen-year-old looked at his watch.

“8:05am. Time go see what awaits me.” Mach took a deep breath and started heading downstairs. Luckily the hallway he ran through was empty meaning classes were in session. The young uma boy looked at the doors to find his assigned number and continued to walk through the hallway. Mach also took the time to look at his surroundings some more.

‘They sure do keep this place clean. I mean the hallway looks huge now that there isn’t anyone around!’ Mach continued to look in awe. ‘Maybe uncle’s right, I should’ve went back to actual school.’

Eventually Mach found the door with the number that matched the one on his schedule. He noticed on the side were small cubicle shelves with a pair of brown penny loafers in each of them. Mach raised an eyebrow on why that is, until a thought came to his head and he scrunched his face a bit.

‘Oh yeah that’s right, Ms. Tazuna mentioned that when I’m in class I have to wear these… what did she call them? Uwa-something?’ Mach scanned the little open containers until he found one that only had these white slippers with a strap above them and a blue lower sole with blue tips. Mach grunted a bit as he pulled them out. ‘Uwabaki there we go.’

Switching into the new footwear and placing his sneakers in the cubicle shelf he wiggled his toes in the uwabaki. ‘Not bad. Comfy and light but as a foreigner it’ll take some time to get used to.

Mach walked up to the door and gripped the strap of his messenger back tightly, readying himself. “Alright Mach remember you’re here to show these uma girls what it’s like at the highest level. You dealt with very large crowds and annoying reporters getting up in your face so this should be a cakewalk.” The sixteen-year-old breathed out and placed a hand on the door, opening it.

‘Here we go!’

…

Mach was greeted by the sight of the classroom with his eyes solely focused on the teacher. He noted that the surroundings were pretty typical of a classroom but nonetheless Mach steeled his emerald hues to the human instructor in front of him, a young human woman with long brown hair and a simple black office blouse and skirt (A/N: Apparently after trying to recount how the classroom settings are like, I realized that it’s whatever lol so the teacher will be a random something).

He mentally counted at least 30 seats.

Almost all of them filled with umamusumes.

There was chatter among them moments ago but once he entered the classroom, he heard a lot of gasps and then dead silence.

The teacher turned from her desk and her violet eyes went wide, quickly getting up.

“Oh… my… god.”

Mach recoiled a bit as the human woman swiftly stood a foot away from him, astonishment all over her face. “The director was right. I-I mean s-she told me y-you would be here but-!” she looked at his ears and pointed. “S-So, a-are those…”

The sixteen-year-old raised an eyebrow and looked up. “You mean my ears?” he asked and did a few flicks from them afterward. The teacher gasped and darted her eyes down. “A-And what a-about-!”

The uma boy sweatdropped and turned to his side, giving his black tail a small sway. “Like this?”

…

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!”

Mach shut his eyes and covered his ears quickly, the human teacher jumping up and down in excitement. “SO IT’S TRUE! I THOUGHT THEY DIDN’T EXIST BUT THEY DO!”

“Y-Yeah, you’re not the only to find out. Please don’t yell.” Mach opened his eyes and uncovered his ears shaking his head. “So I assume Ms. Yayoi told you why I’m here?”

“Of course! Now I don’t want to sound like a broken record player if you already heard so I’ll just get to the point and have you introduce yourself to the class! I am Ms. Hanabi by the way and it’s a big pleasure to meet you!” the teacher know as Ms. Hanabi said with a bow after.

The uma male sweatdropped and returned the bow. “Pleasure’s all mine, and I apologize for my tardiness.”

Ms. Hanabi waved a hand “Oh it’s okay! I’ll allow it on your first day.”

Mach then turned to the rest of the class.

EVERYONE stared at him in awe and surprise.

Mach was confused by a few of them licking their lips.

‘What?’

The uma boy brushed the thought aside, raised a hand and waved. “H-Hello everyone, my name is Mach Infinite and I’ll be joining you for the rest of however long I will be staying in Japan. I hope we can get along and that there won’t be any problems between us.”

Ms. Hanabi clapped her hands. “Excellent! So if you don’t mind can you tell us a little bit about yourself?”

The uma male glanced at her and back at the classroom. His eyes scanned everyone there and noticed the members of Team Spica being there. Special Week caught his gaze and happily waved at him, Silence Suzuka silently yelped and pulled a book in front of her, Vodka averted her eyes with her cheeks turning red, Mejiro McQueen looked down in shyness avoiding his gaze, Daiwa Scarlet did the same thing as Vodka and Gold Ship was eyeing him up and down rapidly. (A/N: I remembered the anime side being weird on how class setups worked as well so I’m just gonna have most of the cast from the anime and game together in the same class for the heck of it and less headache).

Mach noted that Tokai Teio wasn’t in the classroom. ‘She must be a grade below or in another homeroom.’ the uma boy cleared his throat. “Well I guess to start off I was born in the Americas, I’m a two-time Triple Crown winner and um, I like to play video games during my off time.”

A hand shot up from among the umamusumes. Ms. Hanabi looked at its owner. “Ah Ms. Seiun Sky, you have a question?”

“Yeah I do.” the uma girl rose up from her seat, Mach taking in her short power green hair with a sunflower hair-pin clipped on her side bangs with a cloud patterned green cover on her right ear, blue weary eyes looking at him. “So um, what races have you won overseas?”

Mach moved his hand to scratch the back of his head while he thought. “Well I normally don’t talk much about my victories because I hate bragging, but I did win races like the Epsom Derby, Melbourne Cup, Dubai World Cup, Gold Cup at Ascot, the Kentucky Derby-.”

“YOU WON THE KENTUCKY DERBY?!” a voice shouted from the far-left side of the classroom that followed with loud gasps. Mach turned to see an uma girl with medium-length brown hair and a blue and white striped band on her right ear. She also wore a red masquerade mask with a white frame, sky blue eyes looking at him in shock.

The sixteen-year-old uma male sweatdropped. “Yeah I won it. Don’t think it’s that important.”

“NOT THAT IMPORTANT?!” she yelled. Ms. Hanabi raised a finger. “Ms. El Condor Pasa, please lower your voice.”

El Condor Pasa bowed. “My apologies Ms. Hanabi, but there’s no way you could’ve won the Kentucky Derby?! That’s the most prestigious race in all of America and possibly the world! Only the best of the best can enter!”

Mach raised an eyebrow. “Well I’ve won it. Think about three times now.”

El Condor Pasa narrowed her eyes. “Prove it.”

The uma male reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, scrolling through it before stopping and showing the screen to everyone which showed a picture of him and his uncle with huge grins. Mach was holding a large golden trophy with an uma runner on top while his uncle held a smaller silver one with a trainer mold on top; both trophies had the etching ‘Kentucky Derby Champion’. They both wore leis that were entirely made of red roses.

The masked umamusume silently fell to her seat in shock. “No way…”

“This was the second race before the Belmont Stakes one where I won the latter and got my second Triple Crown.” Mach stated putting his phone away. “After that it was quite a bunch of random races.”

Another hand rose and Ms. Hanabi pointed to them. “Go ahead Ines Fujin.”

“Yes Ms. Hanabi.” an umamusume with brown hair with a side ponytail and white visor with a pink stripe began, her green eyes sparkling with interest. “So exactly how old are you?”

Mach blinked at the question but gave his answer. “I’m sixteen.”

Whispers erupted between almost everyone, almost all of them really happy and squealing in joy from his answer. Mach glanced at Ms. Hanabi to which the latter giggled.

“I have a question!” another hand shot up.

“You may speak Sakura Bakuskin O.”

‘HUH?!’ Mach’s eyes widened as his emerald orbs instantly darted to the umamusume in question. It was the same uma girl that chased him earlier, the same one standing up tall and proud.

“I AM SAKURA BAKUSHIN O, CLASS REPRESENTATIVE!” her purplish-pink eyes stared hard at him as she pointed a finger. “YOU HAVE INTENTIONALLY FLEED FROM MY APPROACH AND I AM STUNNED THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO OUTRUN ME!”

“Woah you actually beat Bakushin O?!” an uma girl with medium length light brown hair tied in a high ponytail with a star shaped hair band said, her cobalt eyes displaying awe. “She would literally catch you before you can escape!”

Mach laughed nervously scratching the back of his head. “Well she basically scared me and I had to run for my life hehe.”

“I ONLY WANTED TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND SHOW YOU AROUND!” Sakura Bakushin O loudly replied.

“That’s… not how you would present yourself Ms. Bakushin O.” Ms. Hanabi clarified. “And yes Taiki Shuttle it seems that Mach had outran Bakushin O.”

“So are you a sprinter?” an umamusume with short chestnut brown hair with a crown braid and brown eyes and a hairband with white ear covers said. “My apologies as I am Yukino Bijin.” she added with a bow.

The uma boy nodded. “Pleasure and well I’m more of an all-rounder but I lean towards long distance. I’ve been in 1200 meter races but I like doing a lot of 3200 meters ones, but even those are short for me.”

“The Kentucky Derby is 2000 meters and if you won that one then it means you are definitely both sprint and distance.” Ms. Hanabi added. “Therefore it makes sense that you would have beaten Bakushin O.”

Sakura Bakushin O looked down in disappointment. “I may have lost to you Mach Infinite, but I will prove myself once we are on the track so PLEASE BE AT THE READY AND GIVE EVERYTHING YOU GOT!”

Mach sweatdropped. “Well, alright I’ll take your word for it.”

Special Week rose her hand. “I have a question: So I heard rumors that you beat Team Rigil yesterday before we met and they said that they’ve never seen anyone go that fast while they went all out at the last part of their run.”

“Yes Spe that is true!” an uma girl with marmalade orange hair, a gold-pink crown on top and light purple eyes announced. Mach almost thought that she was an uma boy given with how princely she looked. “This brute has managed to ruin our masterful run with a shocking dash that even left me, the great T.M. Opera O, in utter shock! I swore to thyself that I will not allow this heathen smear the star of this class once more!”

‘Okay I’m not sure if I should be offended or not?’ Mach thought confusingly.

Taiki Shuttle nodded. “Yeah, he literally came out of nowhere and passed us easily.”

“We saw him run so fast into the school that we couldn’t keep up once we recovered. We did manage to see why he was there and saw him with his trainer, Ms. Director and Ms. Secretary.” El Condor Pasa added.

Ms. Hanabi furrowed her eyebrows. “You weren’t spying on him right?”

The masked-clad umamusume nervously laughed. “N-No?”

T.M. Opera O flamboyantly looked away and pointed at Mach who blinked twice. “I ask of you bullish brute, what was your haste?”

“Uhh…” Mach couldn’t decipher.

“She means what was your time from wherever you started your run?” Ms. Hanabi answered.

“Oh okay, well I started from my house in the suburbs of Tokyo and my uncle said it was a 3500 meter route with a few turns and like three straightaways. Once I got to the main building entrance I finished with a time of 1 minute 49 seconds.” Mach explained.

Silence greeted him for a few seconds.

“HUUUUHHH?!?!?!?!?!”

Mach covered his ears from all the voices from the classroom, half of them beginning to stand.

“NO WAY?! THE SCHOOL RECORD IS 3 MINUTES 17 SECONDS, IT’S NOT POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE THAT UNDER THREE MINUTES, ESPECIALLY OFF THE TRACK!” one uma girl yelled.

“THAT’S MORE THAN A MINUTE FASTER! YOU GOTTA BE LYING!” another added with disbelief.

Ms. Hanabi raised her hands. “Every please calm yourselves and do not shout. While a time like that sounds very outlandish, I do believe his statement.”

“He’s new Ms. Hanabi, there’s no way you can trust someone we just met?” an uma girl with short raven hair with a white stripe in her bangs asked. Mach shook his head slightly almost assuming she was an uma guy given with how masculine she looks.

“Because the director herself has said that to me Fuji Kiseki. His trainer captured his time upon completing his run to the school.” Ms. Hanabi looked at Mach with a smile. “So I believe them.”

More chattering started among the umamusumes as Mach watched in confusion. He was hoping that homeroom could just start now.

“Anyway I’m sure you have lots more questions for this young umanoshonen, but we must get homeroom started!” Ms. Hanabi said.

Mach raised an eyebrow at her. “Umanoshonen?”

“That is uma boy in Japan Mach, the more you know.” the human teacher bowed slightly. “Again we welcome you to Tracen Academy and do hope you enjoy your stay!”

Ms. Hanabi turned to the class. “Now girls, please do not give Mr. Mach Infinite a hard time while he attends our institution. Hey may be the only umanoshonen around your age here but like everyone else he is a fellow student. And to answer most of your questions regarding some of his physical achievements, the umas are just like human men and women where the average male is naturally stronger and more resilient than the average female. The girls are naturally superior in terms of genetics with higher immunity and longer lifespans than boys, but the males have higher muscle and skeletal mass and a much higher percentage of upper and lower body mass, therefore I can safely say that an average umanoshonen will be faster and stronger than an average umamusume. If the former lacks training however then an umamusume with training will fare a lot better but given that Mach is an elite derby runner he technically is, only during his stay here, the fastest and strongest uma here at Tracen Academy.”

The class was speechless, and Mach started getting anxious as he pulled his collar a bit.

“I-I’m only here as an ambassador and not to show off. They just told me that I would help with training so that the students can achieve their dreams in less time.” Mach then gave a bow. “I apologize if I did speak too much on my part.”

“Oh my you’re really kind and considerate, you will do just fine with our umamusumes! Now that you introduced yourself you can go to the empty seat next to Mejiro, homeroom will now begin.” Ms. Hanabi said while pointing to the seat. Mach nodded and started walking over there while trying his best to avoid the silent stares he was getting.

Upon reaching his seat his peripheral vision caught Sakura Bakushin O directly behind him and Silence Suzuka upfront. The former narrowed her eyes to him while the latter squeaked and hid in her book once again. Mach internally sighed and sat at his assigned chair, continuing to feel the intense stares as Ms. Hanabi began to talk. ‘This is gonna be a LONG day.’

Across from Mach, T.M. Opera O watched him with furrowed eyes. In her mind she saw a very powerful aura radiating off the umanoshonen.

‘Toujou-san will definitely want him as part of our masterful team. And I can see why Rudolf-chan was regrettably furious when this brute achieved victory over us… be at the ready Mach Infinite, you will not be the star of this play!’

The princely umamusume failed to realize that her gaze turned into a longing one, a slight blush on her cheeks present.

…

…

Once homeroom ended…

“STOP RUNNING MACH!”

“I CHALLENGE YOU TO A RACE!”

“KYAAAA I LOVE YOU!!”

“HOW BIG ARE YOU?!”

The umanoshonen in question had a frightful look on his face as he bolted through the halls fleeing from a large horde of umamusumes chasing him. It was immediately that he stepped foot outside the classroom that there was a very, VERY large group of uma girls waiting for him. Apparently word got out of where his homeroom was and many got the chance to leave theirs early enough to meet the sixteen-year-old. However their approach was very similar to Bakushin O’s in which they closed the distance very quickly without giving him a chance to say hello to them. Even from behind his classmates surrounded him.

The fact that he miraculously escaped with all sides blocked was something he didn’t even know he was capable of pulling off.

Mach hightailed through the hallway doors which led to the outside, but he wasn’t in the clear.

‘WHAT THE HELL?!’

As several more umamusumes were prepared and tried to jump him from the sides.

Mach quickly dodged each of their pounces, ducking and jumping over many of them as a few of their hands barely grazed his clothing. His emerald eyes darted everywhere to ensure he wasn’t caught as he continued his rapid pace away from the horde behind him, feminine yells and squeals luckily fading fast due to his superior speed and power. What Ms. Hanabi stated was indeed correct, but Mach didn’t focus too much on it as he did a sharp right and headed straight through the main building.

‘Alright need to head upstairs!’ the umanoshonen traversed the open lobby but grunted as unfortunately the umamusune in the building started to chase after him. Mach ascended the stairs, his arms and legs on near overdrive as he glanced back a bit to see a lot of uma girls having their eyes set on him. Determination, passion, and a weird one that he started seeing ever since he arrived at the academy present on their faces. Though for the latter he didn’t understand why it only applied to uma girls around his age.

Luckily Mach didn’t need to put too much effort into his pace as he noticed the uma girls slowing down the further they climbed up the stairs.

‘It looks like their stamina’s only great for flat terrain. They don’t do much hill stuff.’ Mach averted his gaze to the front and increased his pace, reaching the third floor within seconds. The sounds of many footsteps and yells began disappearing behind him as he shot across an empty hallway to a destination he had in mind.

‘Close to 50 miles an hour, almost there!’ Mach’s emerald eyes fell onto a large door on his left and he applied the brakes, his sneakers-clad feet skidding on the floor.

How he managed to change out of his uwabaki was also a mystery to him.

Reaching for the door he mentally cried in happiness as it opened and Mach quickly let himself in, shutting the entrance immediately.

‘Holy cow that was close. I thought I was a goner!’

He was not out of the woods yet.

“MACH-KUN! YOU ACTUALLY CAME BACK TO ME~!”

Mach snapped his head to the energetic voice and saw the director running straight towards him with her arms reaching out to him, the distance between them rapidly closing.

BAM!

Yayoi slammed into the door as Mach dodged out of the way, sweatdropping as he saw her fall slowly onto the ground in comedic fashion.

“Ms. Yayoi! I have stated several times before that you cannot do anything rash to Mach!” Tazuna scolded as she jogged over to the fallen Yayoi and picked her up from the arms, swirly eyes present on the blonde-haired lady’s face.

“Mreow.” Mach jumped a bit and turned to see the cat that normally sits above Yayoi’s hat sitting on its hindlegs next to him.

‘Smart cat.’ the uma boy thought.

Tazuna waved Yayoi’s fan in front of the latter’s face until she began to recover. Shaking her head Yayoi regained consciousness and Tazuna let her go.

“Hehehe, you managed to dodge my affection. I’ll get you next time~.”

“What?” Mach didn’t hear her.

“Oh nothing hahaha!” Yayoi walked up to Mach with hands on her hips. “It looked like you came here with great urgency! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Mach averted his eyes to the door with a nervous grin. “Well at the moment it looks like I’m getting a little TOO much attention and I was hoping to see if you might be able to do something about it?”

The director gave a cheerful grin and fanned herself. “As expected from the very first umanoshonen at our prestigious academy! You have made yourself quite a celebrity, and a good looking one as well!”

Tazuna bowed. “We apologize for the behavior of our umamusumes.”

Mach shook his hands. “No it’s fine. I mean I’m not mad or anything, but if things keep going like this I don’t think I’ll be able to have a normal day at school or have much of a breather.”

‘Let alone have a chance to breathe.’

Yayoi gave a nod and walked over to her desk. “I shall resolve this immediately!” She then pressed a button on a device which had a microphone attached to it, her face getting close to it.

“Attention my fellow umamusumes of Tracen Academy! Starting today all is to be ensured that the ambassador and student, Mach Infinite, is to have a normal school routine! That means no inappropriate contact, inappropriate conversation, or any actions that may cause him extreme discomfort! Any violation will result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from academy grounds! Have a wonderful day my young umas!”

The director let go of the button.

“Because he is mine~.” she muttered.

“Huh?” Mach’s ear twitched.

“Hahaha the issue has been resolved!” Yayoi bashfully said with the cat jumping back on its place atop her head. “The umamusumes should no longer give you much issues Mach-kun!”

Her secretary nodded. “While we have reduced your major issue, there is no guarantee that some of the uma girls will follow the rules. We recommend you exercise caution and be alert Mach.”

The sixteen-year-old happily nodded and bowed. “Thank you Ms. Yayoi and Ms. Tazuna.”

“Please call me Yayoi, Mach-kun.” the blonde-haired young woman said. Tazuna kept her smile releasing a sigh; if one paid attention it was basically one of annoyance.

Mach looked at his watch. “Anyway it looks I should be heading towards my next class. Really appreciate the help and I’ll see you two later or whenever!”

“Alright have a great day Mach-kun!” the director said. Tazuna waved. “Please be safe.”

The umanoshonen began heading out and disappeared behind the door to the hallway outside.

Tazuna turned to Yayoi in concern. “I do hope that young Mach doesn’t get caught by the uma girls’ antics.”

Yayoi’s grin only got bigger, her fan blowing air on her face.

“And that’ the type of inspiration that we need from him! Mach will certainly bring the umamusumes to their full potential!”

…

…

‘Thank the gods.’ Mach smiled like an idiot as he headed towards the changing room in one of the training buildings. After Yayoi made the announcement almost all the umamusumes didn’t go bonkers and kept their restraint. He continued to get stares from them but other than that it was pretty uneventful, his math and history classes after homeroom being normal and not asking questions to him. Mach was able to talk with some of them but only for class-related stuff; apparently the sixteen-year-old was incredibly smart and managed to solve all the problems thrown at him with ease which made a certain class representative seethe. He was also more comfortable chatting with the members of Team Spica when they were in class, but it’s because they were the first ones he met during the tour.

‘Special looks like the most normal one out of the group, and Gold Ship is… something else hehe.’ Mach chuckled when he watched the silver-haired girl try to figure out a Rubik’s cube. He offered to solve it for her to which she stared at him blankly, mentioned someone about leading her to a ‘golden journey’ then gave him the cube. Within seconds he solved it and handed it back to her, the uma girl’s jaw going through the ground. Mach told her how to do it but unfortunately Gold Ship had a bit of a miniscule attention span and suddenly focused on bug-catching.

Again.

Mach thought about the others as well: Silence Suzuka remained shy with him but did get some conversation from her, apparently being the more intelligent one out of the group. Daiwa and Vodka acted very strange every time he did something nice, the most common phrase starting off with ‘it’s not like I…’ then insert something Mach did that was good for them. With Mejiro she was back to being her usual self like the first time they met and apparently is very classy. It does seem like the latter came from a well-known background but if anything Mach saw her as a sweet person. Other than that the others such as El Condor and Taiki Shuttle he didn’t converse much with, and he ESPECIALLY made sure to not interact with Bakushin O.

At least until she introduces herself properly and not throw herself at him like a rocket.

‘I should be able to handle this way better now. Still anxious that it’s an all-girls school but now that I see it’s not that bad.’ Mach came up to a door and opened it. Inside was a simple gray locker with a bench, a large mirror on the side with a sink and a table, the area large enough for him to walk around freely. “I’m also glad that they thought ahead and created separate rooms for me only to change and stuff. It would’ve been VERY problematic if they didn’t and I was mixed in with the girls.” Mach shivered at the thought.

And did so again at another. “The bathroom though… what the heck?”

Mach was EXTREMELY uncomfortable on the fact that he would’ve had to share the school bathrooms with the umamusumes but luckily that wasn’t the case. The director made sure that the uma boy got his own facilities for him and only for him. Yayoi gave him a key in which all the restrooms in the school meant for him were locked and could only be opened with the key. Mach promised himself that absolutely nothing will happen to the key and that no uma girl will be able to get their hands on it. Otherwise he is very doomed.

HOWEVER.

Once Mach entered one of the bathrooms he was greeted by a HUGE area with several fountains here and there and for some reason, very LARGE portraits of Yayoi in different poses on the walls. At the very end of the restroom had the toilet above a small set of stairs and on the toilet lid had a covering with the director’s face giving a peace sign while sticking out her tongue cutely.

Mach nearly lost it.

In the end however he simply rotated the portraits so her pictures were hidden and he took off the seat cover from the toilet. Aside from that the experience was very nice though.

‘She’s REALLY nuts.’ Mach thought as he changed from his school uniform to a tracksuit provided to him. The color layout was the same red and white as the uma girls’ own with running pants, a long-sleeved workout sweater and red and white running shoes with a metal horseshoe under the upper part of the bottom. Unlike the girls’ running shoes which had a heel on the back, his didn’t have one.

Mach held the shoes from the toe area and moved them up and down. “They feel kind of alright, but they’ll do. It’s a good thing I brought the other ones.”

‘Though I won’t be able to use them yet. Not until uncle says I can.’

Once the uma boy had his workout attire on he left the changing room and headed out towards the track. Mach’s smiled and breathed in the fresh air that came off the open space of the grass, turf and dirt covered course, the sun shining high above him with the conditions ripe and comfortable. Slight wind blew within the air and tickled his black hair and tail, a confident smile on the young umanoshonen’s face as he was greeted by a familiar scene.

“ACK!”

A sharp smack hit his back as Mach quickly gave an irritated look at his now present uncle, the latter giving a large grin. “How’s your first day of school treating ya my boy?” Damon asked.

Mach rubbed his back in annoyance. “Well aside from almost getting jumped by nearly every person in the school, it’s been quite alright.”

Damon gave a hearty laugh and ruffled Mach’s head. “Haha I knew you’d like it Mach! Anyway we’ll be meeting with two teams today and they’ll be the first that will get a taste of what we can do, so make sure you get ready with some warmups.”

The uma boy crossed an arm over another and twisted his upper body a bit, a grin of his own aimed at Damon. “I’ll be more than ready uncle. Can’t wait to finally get some practice in!”

“And speaking of teams it looks like they’re coming right now.” Damon heard footsteps coming from behind them as the pair turned to see Okino and Team Spica in their tracksuits approach them, the young trainer raising a hand. “Heya!”

“Ah Okino it’s great to see you! Your girls ready for today’s training session?” Damon asked. Okino gave a confident thumbs up. “You bet!”

Special Week came up to Mach and waved. “Hey Mach! We’re ready for whatever you and your trainer throw at us!” she happily said.

Vodka crossed her arms. “As I said before, get ready as we’ll show you who runs the track here.”

Daiwa had her hands on her hips with a confident smirk. “You’ll see why I’m aiming to be the best!"

Silence and Mejiro nodded silently and held a small smile, their fists up in anticipation. Gold Ship in the meantime was doing something weird as she held her hands up. “Radar alert, radar alert. Hot uma detected nearby.”

Mach sweatdropped.

“Heya Mach!” Tokai made herself known and jumped up and down in front of him. “Sorry I wasn’t able to see you earlier today since we don’t share the same classes, but I can’t wait to practice with you!”

The sixteen-year-old smiled. “No worries and it’s alright, I actually had quite an interesting day. Also looking forward to training with you.”

“Heh it’ll be a very interesting day today once we start.” Damon said. “By the way is the other team coming?”

Okino looked around. “Hmm they should be here, it’s not like her to be late or anything.”

A set of footsteps approached from behind the group, the younger trainer smiling. “And looks like she’s here just in time.”

The duo and Team Spica set their sights on a slender woman with azure hair kept in a ponytail with pink eyes and glasses wearing a stone blue tuxedo, pants and high heels arrive with ten umamusumes walking behind her also wearing tracksuits.

“Ah Toujou-san it’s great to see you!” Okino cheerfully said. The mature looking woman gave a smile. “Hello Trainer-san, pleasure as well.”

Okino then scratched the back of his head nervously. “So uh I had breakfast this morning and I was wondering-.”

“No Trainer-san, I won’t cover for you today.” the woman sternly spoke. “You are a grown adult that can take care of himself.”

The brown-haired trainer then got on his hands and knees. “Please Toujou-san I beg of you! The owner’s got me in a bind if I don’t pay him this week!”

A tic mark appeared on Toujou-san’s forehead. “Then deal with it! You’re a fully grown adult!”

A bickering war began between the two as Mach and Damon sweatdropped.

“Heya Spe!” El Condor waved at Special Week. The latter returned the gesture with a smile. “Hey El, ready for some training?”

The masked uma grinned and nodded. “Yup, can’t wait to see how I go up against one of the best!”

“Hello everyone.” a friendly looking umamusume with tawny waist-length hair and a white spot on her bangs with a badge with two tails under her right ear and blue eyes greeted.

“Hey Grass, hyped up as well?” Special asked. The latter nodded and were met by Fuji Kiseki as well. “My ponies are looking lovely today! Can’t wait to see everyone in action!”

“Greetings my fellow subjects! The star has arrived!” T.M. Opera O made herself known. Taiki Shuttle nervously laughed and waved. “Hey everyone.”

“Okay let’s make sure we bring the fire! I’m itching to go any time now!” a sun-kissed tanned umamusume bashfully yelled, amber eyes ablaze with passion and long azure hair with a few strands piking out of her head and a small white clip with a red tiger stripe band. “Lemme at em!”

A sigh came off another umamusume with long black hair tied in a ponytail with a ginger orange white braided string and messy curly bangs with a bandage on her nose, yellow eyes glaring at the louder uma girl. “Lower your voice Hishi-san.”

The loud uma named Hishi simply grinned at her. “C’mon Narita-san don’t be a downer, today’s an awesome day for a race!”

“Yo yo yo! How my gal pals doing today!” a cheerful brunette umamusume with long curly hair tied with a black ribbon and blue eyes announced.

Almost all the umamusumes greeted one another while their two trainers continued to argue. Damon for once wasn’t laughing and was downright confused, while Mach held a bit of a laugh.

‘Now that I see it, Mr. Okino is actually pretty funny. Man I should apologize for what happened yesterday.’ the umanoshonen thought.

Once the younger trainers settled their differences with Okino asking Toujou-san out on a date (a bit of her weakness), everyone turned their attention to Mach and Damon.

“Hehe sorry about the ruckus there. Toujou-san can be thickheaded at times.” Okino muttered.

“I am not! You’re the one that keeps asking for money!” the women barked. Okino jumped in fright but managed to brush it off. “Anyway so how’s school treating you Mach?”

The sixteen-year-old chuckled scratching his cheek and averting his eyes. “Well it’s been interesting. I mean if I wasn’t the only guy in an all-girl school, then things would’ve been more uneventful.”

Okino laughed. “You’ll get used to it. Also you don’t need to apologize for what happened yesterday, I take all the blame.”

Mach nodded and looked up and down at him. “And it seems that you were able to recover very quickly.”

“Oh yeah, when you train umamusumes that abuse you every day for a while you get very durable.”

“It’s because you keep trying to violate us you moron!” Vodka and Daiwa said at the same time, also making Okino jump. Mach sweatdropped and simply gave a smile.

Damon noticed the female trainer approach him. “Ah so you must be the trainer of Team Rigil am I correct?”

The latter had a slightly nervous look on her face as she gave a deep bow. “Y-Yes that is correct Felix-san, my name is Hana Toujou. I h-have heard all about you and am honored to learn your methods!”

“Haha great to hear! Can’t wait to see what your uma girls got!” the 55 year old then patted Mach’s shoulder. “And if you don’t know already, this is my trainee Mach Infinite.”

Hana’s eyes widened as her gaze fell on the uma boy, her bow deepening further. “I. AM. VERY. HONORED!”

Mach waved his hands. “Please don’t be too hyped up Ms. Toujou-san.”

“I apologize.” Hana rose up quickly and exhaled out her mouth with eyes closed. “But I simply cannot contain my excitement on meeting not only a real life umanoshonen but an absolute legend on the track! I am greatly appreciative and will take this opportunity to have my uma girls learn all that you can provide to make them reach their goals with efficiency and elegance!”

“Well okay but again I’m just here to train hehe.” Mach replied cheekily. Hana’s eyes suddenly shot open. “Oh how rude of me I should introduce you to my team! Girls come over here!”

All of Team Rigil stopped conversing with Team Spica and headed over to Mach.

“Woah those this is an uma guy?!” the tawny-haired uma girl covered her mouth in surprise and bowed. “My apologies! I’m Grass Wonder and it’s nice to meet you.”

The sun-kissed umamusume smirked. “So we got a dude in the school huh? Name’s Hishi Amazon and I look forward to racing you!”

The brunette uma girl looked at Mach in awe. “Radical, so what everyone said was true. I’m Maruzensky and it’s groovy to meet you!”

T.M. Opera O covered her eyes in shame. “Ah, must I meet my eternal stage rival once again?! No, I must show him who’s the true center of this performance as I am T.M. Opera O!”

“A pleasure to see you again. You may not be one of my wonderful ponies but we are delighted to have you here.” Fuji Kiseki spoke.

“How’s it going Mach!” Taiki Shuttle waved.

“Heya Mach! Awesome to see you again!” El Condor added.

The black-haired loner looking uma girl crossed her arms and looked away. “Sup, name’s Narita Brian.”

What no one noticed was a slight blush on her cheeks.

Mach returned a grin and waved. “Hey everyone, great to meet you some of and see others again!”

Hana noticed that not everyone on Team Rigil greeted the uma boy. ‘Wait where are-?’

Footsteps came from behind the group, the girls turned and noticed two more walking towards Mach.

The black-haired uma boy raised an eyebrow at the newcomers. ‘These two look like they’re important.’

In front of him stood two umamusumes, one with short and sleek warm gray hair parted to her right with one strand between her eyes, her ears were a mix of pink and faded black with tufts on the tips and a gold ribbon with gold chains on one of them. Pale blue irises stared back at him with red eyeliner surrounding the edges to make it look more cat-like.

The last one who stood directly in front of him seemed to exert a great amount of authority. Light-brown hair reached towards her waist with it being darker on the front and a long streak of white swept to the left of her bangs. A silver earring with a jade sat on her right ear that mixed well with magenta eyes that softly glared at him.

Mach could definitely feel some power radiating off the uma girl that continued to stare at him.

‘She looks like she has quite a high position here.’ Mach thought. Everyone else was silent and even Damon didn’t speak, but he did have a grin.

The light-brown haired umamusume kept her hard gaze at Mach, the latter doing the same.

 “So you must be the newcomer that took Tracen Academy by storm. This is the first time I ever see an uma boy in my life, and by no doubt you seem very impressive.” the uma girl who stood in front of him said.

She raised a hand to her chest. “I am Symboli Rudolf, president of the student council and known by my peers as the Emperor. I make sure that all the umamusumes at Tracen Academy live in bliss and express themselves freely to reach their dreams!”

The second uma girl made herself known and bowed. “My name is Air Groove, vice president of the student council. As the Empress to the Emperor herself, this is the first that I get to see an umanoshonen as well. I look forward to seeing your capabilities out on the track.”

Mach nodded in response. “Glad to meet you both. I also can’t wait to see what everyone here can do.”

Damon felt his presence was needed and he clapped his hands once. “Great it looks like we all introduced ourselves so as of now our training will commence!” the oldest trainer then narrowed his eyes.

“But be warned, this training is not for the faint of heart. We will make sure your limits are exceeded every day and guarantee you will be sore for the first several weeks. Once we’re done with you, you will be able to achieve your goals and beyond!”

“And to add to what uncle said…”

WHOOSH!

Rudolf’s and Air Groove’s eyes widened as they felt themselves being pushed back a bit by an unseen force. The rest of Team Spica and Team Rigil also felt it with them and the trainers almost stumbling.

“WOAH!” several yelps and gasps were let out.

And once they found their balance they all looked at Mach who gazed at them, brilliant emerald eyes that glowed in the sun with confidence and passion.

“Make sure you can keep up.”

…

‘What was that sudden gust of wind behind me all of a sudden?’ Mach sweatdropped in thought.

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 4

In Team Rigil's changing room…

"YO WHAT IN TARNATION WAS THAT?!" Maruzensky yelled at the top of her lungs to her peers. Taiki Shuttle gave a shrug. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

Narita Brian was putting on a gym shirt muttering to herself about what happened earlier.

And at the same time was shaking a bit.

A fist slammed into one of the lockers by Hishi Amazon. "I felt a huge amount of fire blazing inside that guy! I'm more pumped than ever to beat him!"

"Please calm down Hishi-san, I'm sure it was just a coincidence." Grass Wonder tried to ease the tension. "They did say he is a world-class derby runner."

Fuji Kiseki had her hands covering her face as she sat on a bench. "My fellow ponies are about to get destroyed…"

"Do not falter! The opera has yet to begin and we have the chords of destiny on our side so we may shine brightly upon the stage!" T.M. Opera O spoke flamboyantly.

El Condor giggled. "Relax girls, Mach is actually really sweet. I'm just as nervous as all of you but I'm just as excited!"

Air Groove saw the commotion going among her teammates then switched her gaze over to Symboli Rudolf who leaned on her locker with arms crossed, looking at the floor with an intense stare.

"You okay Rudolf-san?" she asked.

In Rudolf's mind the image of Mach with his courageous grin and shining green eyes were her focus.

'Make sure you can keep up.'

Rudolf closed her eyes and got off her locker as she began walking out. "It's almost time, have the girls out in two minutes."

Air Groove watched her in concern, turning her head to see the others also looking with the same expression. The vice president nonetheless gave a sigh. "You heard her, finish changing."

…

In Team Spica's changing room…

"OH MY GOD THAT WAS AMAZING. RUDOLF-SENPAI WAS SO COOL AND MACH WAS INCREDIBLE!" Tokai cheerfully said as she was putting on shorts.

"Dude the stare down they had with each other was something else. Like what the hell, even Scarlet-san and I can't do something like that." Vodka said.

"Hmph, as if you're on my level Vodka." Daiwa replied confidently. The latter grinned. "Remember who's got one more win on the mile hehe." And from there a bickering started between the two.

"They both showed a large amount of energy. We must show that same amount out on the track if we want to stand and surpass Mach-san and the Emperor!" Mejiro said with a fist raised. Suzuka nodded in response with a small smile. "Yes Mejiro-san, we can't let a moment such as that deter us."

Gold Ship meanwhile was struggling to put her gym shirt on.

Special Week noticed and helped her. "Golshi there shouldn't be any reason you can't put it on at times."

The silver-haired uma girl gasped once her head was through the shirt and she grinned. "Sorry Spe-chan, I was busy figuring out how crustaceans use their pincers for?"

The short brown-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "So how do they use them?"

Gold Ship's grin widened, her face immediately close to Special Week's who yelped in surprise. "To crab their dreams!"

"PFFFTTHAHAHAHA!" Tokai laughed hard. "O-OH WOW HAHA THAT O-ONE HAHA WAS GOOD!"

Special Week gave a nervous laugh. "Y-Yeah, it was really good."

"Heh, my quest to be a professional laugh maker is almost complete!" Gold Ship then walked over to Mejiro and without her noticing gave the classy uma girl a wet willie.

"KYAAAAA!" Mejiro shrieked clutching her ear, and with furious eyes chased Gold Ship around the locker room in circles. The brown-purple bob-haired umamusume sighed facepalming. "Don't think practice will go well today…"

"OH LADIES!" Okino suddenly burst through the door, causing all the umamusumes to yelp.

The trainer immediately ducked from a water bottle thrown at him.

"HEY WHO SAID YOU CAN COME IN HERE YOU PERV!" Vodka seethed.

Okino grinned widely. "Well I was hearing a lot of commotion so I assumed you girls we-ACK!"

He was interrupted by a hard kick in the stomach from Daiwa Scarlet, the former falling to his knees and clutching his gut.

"Not only a perv but a creep too! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN NEAR THE DOOR?!" the twin-tailed uma bellowed.

With a mighty heave and grunt Okino slowly stood up. "Y-You were *cough* being very-ack *cough* loud." Okino took a few more breaths and opened his eyes recovering. "Plus Felix-san, Mach and Toujou-san's team are about to warm up, so get your butts in gear and let's go!"

Team Spica quickly understood and did their finishing touches, heading out in a jog towards the track. For Special Week in particular, a fierce determination rose in herself the same way when she first started Tracen Academy.

If not even higher.

…

…

"Alright so you're wondering why I had your umamusumes go back to the changing room correct?" Damon spoke as Team Spica, Team Rigil and their trainers stood in front of him out in the field in the middle of the track. The uma girls were behind their trainers wearing white gym shirts with thigh-length shorts that were a different color for each umamusume; some had black leggings covering their legs, others had white or black thigh-high socks and some had only short socks. Other than that they also had their matching running shoes.

Mach stood by Damon a few feet away doing some dynamic stretches, him and everyone that will be running having already completed their warmups but the sixteen-year-old doing some more for his preference.

Okino raised his hand. "Is it because we won't be doing an ordinary training session?"

"Correct! Now what is the other reason?"

The younger male trainer put a hand under his chin in thought while Hana Toujou raised her hand. "Because you had our umamusumes change in clothing suitable for a race."

"Also correct! This will be a more interesting training session and will also be a race, but it won't be a normal race where everyone is against each other." Damon stated.

Symboli Rudolf raised her hand. "Felix-san, what will the race entail if you please?"

The 55-year-old gave them all a wide grin and raised his finger in the air. "Team Spica and Team Rigil will be…!"

He threw his finger over to Mach.

"Racing him!"

Surprised gasps with some cheers came from the umamusumes. Okino was surprised that they will be racing Mach on the very first day of training while Hana had wide eyes in bewilderment. The latter then gave a bow. "We will be honored for Team Rigil to race against a top umanoshonen such as Mach Infinite!"

The umamusumes themselves talked amongst each other.

"Holy moly we're going up against Mach!" Taiki Shuttle said excitingly.

"Hell yeah! Didn't even need to ask either. Lemme at 'em!" Hishi Amazon spoke with a wide grin.

Narita Brian had a surprised look on her face, looking at Mach who continued his stretches with the latter not noticing.

"Yo yo yo this is sick! Up against a groovy top level derby racer, so cool!" Maruzensky added with enthusiasm.

"The stars have aligned and destiny called for the brute to face off against this charming and inspirational overlord! Let the show commence!" T.M. Opera O called out.

Fuji Kiseki raised a fist in the air. "Good luck to all my ponies!"

"I hope everyone gets a lovely race and much experience from this exciting opportunity." Grass Wonder said to everyone.

"Awesome! Can't wait to see how I compete against one of the world's best!" El Condor cheerfully said. Air Groove nodded on her part with arms crossed. "This will be very practical for more efficient results. I am as well excited, how about you Rudolf-san?"

Symboli Rudolf stayed silent looking at Mach, her eyes showing a passionate fire within.

'I'll make sure that I remain an inspiration to all umamusumes in the school. And to further improve on it I will have a chance to defeat one of the highest echelons.'

And with Team Spica…

"YAY WE GET TO RACE OUR FUTURE BOYFRIEND!"

"OH MY GOD GOLSHI SHUT UP!" Vodka and Daiwa yelled at the same time towards the silver-haired uma girl, her attention switching over to solving the Rubik's cube once again.

Tokai jumped up and down in excitement. "Woohoo! Not only do I get to race alongside Rudolf-senpai but also Mach as well!"

Mejiro closed her eyes and smiled. "It will bring great honor to the Mejiro family if I were to win against a top-level runner such as Mach. I will give it my all!"

Silence Suzuka did the tiniest jump in the history of uma-kind, a small smile present on her face. "A prodigy against a prodigy. Very fortunate and a great way to learn."

Special Week looked around in awe at the energy everyone was giving. She then focused her light purple eyes over to the uma boy in question.

'We haven't even started anything yet and already he's pumping everyone up. So this is what an uma of the highest level can do to people.' the uma girl herself then made a fist in determination. 'I'll take this opportunity as a step further to being number one in Japan!'

Damon gave a hearty laugh as he raised a hand. "Calm down everyone I know this is exciting but don't expect that it'll be easy. Now let me explain how this going to work."

Mach finished his stretching and headed over to his trainer with arms behind his head. "Already prepped and ready uncle, so did you tell them yet?"

"Not yet my boy but I will now, so this is how it's going to go."

Both younger trainers and teams focused their attention to the older man, ready for whatever will be thrown at him.

"Team Spica and Team Rigil will be racing against Mach here, and the way it's gonna happen is that Mach will be doing all distances while both teams will have their sprinters, milers and distance people separated into three groups." Damon started.

Okino and Hana looked at Damon as if he were crazy.

"W-Wait so Mach is gonna do everything?!" the young male trainer questioned.

"I-Is he really that strong in all race types?!" the female trainer added. All the umamusumes were in shock whispering to each other.

"Exactly! So Mach and the teams will be racing against each with each of the three groups trying their best, and I mean run as if you are actually racing, to try to beat Mach. And here's the kicker and a possible advantage for your teams."

"Which is?" Hana said raising an eyebrow. Damon smirked confidently.

"Once Mach starts, he will keep running and won't stop until the end of the session."

"HUUUUUUUUUHHHHH?!" everyone aside from Mach and Damon shouted in astonishment.

"YOU MEAN HE'S GONNA KEEP GOING?! IT'S GONNA BE AN HOUR AND A HALF LONG!" Hana yelled at the top of her lungs.

"WHAT SHE SAID! ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING?!" Okino added to her stunned statement.

"Haha yup I trust my boy!" Damon patted Mach's upper back. "He's done quite a lot of intensive training so he'll be alright."

"Yup and don't worry I'll make sure to give it my all as well! Please let us have a great race!" Mach grinned and gave a bow.

With the umamusumes…

"He's gonna keep running for an hour and a half?! That's like 85 kilometers he'll be covering if he ran at around our speed!" Air Groove calculated, her eyes not believing it.

"Is Felix-san nuts?! That's way too much distance and we can only go up to 3600 meters before we tire out!" El Condor added.

"Hey hey the bro did say that only Mach will be the only one running for that long so we should be chill." Maruzensky clarified.

"THAT IS INSANE!" Vodka couldn't believe her ears.

'Oh my goodness, for an hour and a half you would need an incredible amount of training to pull that off!' Mejiro wondered in thought.

"That's like-!" Gold Ship began counting her fingers, eyes widening after the fourth digit. "Twenty seven balloon eels!"

Special Week and Symboli Rudolf were surprised at the umanoshonen's trainer applying such condition onto Mach. They both looked at the uma boy in question who scratched his cheek and chuckled at a joke his trainer gave.

'Just how strong is he?!' they both wondered.

"Okay so hopefully the shock is over and I'll go over the next part." Damon switched between Okino and Hana. "You two will strategize on who will be your first team, second team and third team out. It can be of any order such as sprints first, milers second, distance third or the other way around it doesn't matter. Once your umamusumes finish their set distance they can take a break and after them, the next group will start and after them will be the last group. Once the last group is done the first group will go out again and we will keep rotating until the end of the session." Damon explained.

Okino raised his hand. "So basically Mach will keep going while the separate teams get a rest in between switches correct?"

"Yup, and so that each team gets adequate rest between switches the next group will go out once Mach completes two laps. And for those laps he will maintain a constant pace so everyone gets an equal opportunity."

Hana raised her hand. "But if that's the case then the distance people will get the shortest break due to the shorter distances covered by the sprinters and milers. That technically wouldn't be fair Felix-san."

"You are right Toujou-san but the distance umamusumes have larger stamina reserves so they'll be able to go on longer with a shorter break, so it would be a nice idea if they don't put in their all at the first half of the race. The other reason is that distance is more aerobic in nature where oxygen is supplied through the blood more efficiently and lactic acid buildup isn't as quick. For the sprinters and milers it becomes more anaerobic where in that case the process is opposite of one another, resulting in faster energy output with the cost of using up more stamina in exchange for speed."

The younger trainers were amazed by Damon's knowledge. 'Holy cow, so this is what the top level is like.'

The older trainer continued. "This race will be testing the sprinters' ability to do a lot of repetition while maintaining their top speed, the milers' balance of both speed and power over a longer period of time, and the distance umas' handling of keeping their stamina consistent for a far longer duration. Each of the groups will be doing it over and over while making sure Mach doesn't beat them, and…"

Damon gave all of them a wider smirk.

"Don't expect Mach to slow down or anything. He may be a kind soul outside a run but when you put him against competition, his drive makes him unbeatable."

The younger trainers and umamusumes were shocked beyond belief not able to say anything.

"Also if you're wondering why he's the only one in a tracksuit and not in racing clothes like your uma girls, it's because he won't be needing it. This is all he needs." the 55-year-old explained. "So that's basically it! Now talk amongst each other and have your groups ready, we'll be starting in ten minutes!"

Once Damon and Mach started walking over to the starting line, both Team Spica and Team Rigil huddled together.

"Trainer-san this is crazy! Are we really going to do this?!" Tokai asked in nervousness.

"Y-yes I agree with Tokai-san, this is something that we haven't done." Grass Wonder asked.

"Even the champion of air basketball could not believe the words heard from Felix-san. He is quite an impressive man training the world's greatest man." Gold Ship added.

"Ignoring what Golshi blabbered, this is definitely crazy and I'm saying this for his sake!" Daiwa said on her part.

"Y-You care for that brute?! Oh how this hath taken a sudden turn for the worst!" T.M. Opera looked away with a hand over her eyes in charming fashion. The twin-tailed uma girl scoffed and crossed her arms looking away. "I-It's not that I c-care for him!"

"Doesn't matter to me! I just want to beat him!" Hishi yelled in determination.

Symboli Rudolf looked at her trainer. "So what do you believe is the best course of action Toujou-senpai?"

The formal looking woman scratched her chin in thought. "I'm not entirely sure how to start this off. I mean if we had the sprinters go first then we risk tiring out our top kickers in the beginning and if we start with distance then the shorter breaks between each rotation will exhaust them faster. What's your opinion Okino-san?" Hana asked.

"Well what if we started with the milers and then distance? That should make Mach run much more which in turn should tire him enough for our sprinters to overtake him and during the rotations help alleviate the burden of both the milers and distance girls. But… I heard that he ran a 3500 meter route in 1 minute 49 seconds off the track so there's a very high chance he has mastery over all three distances." Okino said.

The female trainer gritted her teeth a bit. "I've watched several of his races on TV and social media overseas and he is very impressive, but I don't know his capability in a continuous run such as this. The only thing we can assume is that Mach should start getting tired the longer he keeps at it, especially in the sprints."

"Yeah that's the only way I can think of it, but remember we're dealing with someone of the highest level and their training will be vastly different from ours. I do believe that Mach himself is an entirely different beast that we have yet to see."

Hana nodded to his explanation. "We'll just have to go with your idea and give it a shot. We can't underestimate his skills, and Felix-san does not sound like he's bluffing at all."

"Right." And just as they were going to form the teams.

"Trainer-san!" Special Week called out to Okino with a hand raised. "If I may, please let me race against Mach first!"

Okino was surprised. "But you're long distance Spe, it's best if we have you and the others in the same group go after the milers."

"That may be true." Symboli Rudolf came forward and stood next to Special Week. "But we both talked and agreed that as fellow leaders of our respective teams, we should lead by example and pave the path forward for the others to give it their all in the final leg of the race!"

"Rudolf-chan…" Hana was in awe at her passion, then gave a grin. "As expected from the council president and Emperor."

"I agree with Rudolf-senpai! I want to run by her side and help all I can in defeating a mighty pillar at the top level!" Tokai cheered, a smile coming off her idol.

"As much I want to go first against Mach, I agree with Spe." Vodka nodded.

"I also wish for Spe-chan and Rudolf-san to go first. They have gone through a lot and are deserving in going up against a top-level runner at their full strength." Silence Suzuka said.

Air Groove nodded. "I don't mind being second or third in this race. If Spe-san and Rudolf-san carve the path to victory for all of us then it is fair that they and the distance girls go first."

"I ALSO AGREE!" Gold Ship bellowed with a grin. Mejiro sweatdropped at her. "You do realize you're also distance? And I'll also be participating in the first group."

"Haha a chance at going against my eternal rival in the first act! I will make sure my passion burns brighter than his!" T.M. Opera O announced in fashion.

Fuji Kiseki bowed to the two umamusumes. "I will give my full applause from the sidelines. We will be on standby ready to lend a hand!"

Everyone else also agreed and with that Okino and Hana looked at each other and nodded.

"Great so this is how we're going to do it." both trainers began.

…

After a few minutes the teams were formed as such:

First team (distance) – Special Week, Symboli Rudolf, Tokai Teio, Gold Ship, Mejiro McQueen, T.M. Opera O, Grass Wonder, Narita Brian.

Second team (milers) – Daiwa Scarlet, Vodka, Silence Suzuka, El Condor Pasa, Hishi Amazon, Fuji Kiseki, Air Groove, Maruzensky.

Third team (sprinters) – Taiki Shuttle.

…

"Okay so we all ready to go?" Damon asked Okino and Hana. The two younger trainers nodded.

"Yup and we'll have our distance umas go first." Hana informed. The older trainer grinned. "Good! Now we also have another trick up our sleeve."

Okino raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

Mach who stood beside Damon smiled nervously. "Uncle and I talked and wanted to make it more interesting, and it really isn't much of a trick hehe."

"So what will be happening?" the female trainer asked.

"Mach here will be giving each group a helping hand by starting off 200 meters behind the starting line every time they go off." the 55-year-old explained. Okino's and Hana's jaw dropped to the floor.

The umamusumes have heard this as well.

"Wait he's handicapping himself?!" Daiwa shouted.

"Is he really that confident he'll win?!" Hishi also joined in.

"T-There's no way. He's really stretching it this time." Fuji Kiseki said.

Narita Brian's eyes widened a bit. "At this point I believe this Mach guy is nuts."

Air Groove walked over to Mach with an angry look. "What are you trying to pull here? That you're the absolute best in the world and that you can beat anyone?! You seriously can't have that big of an ego to think that you can win against three separate groups!"

Symboli Rudolf strolled to the uma boy's trainer. "I apologize for my confidant's behavior, but to be fair this is a bit of a disgrace and an unfair advantage not only to us but to your trainee. I regret to say that I have to-."

"This wasn't my idea." Mach interrupted as he looked at Air Groove as well. "Uncle said that he wants me to do it and I did tell him that I shouldn't, but he does believe that it would make it more exciting. Plus this isn't an official race so there's not much merit to this aside from getting some great training done."

Damon smiled, Rudolf's statement not deterring him the slightest. "And I understand my trainee well as he is my family. My nephew if you will and I've been with him ever since he was born. To be fair I was shocked when he was born an uma boy and I had a feeling Mach would reach immense heights as he grew up. I know what he's capable of and I'm not doing this to show off how good he is. We are here to show everyone at Tracen Academy what it's like at the top level of racing so that we can spread our flames of inspiration to each and every single umamusume here, including their trainers. That way in the future they can achieve the same level of success and mold our teachings into theirs in order to train and improve the next generation!"

The council president was stunned by his words. Hana and Okino were both crying anime tears of happiness at his speech while the other umamusumes were in awe. Air Groove turned her gaze to Damon then back at Mach, her glare softening a bit to which she silently turned and walked away.

A hand touched Rudolf's shoulder causing the Emperor herself to look back. Special Week stood there smiling. "Even if we get an advantage or a disadvantage, we should not let that get in the way of us doing what we love."

Rudolf had her mouth slightly open for a few seconds, unsure of her decision.

Damon crossed his arms keeping his warm expression. "So what'll it be kid. You wanna see how you stack up against a pillar of might or you want to wait down the road until you're ready to break your limits?"

It was only a few seconds.

With magenta eyes shining with fierce resolve, Rudolf flashed a large grin.

"I will go beyond the pillar of might and pave the way for everyone!"

…

The distance team consisting of Special Week, Symboli Rudolf, Tokai Teio, Gold Ship, Mejiro McQueen, T.M. Opera O, Grass Wonder, and Narita Brian stood side by side at the starting line in a ready position. Everyone else stood at the sidelines on the field cheering them on.

"You got this gal pals!" Murazensky said loudly.

"Show him the might of Tracen Academy!" Air Groove echoed after.

"C'mon girls give it everything you got!" El Condor shouted.

"WHOO KICK HIS BUTT!" Vodka followed after.

"Have a great race everyone." Silence Suzuka said with a moderate voice. Everyone else followed suit with encouraging words for the umamusumes with high stamina. The distance team's expressions were focused and at the ready.

Okino and Hana stood silently near Damon who looked at Mach from 200 meters behind them, the umanoshonen also in a ready position as he smiled, his emerald eyes fired up.

"On your marks!"

The distance team and Mach steeled themselves leaning forward a bit.

For the uma boy he stared ahead at his opponents. He breathed in once.

'Two hundred meters. Turf surface. Eight runners.'

Mach breathed out once.

'Show them what you can do.'

PHHWWWWWWWOOOOOOHH!

At the sound of the whistle the uma runners took off at the same time and quickly gained speed, the first group already heading halfway towards the first turn.

"YEAH YOU GOT THIS! C'MON SPICA!" Okino cheered with both hands around his mouth.

"LET YOUR WINGS SOAR RIGIL! DO NOT FALTER!" Hana also shouted. The other umamusumes not running also cheered for their fellow teammates as they're about to head to the first straightaway.

The sounds of rapid footsteps got everyone's attention as they turned towards the starting line.

Their eyes widened.

"6, 7, 8, alright Mach keep that pace you're doing good!" Damon said as he and the others watched Mach quickly burst through the track, his form steady and his expression relaxed and focused.

What made the others surprised was that his pace was A LOT faster than the distance group's and he was quickly about to reach up to them.

Hana switched her gaze to Damon in shock. "H-How fast is he going?!"

The older trainer smirked. "Fast enough to keep a good pace."

On the track Mach was moving his arms and legs at a quick pace, his vision seeing Gold Ship almost about to get caught up by him.

'The track is 1600 meters for one lap, so we'll need to cover 2 laps for distance, one for the milers, and three-quarters for the sprinters. We're almost at the second turn of this lap.' the umanoshonen thought as he began making the second turn upon completing the first straightaway.

Gold Ship was a few meters behind Grass Wonder, her rosewood orbs staring ahead as she kept a good pace on her part. Specialized in sitting at the end of the pack, she waits until the opportunity strikes and makes a final assault at the end of the race.

'Good job Golshi! Just one more lap and you'll be on a one-way trip to the Philippines haha!'

Unfortunately her train of thought was broken upon seeing Mach overtake her easily from the corner of her eye.

The uma boy heard a gasp behind him but he continued his pace, Mach's breathing steady and body a mix of loose and tense. The wind was felt behind him as he and the others gathered a tailwind, his sights on the pair of runners about to be overtaken as well.

'I'll make my spirit shine bright! Take a look now brute, the stage lights are upon our side-HUH?!' T.M. Opera O gasped seeing Mach easily pass her and Grass Wonder, her peripheral vision catching the tawny-haired uma girl also look in astonishment. The pair gritted their teeth and began increasing their pace as the trio headed through the second straightaway.

Unfortunately it was not enough as Mach was increasing the distance between them every second that passed.

Damon stared at his stopwatch but knew the uma boy was quickly approaching for the second lap. "72, 73, 74! Good good Mach keep going!"

Okino and Hana were in disbelief as they saw Mach starting to overtake Mejiro and Narita at the third turn, the two running together side by side and also increasing their pace, but as the other two it was not enough as the sixteen-year-old uma boy flew by them towards the third straightaway in seconds.

"Go Mejiro-san go!" Vodka and Daiwa cried in support. Air Groove and her team were a different story based on their expressions. "There's just no way they can catch up…"

Special Week and Tokai Teio were slightly behind Symboli Rudolf who was in the lead, the trio moving their arms and legs in rapid succession as they started turning on the final corner. Tokai decided to take a peek behind just in case.

She shouldn't have.

"NO WAY?!" the amber brown haired girl moved a bit out of the way to see Mach quickly pass by them on the more outer part of the track. Special Week noticed the uma boy and increased her speed as the trio got closer to the straightaway.

Rudolf looked to her right and was shocked to see Mach effortlessly dash towards the front, making the council president grit her teeth and start sprinting towards the finish line. However Mach continued to move farther and farther away and while her arms, legs and lungs warned of the incoming exhaustion…

She couldn't keep up at all. 'Fuck!'

"2:27, 2:28, 2:29, alright Mach two lap constant pace now! Distance team is done, miler group get yourselves ready!" Damon announced.

Hana, Okino and the rest cheered as the distance group got closer to the finish line.

"C'mon girls! About a 3:19 finish!" Hana shouted as the other umamusumes behind them cheered for them. Rapid footsteps were heard as Rudolf finished first with Special and Tokai very closely behind and tying for second. Two seconds later Gold Ship and T.M. Opera finished third and fourth respectively and very close after was Mejiro, Grass Wonder and Narita Brian.

"Good job everyone, you gave an impressive start!" El Condor said as the distance group walked onto the field to catch their breath.

"We appreciate the effort you put in. Let us take it from here." Silence Suzuka added as she stretched a bit.

Hishi clenched her teeth seeing Mach already almost halfway done with his third lap. "I'll make sure to beat him!"

Mejiro panted a bit as she watched the umanoshonen rounding the turn at a breakneck pace. "There's *pant* no way he *pant* is that fast."

"I didn't expect *pant* Mach to be that good!" Tokai spoke in between breaths.

Special Week was on her knees thinking the same thing. 'Holy cow he passed all of us and just kept pulling ahead. Even our kicks at the end weren't enough at all!'

Rudolf panted a bit as Air Groove handed her a water bottle. "Impossible *pant, the gap was incredibly wide by the time we took the last turn."

"It's okay Rudolf-san, we still have more opportunities." the council vice president encouraged.

Okino walked over to Damon who read the time as Mach flew by starting his fourth lap. "Felix-san, that gap at the end was at least 600 meters and almost a minute difference. Just how fast and strong is Mach?"

The 55-year-old focused his gaze on the younger trainer with a grin. "You'll be surprised, but for now get your girls ready because here he comes."

"All milers on the track!" Hana called out as Daiwa, Vodka, Suzuka, El Condor, Hishi, Fuki, Air Groove, and Maruzensky got on the starting line and got ready.

Hishi looked behind her glaring. "I won't let you pass me."

"C'mon gals let's rev up our hot rods!" Maruzensky cheered as she readied herself.

El Condor stretched a bit more before making a fist. "Let's see how I stack against an elite runner!"

Daiwa leaned forward in her running position. "Aiming for first place!"

Suzuka remained per her namesake, but gave a slight gulp yet kept her eyes ahead of her.

"All my ponies, please make sure your spirits burn bright!" Fuji announced.

Air Groove focused on the track, closing her palms a bit and eyes. 'I won't fail you Rudolf-san.'

Mach was quickly approaching the mark 200 meters before the starting line.

'Okay so now one lap, eight runners. Keep going Mach!'

"And go!" Okino this time let out as the second group instantly bolted off.

"Go go go!" Taiki Shuttle jumped up with hands in the air. The other umamusumes tried their best to support but unfortunately were still out of breath.

Rapid footsteps approached the starting line as Mach began the fifth lap of his hour and a half non-stop session.

'Bump it up to 75% Mach. Only one lap so will need to go faster!'

Everyone in the miler group ran close together with Hishi up in front and Vodka in the back. The pack made quick haste across the straightaway, each of them breathing slightly quicker compared to normal and were closing in on the second turn.

"LET'S KICK IT INTO HIGH GEAR!" Hishi bellowed out as she started a sprint around the turn with the others following suit.

"DON'T NEED TO TELL ME TWICE!" Vodka grinned, her arms and legs blasted her around the corner as everyone got to the halfway point of the turn. The wind pushed them in line of their direction therefore a tailwind helped with increasing their speed.

Daiwa, Suzuka, El Condor and Maruzensky started their sprint once everyone reached the last straightaway, Hishi continuing to lead the group while everyone though the same thing.

'We're gonna win!'

Until…

"!"

Mach suddenly passed Vodka, El Condor, Suzuka, Fuji, Daiwa, and Maruzensky by weaving through them with expert precision, his footwork and coordination finding the optimal path through as his emerald eyes homed in on Hishi and Air Groove.

The vice president's eyes widened upon hearing Mach dangerously close behind her.

'I need to go faster!' and with that she sped up as best she can but unfortunately was overcome by Mach's faster velocity. Air Groove couldn't do much more to catch up.

Long azure ears flicked upon hearing the sound of quick running steps coming from behind Hishi and she knew who it was. 'Oh hell no!'

"LET OUT ALL YOUR BURNING PASSION INTO THIS FINAL STRAIGHT!" Air Groove yelled as she screamed her might in the sprint.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Hishi and the others really kicked in the afterburners and increased their velocity, giving Hishi confidence that she would pull out a win. "YES I-!"

Mach effortlessly streamed around the sun-kissed tanned uma girl and started going a lot faster on his part.

Hishi's eyes widened significantly and in a desperate attempt threw everything that she could, but sadly he was already too far away.

"Good job Mach! Remember breathe in breathe out and stay relaxed!" Damon shouted at the uma boy who nodded quickly before darting through the finish line and going around the first corner.

Seconds later the miler group sped through the finish line as they slowed to a stop, every one of them panting heavily.

"Crap *pant* he's *pant* just too *pant* fast!" Vodka wheezed as she reached for a water bottle on a nearby table. Daiwa had her arm over Gold Ship, apparently having pushed herself a bit too hard as she tried calming her breathing.

Suzuka was leaning on Special Week trying to catch her breath while the latter made sure she was steady. "Take it slow Suzuka, you did your best."

El Condor had her hands behind her head as she watched the umanoshonen kept a steady but fast pace about to turn the last corner of his seventh lap. "Holy cow *pant* the big leagues are *pant* no joke."

"This *pant* is really *pant* lame." Maruzensky said with her hands on her knees.

Air Groove was kneeling beside Hishi who was on her hands and knees trying to calm her breathing. "We went *pant* too hard in the *pant* beginning. We have *pant* much more to go so *pant* please don't overexert-."

"I *PANT* KNOW." Hishi breathed out loudly, her teeth clenched in frustration and amber eyes staring at the grass the same way. "Damn *pant* normally I'd be *pant* fine if someone *pants* beats me, but this guy… I really just want to beat him!"

Okino and Hana looked over their teams worriedly and then looked at each other.

"It looks like this was one of the fastest they ever went, and it's not even a normal race." the brown-haired trainer said. The mature female trainer nodded. "I agree Trainer-san, I'm surprised that Mach was able to beat them given that he's close to running 15 kilometers without stopping."

Damon gave a hearty laugh. "And that's what we want to see out of the lovely girls in your teams! Not only them but also for the rest of the school." Brown eyes shifted over to the younger trainers full of passion and wisdom. "Mach and I are here to show everyone what it's like at the very top of derby racing, and we want to do it in a way where we bring everyone here and have them go all out beyond their limits!"

The umamusumes were amazed at his words and deep within, their confidence began to rise.

"Taiki-san start heading towards the line!" Hana announced.

"Way ahead of you Toujou-san!" Taiki Shuttle said raising a fist in the air.

The light-brown haired uma girl headed over to the opposite side of the turn and got ready. The fact being that since the track is 1600 meters long, each section of it such as the corners and straightaways are 400 meters, so for Taiki Shuttle she would be covering three-quarters of the track.

Team Rigil watched their teammate in worry.

"She's the only sprinter on our team. I wish her much luck because she'll be alone on this." Grass Wonder said.

"Yeah but we have to continue to cheer everyone on regardless. She will need the most out of everyone." Narita Brian added.

"Our valiant sprinter may be the solo actor during this part of the play, but she will achieve charming victory once the first set of the race concludes!" T.M. Opera O flamboyantly announced.

Symboli Rudolf had her eyes focused on Taiki Shuttle. 'You will have to carry our burdens on your shoulders. We must achieve victory, and I fully believe you can do it!'

Okino looked at Hana in concern. "She's the only sprinter on your team huh? Our team doesn't even have one but I'm glad that you have a full rounded group hehe."

The female trainer looked back at him and smiled. "You have a great team Trainer-san and should be proud, I'm just hoping that Taiki-san doesn't get anxious. I have my full faith in each of my umamusumes and for Taiki-san to be out there by herself against a world class runner, I have to put my full support for her."

Taiki Shuttle on her part was a bit nervous being the only one that can do 1200 meters.

'Okay Taiki relax, you can do this. A lot of people say you're the fastest sprinter alongside Bakushin O and you need to show it. I won't let my teammates and friends down!'

Mach was coming down the stretch in a very fast haste as his peripheral vision saw the uma girls cheer for their teammate on the other side of the track. He didn't mind it and kept his focus.

'Awesome to see that everyone is supporting each other. Now for this one it's 1200 meters, one runner. Will be a bit tougher but I have faith not only in myself but that Taiki-san will give it her all as well!'

"BEGIN!"

Taiki Shuttle took off from the sound of Hana's voice, running shoes with metal hoofs underneath digging into the turf and leaving a hole as dirt and grass flew into the air, Taiki Shuttle quickly covering half the straightaway in seconds.

The umanoshonen on his part finished crossing the first turn and was heading down the straightaway chasing the uma girl.

'Only one uma in this group so I won't need to weave around much.' Mach kicked up the pace and quickened his breathing slightly as he approached the second turn.

Ahead Taiki Shuttle approached the final straightaway starting off her final sprint.

"HERE I GOOOO!" Taiki Shuttle was a blur on her part as she started sprinting ahead, showing her trademark speed to the others.

The umamusumes were cheering full blast as Taiki Shuttle was almost halfway down the final line.

"C'MON YOU CAN DO IT!" Daiwa and Vodka yelled in joy together.

"WIN FOR THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS MY DEAR COMRADE!" Gold Ship cheered jumping up and down.

"GET HIM! MAKE SURE WE WIN THIS TIME!" Hishi shouted with clenched fists in anticipation.

"LET THE STARS SHINE UPON YOUR GLAMOROUS FORM AND CLAIM VICTORY FOR ALL OF US!" T.M. Opera announced with a hand in the air.

"GO GO GO! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!" Tokai happily pointed at the finish line.

Special Week and Symboli Rudolf however weren't looking at the light-brown haired uma girl.

Rather than who was about an inch behind her.

"HEY LOOK OUT!"

Taiki Shuttle immediately looked back but didn't see anything.

And did not see Mach overtake her from the side as he blasted off towards the finish line.

"NO WAY?!" the umamusume shouted as Mach flew by the finish line and continued his long run ahead.

Taiki Shuttle passed the finish line in a jog seconds later, her eyes wide in disbelief as she panted heavily.

"No… *pant* I thought I *pant* had it…" Taiki breathed out.

The umamusumes were stunned.

"M-Mach just beat the s-school's fastest sprinter…" El Condor stuttered in disbelief.

Tokai gulped. "H-He doesn't seem tired at all… just… how incredible is he?"

Gold Ship for once was thinking clearly. "S-So this is the highest level of derby running…"

Okino's and Hana's jaws were on the floor.

"H-He… just beat… a-all three groups…" the young male trainer stuttered.

The trainer of Team Rigil slowly nodded adjusting her glasses. "W-What… i-is he?"

"HAHAHA! This is the result of years of training and the strong bond between us! This… is what you'll be facing once you become elite umas! This is what we will show to inspire others! And this… will be for you and everyone else so you may become the best you can be and more!" Damon explained with a loud voice.

All the umamusumes were again amazed by his words, their determination and courage to keep going not faltering as they looked at each other and nodded about to get ready for their next set.

Special Week watched Mach with interest. The way his expression was concentrated and focused solely on the run, his body moving in tandem with the flow of his pace and his form almost as if he was flying in the wind. Every movement he made was like a blur to everyone but for the bob-haired girl, she could see it clearly.

'Mach is really amazing. If I want to be Japan's top runner, then I must continue to do my best to at least keep up with him, to keep up with an elite... though it may be hopeless, that doesn't mean I have to give up!' Special Week nodded once with a huff of approval and began warming up for her team to go out next.

Symboli Rudolf was stretching yet at the same time looking at Mach the same way. Except with her it was different.

'I cannot let my fellow peers down. As the council president I must succeed so that I can continue to inspire others. And while I'll accept it if I'm defeated by any student in the academy, for some reason against Mach-san… I just cannot… I have to win… I have to.'

The distance team soon went out for their second set while Mach chased them down. And just like the first set he was able to overtake all of them. The trend continued for the second and third groups as well and over time all the umamusumes were starting to feel the fatigue and sweat started soaking their bodies from all the repeats. Each of their attempts gave the same result and not only that, the gap between Mach and the uma girls for each group was getting larger and larger at the final stretch.

However their resolve and fortitude only got stronger with each set and at this point it was down to the distance group's final attempt. The reason they kept going?

To prove themselves against a pillar of the elite.

Another surprise was that word got out about the training session and eventually almost the entire academy students and faculty were out on the bleachers cheering on their fellow umamusumes.

"LET'S GOOO!" an uma girl with rose-pink hair cheerfully gleamed.

"The milers and Taiki Shuttle may have failed, but our distance team will end the training session with victory!" Sakura Bakushin O said near the pink-haired girl.

A certain messy-browned hair uma girl watched the race with interest, especially Mach.

'Well well well… I think I have finally found the perfect experiment.'

Another one with long ears, dark brown hair and a dark blue bowler cap was in awe as she stood hidden in a corner of the bleachers, silently looking at the umanoshonen.

"KYYAAAAAAA! LOOK AT ALL MY UMAMUSUMES OUT THERE GIVING IT THEIR ALL! AND OH MY MACH REALLY IS INCREDIBLE!" Yayoi yelled at the top of her lungs as she held not one but two fans swinging them in excitement. Tazuna stood near her with a simple smile and nodded. "We're at the final set of the race. I wonder if they'll be able to pull off a win this time?

Down on the track everyone in the starting line was panting heavily, a sheen of sweat present on their bodies.

"Okay *pant* umas, don't hold back *pant*… give it everything you *pant* got!" Rudolf let out in gasps at the distance team.

Special Week was trying to focus on the track but the exhaustion had already crept in, yet her stubbornness to keep going kept her alert. "Y-Yeah *pant, one last *pant* push!"

T.M. Opera had taken off her crown halfway through the session, her marmalade orange hair all over the place due to the runs and the wind. "W-We must *pant* shine on, even as *pant* the s-show draws to *pant* a painful close."

"W-We got this *pant*! Mach should really *pant* b-be tired by *pant* now!" Tokai said in encouragement.

Narita Brian silently nodded, her eyes narrowed from the fatigue and wear but committed to keep going.

"I-I have to keep honor *pant* in the name of *pant* the Mejiro family *pant* and for all *pant* my fellow umas." Mejiro breathed out with difficulty.

Grass Wonder gritted her teeth. "I'm amazed *pant* that we lasted this *pant* long."

Gold Ship held a stern expression, aviators hiding her eyes as she rotated her neck with some cracks being heard. "My body *pant* is ready."

Their ears flicked at the sound of distant footsteps behind them.

Mach was close to finishing the final turn of his lap, sweat pouring down his face and his breathing a bit labored, but his pace remained consistent and almost the same as when he started.

'Last set. Give me all you got!'

Damon looked at his stopwatch noting that only a few minutes remained before the session was done. His smile widened as he looked up to see Mach about to approach the end of the turn.

Okino and Hana had their hands curled into fists as they encouraged their trainees.

"GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU GOT SPE, TOKAI, GOLSHI AND MEJIRO! TEAM SPICA FOR THE WIN!"

"MAKE THIS ONE COUNT RUDOLF-CHAN! STAY CONSISTENT OPERA-CHAN AND GRASS-CHAN, AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO GO ALL OUT NARITA-CHAN! FOR TEAM RIGIL!"

Damon raised a finger in the air.

"GO!"

Bringing it down to the ground.

"AND THE DISTANCE TEAM BEGIN THEIR FINAL BATTLE AGAINST THE TWO TIME TRIPLE CROWN WINNER, MACH INFINITE!" a male commentator spoke on the loudspeaker. A female one was heard after. "AFTER RUNNING FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR WILL THE COMBINED MIGHT OF TEAM SPICA AND TEAM RIGIL BE ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE SPEED AND POWER OF MACH, WHO HAS NOT STOPPED RUNNING AT ALL?"

"YOU GOT THIS EVERYONE!" all the extremely exhausted umamusumes who completed their repeats cheered at their fullest from the field as the distance team covered the first turn within seconds and proceeded to start running down the first straightaway.

Symboli Rudolf heaved, her light-brown ears flicking a bit from picking up Special Week's very labored breaths beside her along with the rest of the uma girls behind them.

"SYMBOLI RUDOLF MAINTAINS A SLIGHT LEAD AHEAD OF SPECIAL WEEK, WITH GOLD SHIP AND MEJIRO MCQUEEN BATTLING FOR THIRD, NARITA BRIAN IN FIFTH, T.M. OPERA O IN SIXTH, GRASS WONDER IN SEVENTH AND IN A STARTLING SURPRISE TOKAI TEIO IS LAST PLACE WITH THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HER AND THE GROUP GETTING LARGER!" the female commentator announced.

Tokai was REALLY struggling to keep up with her vision becoming fuzzy at times and her form getting more sluggish. Sky blue eyes were becoming half-lidded with her breathing sputtering out some coughs.

'N-No! I-I have to k-keep going!' she thought, the main group about to start the second turn while she was almost three-quarters of the way done with the straightaway. 'I-I have to do it f-for Rudolf-senpai… please…'

Tears started to form below her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. 'M-Must *PANT* stay *PANT* S-STRONG!"

She didn't notice Mach has already passed her, and it was already too late as the normally cheerful umamusume saw the uma boy fly ahead through the second turn.

'I-I… failed… of course… I… still not… enough…' Tokai continued to run, nonetheless.

"S-Sorry *PANT* Ruldolf- *PANT* senpai."

"TOKAI TEIO HAS BEEN OVERTAKEN BY MACH INFINITE, THE AMBASSADOR FROM OUTSIDE JAPAN QUICKLY PLOWING THROUGH THE SECOND TURN AND ABOUT TO REACH THE MAIN GROUP! THIS IS TRULY AN EXCITING CONCLUSION SO PLEASE CHEER FOR YOUR FELLOW UMAMUSUMES!" the male commentator boomed from the loudspeakers.

The crowd roared for their fellow runners who were close coming to the halfway point of the second straightaway.

Grass Wonder had one eye closed due to sweat bothering it, her other one watching the group starting to break off bit by bit as they got into their positions.

'N-Need to stick with them! W-We're close to the final lap!" the tawny-haired uma girl increased her speed to keep up, but given how long and hard they've been running her arms and legs were feeling like cinderblocks.

T.M. Opera O clenched her teeth in frustration. 'T-That Mach guy has really gotten on my nerves! The overlord will show him why she's the star that shines brightest!' the princely umamusume swung her arms harder as everyone finished the first lap and were halfway completing the second to last turn.

"THE DISTANCE TEAM HAVE STARTED THEIR FINAL LAP AND EVERYONE IS GIVING IT THEIR ALL! IT IS INCREDIBLE THAT THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO KEEP GOING AFTER ALL THE REPEATS THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH! TRULY A SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE!" the male commentator said.

"AND IT LOOKS LIKE NARITA BRIAN HAS DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE?!"

The spectating crowd gasped as the loner uma girl stepped off the track and onto the field where the others were resting.

"NARITA-SAN!" Hishi, El Condor, Fuji, Taiki Shuttle and Maruzensky quickly rushed to their teammate as she tumbled onto the ground, her chest rising and falling incredibly fast as Narita gasped for air.

Air Groove ran towards them with water and a towel. "Get her to the bench and keep her elevated!" the vice president commanded as the four milers and sprinter of Team Rigil carried her.

Okino saw Hana's horrified expression and spoke. "Go to them, they need you Toujo-san. I'll keep an eye on the others." he said solemnly.

The female trainer looked at him and nodded, not saying anything else and heading over to her team. As she approached, Hana noticed Narita Brian had her eyes closed tight, breathing very sluggish and her face was extremely flushed.

"It looks like she's running a fever Toujou-san. She's stable but other than that she can't continue anymore." Fuji informed. Hana looked at her trainee with concern.

"I-I'm… s-sorry… every…" Narita muttered quietly.

Hana placed a hand on the uma girl's forehead, giving a smile. "No Narita-san, you have made us proud. You are a winner to us for giving it your all and surpassing your limits."

Damon watched, his lips a thin line not giving a smile but his eyes showing worry. 'She has done a great job. With more training she'll adapt and become a great runner, but for now her recovery is most important.'

Incoming footsteps got the 55-year-old's attention as Damon turned to see Mach about to cross the line for his final lap. 'Now to show everyone what the outside world is like!'

Mach saw from the corner of his eye Narita being surrounded by her team members. A heavy feeling going through him.

'Crap it looks like she couldn't keep going. I'm glad she gave it her all and honestly am impressed that not only she could do it, but also everyone else.' the umamoshonen noticed he was closing in on the main group. 'But at the end of the day, we strive for what we love!'

"Alright Mach, take off your sweater and go 85%!" Damon called out.

The sixteen-year-old's ears twitched from the command and a hand went up to the zipper of his sweater, the pin going down and revealing a solid white shirt underneath as the uma boy threw the sweater towards the side of the field.

"MACH INFINITE HAS TAKEN OFF HIS SWEATER! IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S SWITCHING TO HIGHER GEARS!"

"AND HOLY MOLY MACH INFINITE'S PACE HAS INCREASED ALMOST TENFOLD!"

Loud squeals and sighs of bliss were heard from a large portion of the umamusumes. The director herself was in dreamland.

"HYAAAAAAAA! MACH-KUN DO YOUR SHIRT NEXT!" Yayoi cried out in desperation as she started to climb over the railing. Tazuna had a firm grip around the chairwoman's waist, her expression irritated. "I think I might have to put you to nigh nigh…"

The resting members of Team Spica watched in aghast as Mach was gaining really fast towards the main group. His speed has become MUCH faster compared to when he started.

"C'MON LADIES HE'S CATCHING UP!" Daiwa warned.

"YOUR OUR ONLY HOPE GIRLS! YOU'RE MORE THAN HALFWAY DONE!" Vodka loudly said.

"You must try your best and win! For Spica and Rigil!" Suzuka raised her voice higher.

The other members of Team Rigil also supported.

"GO GO GO! SHOW HIM WHAT RIGIL AND SPICA CAN DO!" El Condor cheered.

"BEAT HIM FOR ALL OF US! I'LL GET HIM NEXT TIME!" Hishi growled.

"MY PONIES MUST FLY WITH THE WIND AND CLAIM VICTORY!" Fuji added waving her hands.

"KEEP THOSE ENGINES FIRED UP AND HOT!" Maruzensky said with a first raised.

Air Groove was tending to Narita who remained unconscious but nonetheless gave her support mentally. 'Please remain well and safe.'

Okino and Hana watched the distance team silently as they head into the final turn, anxiety at all an all time for them.

Hoping that they can achieve what is impossible.

Gold Ship and Mejiro have exhausted themselves and are now neck and neck for sixth behind Symboli Rudolf, Special Week, Grass Wonder, and T.M, Opera O in that order. They were still close but unfortunately their energies were close to empty.

'For the Mejiro family!' the lavender-haired uma girl gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, silently encouraging Gold Ship near her to pick up the pace as well. The latter didn't say anything and tried to increase her strides as best she can.

Upfront Symboli Rudolf, Special Week, T.M. Opera O and Grass Wonder were slowly tying for first place but that was the last thing on their minds.

'I have to overcome this great challenge so my spirit can burn far and beyond!' T.M. Opera narrowed her eyes and began her sprint.

'I may be gentle with everyone and love to help others, but I am determined to win it here for everyone!" Grass Wonder also started increasing her pace.

'Everyone is counting on us and as the Emperor, I must ensure that our victory is a victory for all!' Symboli Rudolf kicked in whatever energy she has left into one final push.

'I came here for a dream, and that is to be the number one runner in Japan. I will have wins and losses from time to time, but I know that I won't be doing this alone. I have everyone supporting not just me but each other… and I have my mothers supporting my dream as well!' Special Week gave a determined gaze as tunnel vision set in. 'We will win!'

"THE DISTANCE TEAM HAVE STARTED THEIR FINAL BURST, ALL OF THEM ON OVERDRIVE FOR THE FINAL STRETCH!"

"EVERYONE PLEASE CHEER FOR THEM! GIVE THEM THE FULL SUPPORT AND MIGHT OF TRACEN ACADEMY!"

The crowd all had their voices thunder in unison. The umamusumes on the field, Okino and Hana also joined in with everyone shouting the same thing.

"GO SPICA AND RIGIL!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The distance umamusumes unleashed all their reserves and charged down the final turn, gusts of wind surrounding their forms and their feet pounding the turf causing slight shockwaves to rattle the air. The crowd did not let up and raised their loudness to show their support, several jumping in anticipation.

"AND HERE THEY COME! RELEASE EVERYTHING YOU GOT!"

"GO GO GO!"

Damon had a grin on his face as he saw the group getting close to the final straightaway.

'I'm very impressed with the students here. They show a lot of talent and potential, and if anything this may be their fastest lap. I'm really proud of them and their trainers for displaying amazing results.'

His grin got wider.

'Now show them your potential.'

…

'INFINITY RUSH!'

It happened within two seconds.

Symboli Rudolf.

Special Week.

Grass Wonder.

T.M. Opera O.

Mejiro McQueen.

Gold Ship.

Within two seconds.

Every single of them.

Were overtaken by a sudden blast of wind, Mach instantly taking the lead and bolting down the last leg of the track.

"I…I DON'T BELIEVE IT! MACH INFINITE HAS SHOT THROUGH THE COURAGEOUS EFFORT OF TEAM SPICA AND TEAM RIGIL!"

"HE'S CROSSING THE FINAL STRAIGHT LIKE A ROCKET!"

All their expressions were mind blown.

The spectators were in complete awe, their eyes fixated on Mach. His blurred form jettisoned through the last quarter of the race like a bullet.

Tokai's pace has settled into a jog as she was heavily burnt out. The uma girl was close to finishing her first lap.

WHOOSH!

Her sky-blue pools tiredly saw Mach blazing past her at speeds she couldn't dream to achieve.

She simply gave a smile.

'I have… much to… learn.'

The umamusumes and trainers watched the uma boy cross the finish line and begin slowing down.

Finishing the race.

"I… I-I… CAN'T BELIEVE IT. MACH INFINITE HAS WON. HE HAS WON!" the male commentator spoke.

"T-THIS IS TRULY A DISPLAY OF THE HIGHEST ECHELON OF DERBY RACING… NONETHELESS, PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR FELLOW STUDENTS WHO GAVE IT THEIR ALL!" the female commentator let out in happiness. The spectators cheered loudly as the distance team sprinted towards the finish line and came to a slow stop.

All of them fell to the floor as they tried catching their breath.

Mach breathed in and out quite a bit on his part but nonetheless looked well. His black hair was disheveled and a sheen of sweat was present on his face which was flushed slightly red. His clothing was soaked in perspiration with the pants and shoes covered in dirt. The uma boy went over to Damon who smiled and gave him a water bottle. "Good job my boy."

"Thanks uncle." Mach took a drink and exhaled after. "Honestly I feel like going for some more, but for now we'll need some rest."

The older trainer nodded and announced in a loud voice. "The training session is complete! I am very, very impressed with everyone's performance and look forward to seeing everyone give it their all and improve much more on their capabilities!"

The spectators all cheered and commended the umamusumes for their hard work.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE THAT CONCLUDES THE RACE BETWEEN OUR OWN TEAM SPICA AND TEAM RIGIL AGAINST MACH INFINITE. THE OUTCOME MAY HAVE NOT BEEN IN OUR FAVOR BUT FOR SURE WE HAVE GAINED A WONDERFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCE!"

"AND WE DO HOPE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE AND STAND ALONGSIDE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DERBY RACING FOR ALL OUR UMAMUSUMES VERY SOON! NOW PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LEAVE ANY BELONGINGS BEHIND AS YOU SLOWLY LEAVE THE STANDS!"

As the crowd began to disperse, Tazuna's eyes reacted quickly.

"Please do not jump over the railings! Mach-san requires his rest and recovery!"

Groans and sighs came off some of the uma girls in which they got off the rails and started heading out. Several grumbled that they wanted to help him wash up after the race.

"Aww I really want to go see him I wanna I wanna~!." Yayoi whined getting down from the railing. The secretary's eye twitched and she bonked the director's head for her comment. "He and the umamusumes will need their rest."

Mach walked over to the two teams. He kept quiet as he took in their conditions.

The distance team was splayed out on the grass trying to control their breathing while Okino and Hana walked to each of them in providing water and relief. The milers were surrounding both Narita and Tokai who were sitting on the bench; the former was able to sit after recovering from her fall while Tokai had her face in her hands, the uma boy recoiling a bit by the sobs she was letting out. Taiki Shuttle sat there staring off into space and one could see that she was visibly frustrated.

The sixteen-year-old understood and didn't speak. Mach knew that if he tried to provide comforting words to all of them it would only make the tension worse than it is.

Damon placed a hand on his shoulder knowing his predicament. "Go do your cooldown stretches and shower up Mach, their trainers have it from here. Second session will be recovery sets in the gym."

Mach nodded taking one last look before stepping onto the track and began to jog lightly, his ears lowered in sadness. 'I wish I can say something, but uncle's right.' he gave a sigh and looked ahead.

The 55-year-old headed over to Okino and Hana. "How are the girls doing?"

The male trainer sighed and stood up from his kneeling position over the exhausted Mejiro. "They're depleted. Will need at least half an hour before they could move again as their bodies are currently overheated."

Hana chimed in as well. "This was everyone's first time doing something like this. We tend to do drills often, but never at a quick pace like this. It was quite a shock to their system, but other than that they'll be fine with recovery Felix-san."

Damon nodded. "Good, and I hope your trainees who… aren't faring well get all the support they need."

"They will Felix-san. Tokai takes great pride in her training and races, but she never expected herself to be overlapped." the male trainer said.

"And Narita is a strong uma. The training may have been too much for her in the end but regardless I'm so very proud of her." Hana gave a deep bow. "We appreciate your comforting words and training Felix-san."

Damon smiled. "Don't mention it. I'm amazed at how much work you put into helping the umamusumes strive towards their goals. As I said earlier, this training is not for the faint of heart and will only get more intense further down the road." the older trainer crossed his arms, expression serious. "They don't have to go through this training if they don't want to. I won't be upset if some of them plan on not going through with it."

SCRUNCH.

The three coaches heard a shoe scrape the grass and they turned to the source. They saw Special Week slowly getting up but with a huge struggle. Okino's and Hana's eyes widened upon seeing the other distance members also rise up from the ground, coughing and gasps coming out of them but nonetheless beginning to stand.

Damon started smirking. "And it looks like they're not planning on giving up."

"That was never the option Felix-san." the voice of Air Groove announced to which she walked over and helped Rudolf to her feet. "We came here because we all have dreams."

"T-That's right. I-I still plan on *pant* becoming *pant* the king of *pant* shogi and *pant* soccer." Gold Ship let out while kneeling for a bit.

"I-I *pant* still plan on *pant* bringing great pride to *pant* my family." Mejiro said almost tripping.

Vodka went over to help Mejiro. "We share different goals and different paths, but we all follow the same path as fellow students and runners!"

T.M. Opera O smirked shaking. "The overlord's *pant* performance is not *cough* done."

A sniff and cough was let out before the trainers saw Tokai reveal her face, sadness replaced with determination. "W-We w-will *cough* fall… b-but we will always *pant* get back up again!"

Hishi smirked with half-lidded eyes. "I got beat today, but it's not like I'll just end it here."

Grass Wonder yelped almost falling to the ground but caught herself in time. "Hishi-san *pant* is correct. We won't *pant* give up."

"Yeah bro, our groove will keep going and we'll only get stronger!" Maruzensky added.

El Condor balled her hands into fists. "I have a dream to be the strongest umamusume, and I'll keep moving forward even through the toughest of challenges!"

Daiwa stood up from the bench with hands on her hips. "My rivals aren't giving up, so I can't disappoint them and give up."

"My fellow ponies are why I keep going Felix-san. We will go on and endure together!" Fuji said on her part.

Suzuka walked to Special Week and placed an arm around her waist to lift her. "Spica and Rigil have shown me that you don't need to be born a prodigy to win. All you need are your bonds with friends and the determination to keep going."

Rudolf slowly opened one eye, her arm over Air Groove's shoulder as she grinned. "W-We may *pant* have been *pant* defeated, but as council president *pant* I have to continue to lead the way for *pant* all of us."

Taiki Shuttle came off her stupor and smiled. "We will train extra hard to make sure we reach the highest level!"

Special Week coughed several times erratically and cleared her throat after, raising her head to give a smile.

"W-We all *pant* have big dreams *pant* Felix-san. I *pant* want to show *pant* my mom and *pant* everyone that *pant* we can reach them!"

Hana and Okino cried anime tears of joy as they praised their teams, giving each of them head pats. Damon continued to smirk and gave a laugh. "You girls are indeed impressive! Well then I guess Mach won't need to worry too much then but aside from that, great work out there and I look forward to what we'll have in store for you next. For now please rest and recover and for the second session it will be whatever your trainers recommend."

Everyone bowed to Damon and afterwards Okino and Hana instructed their teams to do cooldowns and take it easy. Once the uma girls began doing just that the two younger trainers looked at Damon with interest.

"So what was Mach's final result?" Hana asked. Damon pulled out his smartphone and tapped it a few times before showing them the screen. Their eyes widened significantly.

"Mach ran 113,459 meters at an average speed of 47 miles per hour within an hour and a half." Damon put his smartphone away and grinned. "Now, you've been asking on how Mach is able to achieve that correct?"

Okino and Hana silently nodded in shock.

"Alright so to before I can explain everything, I'm sure you understand that uma boys and uma girls work almost similarly to humans in terms of structure and behavior yes?"

"Y-Yeah we understand that part Felix-san… but these numbers… Mach-san is a monster!" Hana let out in surprise.

"The uma boy is really incredible! I do wish to know how that is possible Felix-san. How is it that you can make an uma run much, much faster and for far longer compared to everyone here in the academy?!" Okino questioned in interest.

Damon raised a finger. "To start off, you need to not only show them the limits umas can break."

The younger trainers raised their eyebrows in confusion.

…

"You also need to show them how humans can break theirs as well."

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 5

Mach sighed as he headed up a flight of stairs towards the rooftop area of one of the classroom buildings. His body felt quite a bit of soreness from the very long run he had earlier and given that he and his uncle arrived to Japan just recently, he wasn’t able to condition himself with enough time to adapt back into training.

‘And that jet lag… ugh I can still feel it.’ the uma boy thought as his emerald eyes noticed a door approaching his sight and raising a hand he opened it, the fresh air and breeze from the outside greeting him. It remained a sunny day and Mach breathed it all in with a smile as he closed the door behind him and walked over to an open area of the roof.

“It’s best if I eat in peace and solitude for now. The girls here would most likely surround me with a ton of questions and stuff, while the trainers’ umas are probably still upset about the loss.” Mach’s eyes lowered a bit, the image of him overlapping Tokai fresh in his mind. “I really feel bad for her.”

After Mach finished his cooldown and showered, the sixteen-year-old quietly snuck his way around the campus to one of the classroom buildings and checked to see if the rooftop area was available. He had seen it in shows a few times and wondered if it applied to real life as well.

And low and behold it actually worked. Mach figured as well that not a lot of people eat lunch on rooftops due to being prohibited, but given that the director likes him… quite a lot, Mach wouldn’t suffer any consequences.

The umanoshonen sweatdropped at her behavior towards him as he sighed rummaging into his bag. “She’s very strange, but she is nice.”

Once he found a good spot to sit on the floor Mach pulled out a comically large bento box that was, as mentioned, quite comically large. It was WAY taller than him by about ten feet in height and twelve feet long. The uma boy grinned from ear to ear rubbing hands together and taking a deep inhale.

“Ahhh that smells really good! Can’t wait to try out how homecooked Japanese food tastes like!”

No really, Mach just pulled out an entire food truck from inside his bag.

The uma boy pressed on a small hidden door on the side of the bento box which opened and revealed an assortment such as rice, vegetables, chicken breast, takoyaki and tonkatsu ramen to name a few. Mach reached in and pulled out some portions putting it in a bowl he held in his other. The bowl was fairly large and was able to hold several meals but given that Mach ran over 100 kilometers non-stop.

GROOOWWWWLL!!!

Mach’s mouth salivated from the food as he was EXTREMELY hungry and needed to refill his energies. Once he was satisfied with what he had, the umanoshonen pulled his chopsticks apart and put his hands together.

“As they say here, itadakimasu!” Mach began to dig in.

SLAM!

Only to freeze up upon hearing the door suddenly burst open. His green eyes moved up to see the entrance having been opened, a long leg being up in the air as it was apparently kicked open. From there the leg slowly came down and footsteps were heard, revealing a certain silver-gray haired uma girl with a strapped brown hat surveying the area.

Mach watched Gold Ship in confusion with the food still raised to his mouth.

‘What… the…?’

Eventually Gold Ship saw him and with a large grin she waved at him. Mach gave a small wave back still in shock, seeing her look back at the entrance and pointing towards him. “He’s over here!”

The uma boy’s ears twitched upon hearing footsteps approach from the stairs and out came the members of Team Spica one by one, each of them carrying a tied bag that most likely had their bento boxes. The group approached him and began settling themselves in a circle around him untying their lunches.

Mach slowly lowered his bowl remaining dumbfounded. “Um not to be rude, but why are you girls here?”

“We were looking for you bro.” Vodka said removing the lid off her bento.

“Golshi said she felt a ‘disturbance in the force’ up on one of the rooftops and at first we didn’t believe her, but we know her all too well that it eventually leads us to what we’re searching for.” Daiwa added sitting on her knees.

Mach raised an eyebrow. “Okay but why were you looking for me?”

“Because we wish to partake our lunch with you.” Mejiro answered breaking her chopsticks. “It’s fitting that we ensure a new student here gets a nice welcome.”

Suzuka gave a nod. “It’s also very interesting that we have an uma boy attend the school, so we wanted to get to know you more outside the track.”

The umanoshonen returned the nod. “That’s great to hear and I appreciate it, but I basically wanted to be alone for lunch so that I don’t get bombarded with questions from people… and other things.” Mach noticed Tokai sitting next to him, the uma boy’s expression saddening. “And um… I’m really sorry for what happened I didn’t mean to-.”

“It’s okay Mach.” Tokai turned to him with a large grin. “It wasn’t an actual race. I mean I did get emotional because we were all giving everything we’ve got and I felt that I didn’t put enough at the end, but I realized that I needed to see this training as a learning experience so I felt better after realizing that.”

“We all felt the same way Mach.” Special Week added as she sat on the other side of Mach. “Like we were very surprised that you beat us in every single repeat and we had no chance of winning, but none of us wanted to give up. It was incredibly hard and your trainer did say that it wasn’t going to be easy.”

Mach chuckled. “Yeah his trainings are really difficult and he says that to add some intimidation, but overall he’s a nice guy. Again though I’m really sorry you all had to go through that.”

“Dude it’s cool.” Vodka said munching a large rice ball. “Fwe gwoff ofer ift.”

“Don’t speak with your mouth full idiot!” Daiwa slapped Vodka upside the head who in turn pinched her cheeks, and from there they started to bicker.

“That is a VERY large food truck you got there.” Gold Ship watched in awe at the humongous bento that sat behind Mach. The others also saw it and their eyes bugged out.

“H-How did you b-bring s-something like t-that on you?!” Mejiro stuttered.

Mach shrugged. “Dunno, I always carry it whenever I go somewhere that involves some intense training. It’s the portable one if anything.”

“THAT’S PORTABLE?!” Tokai said in shock.

“B-But how does it fit in your bag?!” Special Week asked.

“Um, I just put it in my bag and that’s how I carry it?” Mach replied.

Suzuka nodded several times. “I see, so you are using anime logic.”

Daiwa looked at her as if she was crazy. “You believe half the stuff they do in those shows?! I’m pretty sure they defy laws of physics or something!”

The uma boy nervously scratched his head. “W-Well the thing is-.”

“You gonna put some hot mustard in that?” Gold Ship said pointing to the bowl that was in front of Mach. The rest of Team Spica were also surprised.

“Dude that’s like a whole feast all in one!” Vodka asked with her mouth starting to water.

“The food looks very delectable. Did you make this yourself?” Mejiro added.

Mach shook his head. “Nope, I suck at cooking.”

Once he said that the uma girls gasped and shyly looked away, all thinking the same.

‘Maybe I can… cook for him.’

GRROOOOWWWWLLLL!!!!!!!!

Team Spica jumped from the loud grumbling and looked at Mach in shock. He laughed anxiously.

“Sorry about that. When you run for an hour and a half without stopping on a light breakfast, one gets very starved.” Mach grabbed the bowl and raised it up, his stomach wanting food NAOW. “Bottoms up!”

And the sixteen-year-old sucked in all its contents like a black hole within seconds, lowering the now empty bowl with a satisfied grin. “That’s much better!”

The umamusumes couldn’t believe their eyes.

“That was insanely fast!” Tokai said in shock.

“Is he a sandworm?” Gold Ship asked in wonder.

Suzuka had her mouth agape. “No way, he’s a lot faster than Oguri-san…”

Mach raised an eyebrow. “Oguri-who?”

“Oh she’s talking about Oguri Cap.” Special Week said. “She’s this weird but quiet girl that’s known for eating a lot. She won our last donut eating contest and it wasn’t even close.”

“Oguri-san’s a bottomless pit, but when it comes to racing she’s really good.” Daiwa added as she ate her bento. “Apparently she’s aiming to go national.”

Vodka nodded. “The girl’s got talent but other than that she can clear several meals in one sitting.”

The uma boy raised his eyebrows. “That’s impressive. Would like to meet a fellow foodie like her if I get the-!”

Mach’s eyes widened as he reacted quickly, catching the intruder behind him as they were getting close to his bento. With an expert throw he flipped the unknown assailant over him and onto the ground while holding one of their arms locked in place and his knee on their face.

“WOAH WOAH WHAT THE HECK?!” Tokai suddenly jumped from the action. The uma girls’ eyes widened at who it was.

“Is that Oguri-san?” Mejiro said.

“Huh?” The umanoshonen looked down and saw an umamusume with long, light-gray hair with layered patches of dark and white above her head. A noticeable accessory she wore was a black and yellow 5-diamond hairband. Blue eyes looked at Mach with a frightened gaze, the uma girl whimpering.

“That is Oguri-san!” Special Week called out.

“Woah so she CAN teleport anywhere. Maybe my bedazzling brain cell can help me achieve such a feat!” Gold Ship said rubbing her chin in thought. Vodka sweatdropped at her comment. “Suuure?”

Mach released his hold on the light-gray haired uma girl who scampered a few inches away and hid beside Mejiro, the lavender-haired uma girl petting her head. “It’s okay Oguri-san, he means no harm.”

“Woah was that judo?” Daiwa asked. Mach nodded in response sitting back down. “Hehe yeah, uncle showed me a couple of moves. During my trainings it also involved a lot of self-defense stuff so I know kung fu, karate, jiu-jitsu and a bit of judo. What you saw there was my sixth sense kick in of someone sneaking behind me trying to steal my food.”

Team Spica all thought the same thing.

‘I need him!’

Mejiro looked at Oguri with a disappointed look. “Were you trying to take some of his lunch?”

Oguri looked down at the ground in shame. Mach analyzed her facial expression.

‘Is that gap moe?’

The classy umamusume petted her head again. “We’ll let it slide, now apologize to Mach-san.”

The light-gray haired girl looked at Mach with sadness and bowed her head.

“I’m… sorry.” she whispered.

Mach gave a smile and waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sorry for flipping you as well. Just remember it’s not right to sneak behind people and take their food.”

Oguri raised her head and smiled. She noticed Mach take his empty bowl and fill it with more food from his bento, her mouth watering from the delicious scent.

Unfortunately it only appeared for a second before Mach raised it up and munched it down in two seconds, the bowl clean as a whistle after that. The quiet uma girl was stunned.

GROOWWWWLL!!!!”

The uma girls squealed upon hearing Mach’s stomach, their mouths through the floor.

“YOU’RE STILL HUNGRY AFTER THAT MANY SERVINGS?!” Daiwa and Vodka bellowed at the same time.

Suzuka wondered to herself. ‘He’s definitely faster and-.’

“Alright no more Mr. Nice Guy.” Mach turned his upper body and effortlessly picked up the huge bento box with both hands, the opening aimed towards his mouth. He proceeded to dump all its contents into his gaping maw and within seconds the box was cleared out. Giving it a few shakes to ensure everything was clean Mach placed the bento down, wiped his mouth with his arm and gave a sigh with closed eyes. “That’s better.”

“HOLY SHI-!” Gold Ship was cut off by Special Week interrupting her. “HOW MUCH FOOD WAS IN THERE?!”

Mach placed his hand under his chin in thought. “I think today’s lunch was about close to two metric tons?”

Suzuka looked at his stomach. ‘He didn’t even develop a round belly… he must have a really high metabolism.’

“Okay there’s no way that’s true. You seriously can’t have that much weight in food?!” Daiwa yelled.

“You gotta be shockingly strong to even carry that much dude.” Vodka continued.

Gold Ship released air out of her nose heavily and rummaged into her bag.

She took out a small table that had a thick pad on each end and set it up in the middle of their sitting circle. “Let us test your strength young grasshopper.”

Mach was taken aback. “Excuse me?”

“Golshi why do you have something like that?!” Mejiro asked incredulously. Without her noticing Oguri began eating bits of her lunch; she could’ve eaten it all but the latter respected her lavender-haired senpai.

Vodka cracked her knuckles. “Oh yeah that’s what I’m talking about! I go next after the first person!”

Gold Ship pulled out a second table with the same pads, except this one had white pads with cherry blossoms on them.

Tokai sweatdropped. “Okay I’m starting to see how we need Golshi for everything regardless of her antics.”

Mach blinked in confusion at first but then gave a grin. “Well alright I’m down. Also want to make it interesting?”

“How so?” the delinquent uma girl asked raising an eyebrow. The umanoshonen got up and placed one arm on each of the tables.

“I’ll take you both on at the same time.” he said.

Gold Ship and Vodka smirked back and each grabbed his hand with their elbows on the pad, the former taking his right hand while the latter took his left.

Daiwa looked at the others who returned her gaze and shrugged. Giving off a heavy sigh she got up and placed a hand on each of their interlocked ones. “Fine I’ll start this stupid game.”

“Oh man I wonder who’s gonna win this?” Tokai asked in excitement. Special Week nervously laughed. “Who knows but with how we seen Mach perform on the track, I think we have a good idea on who the clear winner is…”

Mejiro crossed her arms shaking her head. “This is ridiculous.”

Suzuka stood behind her two teammates in curiosity and observed silently. ‘This will be a match of the century!’

Oguri peeked her eyes close to the surface of the table, her moe expression not changing but giving off some interest.

“Alright ready!” the twin-tailed uma girl started.

Gold Ship and Vodka grinned like maniacs awaiting their triumphant victory. Mach simply watched as if he got nothing else better to do.

“Steady!”

Their grips tightened like vices and the air became very tense as very miniscule rumblings can be seen emerging from the ground. It was to be an intense battle.

“GO!” Daiwa released the top of their hands.

The two Team Spica members unleashed all their strength into their respective arms for the win.

Except it didn’t move at all.

“Huh?!” Vodka was surprised to see that she couldn’t even budge Mach’s arm, her teeth grinding as she applied as much force as she can to bring it down. No matter what she couldn’t even shake it.

Gold Ship growled having a hard time and used her other arm for support.

“HEY NO CHEATING!” Tokai said in annoyance. Special Week sweatdropped. “Even if she’s cheating, it’s not working out hehe.”

Mejiro and Daiwa were stunned. ‘How strong is this guy?!’

Oguri continued to watch from her little spot like a cat. Her eyes shifted to Mach many times with interest.

The umanoshonen noted their frustrated expressions trying to get his arms down. He could feel all the strength they let out, their iron-like grip clenching at his hands with their arms becoming slightly bulged and veiny from the effort.

Yet it was a fruitless attempt as Mach didn’t feel much movement from their force.

‘They’re pretty strong, but they’re struggling. Might as well end it.’

Mach effortlessly brought their arms down.

BAM!

“GAH?!”

The exertion so great that Gold Ship’s and Vodka’s faces slammed into each other and they fell to the floor.

“VODKA! GOLSHI!” the rest of Team Spica cried out as they quickly came to their aid. Swirly eyes were present on the silver-haired and dark-brown haired uma girls. Oguri looked up at Mach in awe, the food she was eating having been forgotten.

Once the two recovered they couldn’t believe it.

“Bro that’s insane?! Like I couldn’t budge your arm at all!” Vodka shouted.

“Mach must be some black magic street dealer that I’m not aware about. I must find the source to his ventures.” Gold Ship muttered. Suzuka and Daiwa sweatdropped.

Special Week was in awe. “That was amazing Mach! Golshi and Vodka are our strongest umas in the team!”

“So cool! Are there more like you out there?” Tokai asked in curiosity.

“Ms. Hanabi was correct. If that’s the case then we will learn much from you.” Mejiro nodded in respect.

Mach scratched his cheek. “Um that’s cool and all to hear but I’d be fine if we don’t speak too much about what I can do hehe. As I said before I’m just here to help the students.”

Oguri gave a thumbs up to his statement.

Eventually the scene turned a bit more serious as Special Week began. “If that’s the case then we wanted to say that we also came here for another reason.”

“Which is?” Mach replied.

Daiwa crossed her arms. “Trainer-san got with us after speaking with your trainer. He said that overall you ran over 100 kilometers at an average speed of more than 45 miles per hour.”

Mach nodded. “Yup he told me before I headed out for lunch.”

“Yes but here’s the thing: our fastest sprinting umas can only go up to 43 miles per hour at 1200 meters while the distance umas average 37 miles per hour. You were much, much faster.” Mejiro added.

“And not only that but you were able to maintain those speeds for quite a while. When some of us took a break during your two laps stuff, we saw that you didn’t even slow down much at all. Like you just kept going.” Vodka said on her part.

Tokai crossed her arms. “Especially your kick at the end. You overtook us so quickly that we didn’t have time to notice.”

Gold Ship nodded. “In reality there is no uma out there that can achieve such stats. That is why we are here for some answers.”

Suzuka hummed in approval. “We very much appreciate the training by you and your trainer, but we are very curious on how you were able to achieve such feats.”

The silver-haired uma girl of Team Spica narrowed her eyes. “You’re not using drugs are you?”

Mach raised an eyebrow. “What the heck? No I don’t use drugs, otherwise I wouldn’t even be able to compete in all the races I’ve been to.”

Gold Ship sighed in relief. “Oh good, our future husband’s clean.”

“SHUT UP GOLSHI!” Daiwa and Vodka took out duct tape to silence her.

Special Week sweatdropped. “Ignoring what she said, we are curious and were wondering how is it that you’re this incredible?”

Oguri was also interested. “I saw you from the spectator crowds and I too want know what makes you this powerful.”

Mach looked at each and every one of them, their eyes full of wonderment. The umanoshonen sighed and looked at the ground.

“Well the thing is… you have to understand how humans break their limits.”

…

…

“Okay we’re really confused by what you mean now.” Okino said to Damon. He, Hana and the older trainer were in Team Rigil’s changing room. The umamusumes of Team Rigil themselves were not present therefore it was only the three of them.

And it was a great time for them to discuss why the sixteen-year-old has such unbelievable talent.

“Well to start off on what I mean, humans tend to have lower limit thresholds because of the way we are made to suit physical and mental challenges. Umas on the other hand have a higher limit threshold because all of them are born with extraordinary abilities that make everyday life easier.” Damon began.

Hana placed a hand under chin. “You do have a point Felix-san. Umas have incredible strength and stamina that make difficult things seem a lot easier for them, and not all umas do go into the field of running.”

“Yeah, some would go into labor-intensive jobs like construction or academic fields to become doctors or lawyers. Though for mental traits I think it’s safe to assume that they and humans are almost on equal footing.” Okino added.

“That’s right and for the umas their limits are way lower in threshold compared to ours. In terms of physical traits their average speed is a lot higher than ours if you consider a peak fitness athlete. When it comes to certain distances, an uma will always be guaranteed to beat a human.” the 55-year-old said.

“Well of course Felix-san that is a given, but we still do not understand how this relates to Mach-san.” Hana asked.

Damon smirked. “Here’s one thing I can inform you two of: at certain distances umas will certainly beat humans, but when you expand that distance to a very large amount… humans will beat the umas.”

Okino’s and Hana’s eyes widened.

“Hehe surprised are we? It looks like you may not have been well informed that in terms of endurance within the land animal kingdom, humans have long been one of the best if not the best distance runners out of everyone. During ancient times we hunted our food and would run incredible distances in order to obtain said food. While our prey may be faster in short bursts, they cannot maintain their speeds for very long and that’s when we are advantageous.”

The younger male trainer gasped. “So if you were to take a human and an uma and have them race 100 miles for example-?”

“The human will beat the uma if the race was continuous, but for the first 20 miles the uma will have a lead until they require rest while the human can keep going due to their more efficient oxygen and cooling physiology. As you noticed during our training race, all three of your groups started getting very exhausted once they hit the 32 kilometer mark.” Damon stated.

“So if that’s the case then why didn’t Mach get tired once he reached that distance as well? Unless he has higher stamina it would make sense.” the female trainer questioned.

Damon nodded. “Yes he has higher stamina, but we also added elements that an uma wouldn’t normally do.”

…

“Your trainer made you do training that applies mainly to humans?” Mejiro asked Mach to which the latter nodded.

“Yup and this type of stuff normally isn’t done with umas because the limiting threshold would be flipped in which we will have a much lower ceiling than that of humans, and it isn’t widespread because there are drawbacks to this training.” the umanoshonen explained.

Special Week was curious. “So what training are you talking about?”

Mach settled his emerald orbs on her. “Well before I get into that what training do you normally do around here aside from running?”

Daiwa started. “We do swimming, resistance training, gym, rock climbing, tire pulling, beach stuff and that’s basically it.”

The uma boy looked at her for a bit and shook his head. “That’s not enough to reach where I’m currently at even if you give it your all. You’ll need much tougher stuff than that.”

“So what do you assume is much tougher than what we do at Tracen Academy?” Suzuka asked Mach. The latter shifted his gaze to her.

“Have you girls done trail running or altitude training?” Mach asked.

All of Team Spica and Oguri shook their heads no.

“We do running on the sand. Does that count?” Vodka questioned.

“Well it’s a close second, but trail running is basically a lot tougher compared to running on flat terrain such as the track. If you don’t do training like that, your stamina will stall and pulling a tire or swimming won’t help you.” Mach elucidated.

“What about dirt running?” Tokai said. “We tend to do a lot of that.”

Mach shook his head. “It’s not going to help either. You need a highly variable and technical terrain as a starting point, and since this is your first time hearing about this you’ll definitely benefit it out of it.”

“How so?” Gold Ship raised an eyebrow.

…

“Trail running engages all the muscles in your legs to work in tandem to achieve not just higher speed and stamina but also balance which is needed when it comes to navigating through packs. It increases one’s coordination, reflexes and agility which is very useful to maneuver around other runners when it comes to racing. Otherwise you’ll be turning pretty slow when overtaking another runner.” Damon described.

“So you basically want the umamusumes to add trail running into their regime?” Hana asked.

“Precisely, and it’ll benefit them immensely. It is a mainly human activity because we have much greater balance and motion when we traverse uneven and technical terrain. A flat terrain such as the track or treadmill will only work out muscles that propel you forward and that’s it, while doing trail running will exercise every single one of them which not only develop fast-twitch muscle fibers but will allow the umamusumes to react faster to sudden decisions.” the older trainer entailed. The two younger trainers were in awe at this information.

“But wait, because their speed is faster than ours wouldn’t they just injure themselves sooner and quicker? The uneven terrain wouldn’t accommodate for their speed.” Okino said.

Damon smiled. “And that’s why they need training on it. Humans didn’t start off as masters of off-road running and just like running itself, they will need to develop that ability. When it comes to technical terrain running the umamusumes will need to constantly adjust their speed to everchanging terrain while also reacting quickly to where they step. Any wrong move and a sprained ankle is guaranteed, but a benefit of this type of training is that it also strengthens their balance around the ankle areas along with the muscles associated with it. Therefore the end result will be not just more powerful ankles with higher coordination, but if they were to sprain it, the injury wouldn’t be as severe as one without training and in turn will take less time to recover.”

Okino and Hana were very surprised at his explanation.

“T-That would make sense Felix-san… I never thought of that.” the younger male trainer spoke in awe.

“Hehe and when Mach first started off this training, it was complete hell for him. It was during that point that he was just as average as a human.” Damon said. “This is where his limit threshold was very low for him.”

“So that explains why he’s so fast and is able to maintain it for a long time on the track.” Hana added. “That is… incredible!”

“The hills were a major challenge as well to him. They were a huge roadblock as he needed very high stamina to overcome them but once he got used to the training then they were easy for him, which in turn made it A LOT easier for Mach to run on the track because he has all that speed, strength and stamina at the ready with the inclusion of high mobility and reflexes. Once we added the typical equipment umas use such as large tires for resistance and such during trail runs, his capabilities went through the roof.” the 55-year-old explained.

“No wonder he was able to break through the pack so fast in the training. Holy cow.” Okino wondered aloud.

“However.” Damon grinned wider. “That’s only one part of the story.”

…

“You ran at 8000 feet on top of a mountain?!” Gold Ship gawked at Mach. “Did you get to say hi to the moon men?!”

Mejiro sweatdropped. “I highly doubt such a thing exists.”

Gold Ship pulled out a tinfoil hat and placed it on her head. “Well how else would they be able to control the waves in the ocean to take over the land and have the ocean reign supreme? Duh!”

Vodka had her mouth agape in annoyance. “Uhhh I don’t think that’s how it works.”

Mach chuckled nervously. “Yeah that’s going off topic, but basically uncle had me train way above sea level where the air is very thin and very hard to breathe.”

“Why did he make you do that?” Special Week questioned.

“Apparently for the humans it helps to increase red blood cell count due to not enough air being taken into the bloodstream by the lungs. As more cells are produced the amount of hemoglobin made is increased which helps in promoting oxygen transportation through the bloodstream and over time this process becomes more efficient while above sea level to compensate for lower oxygen availability. When I trained high up in the mountains the normal routine I would usually do at sea level would be much harder and strenuous because I had less oxygen to take in, so basically in short terms I struggled to breathe.” Mach explained.

Suzuka was in awe. “Holy cow you sure know your stuff. I could see why Bakushin O was angry when you answered all those questions right in class.”

“I’ll definitely need your help when it comes to studying hehe.” Special Week nervously laughed. Tokai crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks irritably. “I wished I could be in the same classes as all of you…”

Oguri silently watched in curiosity. ‘He could be just as smart if not smarter than Tachyon-san.’

Mach scratched his head anxiously. “Well there are things I don’t know much about, but back on topic yes it was very brutal doing regular training up there. Whether it was running, rock climbing, kayaking, strength training and the sort, I had to deal with it with very low oxygen levels. For a human it was much easier because their bodies can adapt to environmental changes much quicker compared to other animals, and for umas it’s a lengthier process.”

“So did that training help in anyway?” Daiwa asked. Mach nodded. “Yes it did. When I came back to sea level everything was a whole lot easier and my running was much faster and longer because my red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels were through the roof compared to a trained uma at sea level. Though I have to make sure I keep getting enough iron as well, so a bunch of leafy greens hehe!”

“Wooaahh…” Team Spica and Oguri were astonished and amazed at all this information.

Mach continued. “And that’s just a couple of examples in regards to human training. I also went through temperature acclimation training, mountain running, dune running, and other things that humans normally do and umas barely do. During those points in time it was complete hell.”

“Man that’s pretty sick and intense.” Vodka said. “But like I’m sure there’s more to that right?”

The umanoshonen grinned. “Yup and when I did everything for a certain amount of time and really pushed myself…”

…

“He went through an… awakening?” Okino and Hana said in shock. Damon nodded.

“Yup, Mach had an awakening where the training apparently unlocked the entire human side of his anatomy.”

Hana shook her head several times. “But how is that possible? Like humans and umas shouldn’t be that different.”

“That is true, humans and umas really aren’t.” Damon began. “But a while back it was found that when all umas were born, they were born with only the uma and human phenotypes activated. Hence why they look a lot like humans aside from the ears and tail.”

Okino massaged his head. “Man all this is so very confusing.”

Damon smirked. “Hehe it is but at the end it makes a lot of sense. See when they are born all their phenotypes are activated, but when it comes to the genotypes it’s only the uma side that is on. Apparently… they also have a human side.”

Hana’s eyes widened. “Wait w-what?”

The older trainer nodded. “As I stated it all umas have a human genotype but when they are born, only the ones that make them appear human and share the same diet as us are on while the ones pertaining to their human-sided capabilities remain dormant. It was discovered during the time that the first umas were introduced to this world and ever since technology was brought in we’ve been trying to see how we can activate them.”

“So what you’re basically saying is that Mach’s awakening was due to his human genotypes being turned on?” Okino asked. Again Damon nodded. “Yes, but it was very VERY difficult to do as you would need not only an immense amount of training… but a powerful catalyst to activate them.”

Hana crossed her arms. “So Mach went through stuff that humans do due to their advantageous traits in order to unlock his human side… wow we still got a lot to learn hehe, the altitude stuff sounds nuts.”

Okino was mindblown. “And this genotype thing is more nuts. So how does it work in terms of Mach’s awakening?”

…

“When my genotypes activated it unlocked everything in regards to my human side. I was able to achieve the ability for my body to regulate temperature in high heat and humidity environments just like a human’s, was able to run far longer compared to normal trained umas due to higher oxygen intake levels and blood cell count, and my speed and stamina increased tenfold not only due to the training, but also from something else.” Mach explained.

“And what would that be?” Mejiro asked with interest. Tokai and Special Week were clutching their heads. “Holy cow all this stuff is too much!” they both said.

The sixteen-year-old smiled. “When my human genotypes activated, they were added alongside my uma ones and not only stacked their traits on top of the other, but also magnified their effects.”

Team Spica and Oguri forgot their half-eaten lunches and were VERY interested.

“Meaning what exactly?” Suzuka said.

Mach’s smiled wider. “Well to put it in perspective my mom is an umamusume. She used to be a sprinter and won the Americas Triple Tiara back then, basically near unbeatable. Her times were close to world records and her top speed was about 45 miles per hour.”

“Woah so you inherited really good genes then!” Vodka praised.

The uma boy scratched his head. “Yeah and overall I admire her for her achievements. Now for my dad he was a very successful human distance runner for both trail and road and won many prestigious events. I don’t know much about him since he’s still traveling but basically he does events from 3200 meters and up alongside ultramarathons. His average speed was 12 miles per hour the last time I heard.

“Oh dang so he’s much faster than Trainer-san. That slowpoke.” Gold Ship muttered.

“By human standards that is pretty fast.” Mejiro said. Daiwa had a hand under her chin in thought. “So if we go by what you said earlier and you mixed your mom’s traits with your dad’s traits.” the twin-tailed uma’s eyes widened. “Then that means-.”

Mach nodded. “Yup, I was born with my mom’s sprinting abilities and once I unlocked my human genotypes, I was able to unlock my dad’s high endurance. That’s why during our training I was able to beat everyone in all the repeats.”

Everyone was in complete awe at his explanation. Mach just nervously laughed. “And um, that’s why my times and speed are like that hehe.”

Special Week’s eyes widened more. “If you’re saying both your parent’s traits were added together, then that means your top speed would basically be 57 miles per hour! That’s way faster than our fastest sprinters here at school!”

“Pretty much, but I also did say that the traits can be amplified so-!” Mach was cut off by everyone suddenly leaning VERY close to him, their mouths through the floor.

“YOU CAN BEAT THE 60 MARK?!” they all said. Even Oguri was stunned.

The uma boy laughed anxiously. “U-Um I could try but it’s pretty hard, and so far none of the others are able to break it yet.”

Everyone’s eyes widened again. “THERE’S OTHERS?!”

Mach sweatdropped. “Yeah, I’m not the only one.”

Suzuka thought of something. “I was wondering on my part: Did your body get accustomed to the new changes when you unlocked your human traits?”

…

“Yes, Mach’s human traits amplified not only his genetic material but also his body composition. In order to maintain the intense speeds and movements when he runs, his bone density increased immensely and his muscle mass adapted to incredibly high loads and stress. If anything he’s basically much, much more durable than a regular uma and far ahead of being superhuman.” Damon explained. Okino’s and Hana’s eyes were as if they had just seen the light.

‘Holy cow… this uma boy is so far out of our league.’ Okino thought. Hana wondered similarly. ‘If he were to join either of our teams, whoever team he’s on will be the strongest in all of Japan. Just with him being in it.’

The female trainer shook her head and looked at Damon. “S-So because he unlocked his human traits not only did he get everything that comes with being human but all of that was mixed and added with what makes him an uma correct?”

Damon nodded. “Exactly!”

“And that means if he gets injured or breaks a bone for example he will be able to recover much faster right?” Okino asked.

“Exactly as well! The added benefit is that with the human genotypes being activated Mach can perform active recovery, therefore he won’t be needing much stay in the hospital for non-serious injuries.” the older trainer added. “So yes, all of the training normally applied to humans more has been given to Mach so he can unlock those traits kept hidden. I applied human limitations to Mach and the results were fascinating in which he had to work much harder to achieve similar results to those of humans. The end result was Mach breaking human limits and developing a mix of peak athletic performance of two species all in one!”

Hana and Okino REALLY couldn’t believe it.

“Incredible… but also you mentioned that there is also a catalyst that is needed for these genotypes to awaken. What is that exactly?” Hana questioned.

Damon gave a simple smile. “That you’ll have to figure out. If I were to say what it is then it won’t have much effect and it was actually tested. It’s best if you were to have the umamusumes and yourselves figure it out on your own during the training we’ll provide.”

Okino was surprised. “Hold on you said umamusumes. You mean our girls?”

…

All the uma girls in front of Mach were stunned.

“S-So the reason you two are here is… to have us go through an awakening?” Special Week said.

Mach nodded. “Yup that’s the plan! The training we had today was to see where everyone was at in terms of speed, endurance and other factors. This was only one of the first steps to unlock your human traits.”

Tokai was shaking in excitement. “So that means we can further surpass our limits’ limits?!”

Mejiro was quite astounded. ‘If I’m able to do such a thing… I would be the greatest in my family! I can bring immense honor and glory!’

Daiwa and Vodka squealed and hugged each other. “THIS IS SO EXCITING! WE CAN BECOME MUCH BETTER!” they both said.

Suzuka looked at her palm and smiled. “This is such a huge opportunity.”

Gold Ship had her mouth agape. “I can do that… and finally solve that Rubik’s cube.”

Oguri was silent processing everything, but just like the twin-tailed and delinquent umas she squealed mentally.

Mach grinned, their cheerful faces giving him a warm feeling. “Yeah it’s exciting, but remember it’s VERY tough and there’s no guaranteed chance you may get an awakening. It also depends whether or not you have a human parent or ancestor and if they had athletic abilities. If they were average then you’ll only receive small to minimal gains of their traits and will need a longer time to develop them to peak performance, but if they’re anything like my dad then the traits’ value will be enormous. We’ll try our best to help you reach it so you can go above and beyond in your dreams and goals. And again you don’t have to partake in it if you don’t want to.”

“Pfft, dude now that you said that I’m definitely not backing out!” Vodka huffed.

“Like my rival I’m doing this to be number one and if that will further take me to greater heights then I’m in!” Daiwa added.

“The king of shoji accepts this challenge with greater agreement!” Gold Ship said with a salute.

“The training earlier was incredibly difficult and left us winded, but with this new knowledge it has raised my confidence that I must achieve this in order to bring higher prestige to my family!” Mejiro spoke.

“I’m in I’m in! I want to pass Rudolf-san first so she can praise me!” Tokai cheered.

Special Week grinned from ear to ear. “If the others say they’re doing it, then I’ll do it too! I am curious what my human traits are!”

Oguri nodded to herself and took out a donut she had on her person.

Mach was astonished. ‘I honestly didn’t believe they’d want to go through more… heh, Ms. Yayoi was right, the students here have a lot of spirit and potential.’

Team Spica talked a bit more about the subject as they ate the rest of their lunch, minutes after began talking about the training ahead. Mach on his part looked at Tokai and got her attention.

“Hey Tokai-san, again sorry about earlier. It’s my fault and I probably shouldn’t have done that.” Mach lowered her eyes.

Tokai smiled. “No Mach you don’t need to apologize. I’d rather everyone finish a race giving it their all than holding back; if anything I should be the one to apologize. Not just to you but to everyone.”

Special Week and the others saw this and smiled. “Don’t worry Tokai-san we forgive you. It’s just practice like they said.”

The amber-brown haired girl returned the gesture and looked at Mach.

An idea formed in her head.

“But if you’d like…”

“WHA-?!” Mach yelped as Tokai suddenly pounced on him with the umanoshonen laying on the ground and the umamusume on her hands and knees above him. Their faces inches from each other.

“I can forgive you if you do this one simple thing~.” Tokai purred getting closer. Mach was frozen, her sweet scent leaving him motionless.

“H-Hey! Get off from him!” Special Week and Mejiro cried out grabbing the younger uma girl just as she was about to commit the deed. The uma boy reeled back a few inches hearing the trio bicker to one another.

He wasn’t safe yet.

“HE’S MINE!”

Mach yelped dodging Daiwa and Vodka who leaped towards him, rolling out of the way and into Gold Ship’s loving arms.

“Hehe my dear husband is safe with me!” the silver-gray haired umamusume brought Mach closer as the latter moved his head farther away from her approaching lips.

“Golshi no fair I saw him first!” Suzuka grabbed Mach’s face and pulled him to her own as she closed her eyes.

‘Okay these girls are crazy! Gotta get out of here!’ Mach immediately ducked in which both Gold Ship’s and Suzuka’s face slammed into one another and they clutched their faces in pain. The umamoshonen grabbed his gigantic empty bento box, placed it into his bag (how it fits in there is anime logic) and hightailed it towards the door.

Just as he was starting to run down the stairs…

“OOF!” Mach felt a large force upon his back and he started falling down. Thinking fast he turned his body midair and caught whoever was behind him as he landed back first onto the floor with them on top. Mach let out a grunt of pain, gritting his teeth with clenched eyes.

“Ow… hey you alright?” the sixteen-year-old opened one of his eyes.

She shouldn’t have as he gazed into the ominous blue depths of Oguri Cap right on top of him, the low lighting making her shadowed face look scary especially with her expressionless appearance.

“U-Um, you c-can get off me now.” Mach’s face lit up. “Oh wait you wanted food right?! I can get you some if you want just-!”

Oguri placed a finger on his lips stopping his talk, the gray-haired girl leaning further down and shaking her head.

“I don’t want food… I want you~.”

‘Her too?! We just met!’ the uma boy noticed his feet were touching the last step in a vertical fashion. With a good push Mach was able to move upward and escape being underneath Oguri Cap. From there he got up quickly and started running off.

Mach turned a corner blazing through the hallway as his ears twitched upon hearing the fast steps of Oguri Cap chasing after him.

‘What the heck is wrong with some of these girls?!’ the uma boy yelled in his head.

Luckily he didn’t have to run for too much as once he passed by the cafeteria entrance, the distant steps suddenly stopped and he looked behind to see the uma girl go into the area. Mach slowed his pace and looked ahead. ‘Whew, it looks like Special-san was right that she loves food. Well when I got time I can make room for seconds… or sevenths hehe. It did smell nice in there.’

Mach’s ears twitched upon hearing commotion as he approached a door. He became curious and placed his ears onto its surface.

“You shouldn’t have went too hard Narita-san, now look what happened!”

“Don’t yell at her Hishi-san it’s not her fault. Besides you were also going too hard especially at the beginning.”

“Everyon we shouldn’t yell at each other. We’re a team and right now we’re only causing tension among ourselves.”

“My fellow ponies gave it their all and Grass-san is correct, love and harmony should be the only things between us!”

“That brute has caused this! If he didn’t show up then we would’ve continued to be stars in our own right!”

“Opera-san it’s not Mach’s fault. El es buena gente and he didn’t cause this if anything.”

“He’s a pretty sweet guy if you catch my drift. Like the man definitely has some crazy skills on the track and I wonder how he’s like off the track.”

“Well when we get the chance we’ll see if we can converse with him so we can get to know him better. I agree with Maruzensky-san, Mach doesn’t seem like someone that would want to harm anyone.”

Mach smiled to himself ‘Maybe not all the girls here are crazy, but if anything will still need to keep my guard up.’

The umanoshonen raised his hand up towards the door in a fist, wanting to knock. ‘Should I do it? But what if they’re still upset? It does sound like they still are but some of them are saying that I’m not to blame.’ Mach slowly lowered his hand. ‘Maybe I’ll meet with Narita-san once things calm do-.’

The door slid open, revealing Grass Wonder whose eyes widened at seeing the uma boy.

“Mach?” she said in surprise. The uma boy in question then heard several chairs slide from behind her and panicked whispers as well. The tawny-haired girl smiled at him and moved to the side. “You can come in. I was only going to get some drinks for the girls, but we weren’t expecting you to stop by.”

Mach scratched the back of his head grinning nervously. “Well I happened to be taking a stroll after finishing my lunch and I heard voices coming from here.” the uma boy looked up to see where they were at.

The infirmary.

The sixteen-year-old looked at Grass Wonder with worry. “So, is Narita-san doing okay?”

Grass Wonder smiled and nodded. “Yes, she is recovering and we all are as well. Please do come in!”

The uma boy nodded and let himself in, the scent of hospital room and various curtains which hid beds behind them greeting his eyes. Mach looked to the side to see the sun shining down from the windows as he walked over to where Team Rigil would be with their ill teammate. His ears flicked from picking up more whispers and headed towards the second closest bed area where he was able to hear them. He lifted his hand to move the curtains out of the way.

Immediately dodging a scrunched-up paper thrown at him.

“OPERA-SAN!” a voice shouted.

Mach reacted quickly and grabbed the wrist of the open hand about to smack his face several inches away. He saw T.M Opera O’s light purple eyes widen in shock and she tried to pry her hand back from his grip, but he was too strong. “Unhand me you savage!”

“Holy cow looks like Mach is indeed much stronger.” he heard Taiki Shuttle say to El Condor who nodded in agreement.

The sixteen-year-old’s peripheral vision noticed Symboli Rudolf place a hand on T.M Opera O’s shoulder, the latter turning to her with fury in her eyes.

“Opera-san, I will not allow you to strike an ambassador here at our school. If you harm Mach in anyway or verbally abuse him, I will have no choice but report you to Ms. Director. Per her orders we are to follow the rules regarding his safety and welcoming at our academy.”

The princely umamusume regretfully nodded, Mach noticing her arm beginning to calm down and he immediately let go. The uma girl looked down in embarrassment, her face flushed red as she retreated towards the farthest corner next to Narita Brian’s bed.

Mach was able to get a better look and saw that almost all of Team Rigil minus Grass Wonder were there. Air Groove, El Condor Pasa, Taiki Shuttle and T.M. Opera O were on one side of the bed while Hishi Amazon, Fuji Kiseki and Maruzensky were at the other side. Narita Brian herself was in the bed covered in a white blanket and sitting up.

Symboli Rudolf bowed at Mach. “I deeply apologize for Opera-san’s behavior. She isn’t normally like this and we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The umanoshonen waved a hand. “O-Oh no it’s alright hehe. I was kind of expecting some people being upset for how it went during the training.”

Hishi walked over to Mach, her expression a determined one. “We have talked, and while we were upset on the outcome… there’s always next time.” the sun-tanned umamusume offered a hand and grinned. “Next time I’ll make sure to beat you!”

Mach smiled and returned the handshake. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Yeah everything’s alright now!” Taiki Shuttle then looked over to her flamboyant teammate who was still looking away irritably. “Well… almost.”

El Condor jumped in front of Mach with stars in her eyes. “That was some insane running Mach! Like you obliterated all of us in all distances and you just kept on going and going! Hijole!”

Air Groove smiled. “We completely underestimated you and while we gave it our all, you were on a completely different level.”

Fuji sighed on her part. “My fellow ponies lost greatly today, but we will rise up stronger and faster the next time we race!”

“Yeah dude, we’ll bring our A-game next time just you wait!” Maruzensky added with a thumbs up.

Mach smiled and nodded at everyone, then looked at Narita Brian. She was looking at him with a surprised look on her face.

“How are you feeling?” the umanoshonen asked. The quiet uma girl gave a tiny smile and shrugged. “A little peachy. Better than before but still a bit under the weather.”

“That’s good to hear. I wished I could’ve brought something hehe.” Mach scratched his cheek anxiously. Narita Brian shook her head keeping her smile. “You don’t need to. Just you stopping by was a bit of a surprise for me, but I welcome it since it shows you care.”

Mach grinned and nodded. “Well hopefully this eases up the tension if anything. I was planning on having lunch by myself if anything, but apparently I was found by Team Spica and-.”

“What they ate lunch with you?!” Taiki Shuttle asked in shock.

“See I told you we should’ve looked for him and brought him here!” Hishi bellowed at her teammates.

“Well he isn’t a fellow pony but I wouldn’t mind his company.” Fuji said.

“Great they got first dibs at eating lunch with him on the first date. So uncool…” Maruzensky muttered. Mach sweatdropped. ‘First date?’

“Dang Spe-chan’s really lucky! Lunch is halfway over and I bet they had loads to talk about with Mach.” El Condor added. Grass Wonder returned with some drinks in her arms raising an eyebrow. “What did I miss?”

“Not much aside from Spica eating lunch with him. Luckily he’s here with us and this is a great chance to know more about him.” Symboli Rudolf said and then looked at Mach. “So as Groove-san mentioned, your running abilities are incredibly superior and we were no match.”

Air Groove added to that. “So we were wondering, what training did you do to obtain such results?”

Mach noticed all their eyes curious on him. T.M. Opera O was averting her eyes once in a while, seemingly interested as well.

‘Well I told Team Spica, so might as well tell Team Rigil as well.’

The uma boy then proceeded to tell the same thing he told to Team Spica. After several minutes all of the umamusumes in the room were in complete shock.

“So… there is a higher level?” Rudolf couldn’t believe it.

“Alright that means I can go way faster during sprints! I can’t wait to awaken!” Taiki Shuttle cheered pumping her fists.

“Radical! I can further increase power to my engine and be more groovy than I already am!” Maruzensky said.

“My goal to become the strongest umamusume can now be at a higher skill level! I can’t wait to achieve such a feat! Con ganas le doy!” El Condor spoke in her native tongue after.

Grass Wonder smiled to herself. ‘A way to help others much more and become a better influence to all… I will give it my best shot!’

“HECK YEAH I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW UMAS CAN AWAKEN! MAN I HOPE MY HUMAN PARENT OR ANCESTOR AREN’T COMPLETE DEADBEATS!” Hishi shouted in joy.

“A step towards becoming a better pony for my other ponies! I will take this chance and show them what I can do!” Fuji announced.

Air Groove was stunned. ‘An awakening? How have we never knew of this before?’

Narita Brian looked at Mach in awe after his explanation. ‘So that’s why he was so fast and lasted so long during training… today was a mishap on my part.’ the black-haired uma girl closed her eyes and smiled. ‘I won’t give up next time!’

T.M. Opera looked to the side, wide eyed at what she heard. ‘T-There’s a higher plane of e-existence for all umas?! I-Is the overlord at her current form still not strong enough?!’

Mach sweatdropped at their unique actions but nonetheless nodded. “Yup, that’s why me and uncle are here to train everyone at the academy so that they can achieve an awakening. Again not everyone will be guaranteed to get it and the training will be brutal, so please ensure you’re up for it.”

“Oh you don’t have to ask me twice!” Hishi put her thumb onto her chest. “I’ll be aiming to become faster AND stronger!”

Air Groove crossed her arms smirking. “It’s not even a question.”

The others also agreed and talked amongst one another about their new goals and such. Narita didn’t speak much and Mach figured she still needed to recover more, but nonetheless the umanoshonen was happy that everyone was getting along and things were back to normal.

Sort of.

“Hey Mach.”

The sixteen-year-old noticed Symboli Rudolf looking at the ground shyly. The uma boy raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“What’s the difference between a fish and a guitar?” she began.

Mach was confused. “What?”

“You can’t tuna fish.” Rudolf answered.

…

‘Uhhhhh….’ Mach did not know how to react to that, his ears twitched at hearing the groans and giggles behind her. He saw from the corner of Rudolf, Narita facepalming with two hands.

“Um… good to hear?” Mach smiled awkwardly. Rudolf exhaled out her nose proudly and did another one. “I tried exercise today, but it didn’t work out.’

‘STOP RUDOLF-SAN I CAN’T BEAR IT!’ Air Groove shouted in her head clutching her ears.

Mach’s eye twitched. ‘What is she doing?’

“What does a nosey pepper do? It gets jalapeno business.”

El Condor reeled hard from that. ‘She completely screwed it up! Stahp!’

The uma boy was trying to hold in his laugh not because she was trying to be funny, but because they were just so corny.

“Bear with my jokes girls, they’re intended to be punny.” Rudolf smirked looking at everyone. Everyone except Mach and Rudolf fell to the floor anime-style.

Mach breathed in deeply due to the awkwardness. ‘I didn’t know the school council president was like this.’

Apparently Rudolf wasn’t done looking back at him. This time her face was scarlet red.

“L-Life without y-you is like a broken pencil… pointless.”

A literal pencil fell off the nurse’s desk to the floor. Silence fell among everyone.

‘What… was that…’ Mach had a feeling that Rudolf is becoming the same way as the uma girls of Team Spica.

“Rudolf-san you aren’t being hip at all in this. Lemme show you how a real gal reels them in!” Maruzensky then began walking towards Mach in a very seductive fashion, her legs crossing over one another as her hips swayed with each motion. Blue eyes stared half-lidded at Mach who became nervous and walked backwards trying to get away from her, his back hitting the wall behind him as the brunette umamusume settled her body onto his.

“So big boy~? You wanna go downtown with this lil sweet lady and check out the sights~?” Maruzensky pushed herself onto Mach, emphasizing her ample bosom to him as she wiggled her eyebrows. “If you know what I mean~.”

Mach could only watch helplessly not knowing what to do. ‘O-Okay I take that back… everyone at this school is nuts!’

“Maru-chan you’re making him uncomfortable! You need to be less savvy and more fluffy!” Taiki Shuttle shoved the busty brunette uma girl out of the way and proceeded to give Mach a big hug. “Just like this!”

The umanoshonen was red in the face receiving this much affection as he remained stunned. Taiki Shuttle’s giggles resonated into his ears and her sweet earthy scent made his heart race, along with the slightly smaller but generous bosom touching his chest.

Hishi growled and tried to pry her teammate off Mach. “He don’t need you butting in! I promised him a race and I should be the one to stand by him!”

“I met him way before all of you, so el es mi querido!” El Condor grabbed one of Mach’s arms and began pulling him. Grass Wonder silently grabbed his other arm and cutely pulled on her part. “You weren’t the only one to see him first El-san!”

“My ponies fighting for his hand?!... well he is handsome so I guess I can make this something I don’t plan on sharing.” Fuji got in on it as well and wrapped her arms around his neck, the uma boy starting to get swirly eyes from all the attention.

Air Groove pouted approaching them. “A-As the vice president I supersede all of you and I claim authority over hi-!”

“Ahem.” The short gray-haired umamusume squeaked at Symboli Rudolf’s voice from behind, the former slowly turning in fear and seeing the council president crossing her arms angrily.

“He is mine. We go together like bread and butter.”

Narita Brian looked at her teammates fighting over Mach and she whimpered quietly, her hand reaching out in need but unfortunately cannot get up due to needing recovery.

T.M. Opera O gritted her teeth feeling helpless. ‘I-I shouldn’t dare associate with that heathen… b-but why is t-the overlord feeling this ache in thy chest. What is this heresy?!’

Mach found himself shaking his head and saw almost all of Team Rigil grabbing his body. He could escape their clutches, but he didn’t want to risk hurting them so all he could do was remain still. Their warm and soft bodies made contact with his and he eyed Air Groove and Symboli Rudolf approach as well with open arms.

‘O-Oh no, if they come in here I d-don’t think I’ll make i-!’

RING! RING!

The sound of the bell interrupted the uma girls’ arguing and they were all silent. Mach took the opportunity and looked at his watch.

“OhwouldyoulookatthetimeitstimeforclasssorryIcantstaytoolonggottagobye!” Mach spoke a million miles an hour while escaping their loosened grips. He bolted off through the door hearing their cries to stay but the uma boy refused knowing the outcome would be the same as Team Spica. ‘Yup I stand corrected, EVERYONE HERE IS INSANE!’

Several umamusumes heading to class yelped in surprise as Mach ran through the schoolyard at breakneck speeds. Aside from the stares he received, one in particular got the opportunity to see from afar.

A pink purple eye watched belonging to a figure hidden behind a tree, a small hand grasping onto the bark with a soft squeeze.

‘C’mon Rice… be brave.’

…

…

Yayoi and Tazuna looked at Damon with serious expressions, the three in her office as the middle-aged trainer has said his farewell to Okino and Hana for the day.

“So aside from having the umamusumes here go through awakenings, are you sure this is going to work?” the young director said.

Damon nodded. “Yes, if anything once those traits are unlocked their bodies will undergo a process where drawbacks that hinder them will either be reduced or completely eliminated.”

Tazuna nodded. “And if what you said is correct, their careers can continue for longer than three years?”

“Yes, their human traits will allow them to keep going for far longer until they reach the point where either they don’t have to continue racing or they can keep going but at a slower pace.” the 55-year-old sighed. “Unfortunately both human and umas will still age as it is life.”

Yayoi nodded and crossed her arms. “And speaking of drawbacks… this will work for Mejiro-san?”

“Yes Ms. Director.” Damon began. “I appreciate you allowing me to examine some of their medical records and for her case… unless she activates her human genotypes, her condition will get worse over time and eventually running for her will become very difficult. That is why it is crucial that for students like her to go through this training.”

The green-clad secretary was fascinated. “To think that umamusumes don’t have all their human traits awakened…”

“...and that by doing so it’ll help cure them of their conditions.” Yayoi finished in awe.

“It’ll override any conditions related to umas, but they will be still be susceptible to any human-related illnesses and such. However given that their bodies will be more durable by this awakening they’ll basically only catch simple things like a cold and such.” Damon explained.

“How have we not heard of this?” Yayoi asked.

“It’s been a secret thing due to the risks. As I mentioned to Okino and Hana, the training involved will be a lot more difficult and there’s no guaranteed chance some will awaken. We’ll give it a shot and if they do achieve it… they’ll be able to achieve much more than their dreams.” the middle-aged trainer smiled.

“So if by some of the risks you mean-.” Tazuna was interrupted by Damon nodding. “Yes, after the training the girls overheated and that’s because they don’t the human genotype for having temperature regulating mechanisms as efficient as humans activated yet. If they push themselves way more than they need to without adapting to the strain… they risk losing their lives.”

The director and secretary gasped.

“S-So the umamusumes c-could’ve-!”

“Do not worry Ms. Director, today’s training was only a baseline to see where they were at and they took breaks during Mach’s two lap intervals. If they kept going without stopping then it would’ve been bad, and we’re fortunate that Narita-san only received a fever out of this. I know enough what the limits for umas are and wouldn’t push them further than they need to. I trust their trainers on that aspect.”

Tazuna was curious. “So if they gave it their all during the session for that long, then how come their bones or muscles didn’t start breaking down from the strain? We have seen some issues of that occurring when the umamusumes overdo it.”

Damon answered. “It’s because before we started the session I had their trainers have them drink water that contained a special powder that temporarily increases their bone density and muscle composition so that they’ll be able to handle the stress coming from their high speeds and impact over a long period of time. Without it they wouldn’t have lasted close to the halfway point.” the middle-aged trainer raised his palm. “And do not worry it’s nothing illegal or anything that’ll harm them, it’s simply to enhance their physical structure and the effects will wear off by the end of the day without any negative repercussions.”

“A dietary supplement I would assume.” Tazuna said.

“Correct, and I got permission from their trainers to which they were okay with once I explained everything.”

“That is definitely a lot to take in hehe, but I’m glad our umamusumes are safe.” Yayoi sighed in relief.

“That’s why Mach and I will do our best to ensure not just them awakening, but also their safety. It will be a very difficult road, but I have faith in your students. Not just on the track but off it, the students show great pride and have aspiring ambitions.” Damon smirked as he began leaving. “They’re an interesting bunch, much more so than the ones overseas. I look forward to seeing their potential going beyond.” and from there the old trainer exited the office.

Tazuna held her mouth open for a bit. “This is quite a lot to take in.”

“Yes, and I believe in every single one of my umamusumes.” Yayoi smiled and got up from her office chair facing the window behind her, the sun beginning to set. “This will change the way derby racing is in Japan and will allow the umas to fully reach their dreams and maintain them for far longer! I fully believe that they can do it!”

The image of Mach came into her head, his warm smile radiating hope.

“And Mach-kun will lead the way for the current and new generation of our umas here at Tracen Academy. A new age will start coming upon us!”

…

“Oh Mach-kun please come to me, school’s already done for the day~.” the director mewled thinking about the uma boy. Tazuna sighed in annoyance. “Again Ms. Yayoi, he needs his rest. I’m sure he had quite a long day today.”

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 6

It was a bright and sunny day in Japan where the prestigious Tracen Academy was located, the very halls and esteemed training facilities able to produce top notch umamusumes with aspiring dreams to become the best they can be. Most aim for winning a Triple Crown, inspiring others, gaining stardom, or for some becoming the number one derby runner in their country.

And it was only a few days earlier that something quite interesting occurred which stirred up a lot of commotion in the elite all-girl school.

The very first and only umanoshonen, or horse boy, arrived at Tracen Academy as an ambassador and is now attending its classes and training sessions as the only boy in an all-girl school. His goal is to inspire all of them to become better through a mysterious way called an awakening, allowing them to activate the human side of their genes such as improved body temperature regulation and, if applicable, their added speed and endurance. Once added to their uma traits they become magnified with their bodies adapting to much tougher conditions and gaining enhanced speed and power. The road to awakening, according to his trainer, is incredibly difficult as the umamusumes will need to adapt to applied human limits that per their namesake refer to training that the umamusumes have never done. These trainings involve trail running, high heat acclimation, altitude adaptation, continuous long-distance running that covers more than the maximum amount umamusumes cover, and various other core body activities applicable to mainly humans. It is through this training that they can adapt further and become much stronger and once a catalyst is received, which so far is unknown as the umanoshonen’s trainer hasn’t revealed what it is yet, they will achieve an awakening. And once they receive that rite they can become much more and aspire to greater heights. That is the goal for both the umanoshonen and his trainer during their stay in Japan to help the rising stars go much more above and beyond.

The umanoshonen, known as Mach Infinite, is determined to ensure that all the umamusumes in Tracen Academy achieve their awakening. And so far it’s been getting along pretty well.

…Except for the fact that all the girls in the school are seemingly into him. Even ones that he hasn’t met yet.

‘It’s only the second day here and I’m STILL getting stared at.’ Mach sighed drinking an orange juice box as sets of eyes were on him. The uma boy was currently walking through the courtyard on the patches of grass heading to a certain location, having finished his morning classes and his first training session so now he’s waiting for lunch to start. Mach’s ears twitched from the whispers he heard coming from the uma girls.

“There he is!”

“Oh mercy he looks really good! They weren’t kidding!”

“Have you heard, he beat Spica and Rigil at the same time!”

“You mean he beat the strongest team in the school Rigil?! By himself?!”

“Well the dude is an elite derby runner, and he’s quite a looker.”

“If I were to have babies with him, they would look so adorable!”

“You have babies with him?! Hah, he’ll be mine first just you watch!”

“Ugh…” Mach groaned to himself hearing the commotion going on, raising a hand to adjust his necktie and continuing to look ahead. He already had enough to deal with from the training session he had earlier.

‘Team Spica and Team Rigil were out today for recovery training so we had this new group. Man that one girl… Orfers… Orfef… Orfevre was it? She’s quite a headache when all she talks about is how she’s superior to others, and don’t get me started on that other one… Verxina I believe? Like talk about spoiled holy cow. And then you got Gentildonna… think I got her name right. She’s a bit better but comes off cold and talks too much about merit, and I get it it’s important but it’s not all about herself. Plus that handshake of hers is pretty strong… though she probably shouldn’t have provoked me.’ Mach laughed a bit to himself and lowered his ears slightly. ‘Hope she gets that hand treated though, but the looks on their faces were priceless when they couldn’t keep up hehe. It sucks but they really shouldn’t speak highly of themselves out in the open like that because karma can get ya. The others were cool though so it wasn’t all that bad.’

Mach’s emerald eyes found the item he was looking for, raising an eyebrow at it and peering down from above. “From what Ms. Yayoi said…”

‘If you ever need to vent out your frustrations!’

“Just yell inside the Tree Stump.” the uma boy muttered staring at said hollowed out trunk where a tree used to be, now having a large hole in the middle. Looking around to make sure no one was near, aside from the umamusumes staring at him, he sighed and grabbed both sides of the stump, leaned in, and let it rip:

“DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMNNNNNN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

His scream was so loud that it caused a rumbling making the girls scream as well and flee from the vicinity. Mach kept this up for at least two minutes before he stopped and raised himself up, panting from his little episode. “Holy cow that felt good! I think I’ll be using this more often haha!”

RING! RING!

The school bell rang meaning lunch has started and for Mach it was the sound of heaven approaching during this time of day. For all other times it was planning out how to approach class without the girls asking him strange questions.

Mach sat down next to the stump and pulled out a smaller version of his bento. He already ate the food truck stash earlier so this was seconds for him. It was still pretty big, being two feet long, wide and high. Opening the lid the umanoshonen’s mouth watered at the fresh bento made, staring at the udon mixed with an assortment of veggies with a side of shrimp, wagyu steak (A5 grade), edamame, some taiyaki and mochi.

“The sponsor chefs really know how to cook! Alright time to dig in!” just as he about to shovel everything into his mouth.

“BAKUSHIN!”

‘Again?!’ Mach sighed lowering his head as he heard quick footsteps approaching him. The uma boy didn’t bother to run this time as he knew who it was.

“Finally I can at last spend lunchtime with you!” Sakura Bakushin O’s bright cherry-blossom pattern eyes watched him with glee as she sat down next to him quickly pulling out her small bento box. “Let us eat together!”

Mach looked at her for a bit, then sighed. “Alright fine, as long as you don’t try to chase me down every time I’m heading to class or something.” he said raising his chopsticks and about to eat.

Until another set of running footsteps approached and he heard a soft plop from the other side of himself.

“Hey there!” a cheerful voice let out. Mach turned to see an uma girl with rose-pink hair tied into a ponytail with short messy bangs and a red headband with sidelocks. Her ears were covered with dark magenta ear caps with a white bow on her left ear. Her most noticeable feature were her large, round eyes that shown a bright pink hue with the same cherry blossom pattern as Bakushin O. “Mind if I sit with you two?”

‘Are… they sisters or something?’ Mach could only nod silently as the happy looking girl cheered to herself and got out her own bento. Which had quite a lot of stickers on it.

“Um… so you are?” Mach began. The pink-haired uma girl gasped. “Oh I’m sorry I never introduced myself! I’m Haru Urara and it’s a pleasure to meet you!” she loudly said and bowed.

The uma boy sweatdropped and returned the gesture. “Good to know you as well.”

“Hello once again Haru-chan! It is quite an honor that we can eat lunch with the ambassador that will help every single one of us achieve higher dreams and soar beyond our goals!” Bakushin O spoke with a raised fist looking up to the sky.

Haru on her part grinned widely and nodded. “Ever since yesterday I’ve been wanting to meet Mach, but every time I tried he would always run away for some reason?”

Mach sweatdropped. “Well it’s not because of you, it’s more on the fact that I would get an avalanche of girls rush at me every time I would leave class.”

“But fear not Mach-san! The director is true in her word that none of us will harm or do anything inappropriate to you while you attend our school! I will ensure that everyone in our class behaves and follows the rules per my duty as class representative!” Bakushin O assured. Mach simply nodded as he ate his food for a bit. “Well so far it seems like it isn’t working well enough outside of class, and they’ve only been getting rowdier.”

“I’m sure they’ll calm down the longer you stay here, not like they’re gonna keep it up forever!” Haru encouraged. Mach smiled back. “Yeah, hopefully.”

ANOTHER set of footsteps approached the group with a shadow casting over Mach, the latter looking up raising an eyebrow to see blue eyes with a hint of magenta stare back at him emotionlessly.

“Target found. Commencing Operation: Information Obtainment.”

‘Uhhh…’ Mach was really confused by the way she spoke. As if she was a cyborg or something.

“Bourbon-chan! We didn’t know you’d be hanging out with us!” Bakushin O grinned widely.

“Sit down with us! We’re just starting to each lunch and we got room for more!” Haru added as well. With a simple nod, the uma girl with long brown hair and a cyber looking headband sat on her knees in a robotic movement way and pulled out her bento. Every action she did was as if it was automated.

“So um, Bourbon-chan?” Mach asked. The brown-haired uma girl stared at him. “Designated unit is identified as Mihono Bourbon. Current objective is to exchange information between designated unit and target identified as Mach Infinite.”

Mach raised an eyebrow. ‘Okay what the heck? First there were weird ones, then self-entitled ones, and now there’s ones that REALLY don’t act like themselves.’

“Hehe don’t mind her Mach, that’s just how she is!” Haru said to him as she ate her lunch. “Overall she’s a nice person once you get used to her strange way of talking.”

“Speaking about Bourbon-chan being here, that means she should be somewhere nearby!” Bakushin O scanned the area for a bit, her eyes noticing two little bushes that stood out from a much larger one in front of them a few feet away. The little bushes were connected to a single stick on each of them with a glimpse of small fingers wrapped around them. “Rice-chan you can come out now!”

A small squeak was heard from behind the bushes and with some shaking the figure hiding behind the bush raised herself slowly, revealing a timid looking uma girl with long ears, dark brown to black hair and long bangs swept to cover her right eye, the other one revealing a pinkish-purple iris. On the side that covered her eye was a dark blue bowler hat with a blue rose on it completing her look.

Mach could only stare at her silently. ‘Is she okay? It looks like the poor girl’s frightened.’

The timid uma girl started walking out of her spot continuing to hold the little bushes as she shyly set herself down next to Mihono Bourban, lowering the plants down and looking down cutely.

“Initiating greeting function: Hello Rice-chan.” Mihono Bourbon gave an automated looking bow and raised herself after, never blinking.

“H-Hello Bourbon-chan…” the shy newcomer muttered.

“Hey Rice-chan! Glad you could join us!” Haru said.

“Exciting that our little group is getting better! I do wish for more to join us!” Bakushin O bellowed.

Mach rolled his eyes. “I wish not. I had enough crazy shenanigans happen to me when tons of people are involved.”

“U-Um excuse me…”

The uma boy picked up the very quiet murmur coming off the dark-haired umamusume and he looked up, his emerald eyes meeting her visible purple with pink one. Upon seeing her clearly Mach felt a big need to protect her.

‘Okay where did that come from?’ Mach brushed that thought aside and blinked. “Hey there?”

Another squeak came off her as she looked down blushing hard. “S-Sorry! I-I was being r-rude.”

“Rice-chan don’t rush yourself. Just take it nice and slow.” Bakushin O miraculously didn’t speak loudly.

Mihono Bourbon started at her without emotion and encouraged her. “Analysis complete. Rice-chan has the capabilities to converse with target.”

Mach raised an eyebrow at Bourbon. ‘Okay there has to be a reason she speaks like that.’

The timid uma girl gave a deep bow. “I-I apologize again.” and she got up breathing out.

“My name is Rice Shower!” she spoke loudly.

Haru giggled. “Don’t worry about Rice-chan acting like this Mach-san. She’s a bit reserved but she’s a really nice person!”

Rice Shower gave Haru a smile. “Thank y-you Haru-chan.”

Mach also smiled. “Glad to meet you. I’m Mach Infinite, but I’m sure you already know from the director announcing it the other day.”

The dark-haired umamusume nodded. “Y-Yes from her, but I watched your race with Spica and Rigil as well.”

Bakushin O gasped. “Speaking of that I was REALLY hooked on how you beat both teams!”

“Haru was very interested as well! You just kept going and going and going without stopping, the others getting very tired. Like that was incredible and I didn’t know an uma boy could be that amazing!” the pink-haired uma girl cheerfully said.

Mihono Bourbon blinked once. “This unit is intrigued by target’s capabilities. Target’s overall speed, stamina and power exceeded all other umas by a large quantity based on analysis. Subject Mach Infinite fits criteria of world-class runner.”

Rice Shower looked at Mach in awe not saying anything.

In her mind she replayed the event where Mach finished the race blazing through the final straightaway at speeds no uma she knows could reach. Not even her.

Mach scratched the back of head grinning cheekily. “It was only a training session, not an official race. And honestly I really don’t need any praise.”

Bakushin O got close to him, the uma boy yelping from how close it was. “You have defeated Rigil, the strongest team here at Tracen Academy led by the strongest trainer, Hana Toujou! You don’t have to be modest Mach-san, this is a great achievement in of itself!”

“Yeah and not only did you beat all of them and Spica but you outlapped Tokai-chan as well!” Haru said. Mach’s expression saddened. “Yeah… not to be rude but it’d be great if we don’t speak about that please.”

“Ah I’m sorry! Please forgive Haru!” the pink-haired umamusume bowed many times with Mach chuckling at her antics.

Rice Shower stared at Mach, feeling warmth in her chest.

‘Mach is considerate about others and doesn’t see himself above them… m-maybe if I can just… w-what?!’ the quiet dark-haired uma girl clenched her eyes covering her face. Fortunately no one noticed as they were conversing with the umanoshonen.

“So you DID beat Taiki-san at the very beginning! If that’s the case then there is no chance I will be able to defeat you Mach-san, therefore I retract my challenge to you until I truly believe I can beat you!” Bakushin O declared, Mach giving an awkward smile. “Well alright, again.”

“I am curious on what type of training you have undergone to achieve such results Mach-san. Is overseas that very different compared to Japan?” Mihono Bourbon questioned. The uma boy was surprised she could speak more normally. ‘Guess she just needed to be comfortable.’

“There are some things that are the same as here in the academy, but my uncle did put me through other stuff that umas don’t normally do and that’s what put me where I am right now.” Mach explained.

“Haru wants to know the training you did to get to where you’re at!” the pink-haired umamusume jumped in her seat. “Maybe it can help me out on my part!”

Mach was confused. “Why’s that?”

Haru nervously laughed scratching her head. “W-Well it’s because I haven’t been able to win a race lately.”

“Well alright not everyone will be first every time. So what’s your streak at the moment?” the black-haired uma boy asked.

The latter remained silent looking down.

“…113 races. I haven’t won a single one.”

‘HOLY SHIT!’ Mach swallowed a large chunk of his food as he stared at Haru with wide eyes. “Well, um… least you got quite a ton of perseverance and tenacity.”

Bakushin O laughed heartily. “Haru-chan will win a race soon enough! We all believe in her and one day her streak will be broken and the stars will shine brightly when that happens!”

Mihono Bourbon nodded. “She is highly skilled and full of willpower. I also believe she has what it takes and with further training she will reach her goal.”

Rice Shower continued to watch silently, mainly at Mach. The latter noticed and raised an eyebrow. “You okay?”

The timid uma girl jumped and nodded quickly. “Y-Yes, um… don’t mind me though.”

“Oh yeah speaking of wins, Rice-chan here won the spring Tenno Sho not too long ago against Mejiro-san! That is quite impressive!” Bakushin O said. Mach placed a hand under his chin. “I heard about that race. Isn’t it that 3200 meter one considered one of the toughest in Japan?”

“That is correct Mach-san. Rice-chan and I have also raced several times and in the beginning she struggled to keep up. With enough training and motivation she was able to beat me at the last sprints.” Bourbon explained. Rice Shower blushed hiding her face. “I-It didn’t m-mean much!”

Haru also added in. “Plus she holds the record for the fastest 3200 meter in the school!”

Mach was intrigued. “Oh really, what was your time?”

Rice Shower peaked through hands to look at him. “U-Um, 3 minutes 17 seconds.”

“She and Mejiro-san ran the same race with Mejiro-san running 3 minutes 18 seconds for second. It was very intense!” Bakushin O said.

Mihono Bourbon placed her hand on Rice Shower’s shoulder. “We were very happy for Rice-chan’s performance, but on the other hand the audience was a different story.”

Mach raised an eyebrow until he saw the dark-haired umamusume looked down sadly, tears threatening to leak out of her eye. The sixteen-year-old held his mouth slightly open. ‘Oh it’s one of those where they expect the favorite to win, and get frustrated when the favorite doesn’t win.’

“Hey Rice-san.”

Rice Shower looked up to Mach, a gentle smile aimed at her. “That’s very impressive and honestly, I wouldn’t care what others think. Just be yourself, and no matter what you got friends by your side to cheer for you wherever you go for as long as it takes.”

Ba-dump.

‘H-Huh?” Rice Shower felt her heart skip a beat. She was aware that she received quite the attention during that race and her classmates assured her that her win was welcomed to them. When Mach said that… it was a different feeling.

Very different.

Mach turned to Bakushin O.

“So what about you? Are things going well with racing on your part?” Mach asked the class representative. A huge grin and tons of nods were his response. “Of course Mach-san! I do sprints and I stand alongside Taiki-san as the quickest in the school! When we face off against each other it is normally neck and neck and we will exchange wins and losses. Overall it is a great experience and great way to push myself further against my rivals!”

“Same with me! I don’t let my losses get me down and I enjoy seeing others win their races so that it can inspire me to do the same! One day I will get my moment!” Haru cheered. Mach gave a laugh as the three talked and ate lunch.

Mihono Bourbon looked at her timid companion who kept her gaze at the uma boy. She figured out a little bit on what’s going on.

‘It looks like I may have competition outside the track as well… be ready Rice-chan, I’ll make sure I get to him first!’

“Holy moly Mach is that wagyu beef?!” Haru asked in awe. Mach grinned widely. “Yup it definitely is! A5 grade as well.”

Bakushin O’s jaw fell through the floor. “A-A-A5?! That’s the highest-grade quality in the country! You must’ve spent a fortune just to get a large piece such as this!”

Mach scratched his cheek. “Hehe well I didn’t pay for it. The sponsors I have typically pay for everything and while I try to tell uncle that they don’t have to, he says they should given my colossal appetite.”

Bourbon stared at the steak while drooling and Rice Shower licked her lips a little bit. Mach noticed not just them two but the others as they bit their lower lip in slight desperation.

The uma boy grabbed his chopsticks and took out a slice. “So if you want, you can have some.”

Once they received their portion the umamusumes took a bite.

It was pure heaven.

“WOOOOOW THIS IS INCREDIBLE!” Bakushin O held her cheeks with eyes closed dreamily.

Haru devoured her piece happily. “IT’S LIKE IT’S CRYING INTO MY MOUTH WITH JUICY GOODNESS AND SAVORY DELIGHT!”

Mihono Bouron remained expressionless but had visible anime tears of joy flowing down her face. “It is astronomical and difficult to calculate the exquisiteness of such divine sustenance.”

Rice Shower nibbled hers and squealed lightly on how good it was. Her ears wiggled happily and she had a hand on her cheek relishing the texture and flavor. She then looked up to Mach who was grinning in response to everyone, the former noticing that the uma boy had finished all his food in the large bento box. She then eyed the remaining steak she still had, getting an idea.

Mach’s nose detected the wonderous scent of wagyu close to him and suddenly got surprised seeing Rice Shower offer him a piece held by her chopsticks with a hand below it. She held a determined look on her face, the others stunned by her action.

‘S-So bold!’ Bakushin O mentally yelled.

Haru furrowed her eyebrows. ‘Hey no fair I was gonna do that!’

Mihono Bourbon narrowed her eyes. ‘I didn’t expect Rice-chan to do such a thing. Truly my rival.’

“S-Say a-ahh…” the timid uma girl squeaked out. Mach was in shock at the gesture, his stomach betraying him and demanding he take the offer.

Not thinking twice he got closer and ate the steak, chewing on it and closing his eyes nervously. It tasted really good as expected, but for some reason to Mach it tasted much better when she offered it.

‘There’s no way this is like anime.’

“My turn!”

Mach’s eyes shot open seeing Bakushin O offer him some as well. “P-Please say ahh!”

The sixteen-year-old’s gaze switched over to another offer by Haru. “Y-You’re a growing boy Mach! You need your nutrients!”

Bourbon darted her offer onto Mach’s lips, the latter jumping at the poke. “Mach-san’s energies must be replenished to full. My new objective is to ensure Mach-san is well fed.”

Rice Shower silently fumed at her classmates trying to feed Mach. She grabbed another piece of wagyu and did the same thing again.

Mach switched his gaze several times between all of them not knowing what to do.

‘Not them too!’

The rest of lunchtime was quite something for the sixteen-year-old.

…

…

“Okay everyone hope you’re up and ready for what we’ll be doing today!” Damon loudly said as he watched the group of umamusumes in front of him. Mach stood near him in his tracksuit doing some stretches trying to get the scene that happened at lunch out of his head.

‘And apparently they’re with us as well.’

“Felix-san as class representative we are more than ready!” Bakushin O announced raising her hand.

Haru raised a fist. “Yeah we’re good to go!”

Bourbon bowed. “Per your command Felix-san.”

Rice Shower kept her hands together in front of her and nodded. “H-Hai! We are u-under your c-care.”

The four were not alone as there were others with them.

“Whatever training you have planned for us, we will complete it with upmost efficiency.” said an uma girl with long and incredibly voluminous white hair adorned by a pair of golden embellishments near her white ears, yellow eyes and red under-rim glasses. “Biwa Hayahide present.”

“Winning Ticket is here and ready to get started Felix-san!” said another with short black hair with a lime green sidelock and red eyes.

“Alright can’t wait to go against your trainee Felix-san!” one with short wavy brown hair styled in a messy look, long ears and dark blue eyes that fade to lighter shade announced. “Narita Taishin’s ready to go!”

An umamusume with short messy brown hair, ‘marked’ red eyes and an earring shaped like an element slowly walked up to Mach without saying a word. The uma boy raised an eyebrow at her mysterious expression.

“You… I have finally received an opportunity to study you up close. I have researched for a very long time on the outer limits of speed… and I have finally found the perfect subject that is capable of attaining such capabilities. And that wallrun…. you are perfect, I need you… NOW.”

Slim hands wrapped around the strange uma girl and pulled her away while the latter struggled. The one grabbing her bowed her head gently. “We apologize Mach-san… Tachyon-san is… excited for today.”

Mach’s eye twitched at the two: he couldn’t figure who was creepier. The one dragging her back had long jet-black hair with a long bang in the middle and wide golden eyes staring at him, and only him.

‘I really can’t have a normal training session…’ Mach sighed as he finished stretching. “It’s fine, I’ve already seen everything so almost nothing surprises me anymore hehe.”

The other umamusumes glared at the brown-haired uma girl for getting too close to the umanoshonen. Damon laughed at their predicament.

“Alright so today’s gonna be a bit different. The last several sessions I had other umamusumes race against Mach on the track and so far, no one has been able to beat him. I expect no one to at all anyway.” the 55-year-old said. Mach groaned at him. “Uncle can you stop that, don’t make them feel demoralized.”

“Haha you don’t need to worry Mach-san! We understand that we won’t be able to and we know that you aren’t here to race!” Bakushin O said.

“Bakushin-san is correct. I calculated the probability of us defeating you in any distance based on the session you had against Spica and Rigil and determined that no matter how much we train we will never be able to beat you in a fair race.” Biwa Hayahide explained fixing her glasses. “But that does not mean that we can’t improve on our abilities.”

“Yeah dude it’s all good! Like if this training helps us in drastically improving our times in races then I’m all for it! You don’t need to worry!” Winning Ticket said with a thumbs up.

“Haru just wants to see much she can gain from this so I can finally win a race!” Haru cheerfully added.

Rice Shower smiled looking down. “I-If everyone else is on board then I am too!”

“As Biwa-san stated, our goal is to reach a higher level than our current form so not only do our races become more intense but so we can achieve our dreams at greater pace.” Bourbon said.

Narita Taishin grinned. “It’s no biggie Mach-san. I’m just glad I’ll be able to run with a top legend such as yourself. That race you had with the strongest teams was so epic that I’m glad I get to train alongside you!”

The brown-haired uma girl that was very close to Mach before was released and crossed her arms. “I will enjoy this training experiment with Mach-san. It will provide me with knowledge on what I need to do to attain a higher level of physiological fitness.” the umamusume turned to Damon and bowed. “I apologize for the rudeness Felix-san. Agnes Tachyon is my name, and my colleague here is Manhattan Café.”

Mach saw the latter continue to stare at him with those mysterious golden eyes. She was also standing very still to which Agnes noticed and elbowed her lightly. It worked as she looked around and randomly walked over to a tree with a big enough shadow. The uma boy sweatdropped.

Damon smiled. “Okay so now if you’re wondering why we’re here at the other side of the school, I had the director create a course that is completely different from what you’re used to.”

Everyone looked around to see that they were next to a grassy open field with Damon and Mach standing in front of a dirt path that upon further distance separated into two routes, the paths farther down being hidden by brush and several trees.

Bakushin raised her hand. “Will we be hiking Felix-san? If that’s the case then it will be a fun activity!”

“Yeah I love going through the forest and seeing the sights!” Haru added.

Mihono blinked. “Felix-san, how will this improve our training if we are going to simply hike?”

Damon shook his head. “You won’t be hiking young ladies. You’ll be running the hikes today.”

The umamusume’s eyes widened.

“Y-You’re kidding?” Biwa asked.

“I don’t think we ever ran hiking routes before.” Winning Ticket said scratching her head.

Narita Taishin looked behind the trainer and trainee, seeing the state of the path. “Plus it’s pretty uneven. I don’t think it’s possible Felix-san.”

Rice Shower gulped. “I-I’ve never ran something like t-that.”

Agnes Tachyon had a hand under chin intrigued. “Very interesting. Is this to improve the other muscles in our legs that we don’t normally use Felix-san?”

“That is correct Ms. Tachyon. Everyone here will experience territory known by humans as trail running.” Damon raised a finger. “It is completely different from what you girls normally do in which you run flat terrain. Now we are aware that you do dirt, sand and stair running but that’s child’s play compared to the beast you will encounter here hehe.”

“Yeah now that you mention it, we barely run the hiking trails so that’ll be a first for us.” Narita Taishin said. “Just walking it is enjoyable but we do get a bit tired. Running it… yeah never done that before.”

“And that’s why it’s very important you get training for it.” Damon began. “Most umas here from what your trainers explained have not gone through technical terrain or variable changes in routes. The track has small inclines depending on what part of it you run on, but at the end of the day it’s barely anything. Your stamina also hits a threshold where you’re limited to a flat surface.”

Mach added. “And what uncle means by that is that your speed and stamina at the current moment is only applicable to the track and wouldn’t increase any further unless you expose yourself to more difficult terrain.”

“That’s where trail running comes in. Not only will your path constantly change, but your body will constantly try to adapt to the sudden obstacles your path will throw at you. Uneven terrain, tree logs, holes in the ground, mud, water puddles, hills, slippery terrain, whatever nature decides to put in your way. On the track you already know what you will encounter but with trail running, whichever path you take is a road to the unknown.” Damon said.

The uma boy nodded. “Your speed and stamina won’t matter here. You’re basically starting from the ground up once you begin and wanna know why?”

Bakushin O raised her hand quickly. “Why is it Mach-san?”

Biwa raised her eyebrow. “I am curious on this as well. Is it really going to be that tough?”

Mihono stared at him. “We should be efficient enough to easily pass this training. I do not understand why it will be difficult?”

Damon grinned raising a finger. “It’s because you will lack balance and coordination.”

Agnes Tachyon smirked. “That is impossible. I have studied the changes on the track for each race and found that the surface is comparable to hiking routes in terms of difficulty, especially if we run on wet grass.”

Mach shook his head. “That’s because on wet grass you not only get a slippery surface but also friction dragging you down from the blades of the grass and the density of the water on your shoes along with mud. Not only that but your shoes do not have enough grip as they are simply flat and have a flat metal umashoe on the front. If you look at the broader perspective of it, the track is still mainly flat and you won’t get much out of it. With trail running you have twists and turns that can apply all those factors and create uneven distribution that’ll make not only your body try to adapt to those changes but also mentally challenge you to make sudden decisions on where your feet land and how much speed and energy you can use and also conserve.”

The brown-haired girl had her mouth open and tried to counter his argument, but closed it and instead walked back a few steps. The others were amazed by his description.

‘Holy cow he shut down Tachyon-san!’ Biwa thought.

Rice Shower looked at Mach with a blush on her face. ‘S-So cool.’

Manhattan Café watched her classmate look at the ground deep in thought.

‘My friend that no one can see is right… Mach-san is someone special…’

Damon laughed heartily slapping Mach’s back, the latter gritting his teeth in annoyance. “You’ll find out how difficult trail can be soon enough girls. Now you’re also wondering why you’re wearing different shoes as well right?”

The umamusumes lifted up a foot and saw that instead of their regular running shoes with a metal umashoe, the bottom now has small, rugged lugs protruding out.

“I assume that these will aid us in maintaining grip on the uneven surface correct?” Bourbon questioned.

“Correct! The metal umashoe on your regular running shoes are incredibly stiff and nonflexible that you will get hurt badly if you were to use them on these routes. These are more suited to the terrain as you won’t constantly land with your foot straight to the ground. Your ankles will be adjusting to the different slopes and angles of the terrain and with a metal umashoe it won’t be a fun ride.” Damon explained.

Narita Taishin and Winning Ticket wiggled their toes and flexed their feet. “They do feel more lightweight compared to our regular shoes.” the former said. “Plus I can literally feel it grip the ground pretty well!” the latter concluded.

Mach chuckled. “Well yeah because these are meant for running trails.”

Damon nodded. “And for this training session you will be using them. Now before we get started who are my sprinters and milers?”

Bakushin O and Haru raised their hands.

“And who are my long-distance people?”

Bourbon, Rice, Biwa, Winning Ticket, Narita, Tachyon and Manhattan all raised their hands for the second question. Damon pursed his lips inward. “Geez the last several groups we had barely had any sprinters.”

“We technically lean more towards right down the middle to long distance in the school Felix-san. We have an abundance of sprinters but they’re with their trainers at the moment.” Biwa stated.

“Well I guess it’ll have to do then. Anyway so here’s what you girls are gonna be doing: the path behind me is separated into two routes and each of them are equal in distance. One path will have several twists and turns with hills of different elevation along the way while the other is a straight line consisting of mainly hills with the same variation of height. The total distance towards the end is three miles and you’ll all be doing six repeats of these front and back. The sprinters will be taking the straight path with the hills while the distance people will be taking the one with all the turns and such.”

Damon then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red flag. “I placed several of these at different points through the routes so you know where to go. There are some mini trails that split off from the main one but make sure you follow the main one, otherwise there’s a chance you’ll get lost. Aside from that it’s pretty straightforward and there’s no time limit on this. For the sprinters this will be strengthening your power and working out your other muscles to further increase your speed as you go uphill and downhill through variable terrain. For the distance people it will test your stamina and force you to plan on how to not only conserve it but determine how much speed you’ll need throughout the duration, along with how much power you’ll need for those uphills. For every single one of you I don’t expect to see similar results as on the track, if anything to make it more interesting…”

The middle-aged trainer pointed a thumb towards his chest with a large grin.

“I’ll be racing you all!”

The umamusumes were shocked while Mach smiled.

“Alright uncle show them what you can do!” the uma boy cheered.

Bakushin O raised her hand. “With all due respect Felix-san an uma will easily outrun a human! I do not believe it will be fair if you were to challenge us for this training!”

Damon smirked. “And that’s where you’re wrong Ms. Bakushin O. You girls haven’t experienced what trail running is like and while you have do have the superior strength and speed, it won’t matter. I think I’ll do just fine.”

“Woah Felix-san is so cool! Can’t wait to see if he’s able to beat us!” Haru happily said.

Winning Ticket grinned. “Heh this’ll be a piece of cake!”

“The dude is pretty old, most likely out of his prime. He won’t know what he’ll be dealing with.” Narita Taishin added.

Biwa flipped a bit of her hair out of the way smiling. “I deduce that we will overwhelmingly emerge victorious Felix-san. The statistics are in our favor.”

Agnes Tachyon gave a strange smile. “The human body is inferior to that of an uma. As we train under much harsher conditions, we will have the better physiology and adaptation.”

Rice Shower bowed on her part. “I-It will be a great honor to race against you.”

Bourbon and Manhattan silently stared already knowing that they’ll win it. However the uma girls didn’t expect the next part at all.

Damon laughed heartily. “Haha so it seems that I’m easy competition huh, well why don’t we up the stakes then? If I win then for the next three weeks this will be your only workout and for every two days I’ll increase the amount of repeats by one while adding some interesting elements to the mix.”

All the uma girls nodded, Bakushin O again raising her hand. “And what if we win Felix-san?”

The 55-year-old placed a hand under his chin. “I don’t expect you to, but if you win and to make the wager much more interesting, the first person not only to beat me but everyone else in either the sprints or distance will go on a two-day date with Mach this coming weekend!”

“Yea-wait WHAT?!” Mach snapped his head at his uncle incredulously.

All the umamusumes squealed in joy.

“No way a date with Mach-san?!” Narita had her hands on her cheeks. “I-I have to win!”

“As if!” Winning Ticket barked back. “I’m gonna win and go on that date!”

“Girls, girls! It’s only fitting that the most qualified and efficient one comes out victorious for Mach-san’s date, which will me!” Biwa proudly said.

Agnes Tachyon laughed. “Your theoretical statistics may be impressive but they are heavily flawed. The perfect experiment is a perfect fit for my research and with my-!” she stopped speaking upon feeling a hand ominously touch her shoulder. Turning around she saw Manhattan’s wide eyes staring back at her just the same. “You will not Tachyon-san… he is mine… mine.”

Haru shook her head furiously. “No way I saw him first and I will win that date!”

Bakushin O waved her finger. “Incorrect Haru-san! I was the first to see him not only today but also the very first day he attended our school!”

Rice Shower puffed out her cheeks in small anger. “I will do my best to win! Not only to show Felix-san what I can do but to know Mach-san much more!”

Bourbon sighed. “Rice-chan, spirit will not always be in your favor. My superior skill will triumph in the end and my target will come into my arms, forever and more.”

Mach’s eye twitched at the umamusumes discussing their plans and looking at each other competitively. He then looked at Damon who chuckled. “Well I needed to give them some motivation.”

“You could’ve just offered them a year’s supply of carrots or something!” Mach pinched his forehead. “This is gonna be annoying.”

“Relax my boy I got this hehe!” Damon then reached into his other pocket and pulled out a pair of metal bands. “Alright Mach put these on now.”

The uma girls saw this and were confused.

“What are those Felix-san?” Bourbon asked.

“These are changeable weight bands. Mach puts one on each of his wrists and using his or my phones we can adjust the amount of weight on the bands and once we enter the value, the bands will apply that set amount of weight. It allows me to modify the amount in real time while Mach does his training.”

Agnes Tachyon and Mihono Bourbon gasped in awe.

“So there’s a device that exists to allow variable weight without adding physical parameters to it?!” the latter asked.

“If you put it that way then yup! Now to demonstrate.” Damon pulled out his phone and tapped it several times. “I’ll start by adding 25 metric tons.”

‘Wait 25 metri-?!’

The older trainer pressed the touchscreen once and a deep sound vibrated off Mach’s weight bands which glowed red. The uma boy groaned a bit feeling his arms becoming heavier but nonetheless raised them up with clenched fists. “First two seconds are something, but after that it’s pretty light.”

“Felix-san!” Agnes Tachyon raised her hand. “That’s impossible! 25 metric tons is equivalent to 25,000 kilograms or-.”

“55,116 pounds in freedom units, that is correct.” Damon showed the umamusumes the value on the screen. “These weight bands are specialized for Mach in which the manufacturer removed the limiter for the upper bound, meaning the weight value can go higher and higher and higher with no end.”

Biwa was wide eyed as she adjusted her glasses. “That is incredible! The most weight we can lift is 3,000 pounds!”

Bourbon narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “I refuse to believe it, those numbers on your phone are false.”

Damon chuckled and pointed to the field. “Mach, take one off and throw it over there.”

The umanoshonen complied and removed one of the bands, casually throwing it towards the field with one hand.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The uma girls screeched as a sudden explosion was released creating a mushroom like cloud several meters high into the sky. Dust and debris flew everywhere as large gusts of wind threatened to blow the group away, the umamusumes struggling to keep balance. Meanwhile Damon and Mach covered their eyes while they remained still, the two smiling as if nothing happened.

Seconds later the dust clouds dissipated, the uma girls uncovering their eyes and becoming shocked upon seeing a hundred-meter-wide crater with the weight band sitting in the center.

“Alright now one of you go pick it up.” the 55-year-old requested. Looking at one another, all eyes eventually fell onto Winning Ticket given that she’s the sportiest person out of the group.

“Alright alright I’ll go get it.” the short black-haired uma girl walked over to the center and reached down to pick up the band.

Her teeth clenched as she used both hands to pick it up, struggling with the metal ring not budging one bit. “W-Why can’t… I-!”

“Careful now, that’s a lot of weight and you can risk hurting your back!” Damon cautioned. Mach saw her face starting to become red from the struggle and he walked over.

“Want me to get it?” the black-haired uma boy asked. Winning Ticket looked up at him breathing heavily. “I… almost… gah… got it!”

Mach moved his lips sideways to hide a chuckle knowing that she stood no chance. With a sigh he bent down and grabbed it with one hand, the band coming off the ground as he placed it onto his wrist.

“As uncle said, you’d risk hurting yourself.” Mach smiled cheerfully and walked back to his trainer. Winning Ticket was stunned and silently walked back to the others looking embarrassed after.

“I… couldn’t pick it up. He’s right.” the red-eyed uma girl grinned sheepishly. “That band is super heavy.”

Tachyon placed a hand under her chin thinking. ‘Those bands must have some variable density composite that can be tuned to either increase or decrease gravitational effects without adding mass… Mach-san really is the perfect specimen, and that’s why I’ll win this race and achieve a date with him!’

“Getting back on topic, Mach will be running with us as well but he won’t be racing. The boy has run over 200 kilometers the last two days so he’ll be taking it easy. If anything he’ll most likely keep pace with any of you for encouragement but at the same time he is free to jump in either of two main routes. So any questions before we start?” Damon asked.

“Felix-san, which group will you be running with per the terms of the wager?” Bakushin O said.

“I will be running with the distance group first then alternate between them and the sprinting team. Now with the way the routes are constructed it should take approximately the same time for both teams to reach the endpoint given that for the distance side it has more variation in terms of turns and such while the sprint side is more on the side of hill training with variable terrain. Now to clarify for the wager, the winning condition will apply to the one that can beat me in the last repeat on either the distance or sprint teams.” Damon explained.

Mach spoke in simpler terms. “If the first distance person for example finishes before uncle finishes the last repeat of the sprint team given if he’s ahead of them, then they’re the winner and it’s the same vice versa. If you beat him in the first five it doesn’t count, it has to be the last one due to the advantage you girls will have in the beginning.” the uma boy crossed his arms averting his eyes. “Not that I’m looking forward to it...”

All the umamusumes nodded eagerly.

“I can’t wait to show my potential on a new path!” Haru cheered.

“This is exciting! To think we’ll be training on trails!” Bakushin O added.

Rice Shower smiled. “W-Wish everyone luck on this training…”

Bourbon stretched on her part. “Objective confirmed: beat everyone in today’s training.”

Biwa breathed in and out with closed eyes. “Distance is superior for this session, therefore I have an advantage over the sprinters.”

Winning Ticket cracked her knuckles. “Aw yeah let’s get it on!”

Narita Taishin stretched her legs and grinned. “Don’t need to tell me twice, I look forward to beating everyone and scoring that date!”

Manhattan Café stared at Mach with a smile. ‘Yes… he will be mine. No one else’s.’

Tachyon did the same thing as her classmate. ‘I will not lose this. My trainer is a simple guinea pig that I have lost interest for now… Mach has caught my full attention hehe.’

Mach noticed Biwa walked up to him and bowed. “I also want to thank you for thinking about the health of my sister yesterday.”

“Your sister?” the sixteen-year-old raised an eyebrow.

“Narita Brian, she’s my sister. Of course she’s the silent type and tends to go overboard at times, but I appreciate you for taking time to visiting her.” Biwa smiled. Mach scratched the back of his head smiling as well. ‘It’s because I happened to end up there after being chased, again. And what the heck, they look nothing alike… but I guess I’ll accept it.’

“No worries, I didn’t know she was your sister but if anything I’m glad she’s recovering!” Mach said happily. Biwa nodded. “She has told me about what happened the other day. I gave her a light scolding but I’m relieved that she did well. Now…”

“H-Hey?!” Mach gasped as the white-haired uma girl cupped his face with her hands and moved it closer to hers. The other umamusumes gasped.

Biwa gave him half-lidded eyes full of passion. “You cared for my sister and she shows the same affection as I do. I promise you I will win in this training and we will have a glorious date, and before we commence I would like a pre-workout treat~.”

Mach glanced over to Damon who snickered. ‘You’re not helping!’

“HE’S MINE!” all the uma girls threw themselves in between them as they fought one another for Mach’s lips. The uma boy tried to get away but they didn’t let him as Damon began laughing. “We’ll be starting in five minutes so get ready!”

…

The nurse did not expect this particular student to be in her office.

Sitting on a chair was an umamusume with short brown hair, a sidelock with gold decorations and a big red heart-shaped ribbon with a white cloth outline on her left ear. Red eyes stared back at the nurse with a saddened expression while the uma girl held her hand which was wrapped in a small cast.

“Let me get this straight: her hand was injured due to a handshake?”

“That is correct.” another voice answered that came from an uma girl with flowing long orange hair with the front being a white ‘M’ shaped streak and purple eyes. “Gentildonna underestimated him, and in fairness she did provoke him.”

“I honestly can’t believe he beat us as well…” muttered a second voice belonging to an umamusume with long raven black hair holding a prominent star marking with a small cap decorated in a ‘V’ insignia. Irritated blue eyes glared at the floor. “The gap between us just kept getting wider… how is that possible when he had a 200-meter late start?!”

“Verxina, it’s oka-.”

“No it’s not okay! I refuse to accept anything less than number one and today’s training… gah!” the raven-haired girl clutched her face which turned red as well. “E-Even then… I-I can’t be mad at him Orfevre.”

“We were all harsh to him but we have to be aware that he is a world class runner that’s been all over the world. He will have immense experience… but I did not expect him to be that magnificent.” the uma girl known as Orfevre whispered.

The nurse cleared her throat. “Well back on topic, fortunately for your friend she did not receive any significant injuries or broken bones to her hand, but she will need to wear the cast for a few days.” she crossed her arms smirking a bit. “I heard you can reduce an iron ball to a much smaller size casually. This on the other hand is something else, no pun intended.”

Gentildonna stared at her wrapped hand blankly. “And I thought I was the strongest. Mach’s strength… is on a whole other level.”

“At least he apologized for the accidental injury Gentil-san, and now you know. We were all rash and shouldn’t have said those things when he’s just visiting.” Orfevre said.

Verxina tsked. “You two are my only rivals that can stand up to me, but Mach showed us what the outside world has to offer and… I hate to regret it, but we must get stronger!”

Orfevre looked at her and nodded. “Yes, he defeated Spica and Rigil so I assume just like them we will have to get faster.”

The three nodded to one another and started walking out of the nurse’s office after thanking her. As they walked across the hallway where most of the students shook and stepped to the side in fear, Orfevre looked at the ground in thought.

‘Mach-san was so fast and his strength and stamina was off the charts… mark my words I will get faster and stronger to reach the pinnacles of the elite! And…’ Orfevre closed her eyes blushing. ‘Oh who am I kidding he’s so cool~!’

Verxina and Gentildonna thought the same thing.

…

 “Alright everyone ready?” Damon announced as the uma girls stood side by side at the start of the trail ready to go. They all nodded.

“As the greatest class representative, I will lead us to victory but I will win that date with Mach-san!” Bakushin O bellowed.

“I disagree Bakushin-san. Stamina will have an advantage over speed in this training, but I’ll let you know how my outing with Mach-san was.” Bourbon replied.

“Like I’ll let any of you win. He needs someone that can keep up with him and that’s someone is me!” Winning Ticket grinned.

“The probability of all of you winning is incomprehensible as I will be victorious.” Biwa said adjusting her glasses which casted a white glow. “It is only fair that I go out with him.”

“Mach-san will play a huge part in my research, I will not allow any of you to win him.” Tachyon smirked readying herself.

“Friend says I will win… he is mine and mine only.” Manhattan muttered to herself.

“Bah you all are nuts!” Narita Taishin shook her head. “I’ll beat all of you and Felix-san!”

“It may not be a race but if I win not only do I score a date with Mach but I’ll break my streak! Even if it isn’t an official race but still!” Haru cheerfully said.

Rice Shower kept to herself, but she was shaking a bit. ‘You can do this Rice-chan. Mach-san was kind and caring when he said to be myself, and that smile… I-I must win!’

Mach looked at them as if they grew second heads, sighing and looking ahead. ‘Why did you do this uncle…’

“READY!”

Everyone prepared themselves leaning forward.

“Remember to score the date you must beat me on the final repeat, not the first five! And only one can be guaranteed a chance to be smitten with my nephew this weekend with my full approval!”

‘Shut up uncle!’ the uma boy cringed at his words. The umamusumes huffed out with pure determination in their eyes.

“AND… GO!”

The uma girls took off leaving a slight shockwave and bits of dust in the air going through the first stretch of path. Mach followed behind them keeping pace as per his uncle’s instructions and the latter was running in a constant stride.

Yet for human standards it was quite fast.

Mach looked back at his trainer grinning as he and the others began disappearing from sight. “You got this uncle!”

Damon returned the gesture with a nod. ‘Oh don’t worry Mach, they won’t last long hehe. They’re going too fast at the moment when they shouldn’t have.’

Bakushin O led the pack due to her higher speed, sounds of fast footsteps hitting the flat dirt at quick tempos radiating in the area with everyone staying together. The class representative’s cherry blossom patterned eyes noted the path separate into two ahead of her.

‘Felix-san stated that the left path has the turns while the right have the hills. Okay!’

“Haru-chan we go the right!” Bakushin O loudly said as she moved towards the path intended for her.

“Hai!” Haru announced following her towards the path while the others took the left. The two felt a downhill slope underneath them as they gained speed.

‘Ha this should be easy! So far so good!’ Bakushin O grinned moving her arms and legs quickly and fluidly. Haru was close to her side a bit behind as she controlled her breathing and focused ahead. ‘Hey this isn’t too bad! I think we can-!’

“HUH?!” the two umamusumes gasped at the path ahead. Numerous sets of hills greeted them that had technical looking terrain they can’t simply run up in a straight line and were about 200 meters in elevation. The surface had variable slopes with some rock protruding out of them.

Bakushin O and Haru began the ascent. Their eyes widened.

‘H-Holy cow he wasn’t kidding!’ the class representative tried to maintain her speed, but she also had to make sure she didn’t slip or fall from the uneven surface.

“WOAH?!” Haru almost lost her balance from a small, curved incline that didn’t align with the rest of the path, her eyes looking more at the ground and unfortunately had to slow down a bit. ‘Whew that was close!’

The two uma girls tried to quickly cover the ascent but not only were they at times trying to maintain their balance, their energies were quickly getting sapped. Upon reaching close to the top their speeds were reduced to a small jog as they panted heavily.

“*pant* That *pant* was *pant* intense!” Haru tried to let out as her legs struggled to maintain her usual pace. Bakushin O nodded breathing the same way as the two eyed the rest of the hills.

“Of what *pant* Felix-san explained, *pant* we have to sprint *pant* the uphills and *pant* maintain constant pace *pant* for the downhills.” Bakushin O said as the two began their run downhill. Haru nodded and kept pace with her classmate. “Okay! I won’t *pant* give up!”

“Neither *pant* will I!” Bakushin O replied, the two increasing their speed for the next hill.

With the distance group…

“WAH?!”

Narita Taishin yelped as she almost lost her balance. The seven uma girls were going through a narrow path with a mix of sand and dirt, the surface having some ridges and jagged rocks in which the path itself is not very stable. They had to decrease their speeds and mainly focused on not falling.

“*pant* Crap *pant* that first hill *pant* was something.” Winning Ticket muttered as she stared at the ground to make sure she doesn’t trip. Bourbon clenched her teeth feeling her calves starting to burn and having to move her arms more outward to keep her balance. ‘I’m feeling soreness in muscles I didn’t know I could feel. So this is trail running…’

Biwa panted as she started ascending a curved part of the path that made an S-shaped route to which they all had to climb. Her shoes were able to grip well on the uneven surface, but it’s not completely guaranteed as she felt them slip a bit upon going up. Her poofy white hair started getting frizzy from the warm air and her glasses fogged a bit due to the breathing, but other than that she made sure to keep steady.

Agnes Tachyon and Manhattan Café ran together as they ascended the S-shaped route, their speed more than half less of what it normally is. Sweat poured down their faces and bodies in which the former wiped off her forehead and the latter shook her head, the two breathing heavily from the run.

‘I underestimated how difficult running a trail would be. None of us have the balance and conditioning needed to traverse the uneven terrain.’ Tachyon thought making a sound as she almost tripped. ‘I can feel my energies quickly getting depleted.’

Rice Shower huffed quickly as she made her way down the other side of the S-shaped curve, the timid umamusume in the lead. Due to her nimble and agile nature she was able to cover the terrain better, but like the others she has no experience traversing the technical path so she couldn’t go her full speed. And just like the others her energy was going down pretty quickly as her arms and legs required much more energy to adapt to the new experience.

‘I have to keep going! I believe in mys-KYA!’ Rice Shower’s eyes widened as her foot made contact with a protruding rock she didn’t see and started falling forward. Her heart rate shot up and acting quickly she moved her other leg upfront and used it to catch herself, the sudden fall making her ventilate much harder as her pink-purple eye trembled. ‘O-Okay, maybe not so much…’

“Care *pant* ful there *pant* Rice-chan!” Narita shouted from behind Rice Shower as she followed her. Just like the others she wasn’t faring better but in terms of speed, they were still going above what a human normally goes at.

The question is can they keep this up for the rest of the session?

“BEEP BEEP!” the distance group turned to see Mach approaching them at fast speeds, the uma boy going around them keeping a steady pace with his breathing controlled. The weight bands continued to glow red on his wrists but the colossal weight surprisingly didn’t do much to slow his tempo as he cruised through the uneven terrain.

Bourbon saw his footwork and was amazed. ‘He’s able to determine where to step without thinking of it. Such reactions!’

‘This guy is crazy! Not just on the track but off it as well, he’s soaring right now!’ Winning Ticket thought.

Agnes saw Mach run effortlessly across the straight path coming up before a hill ahead of them.

‘Him running on a wall defied several laws of physics, but his mastery of changing terrain truly shows that umas can be more than capable.’ Agnes peered behind her gritting her teeth. ‘I will not lose to a human!’

Biwa yelped from Mach suddenly appear in her peripheral vision for a second before completely overtaking her, the white-haired uma girl looking shocked. ‘I was too focused on the path that I didn’t react to his presence! Such nimbleness!’

Rice Shower heard quick footsteps behind her and realized that the umanoshonen was gaining on her. She didn’t take the chance to increase her speed as that would only tire her more, so she went ahead to watch Mach pass her and begin ascending the first tall hill. Rice watched as the uma boy moved his arms and legs in quick succession with his feet not slipping upon the technical surface.

‘I have to be much faster and stronger! I may not have known Mach-san for long but I have to prove that I can stand with the elite!’ the dark-haired umamusume nodded and started ascending the hill with the rest behind her. Everyone on both the distance and sprint teams were very determined to not only finish but to win.

…

Damon kept a fast and constant pace as he eyed the distance umamusumes ahead of him, a grin on his face.

‘I’ll stay behind for a bit, then make my move. The girls will see the full potential of a human.’

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 7

Manhattan Café was having one of the most intense if not the most intense moments of her life.

Her pores streaming out sweat, her breathing rugged and large golden eyes trying to ensure she doesn’t trip on a random rock, the raven-haired uma girl was struggling to maintain a pace as she and eight of her other classmates were currently doing a training session out on the trails.

That’s right, she and her fellow umamusumes were not running on the track as per their specialty, but were trying their best to maintain their balance while powering through the uneven and technical terrain of the variable ups and downs provided by the three mile long dirt route. She and the uma girls were currently on their third out of six repeats which was their halfway point, and overall they were incredibly exhausted.

“*PANT* Dangit! *PANT* this feels *PANT* like it’ll *PANT* take *PANT* all day!” Narita Taishin complained as she ran alongside the gloomy looking Manhattan while they traversed up a hill. Their eyes looked up to see a steep ascent of about one hundred meters with Biwa and Winning Ticket up ahead close to the halfway point of the summit. Just like them they struggled to keep their balance and couldn’t just sprint like with stair training.

In terms of placing for the distance team it was Mihono Bourbon and Rice Shower in first and second respectively, Biwa and Winning Ticket battling for third with Narita and Manhattan after, and Tachyon last a set distance behind them. For the genius uma she had underestimated how trail running was like, her expression showing irritation while she did her best to hop over fallen logs in one go.

The unpredictable surface of the trail made muscles they don’t normally use in their legs activate and work overtime to help them achieve balance and coordination. The fact that they hardly use these muscles due to the flat nature of the track meant that it required much more energy from them to traverse the trail at the same pace as they would normally be at if it were on the track which required less energy.

They were surprised once they finished the first repeat that their current stamina and power wasn’t sufficient to cruise through the terrain. All that tire pulling, stair training, gym, swimming and long-distance runs meant nothing if they only ever did it on a flat surface. Now they had to tame a new beast which not many do due to the tougher conditions, but if anything it will help them become much stronger and faster in the end.

“*PANT* *COUGH COUGH* *PANT*” Rice Shower and Bourbon slowed to a steady jog as they descended the other side of the hill they were currently at. They realized a while ago that running fast downhill on an uneven surface wasn’t exactly a good idea if they’re barely new to trail running. The scrapes on Bourbon’s legs were evidence in which during the first repeat she tripped and while she caught herself, her shins took a good landing. The robotic acting uma girl luckily recovered quickly but did feel pain for a bit. Umas are built tough if anything.

The brown-haired umamusume glanced at her dark-haired teammate who gasped for breath, the two steadying their pace while they approached a flat straightaway with patches of sand in their way. Their feet felt the slippery material and due to its nature they couldn’t get enough grip on it even from their lugged shoes, the sand flying behind them in the air and given that it has barely enough friction they couldn’t increase their speed.

‘Three repeats in and we’re all exhausted. Hated that fall on my part but at least I remain in a good position.’ Mihono Bourbon felt her body sore with her lungs on fire, the uma girl definitely not expecting how difficult trail running can be. ‘Why didn’t Trainer-san ever teach me this? This would have improved my systems by a large quantity… nonetheless I will not lose!’

Tachyon began ascending the hill in front of her while eyeing Manhattan and Winning Ticket reaching the top. Her ‘marked’ red eyes narrowed as she swung her arms back and forth quickly to piston her legs up the incline. All her muscles burned from the exhaustion but she knew she couldn’t give up. If she wanted to experience the outer limits of speed then this is one of the ways to achieve that.

‘The uma is not well adapted to technical terrain such as this. Felix-san does know quite a bit about uma physiology.’ Tachyon reached the summit of the hill in record time then began making her way down, her eyes darting at locations she deems safe for her feet to land on. ‘Not only does it train you physically but it trains you mentally. Every step I take must be calculated within milliseconds to ensure that I land on the most stable spot, and one wrong move could mean disaster such as a sprained ankle or broken tibia. I also have to ensure energy conservation is at a maximum lest I prefer exhausting my reserves early. I am very intrigued that such a workout can exist and it’s one that requires a sharp mind to navigate… so invigorating, that I must give it my all not only to achieve my outer limits but to get that date with Mach-san!’

Biwa and Winning Ticket navigated several rocks that were within a river poking out of the surface. At this part of the route the umamusumes would have to be careful not to fall into the water, but for a certain white-haired uma girl her annoyed yet tired expression spoke of such.

‘I hate this part of the trail! Why does it have to involve a river?!’ Biwa mentally yelled as she apparently slipped on a wet rock and fell into the ice-cold liquid. Luckily it wasn’t that deep but it did get her quite soaked and her normally voluminous hair was mainly flat with frizz all around. The warm air did dry her out but her wet running clothes and water in her shoes did leave Biwa uncomfortable during the run.

At least she got refreshed by taking a dip.

Winning Ticket huffed out while jumping to the other side of the river from a nearby rock and continued down the dirt path. Wiping sweat off her forehead the black-haired uma girl saw that they were approaching the S-shaped turns. They were getting close to the start.

‘Alright more than halfway done! Still in third but there’s still time to catch up!’ Winning Ticket grinned and increased her pace with Biwa close behind her.

Manhattan and Narita started approaching the river and with whatever energy they can muster they jumped across, almost missing the ledge.

“W-Woah!” Narita cried out flailing her arms as her body began leaning back. She closed her eyes bracing for impact.

But it never came, feeling a hand grab her arm.

Opening one red eye she saw the long raven-haired umamusume catch her and pull Narita up. The two were panting heavily with hands on their knees trying to recover.

“T-Thanks *pant*.” Narita let out. Manhattan hummed in return, got up and began running once again. The former raised an eyebrow and shrugged as she followed suit.

Up ahead Rice Shower cried in happiness as she and Bourbon reached the starting point of where they began. Once they reached it they turned around and began running the opposite way to begin their fourth repeat. Her eye and hidden eye perked up to see Mach approach them running at the same pace as in the beginning, not even struggling.

The uma boy saw them and gave a wave with a smile. The two uma girls tried grinning in return but they were panting hard that they couldn’t, opting to only wave back. Their eyes focused up ahead trying not to look back, but it didn’t matter as Mach passed by them and entered the left route where the distance team did their run. He had alternated between the two routes and if anything the umanoshonen had mastery over the terrain.

‘Gotta keep going! Rice-chan don’t give up on me now!’ Rice Shower slightly increased her pace feeling the wind blow against her. Bourbon inhaled deeply and did the same thing as well, the duo proceeding to enter their designated path for the last three repeats starting their fourth.

…

“C’mon *PANT* Haru-chan *PANT*, GRAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!”

“AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!”

Bakushin O and Haru Urara double timed their way up a hill screaming their lungs out. They were a quarter way done with their fourth repeat and sprinted all the uphills while they jogged the downhills to recover. Having done over eleven miles so far the two sprinters were indeed very tired as they were not built with high stamina, but their determination to win a date with Mach kept them going. Their bodies cried out with lactic acid buildup from the anaerobic exercise and their breathing labored. Arms and legs swung in a blur as the two umamusumes reached the hilltop and gasped loudly in relief as they began their trek downhill.

‘I’m glad we agreed to stick together. Doing this by yourself is much more exhausting!’ Haru thought as she and Bakushin were side by side making sure to not lose their balance at the descent. For the entirety of the repeats so far the two remained neck and neck; due to this they took the chance to talk with whatever energy they can muster and agreed to stay together until the last repeat. They silently encouraged one another to keep going given that they’re the only two for the hills. Other than that they’re making great progress.

‘Okay just a couple more of these. If I’m correct we should be slightly ahead of the distance team, so we got the advantage and must keep it!’ Bakushin O eyed the next hill and gritted her teeth. “Again Haru-chan!”

Haru felt as if her body was made out of lead and tried her best to keep moving. While the shoes she had were much lighter due to the lack of the metal umashoe underneath, the uneven dirt terrain and steep ascents were doing quite a number on their overall power. Gritting her teeth and narrowing her equally pink cherry blossom patterned eyes she readied herself and started ascending, the duo letting out a battle cry along the way.

Behind them Damon smirked as he closely approached the two, his pace slightly slower as like Mach he alternated between the distance and sprint routes. Unlike the uma boy however he was racing the umamusumes and at the moment was at his fourth repeat as well.

‘I have overtaken Agnes Tachyon. The rest remain!’

…

Mach ran across the straightaway ahead moving his limbs rapidly in pace with his breathing. Feet pounded the dirt with a quick stride in every step and the wristbands he had on carrying enormous weight doing little to slow him down. Sweat poured down his face with his hair flowing in the wind from the high velocity and his green eyes at times looking at the ground to ensure he didn’t trip on a root or so. He maneuvered through several ascending turns with ease, his footwork vaulting over and navigating the uneven ground without sacrificing speed. Per his uncle’s request he was taking it easy due to the amount of running he did in the past few days.

‘If you consider running 37 miles per hour and holding 25 metric tons taking it easy lol.’ Mach thought jumping over a fallen log in his way. ‘The girls so far are doing great aside from me overtaking them several times. Other than that they’re on track to becoming adapted to the trails and Ms. Yayoi was definitely right!’

Mach noticed Biwa, Winning Ticket, Manhattan and Narita approaching grouped up together. Their exhausted expressions and slugged movements meant that their energies are close to being depleted, but he knew for a fact that they weren’t ones to give up. The uma boy took note of their gazes at the ground to ensure that they don’t trip, so they didn’t notice Mach coming straight towards them.

‘Looks like Manhattan-san and Narita-san caught up. They’re definitely improving and can’t wait to see if they awaken.’ the umanoshonen noticed that they were also spread out a bit with the former not seeing a clear way for him to go through. ‘Crap I don’t wanna break their pace. Guess I’ll do this then!’

“Hup!”

The uma girls’ ears perked up and saw Mach leap high into the air doing two front flips over them and landing behind them on his feet continuing his run. Mach waved without looking at them.

“You girls are *pant* doing great! Keep it up!” he said.

“*PANT* When *PANT* did he *PANT* get there?!” Narita Taishin gasped out.

“Dunno but *PANT* let’s keep going!” Winning Ticket replied.

Biwa gritted her teeth and increased her pace a bit, feeling her arms and legs try their best to meet her commands. ‘Keep going!’

Manhattan stared back at Mach with wide eyes, yelping as she almost tripped due to not seeing the path in front of her.

Mach noticed Agnes Tachyon not too far behind coming up to him and saw that she was struggling more compared to the others. Her pace was slower and her expression was more of frustration than tiredness. The sixteen-year-old nonetheless tried to encourage her.

“You’re halfway *pant* there Tachyon-san. Come on come on!” he cheered. The brown-haired uma girl looked up in surprise and gasped as Mach flew by her the opposite way before she got the chance to say something. Tachyon watched the dark-haired uma boy jump across the river effortlessly before pushing himself up a steady incline and disappearing behind some trees in the way.

‘He really is the definition of speed beyond the outer limits. I have to achieve the same level of heights as him… and I will have to push my body more beyond my physiological limits!’ Tachyon clenched her hands into fists and a newfound energy blazed within her, Tachyon’s pace increasing steadily.

“AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!” Tachyon yelled in both pride and spirit. ‘I need to win; there’s not much research done in last place!’

…

The umamusumes have reached their last repeat and are halfway finished with only a mile and a half left. Mach completed his run and waited at the area where they first started as he did some cooldowns and stretches along with nibbling on some snacks they brought. He made sure not to devour everything but his willpower can only last so long when it comes to food.

On the sprinters side Bakushin O and Haru only had four more hills they had to traverse but the workout has completely wiped out both their main energies and reserves. The two are simply jogging up the first out of the four hills, their breathing winded and clothes drenched in perspiration. Their hair was also frizzed and wild looking, their cherry-blossom patterned eyes displaying sheer exhaustion as they made their way up the hill. The uma girls’ arms and legs tried to climb faster but they were pretty much done, Bakushin O yelping as she almost slid down from a slightly elevated and steeper incline on the ascent. Haru was leaning so far in she was close to putting her hands on the ground to try to force her way up. Sweat dripped down their chins and onto the floor as the sounds of their breathing was heavy.

“*PANT* Almost… *PANT* *PANT* there…” Bakushin O tried to mutter out. Haru simply nodded too tired to respond, the duo reaching the summit and beginning to descend the other side. They tried to increase their speed downhill but unfortunately with how tired they were their balance was much more off so they had to lightly jog it.

‘Holy moly this is so hard! I can’t believe Mach had to go through stuff like this!’ Haru wondered as she and Bakushin approached the next hill. Doing the same thing they increased their pace as much as they can upward and within a bit more than half a minute have reached the top. The wind was stronger above the hill which was relief for the two, but the downside was that it was going against them so it pushed them back decreasing their speed. The other way around they had a nice tailwind but unfortunately their finish was going to be much more difficult.

“WAH!” Haru’s ears twitched from the shout and she turned, her eyes widening to see Bakushin O had lost her balance and rolled down the hill. They got to the bottom with the class representative landing to a stop laying face down and Haru had to stop to assist. The pink-haired uma girl crouched and tried to pick her up.

“*PANT* You *PANT* okay?!” Haru asked in concern. Bakushin O coughed several times and nodded.

“*COUGH* That was *PANT* *COUGH* some *COUGH* fall.” the chestnut-brown haired uma girl slowly stood up shaking tremendously before falling again. “Go *PANT* Haru! I’ll be *PANT* *COUGH COUGH* fine!”

Haru shook her head many times. “NO! WE *COUGH PANT* FINISH *PANT* TOGETHER!” she then put an arm around her waist and lifted Bakushin O up to her feet, the latter surprised that Haru would help her and risk not winning against Mach’s trainer.

‘Haru-san is really kind… I bring shame to myself for thinking in such a way and that’s not how a true class representative should act!’ Bakushin O breathed in and out to steady herself and stretch her limbs. “Thank you *pant* Haru-san.”

“You’re *pant* welcome. It’s not *pant* fair to leave a rival *pant* behind when they get *pant* hurt. We both *pant* have goals and while we *pant* want that date with Mach, *pant* I care *pant* about you finishing *pant* alongside me as well!”

Bakushin O gasped at her statement. They both had big goals with Haru wanting to win a race for example while the class representative wants to be a big influence to her classmates. The chestnut-brown haired umamusume realized there and then, and while she loves to help others, even she will need help as well.

A smile came onto Bakushin O as she nodded and bowed deeply. “You are *pant* correct Haru-san. Forgive me for *pant* acting out of *cough* line.”

Haru waved it off smiling. “No worries *cough* Bakushin-san! I deeply care *pant* for all my friends and *pants* rivals!” she reached a hand to Bakushin O. “Now come on *pant*, we’re almost there!”

Bakushin O returned the smile and grabbed Haru’s hand for a shake. The two began their trek up the second to last hill with renewed energy, though it was still slower compared to earlier.

The class representative was also thinking during the ascent.

‘If I’m correct we should still be slightly ahead of the distance team, but Felix-san is not on our side this time. Like Mach-san he has alternated between routes so if anything he would be finishing on the distance side. Not only that but I glanced behind us and he was only about two hundred meters behind us…’ Bakushin O’s eyes widened figuring it out. ‘He’s been there since-!’

“HARU-SAN *PANT* GIVE IT EVERYTHING *PANT* YOU GOT!”

…

Mihono Bourbon and Rice Shower heard approaching footsteps from behind them, eyes widening on the fact that the other distance umamusumes were catching up.

‘How’d they-?!’ the robotic acting uma girl glanced behind quickly and noticed Biwa, Winning Ticket, Narita, Tachyon and Manhattan really try to push the pace. If anything they were all extremely exhausted and weren’t going anywhere near their normal speed.

Bourbon looked back ahead and saw the route about to merge with the main one, her blue eyes looking to the side at Rice Shower who struggled for breath and tried to maintain her pace.

‘Rice-san and I have exceeded our reserves and at the moment are running on fumes. This is bad in the case that the others are desperately trying to catch up which means… Felix-san is right behind us!’

“EVERYONE *PANT* RELEASE *PANT* ALL YOUR *PANT* POWER *PANT* PLEASE!” Bourbon shouted in distress.

Biwa, Winning Ticket, Narita, Manhattan and Tachyon heard the call and steeled themselves, moving their arms and legs as quick as they can to meet up with the two uma girls in the lead.

Rice Shower’s ears flicked upon hearing their footsteps but also picked up another set that was coming in much faster, her pink-purple visible eye widening. ‘He’s here!’

The distance group approached the fork in the route and saw Bakushin O and Haru beginning to enter the main path slightly ahead of them. Their pace was just as sluggish as theirs and if anything were also trying their best to go faster.

Tachyon and Manhattan heard slightly gruff breathing from beside, their eyes almost bugging out upon seeing Damon starting to overtake them, his form and breathing relaxed with the middle-aged trainer’s expression not showing much exhaustion.

If anything he was grinning.

“Come on *pant* ladies! I’m about to win *pant*!” Damon announced with his pace starting to speed up faster and already side by side with Biwa and Winning Ticket.

The white-haired girl couldn’t believe it as she saw their trainer for the day about to pass them. ‘No way?! It’s statistically impossible for a human to beat an uma in a race!’

‘Holy cow Felix-san is really something! I wish I can go faster but…’ Winning Ticket felt her body starting to slow down. ‘…there no chance. Good job everyone… we gave it our all.’

Mihono Bourbon and Rice Shower managed to catch up with Bakushin O and Haru, the four seeing Mach several meters at the finish cheering for them.

“You girls got this, finish strong!” the uma boy had his hands around his mouth seeing the umamusumes about to arrive. He saw their paces were very slow and his uncle right there beside them. ‘Just finishing is all that matters.’

“NO!” Bourbon let out seeing Damon overtake her. Rice Shower gasped and desperately tried to increase her speed but her energies were completely sapped. Bakushin O gritted her teeth and attempted to widen her strides, but her legs felt like they weighed several tons. Haru breathed in and out of her mouth raggedly trying to go faster as well but her pinkish eyes saw Damon slowly widen the gap between them taking the lead.

The 55-year-old hastened his tempo with only twenty meters to go, his brown eyes looking at Mach as he nodded. ‘The girls did well. Very impressed that they lasted this long, especially on trails.’

Damon crossed the finish line in first place, beating the umamusumes in both distance and sprint teams.

“Uuuughhhhh….” All the uma girls finished seconds later falling and rolling onto the ground, dirt covering their clothes and sweat gleaming onto their skin while breathing intensely. Mach was quick and poured water over them as per Damon’s earlier direction to douse them in order to cool off.

The middle-aged trainer controlled his rugged breathing while drinking some water. “Amazing job everyone. *pant* You really impressed me *pant* on the first day and *pant* gave it your all, but unfortunately *pant* you couldn’t beat me, so no one *pant* can date Mach this weekend.”

The umamusumes let out small groans continuing to lay on the floor with the uma boy splashing water onto them. They welcomed it and didn’t fight it, if anything they were happy that Mach was doing it.

‘I really wanted that date, but I guess Mach-san blessing us with his sacred water is enough.’ Biwa smiled like an idiot enjoying the cooling sensation. ‘Better than that icky river water.’

Manhattan saw Mach kneel next to her opening a water bottle and drenching her face and body with it. She silently looked with half-lidded eyes while she tried controlling her breathing.

‘Heh, invisible friend… you’re right… this still counts as a… date.’ the raven-haired uma girl thought.

Winning Ticket and Narita Taishin laid next to each other looking at the sky. “Well *PANT* we *PANT* finished.” the former said.

“Ye *COUGH* ah. Sucks not *PANT* one of *PANT* us scored *PANT* a *PANT* date with him.” Narita answered back.

Tachyon had a hand over her eyes trying to contain the tears threatening to come out. ‘To think I’d lose to a human when I have the superior physiology… well I can’t blame them.’ a smile crept onto her face. ‘They are just as interesting as us.’

Bakushin O felt her face getting splashed by Mach as he gave her and Haru a warm smile. “Amazing work you two. You kept up with the distance team and that was incredible in and of itself. You two will definitely reach your goals!”

‘KYAAAA~!’ both their cherry blossom patterned eyes turned into hearts as they grinned stupidly at Mach, their hearts returning to a quick beat similar to their run. They attempted to move their arms up to try to grab the uma boy but they were so tired. The umanoshonen noticed and shook his head. “I appreciate it but for now take a rest. You really need it.”

Bourbon got her breathing under control and stared with no expression at the sky. ‘Designated unit has the capability to beat a human in a run, yet designated unit was defeated by one… then it is true that umas have a lot to learn when it comes to trail running. In that discipline… we are at the same level as a human.’

Mach’s ears picked up sobbing come off Rice Shower as he approached her. Tears fell down her face as she bit her lip to prevent herself from letting it out and it tore Mach internally.

‘It looks like she took it the hardest... Dangit.’ Mach leaned down to the timid uma girl and did something which shocked the others minus Damon.

Rice Shower gasped feeling Mach bring her into his arms for a hug. Her visible eye shook in surprise feeling the closeness between them, Mach’s warmth mixing with her own. Her body trembled from the foreign touch and she tried to move her arms up to return it, but she couldn’t as her energies were empty.

And that made her weep harder.

“There there Rice-san, you did your best.” Mach offered comforting words keeping his hold on her small body. “Uncle and I are proud of you and everyone today. You are steps closer to reaching your dreams, and we’ll try our best to make your you and everyone else are seen and heard.”

The dark-haired uma girl shook more and dug her face into his shoulder crying softly. That’s the only thing she could do.

‘H-He really is caring… I wasn’t fast enough… I failed, we failed… but he and Felix-san are proud of us… Mach… Mach-kun.’

The other umamusumes gave a smile at the scene, though the other half of themselves wanted to be in her position. Damon grinned and released a sigh. “Well that’ll be it for the training session, amazing job out there. We’ll give everyone twenty minutes to rest up and then after we’ll discuss a few more things.”

Mach lowered Rice Shower a bit, the latter whimpering feeling him move away as she tried again to move her arms up. The uma boy shook his head smiling.

“Rest, you’re quite exhausted. Don’t worry we’ll be here if you need anything.” Mach placed a towel underneath Rice Shower’s head and rested her back on the ground, the timid uma girl sniffing once and returning a smile.

“T-Thank you… M-Mach-kun.”

‘Welp looks like Ms. Yayoi isn’t the only one.’ Mach chuckled and nodded getting up.

Biwa yelped feeling her upper body getting picked up by the uma boy and the same way was given a hug, the others looking stunned as well.

‘W-Wait?! I-I’m not r-ready! I s-smell and I’m d-dirty! Kyaaa my hair’s also r-ruined!’ the white-haired umamusume nonetheless snuggled her blushing face into Mach, enjoying his earthy scent mixed with his sweat which she didn’t mind. If anything it looks like she might become addicted to it, mewling when she was lowered down with a towel behind her head.

Bourbon made a cute sound when the umanoshonen wrapped his arms around her.

 ‘System error! Critical overload! Temperature levels rising! Vitals at maximum! Target is… feels so nice~.’

Winning Ticket and Narita Taishin squeaked getting the same treatment, releasing sighs of affection with Mach gazing at them with caring emerald eyes.

‘Oh Mach-san, I’ll just ask you out on a date~. Who cares about what your trainer says~.’ Narita Taishin wondered.

‘We’ll run together and end up together soon. Just you wait~.’ Winning Ticket dreamily thought feeling the plush towel behind her head.

‘UWAAAAAHHHH~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!’ Bakushin O and Haru gave lovestruck grins once Mach gave them hugs, giggling repeatedly before letting out some coughs. The class representative and pink-haired uma girl were more determined to ensure they get close to Mach outside of running as possible.

Manhattan Café’s eyes widened feeling the uma boy hug her close. It was a very weird sensation that she never experienced before and out of instinct dug her face into his shoulder.

‘Mach… Mach… he will be mine. Yes invisible friend… he will be mine… all mine… no one else’s.’

Tachyon’s ‘marked’ eyes watched the umanoshonen pick her upper half up while the brown-haired uma girl returned a small smile. “You are quite… kind Mach-san.”

“It wouldn’t be fair if I only give a hug to one of you.” Mach brought Tachyon close to him. “Besides, uncle told only me that this would be the reward to all of you if you didn’t win anyway.”

The genius umamusume hummed and enjoyed the hug. ‘I guess being beat by a human whose physical capabilities are much lower than ours isn’t too bad… Mach’s outer body composition against my own… I can feel everything and… he is very powerful~.’

Once Mach finished he approached Damon.

“Alright so now we wait for a bit.”

…

“Judging by everyone’s faces it looks like everyone recovered well among other things hehe.” Damon saw the umamusumes standing with smiles covering ear to ear, blushes present on their cheeks. They all nodded and gave a bow.

“We appreciate the training Felix-san!” all of them said.

The trainer gave a hearty laugh. “Not a problem young ladies! Now what you learned today is that trail running is so much different compared to the flat terrain of the track and such. I was also told that some of you have done road running for certain races where you encountered inclines correct?”

“Yes Felix-san.” Tachyon raised her hand. “There were races where we ran on pavement and our speed was higher due to a balance of firmness and cushioning, which allows for efficient energy transfer and reduced impact on our joints.”

“Correct Ms. Tachyon. Now road running compared to track running for you umas is the fastest in part of the reasons she provided as you have a higher energy transfer due to less dampening occurring. On the turf and dirt you run for your major races not only do you have less energy transfer but you also have friction working against you in which you have less grip, therefore you must work harder to achieve the fastest time possible. You have seen the same occur during our training session.”

Mach nodded and added. “The other reason you most likely had no issues when it came to running on those surfaces is because you ran on flat terrain in which not all your leg muscles were engaged.” the uma boy then raised an arm forward. “When you run on flat terrain, your legs only activate the muscles that cause forward momentum allowing you to run straight. The only thing you would have to worry about is either turning left or right and how much force you have to apply in order to go faster or slower.”

The umanoshonen began moving his stretched arm in random directions. “When you trail run it not only engages other muscles in your legs but also engages your core. The reason for this is that now you not only have forward momentum, but you have directional momentum due to the uneven and variable nature of the surface. This requires you not only to focus on speed and direction, but also balance, coordination, reflex and higher conservation of stamina, the latter due to the fact that as more muscles are being used the higher the energy output is required to maintain a consistent pace close to the same as you would have on a flat surface.”

“Adding to that, trail running puts more emphasis on stabilizing muscles in the legs, feet and core as well as training the joints in your ankles to provide more reflex motion as you will not always land perfectly vertical compared to a flat terrain. If you noticed during your repeats you also felt it in more areas around legs and also your midsection getting a workout right?” Damon explained.

“Now that you say that Felix-san, I did feel a burn around my core when I tried to maintain balance and I didn’t feel that when we normally run on the track.” Biwa said.

“And I had to look at the ground a lot more because I kept tripping! Haru and I are still proud to have finished Felix-san!” Bakushin O announced giving a bow. Haru sweatdropped chuckling. “Hehe yeah, I almost scraped my knees when we were halfway done.”

“It was a killer run and holy cow did were we winded.” Winning Ticket breathed out.

“Got that right. Like dang who knew humans doing stuff like this was that tough.” Narita Taishin added.

“It was a strange sensation having to think about where I needed to step in less than half a second. I will have to analyze future simulations to ensure I can properly traverse uneven terrain while maintaining high speeds.” Mihono Bourbon nodded.

 “Trail running is very difficult… even friend says so…” Manhattan Café agreed to herself.

Rice Shower twisted her upper have left and right. “R-Rice felt some pulls here and there in parts I didn’t know were there.”

Damon nodded. “And that’s what this training is for. Due to the fact that none of the umas at Tracen Academy have exposed themselves to trail running, you all can be beat by a physically fit human at certain distances on uneven terrain. You will have the advantage at first but if anything you were all developed to be superior on flat terrain. When it comes to this type of running the umas lack proprioception, which is basically sense of body position. I have seen everyone here tripping and falling many times even when you were running at less than half your original pace.”

The umamusumes blushed averting their eyes in embarrassment.

Damon grinned. “Hehe yes I did see that and if you were wondering how I know, I basically paced very close behind all of you for more than half the repeats and could’ve overtaken everyone by the third repeat.”

Tachyon’s eyes widened. ‘S-So he could have won much earlier…’

Mach chuckled. “Yup uncle would’ve won way earlier if he wanted to. That’s because humans are able to develop the ability much quicker than umas due to more efficient adaptations and such. When I first started trail running I was like all of you, tripping and making sure I didn’t faceplant.”

The uma girls giggled at the last part to which the uma boy frowned playfully, glancing at Biwa. “At least I didn’t fall into a river.”

The white-haired umamusume squeaked and looked down anxiously, staying quiet. Rice Shower laughed quietly to herself from his comment.

“Haha jokes aside, all umas don’t have a fully developed proprioception in due to the fact that all your races are on flat terrain. When it comes to trail running it requires a greater level of strength, balance and focus. The tire pulling and weightlifting you’ve done for most of your careers only apply to even terrain, therefore you haven’t developed the proper technique outside of that. You have a great start however seeing that all of you lasted this long for the repeats and that’s because your current training conditioned you sufficiently for it, but this training will require a lot more energy output due to the higher demands.”

“And if uncle hadn’t already mentioned, this is where human limits are applied to each and every one of you. When we were over halfway done with the repeats all of you were running at speeds similar to a human and if I were to guess, each of you were going at least five to six miles per hour.” Mach explained.

Damon nodded. “That is basically the average speed of a human for a nine-to-ten-minute mile. For all umas that is incredibly slow and basically a light jog.”

Tachyon hummed in irritation. “I assumed that would be the case.”

“Woah so we were as fast as a regular human… wow that is slow.” Haru grinned sheepishly.

“Dang just as a fast as a human. No wonder Felix-san beat us.” Winning Ticket scratched her head.

“Well it’s expected Felix-san can beat us at the later half. He’s a world class runner on the human side.” Narita nodded.

Bakushin O bowed once more. “I give great respect to those that defeat us without the superior abilities we possess!”

“And that was on a trail... we really have a long road ahead of us if we want to be faster and stronger.” Biwa added adjusting her glasses.

“Designated unit will ensure more sufficient training will be done to provide more than acceptable results. Objective updated to achieve perfect proprioception.” Bourbon said in an automated way.

Rice Shower nodded several times looking confident. “W-We’ll do our best to not disappoint!”

Damon smiled. “Well alrighty young ones! Now the goals from the exercise will be to fully engage your muscles to master coordination, reflexes and balance to the point where your proprioception is that high that you don’t have to look at the ground as often. You’ll basically be somewhat at one with the earth and your body will sense where it will step based on incline and direction, therefore it will react quickly from your fast twitch fibers without having you to think. You will also need to ensure you maintain a proper amount of energy conservation as the trails are way more demanding compared to the track and road, so expect your times to be a lot slower for the first several weeks or months. If anything this won’t be just left right up and down; you’ll be shaking it all about hehe.”

Mach facepalmed. “Uncle, just stop.”

The umamusumes got a nice laugh out of that and nodded.

“Excellent! This part of your training will not only substantially increase speed, stamina, power, coordination and agility for both sprint and distance, but it will bring you one step closer to awakening once you achieved a great amount of it. It will be incredibly more difficult from here on out and expect the distances to be longer, more intense and technical. For trail running it focuses more on effort than pace, so make sure you listen to your body or otherwise you’ll end up getting hurt early on.” the 55-year-old crossed his arms. “I notified each of your trainers to train alongside you when trail running as I won’t be always the one giving the workouts. They have been informed of and training for it two months before we even got here; they won’t be as fast as I am but they have developed sufficient ability to either keep up or overtake you in the end so expect a challenge nonetheless.”

The umamusumes’ eyes widened.

‘W-What?! So he w-will be able to…’ Bourbon clutched her head anxiously. ‘T-There’s no way?! He statistically can’t be that athletic?!’

‘R-Rice will have to race T-Trainer-senpai?’ Rice Shower gulped. ‘Hopefully I c-can do this.’

“Heck yeah let’s see if that bum can keep up with me!” Winning Ticket grinned. Narita tsked on her part. “My trainer can barely get out of the couch sometimes, this should be easy unlike today.”

“Bakushin O will be looking forward to future training with my trainer! Thank you so much for the helpful information Felix-san!” Bakushin O bowed once again.

Haru cheered. “Yay I get to see how I compare with my trainer!”

Bourbon nodded quietly. “Probability of designated unit winning against her trainer is at 99.823156212%. Odds lean towards my undeniable victory.”

Manhattan Café whispered to herself. “Yes yes… trainer barely has confidence… he will fall to me invisible friend hehehehehe…”

Tachyon raised an eyebrow smiling. “This will be interesting. My guinea pig will provide me with sufficient data on how a below average human such as himself will compare to a superior uma such as myself.”

Mach smiled. ‘Really liking the atmosphere so far. This school may have weird students but they all have heart and passion for what they love.’

“Alright everyone so again that will be it for today! Remember trail running will require more out of you and make sure you pay attention to your strides and energy levels. Again make sure you also listen to your body as you do not possess efficient temperature regulating mechanisms as humans do in which you will overheat like today, so you will need to adapt and slowly develop it until you awaken and if you do awaken. Other than that you may proceed with any cooldowns you need to do, shower after and have a great rest of your day!” Damon concluded.

The umamusumes all gave a bow. “We appreciate the hard work and your training Felix-san and Mach-san!”

Mach also bowed and gave a thumbs up. “Great job out there everyone! Amazing start!”

As the uma boy and trainer began walking away, the uma girls started talking to one another.

Their conversation relating to their peer of the opposite gender.

“Just so all of you know, I call dibs on Mach-san!” Winning Ticket said.

Biwa shook her head. “He needs someone with more feminine looks and sophisticated intelligence. That is where I fit those qualities unlike you who is too boyish and sporty.”

“Efficiency and objective-based goals are what Mach-san follows to which I am efficient in computing. I am the best candidate for this mission.” Bourbon spoke annoyed.

“You girls talk way too hard. He needs someone easy-going and understandable, and I fit the bill.” Narita pointed a thumb to herself.

Agnes Tachyon scoffed at them. “The perfect experiment will be mine. I will not only research his incredible abilities but will discover much more of our eternal bond that we will soon create!”

Manhattan silently shook her head. “Mach… mine… mine.”

Haru shook her head much more than the raven-haired uma girl. “No no no! Mach-san is for Haru! He will like me more than all of you!”

“Incorrect Haru-san! I have met Mach-san first and together we will inspire through bakushin!” the class representative umamusume bellowed.

Rice Shower’s ears lowered as she watched her classmates begin arguing over who can claim the umanoshonen. She looked down at her hands in sorrow.

‘They’re all much more amazing than I am, someone who isn’t liked by people and only causes bad things to happen…’

The timid uma girl felt tears sting her eyes and she looked up at Mach walking away from a distance. He was laughing with Damon, his cheerful expression with a large grin that captured her attention and made her feel fuzzy earlier today.

‘H-He cared for me the very first time we met unlike the others. He didn’t see me as someone terrible and he spoke kind words when I started remembering the boos from when I won the Tenno Sho.’ Rice Shower felt a smile come to her face closing her eyes. ‘When he held me in his arms… his handsome face, bright smile and his green glowing eyes… I-I tried to reach him, but I couldn’t. But he kept me there, very close to him and I felt his warmth… he was so gentle, and I felt his strength.’

The dark-haired umamusume placed a hand on her chest. ‘Mach is much much stronger and faster than I am… I felt protected and cared for during that moment. Like a princess in need… if not… maybe like…’

Rice Shower blushed deeply hiding her face in her hands.

‘Mach is… Mach-kun…’

Peering her pink-purple eyes through her fingers, she took another look at the uma boy in the distance as he disappeared around the corner, his cheerful expression still on his face. This gave Rice Shower hope and she lowered her hands, a determined look on her face.

‘I-I may not be perfect, I may not be liked by many and I probably cause bad things to happen… but I won’t let go of this chance!’

…

…

Several days have passed and it is now the weekend meaning that school was out for the week. Mach was currently playing on his portable gaming console in the early hours of Saturday morning in his futon, the uma boy taking in as much rest as he can. His body felt soreness from the first week attending Tracen Academy not just from the training he did and demonstrated alongside his now fellow students, but also that even after the first two days his fellow students kept chasing him for his affection outside of training. Luckily almost all of them lived in dorms within the academy so he didn’t have to encounter them outside the grounds and was able to take a breather. If anything though he would have to return the following week nonetheless.

As the umanoshonen focused on the bright lit screen illuminating his darkened surroundings, Mach also pondered on his experience for the last five days.

‘I didn’t expect to attend Tracen Academy on the get go, but uncle is right that I should attend school and not do online courses. Almost my entire life I have been traveling around the world to take part in elite level racing that I haven’t gotten a chance to see what it’s like to be a normal kid… if going to an all-girl school as the only boy is anything but normal.’ Mach rolled his eyes pushing buttons and moving the joysticks around.

A smile creeped onto his face nonetheless. ‘I gotta admit though, the last several days were the most interesting and fun that I ever had in my life. Although everyone in that school is really weird and stuff, they honestly make the days more enjoyable.’

Mach laughed quietly at the thought of yesterday when Yayoi cried trying to hug him on the fact that she didn’t get to see him after his second day. ‘Ms. Yayoi sure is strange, but I can see why the students and teachers look up to her. Ms. Tazuna sure can be scary though when Ms. Yayoi acts out of line hehe.’

“Ack…” Mach squinted his eyes from the early rays of the sun peering through his window and hit his face. Pausing his game and lowering the console to the side, the uma boy stretched himself and got up to open the blinds. The various buildings and sounds of cars and birds greeted him with gentle grace, Mach sighing and giving a smile. “It sure is different here and more unique compared to the other countries.”

The umanoshonen looked at his watch. “7:24am.”

GRRROOOWWWWWLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweatdropping Mach clutched his stomach chuckling nervously. “Man getting back into it the first week here really does get me hungry hehe.”

Walking downstairs to the kitchen he heated up a premade breakfast that his uncle put together last night which consisted of white rice, chicken breast, broccoli, banana and strawberry fruit mix and sencha tea. As he was eating his breakfast his eyes looked over to the fridge which had a note attached and read in big letters:

“Will be out at the academy for a camping retreat with the other trainers the entire weekend. Food is prepped and ready for both breakfast, lunch and dinner for both days. Make sure you don’t devour the fridge in one sitting.”

Mach rolled his eyes and continued.

“Rest and relax for the weekend, you trained well this week. If you want to go out you can, just don’t stay out too late as the trains stop around midnight and taxis are very expensive here. Use the card and money I have in the envelope by the dinner table if you want to buy anything if you go out. If you don’t want to be alone and want to take an umamusume or more than one out on a date, feel free to stop by the dorms at the academy and ask anyone you’d like. I’m sure none of them will turn you down at all, and if it comes down to that there is enough money in the card for a love hotel if you and whichever uma girl(s) you take decide to get frisky heehee. Love, your favorite uncle.”

“I swear to god uncle you’re having way too much fun teasing me.” Mach grumbled while drinking his tea. “I plan on chilling here today for the rest of the weekend and got no plans to go out anyway.”

Having his fill and putting the empty dish and cup in the sink the young uma boy proceeded to walk up the stairs and jump back into his gaming. Laying on his futon and grabbing his console he un-paused the game and resumed playing.

‘Then again, I do want to explore more of the stuff that Tokyo has to offer. I have heard about this one place called Akihabara, that it’s basically a major center of anime and stuff. I heard that it also has some stores that sell games and such.’ Mach raised an eyebrow in curiosity. ‘Huh, maybe I should check it out. I mean I do want to see if I can get my hands on the sequel to the game I’m currently playing.’

A few minutes of thinking while playing, he has decided.

“Alright let’s go explore!”

Mach fixed his futon, showered and got ready for his outing. Looking at a full body mirror next to his desk Mach wore a red fitted short-sleeved solid shirt under an opened black short-sleeved button down shirt with light blue cargo pants and black and white high-top sneakers. His hair remained slightly messy on top and tried his best to tame it, but if anything it remained the same.

‘Mom did say I look cute that way… then again it’s mom.’ Mach grabbed his house keys, phone and headphones, wallet and the envelope that contained the card and money and headed out the door. The fresh and cool morning air pricked his skin a bit as he took a big inhale with a grin.

“The fresh smell of fresh-cut grass, just the way I like it.” the umanoshonen began walking down the straightaway he ran the second day of his arrival towards the train station while figuring out the possible games he plans on buying.

And hoping his weekend is calm and uneventful unlike the week itself.

…

Mach’s eye twitched at the many stares he was receiving while sitting on the train on his way to Akihabara. His gaze was steeled ahead and did his best not to curiously look at the other people watching him. During his rides to school he normally didn’t have to deal with many looking at him as Mach took the earlier trains, but given that it’s the weekend there were a bit more riding the carts. Nonetheless Mach was still getting used to the looks and though his earbuds have noise cancellation, his superior hearing was able to pick up their conversations.

“Dude that’s an uma guy!”

“I thought they were all girls though, or am I working too much at the office?”

“Is he by himself? It looks like he is go poke him!”

“I seen on TV that overseas they’re more common. I didn’t expect Japan to have any at all.”

“Does he go to Tracen Academy? Man if he does he’s so lucky!”

“Bet being surrounded by all those hot uma chicks he’s got plenty of game. I’d hit on them if I ever got the opportunity but the best we can do is watch their races and hope for a handshake.”

“Yeah and if he met Suzuka-chan… man I’m so jealous!”

Mach silently sighed, closing his eyes. ‘Honestly it’s been a hassle just trying to live a normal school life. And Suzuka-san really isn’t what many people would believe… well at least when she’s around me I guess.’

The umanoshonen’s train of thought was broken by a light pull on his tail. Opening one eye he looked to the right and saw a young infant play with his tail while laughing to herself. Smiling on his end Mach began moving his tail back and forth as the infant playfully reached out giggling, at times brushing it on her face. Her mother who held her didn’t seem to notice as she spoke with another beside her.

‘Least some people are respectful hehe. Hoping today I can just grab some games, explore a bit then head home… please be the case.’ Mach’s ears heard the announcement of the train arriving to his destination as he got up, the uma boy grinning at the young infant who laughed and waved farewell. Doing the same Mach then headed out and walked through the station towards the set of stairs that lead him up to the city, the sounds of people and cars getting louder as he walked up.

“Woah…” Mach was in awe at what stood before him. Tons of anime, manga and gaming shops greeted him with several restaurants placed alongside several blocks with tall buildings in every street. People strolled around getting in line at several shops while the uma boy headed towards the small plaza taking it all in.

‘I seen the videos online about this place but I never thought it’d look much better in person!’ Mach looked at the various anime billboards and mascots from manga and games present themselves to him, the morning sun illuminating their surface and casting wonderful colors for all to see. His emerald eyes saw various shops opening up with the lines of people going in waiting to get the latest merch and whatnot. Mach himself wasn’t in a hurry to get things but if anything he was aware that he’d spend quite a while going through everything.

“If I can even get through everything in one day hehe.” the sixteen-year-old muttered to himself as just he was about to walk into one of the stores.

“Is that Mach?”

And there goes his peace and quiet.

‘Fuck…’ Mach made a strained noise slowly turning his head.

Behind him stood Special Week, Silence Suzuka, El Condor Pasa, Grass Wonder, Seiun Sky and Tokai Teio looking at him in surprise, all of them wearing casual clothing and not their school uniforms. (A/N: I’m not going to describe what they’re wearing as some of their casual outfits are pretty detailed. You can look them up on either the anime, game or wiki on what they’re wearing and this will apply to all the umas aside from Mach later on in the story).

Mach quickly turned his head the other way and proceeded to walk into a random store hoping to lose them.

“Hey wait up!” shouted one of the uma girls.

‘Nope nope I came here to get games, not run into any of them! What the hell?!’ Mach speedwalked through several aisles not even thinking of looking behind. He’s seen several movies that if you look behind they only tend to get closer.

Movie logic at its best.

The uma boy saw a set of stairs in the corner which led to the second floor of the store and as quickly and quietly as he could ascended them encountering another set of aisles filled with a couple of people. Using this to his advantage he maneuvered around groups that blocked some of them and ended up on the far side of the area where there was barely anyone around. Approaching a random section of figurines, he breathed out a sigh of relief.

‘Okay I should’ve lost them. This place is pretty big and with the entrance of this floor being somewhat packed, they shouldn’t be able to reach this part that fa-.’

“Found you!”

Mach’s eyes widened as he saw Special Week and Silence Suzuka approach from one side of the aisle he was in.

“You can’t escape us this time!”

His ears twitched to another voice coming from El Condor and Grass Wonder walking down the other side, their expressions furrowed in annoyance.

Mach looked back and forth between them anxiously trying to figure out a way to escape.

‘There!’ Mach saw an opening in the middle of the aisle and quickly dashed through it.

“GAH?!”

Only to be grabbed by the arms from Seiun Sky and Tokai Teio, each of them latching onto an arm and dragging him back.

“W-Wait hey! Hold on?!” the umanoshonen rambled feeling them push back and becoming surrounded by the uma girls. Seiun and Tokai let go of his arms as all of them crossed theirs in disappointment, Mach feeling their hard gaze as he was walled off with no one else in their vicinity to save him.

“U-Um…” Mach nervously scratched the back of his head. “Look I’m sorry for running away, but I honestly came here to shop around by myself and didn’t expect to meet anyone from school.”

Tokai pouted. “You could’ve just said hi back you know, I mean what would you expect us to do to you? It’s not like we’re gonna hurt you or anything.”

Mach thought back at the time the younger umamusume glomped him and tried to smooch him, the memory etched within his brain. The sixteen-year-old sweatdropped at her response.

“Not exactly hurt me, but I’ve seen how some of you act around me.” Mach narrowed his eyes at Special, El Condor, Suzuka and Grass Wonder with all of them averting their eyes while blushing. “Exactly.”

“Dude relax, we were surprised that you were here and simply wanted to say hi.” Seiun said with hands behind her head and a chill expression. “We also came here to look at stuff too.”

“Yup, no te estreses! We won’t bite or anything!” El Condor added with a grin.

Special Week nodded. “We may have acted out of line this week but don’t worry we’ll be on our best behavior from now on!”

Suzuka bowed on her part. “I apologize for the rowdiness during lunch that one day. It won’t happen again.”

Grass Wonder gave a smile to Mach. “Toujou-san gave us a bit of a scolding for how we acted when we visited Narita-san, and we have learned our lesson so please forgive us.”

Mach looked at them hesitantly one by one, the umamusumes giving him puppy dog eyes in return. Seeing that he wouldn’t get out of this easily, he simply sighed. “Well alright, it’s fine and don’t worry about it. You girls aren’t the only ones at the school that do some weird things, and I’m starting to get used to it anyway.”

“We’re weird?” Tokai lowered her ears in sadness. Mach shook his head quickly. “N-No no not weird exactly… like unique hehe.”

“Ah you don’t need change your words Mach-san, weird is good y acepto eso!” El Condor cheered.

“!”

Mach and the others were stunned when the masked umamusume gave him a hug. “Thanks for accepting our apology as well~!”

“My turn!” Tokai launched herself at Mach and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling her head on his chest.

“H-Hey you already got close to him last time. I want in too!” Special Week pulled her younger teammate off and giggled as she hugged Mach. The umanoshonen was stiff as a board confused by all of this.

Suzuka and Grass Wonder huffed out jealously and moved the bob-haired girl out of the way, sighing in bliss as each of them hugged an arm from Mach.

‘W-W-What’s going on?! I just want to get video gaaaaaaames!’ Mach mentally whined.

Seiun silently saw this feeling a pinch in her chest, her blue eyes narrowing.

‘I didn’t get to know Mach-san much, but the others were right… he is really cute.’ Looking down with a scarlet face and trembling mouth she quietly made her way over to the uma boy and embraced him, her eyes closing slowly. ‘He really does feel nice~.’

Mach had swirly eyes taking it all in. Their soft touch, sweet scents, graceful sighs and warm eyes looking at him with care making his mind go overload.

‘Too much, too much! Sunflowers roaming in my mind!... GAH!’

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 8

Mach was having an interesting start to his weekend. He woke up, gamed a bit, ate breakfast, went back to bed and gamed a bit more, decided to get out of bed, showered and changed, and went out so he could visit Akihabara and buy some games he may be interested in. The uma boy has had a long week doing training and demonstrating his abilities to his fellow students at Tracen Academy as an ambassador visiting the renowned school for derby racing, and all he wanted now was to enjoy his time looking around the anime capital of the world and buy some games.

Alone with peace and quiet.

“Hey Mach look how cute this is!”

If peace and quiet weren’t actual people.

“Y-Yeah, that looks really cute.” Mach nervously chuckled as Tokai Teio beamed him a smile and put the blouse back on the rack. The uma boy was currently held against his wi-wait no, doing some shopping inside one of the fashion stores located in Akihabara. He and Tokai weren’t the only ones as Special Week, Silence Suzuka, El Condor Pasa, Grass Wonder and Seiun Sky were also there browsing the wares. And how is it that Mach can’t simply just walk away and go explore on his own to achieve peace and quiet?

Apparently the umamusumes agreed to having two of them keep a nice hold on his arms, one uma girl latched onto each arm. They also agreed to no hand holding to make it fair and that they’ll rotate after a certain amount of time to ensure every one of them gets equal chance being close to the sixteen-year-old. Mach tried to get a say in this but they pulled the almighty puppy dog sad eyes which worked wonders (six pairs of eyes are incredibly overpowered) and he gave in. This was also to ensure he didn’t run away as he normally would when chased by a horde of umamusumes just for simply leaving class.

‘I swear they’re not letting up! I’d assume after a few days they’d get over it but they’re still as confident as ever to get to me!’ Mach sighed.

“Tokai-san I think you should go with that one.” Suzuka pointed to a light blue blouse next to the one the amber brown-haired girl pulled out earlier. The former held Mach’s left arm with both of hers wrapped around and made sure to be close to him as possible, the umanoshonen trying his best to ignore her soft touch.

“Yeah that one looks great one you! Even Mach said it was cute.” Special Week added as she held his right arm nice and tight. Mach also felt her touch and, being the growing boy that he is, noted how much more generous the brown bob-haired girl was compared to her best friend. He merely nodded to their words as the younger uma girl smiled widely and got the blouse.

“Hey everyone que piensan de esta?” El Condor said showing a cream-colored polo.

“Don’t you have too many of those?” Seiun Sky replied raising an eyebrow. El Condor shook her head. “Not in this color!”

“El-san, what you’re wearing is the same color but a slightly darker shade.” Grass Wonder sweatdropped while looking through skirts.

Mach gave his input. “I think it looks nice. Better to have more than one if you use for heavy duty stuff and who knows, it can shrink in the laundry or something and at least you’ll have a backup.”

“See! Mach-san agrees with me so your opinions no sirven!” El Condor grinned widely taking the polo. “I’m buying it!”

Tokai chuckled. “I would’ve also said to get it.”

“Well whatever floats your boat. Also Mach-san should I go with this sunflower pin or this cherry blossom one?” Seiun approached the uma boy showing the small accessories. “I want to buy one for Nishino-chan and I see them both as cute but I can’t tell which to get her.”

“The sunflower one looks really nice!” Special Week chirped tightening her grip on Mach’s arm who yelped. Her uma strength didn’t bother him, but it was her assets that began encircling his bicep.

“I disagree with Spe-san, the cherry blossom one is more adorable.” Suzuka countered doing the same to his arm. Mach could still feel the softness nonetheless.

The three looked at Mach for his opinion.

“W-Well um, they’re both cute and it’s kind of hard to tell. Plus I don’t know how this Nishino-san looks like.” Mach said. Seiun pulled out her phone and swiped several times before showing him the screen. On it displayed a photo of an uma girl that looked much younger than them with short black hair in a bob cut with blunt bangs, a pink hairband and two hair ornaments with magenta ear covers. A flower and ribbon decoration were shown on her left ear, with sweet purple eyes and a bright smile being shown to him as well.

‘Oh wow she looks really cute. If I had a little sister I wouldn’t mind someone like her, but unfortunately I’m an only child.’

Seiun narrowed her eyes pulling her phone back. “You’re staring longingly at Nishino-chan, Mach-san. Be aware that she is still in primary school.”

“Wait what the hell? No I wasn’t.” Mach shook his head. “I was trying to figure out which pin would match her appearance like you asked me to.”

Grass Wonder placed a hand on her mouth in slight shock. “Could it be that Mach-san is more interested in much younger women? Is that why he avoids us constantly at school?”

The uma boy sweatdropped. “No Grass-san that part is because every simple thing I do such as walk to my next class would involve all the girls around my vicinity to chase me down to get my attention.”

Tokai also narrowed her eyes. “Likely story, but then again it’s probably a cover up so he can meet with her in between classes quickly when we’re not looking. That’s why all of us chased him and it made sense that Golshi found him on top of the roof. They could’ve met there in secret if we haven’t stopped it!”

Mach rolled his eyes. “I wanted to have lunch in peace until you girls interrupted and started eating with me. There was no cover up.”

Special Week and Silence Suzuka got closer raising an eyebrow. “Well you were looking at the picture with great interest. We’ll make sure nothing suspicious happens.” the latter said.

The umanoshonen gave a deadpanned look. “Okay just so you know and not to sound rude, but I can technically escape your hold on me since I’m far stronger than all of you. So if you keep bugging me with your nonse-!”

“NO!”

Mach was surprised by all of them wrapping their arms around his form, fake anime tears falling down their sad expressions.

“We were kidding we were kidding!” Tokai bellowed.

“Yeah it’s just a joke we know you don’t see her like that!” El Condor cried taking hold of one of his legs.

Seiun pouted her cheeks. “As El-san said it was only a joke. Don’t leave dude.”

“We apologize for the rudeness, do not leave us please.” Grass Wonder softly spoke.

“Yeah Mach and we get that you can escape us, but try to relax and know we aren’t going to do anything that isn’t appropriate to you.” Special Week said.

Suzuka hummed with approval. “We barely got enough time to know more about one another aside from the lunch and even that was a conversation about awakening.”

Mach looked at all of them silently before closing his eyes and sighing.

“Fine, I won’t go.” the uma boy gave a grin and chuckled. “And I was also joking, I never planned to leave. I wanted to see how’d you react on a reverse joke.”

The umamusumes groaned at him with the umanoshonen scratching his cheek sheepishly.

“And to answer your question Seiun-san, the cherry blossom one would look great on her.” he said. Seiun Sky smiled and nodded while raising the sunflower one to her head. “And I would assume this one would look good on me right?”

“Yup, very cute.” Mach said without thinking.

“HYAAAA!!” the other uma girls freaked out causing Mach to yelp as he was surrounded back and forth by choices being presented from clothes to accessories from each of them. Seiun Sky looked at the pin and smiled widely while giggling and blushing.

‘Definitely cute~.’

…

‘Over two hours and I still didn’t get a chance to visit any game store.’ Mach thought as he laid his head tiredly on a table. They were at a café which surprisingly didn’t have a lot of people and it was good for him so there wouldn’t be a lot of attention towards the uma boy. Several shopping bags were below the table and if anything they had been to quite a good number of stores, the morning still strong and not close to noon yet. Unfortunately Mach didn’t buy anything so far as all the purchases came from the umamusumes, and it took forever in the fact that his opinion mattered incredibly to each of them. If he said this was his favorite or preferred, they would get it without question.

‘And I suck at fashion sense when it comes to girls. Honestly I just went with my gut and chose whatever pops out more to me, I don’t know what they think of what’s cute or pretty.” Mach slowly raised his head upon seeing the uma girls walking towards him. The uma boy sat at the end of the table with three chairs on each of the long sides.

Once the umamusumes got there, a stare down occurred over who would get the two seats closest to him.

“Suzuka-chan and I met him first so we get to sit close to Mach.” Special Week narrowed her eyes.

“You know I also met him the same time you two did so don’t leave me out!” Tokai complained puffing her cheeks.

El Condor grinned. “Well he came to us when Narita-san was sick so he showed great care not only to her but to us. Besides he and I are both from the Americas so it make sense.”

Grass Wonder raised her hand slightly. “You have given Mach-san enough trouble as it is and I wouldn’t impose his personal space.”

“You were really clingy with him when it was your turn to hold his arm.” Seiun interjected. Suzuka countered though. “And yet you made a whiny sound when you had to let go of him. I will sit next to him.”

The umamusumes began arguing while Mach groaned to himself. ‘Okay this is getting stupid.’

“Enough!” Mach loudly said. The uma girls immediately stopped talking to look at him with wide eyes. The uma boy rubbed his temples irritably.

“While all of you equally got a chance to be near me, I’ll make the choice based on who I’ve known the least. Grass-san and Seiun-san will sit next to me.”

The two umamusumes cheered to themselves with the others dropped their jaws.

“B-But Grass-san is in my team and we’ve known you equally?! That’s not fair!” El Condor complained.

“Yes but Grass-san does have a point where she does respect my space. Plus she looks more trustworthy when it comes to that.” Mach looked over to Seiun. “And with her I only known her from that one time I answered her question and that’s it.”

The uma girls looked at each and regrettably nodded.

“He does have a point. We’ll allow it for today.” Tokai muttered.

 Special Week frowned lightly. “Fine.”

Suzuka nodded in agreement. “Okay that is reasonable. Next time though I’ll occupy the seat next to you.”

“Hijole every girl for themselves today, but sure just for today.” El Condor said eyeing her tawny-haired teammate carefully. Grass returned a smile in victory as she sat next to Mach.

 Seiun smirked taking hers as well. “Sweet, sitting next to a racing legend.”

“Yeah well enjoy it while it lasts…” Tokai mumbled.

Once everyone sat down the waitress came with their orders.

“Alright everyone ordered the carrot teas correct?” she asked.

“Yup that’s for all of us!” Special Week answered happily.

As she was passing their drinks around she did a double take once she saw Mach.

“H-H-Holy?! An uma guy?!” she gawked in astonishment. Mach anxiously scratched the back of his head. “Y-Yeah, that is correct.”

The waitress blinked several times looking at him up and down. “W-Woah! I didn’t even know one existed and… are those…?” she said pointing to his ears and tail.

Mach rolled his eyes and wagged his ears and tail simultaneously. “Yes they’re real.”

“EEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Everyone at the table covered their ears from the loud screech the waitress emitted, stars in her eyes as she got incredibly close to the uma boy. The uma girls seethed with rage glaring daggers at her silently.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M MEETING AN ACTUAL UMA BOY! SO LIKE DO YOU GO TO TRACEN ACADEMY?!” the waitress questioned loudly. Mach looked at her nervously given HOW CLOSE she was to his face.

“U-Uh yes I d-do?” the sixteen-year-old answered.

For the second time they all covered her ears from her squeal.

“SO THEN THESE MUST BE-?!” the woman’s eyes widened. “ARE THEY YOUR GIRLFRIENDS?!”

Mach himself did a double take reeling back. “What?! No they’re not!”

The umanoshonen glanced towards the uma girls and saw each of them hiding their deep red faces in their hands, steam coming off their heads.

‘They’re not helping here!’

“Oh you don’t have to deny it! You’re a great looking young man and if I was back in high school I would totally date you!” the waitress fluttered lovingly.

Immediately the umamusumes returned to glaring at the waitress, their eyes burning with rage, ears and tail on end. Mach noted the 180 and facepalmed. “Look miss I don’t want to say it again, but none of them are my girlfriends. They’re my schoolmates and I’m just visiting Japan for a bit and once I finish my time here I’ll be leaving.”

The last part saddened the umamusumes, their expressions looking a bit crestfallen.

The waitress’s own expression also lowered. “O-Oh, well my deepest apologies for acting out of line. I honestly have never seen an uma boy and seeing one for the first time is really exciting, so again please forgive me for the outburst.” she said giving a deep bow.

Mach smiled and waved it off. “It’s alright miss. Just don’t it again and we’re good.”

“No worries.” the waitress gave a smile looking at the uma girls as well. “I apologize for the behavior as well, but I was curious if you were all his girlfriends.”

Special Week furiously shook her head. “N-No we’re not.” ‘Unfortunately.’

Grass Wonder gave a small smile… though it looked forced.

“He is a friend to us, nothing more.” ‘Oh who am I kidding I’ll make sure it becomes more!’

Seiun shrugged casually. “I kinda expected the overreaction so it’s cool.” ‘Kyaaaa why did I have to embarrass myself in front of Mach-san by hiding my face!’

The others silently nodded in approval with the waitress giving another smile. “Again my deepest apologies. If you did go out with him though that sort of relationship with one guy is pretty rare. I heard that umamusumes are very clingy to their special someone and will not share them with anyone else at all.”

Everyone aside from Mach and the waitress silently glared at one another thinking the same thing.

‘You’re right. Like I’ll ever share him with them!’

Mach sweatdropped and nervously grinned to the waitress. “Anyway I think that’ll be it and we appreciate the order.”

“Oh you’re very welcome young man! We hope you enjoy!” as she began walking away, the waitress did look over to the group with a glint in her eye.

“If they were your actual girlfriends we could’ve given you a discount for couples~.”

Mach groaned facedesking the table. ‘Oh my god just shut up.’

Once the awkwardness went away the group began chatting.

“So Mach what are your interests?” Tokai began. Mach looked up in thought.

“Well aside from running I do like to play video games and watch movies, and if we’re talking about outdoor stuff I tend to do a bunch of parkour.”

“What’s that?” Special Week asked. El Condor’s eyes widened. “Oh I heard of it! It’s a French sport where you go from point A to point B in the fastest way possible using acrobatics. I tried doing it but unfortunately the very large gaps for jumps make me hesitate.”

Grass Wonder nodded. “Yes it’s a thing in America as well. It’s popular among the humans and I have seen videos of it which were quite interesting.”

“Do you have videos of you performing such sport Mach-san?” Suzuka questioned with interest. Mach nodded pulling out his phone and swiping a bit before showing them the screen. “This was during my time in Brazil.”

The umamusumes watched in awe as a video played of Mach running through what appears to be a shantytown across several steps. The person holding the video was running alongside the uma boy as he expertly climbed a tall vertical wall and ran across its thin length before taking a leap of faith and executed three flips before landing on the ground in a roll, continuing his sprint across a rooftop and then performing a dive down several feet below and landing with the same roll and continuing to run.

The uma girls’ eyes bugged out with their jaws open.

“W-Woah dude that is sick.” Seiun was amazed.

“That looked like a very high drop! Like six stories at least!” El Condor wondered astonishingly.

Tokai was in awe herself. “You have incredible balance if you were able to run across that thin wall holy cow!”

“Incredible Mach. Why do the houses look like that though?” Special Week asked.

“This was in a favela, which basically means slum in their language. Normally they build them along a mountainside and run on a steep slope. The one we went to in the video is a famous one and that’s where I also did a lot of hill training.” Mach chuckled looking at the video. “The person taking the video was my uncle and while you don’t hear it, he was panting quite a bit just to keep up hehe.”

“Well we are aware at how fast you are Mach-san, but doing acrobatics such as this… you really are very talented.” Grass Wonder smiled.

“No joke either. At school he’s at the top in our class and though it’s only been a week he got perfect scores in both the math and science exams!” El Condor praised.

Special Week nodded. “Yeah and apparently he outscored Tachyon-san for science and Shakur-san for math. Honestly I don’t think there would’ve been anyone brighter than those two.”

Mach nervously laughed. “You don’t need to praise me like that girls. If anything I’m one of those that act like sponges and soak up the knowledge, but I do come up with new ideas if I need to.”

Tokai pouted. “I wished I was in your classes. If only I can convince Ms. Director to let me skip a grade.”

Seiun grinned crossing her arms behind her head. “Well we’re lucky to have him in there. Mach-san is very cool.”

The uma boy sweatdropped smiling at the younger uma girl. “It’s alright Tokai-san, if you need any help in your classes feel free to ask me.”

Tokai beamed a huge grin with starry eyes nodding profusely, the others glaring at her.

“Moving on from what you told her, what’s it like being an awakened uma?” Special Week said.

Mach shrugged. “Well aside from having higher speed, strength, stamina and a much more durable body I honestly don’t feel that much different.”

“Hmm very interesting, so if anything you don’t have to worry about suffering fractures if you push yourself too hard correct?” Suzuka added. The umanoshonen shook his head. “Nope. My bone density increased immensely that I’m able to withstand the forces when I try to go past my limits.”

Seiun whistled. “That’s crazy dude, and I was wondering this too: since you’re clearly much faster and stronger than regular umas, how do they allow you to still compete in races when you’re obviously the favorite to win them?”

Mach smiled in return.

“It’s because when I awakened, I moved up to a racing league that is much higher than the current elite ones.”

The umamusumes were now VERY interested.

“Wait how’s that possible?” El Condor asked.

“Here the Umamusume Racing Association is the top-level league.” Grass Wonder stated. “There is no credible information of a more advanced association out there.”

Special Week placed a hand under chin in thought. “Well we never raced someone as incredible as Mach so I don’t think they promoted it here due to that.”

Mach nodded to her response. “Yes it’s because there’s no uma that has awakened in Japan so far. Some of the other countries out there have awakened umas and due to their much more superior abilities they created an association not too long ago that separates us from the normal ones in order to eliminate the unfair advantage of the awakened ones easily winning against the normal ones.”

Tokai blinked. “That is crazy! So prez isn’t one of the best out there then huh?”

“Well she’s probably one of the best in your league yes, but against awakened umas she and you girls are nowhere near our level. That’s not to say that Tracen Academy can’t awaken you girls, but that’s why uncle and I are here to help with that so you can reach a higher level of your dreams.”

They were all shocked at his description.

‘THAT IS INSANE!’

El Condor wondered. “So that picture of you winning the Kentucky Derby, was that-?”

“Yup, that was the awakened version of the same race where I went up against others of the same caliber as me. However this was one of the most recent wins and I won it as well before I awakened.” Mach stated.

“Amazing… we are very fortunate to be trained by someone such as yourself.” Suzuka said in awe.

Mach nodded in response. “I appreciate the words and yes, in the other countries they have the same version of the races for the current leagues but only for awakened umas. These races tend to be a lot faster, more intense and at times would increase the distance beyond 3200 meters due to our much higher stamina. If anything the stakes are also much higher given that every second really counts.”

Special Week wondered as well. “So that means these races are more prestigious than the ones for normal umas.”

Mach nodded. “Yup because these races are much, much more competitive where even the ones at the end of the pack are a huge threat. Most of the time there would be photo finishes where it would take up to an hour to determine a winner.”

“Dang man that’s crazy. While it sounds intimating, I’m actually hyped to see if I can awaken and take part in these races.” Seiun spoke.

“Yo voy a luchar mucho! I’m the same way Seiun and I won’t give up!” El Condor cheered.

Tokai slammed her fists on the table… lightly. “I’ll awaken before prez and show these others what I’m made of!”

All the umamusumes cheered as well with Mach grinning at them.

‘Definitely looks like they got what it takes. They just have to make sure they don’t go overboard during the trainings.’

“So Mach-san does this league also exist here?” Grass Wonder asked.

Mach shook his head. “Nope. Like I said before there’s no awakened umas in Japan yet so the higher league has no plans to establish awakened versions of your races here yet until they see a sufficient number of umas activate their human genotypes.”

“We’ll do our best to not disappoint you and Felix-san.” Suzuka bowed with the rest doing as well.

The dark-haired uma boy scratched behind his head smiling. “So far I’m very impressed with all of you.”

In their minds Mach’s charming expression captivated them. ‘HE’S SO CUTE~!’

They talked more with each other for an hour exchanging their interests and whatnot, sharing some stories and having many laughs. Once they were done they all left the café satisfied.

“Wooo that was an awesome chat!” Tokai cheerfully said.

“I agree Tokai-san, it was very informative and interesting.” Grass Wonder added.

“Dang Mach-san have been everywhere! The Egyptian sphinx looks so cool and you’re so lucky to have went there!” El Condor spoke to Mach. The uma boy laughed. “Yeah and no one still figured out how the nose broke off.”

“I’m surprised that one could run vertically on walls. I heard rumors about you scaling a wall back at school.” Suzuka said.

Mach sweatdropped. “Well that’s because Bakushin-san was chasing me and at the time she did freak me out.”

Special Week laughed. “She’s just energetic that’s all, and Bakushin-san is very helpful with everyone as our class representative.”

“I do wish she could be a little quieter though.” Seiun then looked at Mach. “And it’s cool to hear that you like to fish too.”

“Yup, uncle and I would find a lake during our resting days to unwind and embrace nature. Though at times we would have a contest to see who gets the most fish or the biggest one and so far he’s winning by maybe five or so hehe.” Mach sheepishly grinned.

Special Week gave a gentle smile. “You and your trainer sure do have a strong bond.”

Mach returned the gesture. “He’s been there for me ever since I was born. Aside from my mom he’d make sure I was taken care of and if I was in a bad mood would do what he can to raise it up.” the uma boy chuckled. “He’d tease and joke with me half the time which is kind of annoying, but that’s how uncle is and I love him for that.”

“He sounds kind of like how Trainer-san is with us… except without the touchy feely he would do.” Tokai muttered at the end. Special Week and Suzuka shivered from the words.

The umanoshonen chuckled again. “Probably, but if anything I wouldn’t trade him for anyone else. While I haven’t seen much of my dad since he’s traveling on his part, my uncle fills in for that parental role… and…”

Mach’s eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind.

One that he hoped would never escape the deepest part.

The umamusumes saw the umanoshonen stop walking, concern on their faces seeing the latter unmoving.

“You okay?” El Condor asked with worry.

“Mach… what’s wrong?” Grass Wonder.

The uma boy saw a foggy memory in his head.

A bedside.

A hand holding another hand.

Blue eyes meeting his own.

A smile as warm as the morning sun.

‘Do your best… become the greatest.’

“Mach?”

The sixteen-year-old blinked several times getting back to reality. Mach saw the alarmed expressions on them with Seiun putting a hand on his shoulder. “You alright?”

“U-Um, yeah. Yeah I’m good.” he replied.

“You were frozen for nearly a minute Mach-san. Want to tell us what’s wrong.” Suzuka spoke.

Mach shook his head. “No it’s fine. I guess I’m still a bit exhausted from all the miles I put in this week.”

Special Week raised an eyebrow and nodded. “I guess it makes sense since the first day of training you kept going and going. Please take it easy if anything.”

The uma boy nodded on his part.

‘Why did that pop up all of sudden? I thought I buried it far down in my mind…’

Wanting to change the subject Mach began. “So aside from that what do you girls want to do now?”

Fortunately for the umanoshonen his schoolmates didn’t focus too much on his issue, their faces lighting up.

“Oooo we can go to the arcade!” Tokai offered.

“How about we enjoy a nice movie. There’s this one about a documentary involving the Nara period of Japan.” Grass Wonder said.

“Bo-ring! Let’s go watch a wrestling match!” El Condor intervened.

“We can go fishing.” Seiun lazily spoke.

“Let’s go buy running shoes. I will need another pair.” Suzuka suggested.

“Suzuka-chan you already have sixty pairs you don’t need more! Let’s go to a farm instead!” Special Week announced.

Mach watched the uma girls bicker amongst one another on where to go, laughing nervously. ‘Least we’re getting somewhere.’

The uma boy’s ears twitched picking up something. Turning his head quickly he looked at an empty part of the walkway where they were at. It was clearly empty with no people or animal in its vicinity, but to Mach his hearing appendages say otherwise.

His feet felt the approaching rumbling of hundreds of people quickly heading their way, Mach’s eyes widening at the realization.

“H-Hey girls I think we should leave.” he tried to interrupt, but unfortunately it fell on deaf ears as they continued to argue at each other. Looking back at the empty area his emerald eyes shot wide open at, as he assumed, hundreds of people rushing towards them with large banners, accessories and clothing depicting an uma girl with long white twin-tailed hair, idol clothing and a mic in her hand.

“FOLLOW MY LEAD EVERYONE! THE EVENT WILL BE STARTING IN FIVE HOURS!” one of the people upfront shouted with enthusiasm.

“WAIT FOR US HIKU-CHAN!” another cried out.

“WE LOVE YOU HIKU-CHAN~!!!!” everyone else yelled at the top of their lungs.

Mach darted his gaze between them and the umamusumes trying to figure out what to do. He had to think quickly because the large crowd was fast approaching.

Thirty meters between them.

‘Crap I have no other choice!’ Mach proceeded to spread his arms as wide as he can and quickly walked towards the uma girls pushing them away from the incoming crowd. The uma girls gasped halting their arguments.

“W-Woah!” they all yelped seeing Mach pulling himself back once they were out of the crowd’s path.

But unfortunately he stepped back a bit too much and was dragged into their numbers.

“MACH!” the umamusumes cried out in shock as the umanoshonen was seen struggling to get out.

“We got to save him!” Special Week said with the others nodding in agreement.

All except Suzuka who trembled in fear.

Tokai noticed this. “Oh shoot we can’t Spe-chan. Suzuka-san doesn’t like huge crowds.”

“Dangit and we can’t just leave her behind!” El Condor said in frustration.

Grass Wonder comforted her masked teammate. “It’s okay El-san, we can wait until the crowd eases.”

“Hope you’re right Grass-san.” Seiun watched the large herd pass by. “It’ll probably take a while though.”

The umamusumes groaned in disappointment.

…

‘Damnit… there finally free!’

Mach managed to pull himself out of the mass of people, panting a bit as he annoyingly glared at them. ‘What the heck is up with these people?’

The uma boy’s green eyes noticed a flyer beneath his feet and picked it up.

“Matsune Hiku, big collaboration event happening between Tokyo’s popular idol and several sponsors. May your hearts soar as you wish Hiku the best for all… weird.” Mach shrugged looking back at the people. “I guess stuff like this brings joy to many in Japan.”

‘And there’s no way I’ll be able to break through this crowd and go back to the others. I mean I can but then I’d be hurting them so all I can do now is roam around and finally go to some video game stores hehe.’ Mach sighed in bliss being alone once again.

The uma boy walked around several stores looking at anime merch and manga books, very interested at what he was seeing. Some people stared at him for being an uma boy but nonetheless were respectful and kept their distance, to which Mach didn’t mind it and was happy he got to actually go about his day. Some came up to him for small conversation and pictures, the umanoshonen happy to oblige with the people very happy that they got to meet someone like Mach. They asked him questions on what it’s like overseas, what he was doing in Japan, and if he had a girlfriend.

He basically dodged the latter and changed the subject immediately.

Mach looked at his watch while he walked towards an intersection, the time being close to noon.

‘I expected the day to be half over today with how long I was with the girls. Not just that but I wished there were more places to sit down here because holy cow did I walk quite a bit.’ Mach thought as he lifted his legs bending the knees to get the blood flowing.

“SOMEONE HELP!”

Mach’s ears flicked at the cry, his emerald eyes reacting quickly.

WHOOSH!

A person on a sports bike flew by the street near him as the latter turned his gaze to the fleeing vehicle. Rapid footsteps approached behind Mach as he turned to see a guy on his hands and knees panting. “S-Someone has to stop him! He took my wife’s purse!”

The umanoshonen saw the despair in his eyes as others tried to comfort him and were on their phones calling the police. Mach looked back to where the suspect went and narrowed his eyes.

‘Man I wanted to have a nice day today… but I guess some extra training wouldn’t hurt.’

“Hey what’s that person doing… wait is that an uma boy?!” a pedestrian pointed to Mach who walked onto the street and stretched himself a bit. Others were shocked not just by his actions but also realizing that he wasn’t an umamusume.

Mach ignored their conversations and readied himself while pressing a button on his sportswatch.

‘Looks like around 800 meters between us and I saw him take a left turn through an alleyway. Will most likely have to do 90% output, and will need to catch him before he gets too far.’ Mach moved his neck a bit hearing a few cracks. ‘And…’

His feet dug into the pavement, his fists clenched a bit, and his green eyes gave off a gentle glow.

‘GO!’

“WOAH!” the pedestrians gasped as Mach let off a small version of a sonic boom taking off, smoke rising into the air from where his feet were on. The uma boy quickly accelerated and saw his peripheral vision narrow with various buildings, cars and people passing by him in seconds, but his main focus on the target he was pursuing.

’47 miles per hour, take a left and go through the alleyway.’

Mach sharply turned left at 400 meters and went through a narrow alleyway which luckily didn’t have many people. His eyes scanned the area for any possible hints of the suspect leaving anything while his ears flicked once in a while to pick up the sound of the sports bike.

Luckily his work was cut out for him as he heard a distant but approaching hum of a small engine whirring high and low ahead of Mach.

‘My guess is 200 meters distance between us and he’s maneuvering between the alleyways which is decreasing his overall speed. I’m sitting at 49 miles an hour and will need to maintain speed so will have to ensure my turns are precise and on point without needing to accelerate too much.’

Mach navigated the alleyways that approached him, his feet pounding the pavement while he moved his arms and legs in a blur, breathing steady and eyes locked in. Some people near him yelped in surprise as the uma boy sped through the path near them, Mach’s speed high enough for the pedestrians to barely notice. The latter made sure not to get near them as any collision with people would not only slow him down but would most likely injure them severely, and Mach really didn’t want that.

The umanoshonen exited the alleyway he was in and looked around quickly while continuing his run. ‘He left the alleyways and the sound was getting closer so that means-!’

His emerald eyes saw the suspect turn into another alleyway and disappearing, Mach fortunate to react fast enough.

‘There!’ Mach accelerated and leaned further into as he chased the person into the alleyway.

The suspect himself was grinning maniacally. “That couple looked loaded and can’t believe I scored big from that hottie! This’ll feed me well for the next three months!” the person’s eyes looked to one of the rearview mirrors and was stunned to see Mach running after him.

‘W-What the hell, is that an uma guy?! Here in Japan?! I thought it was only umamusume chicks?!’ the suspect gritted his teeth turning the gas handle more. ‘No matter, that idiot can’t stop me!’

Mach narrowed his eyes seeing the suspect starting to go faster. Doing the same Mach increased his speed leaving contrails behind him as the duo flew through the narrow path causing hard winds to blow away small debris and bits of litter.

‘On a straightaway going about 53 miles per hour. That sports bike is definitely faster if it went at full speed, but fortunately these narrow paths make the person hesitate. I can see that he’s letting off the throttle at times.’ Mach grinned to which the uma boy saw a hard ninety degree turn about to come up.

The suspect tsked at the turn approaching and moved his body in tandem to the right, both he and the sports bike closing in on the apex of the turn and almost making contact with the ground from the lean. He groaned deeply trying to withstand the g-forces and once he cleared the turn raised himself up, laughing loudly and increasing his speed back up. “Hah! You can’t get me!”

Mach grinned to himself as he fluidly took the turn without decreasing his speed and only continued to accelerate.

‘At 54 miles per hour and slightly above 90% output.’

The uma boy could feel his body starting to tire a bit in part of the workouts he had during the week, Mach noting it as his arms and legs started to feel a burning sensation and his breathing a bit shallow.

‘We covered at least 4000 meters and it looks like he’s following a circular pattern around Akihabara. If I had to take an educated guess the guy would probably come back around this way.’ Mach looked to the side and saw a narrow alleyway. ‘Guess I’ll take that risk. I have to catch him before he reaches the main street!’

The suspect looked at his rearview once more and no longer saw Mach pursuing him.

“Heh that kid’s right to give up. Got the goods and will be going home a happy man!” the robber revved his sports bike and exited the alleyway causing several pedestrians to scream out of the way in fright. Noticing that he was on the main road with not many cars in his way he increased his speed looking down at the speedometer.

‘At 80 miles an hour there’s no way that stupid uma guy can catch u-!’

“AAAUGH!!”

A sudden hand instantly grabbed his neck suspending him off the bike that quickly shot forward and away from him, yelping as his vision blurred from being spun fast and thrown harshly onto the ground. The man groaned in pain clenching his eyes shut, opening them slowly afterward and becoming terrified by what’s in front of him.

Or who in this case, seeing Mach holding up the sports bike effortlessly with one hand in the air as the vehicle’s engine started winding down. The umanoshonen’s other hand was wrapped into a fist held up with Mach’s emerald eyes glaring at him menacingly.

“Hand over the purse. Now.” Mach didn’t mince words, his teeth clenched together displaying incredibly sharp canines. The suspect shrieked in fright and removed the purse that was on him. “H-Here, take it! I-I’m sorry!”

Mach grabbed the item and lowered the sports bike beside him. “The local authorities should be here to deal with you soon, so don’t even think about running away.” And just as Mach was about to leave.

“I WON’T BE HUMILIATED LIKE THIS!!”

The robber quickly pulled out a gun.

“AAAUUGHHH!!”

Only for his upper body to get smashed into the pavement below which created several cracks from the impact. His now horrified eyes stared into deep green ones which had vertical slitted pupils, Mach’s expression resembling that of an apex predator who caught his prey. A demonic looking aura surrounded the uma boy’s being with bits of lightning flashing here and there.

Shaking immensely the man looked to the side to see his weapon with the mag separated from it and the bullet rounds scattered, his eyes widening like dinner plates. “H-How did you-?!”

“I don’t do just running, and what you did could’ve gotten someone hurt. Now you really are in for it now.” Mach narrowed his eyes dangerously, the man below him trembling enormously.

Luckily for the man police sirens approached their vicinity with several officers coming out to surround them. “Freeze!”

‘Please take me with you officers! He’s scary!’

…

“We humbly appreciate your support Mach-san, and we apologize for the inconvenience!” the lead officer said with a deep bow. Mach scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “Ah don’t worry about it sir, I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

A man and an uma woman suddenly entered their vicinity crying anime tears of joy.

“OH THANK YOU SO MUCH KIND MAN!” the older guy bellowed.

“We can’t express how grateful you are for returning my purse. Please let us offer anything you want!” the uma woman loudly added.

Before Mach could respond he yelped as the man suddenly grabbed the uma boy’s hand in both of his own with a large smile. “If you want, you can get together with our daughter and get married! She attends Tracen Academy and has big dreams!”

“Oh that’s a wonderful idea sweetie! You would make such a fine and strong husband and I allow my full blessings!” the uma woman cried out in joy.

Mach nervously sweatdropped. “Um I appreciate the kind words and offer but it’s okay, I’m just glad your belongings are returned to you.”

“Oh he’s so modest dear! He will definitely make an amazing son-in-law~!” the uma woman blabbered ignoring the uma boy’s response. Mach gaped his mouth in annoyance and shook his head. “It’s fine and unfortunately I have to decline your offer. I’m just glad your purse was returned.”

The lead officer interrupted. “Please do not give this umanoshonen a hard time. And Mach-san we will ensure this doesn’t get covered in the news and that the public won’t pry too much on you, but we can’t guarantee it.”

“That’s fine officer.” Mach agreed.

After dashing the couple’s hopes and the officers took away the suspect, Mach walked back onto the street to be greeted by the silent stares of the pedestrians. His ears lowered in irritation as he looked at the ground.

“That was sick man! He’s so cool!”

“Yeah and holy moly an uma guy!”

“Hey now it looks like he’s had a rough day, please give him some space and you heard the officers. Just go about your day.”

‘Tell me about it, but then again this morning wasn’t too bad.’ Mach looked up sighing in relief.

Only to encounter three umamusumes he wished not to see again.

“Umm…hi.” the uma girl with flowing orange hair and a white ‘M’ shaped streak on the front known as Orfevre meekly spoke with a small wave. Mach saw Gentildonna and Verxina with her as well giving shy looks, all of them in casual clothing and holding crepes.

The uma boy stood there staring at them with a deadpanned look for ten seconds before turning right and walking away from them. ‘Not happening.’

Mach’s ears twitched from the trio talking to one another, blaming themselves for their actions when they first met the uma boy. Regardless Mach didn’t want any part of it as he witnessed their true colors during their training.

‘They don’t give respect to the others aside from themselves, so yeah I’d rather not be put up with any of their antics.’

“M-Mach-san?”

Mach’s eyes widened in surprise from a timid voice behind him, instantly knowing who it was.

Turning around he saw the small form of Rice Shower holding a small rice ball in both her hands cutely. What struck out to Mach the most was her outfit which was the direct opposite to her dark colors: she wore a mainly cream-colored dress with brown frills and sleeves that reached up to her knees and brown heeled stringed shoes. Above her head sat a cream-colored headband with a tied bow to the side and her signature bowler cap was absent. All in all Mach was thrown off by her appearance not knowing what to say.

‘W-Woah, I didn’t expect Rice-san to be this vibrant. I guess like how many people say, don’t judge a book by its cover.’ Mach noticed her tiny smile and gentle pink-purple eye at him, the former returning a smile of his own. ‘It’s a good thing Rice-san is one of the few that don’t irk me by chasing me around school.’

Mach saw Rice Shower slowly approach him looking at the ground shyly.

“I-It’s good to s-see you again.” she mumbled.

Luckily the umanoshonen was able to hear that and nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t expect to see you here, but nonetheless I welcome your presence.”

Rice Shower’s smile rose up higher and she looked up to him in joy. “R-Rice was walking around to get something to eat until I heard a yell of pain. When I walked over to the source I saw you holding up that motorcycle with a man on the ground.”

“Yeah that guy stole someone’s purse, so I basically chased him around for a bit and luckily was able to catch him.” Mach explained.

“A-And when I s-saw him take out… that… y-you easily took him down and… I s-saw your e-eyes.” Rice Shower trembled. “T-They were… s-scary.”

Mach’s expression lowered as he scratched his head nervously. “O-Oh, I’m really sorry about that. It only happens when I’m really furious… but don’t worry it doesn’t happen often! Like you have to REALLY get me angry which none of you will be able to do. Most at school will get me annoyed but that’s about it, and if anything you don’t seem like a person that will get me mad.” the uma boy gave a smile. “You look really sweet.”

Rice Shower gasped as she blushed, looking down nervously as she twiddled her fingers on the rice ball she held. “T-Thank you Mach-san.”

“No worries. Anyway I hope I didn’t cause too much commotion and again, I don’t normally get that angry so you don’t need to linger too much on it. So um… I guess I’ll leave you to what you were doing.” Mach waved at her and started walking away.

‘Alright time to look at those video game stores!’ the uma boy cheered in his head.

“W-Wait!”

And there goes his goal being pulled away once again.

Raising an eyebrow Mach turned to see Rice Shower quickly approach him shaking a bit. “U-Um, a-are you d-doing anything b-busy t-today?” she stuttered. Mach realized he would have to play his words carefully with her and shook his head. “Not really, I came here to look around and get some video games. Why you ask?”

The timid uma girl raked up as much courage as she could and inhaled a big amount of air.

 “D-Do you want to hang out with me t-today?!”

The people around them watched in complete silence at her loud announcement, some people whispering to one another and others squealing. Nonetheless others who were mature enough told them to move along and ignore the scene.

Mach was surprised, his emerald eyes slightly wide with his mouth a bit open. He saw Rice Shower breathe heavily as she looked at the ground again, her face really flushed bright red and her form shook terribly.

‘It must take quite a lot of willpower for her to say something like that. Either it’s because she’s hesitant on making friends or that she’s asking a guy to hang out with her… she does attend an all-girl school and judging by from what I know of her so far it seems she’s pretty reserved.’ Mach’s expression slowly changed to a gentle one as he laughed a bit. ‘Rice-san is an interesting person.’

Rice Shower heard Mach laugh as she looked up crestfallen. ‘D-Does he… n-not want to…’

Mach saw her expression and immediately stopped as the tears threatened to leak out her visible eye. “O-Oh I’m really s-sorry! I didn’t mean to laugh; it’s just that your question surprised me."

The uma boy scratched his cheek looking to the side. “I mean this morning I stumbled upon Special-san, Suzuka-san, El-san, Grass-san, Tokai-san and Seiun-san and for most of the morning we basically went through several fashion shops and went to a café in the end… until we got separated by a mob of fans wanting to see this idol.”

Rice Shower’s eye widened at this information, the umamusume looking down in sadness and the tinge of jealousy felt in her chest. “O-Oh, then I-I guess you’re s-still looking for them r-right?”

“Well I was for a bit but then this happened and now I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to find them again.” Mach replied. Rice Shower nodded closing her visible eye. “Rice understands… well then I-I’ll-.”

“Sure. I’d love to hang out with you for the rest of the day.”

The gloomy uma girl’s head snapped up instantly at his response, her face in complete shock. Mach gave her a grin with cheerful eyes. “I had quite some day and if anything I’m starting to get hungry. Would you like to go somewhere to eat or do you have some place in mind?”

“U-U-U-U-U-m-m-m-m!!” Rice stuttered out to almost no end, steam rising above her head as she trembled more from the response. Her heart was racing and she couldn’t think straight.

Mach jumped at a rice ball being offered to him by the dark-haired uma girl, her head bowed covering her face.

“P-Please take this to s-soothe your hunger M-Mach-san!”

The umanoshonen raised an eyebrow in confusion, but lowered it after and smiled giving a chuckle. “That’s one way to say yes.”

Once Rice Shower recovered the two headed off together to any restaurant they could find, a small silence between them which was both nice and a little awkward.

…

The silence continued to be nice and awkward, Mach and Rice Shower sitting at a table facing each other in a nice udon restaurant. Luckily it wasn’t busy so they along with some others were the only ones in the vicinity, so attention wouldn’t be focused too much on the two. It was also Mach’s idea to go in there since Rice Shower wasn’t confident enough to pick a spot, so the latter agreed to his choice without argument. If anything the tension was the only thing that separated the two from continuing their conversation.

Mach twiddled his thumbs on the table as he looked at the timid uma girl, her nervous face pointed at her lap with equally anxious eyes avoiding his gaze. Rice knew he was staring and her cheeks were rose-colored from Mach’s emerald orbs focused on her. The silence continued for another minute until Mach cleared his throat.

“So… do you have any hobbies?” he started off.

Rice yelped from the question and said whatever came to her mind.

“I-I like reading picture books!” the dark-haired umamusume immediately clasped her mouth with her hands and looked down again. “I-I’m s-sorry I d-didn’t mean t-!”

“Don’t worry Rice-san, you don’t need to be embarrassed.” Mach gave a smile. “It’s really sweet that you like to immerse yourself in illustrations that open your mind rather than read through words and all. That’s an interesting hobby so don’t feel ashamed.”

Mach leaned in a bit. “What kind of books do you like?”

Rice lowered her hands and gave her own smile.

“W-Well there’s this one that’s Rice’s most favorite. It’s about a witch in a forest that wondered how she could use her powers if she was always alone. She also reads picture books and it made her curious about the outside world and wondered if she could use her powers to make people happy, so once the day arrived she stepped out of her forest and into the outside world.”

The umanoshonen was intrigued. “That is something. Heck spending all your life alone and willing to make a first step outside your comfort zone… takes guts and I’m glad to hear that.”

Rice nodded and continued. “When the witch arrived at the outside world she was in awe with all the people and very excited about how she could help, telling everyone that she could make their wishes come true… but they were all afraid of her magic.” the timid umamusume looked down sadly. “She thought that people just needed a demonstration and used her magic to fly through the sky, but it only made them more scared of her… alone in the world the witch started wondering why she even had magic to begin with.”

Mach’s expression saddened. ‘I see why she likes this story… it relates to what Bourbon-san and the others said. It looks like it’s been going on way before Rice-san won the Tenno Sho.’

“One day a boy came to the witch and told her that he wanted to fly like a bird, so she happily obliged and more and more people came to her as well. However she exhausted herself so much that she couldn’t use magic… the people that were scared of her realized that she didn’t mean to hurt anyone, and started to come around for her.” Rice looked up to Mach. “One day the skies trembled due to a scary storm, and while everyone prayed for the storm to go away the witch appeared and dispelled the storm, the blue skies coming forth once again… it was at that moment the witch declared that her power was meant for deeds such as that and they welcomed her with open arms.”

Emerald eyes stared at a pink purple one in awe. While the story sounded short and sweet in the end, it told Mach a good amount of what Rice had probably gone through.

‘Although I haven’t known her well enough, I can tell that not many people like her. She has talent and I saw that during the training days ago so I fully trust that she won that race, but for some spectators to throw insults about winning over the favorite… people like that make me sick.’

Mach blinked as he saw Rice’s eye shine with unshed tears. ‘Oh no…’

“R-Rice has always t-tried her hardest to show everyone how great I can be. But just like the witch, the people are scared of Rice… t-they hate me. When I won the Tenno Sho… I saw Mejiro-san as the storm like in the picture book, a-and just like the witch I used every bit of magic I had in me to dispel the storm… all the energy I had to beat Mejiro-san… a-and when I did win, I-I though it would have ended like in the story… b-but no, the people c-continued to h-hate m-me…” at this point the dark-haired uma girl began crying silently. “B-Bourbon-san tried t-to comfort m-me after t-the race and t-the others too… but I s-still didn’t feel better after. I-I simply k-kept a fake s-smile so the o-others w-wouldn’t *sob* worry.”

The uma boy didn’t know what to say, his mouth slightly agape processing it. In front of him was a really sweet person who aspires to reach her dreams, and to Mach there was nothing wrong with that. However for others to look down at her because she’s considered an outsider must’ve caused her personality to recede in a way that she feels insecure most of the time. If anything this made Mach’s blood boil, his experience from back then the same way as well but on a larger scale.

‘Should I tell her my side as well?’ Mach furrowed his brows a bit. ‘Then again I don’t want to add more onto this and I’d rather not have it eclipse Rice-san’s troubles… but… I should give a shot, carefully.’

“Rice-san.”

Rice yelped upon hearing her name from Mach. The latter’s expression was somber but didn’t hold any negative emotion. The dark-haired umamusume gulped.

‘D-Does he think the same way… as them…? No… p-please n-no.’

“I’m not good with words and don’t worry, I don’t see you any less than what I said days earlier about you and that’s not going to change.”

Rice breathed a sigh of relief. ‘T-Thank you goddesses… thank you…’

Mach nodded. “You’re a sweet person Rice-san and while I haven’t known you well enough, you don’t have bad intentions. Now to basically start off… don’t let a race define who you are entirely.”

Rice’s visible eye widened. “H-Huh?”

“What I mean is that whether you win or lose, the only important thing out of it is that you took part with your peers in something you all enjoy. The spectators are just there to witness your talents and you necessarily can’t control how they’ll perceive each and every one of you.”

The uma boy’s gaze lowered. “I’m an example of how you feel. When I started racing internationally I was one of the highly anticipated rookies to win certain races going against their home countries’ favorites. The racecourse stadiums are a lot bigger when you go up against the best of the best in highly prestigious races so there’s much more sets of eyes on you. Unlike the races you have here where the majority of the people that watch you and the others race are from Japan, the races I’ve took part in had audiences from across the world… and not only that, given the fact that I won many races in many different countries… I was in the same boat as you.”

The timid uma girl gasped at his explanation. “S-So you w-were the s-same?”

“Pretty much, but that’s what people who work hard and strive for normally experience. It’s basically natural that anyone out of the ordinary can overcome anyone that has the highest chance to succeed at times, and that’s fair in which it means that the former worked much harder to reach their goals compared to the favorite.” Mach grinned. “And while a race does show your talents to many who witness it, that does not make you a bad person if the majority of the crowd boos you for winning.”

Mach saw Rice slowly process this so he kept going. “They’re just afraid that the favorite won’t be winning as often as before. It’s the same way when it comes to humans and their forms of competition. People will adapt to overcome obstacles and when it comes to racing, they’ll train to the best of their ability to reach the top and there’s nothing wrong with that. If you win you win and if you lose you lose.”

Rice blinked. “B-But the people still booed n-no?”

“Yeah and while it did sting at first, uncle told me to not let it get to me. That’s just human nature on their side reacting and if anything they can be just as competitive as umas.” Mach smiled closing his eyes. “But uncle also said that racing isn’t something that should take over your life. It’s a big part to have yes but it doesn’t define you as a person: the way you are outside of racing, how you speak with people, what hobbies you have, where you go, anything of the sort… that defines who you are and the booing won’t matter.”

Rice looked down. “So w-what can I do then?”

Mach opened his eyes. “Just keep doing what you love and brush off any negativity such as that. Remember, you are much faster and stronger than humans so you have the advantage over them and they only use negative things like booing as a coping mechanism to get you to feel down. It’ll be difficult at the start, but over time you’ll get used to it and eventually the crowds will turn in your favor.”

The uma boy gave a thumbs up and grinned. “You have it in you Rice-san and if anything, all you need is the magic of wisdom. That’s how the witch was able to get the people to like her.”

Rice couldn’t believe it.

‘How d-did he?...’

“Continue to look at the positive aspects of yourself. You’re a great runner and you won races, and if you lose then there’s always next time. At the end of the day as long as you are you that’s all that matters, the spectators don’t even know you anyway. Focus on the ones that are proud and cheer for you and eventually the ones that did boo will realize their mistakes and cheer for you as well.”

Mach gave a nod afterward. “Just like the boy who approached the witch in your story, it only takes one person cheering for you to resonate with others and the same way will accept you with open arms as well. It will take time, but you’ll make it the same way as the witch happily.”

Sobs began coming out of Rice, Mach remaining silent after he finished to let her release any pent-up emotion. He explained his words carefully and was hoping it had a positive effect.

To which it did, a big smile on the umamusume’s face aimed at him.

“T-Thank you Mach-san… for the w-words.”

“Hehe no worries, and again don’t let people that boo you get to you. Everyone goes through it and eventually with enough courage and magic like in the story, you’ll be cheered by a lot of people. Not everyone will be thrilled, but again that’s human nature at work.” Mach grinned. “You really have a cute hobby as well.”

Rice blushed incredibly hard and looked down at her lap quickly.

‘M-Mach-san s-s-said i-it w-was c-cute?! M-Mach-kun said cute! Mach-kun is cute!!’

Outside her mind Rice couldn’t stop the tears from falling, the uma boy noticing and without thinking got up to sit on her side of the table.

“KYA!” Rice yelped feeling a pair of arms wrap around her, the timid umamusume looking at Mach holding her with glowing green eyes.

“It’s okay Rice-san. Keep believing yourself and more people will accept you. Your friends and family accept you and will support you no matter what.”

“W-What about you M-Mach-san?” Rice looked up cutely at him, her heart beating a million miles per second. ‘His hug… I feel so protected and warm…’

“Don’t worry, I believe in you as well. Keep being you.” the uma boy slowly released his hold, failing to hear the uma girl’s tiny whimper. “Anyway I think we should-.”

GRRROWWWWWLLLL!!!!

Rice’s eye was wide looking at Mach who scratched his head nervously.

“Yup, I think we should eat.”

Fortunately a waitress came by at the ready with a huge grin. “Alright what can I get the very cute couple for today~?”

Mach and Rice immediately looked down red in the face.

“W-We’ll get some c-carrot udon please… and we’re n-not a c-couple.”

Once they got their food the awkwardness died down and they talked to each other once more about their likes and dislikes. Mach got to learn much about the dark-haired uma girl and her interests, one of the major ones being that she’s a big fan of drawing and would like to be an artist someday. She also idolizes Bourbon and while they are best friends, the former sees herself less compared to the latter. Mach was able to resolve this the same way as his earlier statements, giving Rice a nice boost of confidence and determined that the next race she would beat Bourbon. Rice also got to know Mach well such as his love for video games and music, plus that he enjoys reading as well. The umanoshonen explained to her one story which involves a few humans, a dwarf, an elf and a wizard looking guy all trying to reach this dark and terrible place to get rid of a certain item that can only be destroyed within lava. The dark-haired uma girl was VERY interested when he explained it.

After their meal they spent the rest of their day going through stores, Mach taking his time with Rice as she went through several bookstores and art supply ones. He was intrigued by her admiration for colored pencils, the umamusume getting flustered for him seeing her in such a state. Nonetheless Mach did note that she eyed a particular set which had 500 of them and while she wasn’t looking, Mach went ahead and bought them. As they left the store the umanoshonen presented the bag containing the colored pencils to her.

Rice tackled Mach to the ground as she cried hard, giving so much thanks and squeezing the uma boy very tight. The latter simply chuckled and petted her back, glad to see her beyond happy.

From there they went to an arcade, Mach in awe at the many crane games that they had available with different prizes varying in size and shape. He explained to the umamusume how during his travels he didn’t have time to wind down and enjoy things that people his age would do, Rice feeling sad from it but Mach stating that he didn’t mind it. If anything enjoying it with someone still made the experience fun for him.

Mach noticed Rice look at one of the crane games that had a bunch of plushies in it, almost all of them looking like the students at Tracen Academy.

‘Looks like they are very popular around the area. Makes sense since their races are pretty high level.’ he thought. Rice eyed the plushie of herself that was in the middle of all the others, her pink-purple eye gazing at it with admiration. Seeing that amazed look on her face Mach went ahead and inserted yen into the machine to play, the dark-haired umamusume insisting that he shouldn’t since the crane games are set in a way that you have to spend a lot of money in order to get.

Her words didn’t mean much as Mach not only grabbed the Rice plushie on his first try surprising the uma girl herself, but he got another one which was attached to the arm of the Rice plushie. Once he grabbed it from the prize container Mach saw that the plushie wasn’t like the others; it was an uma boy one that looked very much like him.

‘What the hell? Since when did they have this?!’ Mach inspected the plushie and indeed it looked just like him. Shrugging it off after he gave both of them to Rice who eyed the plushie of himself in astonished joy, giving a big squeal as she hugged both toys close to her. Mach smiled widely, happy to see her normally gloomy demeanor the complete opposite of what it is.

Afterwards they went to several video game stores with which Mach sighed in relief and geeked out on both old and new releases and consoles as well. Rice giggled at how he sped through the aisles in awe at the games he blabbered about wanting to play and told her on several of the storylines and what’s in it. Rice was intrigued and like Mach looked at each of them curiously; while she didn’t play video games much she did find them interesting. At the end the umanoshonen left very content with several new games in hand and Rice glad to see his expression displaying much wonder.

The day began to come to a close as the sunset was seen in the distance, the two at the train station with Mach and Rice looking at each other while standing in front of the gates.

“T-This is where I go back Mach-san. Thank you so much for your time, I had a lot of fun!” Rice gave a deep bow while holding her plushies and bag.

Mach waved a hand in return. “No worries Rice-san, I also had a lot of fun. Sucks that I had to get separated from the others but I’m pretty sure they had a great time as well, and if anything I still enjoyed my time with you. It was great!”

Rice got back up and laughed. “I remembered Felix-san saying that whoever beat him during the training would get the chance to go out with you and none of us won, yet I still…” the dark-haired uma girl hid her face behind the plushies. “…went out with you.”

The umanoshonen blinked, his own face turning slightly red as he scratched his cheek anxiously. “W-Well yes you did hehe, but honestly I didn’t really mind it if you or any of the others wanted to hang out; all you needed to do was ask me.” Mach also sweatdropped. “Uncle has a habit of teasing me so often so don’t worry, I wouldn’t have turn any of you down if you asked.”

‘And as long as you girls don’t make it weird.’ Mach thought rolling his eyes mentally.

Rice stared at him in wonderment, his emerald eyes showing warmth and truthfulness which made her chest flutter. For the gloomy umamusume, most days wouldn’t go well with her and misfortune would follow her wherever she went. Her reserved nature and perception of seeing herself as lower to her peers made it so she tries her best not to stick out too much, the traits affecting her friends and how many she can make if any. When it comes to racing she has spirit and determination, wanting to come out of her shell to show that she can be a great influence to others… but just like the witch in her story, not a lot of people like her.

‘And yet… here is this boy…’ Rice thought continuing to look at Mach. While she was starting to get to know him, his calm but vibrant energy radiated warmly onto her which attracted the dark-haired uma girl to the uma boy. Her friends such as Bourbon would have a similar effect, but unlike them his was different. Rice could tell that Mach had gone through so much more compared to her given that he races internationally, and that meant more exposure to the world meaning that not only will more cheer for him, but he’ll have more that hate him for winning races.

‘And here I am, g-getting worked up from a few locals booing me for beating Mejiro-san while Mach-kun has a lot more against him out there.’ Rice’s eyes threatened to leak tears. ‘And he brushes it off, continuing to do what he dreams of doing.’

Mach saw the incoming tears, placing a hand on her shoulder which surprised Rice.

“I could tell what you’re thinking.” he gave a warm smile. “Like I said before, a race doesn’t fully define what makes you, you. Whether you win or lose, who you truly are inside and how you treat others will define how others really look at you. And you have friends and family there by your side supporting you all the way, so if anything focus more on those aspects. Eventually the people that see you negatively will turn around cheer for you as well, and I’ll be one of your friends cheering for you as well.”

Rice gasped, her heart skipping a beat.

‘H-He… cheer f-for me?... R-Really?’ the dark-haired umamusume couldn’t speak, her sobs coming out quietly as she could only nod. ‘O-Oh my goddesses…  Mach-kun… thank you so much!’

“I also remembered during our conversation in lunch that you had a habit of spreading misfortune right?” Mach said. Rice looked up sniffing a bit. “Y-Yes, that’s w-why Rice tries to b-be careful when being w-with others…”

Mach gave her a grin.

“Didn’t seem like anything bad happened today, and you were having a great time yourself.”

Once again Rice gasped.

His words affected her and they were true: nothing bad or out of the ordinary that would cause trouble came between them. Rice was being carefree the entire time without realizing it.

‘W-We had a great day t-together… and-!’ Rice looked at the bag holding her colored pencils and her plushies in her other hand.

‘I got what I always dreamed of getting… and Mach-kun made it possible.’ She then looked up at the umamoshonen. ‘Nothing went wrong when I was with him. We had such a fun time and…’ Rice’s eyes widened when the sunset’s rays hit Mach from the side, the glow cascading on his form making it more vibrant. His emerald hues shined a wonderous display and the uma girl couldn’t take her eyes off them.

‘Mach-kun… he saved me…’ Rice hid her face back to her plushies, her cheeks very red. ‘H-He dispelled my misfortune… using his magic…’

Rice felt Mach pet her head gently to which the latter looked up in surprise. The uma boy continued to give his smile, his expression a soft one.

“It looks like your misfortune disappeared, and hopefully it remains so after today. You’re an amazing person Rice-san and keep believing in yourself no matter what. You got great people cheering for you.” Mach scratched the back of his head. “And being honest this was one of the best outings I had so far. Before I was planning to stay in the whole weekend, but I’m glad I got to hang out with you and the others.”

The dark-haired umamusume sniffed and nodded, more tears threatening to leak out. Rice was really happy.

Without thinking Mach lifted both his hands and using his index fingers, wiped away Rice’s tears. The latter squeaked at his actions, his touch captivating her and she as well without thinking leaned further in. Mach also noticed that this was the first time he saw both Rice’s eyes, and they were…

‘Woah, Rice feels really soft and has amazing eyes. She really does take care of herself well and for a racing uma… man people that boo her sure are terrible at someone so sweet.’ Mach lowered his hands once he was finished, the umamusume whimpering quietly from his absence. Mach’s ears heard it and while it pained him that he had to stop, the umanoshonen wanted to make sure she doesn’t miss her train.

“Well this is where we go our separate ways. I had a lot of fun Rice-san and can’t wait to see how you and the others do during our trainings.” Mach gave a small bow and waved. “I’ll see you at school.”

Just as he was about to turn, Rice closed the gap between and gave Mach a big hug. The uma boy jumped from the action, but settled into it and returned the hug.

“T-Thank you so much Mach-san. Rice also had a lot of fun.” the uma girl looked up at him giving a nice smile. Mach nodded as the two separated with grins on their faces, the announcer over the speakers informing of the train Mach needed to take about to head off.

Emerald eyes widened as Mach’s ears twitched. “Oh shoot that’s my train! Anyway have a nice weekend Rice-san and glad I got to hang out with you!” the uma boy turned and started heading off towards his destination waving back.

Rice giggled and waved high in the air on part, her smile ever present. “Have a nice weekend as well Mach-san! I’ll see you at school too!”

“Wait huh?!” another voice caught Rice’s attention, the dark-haired uma yelping upon seeing Special Week, Silence Suzuka, Tokai Teio, El Condor, Grass Wonder and Seiun Sky run up to her breathing quite a bit.

“Was that Mach-san we just saw?!” Tokai announced looking at the direction the umanoshonen ran off to.

“Yup that was definitely Mach-san, and que?! He was with you this entire time?!” El Condor loudly said causing Rice to cover her ears.

“Please calm down El-san, don’t scare Rice-san and it was our fault that we got separated from him.” Grass Wonder comforted.

Seiun sighed with arms behind her head. “Well that sucks, but at least we got to hang with him this morning.”

“But I wanted the entire day Seiun-san! It’s not fair!” Special Week complained and looked at Rice. “You’re lucky you got to spend time with him Rice-san.”

Suzuka noticed the plushies in her arms. “Those look very cute. Did you win them at the arcade?”

Rice nervously looked at all of them and shook her head. “R-Rice didn’t w-win them… Mach-san… did.”

They all gasped in surprise.

“AAAAAAAHHHH WE SHOULD’VE TRIED HARDER TO FIND HIM!” Tokai yelled.

Special Week saw that besides the Rice plushie Rice herself held, the other one stood out to her the most. She couldn’t believe it.

“I-I-Is th-th-that-!”

“Hijole no puedo creerlo is that Mach-san?!” El Condor pointed at the uma boy plushie in her arms. Rice yelped and turned away from them clutching onto her prizes tightly.

Suzuka fell to her hands and knees in despair. “So lucky…”

Seiun casually walked over to Rice-san smiling at her.

“How much are you looking for so I can have that Mach plushie of yours?”

Rice gasped and shook her head turning away from the short-haired umamusume. “T-They’re mine!”

Grass Wonder walked over to Seiun glaring at her a bit then petted Rice’s shoulder.

“Don’t listen to her Rice-san, If it’s yours it’s yours.” her blue eyes shadowed over. “But you don’t mind sharing correct?”

The dark-haired uma girl squeaked and moved herself away from the tawny-haired umamusume, her pink purple eyes darting at everyone who slowly walked up to her in a creepy way.

“C’mon Rice-san, I can take care of that plushie so you don’t have to hold on to too many things hehehehehehe.” Special Week ominously said.

“Rice-san is the sweetest and she can understand that sharing is caring.” Suzuka muttered under her breath.

“Dame es mono Rice-san, I’ll let you watch several wrestling matches for free and you get front row seats!” El Condor offered.

“You can be my best friend and train with me all you like Rice-san!” Tokai interjected.

Seiun and Grass Wonder had locked in expressions ready and were the closest to Rice, the latter becoming scared and upon hearing the announcer about her train bolted off past the gates.

“I-I APOLOGIZE BUT I’LL BE LEAVING NOW!”

The uma girl group blinked several times before chasing after her.

“WE TAKE THE SAME TRAIN SO YOU CAN’T ESCAPE US!”

It was an uneventful end of the day nonetheless for them.

…

…

“Whew, NOW I’m pooped.” Mach fell onto his futon having changed into his regular pjs. Night has fallen by the time he arrived and the glow of the moon shown outside his window, the light of his room on as well. The uma boy looked up at the ceiling thinking about the events that happened today.

“I got to visit a cool looking place, spent some time with a few of the girls from school against my will but it was fine, got separated from them, took down a robber, met with Rice-san and hung out with her for the rest of the day, and was able to get some video games.” Mach sighed with a smile. “Definitely one of the most interesting days I had so far.”

Sitting up the uma boy dug into the bag of goodies he bought and opened up one of the games to boot it up.

BZZT BZZT.

Mach felt his phone buzz within his pocket and pulling it out Mach looked at the notification on his screen. A message from his uncle.

“Hey Mach! How’s your first weekend in Japan treating you?”

The umanoshonen smiled and replied back. “Pretty good, went out to Akihabara.”

His uncle responded seconds later.

“That’s good to hear! Did you meet or hang out with any of the uma girls from school?

Mach sighed and told the truth. “Yes and I happened to bump into them, so no I didn’t go to school and asked any of them if they wanted to hang out.”

His uncle’s response: “Haha they’re knowing where you’ll be my boy! I’m sure they were dying to go out with you and hopefully you made a choice on who will be your one and only, but I don’t mind multiple if you go that route haha!”

The sixteen-year-old rolls his eyes scoffing. “Like that’ll ever happen uncle. I just met them and our focus here is making sure they can awaken and reach their goals.”

“Well alright but remember to always use prote-.”

“Uncle, no. We’re not discussing this any further.” Mach gave a deadpanned look at his phone.

“Looks like you definitely enjoyed your day nonetheless. I’m glad Mach and you deserve it after the training this week.”

Mach decided not to tell him about the robber thing and his time with Rice Shower, so instead he thanked his uncle for the training.

“Aside from that… the league representative said that in several months, they’re planning to bring the next two events to Japan.”

The uma boy’s eyes widened.

“That’s too soon uncle! There’s no way they’ll be ready yet!”

A response seconds later.

“They’re not talking about Tracen Academy Mach… they’re talking about bringing them.”

Mach immediately heard maniacal laughter within his head, his thumbs tapping on his phone.

“You mean… he’s also going to be there?”

Almost half a minute passed to which Mach furrowed his brows in annoyance.

BZZT.

The message confirmed his thoughts.

“Most likely not, but don’t let him get in your head Mach. So far you should have an advantage over him when you face off against each other but he’s been winning races you haven’t been in lately. Partly due to the small break we’re having at the moment, but again don’t let him get into your head.”

Mach sighed responding. “Will do uncle. I can’t stand him and the others don’t either, but he’s just… insufferable.”

BZZT.

“He is Mach… and it won’t stop him from overtaking you in achieving that goal she entrusted to you… Heh, your grandmother was something.”

Mach felt that memory from earlier begin to rise again and it unnerved him. He tapped the phone screen quickly.

“I don’t want to talk about that uncle. I’m getting tired now I’ll be turning in for the night.”

About a minute passed as Mach silently stared at the screen, no response sent from his uncle yet.

‘It looks like he’s done for the night as well.’

BZZT.

‘Never mind.’

Mach stared at the message sent to him, his emerald eyes glued to the words. The usual smile on the sixteen-year-old’s face lowered and replaced with a frown as he lowered the phone and stared at the ceiling.

“So if I guess right, it’ll be early next year then… it’ll be something.” Mach got up and grabbed his game console heading downstairs. He went straight to the living room and made himself comfortable on the sofa while turning on the TV.

The uma boy played on his console and while he focused on the game, his mind also wandered on something else.

‘The girls have impressed uncle and I for their determination, but they’re not even close to starting altitude just yet. It’s still the first week but it seems like if it’s already been more than that.’ Mach heard that evil laugh within his head, teeth clenching at the mental sound.

‘I won’t go easy on you, and I’ll be ready for whatever you throw against me. Not just for me, but for the others as well.’

Mach’s green orbs flashed red for a moment.

‘You won’t be getting the World Triple Crown.’

Chapter Text

Q&A

Hello everyone!

Okay so I have replaced the announcement (sort of) chapter with a Q&A to respond to some of the comments asking questions regarding several things about the story. Now to reiterate what I said before, I’m only writing as a hobby so it won’t be perfect and most of my works won’t exactly resonate well with many people which is okay. If you enjoy the story that’s great and if you don’t, you don’t have to continue reading it as there are plenty of other works out there that are most likely better and if that’s your cup of tea, then more freedom to you. I’m only writing this fic because I had a burst of ideas come into my head one day and decided ‘you know, I think I’ll step away from StH stuffs and write about a horse boy being born into a world of horse girls lol’. This is all fiction as well so don’t take it seriously and just enjoy the story and whatnot lol.

Alright time for the Q&A stuff so I’ll start (questions are in bold):

• Why do some characters act very OoC?

A: I mentioned it in the first several chapters of the story (the intro stuff that’s in bold) that I won’t get everyone’s personalities down to the fine print. There’s a lot of them and while I have watched the anime and play the game, it’s been a long time for the former. With the game I tend to speedrun the cutscenes because there’s so many of them and if I were to take my time it would take at least an hour or so just to complete (if I win URA) one uma. I’m also basing it off some official dialogue I found online and using that as reference, but that doesn’t mean I’ll get it perfect down the line. That’s why it’s fanfiction as well so franchise characters being slightly or almost OoC is still okay if anything.

• Will we get to meet all the umamusumes?

A: No. There are at least seventy of them (and more new ones being released such as Stay Gold) and if I were to do that then this story will turn into an epic novel and I would have to figure out the personalities of the entire academy study body just to meet that requirement lol. I have gotten feedback on adding some umas because of personal preference and want to see how they interact with my OC characters, but unfortunately I won’t be covering most of them as I’m planning to keep this story to a certain length. I’m primarily focusing on the main characters (mostly from the anime side) and some supporting ones like Orfevre and such. If your favorite uma doesn’t come out in the story, I greatly apologize. Again there’s so many of them lol.

• Will Mach be in an official race against the other umamusumes?

A: Depends, you’ll have to read more of the story lol.

• Will Mach be part of the post-race concerts?

A: …I unno. xD

• What is the correct Japanese term for ‘horse boy’?

A: Okay this one has received quite a bunch of unnecessary controversy and I’m not going to submit an essay responding to this. In my story I use ‘umanoshonen’ which translates to ‘horse boy’, but there are other terms that fit the bill as well such as ‘umadanshi’ and ‘uma musuke’. All three of them are still valid and while the Japanese language doesn’t have an official name for ‘horse boy’, they’re the closest to the meaning and that’s fine. For ‘umamusume’, the term wouldn’t be official if it weren’t for Cygames trademarking the name and if the series didn’t exist then ‘umamusume’ wouldn’t be official either, but it’s the closest in terms of ‘horse girl’. I’m not going to dive deeper into it as it only creates a huge hassle but interpret it as however you wish based off your language perspective; it’s not disrespecting the Japanese language or anything since it’s still close to the meaning anyway.

• Is Mach supposed to be a ‘Gary Stu’? He seems very OP and doesn’t have flaws or anything.

A: Technically he is one but as I have explained in the announcement chapter before I replaced it with this one (if you managed to read it before I removed it), he will have some flaws. Reiterating from the announcement stuff he is prone to anger in certain situations such as the chase scene in the last chapter, and we’re getting close to the point where you’ll see Mach in a different way. There was a comment stating that Mach is like Saitama (One Punch Man) where he is OP at almost everything except video games and high level eating lol, and that the point of the story is the development of the umamusumes and not Mach as he is basically a supporting character. All I can say to this is that it’s similar but yes, Mach is like Saitama but he has flaws. For Saitama his flaws are that he doesn’t have psychic powers like Tatsumaki, can’t fly and has an existential crisis personality where he sees himself as too powerful and doesn’t enjoy the battles he does because he one shots everything easily lol. There’s more flaws to him but I won’t list them, but it’ll be the same way for Mach, and the reason I haven’t put them in yet is because I was focusing on introducing the umamusume characters, having them undergo the training I had in mind for them, and some slice of life stuffs that I had planned at the time. I apologize if I haven’t added them in yet, but later in the story (Chapter 11) you will start seeing cracks emerge from Mach. He isn’t the perfect uma most people see him to be so he’s gonna go through character development, and he doesn’t fly lol. Stay tuned!

• Will Mach have some sort of origin story explained?

A: I don’t want to reveal much, but in this case I’ll answer the question.

Yes, Mach will have an origin story explained on how he became an elite runner. You will see character development from him when the story gets to that point and if you read Chapter 5 closely, you will find out that Mach was technically supposed to be a sprinter uma only. His trainer also explains that the training he did to become an awakened uma was very intense for Mach, therefore HE WENT through character development but off-screen lol. Unfortunately some overlooked these parts of the chapter, and it’s fine I don’t blame you as your concerns are still valid, but yes Mach has had it rough before he awakened. I mean he’s supposed to be a sprinter uma (given that his uma mom is a sprinter) but has went through training that applies to distance umas and when he awakened, he got the human genotypes from his human dad who is a long distance runner and can now effectively do both sprints and distance events proficiently. However he has more aptitude towards longer distances. Regardless there was some character development in that chapter if you have read it and more of his backstory will be explained in the later half of the story. Just sit tight! :D

• Why are almost, if not, all the umamusumes into Mach the first day they meet?

A: This is a harem-like story, and the anime trope for this story follows the trend where if you put a single boy into an all-girl institution (the Shomin Sample anime is the best example) then they all fall in love with him lol. However it’s not full lovey dovey and most of the time they speak regular conversation if you noticed in some of the chapters. But it does follow that trope and I mean, I indirectly stated it in the chapter summary lol. Plus the tags are humor/romance so yeah lol. However it won’t be the main premise of the story but it’ll be there because why not. xD

• Why is it that Mach isn’t famous in Japan but he is in other countries, and why is that Japan doesn’t know about awakened umas and a higher league? For some umas such as Symboli Rudolf, she has gone overseas so why doesn’t she know of this?

A: I mean I haven't explained it yet but Japan as a whole tends to be pretty reserved and in this story it's assuming that the URA in Japan don't perform much coverage overseas and only a select few watch the international races. This kind of makes sense because if anything the home country would most likely be fans of their home players, which are the Tracen Academy umamusumes. And yes some like Taiki Shuttle and Grass Wonder are from America but in the fanfic I'm going with the assumption that they lived there for most of their life in Japan before finding out about uma boys existing. The trainers would make the most sense to know of uma boys existing because due to their positions they would like to get as much knowledge from not just their native trainees but also talent from other countries. The director and secretary would know as well prior to Mach landing in Japan. Since Japan as a whole is pretty reserved (at least in my story lol) they wouldn't know much about the uma boys and the higher league, but there is a reason why it's been kept a secret. This isn't me intentionally doing it, but further down the story it will be explained; for the umamusumes not knowing who Mach is... well it goes like this:

The timeline in Umamusume (both anime and game) is super weird. There are umas that are technically years far older/younger than others yet can race together. Take Maruzensky for example, the horse was born in 1976 and didn't start racing until few years later, while Taiki Shuttle was born in 1994... yet in the anime they're in the same team lol. They can race each other as well and in the anime they follow the same race format as their real life counterparts, but they're from completely different time periods. In terms of Rudolf going overseas, in this story the umamusumes technically haven't gone overseas yet (sorry if I didn't explain this). That's why in both the franchise and in fanfics the timelines don't have to exactly follow the real life ones. And that's why they don't know Mach because none of them have been told or been exposed to international racing events; if anything they're more focused on trying to outrun each other in their own races so international stardom would still be a long way for them. There's gonna be things in the story that will diverge from the franchise so stay tuned lol.

So there you have it, I answered some of the questions that I’ve been getting recently both in the comments and in PMs. I try to be as descriptive as I can to my responses and to the point, but if anything I’m hoping it alleviates some people’s concerns.

Again I do this as a hobby so I’m not planning to do full time writing. If you checked the most recent update to some of my other works, there’s been at least a year or so gap before I started writing this fanfic. I haven’t posted up anything during that time lol, so it shows that I’m not going to do this as a full time thing. If anything I’m an aerospace engineer so my writing is more advanced on the technical side when it comes to reports, but that doesn’t mean it’ll translate well into fanfiction writing.

Hopefully I answered everyone’s questions (at least the most important ones) and further into the story I don’t receive much more lol. I don’t want to reveal too much as the story’s getting into its serious phase, but if anything based off most of the positive feedback I’ve been getting the narrative is done very well (at least in my eyes lol). Again I’m not perfect when writing stories such as this but I make sure it makes sense and the narrative is engaging and interesting. Terminology may be off at times but I make sure it’s closest to the official translation if I have to reference another language.

So yeah that’s basically all I have to say. I’m just writing a goofy story about an uma boy training and helping to awaken a school full of uma girls who like him very much but at the same time are serious about being at a level much, much than where they’re at right now. If anything I’m just going with the flow and already got the rest of the story set up with the ending already locked in; I just need to type it lol.

Stay tuned for the next chapter as well now that I’m feeling better from my illness. Til next time! ouo/

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 9

Three months have passed since Mach Infinite and Damon Felix arrived in Japan to train and demonstrate their abilities to the talented students at Tracen Academy. During those three months the students partook in various training regimes that were significantly different compared to what they normally do, and it tested their limits outside of their regular uma training. The first of those trainings during the duo’s first week was long-distance endurance in which for the teams of Spica and Rigil, they were to race against Mach through several repeats while they endured distances beyond 3200 meters with minimal breaks. In the end the uma boy defeated them with the uma girls having exhausted all their energies and overheated from their efforts. Nonetheless both Mach and Damon were very impressed by their potential.

The second of the trainings involved trail running on uneven and technical terrain which tested balance, coordination and reflexes for another group of umamusumes. Their speed and stamina were to be closely monitored as unlike the flat terrain of the racetrack where they don’t have to worry about balance, trail running required them to engage other muscles in their legs and core to ensure they kept a consistent pace without tripping or falling to the ground and sacrificing speed. For some of them they did fall but luckily continued to keep going with minor scratches. In addition Damon decided to race against the umamusumes during the trail run training and because he was aware they had no experience on uneven terrain and would tire out quickly due to the variable slopes and inclines, the human trainer was able to win against them on the final repeat. He also told them that their trainers would be doing the same thing alongside them and that their goal was to defeat them, which would be a difficult task in part that humans adapt much better to the conditions while with umas it will take much longer.

The end goal for both Mach and Damon during their visit is to have the umamusumes at Tracen Academy undergo an awakening. The latter stated that when an uma breaks past human thresholds and becomes exposed to a catalyst, which at the moment is unknown, their human genotypes activate where their athletic attributes immensely increase. Once that occurs the effects are permanent and not only do they gain higher speed, stamina and power but they also gain the physiological mechanisms that make humans advantageous over umas, such as body temperature regulation to avoid overheating and faster adaptation to several environments. For humans they have the upper hand in higher temperature and humidity conditions and longer distance running, therefore when the uma awakens they will have the capabilities of not just umas but humans as well. They will have the full abilities of two species in one which is where Mach falls in as he is an awakened umanoshonen, one of the very few uma boys to exist.

For Mach is he is there to demonstrate his awakened traits where he is much faster, much stronger and much more adaptive to differing conditions compared to the regularly trained umamusumes at Tracen Academy, and he is determined to make sure that they also break their limits so that they can achieve the same traits as he does. The sixteen-year-old wants them to reach their dreams at a faster rate and to go beyond what their normal careers ask them to, as to him there is no limit to how far an uma can go.

Nonetheless he was also enrolled in the elite school in order to continue his education. Ever since he started Mach was at the top of his class in every subject and off the track was very popular among his peers. The umanoshonen however didn’t like the fact that it was an all-girl school, and since he was the only boy going there he got A LOT of attention. Even the director of the school had a thing for him and made no attempt to hide her advances to the sixteen-year-old, notifying Mach each time he wasn’t in class that he was allowed to visit her office for whatever reason. And it didn’t have to be for academic purposes, but luckily her secretary made sure the former behaved.

Mach also made several friends while he attended the school, but he hasn’t had a solid group yet as EVERYONE in the school wanted to hang out with him. He is familiar with some of the teams such as Spica and Rigil, but for others he is not fully aware of yet and most of the time he actually wanted to spend his break times such as lunch in peace and quiet. All of them, like the director, also sought out his affections and due to their uma nature of being very clingy and possessive towards their potential special someone, it would normally break out into very heated arguments over who would be Mach’s special someone. Mach made sure to avoid those types of scenarios as much as he can and which is why he likes to spend his free time in solitude while he attends the school, but no matter what there would always be an umamusume nearby looking at him.

And even during the several months that passed, they STILL stare at him with love-filled expressions and chase him down in between classes. Luckily the teachers are aware of his predicament and made sure the class behaves while it’s in session, and Mach also realized that the announcement Director Yayoi put out during the first week didn’t do much to quell on that issue. Secretary Tazuna did state that there was no guarantee they would obey the rule, but at least he got a nice workout in between classes.

Although he did have to put up with those types of issues as a student and ambassador, Mach didn’t disagree that he wasn’t having a great time. Every day was something new for the umanoshonen and while he would get annoyed or weirded out by his fellow students’ antics and such, he ended up smiling and laughing in the end. He got to know some of them well, learning their backstories and seeing what their goals are during their time racing. Mach learned that some of them came from the poorer countrysides aspiring to become the greatest derby runners, while others want to either follow or improve their bloodline legacy, and others wanting to surpass their former idols or umamusume parents. Regardless Mach was intrigued by them, seeing the passion in their eyes and determination that they want to achieve their dreams no matter what. That in turn driving Mach’s own determination to make sure they achieve those dreams and awaken so they can become much better than they currently are.

Outside of running and school he was also very adept at other sports such as football, swimming and baseball. Due to his awakened traits he excelled in these fields much better than the umamusumes and when it came to swimming in particular, he himself made it clear that NO UMA GIRL trains with him while he’s in the water as he didn’t want to imagine their reactions while wearing minimal clothing. Mach also mentioned his martial arts prowess that also applied to kendo, where he effortlessly defeated several of his peers and very strong ones like Vodka without breaking a sweat. This only made them fall for him even more.

In terms of appetite Mach had the largest one in the school, outclassing even Oguri Cap. It was known when he participated in one of the donut eating contests the school had every year during their festivals and faced off against the likes of Oguri Cap and several other umamusumes. Once the timer started not only did Mach devour the entire platter of stacked donuts in three seconds but he took the platter next to him and gobbled it up as well within the same time frame, and the audience was shocked on not only witnessing him finish his food that quickly but the fact that the person he took the plate from was Oguri Cap’s. The latter was stunned that Mach was able to outeat her so quickly and although they were given another platter of donuts, the same thing occurred where the umanoshonen ate it all in one go while the white-haired umamusume tried to keep up. In the end Oguri Cap yielded and Mach won the contest by a landslide, winning the prize which was an inflatable donut toy. Since he had no need for it he gave it to Oguri Cap, the latter blushing immensely from the offer.

It should’ve been expected since he normally eats a food truck sized bento every day after his training. Also given the fact he’s an awakened uma, his energy reserves require higher sustenance and his metabolism is through the roof.

All in all Mach was having an interesting but fun time at Tracen Academy. He and his trainer are seeing a great amount of progress from the umamusumes and during those months their trail running, speed and endurance have greatly improved. They’re up to a point where they can almost keep up with their trainers in terms of uneven terrain, Damon letting the trainers know before he and Mach arrived in Japan to do the workout. Some were excited and got to it right away, while others like Okino and Hana from Team Spica and Team Rigil respectively took some persuasion given how experienced their trainees were. Luckily Damon explained that they would be fine and so far, distance runners like Gold Ship and Special Week were having a hard time keeping up with Okino on the trails. Vodka, Daiwa Scarlet and Mejiro McQueen kept silent when the topic was brought up where their trainer beat them in such conditions. Silence Suzuka began looking up to him as an eternal rival on the trails. Other than that they were definitely improving in terms of balance, coordination, reflex and maintaining a consistent pace on technical terrain.

Both the sprinters and distance umamusumes were making great gains overall, but none of them have awakened yet. Damon saw that they were getting close to the last part of their training regime, but in their current state are still not ready. Aside from running they partook in more intense variations of their regular workouts, the weight bands given to Mach during the first trail running session they had applied to them for stuff like swimming and such. They weren’t given the colossal weight amount Mach normally gets, but they got enough that they would have a very tough time during their workouts.

And this was needed to ensure they were ready for whatever the last task was that Damon had planned for them in order to awaken.

The duo also got to see them participate in the races their organization, the URA, put together. Before the first race started the uma boy was confused on why the uma girls were wearing racing outfits which for a normal person would only add resistance, drag them down and are more suited for fancy events. Damon stated that this was the norm for the umamusumes in Japan and countries such as France also adopted the trend. Due to their superhuman abilities the negative downsides didn’t apply to them as well.

The training Mach and Damon had for them improved their overall times, but it wasn’t close to the times Mach would normally achieve. Their personal bests did improve but the most for one of them was a ten second decrease; regardless it’s still quite an achievement. Not only that but the atmosphere between the umamusumes was much happier compared to before Mach and Damon arrived. Director Yayoi stated that the highly competitive nature among the umamusumes was so intense that grudges will be held before and after the race. This was in part that aside from the established teams, most of them tend to train alone with their trainers. When the uma boy and older trainer arrived, they had groups randomly put together where the umamusumes had to run alongside one another in order to meet certain requirements. Like the very first training sessions where they raced against Mach and Damon, they were forced to work together to beat one or both of them and it also applied to the umamusumes who weren’t in teams. While they weren’t able to beat them, it allowed them to learn more about one another in terms of strengths and weaknesses.

This in turn reduced the amount of grudges some had for each other and now almost everyone is giving each other tips on what to do in order excel beyond their limits. Before it was keeping most information to themselves to maintain an advantage, but now almost everyone is sharing knowledge on how to become better runners. Mach and Damon grinned happily at their results and the latter had a feeling why that is so.

It is because he told them all a simple thing:

“Running is the most freest sport in the world. It doesn’t require much aside from having a body, mind and spirit. Whether you’re new to the discipline or a longtime veteran of the sport, it connects us all together because it’s something all of us are born to do. It connects us in many ways to be a better version of ourselves, and it provides us with much wisdom on what more we can do as individuals. Running isn’t something made to be frustrated against each other; rather it is something that we embrace and use to guide others so that they can either run alongside us or follow in our footsteps.”

This saying inspired them to be much more friendly with one another, Mach noting several he knows creating friendships with others that they normally don’t get along with. The sixteen-year-old agrees with what his uncle said, and that statement will help them work together so that they can awaken and reach their dreams.

Just like how Mach is aspiring to reach his as well, his journey not over yet.

Not only that but he got to see that teamwork in action when he and his uncle saw the post-race concerts they had. All the lights, music and dances were very creative and brought a vibrant atmosphere to all their supporters with entertaining singing and wonderful lyrics. The duo saw the passion, determination and courage in their eyes upon that stage, silent promises given to the people through their actions that they will reach their dreams no matter what. For Mach this was something out of the ordinary that he didn’t see other countries do, but he fully welcomed it as it was something that brings everyone together. Whether the race ends for or against someone’s favor, there is always next time to improve much more and show all what one is capable of truly doing…

…yet during those performances all the umamusumes made sure their eyes focused on Mach for the most part, some of them breaking out of sync to entice him with cute poses and flirty expressions. While the audience cheered louder from those actions, Mach sweatdropped knowing they were meant for him and Damon merely laughed heartily.

Either way the duo had a great time so far at Tracen Academy, and due to his unique status and abilities Mach didn’t have to participate in the URA races.

The uma boy assumed they wouldn’t allow him anyway.

…

…

“WELCOME TO THE KIKUKA SHO!”

Loud cheers roared across the stands within the Kyoto Racecourse among a large racetrack. It was a sunny day with slight wind blowing and slightly cold temperatures, perfect conditions for derby racing which would be happening shortly as the commentators continued.

“Be ready to experience Tracen Academy’s very finest as they duke it out in one of the first G1 races of the season! Today you will see heavy hitters go all out for first place with fresh new faces making their grand debut and veterans returning for a chance at victory and secure either their first, second or last win for the coveted Triple Crown!”

More cheers bellowed out with many fans waving banners in support of their favorite umamusumes and others dancing to their signature moves. The atmosphere was bright with many people and umas alike very excited for the race to begin, smiling faces from young to old hoping for their favorites to put out a spectacular performance.

In a boxed section of the racecourse stands, Mach and Damon stood in front of the large windows watching the people cheer and the officials getting the track ready for the race. Smiles were present on both their faces looking forward to the umamusumes giving it their all.

“The training they’ve been receiving has improved their times quite a bit. At this pace they’ll definitely be ready to awaken soon.” the 55-year-old trainer said.

Mach nodded crossing his arms. “All those sessions we had for the past couple of months really gave them something, but they looked determined to overcome them and be the best they can be. I’m pretty surprised they’re able to progress this quick.”

“Hahaha! That’s because my umamusumes don’t know the meaning of giving up and will always go past 100%!” Yayoi made herself known walking up to them with a fan in hand. “I sense today’s race will be one for the record books!”

Tazuna walked alongside her and bowed. “We are grateful to see you two again. From the training you provided for them the umamusumes have definitely gotten faster for both sprints and distance races ever since. Their times have broken several records.”

Damon gave a thumbs up grinning. “A pleasure to see young umas give it their all and break past their limits!”

Yayoi walked up to Mach and gave him a hug, the uma boy sweatdropping. Mach was already used to it and over time she’s been getting more touchy feely, but luckily it’s been tame compared to the more daring tactics she tried. Fortunately Tazuna was present and at the ready in case she goes in for the attack.

“I missed you Mach-kun. We were a day apart and any longer I would have lost my marbles!” the blonde-haired director cried out. Mach nervously chuckled. “There are times we haven’t seen each other for far longer Ms. Yayoi.”

“Stop calling me that Mach-kun! It’s Yayoi and if you want call me Yayoi-chan~!” Yayoi pouted pulling back a bit. Tazuna’s eye twitched as she placed a hand on her superior’s shoulder, causing the latter to squeak.

“Please don’t make Mach-san uncomfortable yet again Ms. Yayoi-san. We have gone through this hundreds of times and I may not show mercy this time…”

Yayoi quickly let go of Mach-kun putting up her hands in defense. “Okay okay I’ll stop!”

The cat on her heat lazily mewled in approval.

Mach looked back through the window and smiled at the grassy scenery, noting a large wreath with purple and white flowers at the finish line. “The racetrack looks gorgeous and I’m impressed with how the caretakers maintain the beauty of it.”

“Japan is known to have a great respect for nature Mach. It’s been there for thousands of years and even now they continue to uphold it. Other countries would do follow similar traditions, but Japan is one that takes great pride in the environment.” Damon explained.

The uma boy silently nodded, his emerald eyes focusing on the starting line at the other side of the track and seeing several of his peers.

“Looks like they’re about to start soon. Can’t wait to see what they got!” the umanoshonen spoke eagerly.

A knock on the door was heard behind them to which Tazuna walked over and opened, revealing a female URA official wearing a gray blouse and skirt who bowed to them.

“Apologies for the intrusion everyone, but may the URA board have a word with Mach-san and Damon-san?” she asked.

The male trainer raised an eyebrow. “But Ms. Yayoi is here. Isn’t she the one in charge of the organization?”

Yayoi laughed heartily and waved a hand.

“I technically am, but I didn’t get much free time doing all that managing so I created a board to take care of all the hard stuff. Even I’m not sure what they want so feel free to see what they request of you two!” the blonde-haired director said.

Mach and Damon looked at each other and shrugged, the two agreeing and heading off with the official. Tazuna closed the door after and looked at Yayoi in confusion.

“I wonder what they request of them?” Tazuna asked. Yayoi shrugged and looked back at the racecourse with a bright smile.

“Whatever they ask of them, I’m sure it’ll be something that’ll make things more interesting!”

…

“AW YEAH MAYANO TOP GUN IS READY TO WIN THIS!” an uma girl with long orange hair in pigtails with sidelocks and accessories cheered as she made her way to the starting gate on the track, her racing outfit reflecting her name well. (A/N: I won’t be describing all their racing outfits as there’s quite a lot and most are really detailed so I’m just going to stick with racing outfits and you can check out their wikis to see what they look like).

“In your dreams Maya-san! I’ll be winning this for the Mejiro family!” another umamusume with spiky short brown hair with a white tuft in the center countered. She then looked at Mejiro McQueen with a grin. “And don’t expect you’ll be winning this race McQueen-san! Mejiro Ryan will beat you this time!”

McQueen looked at her and huffed flipping her hair. “You will see why I’m one of the symbols of the Mejiro family.”

Narita Brian breathed in and out silently while walking towards the starting gate alongside Symboli Rudolf.

“You seem tense Narita-san. Be assured that you will do well in this race.” Rudolf encouraged.

The loner uma girl nodded nibbling on a long grass blade with two leaves at the end. “Yeah yeah prez no worries.”

Rudolf then did her signature thing smirking. “Why did the broom win the dance off?”

Narita Brian raised an eyebrow at her.

“He swept away the competition!”

Narita Brian rolled her eyes sighing. “Of course he would…”

Agnes Tachyon and Manhattan Café silently stretched together while watching the cheering crowd on the other side of the track.

“My guinea pig is somewhere in those stands. As usual he will be amazed by my superior skills and intellect. This race will be mine.” Tachyon said with a wide grin. Manhattan Café silently continued to stretch ignoring what she said.

“HAHAHA! King Halo will show all why she will be victorious in this race!” an umamusume with wavy brown hair and several accessories on it bellowed in pride with a hand to her face. Seiun Sky who was next to her gave a lazy expression with arms behind her head as usual. “It’s tough competition today King-san, but I’ll be leading the way and will win this.”

“A logical approach will win me this race. Having done the mathematical geometry ahead I can confidently agree that the numbers are in my favor.” another umamusume with short messy black hair with lines running through the center and several piercings announced with a hand under her chin. “Air Shakur will logically emerge victorious.”

“Teio Teio Teio!” Tokai Teio marched towards the starting gates in a parade like fashion with a large grin on her face. “Today’s the day I’ll beat prez and show all my hard work!”

Special Week and Gold Ship followed suit with smiles as well.

“I’m very excited to see all the results we gained from Mach’s and Damon-san’s training!” Special Week happily said. Her silver-haired teammate nodded adjusting her aviator glasses. “We’ll make my husband proud and afterwards we’ll retire to a nice farmland where we’ll raise our future children into mysterious background people!”

Tokai and Special Week began arguing with Gold Ship afterwards over this.

Mihono Bourbon silently watched Rice Shower nervously adjust her bowler hat as they stretched.

“Rice-san should not be anxious today. You have won several races before and are a likely candidate to earn the Triple Crown.” the brown-haired uma girl said to her best friend. Rice fixed her hat and looked at Bourbon with a worried expression. “Y-Yes but what if I disappoint everyone… even Mach-kun…”

Bourbon shook her head. “He will not be disappointed with you, and not to the rest of us either… though I’m disappointed that you spent time with him and possess that cute plushie…”

An umamusume with auburn hair in a braid with several accessories and blue eyes looked at everyone with a calm and content look.

“Everyone looks ready to go and I wish them great luck and health in this race.”

“They’ll be alright Super Creek-san, we’ll give it our all.” Narita Taishin spoke. “But I’ll make sure you and the others don’t win.”

Orfevre stood in her starting gate with arms crossed and closed eyes, avoiding contact with the others and keeping to herself.

‘All these umas are below me and none will stand in my way. This will be another victory in my road to obtaining the Triple Crown, the only competition here being Rudolf-san but I’ll make sure to trample her hopes.’

“ALRIGHT EVERYONE WE WILL BE COMMENCING THE RACE IN A FEW MINUTES! CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR FELLOW UMAMUSUMES!” the female commentator said.

The uma girls heard the sounds of the crowds from the other side as they smiled and waved.

“King Halo will show all why she’s the first-rate favorite to win this glorious event!” the brown-haired umamusume joyfully shouted waving to her fans. Special Week nervously laughed and Seiun Sky shrugged.

Tokai marched in place facing the stands. “I’ll give it my all so please continue your support!”

Super Creek saw her distant trainer and waved both hands in the air.

“I’m here Trainer-san! I’ll make sure to spoil you if I win after!” she said. Narita Taishin sweatdropped at her comment as she looked around after. “Wonder where Ticket-san is?”

The others appreciated the support with Orfevre the only one remaining within her gate. Manhattan remained still on her part, but most are aware that she does Manhattan things.

Rice Shower breathed in and out as she finished stretching, a determined look appearing on her face. “Okay, Rice-san is ready!”

Bourbon nodded back to her. “May you have a great race and wish you luck.”

The runners began making their way towards their assigned gates ready to go, the crowd in the distance roaring louder.

“YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!” the male announcer suddenly interrupted. “WE HAVE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT RACER WINNING TICKET WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING DUE TO A SEVERE MOOD DECLINE!”

Several people in the crowds booed at the news with the commentators giving apologies for the inconvenience. At the other side of the track Narita Taishin sighed. “Well it makes sense. The girl can be emotional whenever small things don’t go her way.”

Mayano Top Gun had a hand over her mouth in worry. “I hope she’s okay…”

“She’ll be alright kid. All of us won’t always be in top shape for every race.” Narita Brian replied. Symboli Rudolf nodded with a concerned look. “I will check on her after the race to ensure she recovers well.”

Tachyon smiled to herself. ‘Well at least this will give me an advantage with one less person occupying the space ahead of us.’ her marked eyes gazed over to Air Shakur. ‘I’m sure she’s running numbers in her head on how this will increase her probability in achieving a win… I won’t allow it.’

McQueen and Ryan looked at each and sighed.

“Well this doesn’t change much between us. I’ll still beat you McQueen-san.” Ryan spoke.

“We’ll see how much you progressed Ryan-san, I look forward to it.” McQueen replied.

Super Creek had her hands over her mouth in shock.

“Oh no, maybe I should drop out of the race and check on her to-.”

“That won’t be necessary Creek-san.” Narita Taishin interrupted. “Like I said, she’ll be fine.”

A sudden pitch from the loudspeakers had everyone cover their ears, many eyes looking at the commentator booth in annoyance.

“We deeply apologize for the technical disturbance everyone.” the female commentator began. “But we have received word that the race will go on as planned, and a new participant will be added to take Winning Ticket’s place!”

Whispers ran among the crowds as the uma girls had confused looks. The commentators were silent for a few seconds before tapping on the mic.

“The URA has given us instructions to notify the racers that for this participant, they will not be racing them. The participant will also be restricted to the outermost lane while the umamusumes remain freely committed to the race, therefore we would like to announce that the participant is…”

“THE TWO TIME OVERSEAS TRIPLE CROWN WINNER AND AMBASSADOR AT TRACEN ACADEMY, MACH INFINITE!”

The crowds gasped in shock while all the umamusumes’ eyes widened.

“WAIT WHAT?!”  Yayoi and Tazuna looked at each other astonished.

“WHAT THE HECK?! HE’S GONNA RUN WITH US?!” Mejiro Ryan shouted not believing it.

“There’s no way. This should be statistically illegal as Mach Infinite is well beyond my mathematical probabilities to achieve victory...” Air Shakur muttered.

Seiun blinked several times in surprise. “This technically should be illegal, Mach-san is way too fast for us.”

Rudolf corrected the white-haired uma girl. “The URA did say we won’t be racing him, but I’m still in shock that he will be part of the Kikuka Sho.”

“YAY MY HUSBAND IS RUNNING WITH ME! LET US FROLICK AND IGNORE THE RACE ALTOGETHER MY LOVE~!” Gold Ship blabbered as Special Week, Tokai and McQueen tried to silence her in jealousy.

“H-He’s g-g-gonna be r-running with u-us?!” Rice Shower had both hands stunned over her mouth. Bourbon could only nod as a blush appeared on her cheeks.

“AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S ON HIS WAY TO THE STARTING GATE!”

The umamusumes snapped their heads over behind them and indeed saw the uma boy approach them. Something within them activated upon seeing Mach’s appearance.

‘This is so stupid…’ Mach thought with an annoyed look on his face as he adjusted the wrist cufflink to his racing outfit. It consisted of a primarily black look with a long-sleeved black undershirt with a long-fitted collared open coat over it that reached up to his calves. Black baggy pants covered his legs which were held up by a black belt with a large square belt bucket that was tied sideways, and black cuffed pirate boots covered his feet. He wore fingerless black gloves which he adjusted as well that adorned metallic plates on top of the knuckles and around his neck he wore a small turtleneck scarf. Small metallic black slim pauldrons rested on each of his shoulders with a white runic design that seemed to glow shown on the surface. The same runic designs were present throughout certain areas of his outfit and to finish off his look the back of his cloak had white kanji writing etched vertically down that read ‘Prototype’ with an infinity symbol above it. All in all Mach’s racing outfit looked sleek, stylish and resembled much like a pirate naval commander. (A/N: His outfit is similar to the Cursed Legion Naval Commander from the Adventure Quests Worlds game if you want to look that up; Mach’s outfit doesn’t have the gun included because reasons lol. They have awesome looking sets though!).

The sixteen-year-old uma boy sighed recounting moments earlier.

…

Earlier…

“You want Mach to run in the Kikuka Sho?” Damon raised an eyebrow at the URA board which consisted of three officials, one human male and female and one uma female. He and Mach were in another boxed section of the racecourse that was designated for management and it gave them enough privacy so they can discuss their situation.

“That is correct Felix-san. Mach will run in the race but won’t officially compete against the other runners due to his superior abilities.” the male official said.

Mach was dumbfounded. “Well couldn’t you find someone else to replace Winning Ticket-san?”

“We were about to but then we thought that in order to increase the amount of publicity and revenue to the organization for both domestic and overseas expansion, why not include the ambassador to run in the event.” the female human official explained.

The female uma official added. “But because of your unique status, you will only be allowed to run in the very outermost lane as to not interfere with the runners. The pace can be set on however you’d like but as long as you don’t merge with the racers then the event can continue as planned.”

Damon placed a hand under his chin. “I still think it isn’t right to put him in there. He’s an awakened uma and will completely obliterate everyone regardless.”

“Yeah what uncle said, and I don’t see it as fair either. Whether I race them or not, this is an official event and I’ll just be getting in the way and demoralize them.” Mach shook his head. “I refuse to participate.”

Silence rang between them for a few seconds until the URA board suddenly fell to their hands and knees.

“OH PLEASE WE’LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT!” the male URA official cried out.

Mach and Damon were surprised by the sudden action.

“Yes please reconsider Mach-san! People are starting to be aware that we have an umanoshonen in the country and are itching to see what he’s capable of!” the human URA female official added with the same tone.

“It’ll be a win-win for all of us! You’ll become well-known throughout Japan and will gain a lot of fans here, while we’ll receive much more sponsors from overseas willing to negotiate with us for potential cross-training opportunities!” the female uma URA official stated.

The older trainer sweatdropped. “Yeah but we’re here to train the umamusumes, not to participate in any races.”

“And while I’m honored to participate in a G1 race such as this, I still won’t do it.” Mach crossed his arms.

The three looked up with anime tears going down their puppy dog eyed faces. Mach’s eye twitched at how ugly they’re looking. “Yeah that’s not going to phase me…”

“We’ll supply you with as much A6 grade wagyu as you want!” the male official offered.

The uma boy raised an eyebrow. “…there’s no such thing.”

Damon had a slightly stunned look on his part. “We were told A5 is the highest. That’s impossible.”

All three officials slowly got up in a creepy way while laughing crime boss like.

“Oh but there is. It’s only available for certain VIPs of the organization and luckily we’re in it.” the human female URA person said.

“Well isn’t it because you three are part of the board? That’s a pretty high position if anything.” Damon questioned.

Mach sweatdropped at them. ‘Ms. Yayoi hires some very strange people for things.’

“It’s strictly not allowed for foreigners visiting the country but for your case we can make an exception. If you run in the Kikuka Sho we’ll provide a year’s worth of A6 wagyu that supersedes A5 by miles! Your taste buds will experience a whole new level of flavor that cannot be imagined in existence!” the male URA person bellowed.

“All you need to do is run in it while following the restrictions. Pacing doesn’t matter as long as you don’t merge with the other runners, and whatever time you get will not be put in for the official records as you would basically exceed every time for any distance by a huge amount regardless.” the human female URA official added.

The uma URA official shook her head. “And don’t worry about the runners. I’m pretty sure you already know how determined they are in terms of competition. Increasing the gap between you and them will only have them strive to go faster and their spirits will burn brighter!”

“The umamusumes at Tracen Academy are courageous and have a knack of not giving up when it comes to racing. In terms of debilitating conditions that’s another story, but when they’re out on the track running, they will always go all out.” the male URA official said while bowing.

“So please Mach-san, run in the Kikuka Sho and show everyone in our country what the world has to offer!”

Mach and Damon looked at each other.

“Well they’re offering A6 wagyu… Can’t say no to that hehe!” the 55-year-old laughed heartily and looked at he URA board with a grin. “I’ll accept if Mach here accepts as well.”

The umanoshonen gritted his teeth nervously.

‘Man why do I have to do it? They could’ve found someone else that’s more at their level to race like Fujin-san or Biwa-san, why me?...’ Mach gave a sigh. ‘That A6 wagyu though…’

“Fine I’ll run in the Kikuka Sho.” Mach narrowed his eyes at them. “And I expect the wagyu ready after I finish since I’ll be hungry by then.”

Huge grins appeared on the board’s faces as they stood up jumping up and down. “Of course Mach-san! Our chefs will have it cooked up and ready by the time you cross the finish line!”

“We appreciate your kindness, both of you!” the uma URA official spoke. “Now let us show you the racing outfit you’ll be wearing!”

“Wait what?” Mach looked at Damon who shrugged.

“Beats me, but I do remember submitting a design a while back in case you happen to enter an official race in Japan. Don’t worry though it’s nothing stupid and it’s one that’s similar to the video game characters you like, and it’ll be a real ladykiller for sure haha!”

Mach sweatdropped as he and Damon followed the URA official to the changing area to get ready.

…

Back to the present…

‘I still prefer wearing my regular running clothes over this… but at least they made it aerodynamic.’ Mach gave another sigh. ‘Welp let’s get this over with.’

“KYAAAAA~!!!!!”

The uma boy heard a squeal and instantly felt two soft plumps make contact with his face and a pair of arms wrap tightly around his head. The sweet smell of perfume engulfed his senses with Mach flailing his arms trying to escape.

“OH MY GOODNESS MY BABY BOY LOOKS SO CUTE~!” the voice of Super Creek was heard as she hugged Mach’s head with all her might smiling from ear to ear. The other uma girls seethed in rage walking over to the pair, Orfevre herself looking back with a tic mark on her forehead.

“MMMPHFPHFHFHFPHFACK!” Mach managed to pull her off as he eyed her incredulously. “Stop doing that Creek-san. I lost count how many times I said this but I’m not your son!”

The motherly looking umamusume wasn’t phased by his comment. “Oh my baby looks so tall, dark and handsome in that outfit! Once we finish the race I’ll make sure we have an incredible dinner at a nice restaurant to celebrate sweetie~!”

‘How the hell does her trainer deal with this?!’ Mach shook his head and rubbed his temples. “No thank you, and I’m still trying to get over the memory when you tried to have me play goo goo babies with you.”

“You were only being cranky that time my baby, but I have just the thing to remedy that!” Super Creek pushed out her chest. “I’ll just fill your tummy wummy up with my delicious and nutritious bre-!”

“STOOOOPP!!!!!!!!!!!”

Gold Ship and McQueen quickly tackled Super Creek onto the ground stopping her from continuing her sentence. Mach slowly moved away from them but was stopped by Mayano Top Gun jumping in front of him with hands behind her back.

“Hiya Mach-kun~!” the orange-haired uma girl greeted in joy. The uma boy smiled. “Oh hey Maya-san, looks like you’re taking part in the race as well?”

Mayano giggled. “Yeah I’m aiming for the top spot and the Triple Crown! Everyone will see how Maya-san soars through the race!”

“That’s awesome to hear and I hope you do well!” Mach replied. It was after that the umamusume blushed and looked down nervously.

“S-So after the race, can we go on a date?” Mayano looked up to him with puppy dog eyes. The umanoshonen scratched his head nervously. “Um, we’ll see what happens.”

“He will not date you Maya-san! My lovely consort befits only the worthiest which is I, King Halo!” the brown-haired uma girl introduced looking at Mach. “You do not need to waste your time with someone as inexperienced as her. I’ll show you the wonders of a perfect first-rate woman such as myself, hahaha!”

“The dude doesn’t need looks King-san, he needs someone strong that can back him up whenever he needs it!” Mejiro Ryan interrupted as she flexed. “I’ll be Mach’s second in command so save your breath!”

“I fully disagree with that statement Ryan-san. It is only statistically accurate that Mach-san and I have the highest possible compatibility in which intellect supersedes all other attributes. As he is number one in the class, he is number one in my heart.” Air Shakur smirked confidently.

Special Week, Tokai, Seiun and Narita Taishin all shook their heads and began arguing with the smart umamusume, Mach slowly becoming weirded out by their antics.

‘This much time passed and they’re STILL trying to make me go out with them?!’ Mach thought until he felt a hand grab his arm and another hand doing the same to his other arm. The uma boy saw Rudolf and Narita Brian smiling at him.

“When penguins find mates, they stay with them for the rest of their life. Will you be my penguin?” Rudolf asked. Narita Brian comically fell to the ground from the joke while Mach cringed hard. “U-Um, at least I-I know something about penguins I guess?”

Agnes Tachyon pulled Mach away from the two council members and wrapped her arms on one of Mach’s. “Come my perfect experiment. Let us continue our research as we explore the wonders of what new emotions can occur when two compatible umas dive into the mysterious realm of romance.”

“N-No I’m good thank you.” Mach pried the brown-haired uma girl off him but unfortunately Manhattan Café took her place and hugged the umanoshonen close resting her head on his chest. Mach yelped at her soft touch.

“Mach-san… dressed same color as me… looks so amazing, and friend says we go together well.” Manhattan looked up at him with wide golden eyes. “You are my boyfriend… starting now.”

“Negative Manhattan-san, he is mine and mine only.” Mihono Bourbon quickly embraced Mach’s neck nuzzling it. “We have known each other well enough that we are suited for love.”

Mach ignored her and tried pulling himself off both uma girls, eventually succeeding but having lost his balance as he fell to the ground.

“Ugh…” the sixteen-year-old shook his head while his ears flicked from a gasp.

“Are you okay Mach-kun?!” the sweet cry of Rice Shower was heard as the dark-haired uma girl kneeled down and placed her hands on his arm. Mach slowly got up with Rice helping him as he rubbed his neck. “Yeah I’m okay. I’ve taken way worse falls so that just startled me.”

He then felt two soft hands cup his face, emerald eyes widening in surprise to see Rice look at him in worry. “A-Are you sure you are okay? I-If you need me to help with anything-.”

Mach smiled and shook his head. “It’s okay Rice-san, I’m okay.” he moved his hands to gently grasp hers and lower them, Rice’s mouth trembling a bit from losing contact. The two stood there for a bit, Rice glancing at the racing outfit we wore as she blushed.

“Y-You look really cool Mach-kun… w-we match a b-bit.” the timid umamusume pointed out cutely. Mach looked at his outfit and looked at hers chuckling. “Yeah we do, similar dark colors hehe. And um, you look very pretty in yours Rice-san.”

Rice Shower’s eyes widened immensely at his compliment, her visible pink-purple eye looking at Mach’s own in astonishment. Cheeks flamed to a whole new level of red and palms becoming sweaty, Rice tried to speak but ended up stuttering as she averted her eyes and hid her face in her hands.

“T-T-Thank y-y-you Mach-k-kun!” Rice squealed in both embarrassment and in joy. The others heard what Mach said and immediately stopped arguing to surround Mach and get his opinion on their outfits.

“What about me Mach, how do I look?!” Special Week asked doing a pose to the uma boy who turned slightly red.

“Check out these guns hubby!” Gold Ship flexed her biceps which earned loud applause from the audience in the background.

“Teio Teio Teio! Hey Mach just for you~!” Tokai marched in place to get his attention, her skirt short enough to reveal more thigh causing Mach to look away. The crowd increased their loudness.

“I’m wearing that sunflower pin you said would look cute on me. What do you think?” Seiun grinned with a lazy look and flashed her own pose. The crowd roared much higher from the modeling the umamusumes were giving to Mach, the latter’s eyes becoming swirly trying to take it all in.

Orfevre continued to stay in her gate, but her willpower was crumbling in trying not to go over to Mach and take him for herself. She gritted her teeth in anger on seeing the other umamusumes getting the umanoshonen’s attention.

‘Damn them, if I didn’t have to keep my status in check I would have been all over him! I’m pretty sure he still hates me, but I’ll suck up my pride and truthfully apologize to Mach-san… he’s my everything, so please forgive me my future husband~.’

“ALRIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE THE RACE WILL BEGIN IN TWO MINUTES SO RACERS PLEASE PROCEED TO YOUR ASSIGNED STARTING GATES!”

Mach took this as an opportunity and immediately rushed to his gate that was at the very end of the metal barrier at the outermost edge. The uma girls grumbled about not being able to spend more time with the uma boy and started walking over to their gates.

As the announcer proceeded to call out each competitor, Mach once again thought about moments earlier about what his uncle told him to do…

…

Earlier (again) in the changing room…

“As much as I like the clothing Uncle Damon, it still feels ridiculous that I have to run in it. I swear this is more for Halloween.” Mach looked down at the racing outfit he was wearing. The material felt incredibly lightweight considering some accessories it bore such as the pauldrons and large belt buckle. “Least it looks cool.”

Damon grinned with arms crossed. “You look excellent my boy, the girls will be all over you at first sight hehe!”

Mach sweatdropped adjusting his coat. “I’d rather focus on finishing this race uncle. Also why does it say ‘prototype’ on the back of the coat?”

“It’s because this outfit is only a preliminary design. We’re still going through some changes on it and luckily we had one made in case the URA decide on putting you in a race.” the older trainer responded. The uma boy sighed as he bent down to put on his footwear.

“I’d rather stick to my normal race clothes. A simple tank top and shorts are good enough.”

“Well you’re gonna have to get used to it. Here in Japan presentation is everything.” Damon said. “So did you also put on the items I told you about?”

Mach got up and smirked. “Yup and can’t wait to use them again!”

“Perfect, and can’t wait until the girls are ready to try them out. It’ll be a big improvement for their running capabilities.”

Mach nodded and stretched his arm. “Well alright I’m ready to race!”

“Okay Mach so for today I want you to put 90% output at close to top speed if you can. Since you’ll be running at the outermost lane you’ll technically be running more than 3,000 meters but for you that’s barely a problem. Fast, relaxed strokes and take advantage of the tailwind close to the last straightaway. The conditions are ripe today so you’ll barely break a sweat, and I assume you’re prime and ready correct?” Damon explained.

The umanoshonen grinned widely and nodded. “Yup I’m well rested and itching for a workout!”

“Excellent! Reason I’m having you do 90% is to show the crowd what an awakened uma at close to full power can do. Now go get ‘em champ!” Damon cheered as he patted Mach on the back, the two heading out the changing room.

…

Back to the present (again)…

Mach felt a poke on his shoulder interrupting his thoughts. Glancing to the side he saw Orfevre’s purple eyes staring, she being in the second to last gate next to him.

“Forgive me for disturbing you, but I want to personally apologize-.”

“Don’t.” Mach’s eyes returned an icy glare to the tyrannical uma girl, his tone filled with malice. “I don’t appreciate people that look down on others as if they were peasants. Your two other friends are just the same, always acting like they’re above everyone else. Now I’ll kindly ask you to focus on your race and stop talking to me, I have already apologized to Gentildonna for the accident and I don’t need any apologies from you three.”

Orfevre gulped in fear and nodded, looking ahead with a distraught face.

‘He had so much hate in his eyes, and it felt so real. This whole time Verxina, Gentil and I acted pretty harshly not just to him but to everyone. Maybe… we should change for the better.’ the orange-haired umamusume breathed in and out to calm herself, steeling her gaze in front of her. ‘I’ll prove myself worthy to him!’

On the other side of the racecourse Damon stood near the cheering crowd, noticing Okino and Hana approach him with the rest of their umamusume trainees who weren’t participating in the race.

“Hey there Felix-san!” Okino waved. “How goes it?”

“Oh you know just itching for the race to start. Didn’t expect Mach to participate in the race but the URA approved it for ratings.” the 55-year-old explained.

“Well we already know what a true speed demon that boy is.” Hana added looking at the starting gates. “We can expect a blowout, but luckily the girls don’t have to race him.”

“Thing is you haven’t seen him run close to his maximum output.” Damon grinned looking ahead as well. “I told him to run as he if were competing.”

The younger trainers were in awe. For the past several weeks they witnessed Mach’s incredible abilities during the training sessions and knew he was extraordinary in both sprints and distance, but they never did see him go at full power. Damon did state that the umanoshonen would have training sessions by himself, but nobody outside of the older trainer ever seen Mach practice solo.

‘So today will be the day we get to see him unleash almost everything he’s got.’ Okino thought.

Hana wondered the same thing. ‘The best the world has to offer, and we will see a glimpse of it play out.’

“Anyway how’s running been going for you two? I’m assuming you’re getting back into shape right?” Damon asked. Okino and Hana groaned in unison.

“Man who knew running with your trainees would be so draining, and trail running is much harder than road running.” the young male trainer complained. “At least the girls can’t beat me when we run the trails, at least not yet.”

“I’ve been getting more efficient in my form, but I’ve been pretty sore after the much tougher sessions. I hate it when you request us to add more miles every week.” the female trainer grumbled.

Damon smirked. “Humans have better endurance at longer distances while umas have greater speed and power. However they lack body temperature regulation mechanisms therefore they can’t run that long or do too many repeats, otherwise they’ll overheat. That is why I’m having you and the other trainers run alongside them so they can see how capable humans are when they have an advantage over umas.”

Okino laughed. “That makes sense. I do feel great knowing I can beat Golshi at something.”

Hana also joined. “And seeing both Rudolf-san and Air Groove-san in disbelief when they lose against me is satisfying.”

“Exactly, that is why having them do workouts where humans have a much better advantage due to adaptation will expose them to human limits, and the more they do them the stronger and better they’ll become. Eventually they’ll adapt just like us and their human genotypes will activate, but again it will take a while and they’ll have to meet a certain condition to awaken.” the older trainer explained.

“So you keep saying this condition… can you tell us what it is?” Okino asked.

“Nope. You’ll have to see for yourself hehe.”

Team Spica and Rigil watched their teammates standby at the gates, but their focus was mainly on Mach. And their words expressed their wonderful desires.

“Holy butter biscuits Mach is smoking hot! That outfit of his looks incredible!” Taiki Shuttle proclaimed. “I think I might go with a dark cowboy look next time to match!”

“In your dreams Taiki-san. This gal digs Mach-san’s wears and I’ll be sporting a black thunderbird style next time!” Maruzensky countered looking at the uma boy with dreamy eyes. “We’ll soon hit it downtown my darling~.”

“My fellow ponies may have eyes for the handsome Mach but I must disagree on your words! My outfit’s color scheme is close to matching his as all of you do not wear black, so I’ll be his special pony!” Fuji Kiseki announced.

“Estas disilusionado, if I must I’ll become a villain luchador to stick by Mach-san’s side!” El Condor said with a grin. “We’ll be the dynamic duo in dark colors!”

Grass Wonder shook her head. “That won’t happen. I will show him the light side and soon he will embrace the wonders of blue… but if he wishes I can always consider black.”

“As if any of you are planning to get your hands on him! Looks aren’t everything and I promised him months ago that I’ll be close to his level in no time, and once I reach that you can send your well wishes to our future relationship!” Hishi Amazon grinned widely thinking of how to be a proper housewife for Mach.

“Hah! The centurial overlord will have an eternal bond with the almighty overgod Mach, and none of you will stand in the way of our holy matrimony in the coming days!” T.M Opera O majestically spoke. Yet in her head…

‘It’s a good thing Mach-san forgave me a while back for what I caused. He’s so cute and… and… I WUV HIM~!’

Air Groove silently stared at everyone that were in the gates. Her solemn eyes fell on Symboli Rudolf, narrowing them upon meeting her form.

‘You may be my superior Rudolf-san, but as the Empress I carry a more elegant title and deserve to be with Mach-san. Once he becomes my boyfriend he will inherit the title of Supreme Emperor, and I will be his Supreme Empress by his side!’

Rudolf sneezed from a disturbance, cutely rubbing her nose as she readied herself.

“Man I should’ve trained for this race! I didn’t know Mach was gonna be in it.” Vodka complained crossing her arms.

“None of us knew, but if you expect to get together with him then be ready because that ain’t happening!” Daiwa Scarlet argued back. The two began pinching each other’s cheeks as they bickered on who is more deserving.

Silence Suzuka sighed. “You two are wrong. With how you’re acting you will only scare Mach-san, and he needs someone more calm and collected. I will gladly accept his side.”

“Like hell you will Suzuka-san!” Daiwa and Vodka said at the same time, the now three arguing back and forth.

Okino and Hana facepalmed seeing their trainees at it once again for who will be the very lucky umamusume that will score Mach’s love. Damon laughed on his part nonetheless.

In the boxed section of the stands Yayoi jumped up and down in glee with hearts in her eyes.

“KYAAAAA MACH LOOKS SO COOL~!” the director began bolting towards the door. “I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE I HAVE TO-ACK!”

Tazuna lifted Yayoi from the back part of her dress as the smaller woman flailed trying to get free.

“Now now Ms. Yayoi, we have an official race about to start and you will not interrupt it. I can’t allow you to disturb the racers, especially Mach-san.” the secretary said with a scary shadowed look on her face. Yayoi squeaked in fright and nodded fast.

“ALRIGHT EVERYONE THE KIKUKA SHO IS ABOUT TO START! WE ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AS THE RACERS GET READY TO HEAD OUT THE GATES!” the male commentator announced. The final cheers were heard and after a few seconds died down to low whispers, everyone’s eyes on the large field ahead.

Mach got into a ready position, his feet firmly planted and hands slightly curled into fists. The fresh wind blew onto his face, slightly chilly due to the autumn season but perfect for running as the uma boy closed his eyes.

He took in a deep breath.

’18 runners, 3000 meters, 2 laps around the course, though I’ll be doing more due to the outermost lane. Has a small uphill on the first and last turn, turf terrain, and favorable conditions.’

He breathed out.

‘Let’s go.’

CLICK.

The gates immediately open, all the umas blasting off.

“AND THEY’RE OFF! MACH INFINITE IS ALREADY CREATING AN INCREASING GAP BETWEEN HIM AND THE LEADERS!” the female announcer said in shock. The crowd cheered loudly at the racers who began to slowly merge into the inner lanes while Mach stayed in the very outer one, but already he was at least twenty meters ahead and ever pulling away.

‘I did not expect Mach-san to be this fast?!’ Mejiro McQueen thought in surprise as she saw Mach fly across the first turn, her violet eyes seeing his arms and legs move like a blur causing air contrails to blow behind his form. ‘So this is the true power of an awakened uma… I will strive to reach that pinnacle of achievement!’

Mayano Top Gun kept a steady pace ahead of everyone with Mihono Bourbon right by her side, the pair focused on the path ahead but at the same time seeing Mach blazing at an ever-increasing distance.

‘Maya-san has to catch up to Mach-kun, but he’s too fast!’ the orange-haired umamusume sped up as she and the others began the first turn. Bourbon noticed her faster pace and made sure to stick with her close to the outer edge of the inner lane, arms and legs working in tandem at a smooth rhythm.

Rice Shower kept a solid pace in third but couldn’t help glancing at Mach who was more than halfway done with the first turn, her breathing in control and trying to make sure not to go faster.

‘No, Rice-san is not racing Mach-kun. Focus on your rivals and stick to making sure you can win.’ the dark-haired uma girl blinked several times to focus back on the track. ‘But I never seen him go this fast. So incredible.’

The other runners had similar thoughts of their own as they stayed together and began their trek across the first turn, feet pounding the turf and causing the earth to tremble from the impacts.

Damon had his stopwatch in hand as he noted the time passing by on it. Okino and Hana stood next to him in shock as were the rest of their trainees. The 55-year-old took a few steps back.

“Alright make sure you hold on tight because he’s coming this way.”

The younger trainers were confused by Damon’s words.

WHOOSH!

“WOAH!!!!!”

Until they felt a huge force of gusts slam onto their bodies blowing them out of balance. Okino and Hana landed on the ground while their umamusumes yelped grabbing onto the railings. They were astounded once they recovered seeing Mach fly across the straightaway with intense air currents surrounding his form that were so powerful that they knocked back and surprised the audience who were closest to the track. Cheers mixed with surprised screams were heard as the umanoshonen rocketed further away from their position.

The younger trainers looked back at Damon in shock, the latter laughing heartily.

“I told him 90% output today. He’s close to his top speed.”

On the track Mach was locked in, his gaze focused ahead as his body moved rapidly like fast moving pistons inside a V16 engine. His feet were so quick that it looked like he wasn’t even touching the ground and his arms were almost complete blurs to everyone. The cloak fluttered a bit behind him but it did not deter the uma boy from reaching close to his maximum speeds, his breathing almost steady but relaxed. He glanced at the crowds passing by almost instantaneously with their cheers being mixed with the noise being let off the air currents.

’55 miles per hour… maybe today can be the day?’ Mach gritted his teeth as he was close to reaching the end of the straightaway.

“AS MACH INFINITE FLIES ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACK, MAYANO TOP GUN IS GOING UP AGAINST MIHONO BOURBON IN AN INTENSE FIGHT FOR FIRST WITH RICE SHOWER FOLLOWING BEHIND AT THIRD AND SEIUN SKY AT FOURTH, BUT MEJIRO MCQUEEN, AGNES TACHYON, MANHATTAN CAFÉ, TOKAI TEIO AND SYMBOLI RUDOLF THREATEN TO TAKE THAT POSITION AS THEY CLOSE IN ON FOURTH PLACE. THE OTHER RUNNERS ARE CLOSELY GROUPED UP TOGETHER WITH GOLD SHIP AT THE END WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE!” the male commentator spoke.

“YES INDEED, AND IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE DUAL SCREENS YOU CAN SEE ALL THE ACTION GOING ON FROM BOTH THE RACE AND MACH INFINITE!”

The crowd roared at they looked at the very large monitors positioned at the center of the track with one showing the umamusumes and the other showing the lone umanoshonen. Most were bewildered at Mach’s incredible speed, Team Spica and Rigil also included.

“H-He’s like an actual Ferrari… so radical.” Maruzensky stared wide-eyed at the screen that focused on Mach running, his form crossing the terrain so quickly that the camera has to pan out at times due to the blurry background.

“And he’s the same age as us. I never saw this much raw speed at the training sessions we had.” Suzuka spoke in awe.

Okino turned to Damon. “How much training did he go through just to reach this level Felix-san?”

The older trainer smiled. “The boy had gone through a lot ever since he was born. If anything he had the same type of training as the uma girls are currently going through, but with him he’s been doing it for years.”

‘Yet when it came to… no, that’s already behind us.’

Hana’s jaw was slightly agape. “Tracen Academy will be much stronger once we reach an awakening for our umas. We will go beyond the pinnacles of success.”

“Exactly, and as I said before Mach is a perfect example on how talented your trainees will be.” Damon concluded.

“MACH INFINITE HAS COMPLETED THE FIRST LAP OF THE RACE AND WILL BE STARTING THE FINAL LAP. MEANWHILE THE UMAMUSUMES ARE MAKING THEIR WAY HALFWAY THROUGH THE STRAIGHTAWAY WITH THE POSITIONS REMAINING UNCHANGED, BUT THERE IS AN INTENSE FIGHT GOING ON WITHIN THE MIDDLE PACK!” the female commentator noted as the middle of the pack racers tried overtaking one another. The crowds continued to cheer loud as the uma girls crossed the straightaway.

‘I won’t let them get in my way!’ Orfevre growled paving her way past Air Shakur and Special Week. Long orange hair fluttered behind her maniacally almost obscuring the runners behind her, but nonetheless they continued their assault for the top spot.

King Halo kept at the outer edge of the group narrowing her eyes.

‘The advantage is mine and as long as I remain outside the pack, King will be victorious and Mach-san will praise my talents!’ the brown-haired umamusume nodded and kept her pace, King Halo being known by her peers for having incredible power as a late surger.

Narita Brian and Symboli Rudolf ran close together but eyed each other once in a while knowing one of them would have to be at the front.

‘Apologies my young apprentice, but as the Emperor I have a goal to set as an example for the future umas after us.’ the student council president uma girl moved closer to the inner lane finding an opening next to Super Creek and Mejiro Ryan, going through it. Narita Brian tsked and followed suit, her feet working double time to catch up.

Mejiro Ryan saw this and got behind Rudolf to block the latter’s student council peer from overtaking. Mejiro Ryan smirk hearing an annoyed sound from behind her. ‘You’re not passing me that easy bub!’

Air Shakur and Narita Taishin were close to bumping each other with the former slightly behind, but if anything was aware that Narita Taishin was trying to box her in.

‘Settling in this position won’t provide me with sufficient results, but I can deduce that Taishin-san stays close to the end due to conservation of power.’ the dark-haired umamusume breathed out and maneuvered through the other side of Narita Taishin feeling more space. ‘This position is much more sustainable and has higher probability of success.’

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Gold Ship’s eyes lit up a blinding white, her speed increasing monumentally as she started passing both Narita Taishin and Air Shakur with the two glancing in surprise.

‘I failed to include her in my calculations!’ Air Shakur thought dumbfoundedly.

Seiun felt the air currents surrounding her moving body as they melded with the ones behind Rice Shower. The short-haired uma girl remained in that position for the entire first lap saving her energies until an opportunity arose. She noticed her dark-haired rival for the race beginning to slow her pace lightly.

‘It looks like Rice-san is getting tired. Just need a little more until I can pass her and catch up with Bourbon-san and Maya-san.’ Seiun’s ear twitched from the approaching footsteps behind her. ‘And it looks like the others are starting up their push.’

Manhattan and Tachyon were slowly overtaking Tokai with the latter grunting in irritation.

‘No I won’t disappoint prez! I worked so hard to get where I’m at and if I fail then it would have meant nothing. I will awaken, and I WILL BE THE BEST!’ Tokai gritted her teeth and sped up squeezing her way through the two. Manhattan and Tachyon looked at each other and narrowed their eyes, moving their arms faster with the gusts of wind flowing by them getting stronger.

Super Creek looked like she was on a mission, eyes steeled ahead and feet pounding the turf at an intense pace as she began passing Rudolf and was closing in on Orfevre who was right next to Mejiro McQueen.

‘Trainer-san is watching me, so I have to perform at my best. But at the same time I have to make Mach-san proud!’ Super Creek let out a battle cry startling her two opponents in front and passing them gaining the fifth position. ‘FOR MY BABIES!’

Special Week kept a steady pace as she glanced at the monitor seeing everyone clumped together and Mach by himself flying through the second straightaway. She eyed the focused look on his face, unwavering and determined.

‘I’m sure he has gone through a lot to get where he’s at, and we’re following in his footsteps.’ Special Week looked back to the front and grinned. ‘Aiming for number one!’

Mach looked over at the umamusumes at the other side of the track.

‘They’ve gotten much faster.’ the uma boy smiled and looked ahead at the last turn approaching. ‘And that means I have to go fa-!’

A maniacal laugh interrupted his thoughts.

“THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE RACE SO FAR! IT LOOKS LIKE WE’LL BE SEEING RECORDS BROKEN TODAY AT THE CURRENT PACE THE RUNNERS ARE GOING!” the male announcer spoke.

“INDEED WE WILL, AND THE BATTLES ONLY LOOK MORE INTENSE AS THE UMAMUSUMES BEGIN THEIR FINAL LAP! MAYANO TOP GUN AND MIHONO BOURBON CONTINUE TO LEAD THE PACK AS RICE SHOWER AND SEIUN SKY ALSO BATTLE FOR THIRD PLACE. IN A SURPRISE TWIST SUPER CREEK HAS TAKEN FIFTH PLACE WITH MEJIRO MCQUEEN AND SYMBOLI RUDOLF HOT ON HER TAIL AND THE REST ARE BEGINNING TO CATCH UP. IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY SEE A PHOTO FINISH BY THE END OF THE RACE FOLKS!!” the female announcer added.

“YEAAAH LET’S GO RIGIL! WIN IT FOR US!” Hishi Amazon shouted with the rest of her teammates following suit.

“C’MON SPE-CHAN MOVE UP MOVE UP! TOKAI-CHAN DON’T GET TOO HASTY!” Vodka pumped her arms for them cheerfully.

“CATCH UP TO CREEK-SAN MEJIRO-SAN, DON’T LET ORFEVRE-SAN GET YOU EITHER! GOLSHI GO GO GO!!” Daiwa bellowed alongside her loud teammates as the runners blasted started the second to last turn.

Suzuka on her part had her hands in front of her with palms open and a concentrated look on her face. Okino caught this and sweatdropped chuckling. ‘Seems as if the energy transfer thing is still a thing for her.’

“THE RUNNERS ARE BEGINNING THE THIRD CORNER GETTING READY FOR THEIR FINAL PUSH. MEANWHILE MACH INFINITE IS SAILING AROUND THE FINAL CORNER WITH INCREDIBLE SPEED AND POWER!”

The crowd roared with several cheering the umanoshonen’s name as he navigated the last turn effortlessly. Almost everyone awaited the finish from Mach and looked forward to seeing the sixteen-year-old give it his all in the final stretch.

Keyword: almost.

Damon’s eyes widened.

“Oh shit…”

“Hmm-hey what are you-?!” Hana didn’t finish as she saw the older trainer jump down onto the grass below which had a metal barrier separating the narrow path from the track itself. Damon began running along the path towards the finish line.

“Sir you can’t be down there!” one of the security workers tried to stop Damon but his words fell on deaf ears, the 55-year-old running as fast as he could towards the finish line.

‘Shit! He’s over 90% output, but that’s not the problem-!’

Damon looked back for a second catching Mach’s face.

‘Mach’s lost his focus!’

Dark, black-red mist surrounded Mach’s body, his form barely visible from the high-speed movements of his arms and legs about to start the final stretch. Muscles worked in tandem to propel the uma boy towards his destination at high velocities, the air around him crackling from several booms due to intense pressure being created. Bits of white lightning appeared and left, some trailing behind his moving form as the umanoshonen eyed the finish line in a way that was not expected of him.

Devilish laughs rattled in Mach’s head, his expression burning with rage with glowing red slitted eyes replacing his normal emerald ones and clenched dangerously sharp teeth being shown. His feet trampled the turf below creating small craters due to the intense pushing force being applied from his legs, bits of grass and dirt flying off into the air. Yet he didn’t care about that.

‘Ha! You thought you can beat ME in the Pegasus World Cup?! Don’t make me laugh runt!’ a cocky voice echoed in the uma boy’s mind. He grunted harshly at it.

‘You only won that second Triple Crown because I wasn’t there. Be lucky I was busy with more important races than whatever you did in Europe.’

Mach growled increasing his pace faster about to go through the straightaway.

‘Oh look you’re about to hit your top speed Machy. Heh… I’m much faster than you and all those other losers… you ain’t no prodigy. You’re just a failed awakened who’s still worked up about losing that has-been… good riddance.’

Time froze for a moment, Mach’s body in a running position with the sounds of cheers next to him echoing through his ears. It was during that moment that the fire in his heart and mind ignited much.

Much…

More sinister.

‘Infinite… Chaos!’

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!”

With a groundbreaking step the uma boy accelerated letting out a guttural roar, creating a subsonic boom (A/N: It isn’t possible below sonic speed but for effect lol) upon switching to the highest gear. The crowd loudly bellowed in response as Mach flew past them leaving high winds to blow much more intensely against them, half of the crowd stumbling backwards and almost losing balance.

“MACH INFINITE JUST RECEIVED A HUGE POWER UP AND IS BLAZING THROUGH THE STRAIGHTAWAY! IF HIS TIME WAS OFFICIAL HE WOULD HAVE BLOWN ALL OTHER RECORDS OUT OF THE WATER BY MILES!” the female commentator said in shock.

The male commentator clutched his head and stood up in astonishment. “WE ARE WITNESSING HISTORY IN THE MAKING FOR JAPAN FOLKS! THE VERY FIRST UMA BOY TO ARRIVE AT OUR COUNTRY SHOWING US WHAT THE WORLD CAN DO, AND OUR VERY OWN UMAMUSUMES ARE LEARNING FROM THE BEST OF THE BEST! EVEN I AM STILL PROCESSING EVERYTHING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE RACE!”

“KYAAA!!!” Haru and Bakushin gripped the railings upon feeling the powerful gusts left behind from Mach. Their hand strength began compressing the metal and luckily didn’t snap it in half upon regaining their footing.

“Did you see that Bakushin-san?!” the pink-haired umamusume wondered asked incredulously. The class representative nodded with her mouth agape. “I never thought Mach-san would be like this in a race?! And I though the training sessions we had with him were intense!”

Verxina and Gentildonna squealed feeling the full force of Mach’s tailwinds hit them. After recovering they gawked at the black-haired uma boy heading towards the finish.

“I never would have assumed that an awakened uma would be this powerful?!” Verxina’s eyes shook with fear. “So number one… is at a far higher level out in the world compared to number one here…”

Gentildonna in the meantime was getting annoyed stares from people in due part to having ripped off part of the railings due to her immense strength. She was formally apologizing to each of them.

“Tazuna let me go! I have to go see Mach-kun when he finishes~!” Yayoi was trying to reach the door handle from their boxed section room but the secretary held her tightly by the waist.

“No Ms. Yayoi, and because you are misbehaving when I told you not to…” Tazuna got out a rag and placed it over her superior’s nose and mouth. Yayoi squirmed harder upon feeling it but unfortunately her limbs fell limp as her eyelids began closing.

“You go nigh nigh now.”

“MACH IS SEVERAL METERS AWAY FROM FINISHING WHILE THE RACERS ARE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE SECOND TO LAST STRAIGHTA-!”

“HOLD ON IS THAT A PERSON OUT ON THE TRACK?!” the female commentator interrupted her colleague. The crowds saw and gasped seeing Damon who was at the finish line at the outermost edge crouching at the ready. His brown eyes saw Mach’s rageful expression laser focused ahead of him, ready to trample anyone in his way.

Damon looked at his phone which displayed Mach’s current speed readings. Luckily the sixteen-year-old always kept his sportswatch on him.

‘He’s going 58 miles per hour! Mach broke past his top speed but he’s lost control, I have to stop him quickly!’ the trainer clenched his teeth staring back at his trainee. “MACH YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN! DON’T LET THAT BASTARD GET TO YOU!”

Mach continued his sprint down the straightaway, the dark and powerful aura surrounding his body which was moving at speeds not even possible for umas. The dark-haired uma boy ignored his call and merely stared back at Damon angrily.

“Guess I got no other choice…” Damon muttered spreading his arms.

“WHAT IS THAT PERSON DOING?! THIS GOES AGAINST FIELD REGULATIONS!” the female commentator barked in aghast.

“WE JUST GOT WORD THAT HE IS MACH INFINITE’S TRAINER, AND SINCE MACH INFINITE IS NOT A PARTICIPANT FOR THE KIKUKA SHO THE RACE CAN CONTINUE AS LONG AS NO INTERFERENCE WITH THE RACERS IS MADE.” the male commentator replied in shock.

“Hey what’s that guy doing?!” a spectator loudly asked.

“He’s gonna get himself killed!” another also spoke.

“Dude’s got balls if he’ll be able to stop a stampeding uma, especially one going that fast.” a third casually said.

Mach was within ten meters of the finish line.

‘She’ll never be coming back. Good riddance.’

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The umanoshonen let out another beastly roar and leaned further in to reduce drag. Damon grunted looking at the phone in his outstretched hand.

’58 and a half miles per hour, I have to be fast!’

One meter away.

Damon looked down at Mach’s hate-filled eyes.

So much different from his kind and cheerful ones.

And he needs to bring those back.

BOOOM!!!!

The crowds gasped loudly as they saw Mach collide with Damon.

Who surprisingly stood his ground as his feet skidded at least six meters behind him and successfully catching the sixteen-year-old in his arms. Damon felt Mach beginning to squirm violently in his grasp and the trainer looked around quickly for a way out.

‘There!’ His brown eyes spotted a tunnel with no one in there at the side.

“Hey where’s he going?” a spectator questioned upon seeing the 55-year-old run off with the uma boy into a tunnel.

“Beats me, but that was insane! He took on the hit like a tank!” a friend to the spectator said in surprise.

“Is the uma boy okay? It looked as if he wasn’t acting right?”

Some of the umamusumes saw this and were worried about Mach’s wellbeing, but unfortunately they couldn’t follow as the area was closed off and security blocked off the section. Damon was able to get through due to jumping down from the railings.

“MACH INFINITE HAS CROSSED THE FINISH LINE AND IT LOOKS LIKE HIS TRAINER CAUGHT HIM AND… I GUESS THEY’LL BE HAVING A SECRET MEETING?” the male commentator questioned himself.

“WHATEVER THE CASE IS WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SPECTULAR PERFORMANCE FROM THE TWO-TIME TRIPLE CROWN WINNER FROM OVERSEAS! NOW LET’S QUICKLY GET BACK TO OUR RUNNERS AS THEY ARE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH THE FINAL TURN!”

With the racers, Super Creek was able to pass both Mayano and Bourbon to take first place as the seventeen competitors started increasing their speed.

‘King will now make her move!’ King Halo activated her power energies and started breaking away into third place besides Bourbon. Mayano fell to fourth place as unfortunately her stamina is taking a hit.

‘Uwooohh I think Maya-chan focused too hard to catch up with Mach-kun.’ the orange-haired umamusume whined, but nonetheless she tried her best to accelerate and maintain her faster pace.

Bourbon saw Super Creek beginning to open the gap between them, her blue eyes narrowing.

‘I will not fail this mission. Mach-san defeated us unofficially but I will make sure to win officially so we may share the podium, and our hearts together!’ the robotic acting uma girl breathed in and out going in for the catch up.

Rice was in fifth place and noticed Rudolf and Tokai quickly gaining on her. She moved her arms faster and maneuvered further into the inner lane to decrease the amount of distance she needed to cover.

Not noticing Seiun behind her as the short-haired umamusume overtook her to gain fifth place.

‘H-Huh?!’ Rice was surprised to notice Seiun appear in front of her. Not only that but Rudolf, Tokai and Narita Brian covered the outer area therefore she became boxed in. ‘N-No!’

McQueen and Ryan eyed each other intensely as they followed behind Rice, Rudolf and Tokai.

‘I’ll be the one to bring glory to the Mejiro family, not you!’ McQueen gritted her teeth as a white aura imbued around her form ready for the kick.

As if the lavender-haired uma girl spoke directly to her Ryan smirked, a blue aura surrounding her own. ‘In your dreams McQueen-san. The Mejiro family will be proud of me once I win this race!’

Tachyon and Manhattan were close to each other as their strides were in tandem with each other. They saw both Ryan and McQueen increasing their pace and with the fact they were distracted by each other, the duo used the opportunity to get around them from the outer lane.

‘The mind can be easily deceived with a good enough distraction. Manhattan-san was useful as a wall for the inner lane but now this is the time where I must claim victory.’ the brown-haired girl smirked. Manhattan was in her own little world.

‘Mach-san… mine… mine…’

Air Shakur was bewildered that she ended up last as Narita Taishin who was second to last started pulling away from her.

‘T-This is impossible! I sorted through all the mathematical calculations down to the last decimal point and should have been an easy victory… unless…’ her eyes widened. ‘I… haven’t done a training session with Mach and Felix-san… yet. Heh, no wonder.’

Gold Ship, Orfevre and Special Week started their sprints around the outer edge in a line where their placings were respective of the order. Orfevre glared staring at the back of Gold Ship’s form.

‘Can’t believe this dummy is in front of me.’ the tyrannical umamusume glanced to the side seeing Special Week silently make her way through. Orfevre gritted her teeth and began her own kick. ‘Having a friend of Golshi beat me is even worse!’

Tokai and Rudolf ran alongside one another as the group headed down the final straightaway.

‘Heh, Tokai-chan has gotten stronger and stronger. But you won’t beat your role model that easily.’ Rudolf thought seeing the Spica member in her peripheral vision.

Tokai breathed in and out remaining calm, but inside she was very excited.

‘This will be a chance I can surpass prez! Just stay focused Teio and let out everything you got!’

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“ALL THE RACERS ARE UNLEASHING THEIR FINAL ENERGIES INTO THE LAST STRAIGHTAWAY! THIS WILL BE AN INCREDIBLY CLOSE RACE!”

“AIR SHAKUR IS THE ONLY ONE IN LAST PLACE BUT SHE IS PUTTING GREAT EFFORT TO MAINTAINING A CLOSE GAP WITH THE OTHERS. NONETHELESS WE’LL BE SEEING MULTIPLE RECORDS TODAY FOLKS!”

The crowds roared as loud as they could cheering for their favorite umas as they gave everything into the final stretch of the race.

“C’MON SPICA GO GO GO!” Okino had his hands cusping his mouth yelling.

“YOU GOT THIS RIGIL FINISH STRONG!” Hana was at the edge of her railing very excited for how it will end.

Their umamusume trainees were loudly supporting their teammates.

“DALE DALE DALE!” El Condor repeatedly pointed her finger towards the finish line.

“This is gonna be close y’all! Like very close!” Taiki Shuttle was in awe at the runners.

“Everyone’s so groovy and cool, I wished I was able to run in this race!” Maruzensky whined.

Air Groove silently cheered for her teammates. ‘You got this Rudolf-san and Narita-san.’

Grass Wonder had a hand in the air and pumped it. “Go Rigil go.”

So very gentle and quietly.

“C’MON SPE-CHAN C’MON GOLSHI GET YOUR BUTTS IN FIRST PLACE ALREADY!” Vodka said shaking a fist in the air.

“YEAH YOU TOO TOKAI-CHAN AND MEJIRO-SAN! GET TO THE FRONT NOW!” Daiwa followed jumping up and down.

Silence Suzuka continued to do her little thing with her hands upfront to provide ‘energy’ to her teammates.

All the runners soared through the field at great speeds, auras engulfing their bodies as they made their last push towards the finish line.

“THE RACERS ARE FIFTY METERS AWAY FROM THE FINISH LINE! IT’S GONNA BE CLOSE!”

The crowds continued their loud words of encouragement and saw that the umamusumes are beginning to line up aside one another.

“IT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE CLOSE! AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE ALL TRYING TO PASS ONE ANOTHER AT THE SAME TIME!”

Twenty meters left. Feet pounded the turf and left holes in their wake with strong tailwinds blowing behind from the force of their running.

Mayano Top Gun, Mejiro Ryan, Mejiro McQueen, Narita Brian, Symboli Rudolf, Agnes Tachyon, Manhattan Café, King Halo, Seiun Sky, Tokai Teio, Special Week, Gold Ship, Mihono Bourbon, Rice Shower, Super Creek, Narita Taishin, and Orfevre all had one thing on their mind.

‘I’ll be number one! I’ll reach Mach’s level no matter what!’

Ten meters left. All the runners leaned in to reduce their drag, eyes focused and teeth clenched getting very close to the finish. This was for everything they trained for under the umanoshonen and his trainer.

One meter left.

…

…

Damon maintained his hold on the squirming Mach as he ran through the far end of the tunnel.

‘I’m glad I was fast enough.’ the trainer slightly opened his hand to glance at an empty syringe. ‘It’s great that I carry one of these for training just in case. Enough to temporarily suppress his abilities down to a human sixteen-year-old, but I REALLY had to be quick to administer it or I would’ve died back there.’

The 55-year-old found a dead-end corner three-quarters down the tunnel and went in it, sighing in relief that no one was in there as Damon placed Mach down and quickly held him against the wall. The umanoshonen tried prying him off but his regular strength was sapped and resorted to scratching Damon’s forearms, glaring intensely at the trainer with blood-red slitted white pupil eyes and growling menacingly. Damon shivered a bit due to their appearance and the low lighting within the tunnel making his gaze look pretty demonic.

“Listen to me Mach, you have to calm down. He isn’t here and I highly doubt he’ll show up, the IRF will most likely ban him from entering Japan. It’s all in your mind.” the trainer gave a sigh for a moment and provided the umanoshonen a gentle gaze thereafter, steeling himself. “I understand that it hurts as well Mach. It hurts me too but… she’s gone, and there’s nothing we can do.”

Damon saw tears beginning to flow down Mach’s face, his expression softening as the red hues over his irises beginning to slowly change to their normal emerald ones. His slitted pupils returned to their round shape and black color, a sob escaping the young uma boy. Instantly Mach hugged his trainer tightly as he started crying, Damon silently watching with a sad expression as he returned the embrace. “It’s been years son, and it still hurts me too.”

“W-Why Uncle Felix… w-why did it h-happen today?” Mach muttered through Damon’s chest. The 55-year-old simply sighed as he petted his back.

“I’m not sure, but it’s been a long time since the last incident and you’ve been doing a great job keeping yourself under control.” Damon pulled Mach a bit away and placed his hand on the latter’s shoulders, Mach’s broken expression looking back. “T-They were all looking uncle… they know-.”

“No they won’t son, you were going so fast that the cameras weren’t able to make up how your facial features looked like. Luckily I knew something was off when I saw your face and I had to stop you.”

Mach’s ears lowered as he sniffed. “It’s still my fault. I’m sorry.”

“No it’s not, and I can assure you her passing isn’t your fault either. We tried the best we could before she succumbed to her condition but weren’t able to make it in time.” Damon furrowed his eyebrows. “And yes I hate that bastard just as much as you do, and his trainer is just as bad as he is.”

The uma boy tightened his fists with his expression turning angry again, but Damon brushed a hand over Mach’s head which calmed him down.

“Breathe in and out Mach, remember our breathing exercises. It’s one of the best therapies out there.” Damon cleared his throat. “Listen, none of this is your fault and the people and umas were cheering for not just the runners but also for you. Even as you finished they continued cheering for you and they didn’t get to see this side of you, but I know that down the road you’ll be able to control it. I know deep down that you’re a very nice and helpful young uma. You care for others much more than yourself and while you may get annoyed at certain things, you don’t turn your back on them if it requires your help.”

Mach gave a small smile at his statement as the umanoshonen wiped his eyes. “Y-Yeah, thanks for the words Uncle Felix. It’s been a long time since I heard words like that.”

Damon also returned a smile. “Don’t mention it son, and I was quick enough to administer the serum to temporarily suppress your superhuman abilities.”

Once again Mach’s expression fell. “O-Oh, I’m really sorry about-!”

“Hehe don’t worry Mach I’m doing alright, but wow even while having the strength of a normal teenager you sure are strong.” Damon then gave a flex. “But you won’t match your uncle anytime soon.”

Mach laughed at his joke. “Yeah yeah keep telling everyone that when I consistently beat you at arm wrestling.”

The 55-year-old grinned and ruffled Mach’s head. “That’s the Mach I like to hear! Now your abilities should have returned to you by now so try punching the wall.”

With a fist raised Mach punched the solid concrete wall lightly.

It developed several cracks that covered the entirety of the wall.

“Alright it looks like you got your strength back, and since that wall is embedded within the earth its structural integrity will remain even if it was completely destroyed.” Damon’s smile twitched. “I think.”

Mach rolled his eyes. “It will uncle, and I’m glad you saved me from my predicament. Thank you.”

Damon nodded. “No worries son, I’ll always be there for you. Now let’s go see the results from the race.”

The sounds of cheering were heard from the other side of the tunnel.

“It seems like they may have determined a winner.” Damon then noticed Mach being hesitant as he looked at the ground nervously.

“I-I still don’t think I should go out there...” the sixteen-year-old said quietly. Damon chuckled and lightly slapped Mach’s upper back causing him to yelp. “I thought the nephew I know of was back? The easygoing, bold and sometimes reckless young uma that wants to become one of the greatest in the world.”

Damon started walking towards the exit they came through as he grinned. “We came here to help the umamusumes achieve their dreams faster and to help them awaken so that they can reach higher dreams. I can’t do this alone son, and I know you have an amazing heart no matter what.”

Mach was in awe at his words, the uma boy laughing again and catching up to his trainer. “You really sure know your way with words uncle.”

“You got it my boy. Oh yeah and you still need to do your cooldown, so while the people are celebrating we’ll just do a one lap jog around the track and hopefully nobody minds us. Just you and me.” Damon said. Mach gave a mock salute. “Roger that!”

The duo began their light jog heading out the tunnel where the sunshine greeted them. They both covered their eyes momentarily.

“ACK!”

Until Mach found himself face first into a familiar set of mounds.

“I FOUND YOU MY BABY BOY I FOUND YOU!” Super Creek cried in happiness keeping her arms tight around the umanoshonen’s head as the latter tried prying himself away. “I was so worried they’ve taken my child away from me and that I would have had to hunt them down, but I’m so happy that you’re back in my arms once more!”

“Creek let go him he’s suffocating!” a man in a suit which was most likely her trainer commanded angrily. Super Creek puffed out her cheeks in annoyance and did as he said, letting go Mach as the latter gasped for breath. “If my first born wishes for it then I will do so.”

Super Creek’s trainer sweatdropped.

Damon laughed heartily. “Okay that was really funny! She’s so much like your mom Mach!”

Mach rolled his eyes. “Shut it uncle, and um…?”

Emerald eyes saw that all seventeen of the racers were there along with the other members of Team Spica and Rigil who didn’t race.

“Were… all of you looking for us?” Mach asked dumbfounded. He also noticed all the umamusumes glaring intensely at Super Creek.

“Yeah we were.” Okino began. “That was very magnificent running you did there Mach and I honestly still can’t believe you can achieve such speed.”

Hana hummed and nodded in approval. “I assumed the training sessions we would have with you would give us an idea on just how fast you are, but we severely underestimated you.”

Team Spica and Rigil got close to Mach with huge grins on their faces. Their single centimeter long proximity made the uma boy avert his eyes in nervousness.

“That was some insane run Mach-san, dios mio you had me at the edge of my seat!” El Condor started off.

“The centurial overlord is amazed by the beauty and grace you blessed us all with at such a wonderful event. If only I, T.M Opera O, could have partaken in such a performance we could have stood side by side at the spectacular stage!” the marmalade-hair colored umamusume spoke elegantly.

“That was a very past pace Mach-san and I look forward to more of your training sessions and if we get a chance to be in race together.” Grass Wonder smiled.

“Although you have not raced against our fellow ponies, you stole our hearts with that incredible style and I hope to see more of it down the line!” Fuji Kiseki added flamboyantly.

“Dang if only I signed up for this race, I didn’t know Mach was going to be in it… ah well nice job dude!” Hishi Amazon held a thumbs up.

“That was some gnarly running there Mach-san. Fast as a Ferrari and powerful like a Mustang!” Maruzensky grinned.

“Shoot you’d outrun a six shooter like nothing with that kick of yours at the end!” Taiki Shuttle bellowed happily.

Air Groove had her arms crossed grinning. “As expected from the fastest uma in our school, and it was surprising they allowed you to run in the Kikuka Sho.”

Mach scratched his head anxiously. “I told the URA people I didn’t want to run in it, but they were very persistent and… well they had an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

Daiwa and Vodka suddenly pushed their way through and tackled Mach to the ground which startled the umanoshonen. Mach looked at them in shock as their pouting expressions stared back.

“Yo is there some voodoo magic you’re hiding from us. That was insanely fast running.” the delinquent uma girl said. Daiwa lowered herself letting out an annoyed sound. “You’ll be sticking with us from now on. No more training with the others!”

“Get off him!” Hishi came with Taiki and pulled both Spica members off Mach. “And like hell he will, Rigil is where he belongs!”

“No he is not! We saw him first!” Special Week and Tokai said together intervening.

Rudolf and Air Groove chuckled at their statement.

“As the Emperor, I have command over this situation and I say that Mach-san will train with Rigil for the rest of his stay.” Rudolf then kneeled next to Mach and looked him in the eyes. “I know we’re not socks, but we’d make a great pair.”

Everyone comically fell to the ground. ‘JUST STAHP!’

Mach was bewildered shaking his head as he got up. “Okay there shouldn’t be any arguing between who’s team wants me with them. If anything uncle and I are rotating with everyone so everyone gets equal chance.”

“Nooo Maya wants to be with Mach-kun more! I also want to go on a date with you!” Mayano whined.

“Your time with the perfect experiment is not needed. He and I will research the unknown parameters of a close bond and we will practice it together out in the field.” Tachyon countered. Manhattan Café stood nearby shaking her head in disapproval.

“Hahaha as if you are worthy to earn his affection. Only I can give him joy and happiness when he becomes my consort-ACK!” King Halo was shoved by Mejiro Ryan. “As if princess! He needs someone strong in his life to help him out when he’s got his hands full!”

“Excuse me, but I’m the more worthy Mejiro, not you.” McQueen flipped her hair to prove a point. “He needs someone with elegance and honor.”

“Mach-san’s chill just like me.” Seiun grinned. “We both work out perfectly.”

“You are merely servants. I am the only one to take his-!”

“NUH-UH!” Gold Ship tackled Orfevre to the ground before she could finish. From there the umamusumes began arguing and wrestling with one another while Okino, Hana and Super Creek’s trainer watched with sighs. ‘This is so dumb.’

Mach nervously chucked while Damon patted his back.

“Like I said before Mach, not only do they like you but you give them another reason to chase their goals. With you by their side they’ll go beyond what they desire and I can see in every single one of them the potential to awaken.” Damon explained. Mach looked at him then back at the uma girls continuing to bicker at each other.

‘I guess uncle’s right. If I look past their weird ways of them trying to get my affection, they all have the same drive to be better versions of themselves. I saw that on the track, their looks of determination and passion to run. It’s pretty impressive, and what I experienced overseas is nothing compared to the experience here.’ Mach’s lips started turning into a smile, his emerald eyes basking with positivity. ‘They have unique personalities and styles that make the days be more exciting, overseas felt more dull and boring. And overall… I really enjoy it.’

Hana raised an eyebrow. “So we were also wondering, but why did you run off with Mach at the end of the race like that?”

Damon jumped at her question, Okino also looking at him with suspicion. “Yeah you surprised us when you jumped off the platform and bolted off towards the finish. Is there something going on?”

The older trainer shook his head quickly. “Oh no no nothing wrong haha! I just realized that Mach and I made a dare in the changing room that if I was able to catch him at full speed then he’d buy me ramen later today!”

Mach heard this and narrowed his eyes at his trainer, but nonetheless played along with it. “Y-Yeah, that was the dare and uncle is pretty strong so I wanted to see if he can do it.”

Both younger trainers moved their lips to the side in surprise.

“That sounds very strange but reasonable knowing you two, but is there a purpose to you pulling Mach-san off to the side that quick Felix-san?” the female trainer asked.

“Yes, that’s to get him off the track so he doesn’t get in the way of the runners when he finished. Mach at times has a tendency to keep going after such a sprint due to adrenaline, so I had to take him off the turf quickly and have him do his cooldown in the tunnel.” Damon explained after in quick thought. Okino and Hana looked at each other and nodded.

“Well alright that makes sense! Mach was definitely going incredibly fast and I also had a feeling he wouldn’t stop. Nonetheless awesome job!” Okino said grinning.

Mach’s mouth was slightly agape but nonetheless he nodded. ‘I can’t believe they bought that…’

Damon’s eyes perked up. “Oh before we forget, who won the race?”

Hana and Okino looked at each other again before grinning widely to Damon and Mach.

“It was a seventeen uma tie!”

The 55-year-old was shocked. “R-Really?”

“Like… all the runners tied. Together.” Mach was flabbergasted. “They made sure to analyze the photo or video frame by frame right?”

“Yes they did, and everyone literally tied.” Okino said.

“The URA themselves were deeply astonished and no matter how close they zoomed in to the finish line from all angles, all our umas took the same position.” Hana added. Okino gave a laugh on his part. “Well Golshi technically would’ve lost if she didn’t stick her tongue out by the time she crossed the finish line-AUGH!”

Unfortunately the silver-haired umamusume heard him and began performing the pretzel style on his body. Hana nervously laughed stepping away bit by bit while Damon and Mach grinned sheepishly.

“That’s good to hear, so what were their times?” Mach asked. Hana grin widened immensely.

“They all broke the course record of 3 minutes 1 second! Their overall time was 2 minutes 53 seconds!” the female trainer said in cheerfulness.

Damon grinned at the result. “Looks like our training is starting to pay off. Hats off to them!”

Mach looked at all the umamusumes who continued to argue and wrestle each other with a smile.

‘Hard to believe that all of them would tie like that, like I didn’t even know it was possible. But they did it, and I can see they didn’t stage it or anything since they gave it their all during the race. Still crazy, but that’s a good thing to have hehe.’

“Um, M-Mach-kun.”

The uma boy gasped to see Rice come up to him with a smile. “You were amazing. Although it wasn’t a race between us, I was in awe at the speed and power you held and it was so much different compared to training. I-I promise that I-I’ll do my best to catch up to you and be by your side!” Rice gave a deep bow after her speech. Mach was surprised by it but nonetheless gave smile and nodded.

“I look forward to seeing you there, and at 2 minutes 53 seconds that is very impressive. Incredible work Rice-san.” Mach replied. Rice stood back up and beamed another smile with a small blush on her cheeks.

“Ahem.” Air Shakur made herself known as well looking to the side embarrassingly. “Today wasn’t my best race in terms of probability and hopefully you weren’t ashamed at my performance.”

Mach shook his head. “It’s no worry at all. As long you give it your all and continue running then that’s all that matters win or lose, but now that I realize you haven’t practiced with us.” the umanoshonen placed a hand under his chin in wonder. “And yet you caught up to the others who did… it looks like…”

Damon also looked at Air Shakur, grinning. “She’s almost there Mach. Great work young lady.”

Air Shakur’s face beamed in happiness as she bowed. “I will not fail Felix-san! I’ll make sure all the numbers are worked on and will calculated to the lowest error margin!”

Mach chuckled. “Whatever works for you, but at the end of the day it’s all about feeling.”

Rice watched the two converse with a worried look.

‘I know it will be tough Rice, but don’t let the others get too close to Mach-kun!’

Once the umamusumes tired out and stopped arguing and wrestling, they all headed back towards the track where they were greeted by the roaring applause of the crowds. The commentators spoke of their record breaking times while the racers waved under the flowing bits of confetti that rained upon them and various camera flashes taking pictures. Mach and Damon stood to the side clapping their hands while the awards were presented, but given the fact that each of them finished in the same position the trophy was awarded to all of them and shared. Huge cheers and smiles erupted for the umamusumes as not only did they each win on their own part, but they became a lot faster and stronger making them one step closer becoming more than just regular racing umas.

And it was thanks to Mach’s and Damon’s efforts to help them achieve their goals and go beyond what they can do.

The press also avalanched their way to Mach hoping for an interview on his spectacular performance but seeing it coming from a mile away the umanoshonen and his trainer quickly made their way out the exit using expert agility through the crowds. Some tried to follow them through the exit but at that point they were too far away. If anything the sixteen-year-old didn’t want to steal the spotlight from the true winners of the event.

Mach and Damon watched the post-race concert from afar as well, and luckily the uma boy was hidden enough that the umamusumes weren’t able to find him since they tried their hardest to find him in the crowds.

‘It’s their moment, not mine.’

…

…

 “WAAAH I WISHED I GOT TO SEE YOU FINISH MACH-KUN, BUT TAZUNA HAD TO PUT ME TO NIGH NIGH!!” Yayoi comically sobbed while hugging the daylights out of the uma boy. They were all back in the boxed section room with Damon keeping in a laugh and the secretary getting a tic mark on her forehead.

“Ms. Yayoi, let go of him or-.”

“Let me have my moment!” Yayoi nuzzled Mach’s neck with her face, the sixteen-year-old timidly looking down but not fighting back. At this point she did something like this every time they meet, and while he could pull her off she technically has the power to tell the umamusumes to stop chasing him for his affections during school.

Even that only worked to some degree, but it did work at least.

“Mach-kun… ahh Mach-kun~.” hearts appeared in her eyes looking up at him dreamily. “If only I was a student then we could see each other every day, but alas I have to settle in the confines of overseeing all the umamusumes putting in their all to each their goals from the office.”

Tazuna’s eye twitched. “Well if you returned your duties to your mother you can actually enroll-.”

“BUT enough about that!” the blonde-haired director lets go of Mach and opened her signature fan. “I am wonderfully impressed that all our umamusumes tied for first! That is unheard of in the history of the URA or in derby racing in general, and the fact that they all broke the course record is much more outstanding in of itself!”

Damon grinned. “I was surprised that they would progress this far Ms. Yayoi. Each of them were close to almost a full ten second decrease and that is quite something.”

“I saw it in their faces while I ran Ms. Yayoi.” Mach held his fists near his chest. “They had the looks of passion and aspirations for wanting to be the best they can be. Some were racing against role models they look up to while others want to keep a legacy going. It was quite a race and I’m glad our training is giving them the results they deserve.”

The green-clad secretary hummed. “And their trainers are very much motivating them with the suggestion of having them run alongside the trainees. I’ve been getting feedback that the umamusumes are striving to beat their trainers in the off-road courses, and I do believe that they will the further they progress.”

“And it’s crucial that they do as it shows them how human limits are lower compared to uma ones. The more they try to break through those thresholds, the more they’ll be closer to accessing their human abilities that add to their uma abilities.” Damon explained. “Like I said before, they’ll have peak fitness traits of two species all in one!”

“Excellent! We look forward to the rest of your time at Tracen Academy and while the last several months were difficult for the umamusumes, I know they’ll be able to pull through!” Yayoi then looked at Mach.

“Amazing run you had as well and while I didn’t get the chance to see the end because-.” the director glanced at Tazuna then back at Mach. “of some difficulties, I got to see most of your performance during the race. It was very incredible!”

Mach gave a small bow. “Thank you Ms. Yayoi. It wasn’t my idea to be somewhat of a part in the Kikuka Sho but if it helped motivate the uma girls to become stronger then I’m glad to have agreed to it.”

Tazuna bowed as well. “We thank you both once again and it looks like that’ll be it for the day, so Ms. Yayoi and I wi-“

The door suddenly opened causing everyone in the room to shift their attention to it. The female URA official that came in before presented herself and bowed.

“Apologies for the intrusion once again everyone, but as per Mach-san’s request the chefs have prepared the meal as asked. We also apologize for the lateness as we wanted to make it as perfect as possible for your consumption.” she then moved aside to make way for five carts that held plates with covered lids hiding food that gave off a delicious aroma.

GRROOOOWWWLLL!!!!

“And just in time!” Damon looked over at Mach. His expression said it all as slight drool started coming down the side of his mouth and his eyes gained an animalistic appearance. “The boy is starving by now.”

The chefs all bowed and placed their hands on the lids, revealing what was underneath as a brilliant light appeared before them.

*cue random opera lady singing a high note song*

“Holy…. shiiiiii…..”

Mach and Damon could not believe their eyes.

Marbled by the gods with an intensely buttery texture and glowing golden-brown appearance, the highly elusive A6 wagyu revealed itself to them in its almighty glory alongside other dishes common in the country. But their focus was on the delectable beef that gave off an indescribable scent that overcharged their taste buds’ desire to make contact with it. Damon had to restrain himself from going ham on the food brought before them and was so far succeeding, but Mach wasn’t so lucky.

“We hope you enjoy the finest cuisine we have made and that-WAH?!” the chefs stopped abruptly as they yelped moving out of the way from a stampeding Mach. Wasting no time the umanoshonen grabbed the chopsticks with titan grip and dived into the violent eating of the food.

Yayoi and Tazuna watched in shock. So much ferocity and aggression was witnessed by the heads of Tracen Academy, not wanting to disturb Mach as any interruption would see them not come out of the room in one piece.

“Hey you guys wants some?”

Instead, Mach grinned with bits of food on his cheeks while tapping his chopsticks together.

Damon was stunned himself. Mach… sharing his food.

“Boy I know you well enough that it’s a death sentence if anyone took even a crumb of your meals.” Damon said. Mach swallowed a piece of his mouthwatering wagyu and shook his head. “I shared my lunch with some of the girls here before. I don’t mind it.”

‘Okay my head hurts now.’ the trainer sighed rubbing his temples.

“If Mach-kun is offering then let’s dig right in!” Yayoi made her way over with her cat meowing in joy as they served themselves. Tazuna gave a giggle and followed suit.

Damon watched Mach enjoy himself while the director wiped his cheek and lightly scolded him for his messy eating, but even she was laughing.

‘This is much different compared to when we were traveling. It was basically training for races and we had no time to breathe or unwind, and I’m glad Mach’s getting the opportunity to enjoy himself as a normal kid. We visited so many countries out there and didn’t take a chance to rest which made the experience pretty dull. Now I get to see a genuine smile on him.’

“Hey uncle come get some or otherwise I’ll eat it!”

Damon’s thoughts were broken by Mach calling out to him, a large grin on his face with emerald eyes shining joyfully. The 55-year-old warmly smiled and nodded walking over.

‘The umamusumes are not only training to go beyond their limits, but they’re giving Mach a chance at living a normal life. Sure they’re all into him and I wouldn’t consider that normal, but he gets a chance to talk with people his own age for once. Traveling around the world limited his social aspects and he would only know someone for at least three days before we hit the next race or next country. I didn’t want him doing that for the rest of his life, but knowing him it’s his choice if he wants to continue pursuing it or not. The great thing about it is Mach was able to become a pillar of the elite that umas and humans can look up to, and he isn’t just stopping there.’

The uma boy’s trainer got his meal and ate his wagyu, humming at how good it was.

‘Mach’s aiming to be like her… and I hope the umamusumes here at the academy can help him unlock the last part of his awakening.’

Mach was happily munching on his food until his ear twitched at a small sound. Looking over to the door his ear twitched again and picked up a small scratching coming from behind it. Lowering his chopsticks he walked over to it and opened it to reveal Oguri Cap looking at the ground in shyness.

“H-Hello Mach-san…” the uma girl squeaked.

“Oh hey Oguri-san, you need something?” the uma boy asked. ‘How did she know where we were? Oh wait the smell must’ve been that stro-.’

GRROOWWLL!!

Mach nodded to that. “Makes sense haha. Come on in and join us!”

Her blue eyes lit up brightly and instead of going over to the A6 wagyu offerings by the gods.

“W-WOAH!”

Oguri Cap tackled Mach to the floor with her over him, staring at the umanoshonen with a determined look.

“I will accept any sustenance, but right now you are my sustenance~.” Oguri lowered her lips towards Mach almost half an inch away from his own while Mach’s eyes were wide like dinner plates.

A hand got in between their mouths that came from Yayoi stopping it.

“NOT ALLOWED! Only I can claim his lips!” the director furiously spoke.

The light-gray haired umamusume growled getting up and started a squabble with Yayoi. Mach stared at the ceiling in shock.

‘T-That was the closest... I h-have to be more careful!’ the sixteen-year-old gulped. ‘She smelled really nice though, and soft.’

Damon grinned watching from afar.

‘Hehe the boy’s starting to accept it. Rooting for ya.’

Chapter Text

Inspiring with Experience Chapter 10

-

Winter has fallen over Tracen Academy and brought in a small white blanket of snow as cloudy skies covered the once normal blue, sprinkling tiny snowflakes from the air onto the ground. It was an early morning in December, two months after Mach Infinite ran in the Kikuka Sho. Unofficially and restricted to the outermost lane due to not racing the participants who entered the race.

The URA received a surge in publicity with many wanting to see the umanoshonen run future races, but Mach and his trainer Damon Felix declined as they wanted the umamusumes to run their races without interference. Even though Mach didn’t merge with the others and finished way before them, it wouldn’t be fair and the uma boy was adamant in not joining any further events. He was only there to help train the current generation of umamusumes to become better versions of themselves and to awaken so that they can reach higher goals and pass their abilities to the future generations after them.

The URA tried to haggle with him using A6 wagyu again, but Mach was able to resist firmly saying no and as such the next several races went as planned without Mach being in them. The fans were still very satisfied with the results from the uma girls, all of them having gotten faster and stronger with records being broken. It was only during the Kikuka Sho that Mach ran in that there was a seventeen uma tie, and after that all the races had almost everyone get individual placings. Nonetheless the training sessions involving trails, long distance repeats and modified versions of their strength training were paying off.

Now the year itself is coming to a close with the holidays around the corner, but Tracen Academy is known to continue to have classes and training during these times. The last races for the school year were the Arima Kinen and Hanshin Cup, with the next set of races beginning around late January. Therefore the umamusumes will have several weeks to prepare for next year whether it will be to start or maintain their path to a Triple Crown, get their first win out of the new year, or improve their personal bests and increase their wins. If anything they were all gearing themselves up for more intense rivalries, faster opponents and higher stakes due to Mach’s and Damon’s training. Their trainers were also obstacles they had to overcome now that they run alongside them during training sessions, and especially in the trails were the umas determined to beat them.

However, not all the umas were that determined to use raw stats to do well in a race.

…

“You asked for me Ms. Yayoi?” Mach said to the director while they were in her office. Tazuna as always stood by her while the blonde-haired young woman the uma boy spoke to held a grin and waved a fan near her.

“Yes I have and the reason for it is that I have received an emergency request that requires your services!” Yayoi then held up a folded piece of paper atop an opened envelope. “The trainer specifically asked for you and if you are free for the next two weeks!”

Yayoi handed over the opened letter to Mach while looking up and down at him. “And your winter uniform looks very nice!”

Grabbing the letter Mach nodded while looking at his clothing, consisting of a mainly purple collared long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves having a thick material to keep him warm. The sleeves were a lighter purple with dark purple rings around the wrists, and the sides of the shirt were the same dark purple as well. The collar and midsection was the same light purple as the sleeves with white borders and instead of a purple necktie he had a white one with the same horseshoe emblem on the neck area. Purple khaki pants covered his legs with the ankle region having a thick and thin ring around it and as before, he kept his brown sneakers. Other than that his outfit matched the winter ones the umamusumes wore.

“Heh it’s a lot of purple, but I can get used to it.” Mach began reading through the letter.

He raised an eyebrow.

“So this trainer named Minamizaka needs my help?”

Yayoi nodded. “Yes and he would be very thankful if you can help out his team. As you read in the letter, they don’t normally train often and rather rely on strategies where they go with outsmarting their opponents during races. Usually it involves them watching videos of these races so they can gain info on others’ running styles and use them to their advantage, but they themselves don’t have much personal experience running races aside from going against each other during training.”

“Well alright that makes sense, but I thought uncle showed all the trainers what to do in order to make them get stronger and faster?” the sixteen-year-old asked.

“Yes he did, but his team is pretty stubborn and they usually see him as a background character haha. I don’t have hard feelings for them as they’re trying their best, but with results like that they won’t be able to win any G1 races or go beyond!”

Mach was surprised. “Wait what?”

Tazuna gave a nervous laugh. “Ms. Yayoi is correct. None of them have ever won a G1 race and Minamizaka-san was hoping that if you were there and trained with them for a bit they would be more involved and determined to practice for such elite races.”

“And with all the umamusumes in our academy being very… smitten with you…” Yayoi’s eye twitched and her teeth clenched as she strained getting that word out. “…it’ll motivate them to take training more seriously so that they can give it their all!”

Mach blinked switching his gaze between her and the letter.

“Well I guess I can try to help out. Lemme see what uncle says though.”

BZZT BZZT.

The umonoshonen felt his phone vibrate and pulling it out he saw the notification. His expression turned deadpan with a frown.

“And it looks like he’ll be out of town for the next several weeks so I won’t be spending Christmas or New Year’s with him, but that’s fine. We were always together during the holidays anyway so some time away from each other would be nice.” Mach announced. ‘Seems like he knew this was going to happen.’

Yayoi’s eyes beamed in happiness as she ran to Mach and gave him a big hug. “Oh thank you thank you Mach-kun! You don’t know how much this means to me!”

Mach nervously chuckled patting her back. “Y-Yeah no worries Ms. Yayoi. I’ll do my best to help them train and be better runners.”

The blonde-haired director held him tighter. “There’s someone in the team that I care for very much, and I have full trust that you’ll bring them to their full potential.”

The uma boy nodded. “I won’t let you and them down… so um, can you let me go now?”

Yayoi shook her head as she mewled hugging him closer. “Just five more hours Mach-kun~.”

The heavy steps of Tazuna began approaching the two as she cracked her knuckles, an ominous smile on her cheerful yet shadowed face.

“Please release Mach-san Ms. Yayoi. Now.”

Yayoi yelped looking back in terror as she did so. Mach looked between them quickly before giving a bow and heading out the door.

The cat normally on Yayoi’s head sat on her desk giving out a lazy meow.

…

Mach stood in front of a door with no one around him. He was in one of the training facilities following the instructions on the letter, leading him to his destination.

‘From what Minamizaka-san said in the letter they don’t leave their meeting room much at all when they train.’ the sixteen-year-old thought as he raised a hand to knock on the door.

BAM!

A blunt crash was heard behind it along with several high-pitched yells. Mach sweatdropped and paused. ‘Or maybe this isn’t a good idea… but I’ve been seeing everything so might as well do it. How hard could it be?’

Mach gave three knocks on the door and stepped back once, an anxious expression on his face as he awaited to whomever would be answering it. The yells on the other side began quieting down with a polite male voice telling them to stop, Mach’s ears picking up footsteps approaching the door and a second later began opening.

Revealing a slim nice looking man with long light-brown hair that fell to the back of his neck, purple eyes and was wearing a gray suit with a white dress shirt underneath, a navy-blue necktie and dark brown dress shoes.

The man’s eyes widened considerably.

“M-M-Mach Infinite?!” the man timidly adjusted his necktie as he gave a deep bow. “M-My deepest thanks for accepting the request and I deeply apologize for the inconvenience!”

Mach raised a hand and waved it off giving a chuckle. “It’s all good Mr… Minamizaka-san correct?”

The man raised himself up and nodded. “Y-Yes, I am Minamizaka and I am the trainer for Team Canopus. As you have read in the letter I sent to the director, I was hoping to have you train with us to see if you’d be able to convince them to take actual training seriously. So far they’ve been strategizing too much on how to win races and they just ignore me when I tell them that they have to actually train.” the man known as Minamizaka nervously scratched the back of his head after initially explaining. “I wanted to see if you’d accept my request for training with us which is why sent the letter to the director so she can notify you in case you were busy with other things.”

The umanoshonen grinned. “No worries Minamizaka-san, I’ll be happy to help! And while I do have some personal training on my end for the next two weeks, they won’t take much of my time so I’ll be able to be with you for however long you need me.”

Minamizaka’s expression brightened at his acceptance and he bowed once more.

“Thank you so much Mach-san, I promise I’ll help out on my end as both a trainer and an assistant to you and my team.” the trainer got up and anxiously averted his eyes. “Though I should warn you but you already know, the girls can be very stubborn and have… interesting personalities.”

Mach smiled and shrugged. “I’ve seen a lot of things from the people here at the school and encounter it almost every day, so this most likely won’t be new to me. Plus don’t worry about the stubbornness Minamizaka-san, I have that too.”

With a nod Minamizaka stepped to the side. “I very much appreciate your acceptance. Please do come in.”

The uma boy let himself in and his ears picked up several voices.

“Why did you do that?! This is the third time this week Turbo-san!” a voice complained.

“We will need better management in order to avoid such inconveniences down the road.” another added.

“Uwaahhh that was really funny but I also got hit by iiiiit!” a third was said.

“I said I was sorry! You should know that pure speed is the way to go!” an energetic one also included. Mach sweatdropped at their conversation but kept his cool and once he got to the main meeting room, he was greeted by four umamusumes.

One has red hair tied into fluffy short over-the-shoulder pigtails with two cowlicks between her bangs and red ear covers with accessories and light brown colored eyes. The second one was a sturdy and sharp looking one with an orange blunt bob cut that had a narrow and long braid running down to her upper leg with a white blaze on the center of her bangs; a decoration hung on her left ear and she wore large round glasses with silver frames over pale yellow eyes. The third uma girl has shoulder length light brown hair that fades into a darker brown at the ends which rests on her shoulders and curled as well, a white strand running down the middle of her bangs and decorations on her ears which had a bluish-purple newsboy cap on one of them with a hole on the top to allow her ear to go through; amber-yellow eyes with dark purple hues filled with cheerfulness completed her look. And the fourth one sported vibrant blue hair styled in dramatic twin-tails secured by ribbons, wildly messy bangs with curls along the ends and unique ears where the inside was teal with a futuristic design; her eyes had heterochromia with one being purple and other blue, finishing off with shark-like teeth behind a grin. All of them were wearing their school track suits.

The pig-tailed and glasses-wearing uma girls were lifting up a whiteboard that seemed to have fallen down with the blue-haired chaotic looking one busy putting on a shoe. The brown-haired one in the meantime was rubbing her head gently with eyes closed.

Mach held in a laugh. ‘This will definitely be interesting.’

The blue-haired twin-tail umamusume finished tying her shoe getting up. “Hey Trainer-san so what do you think of our genius pla-!”

She abruptly paused as instead of seeing her trainer, right in front of her stood Mach giving off a kind smile. The other three turned their heads to her eyes’ direction, their eyes widened considerably.

“Sup.” Mach casually waved a hand at them.

Immediately the two fixing the whiteboard quickly tried adjusting it back to its normal position while the one rubbing her head fixed her cap rapidly but timidly and the blue haired one quickly looked down to make sure the other shoe was tied. After all that they scampered over to the two, their expressions in complete shock.

“T-T-T-Trainer-s-s-san w-w-what i-i-is h-h-he-!” the blue-haired uma girl stuttered intensely.

“Heh, I am not surprised that all of you would react this way. Anyway Twin Turbo, Nice Nature, Ikuno Dictus, and Matikanetannhauser, meet Mach Infinite. He will be with us for the next two weeks.” Minamizaka introduced. Mach nodded once giving a small bow. “Pleasure to meet you all.”

The heterochromatic umamusume shakenly walked over to Mach, looking at him up and down as if he were the most valuable thing in the world in awe.

“I-I-I can’t b-be d-dreaming.” she slowly and shakenly lifted a finger and nervously placed it on his abdomen. Mach raised an eyebrow but didn’t object, letting her poke his stomach since as he mentioned he got used to the umamusumes’ weird shenanigans.

Minamizaka cleared his throat. “Turbo-chan please be respectful and don’t poke Mach-san. I understand you’re excited-.”

“HYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Mach felt two arms tightly wrap around him as the blue-haired uma girl grinned widely jumping up and down.

“NO WAY YOU ARE REAL!!! IT REALLY IS YOU!!!” the chaotic looking uma girl was heavily breathing and tried calming herself burying her face into his chest. “I can’t believe it’s you!”

“Turbo-san, if you don’t let go of him I’ll tell him not train with us-.”

“W-Wait what he’s gonna be training with us?!” the heterochromatic umamusume let go of Mach and rushed over to her trainer. “You never told us he’s gonna be with us?!”

Minamizaka nervously grinned. “Well I wanted it to be a surprise and I didn’t expect him to approve. If anything he’ll be with us for the next two weeks.”

The uma girl’s face lit up as if Christmas came early and she rushed back over to Mach giving a bow.

“TWIN TURBO’S THE NAME AND I’M AIMING TO BE NUMBER ONE! I LOOK FORWARD TO TRAINING WITH YOU MACH-SAN!” the umamusume known as Twin Turbo greeted loudly.

Mach chuckled and nodded. “Nice to meet you and looking forward to your progress as well.”

Twin Turbo beamed him a toothy grin as he then walked past her to the other three, a squeak coming out of them having been noticed.

“How’s it going?” Mach asked the orange-haired uma girl. Her face was incredibly red as she struggled to find her words, glasses becoming foggy and strands of hair poking out at several places with her eyes looking at the ground shyly.

“I-I am d-doing well M-Mach-san. I-I apologize f-for not b-being prepared.” she closed her eyes tightly and lowered her head. “I am ashamed for not having been ready for such a meeting! Please accept my apologies!”

Mach smiled causing her to look up in distress, but he waved a hand. “It’s okay it’s okay. I honestly don’t care, just be yourself.”

The orange-haired umamusume nervously looked at his emerald eyes, her blush deepening as she mumbled. “Y-Yes, my n-name is Ikuno Dictus. It’s a pleasure.”

The umanoshonen nodded and walked over to the brown-haired uma girl who had swirly eyes with a scarlet-colored face.

“H-Hai M-Mach-san!” she waved her hands frantically in the air. Mach waved back. “Nice to meet you.”

“Y-Yes! I’m Matikanetannhauser, but y-you can call me Omachi-chan! T-They call m-me that where I l-live!” the uma girl known as Matikanetannhauser, or Omachi-chan, said.

Mach raised an eyebrow curiously. “That’s some name, but really unique. Pleasure as well Omachi-chan.”

The brown-haired umamusume gave a high-pitch squeal upon hearing him say her nickname, the latter turning his focus over to the last of the team who tried hiding her face behind her fluffy pigtails timidly.

“And it looks like you must be Nice Nature.” Mach said seeing the uma girl nodding rapidly.

“H-Hai, I’m N-Nice N-Nature hehe. D-Don’t mind me t-though, I-I’m not trying t-to be the best or anything...” her cheeks burned from his gaze on her, light brown eyes averted and trying hard not to look into his.

Mach smiled and shook his head. “Don’t say that, I see you have great potential. You just need that extra push and you’ll be up there easily, but other than that looking forward to training with you as well.”

Nice Nature nodded rapidly again curling herself up more. All four umamusumes definitely did not expect this at all, but three of them were internally jealous that one of their teammates got to hug Mach.

Minamizaka watched with surprise and amusement. ‘This may probably be the best idea I had for the team. I should’ve done this a while ago and most likely the girls would have been winning more races, but me and my backgroundness.’

Mach nodded and walked back to Minamizaka clapping his hands once. “Alright so your trainer stated that you four don’t focus much on physical training and rely on watching videos of races to gain the upper hand. Well I’m here to provide hands on application to help you improve your odds of winning elite races!”

The four umamusumes looked at each other with huge grins.

“Alright we’ll be training with Mach-san for the next two weeks! I’ll be a step ahead of Teio-senpai in no time!” Twin Turbo cheered with a fist in the air.

“This will definitely improve my running quality and we will be able to spend efficient time with the best of the best.” Ikuno Dictus spoke adjusting her glasses… and trying to tame her hair.

“Woohoo we’re gonna be with Maaach-san! Can’t wait to tell Matikanefukukitaru-chan about this haha!” Matikanetannhauser grinned widely.

“Well if this will make me better then I guess I’ll allow it.” Nice Nature shyly smiled looking down. “A chance with Mach-san… and a chance to beat Teio-senpai as well…”

Minamizaka’s eyes widened in suprise. “I didn’t expect all of you to agree that quickly.”

“Hehe well it’s because Mach-san is here and if we all want to reach for number one, then we will have to train with a number one! Thanks for bringing him here Trainer-san!” Twin Turbo bowed several times to him. Minamizaka blinked while Mach gave a laugh.

“That’s the spirit I like to see. Now so I can get a good understanding of everyone, what are your strongest aptitudes?” the uma boy asked them.

Ikuno raised her hand first. “I specialize in mile and medium distances, both as a pace chaser and late surger Mach-san!” she said both formally and loud.

Twin Turbo followed after. “I’m the same but I like to be at the front all the time haha!”

Matikanetannhauser was third. “Both medium and long-distance Mach-san. Oh and like Ikuno-chan I like to give pace or wait near the end!”

“I’m the same as Omachi-chan but I’m more of a late surger, and I can be alright as a pace chaser but whatever works.” Nature finished up with a shrug.

Mach looked the other way pursing his lips. “Alright just like the other teams there’s either barely or no sprinters at all. Man this school needs more short distance people.”

“We apologize for that inconvenience.” Minamizaka timidly scratched the back of his neck. “We’d usually have the milers take up slots when it comes to events shorter than 1800 meters.”

“Ah it’s no worry at all, just a thought on my end.” Mach turned his focus back to the four umamusumes.

“Anyway we’ll be starting training right now so please change to your running clothes you’d normally wear in your G3 races. Let’s go!” the umanoshonen turned around with a finger pointed forward walking out the door.

Twin Turbo became ecstatic. “Awesome! C’mon let’s get changed quickly!”

Ikuno was way ahead of her taking off her sweatshirt. “We must ensure optimal time is used to maximize our results, so let’s hurry quickly.”

Matikanetannhauser struggled taking off her pants. “Waaah I didn’t know we’d be starting right now hold on!”

Nature was quickly taking off her shoes in excitement. “I’ll be training with Mach-san… he’s so… wow.”

Minamizaka was very surprised; normally they’d take their time changing into anything. While he was thinking on it four pairs of eyes stared at him with deadpanned expressions.

“Ahem.”

Breaking the man out of his thoughts as his team glared with narrowed eyes.

“Do you mind?” Matikanetannhauser asked. Minamizaka yelped bowing once and getting out.

Nature huffed looking to the side. “Pervert.”

…

Mach, Team Canopus and the team’s trainer were out on the lightly snowy track having done some warm-ups and stretches. The umanoshonen and Minamizaka stood together in front of the four umamusumes who were side by side awaiting orders.

“Okay so from what all of you told me about your racing histories, you only got until the end of next year to win one or more G1 races.” Mach switched his gaze between each of them. “That is still plenty of time to train but what I also want everyone to know is that winning isn’t always everything. The most important thing is to have fun and give it your all when you race.”

Team Canopus all responded with “Hai!” as Mach continued. “Now strategy is important, but that won’t always lead you to getting high placements or winning the top spot. It’s important that you also develop yourself physically so that you’d be able to even use those strategies.”

Mach looked over at Nice Nature, the latter squeaking as his eyes fell on her.

“Your trainer told me that you are the very first member of the team and the most accomplished with several third-place finishes.” the uma boy gave her a smile. “That’s pretty impressive in it of itself so don’t beat yourself up if you can’t get the win.”

Nature blushed hard at his words and looked at the ground nervously with hands together. “Y-Yeah, I t-try my best.”

The sixteen-year-old nodded and looked at the others. “Make sure you see her as a source of inspiration as she is a leader to you all, and don’t worry I’m not neglecting each of your individual accomplishments as well. Training well, recovery, improvement and spirit are several things you’ll need to either get higher placements or get first place.”

“Hai!” all of them replied. Mach looked over to Minamizaka.

“Your trainer also said that one of your goals is to beat Team Spica, so I’ll be blunt regarding them.” Mach gave the umamusumes a serious look. “If you have seen their previous races, they have broken course records in part from the training my trainer and I are providing in collaboration with their trainer. They’re several steps ahead of all of you and if you continue to focus on strategy alone… you’ll never beat them.”

The uma girls’ eyes widened in shock. Minamizaka watched them with concern as he nodded. “He is correct. That’s why I try the best I can to have you four take physical training more seriously.”

Mach nodded in agreement. “And your trainer has been running himself so you can run alongside him in trails. Uncle and I explained the reasoning to the others, and ever since the other umas have been able to either catch up or beat their trainers in trails where humans have an advantage. The trails are one part of our training which immensely increases speed, stamina, power, coordination and reflexes which are essential to giving you a much easier time on flat terrain. They’ve all been doing it for several months now and at this point there’s no chance some of you, like Nature-san and Turbo-san, will be able to beat Tokai-san for example.”

Minamizaka’s chest clenched at the distraught look on their faces. He knew it was a reality check for all of them and understood that Mach had to explain the truth to them.

‘It hurts seeing them feel demoralized that they won’t catch up to their idols, but this is the best way I am able to get them to be able to reach them effectively.’

Mach noticed their horrified expressions and raised a hand upfront. “I know it’s tough for you four to hear this, but don’t worry I’ll do my best to make sure you can stand alongside Team Spica and any others. Maybe even surpass them, and I have full faith you four can do it!”

This raised their spirits as they all smiled looking at each other.

“He’s right everyone, we focus too much on strategy.” Nature spoke first.

Ikuno nodded. “Strategy can only go so far if we do not possess the physical traits to execute them, and we will need to be more manageable when it comes to physical training and apply more time for the latter.”

“Yup, we can all do this! Let’s give it our all during our training!”  Matikanetannhauser encouraged with a fist raised.

The three looked over at Twin Turbo, whose bangs covered her eyes with sharp teeth clenched together. The blue-haired umamusume was shaking and her fists curled tightly.

“We have a dream to become better than Spica, and I have a dream to beat Teio-senpai.” a stream of tears fell down from her face and onto the grassy turf below. “We watched the very first training session you had with both them and Rigil, and not only were we surprised that you beat everyone… but you overlapped Teio-senpai at the end while she struggled in last place…”

Everyone was silent while she continued, Mach giving a solemn expression.

“To see my role model out there giving it her all yet ending up in last place… it hurts, and it’s been hurting me that there’s someone out there a thousand times better than Teio-senpai.” a choked sob came out of Twin Turbo, but it didn’t deter her. “B-But I know that in my current f-form I’m still slower than Teio-senpai, and with the training she’s been doing… I won’t be able to beat her.”

Sniffing once Twin Turbo gave a chuckle. “That doesn’t mean I’ll give up though. It only makes me more determined to reach her and be the one to win against her!”

Twin Turbo’s heterochromatic eyes were revealed as she looked up, irises glistening with tears but at the same time held joy and passion.

“AND THAT MEANS I’LL GIVE IT MY ALL AGAINST THE ONE WHO BEAT HER AND SPICA! I’LL DO MY BEST TO BE NUMBER ONE AND MAKE TEIO-SENPAI PROUD!”

Nature gave a laugh and chimed in. “I also share the same goal as Turbo-san. I don’t usually see myself that great but for once… I want to accomplish something.”

Ikuno adjusted her glasses. “Efficiency is key to placing high in a race, but passion and heart is what keeps our team together as a family.”

“Yeah and we do our best to help each other out! Even if we haven’t won any top races, that doesn’t mean we’ll simply quit!” Matikanetannhauser grinned widely in the end.

Minamizaka watched in awe at their words, looking over to Mach who had a calm smile on his face.

‘So this is the power of a world-class runner… all the team needed was some top level inspiration.’

Mach nodded once and gave a laugh. “Stuff like that is what’s going to help you reach the top! And again it’s not about simply winning but having role models and goals that can help you win.”

“We also saw your run in the Kikuka Sho Mach-san. It was so epic!” Matikanetannhauser bellowed in awe.

“I know right?! His kick in the end was so ultra fast and it knocked me down on my butt!” Twin Turbo agreed eagerly with stars in her eyes.

Ikuno nodded several times. “Incredible use of speed and technique from Mach-san. We must follow in his footsteps to achieve such prowess!”

Nature looked down blushing. “Y-Yeah, Mach-san was so cool there especially in his racing outfit.”

Mach blushed red from their praise scratching his head “It was nothing haha. I’d applaud the others for breaking records on their part and doing an amazing job.” the umanoshonen looked over to the track.

“Now then since we’re getting close to the end of the year, the next two weeks will be a bit of an accelerated training program. You’ll be going through more intense workouts at a higher frequency and that’s so you’ll be able to catch up to the others.” Mach looked back to the four. “Your trainer stated you all work on strategy, but we will need to work on your physical aspects such as form and the current attributes you possess so those strategies can have their full advantages played out.”

“Hai!” the four uma girls nodded.

“Alright to start off we’ll be doing a 2000 meter run around the track. It will be on turf and all you have to do is finish with the fastest possible time you can achieve.” Mach swapped his gaze between them all. “This will let Minamizaka-san and I see what we’ll need to develop for each of you and give me an idea on what training we’ll be doing for the next several days.”

“You will be going out individually while I take your times.” Minamizaka added with a stopwatch in hand. “Please treat this as a race so Mach-san can get a baseline on each of you so we may focus on your strengths and weaknesses.”

The umanoshonen nodded and looked back at them with a grin. “Now who wants to go first!”

Twin Turbo immediately raised her hand. “I’m always itching for number one so I’ll be first! I’ll show you my power Mach-san!”

“Alrighty so whenever you’re ready head to the starting line. After one lap you’ll be finshing over there.” Mach looked over to the other side of the starting line and saw a cutout of Hishi Amazon, sweatdropping. “…I still can’t believe you people use that.”

The blue-haired heterochromatic uma girl stretched a bit before leaning into a running position. The others were in the inner field next to the starting line with Minamizaka holding the stopwatch.

“And… GO!”

Twin Turbo immediately took off at full speed going through the first turn. Her teammates cheered for her while Mach looked at her form raising an eyebrow.

“She has a strange way of running.” the uma boy asked. Minamizaka watched Twin Turbo and sighed. “Yeah she likes to go all out on the first half, hence why she’s a front runner.”

Mach narrowed his eyes. “I know that but her form is too stiff. She’s not leaning in and her head’s almost facing up.” he said shaking his head. “Turbo-san’s form isn’t aerodynamic and she’s simply wasting her energy quickly by going too fast in the beginning.”

On the track Twin Turbo was rushing through the straightaway breathing somewhat erratically. She moved her arms and legs as fast as she could trying to get as much speed possible. Her teeth clenched against one another while her multicolored eyes were narrow as she started approaching the second turn.

‘I have to show Mach-san that I’m that capable. I’m aiming to beat Teio-senpai and once I do that, I’m coming after him!’

“AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” Twin Turbo kicked in the afterburners arching her back backwards and swinging her arms faster. The icy wind blew intensely across her form as several small air currents developed from the high speed she outputted, navigating the second turn and about to head through the straightaway.

“LET’S GO TURBO-CHAN YOU CAN DO IT!” Matikanetannhauser cheered waving her hands in the air.

“Stay focused and don’t let up! Maintain your rhythm and finish strong!” Ikuno added as well.

“You better make sure you get a fast time you hear me! I won’t forgive you if you don’t!” Nature shouted with both hands near her mouth.

Minamizaka watched the time progress on the stopwatch as he heard Twin Turbo’s rapid footsteps approach the starting line.

“Alright Turbo-san that’s 1 minute 34 seconds for 1600 meters! Finish this last turn strong!” Team Canopus’s trainer announced out loud. Mach continued to watch Twin Turbo’s pace and noticed that she was slowing down.

“And there it is she exhausted herself.” the uma boy said to himself.

The normally energetic umamusume gasped for breath as her speed began dramatically decreasing, but she continued to pump more energy into her limbs as she crossed the halfway point for the last 200 meters.

‘C’mon speed up speed up! So close to finishing!’ she thought while making her way to the finish. Her lungs burned taking in as much air as possible while her muscles screamed from lactic acid buildup, but nonetheless she was committed on finishing as Twin Turbo gave one final battle cry unleashing what remained from her reserves.

“AAAHHHHHH!!!!”

Crossing the finish line.

“2 minutes 20 seconds!” Minamizaka paused the stopwatch writing down the final result. Everyone saw Twin Turbo come to a slow stop with hands on her knees catching in ragged breathes. After a minute the blue-haired uma girl jogged over to the group with a large grin.

“Heh *pant* how was that *pant* Mach-san?” Twin Turbo asked. Mach nodded a bit pursing his lips. “That was some speedy running and if anything it was on par to some of the sprinters.”

“Not just *pant* aiming to be number one *pant* but also aiming to be the quickest!” Twin Turbo gloated proudly with her teammates nervously chuckling. The uma boy was not done however.

“But you were lacking in form.”

“Eh?” Twin Turbo’s cheerful expression fell instantly, Mach looking at her with a serious expression. “Your posture was erect therefore you were gathering a ton of wind resistance pushing against you. Also your head was leaning too far back and that will only cause injury to your neck if you’re not careful.” the umanoshonen continued. “Finally you went out too fast in the first half. Once you reached 1400 meters I noticed your pace was slowing down quite a bit and by the time you were left with only 300 meters, you just died and ran on reserves.”

Minamizaka nodded to Mach’s explanation. “He is correct Turbo-san and I’ve been trying to tell you about this fault for the past several months. Your final time is 2 minutes 20 seconds which is slower to the average time you’d normally see in a G3 race.”

Twin Turbo’s eyes widened significantly, not believing what she heard.

Nature, Ikuno and Matikanetannhauser looked at her with worried expressions.

“It’s alright Turbo-chan, this is just practice anyway.” the pig-tailed uma girl said.

“This is merely a training session to help us improve and organize ourselves more effectively. You gave it your all and that’s what matters.” Ikuno added.

“Yeah and as your name befits, Turbo-chan’s always revving up to the fullest and fastest haha!” Matikanetannhauser concluded.

Mach walked up to Twin Turbo and placed a hand on her shoulder, surprising the uma girl out of her defeated look.

“It’s still a fast time regardless, and I’ll make sure we can improve it immensely. Take a good rest.” the umanoshonen smiled. Twin Turbo blushed lightly from his kindness and quietly nodded, walking over to the bench nearby and grabbing a water bottle.

Minamizaka nodded. “Alright who will be second?”

“ME ME PICK ME!” Matikanetannhauser quickly waved her arms jumping up and down.

Nature silently lowered her own.

“I wanted to go next…” she muttered annoyingly.

The brown-haired uma girl quickly got on the starting line and huffed out some air. “Watch me closely everyone!”

“And…GO!”

Matikanetannhauser instantly took off as bits of turf and debris flew into the air, the umamusume flying through the first turn effortlessly.

“Let’s go Omachi-chan!” Nature bellowed out across to her.

“Stay focused and persistent!” Ikuno spoke loudly.

Twin Turbo finished drinking her water and raised a fist in the air. “Go go go!”

Mach watched her go through the straightaway and nodded.

‘She’s got good form and pace. Long as she keeps that up she should finish strong.’

Matikanetannhauser started going through the second turn with eyes focused on the path ahead, her arms and legs swinging evenly while keeping her speed consistent.

‘Just like Turbo-chan I’ll finish strong and make my teammates and Trainer-san proud!’ she thought while starting to go through the second straightaway. Her amber yellow tinted eyes looked over to Minamizaka and her cheering teammates. ‘Always there no matter what!’

She then looked at Mach, his emerald eyes focused squarely on her.

Causing a heavy feeling to rise in her chest.

‘But… what if I’m not good enough? What if…’

“1 minute 32 seconds, finish strong Omachi-can!” Minamizaka announced with the rest of Team Canopus continuing to encourage her as she passed the starting line.

Mach raised an eyebrow watching Matikanetannhauser go through the final turn.

‘That’s unexpected...’

“And time! 2 minutes 11 seconds!” the suited trainer called out while his trainees cheered for their teammate’s finish. Once a minute passed the brown-haired umamusume walked over to them panting lightly and smiling.

“Heh *pant*, Mambo’s aiming *pant* to win.” Matikanetannhauser spoke softly. She glanced over to Mach and averted her eyes, causing the umanoshonen to walk over.

“You have a good pace and form so there’s no issue there, but I noticed that you started slowing down.” Mach spoke and eyed her current expression. “Are you okay?”

Matikanetannhauser squeaked and nodded quickly. “Y-Yeah I’m okay! Just it’s pretty cold out here haha so I guess I felt a little winded. Whew!”

Mach sweatdropped and nodded. “I guess that makes sense, it is chilly and lightly snowing.”

The brown-haired uma girl gave thanks and bowed, immediately scurrying over the bench to get some water. Minamizaka looked over to the remaining two members.

“Third?”

Nice Nature shrugged. “Sure why not. I always get third and that’s good enough for an extra like me.” the pig-tailed uma girl stretched her arms while standing at the starting line. She leaned in after and grinned.

“And…GO!”

Pressing her foot hard into the turf Nature blasted off instantly going near top speed covering the first turn. While her teammates cheered for her, Mach analyzed her form as the previous two.

‘Just like Omachi-san she has good pace and strides, but since she’s a late surger she wouldn’t be relying too much on stamina. The way she spoke just a moment ago however tells me that she lacks confidence in herself.’ the uma boy’s emerald orbs watched Nature run through the first straightaway noting her relaxed posture. ‘She’s got potential to get first place. She just needs the extra boost.’

Nature began crossing through the second turn leaning further in getting ready to start her kick, the wind hitting against her body and causing her pigtails to flutter behind her.

‘Mach-san is watching. A world-class runner is watching me. Don’t screw this up Nature!’ she gritted her teeth beginning her kick upon crossing the starting line.

“1 minute 28 seconds!” Minamizaka announced with her teammates cheering her on.

“Run faster Nature-chan! See if you can beat my time haha!” Twin Turbo bellowed.

“Stay focused and manage yourself!” Ikuno added after.

Matikanetannhauser held a smile watching her teammate about to finish. Mach noticed her silence.

‘I think I know what’s going on with Omachi-san.’

“Time! 2 minutes 8 seconds!” their trainer said seeing Nature slow to a stop and place her hands on her knees taking in deep breathes.

Same as before a bit of time passed and the first member of Team Canopus walked over to the group.

“How was *pant* that?” Nature said looking at Mach nervously. The umanoshonen placed a hand under his chin looking at her, causing the umamusume to look down with red covering her cheeks.

“It was very good and didn’t see much problems. You have what it takes to win races, but apparently you see yourself as the lesser to more experienced runners.” Mach gave a smile. “I don’t see you as such. You definitely have what it takes to win.”

Nature’s eyes widened at his words and quickly after she hid her face behind her pigtails.

“Y-Yeah haha, g-glad to make you p-proud.” the red-haired uma girl gave a bow and anxiously walked over to the bench to rest. Twin Turbo eyed her annoyingly with a frown. “Tch, I’ll make Mach-san proud next time.”

“And that leaves you Ikuno-san. Whenever you’re ready.” Minamizaka said. The orange-haired uma girl adjusted her glasses and walked over to the starting line getting in position. “I am thoroughly prepared to provide efficient results.”

“And…GO!”

Ikuno took off upon hearing the word blazing across the first turn at breakneck speeds. Her teammates shouted words of encouragement while Mach eyed her about to go through the first straightaway.

‘She’s pretty experienced. Her form is excellent and it looks like she refined her strides very well. It’s very strange how she hasn’t won any races.’ the uma boy thought.

Ikuno kept her breathing steady crossing through the second turn, leaning in well to increase her aerodynamics while feeling the icy wind on her face. Her arms and legs worked like pistons fighting against the air currents that developed around her form as her yellow eyes focused on the straightaway she was quickly running through.

Minamizaka saw her fly through the starting line. “1 minute 26 seconds!”

Mach saw the orange-haired umamusume release her kick going faster.

‘Alright looks like she’ll be having the fastest time out of everyone.’

Ikuno clenched her teeth letting out as much energy as she can into her limbs. ‘Stay optimal! Manage your reserves and let it all out at the end!’

“AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” Ikuno gave a loud yell crossing the finish line.

“2 minutes 5 seconds!” the trainer of Team Canopus announced.

Twin Turbo sighed. “Welp it looks like Ikuno-san beat all of us. Sucks.”

“Don’t worry Turbo-san, we’ll be faster and beat her time easily next time!” Matikanetannhauser encouraged cheerfully.

Nature nodded. “Yeah, though I’d personally be fine with anything as long as I finish in a good position.”

Ikuno jogged over to the group panting lightly. “Please *pant* provide your *pant* feedback Mach-san.”

The umanoshonen smiled. “That was really good. Awesome form, great strides, nice attention to maintaining your stamina and amazing speed. Honestly you’d be able to win races easily, and I am curious to why you haven’t won any?”

With a blush Ikuno looked down shyly and laughed timidly. “W-Well I tend to lose against more experienced opponents, but I take that as an opportunity to improve myself and manage my training to run as much as I can.”

“Yet I don’t see you do that often.” Minamizaka sweatdropped causing the orange-haired uma girl to yelp and play with her braid nervously.

Mach gave a laugh. “Ah it’s alright. That type of thinking on opportunity will definitely help you get stronger as running is an endless learning experience. Easy to do but hard to master.”

“Woooaaah that sounded cool Mach-san!” Twin Turbo grinned widely hopping off the bench. “Now I’m really pumped up to give it my all haha!”

Nature and Matikanetannhauser looked at her and giggled, agreeing as well.

“Alrighty then I have seen what I needed to see from all of you.” Mach looked at each of them. “You all have the capability to win races and where you are at right now will give you high placements, but we will need to work on several things before you can achieve what you want to achieve.”

The umanoshonen looked at Twin Turbo. “I’ll start with you. Again you have incredible speed and would make an amazing sprinter, but given that you like to race at distances up to 2000 meters you lack enough stamina to maintain it. We will need to build up on that aspect of yours so you can be formidable leading the pack without sacrificing much velocity.” Mach sweatdropped after. “…we will also need to work on that stiff form of yours because there’s a chance you can get hurt.”

Twin Turbo turned deeply red avoiding his eyes. “…I can’t help it.”

Mach smiled. “Don’t worry, that’s why I was summoned haha.” he then looked to Matikanetannhauser. “You’re form is good and pace is consistent, but I saw that you slowed down at the last part of the run… the look on your face when you ran tells me you have a lot of self-doubt.”

The brown-haired umamusume gulped and looked down sadly.

“W-Well… the reason is because I feel like I’m too… dull and ordinary. Back home some people told me that I look and act too plain and uninteresting, which is why I try to be more optimistic and cheerful so that others can see how interesting I can be.” Matikanetannhauser’s ears lowered as well. “But at times that feeling hits me and I lose confidence in myself…”

Mach eyed the hat-wearing uma girl and nodded. “That’s understandable. All of us will have some doubt about ourselves and on my end I had something similar when I first started running, but other than that what uncle told me to keep me motivated is to be yourself. Who cares if some people judge you negatively for what you really aren’t.” the umanoshonen grinned happily. “As long as you express yourself freely and have people that support you, you’re never ordinary.”

Matikanetannhauser gasped widening her eyes. Just like Twin Turbo she looked away and covered her face.

“T-Thanks Mach-san!”

“Yup!” Mach then looked over to Nature, her eyes steeling themselves for his feedback. “Just like your teammate you have a great balance of speed and stamina, and with your ability as a late surger I noticed your strides and kick have a lot of power behind them so you’d easily break out of a pack… however just like Omachi-chan, you also have doubt and the way you talk about it already tells me everything.”

Nature sighed. “I try my best and I really do, but every time first place always escapes me. That’s why I’m okay with third or so because like I said before, an extra like me is fine with not winning races-!”

The pigtailed umamusume was startled upon feeling Mach’s hand petting her head gently, the other three gasping loudly in shock. Minamizaka laughed to himself from the uma boy’s action.

“As I said before winning isn’t everything, but don’t feel like you’re an extra. You’re important to your teammates and they look up to you, and having the opportunity to run in high level races means that you got what it takes to become the best of the best. If you got people that cheer for you and got your back, then you’re not even close to being a side character.” Mach explained. “You just need a good confidence boost, that’s all.”

Nature had to swallow the huge lump in her throat from escaping, her eyes beginning to swell with incoming tears as she trembled lightly. The umanoshonen kept his smile as he took off his hand, though for the red-headed umamusume she didn’t want his hand to leave her. Nature was about to reach for it but instead settled with wiping her eyes.

“Y-Yeah, guess I d-do hehe.” she replied. Mach nodded to her then looked over to Ikuno.

“Looks like you’ll be the last one to hear my input. And honestly I don’t have much to say.” Mach shrugged. “You got well developed technique and balanced speed, stamina and power. Just like Nature-san and Omachi-chan we’ll just have to improve your confidence I guess.”

Ikuno gave a deep bow. “I thank you deeply for the constructive criticism Mach-san! I will be better organized and will manage myself accordingly!”

Mach sweatdropped scratching his neck. “Yeah don’t worry about that, you’re fine as it is but we’ll improve your aspects nonetheless.”

Once everyone got several minutes to warm up once again after a bit of rest Mach looked at all of them with arms crossed.

“Okay so today we’ll be starting pretty straightforward. We’ll be doing a classic workout that focuses on teamwork but also trains you individually by working on each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Matikanetannhauser scratched her head. “So like we’re gonna be working together but not working together?”

“Sort of haha, but it’ll be more working together I just didn’t explain properly.” Mach pointed towards the sky.

“Today we’re going to be doing single file!”

Twin Turbo’s multicolored eyes widened in curiosity. “Woooooaaahhh what is that?”

Minamizaka explained. “Single file is a running formation where you all get in a line and run together. The person at the front sets the pace while the rest follow; the person in the back however will speed up passing the others to get to the front. Once the person in the back becomes the new leader then the new person in the back will do the same thing as the previous runner, each person rotating every time when it’s their turn. This is a great exercise to focus on pace while adding bursts of speed every time you need to get to the front. It is also improves your stamina as you have to manage it whenever you prepare yourself to go to the front.”

“And it’ll work for all of you. For Turbo-san it’ll develop her stamina while at the same time give her that speedy edge, and for Omachi-chan and Nature-san it’ll increase your confidence in which everyone will be encouraging one another as we run.” Mach looked over to Ikuno. “And for you it’ll help develop more power as you got it down with speed and stamina.”

Team Canopus looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

“The way it sounds I think I’ll like it.” Nature spoke with a smile.

“Yeah! This sounds like it’ll be fun haha!” Matikanetannhauser added happily.

“Alright make sure you guys don’t slow me down okay?! I’ll be leading everyone so watch me!” Twin Turbo grinned with a fist in the air.

Ikuno rubbed her chin with two fingers. “Very interesting. This will correlate to better organization with everyone.”

“And so you four can have a great workout, Mach will be running with all of you.” Minamizaka said.

Their eyes widened looking over at Mach who grinned stretching his arms.

“Yup! And don’t worry I won’t go my normal pace haha, I’ll be going at your fours’ pace.” the uma boy placed his hands together cracking his knuckles. “So who wants to be at the front and back first?”

“I’ll be the front!” the blue-haired uma girl said immediately.

“To no one’s surprise.” Minamizaka sweatdropped. “But please don’t go out too fast.”

Mach nodded. “Alright so who wants to start the kick from the end first?”

The other three umamusumes immediately pointed at the umamoshonen, who playfully looked shocked. “But why?”

“It’d make sense for you do it because we might mess up.” Nature answered.

“As much as I want to feel less ordinary I don’t want to embarrass myself so you do it Mach-san!” Matikanetannhauser stated.

“As the fastest and strongest uma at Tracen Academy, it’d be best that you lead us by example for this workout.” Ikuno finished.

‘But I’m only going to be last for like a few seconds.’ Mach shook that thought away and nodded. “Well alright whatever floats your boat.”

“Before we get started everyone make sure each of you put these on.” the trainer of Team Canopus handed his trainees a set of weight bands. “Per Mach’s request we want to ensure you get a lot out of this training session so it’ll be more difficult.”

“Exactly. Single file is technically a beginner type workout but with the right set of tools it can be very hard, especially when you add weight to yourself.” Mach explained putting on his weight bands. “To start off each of you will be holding 500 pounds in each wrist, but for every lap we complete Minamizaka-san will be adding 10 pounds on each band.”

“Mach-san won’t have any weight added for each lap on his part but he will be having ten metric tons on himself.” the male trainer said with a surprised look at the umanoshonen. “That is a very significant amount.”

The sixteen-year-old tapped his phone and a few seconds later his weight bands turned red signaling that the weight was added in which his shoulders sagged slightly. “It’s still heavy Minamizaka-san.”

Ikuno was at loss for words hearing the value.

‘I thought Ticket-san was bluffing, but she was right…’

“Sweet! Alright Trainer-san make these bad boys feel the burn!” Twin Turbo said with a flex. With a roll of his eyes Minamizaka-san took out his phone and activated the weight bands.

Team Canopus quickly hunched over gasping.

“W-Woah?! I just felt that!” Nature said in astonishment slowly raising herself, but the weight bands made it difficult.

Matikanetannhauser clenched her teeth curling her arms close. “Holy moly you are nuts Mach-san!”

Ikuno breathed in deeply and raised herself up, her arms trembling as she slowly brought them forward. “This t-technology is amazing… how have we never had anything like this?”

“It’s because the ones you all are wearing have limiters in them so you don’t put too much weight. If you were to accidentally put the same amount of weight as I carry, then your arms will separate from your body completely.” Mach casually said. The uma girls shrieked in fright upon hearing this but the uma boy assured. “That’s why they’re still not available to Tracen Academy yet until they can get the right tuning in them. Don’t worry the max those can go is 1,000 pounds which shouldn’t strain you too much.”

“Okay everyone please get ready to start. We’ll being doing twenty five laps around the track non-stop for a total of twenty-five miles. Every three laps you’ll increase your pace a bit and as Mach mentioned, I’ll increase the weight of your bands by ten pounds each lap.” Minamizaka announced. “Focus on pace and don’t overdo it. Only go faster when you need to get to the front but not so much that you go out of pace with the others.”

Twin Turbo was about to say something but her trainer deadpanned. “Especially you Turbo-san, don’t go all out on this.”

A grumble came out of the heterochromatic-eyed umamusume as she crossed her arms in annoyance. Nonetheless Team Canopus and Mach walked onto the starting line with Twin Turbo at the front, Nice Nature behind her, Matikanetannhauser in third, Ikuno in fourth and Mach behind them all.

“Let’s go around 25 miles per hour to start off everyone.” Mach suggested.

“Hai Mach-san!” Ikuno answered with a nod.

“Okey dokie!” Matikanetannhauser added.

“Copy that, though these bands will kill us in the long run…” Nature muttered looking at the devices.

Twin Turbo leaned further in her starting position with a toothy grin. “Meh that’s too slow. I’ll kick it into overdr-.”

“Turbo-san.” Minamizaka narrowed his eyes at her. “Listen to Mach-san.”

The twin-tailed rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine I’ll take it easy.”

“On your marks!”

The five umas got into position and readied themselves, Minamizaka having a thumb over the button of his stopwatch.

“And GO!”

They all took off at the same time with the trainer starting the time as they began going through the first turn.

Mach watched the four keeping pace and noted they were going at the speed he mentioned. The umanoshonen then started to accelerate and passed them from the outer lane as he took the leader position in front of Twin Turbo.

“Just like that, now it’s your turn Ikuno-san!”

The orange-haired umamusume nodded once and moved her arms and legs faster, doing the same thing and passing her teammates until she overtook Mach and settled in front of him.

“Good job!” he congratulated which caused Ikuno to blush lightly as she smiled.

Matikanetannhauser realized she was last and following Ikuno’s example she began increasing her speed just as they were about to finish the straightaway and head into the second turn. The icy wind pricked against their skin which blew harder and made it more difficult for the brown-haired girl to get to the front, but nonetheless she pumped her limbs while also trying to ignore the burning sensation arising from her arms due to the weight bands. Passing Ikuno she settled at the front panting moderately.

“Excellent Omachi-chan, now it’s your turn Nature-san!” Mach called out. The pig-tailed uma girl narrowed her eyes and began accelerating around Twin Turbo and Mach. They were all going through the last straightaway and without the turn it made it easier for Nature to pass them, arriving at the front and setting the pace as her breathing started becoming a bit labored.

“You’re up Turbo-san!”

Upon hearing that the blue-haired umamusume grinned and quickly sprinted up towards the front.

“Don’t keep your back erect like that, make sure you lean in or otherwise the wind will slow you down more! Control your speed as well!” Mach informed. Twin Turbo heard him but her drive to go faster was stronger in which her pace was getting close to her racing one. Minamizaka saw all of them about to cross and began tapping on his phone.

Once the umas crossed the finish line.

“Ugh!”

The four members of Team Canopus felt more weight added to their bands causing their arms to slow in their swings and their pace to go slower as well. Twin Turbo’s speed fell suddenly not wanting to exhaust herself, the former noticing Mach quickly getting to the front and eyeing her from behind.

“We have twenty-four more laps to go and your trainer’s going to be adding weight each lap. Don’t try to go all out yet.” the umanoshonen said. Twin Turbo couldn’t respond due to her breathing but she gave a simple nod, the group starting their second lap as they continued to rotate doing the same thing again.

Lap 5…

Nice Nature was beginning to pant much more from the workout they were doing. The weights made her arms feel like lead and the more she moves them the more she feels the burning sensation began to annoy her. The cold wind at least made the weather bearable but given that their pace increased to 26 miles per hour, which by normal uma standards is a light workout, the weights made it where they began to sweat profusely. Nature brushed off some of it from her forehead as she began accelerating due to her being next up front. Passing her teammates she glanced at them seeing Twin Turbo’s mouth open taking in large amounts of air, Ikuno gritting her teeth to keep focused while having to rub her glasses once in a while to defog them, and Matikanetannhauser looking straight ahead with a serious expression.

‘It’s been five miles and already we’re this winded. No kidding that Mach-san said this would be very hard.’ Nature managed to reach the front as they crossed the straightaway towards the second turn.

Lap 9…

“Increase your pace by one mile per hour please!” Minamizaka said watching Team Canopus and Mach cross the starting line and he tapped his phone to add more weight to their bands. The male trainer heard the groans come off Team Canopus as they felt the devices become heavier for them, Minamizaka impressed that they lasted this long.

“Nine miles in and they’re still going… but it looks like they’re getting drained.”

Matikanetannhauser was close to hitting her reserves as her breathing was very audible just like her teammates. Puffs of hot air came out her mouth dissipating into the cool outside air, feeling light snow land onto her face but at the speed they were going at it felt more like a million tiny pebbles colliding with her skin. Air currents continued to surround their forms melding with the winds the ambient surroundings provided.

The brown-haired umamusume started sprinting at the outer edge passing the others and going in front of Ikuno. She tried her best to keep pace but her body demanded she slow down or better yet to stop. However she didn’t want to disappoint her teammates and Mach.

‘My arms and legs are killing me, but I don’t want to let my team down! Mach-san believes that we can win races and that’s why he’s having us do this. I can’t let him down… I just can’t.” Matikanetannhauser thought while seeing Nature get in front of her. ‘Nature-san’s our leader and most accomplished… we must also continue to follow in her footsteps!’

Lap 13…

Ikuno squinted her eyes slightly as she began overtaking Matikanetannhauser and Nature. However her sprint has slowed dramatically compared to the earlier laps and her breathing was very rugged. She also had to remove her glasses and toss them to Minamizaka to keep them safe due to the cold weather constantly fogging them up. It reduced her eyesight but not enough that she wouldn’t bump into anything. She did not expect the workout to be so difficult and already the weights were really dragging not just her but her teammates down.

‘If I run the numbers correctly we should have at least 630 pounds on each band. Such an incredible amount and already my arms are close to giving up.’ Ikuno panted, putting more energy into her stride as she passed Mach and settled onto the front. She noted his relaxed posture and steady breathing compared to hers before taking the lead.

‘Mach-san is so much on another level that I never knew was possible. He must’ve have spent years doing training like this and the results are astronomical. His performance in the Kikuka Sho proved that and just seeing him run in it… I must reach his level if I want to continue to run for as long as I can.’

Ikuno glanced behind her to see Mach who perked his eyebrows noticing.

The umanoshonen gave a wink and smiled.

Quickly looking ahead Ikuno blushed madly and almost lost control of her breathing.

‘Steady now! Focus on the workout! But… he’s so cool~.’

Lap 18…

Twin Turbo’s face was gleaming with sweat and her cheeks were a nice shade of red, her breathing pretty rough with her muscles screaming at her to stop. The weights made it so she couldn’t move her arms past her shoulder blades even if she tried to and her legs demanded her to halt.

But her pride at breaking her limits rode high and she refuses to slow down even a single bit.

Noticing it was her turn to get to the front she began increasing her speed, clenching her sharp teeth hard and ignoring the wind blowing against her. The group was about to finish the last turn of their lap before heading to the final straightaway, their pace almost approaching the average speed most umas would do on light workouts. Again with the weight bands it made even speeds like much, much harder to maintain.

The twin-tailed uma girl saw the line up ahead.

‘Almost there Turbo-chan! Just a little more, but if you go faster you can finish this faster!’

Her fatigue caused her thinking to go astray and going with that idea she began letting all her energy out.

“AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!”

Minamizaka saw Twin Turbo blast through the straightaway approaching the starting line, his eyes widening.

“What are you doing?! Please keep a steady pa-!”

“NO *PANT*! I’M GOING *PANT* TO *COUGH* GO *PANT* PAST MY *COUGH* LIMITS!!!” Twin Turbo shouted with all her might upon crossing the starting line.

“!”

Only for her feet to no longer feel the ground as Twin Turbo fell face first into the turf and skidded a few feet away into the outer lanes, coming to a complete stop after. Heterochromatic eyes were fully wide from the instant shock as the blue-haired uma girl tried getting up, but her body failed to.

‘No… no no no! Not like this!...’ Twin Turbo felt tears prick her multi-colored orbs. ‘Right in front of him, right in front of them. I can’t… I-.’

THUMP!

Her ears flicked upon hearing several collisions and heaps of heavy breathing next to her. Seeing that only her head can respond in terms of movement she turned it and saw her teammates lying on the ground as well.

‘H-Huh?’ Twin Turbo couldn’t believe. ‘I-I thought i-it was-.’

“I’m *PANT* *COUGH COUGH* done.” Matikanetannhauser struggled to let out as she gasped for breath. Her hat was off her head and fell next to her lying form.

Ikuno was on her side catching her breath intensely, strands of hair sticking out from their normally perfect positions. “Y *PANT* Yes *COUGH COUGH* I *PANT* agree.”

Nature’s pigtails were heavily disheveled, her eyes clenched shut. “Looks *PANT* like… *COUGH* we didn’t *PANT* finish.”

Mach was breathing steadily on his end looking at Team Canopus on the floor, their trainer walking over to him in worry.

“Seems like the girls are wiped out.” Minamizaka said. The umanoshonen nodded and gave a smile to him.

“It’s alright Minamizaka-san, they did a fine job on their first day. This gave us great insight on what they’re like and the next several days they will get stronger. For now they all deserve a nice break.” Mach stated walking over to a table next to the starting line that had bottles of water. Grabbing four of them he headed over to the panting umamusumes. “Besides I didn’t expect them to finish anyway, but they did impress.”

Minamizaka gave a laugh and went to Mach to help him out. The four umamusumes looked over at them with sadness while continuing to pant heavily.

“S-Sor- *PANT* -ry Trainer- *COUGH* -san and *PANT COUGH* Mach-san.” Ikuno sputtered while watching Mach approach her as he opened the water bottle. The uma boy poured its contents on the orange-haired uma girl’s lips surprising the latter, but giving into how cold and refreshing it was she eagerly drank as much as she could.

“Don’t worry about it, you four did your best and have a lot of potential. Especially with the weights set that high.” Mach smiled.

Twin Turbo gargled a bit upon feeling water enter her mouth from her trainer pouring the water bottle on his end. Minamizaka chuckled at her silliness. “This is why I warn you not to go so hard in the beginning. You need to conserve your stamina.”

Once the blue-haired umamusume finished her drinking she wiped her mouth and grinned. “Then I wouldn’t *pant* be called Twin Turbo!”

Matikanetannhauser laughed upon seeing Mach splash her face with water.

“Haha s-stop *pant* Mach! I-It *cough* tickles!”

The umanoshonen laughed as well. “It’s because it’s cold, duh. Least you feel better right?”

The brown-haired umamusume eagerly nodded, then yelped upon feeling a hand ruffle her head. Her eyes watched Mach look at her warmly. “The good thing is that you didn’t lose confidence during our workout. You were determined to make your teammates proud and didn’t show much self-doubt when you pushed yourself. That’s where we’ll be seeing improvement.”

Watching Mach go over to Nice Nature, Matikanetannhauser felt a warm feeling in her chest from the words he spoke.

‘He’s right. Throughout the run I kept going and continued to go faster and faster… we all did.’

Nature darted her eyes between Mach and her trainer as he poured water on her, the uma girl screeching from the coldness and shaking her head.

“Blehiwwpehwehfhewui!! Okay okay you can *pant* stop now!” Nature heaved loudly while trying to breathe steadily. “It’s too cold!”

“Good she’s still alive.” Minamizaka joked, earning a glare from his pig-tailed trainee. Mach smirked and looked back at Nature. “Same way with you, your confidence was high and you didn’t doubt yourself. By the end of the two weeks, you along with your teammates will stand by and maybe surpass your role models in no time.”

Nature blushed and averted her eyes. “O-Of course M-Mach-san, and thank you… for believing in me.”

Once Team Canopus had several minutes to recover and catch their breath, they all stood up from the ground and walked over to the field with Mach and their trainer at attention.

“Alright so while we haven’t completed all the laps, today was impressive. However don’t get your hopes up that it’ll be easier the next several days as we have to make sure you can catch up with your peers quickly within a short amount of time.” Mach explained.

Minamizaka nodded and looked at his clipboard which had times written down.

“Everyone saw a decrease in their overall times up until the fifth lap. That is to be expected however and with the weights it will make sense. Now we’ll be doing some recovery laps for the remainder of the session and that’ll be the end of the first day.” the trainer announced.

“Hai!” Team Canopus spoke while bowing to Mach and Minamizaka, the four going over to the starting line and beginning their individual light runs.

Minamizaka turned to Mach. “Will they be ready for tomorrow?”

The uma boy shrugged.

…

Day 2…

‘Dangit!’

Twin Turbo caught herself quickly after almost tripping from the root in her way. Her legs burned trying to propel her up the tall hill that seemed never ending, and given the fact that it wasn’t a smooth surface either as Twin Turbo had to carefully navigate the uneven dirt path that led to the top. Her tired and frustrated expression reflected the hardship the twin-tailed umamusume was having running through the trail path set for her and her teammates.

Several meters behind Twin Turbo, Matikanetannhauser accelerated through a sand-covered straightaway surrounded by brush and trees from the sides, the branches from the latter doing well to shade her from the warm sun. Her breathing was ragged as she pumped her arms and legs as fast as she could going through the trail. Just like her chaotic-looking teammate this was something she has never done and her scratched up shins were proof of that, having falling a few times due to the technical terrain forcing her to watch where she stepped. The sand didn’t help much either due to the low friction so while she ran, sand flew into the air and Matikanetannhauser saw herself almost slipping.

‘Holy! Why hasn’t Trainer-san ever made us do stuff like this?!’ Matikanetannhauser looked up and groaned being greeted by the tall hill in front of her. ‘This is suffering!’

Ikuno charged down the hill on the other while making sure to steady herself. The orange-haired uma girl was still getting used to the running shoes she was wearing due to them lacking an umashoe and instead had lugs underneath for better grip. Even then she felt herself almost slip and she gritted her teeth knowing she couldn’t accelerate.

‘I did not expect trail running to be this difficult. Lacking in experience I am definitely not prepared for this, and if I had enough information it would require so many factors to consider in order to be efficient for training such as thi-WAH?!’ Ikuno yelped almost losing her balance due to her foot nearly stepping into a hole entirely. With how out of breath Ikuno was, that surprise made her even more out of breath. ‘I can’t focus too much on decision making during this training. Everything requires split second choices!’

Nature was ahead of all of them navigating several twists and turns, her feet pushing hard into the dirt as she went up a small hill. Her light brown eyes stared at the path forward while at the same time glancing down to make sure she didn’t step on anything too uneven, Nature’s legs being much more engaged compared to when she would be running on flat surfaces.

Right now Nature was more focused on finishing the workout, she and her teammates having completed around ten miles so far and were halfway done. Luckily Mach and Minamizaka said prior to starting that they go at easy paces, which could be easier said than done. It’s a good thing they didn’t have to wear the weight bands, but the variable difficulty of the trails made up for it.

Her ears picked up footsteps behind her and Nature clenched her teeth breathing heavily, knowing who it was.

“Good *pant* job *pant* Nature-san!” Minamizaka praised as he began overtaking the pig-tailed umamusume up the hill and reaching the summit. Her trainer was also running with them wearing a white t-shirt that had patches of sweat, red shorts with a stripe on the sides and red and white running shoes similar to the ones the umas wear.

Nature grunted as she accelerated to catch up to Minamizaka. Reaching the top she began her way downhill eyeing the back of her trainer, but unfortunately he continued to pull away.

‘He wasn’t kidding, Trainer-san really did prepare for this… HOW HAS HE NEVER TOLD US?!’

Ikuno thought similarly navigating the same turns Nature went through.

‘Trainer-san can defeat us in trails where we are at a huge disadvantage. However it should be considered that we’ve never done this and he had proper training… but still we should have the advantage with our more superior speed and stam-WOAH!’ Ikuno gasped almost falling sideways.

Matikanetannhauser saw Twin Turbo ahead of her as the two descended the tall hill. Accelerating to meet with her the blue-haired umamusume’s ears perked up at the former’s footsteps, her multi-colored eyes brightening upon seeing her teammate.

The brown-haired uma girl returned an attempted grin while breathing heavily. “I *PANT* guess Trainer-*PANT*-san passed you *PANT* as well?”

“Ye-*PANT*-ah! Why *PANT* didn’t *PANT* he *PANT* ever tell *PANT* us!” Twin Turbo complained while continuing to run. Matikanetannhauser couldn’t speak further and just shrugged, the two running side by side the rest of the way.

Ten miles later Team Canopus reached the final point where their workout ends, Mach sitting in a grass clearing watching all of them in content as the four umamusumes slowed their pace to a light jog and then stopping. They all were panting heavily with sweat pouring down their faces dripping onto the ground, and hands on their knees trying to recover.

“Sweet, you girls did it!” Mach cheerfully said standing up. “Looks like the second day’s much better!”

“I agree *pant* with Mach-san, everyone finished well *pant* and should be proud of the achievement!” Minamizaka added.

A hand clutched the front of the trainer’s shirt roughly, Minamizaka squealing in a manly way being pulled very close to Twin Turbo’s angry seething eyes.

“WHY HAVEN’T *PANT* YOU TOLD *PANT* US YOU CAN RUN?!?!” she barked causing Minamizaka to squeak again.

“I-I d-did Turbo-san! Y-You and the o-others didn’t l-listen when I t-told you about it b-before!” the trainer replied in fright. Twin Turbo tsked and pushed him away as he stumbled. Mach remained silent not wanting to say anything lest it becomes worse.

Nature sighed. “Well he does have a point Turbo-chan, we didn’t listen.”

“I agree with Trainer-san. He is but a background to us and almost irrelevant to our organized schedules.” Ikuno added. Minamizaka whimpered upon feeling the metaphorical arrow hit his chest directly.

“At least we now know Trainer-san is no slouch. Boy he’s fast… for a human that is.” Matikanetannhauser smiled going up to Minamizaka and petting his head. “Good boy.”

Minamizaka smiled brightly and nodded enjoying her headpats.

Mach chuckled and crossed his arms. “So looks like today’s training went well and I can see several improvements.” he looked over at Twin Turbo. “You managed to hang with Ikuno-san which means you’re starting to improve on your stamina. Once you get it much higher then you can REALLY kick in the turbos!”

Twin Turbo looked at Mach in awe. “SWEET! Haha I can’t wait to see Teio-san’s face when I become much faster than her!”

Ikuno felt Mach’s eyes on her as the umanoshonen nodded. “You are managing your decisions well, but remember when it comes to trail running you have to make those decisions within milliseconds. Once you have that down then running races will be a breeze for you.”

The glasses wearing umamusume bowed deeply. “H-Hai Mach-san! Thank you so much for the words!”

GROOWWWWLL!!!

Minamizaka sweatdropped from the sound of the umamusumes’ stomachs and gave a laugh. “Just in time for lunch it seems.”

GRRRROOOOOWWWLLLL!!!!

They all yelped from Mach’s own stomach doing the same thing.

“Wait you didn’t even run with us.” Nature asked the uma boy.

Mach shrugged his shoulders. “Doesn’t mean I ate a large breakfast this morning.”

Matikanetannhauser’s eyes lit up. “Ooh ooh why don’t I make you one of my family’s homemade meals! My family owns a restaurant by the way so if you ever want to you can come visit!”

Her three teammates did not take this sitting down.

“As if you will make him something Omachi-chan. I am well versed in homecooking and can make much more than what’s on a menu.” Nature bragged with hands on her hips and displaying a grin.

Twin Turbo puffed her cheeks. “I-I might not be able to cook, but I can always get him snacks if he wants any!”

Ikuno adjusted her glasses, the surface giving off a shiny gleam hiding her orbs.

“Appetite management is important, and I will study Mach-san’s nutritional needs to the smallest detail. I will make sure he is well fed and I am the only one qualified for such a task.”

Team Canopus began arguing with one another on who will feed Mach, their hunger having left their minds. Minamizaka sweatdropped looking over at Mach, the umanoshonen sighing with a hand on his face.

The trainer nervously laughed. “I brought a bunch of rice balls and carrot steak. Let’s eat up!”

…

Day 5 (in the gym)…

THWACK!

“KYAA?!”

Matikanetannhauser raised and clutched her bamboo sword, or in this case shinai, in front of her while Mach ferociously laid out quick strikes against her weapon. The two didn’t wear any armor and only had their regular track suits. Not that they need any armor due to being superhuman.

CRACK!

The brown-haired uma girl’s sword broke in two with the handle flying out of her hand and leaving her defenseless. She yelped upon feeling the tip of Mach’s shinai touch her throat, her hands immediately going up in the air.

“You’re confidence is growing Omachi-chan, but you’re still hesitating when it comes to quick decisions.” Minamizaka explained from the sidelines standing near the other three members of Team Canopus. “Out in the field every second counts and what you do in here will help you plan out in seconds in a race.”

“Okay but why do I have to go up against Mach?!” Matikanetannhauser cried anime tears looking at the umanoshonen in fright. “Y-You could’ve g-gone easy on me!”

Mach raised an eyebrow putting his shinai over his shoulder. “I did but apparently you froze and were an easy target, so I settled with breaking your only defense.”

The uma girl sighed and nodded heading over to the others. Ikuno walked over to Mach and raised her shinai, her expression determined and serious. Mach moved his own forward, his stance at the ready.

Minamizaka threw a hand down. “BEGIN!”

Ikuno quickly dashed forward with a downward strike, Mach reacting quickly and placing his sword horizontally upfront to block the attack. Their wooden weapons clashed with a loud whack as the two opponents stared down at each other, not one of them giving in.

It was Mach however who applied a large amount of pushing force forward causing Ikuno to fly back a bit, the latter quickly placing her shinai in a downward position to the floor and using it to slow her momentum. Looking back up the orange-haired umamusume raised her weapon again and with expert swings with a twirl at the end, Ikuno readied herself once more.

This time Mach was the one to go first, his speed much faster than her own causing Ikuno to widen her eyes. At the last second she saved herself from a sideways swipe aimed from the left by blocking it. However the force behind his strike was enough to send her skidding two feet away, her eyes watching Mach’s smiling expression as he readied himself.

‘It’s a good thing these shinai are made from special wood that’s durable enough to withstand our strength, but against Omachi-chan Mach-san was able to destroy it easily with a flurry of attacks.’ Ikuno thought as she brought her shinai forward. ‘I have to be careful and manage myself precisely. Mach-san seems like he’s going all out.’

Twin Turbo and Nature watched in awe at their fight, the two expertly trading blows against one another with graceful swings and strong blocks.

“This is sick! I want to learn as much kendo as I can Trainer-san!” the blue haired umamusume cheered. Nature shivered at seeing the two go at it, the pig-tailed uma girl recounting the match she had against him and having lost. “I don’t think I’d beat him if I trained well enough, but Ikuno-san is on a whole other level.”

Matikanetannhauser’s sad expression turned cheerful as she watched the two. “GO IKUNO-SAN! GO MACH-SAN!”

Minamizaka grinned. “Heh it looks like she doesn’t just focus on running.”

Ikuno clenched her teeth throwing a particularly strong upward swing towards Mach. The latter dodged backwards seeing the wooden sword almost touch him by a mere inch. He noticed that Ikuno swung too fast and hard causing her arms to be up in the air, Ikuno gasping upon realizing her mistake.

“KIAI.” Mach dashed forward and thrusted his sword towards her torso giving it a tap.

Minamizaka, Twin Turbo, Nature and Matikanetannhauser clapped at their performance with the two turning to them and giving a bow. Ikuno raised herself panting a bit from the match, turning her gaze to Mach who smiled. “Awesome job Ikuno-san. Thanks for the match and incredible technique you got!”

Ikuno blushed and looked down shyly while nodding. “Y-Yes, thank y-you as well for the opportunity.”

“Okay everyone, next we’ll be doing several rounds of judo!” the trainer of Team Canopus announced. The umamusumes squeaked turning to Mach in shock, his smiling expression continuing to be there while he brought his hands together cracking his knuckles.

“Show me what ya got!”

…

Day 9…

Nature held her breath for as long as she could, her light brown eyes looking up at the glass ceiling which blurred from wavy motions. Her entire body was screaming for oxygen and was also covered in a slightly cold liquid, Nature’s feet moving back and forth as if she was running. Putting more force into her legs she felt herself move upward towards the light coming down from the glass ceiling, instantly gasping for air as water seeped down from her soaked head. Her pigtails were absent leaving her crimson hair freely flowing and wet from the water, but her focus right now was trying to keep herself above the water while counteracting the 500 pounds of weight added on her weight bands.

“C’mon girls only one more hour!” Minamizaka called out watching Team Canopus struggling to keep their heads above the water in the gym’s swimming pool. The four uma girls were all wearing their blue school swimsuits for their training which was to keep themselves afloat only using their legs and having the weight bands try to drag them down underwater.

“GWAHCHAHCAHGHA!” Twin Turbo nearly choked on some water she swallowed while putting more power into her legs, her heavy breathing evident on how difficult their workout was. “WE’VE BEEN *PANT* IN HERE *PANT COUGH* GAH-! FOR TWO HOURS ALREADY!”

Ikuno gritted her teeth focusing on staying above water, her legs burning from the lactic acid having built up over the long period they’ve been in the pool. Her arms felt like falling off from the weight and the water only made it feel much heavier than it is.

“KYA!” she yelped upon bumping in Matikanetannhauser. “*PANT* Careful *PANT* Omachi-chan!”

“S-So- *PANT* -ry Ikuno- *PANT* -san!” the brown-haired umamusume apologized trying to move out of the way. ‘This is the most exercise I’ve ever done! We have to do all this just to awaken?!’

Minamizaka turned to Mach, the uma boy standing beside him wearing a blue t-shirt and blue shorts with a stripe on the side that reached up to his knees. His swimwear were basically the same colors as the umamusume ones.

“Looks like we may not need you in case something bad happe-.”

“AAAAAAHHH!!”

The two snapped their heads to the pool and saw Matikanetannhauser began to sink to the bottom. Mach reacted by dashing forward and diving quickly into the pool like a torpedo, his form rapidly swimming to the uma girl as she held her side in pain.

‘She’s got a cramp. Have to get her out of the pool!’ Mach reached her form wrapping his arms around Matikanetannhauser’s waist. The umanoshonen pushed against the pool floor and rocketed upward to the surface within seconds feeling the air hit his face upon surfacing. Mach swam towards to the edge of the pool and lifted Matikanetannhauser over to the solid floor, the latter curling from the pain she was experiencing. The uma boy got out after and kneeled next to her.

“Is it that bad?” he asked. The brown-haired umamusume nodded and whimpered.

Mach looked towards Minamizaka and shook his head. “She’ll need some assistance to lay on the bench.” the uma boy then got down and lifted Matikanetannhauser in his arms.

Amber-yellow eyes shot wide open as Matikanetannhauser felt herself being carried in a princess fashion. Looking at her savior, the sun reflected behind Mach giving him a glowing aura as the latter looked ahead with concern. “Come on, you’ll need rest to take care of that cramp of yours.”

Matikanetannhauser could only nod gazing at him. Vibrant emerald eyes filled with warmth, wet messy hair that shined from the sun’s rays, and a smile that made her heart skip a beat many times ever since she met him. Not only that but being in his arms… she felt his strength and… it was incredible to her.

‘H-Holy moly… Mach-san… he’s… he’s…’

A nosebleed appeared on Matikanetannhauser’s face as she sighed leaning her head into his chest, various thoughts coming into her mind between them doing… things. Mach didn’t notice this while walking over to a nearby bench setting her down. It seems Matikanetannhauser was in her own little world not noticing she was released, her lovestruck expression stuck on her face.

Nature, Twin Turbo and Ikuno saw all this with fury in their eyes.

‘WHAT A CHEAP TRICK!’ they all thought.

Mach grabbed a towel and dried himself going to Minamizaka. “I placed a heat pad on her side so that should take care of her cramp.”

The trainer nodded. “Thank you Mach-san, she deserves the rest. Now everyone else can continue doing-!”

“KYAAAAHHH!!!”

The other three umamusumes began sinking into the water as well.

Minamizaka shook his head and sighed watching Mach throw himself into the pool.

‘Of course…’

…

Day 12…

CLACK!

“I GOT IT I GOT IT!” Twin Turbo ran to the side quickly and barely hit the ping pong ball back against Ikuno, who was her opponent. The glasses wearing umamusume lunged forward and swung her paddle forward for a straight shot as the ball bounced onto her side of the table once and passed the small net over to the blue-haired uma girl’s side at great speeds. Twin Turbo reacted and countered with a back swing shooting the ball straight towards Ikuno who intercepted with her own back swing, the ball bouncing over to her side of the table. Twin Turbo sprinted as fast as she could towards the other side reaching her paddle out, but unfortunately the ball grazed the end of it and rebounded the opposite direction onto the gym floor.

“Dangit!” the energetic umamusume cursed while Ikuno huffed in victory. Minamizaka raised a hand towards Ikuno.

“And that’s eleven to two, Ikuno wins the match!” their trainer called out.

Meanwhile Matikanetannhauser was having a rough time against Nature, the latter expertly countering her serves and no matter how much power and drive she put into her swings the red-headed uma girl’s defense was top-notch.

‘Nature-chan is super good at this! I have to keep up with her!’ Matikanetannhauser’s train of thought was broken upon seeing the ball head out towards the opposite side of the table. She quickly sprinted over and was able to hit it, but the ball flew vertically in the air. The brown-haired uma girl rapidly turned to face the ball.

“KYA!”

However she slipped and fell onto her hands and knees, looking up after in horror to see the ball about to hit the floor.

‘NO!’

THWACK!

Only to be saved by another paddle hitting the ball back towards Nature’s side of the field full force. Matikanetannhauser sighed in relief and looked at Mach with a smile. “Thanks for that!”

Mach nodded. “You got it!”

Nature’s eyes widened as she held her paddle upfront to counter the ball. It had so much force that she skidded a foot back and managed to throw her arm up that held the paddle to rebound the ball into the air. Sighing in relief as well from the save she gazed at the descending ball and with perfect time did an overhead strike with as much force as she could.

Matikanetannhauser steeled herself from the incoming projectile and moving her arm out wide, she found her chance and swung just as hard against the ping pong ball. With a loud clank the ball reflected off the brown-haired uma girl’s paddle and with blistering speeds flew towards Nature, the pig-tailed umamusume at the ready.

Ikuno, Twin Turbo and Minamizaka watched in awe at the back and forth between the two, or in this case, three opponents. Their display of talent and sheer speed and power made them look as if they were trying out for the Olympics.

…except Matikanetannhauser was having some help from Mach.

“I honestly do not think this is fair Trainer-san. Two against one is not very sufficient given that while Nature-san is a prodigy at table tennis, she may be outclassed due to Mach-san being in the game.” Ikuno stated.

“Yeah Mach is really good! If he and Nature-chan went at full power it would be a super epic match!” Twin Turbo cheered.

Minamizaka chuckled. “Well today’s supposed to be an easy and relaxing day after all the runs and workouts we had over the past several days. I had Mach help you and Omachi-chcan because you two aren’t that good at table tennis, so why not have him assist from the rear.” the brown-haired trainer eyed Twin Turbo teasingly. “I mean you wouldn’t have won those last several matches against Ikuno if you didn’t get his help.”

Twin Turbo huffed crossing her arms and looking away with a blush. “I-It’s not l-like I needed his help!... well then again, I didn’t mind how close he was…” she whispered the last part.

Nature grunted throwing the ball in the air and striking it commencing her serve.

‘The score is tied ten to ten. If this was an official game I’d need a two-point lead to win, but since this is supposed to be casual either me or Omachi-chan and Mach-san need to score one point.’ Nature glanced over at Mach for a second. ‘Haah I wished I wasn’t so good at this.’

“Hap!” Matikanetannhauser deflected the ball back towards Nature and feeling a confidence boost she grinned and readied herself for the counter. Nature weaved towards the opposite end of her table and used a backhand swing which bounced off her field quickly and towards the brown-haired uma girl. Matikanetannhauser’s eyes widened from the large vertical arc the ball made forcing her to jump in the air. Raising her paddle high she performed an overhead downward swing striking the ball towards her side of the table.

Her eyes widened in horror however as the ball inclined too far down and headed straight towards the floor.

‘NO I MESSED UP!’

Mach was there and rapidly sprinted towards the descending ball to save it, tongue out on the side of his mouth as he smiled. Nature tensed and got ready for whatever the umanoshonen planned to do.

‘I don’t think I’d be able to take another direct shot like before. My paddle might break!’

Just as Mach was about to hit it.

“STOP CHEATING!”

“W-WAH?!” Mach felt himself being tackled onto the ground by Twin Turbo and Ikuno. Landing with a thud and groaning afterward, Mach shook his head to see the two umamusumes holding him down from each arm with puffed out cheeks in annoyance.

Matikanetannhauser, Nature and Minamizaka watched in shock, the ball forgotten as it bounced onto the floor signaling Nature’s victory. Yet they focused more on the new predicament.

Mach felt soft pokes on his cheek from Twin Turbo. “We don’t care if we suck or Trainer-san asks you to help me and Omachi-chan, you make it unfair!”

Ikuno nodded in agreement. “Trainer-san’s recommendations are invalid for this type of sporting competition. Table tennis, casual or not, should be played in fairness.”

The umanoshonen sweatdropped. “But it wasn’t my idea, Minamizaka-san suggested it and also none of you disagreed on it.”

Twin Turbo and Matikanetannhauser blushed looking down. However the latter squealed and ran towards the trio, kneeling down and giving Mach a large tickling.

“W-Woah-hey-hahahahahahahahahah!” Mach started laughing while Matikanetannhauser grinned widely and continued her assault. Ikuno and Twin Turbo looked at each other and shrugged doing the same as their teammate, Mach howling in laughter from their tickling.

Nature stared in astonishment and jealousy, her expression evident of both traits. She barely noticed Minamizaka walk over to her placing a hand on her shoulder, causing the uma girl to jump a bit.

“Go join them Nature-san. He does have to take responsibility.” their trainer teasingly suggested. Nature looked at him and back at the others, a smile rising on her face.

‘Trainer-san is right! Mach-san and the others believe that I’m not an extra, so I can’t disappoint them and stay on the sidelines!’ Nature giggled as she rushed over to her teammates and Mach. ‘I’ll be a winner to everyone!’

“UMAPILE!” Nature cheerfully shouted, the three uma girls and Mach gasping as they watched the pig-tailed umamusume leap into the air and about to land on them.

BAM!

The landing was successful, everyone below her flat on the floor with swirly eyes. Nature laughed more and looked at Mach, the latter grinning back at her.

“Looks like I’ll be needing some saving haha.”

Nature raised an eyebrow flipping her hair. “Oh I’ll save you alright.”

Mach gulped staring into the now four mischievously grinning umamusumes ready for another round of tickling.

Minamizaka laughed heartily on his end. ‘Being a background guy does have its perks.’

…

Day 14…

Ikuno breathed in and out steadily, stance at the ready on the starting line of the racetrack with the others watching her from the inner field. Minamizaka quickly pressed the button on his startwatch.

“And go!”

The orange-haired umamusume took off creating a hole beneath her right foot with turf and grass flying in the air, Ikuno quickly accelerating through the first turn moving her arms and legs up and down at high speeds. Her teammates cheered for her while Mach watched Ikuno’s pacing and form.

‘There we go, her technique is much better. Her speed is also a lot faster compared to the first day.’ Mach thought eyeing the organized member of Team Canopus burst through the first straightaway.

Ikuno leaned slightly to the left flying through the second turn, her yellow eyes focused on the path ahead while her peripheral vision took in the blurry surroundings due to her speed and air currents blasting across her body. Ikuno’s breathing was steady as she took large strides to cover ground quickly, leaning further upon starting the final straightaway before meeting the starting line again. While she stared ahead at the upcoming point where she began, Ikuno thought about a conversation days ago…

-

“So while my running style is well managed, you want me to feel more natural about it?” Ikuno asked Mach. The two were in the meeting room where Team Canopus is normally at, but the others were out getting some food they ordered. Mach asked the glasses wearing uma girl to stay so they can talk which made Ikuno blush and the others throw a fit, but luckily Minamizaka was able to defuse the situation and told them that it’s for something important. They didn’t buy his words but once Mach told them the exact same thing, they instantly listened and rushed out the door while dragging their trainer with them.

It seems Minamizaka is destined to remain a background character.

Mach nodded. “Yup, I noticed that when you run you seem too tense and focused. While that’s fine and everything, it’ll cause your body to become too rigid and less flexible which will lead to injury for you. You’ll also be wasting more energy and have less efficiency in your form when you do longer distance races.”

Ikuno blinked. “I never had that issue though. I tend to ensure that I follow strict guidelines on proper training and recovery, which are essential to minimizing overuse of my muscles and reduce the possibility of severe injury.”

“Yes that’s true, but you’re not thinking of the long term here. The more strict you are on yourself the less relaxed you’ll be. Running isn’t all about following an absolute set of rules that help you maintain your abilities; you’ll still be susceptible to things that can slow you down such as being sick and whatnot.” Mach then raised a hand between them, bringing his fingers in to form a fist. “You tend to keep your fingers tight together when you become too tense and I have seen it during our training sessions.” he then loosened his fingers up to a curl. “You want to be like this at all times when you run. Nice and relaxed.”

The orange-haired umamusume adjusted her glasses. “Wouldn’t that give me a reduced efficiency in form?”

“Not really. When you push your body towards its limits, you want to be relaxed doing it. For the sprinters it’s a bit different, but overall they follow the same flow.” Mach extended his fingers after. “You don’t want to be too relaxed however so you’ll need to find a good balance and to do that, just feel as if it’s natural.”

Ikuno looked at her own hand creating a fist.

‘He is correct. I feel tightness around the area which is normally a bad thing, leading to muscle tears if not properly monitored.’

She then opened her palm slightly.

‘Now I feel less of it.’

“And there you go.” Mach grinned. “See that difference?”

Looking back up at him Ikuno nodded and smiled. “I guess I can make this work to my advantage.”

-

Rapidly approaching back to the starting line Ikuno breathed out and uncurled her fingers from both her hands. Her body suddenly felt as Mach described it.

Relaxed and natural.

And Ikuno felt her energy levels become much higher.

‘I have to feel it!’

With newfound strength Ikuno quickly accelerated crossing the starting line and sprinting at higher speeds around the second turn. Twin Turbo, Nature and Matikanetannhauser were in awe at the insane velocity she outputted while Minamizaka’s eyes widened at the time she’s about to pull.

Mach huffed proudly on his part. “Relaxed and natural like a calm river.”

Ikuno crossed the finish line and just as quickly Minamizaka noted her time.

“1 minute 58 seconds! What an improvement Ikuno-san!” the trainer of Team Canopus said in shock.

“Woooaaah that’s really fast!” Twin Turbo spoke loudly.

“Dang, as expected from our secretary-like teammate.” Nature added with crossed arms.

“S-So cool! Ikuno-chan was so cool!” Matikanetannhauser cheered for her teammate.

Ikuno herself jogged over to them panting a bit. “Was *pant* that *good* sufficient?”

“Sufficient? Ikuno-san, you’re close to breaking a record!” Minamizaka replied in joy. The orange-haired umamusume’s face lit up in astonishment. “R-Really?”

“Pretty much.” Mach spoke. “Like I said before, stay calm and feel yourself as if running is natural. In time you’ll be up there with your role models, awesome job!”

Ikuno smiled while blushing. Giving a bow after she went to grab a water bottle from the nearby table while Nature headed over to the starting line. Readying herself she breathed out to calm her tense nerves.

“And go!”

Nature bolted off cleanly cruising through the first turn at fast speeds. Her arms and legs worked in tandem to produce quick strides combined with powerful leg force due to her role as a late surger. Nonetheless she made sure not to go out too fast and kept a well enough pace that her lungs didn’t tax out too much. Nature’s pigtails fluttered in the wind alongside the air currents she produced and her form leaned further down to initiate the first straightaway.

“You got this Nature-chan! Woohooo!!” Matikanetannhauser jumped up and down cheering for her teammate.

“You better give me a fast time you hear me! I won’t forgive you if you don’t give me something hard to beat!” Twin Turbo called out in fake anger.

Minamizaka shook his head from her words. “Ahh same ole Turbo-san…”

Mach noticed her more upbeat form which was better compared to the first day.

‘Sweet she’s getting the hang of it. Guess that outing we had that one time did wonders.’

-

“And that’s why whenever I go back home my family puts more and more news stuff about me on the walls of our bar. It’s pretty embarrassing.” Nature sighed sipping on her carrot juice. She and Mach happened to bump into one another after school with the umamusume going out for a walk and the umanoshonen finishing one of his personal training sessions his uncle assigned him to do.

“Heh I’d go straight to my room to avoid any weird stories my folks come up with.” Mach laughed. “But at least it shows that they really care and appreciate you for all the hard work you put in.”

Nature smiled and looked down. “Yeah it’s great, but at the end of the day I’d only get third place every time.” she sighed twirling the end of her right pigtail. “That’s good enough for an extra like me.”

A hand grabbed her shoulder causing the red-headed uma girl to gasp and stop her from walking. Looking up she saw Mach give a flat expression with serious eyes.

“Whether you get third or last place isn’t something to feel like an extra. What matters is that you ran in a race with other high level umas, that you were chosen to participate in a race. That means that you have importance and that fans look up to you whether or not you get a shiny trophy.” Mach showed a small smirk. “Admitting on my part, there are tons of races out there that I haven’t won and this was before and after I awakened. While it does sting not to finish the leader of the pack, that doesn’t mean one should feel low about defeat. It happens to everyone.”

Nature’s eyes glimmered at his words, Mach continuing. “Third place isn’t something to feel down about to be honest. It’s still a high position that gets recognition and not many can even get third place. There’s umas out there that dream to get top three and for you, you’re someone that works very hard to achieve it. All you need is a confidence boost and you can get that from the support of your family, fans, and friends.” the uma boy took his hand off Nature’s shoulder and gave a thumbs up. “Even in third place, you’re never an extra if you have people that support you all the way. Forever and always.”

Mach felt the immediate tackle afterwards as Nature cried her heart out in joy.

Feeling important.

-

Nature felt the tears but she blinked them away quickly as she blazed through the last straightaway.

‘Mach-san is right, I’m not an extra. I’ve never been one, and my family and friends are proof of that! They’ve always been there for me and helping me out!’

Minamizaka was astounded at her current time while the others continued to encourage her. Mach watched happily as the pig-tailed uma girl crossed the starting line leaving strong gusts of wind in her wake running through the final turn.

Nature breathed in and out moderately to control her air flow, the power in her legs kicking in increasing her speed and acceleration.

Her confidence at full blast.

‘I CAN WIN!’

Crossing the finish.

“1 minute 56 seconds! That’s one second off the record!” Minamizaka said all giddily with a large smile.

“YEAAAAAAAH YOU DID IT!” Matikanetannhauser bellowed for her teammate.

Ikuno nodded with a hum. “Most impressive, as expected from the leader of our team.”

“Grrrr I’ll beat that record you hear me! Wait until it’s my turn haha!” Twin Turbo spoke confidently with a toothy grin.

Mach watched Nature jog over to them with a large smile. *I *pant* did *pant* it!”

“You definitely did it Nature-san. Keep that up and in the next G1 race, you’ll have a guaranteed shot at winning.” Mach crossed his arms. “But even if you don’t win, be proud that you’ve become much more than who you were two weeks ago.”

Nature gave a laugh and nodded. “I am *pant* Mach-san. Now *pant* I need to sit down *pant* whew.”

The pig-tailed umamusume headed over to the bench, up next being Matikanetannhauser as she positioned herself in front of the starting line.

‘Okay Omachi-chan you got this. Just like Ikuno-san and Nature-chan, you trained for this!’

“And go!”

Matikanetannhauser blasted off quickly gaining top speed, her feet charging her body across the first turn as she felt the chilly wind blow across her body. Luckily with the amount of movement she puts into her running heats her up quickly so the cold doesn’t affect her much. It still pricked at her skin but nonetheless she was more determined on finishing with a fast time like her peers.

The brown-haired uma girl’s ears twitched from the sounds of her teammates cheering for her while Minamizaka looked from afar and glancing at his stopwatch. Matikanetannhauser could also feel Mach’s eyes on her analyzing her progress compared to when they first met. This encouraged Matikanetannhauser to go slightly faster and show her results, wanting to be much more than plain and ordinary as how Mach told her a while ago…

-

“Holy moly this is some of the best carrot steak I had so far! You’re really good at this!” Mach praised while eating the food that was provided for him in a small bento. He and Matikanetannhauser were sitting on the rooftop eating their lunches; initially Mach’s plan was to eat alone given that he tried his best to meet that goal ever since he joined Tracen Academy, but no matter what one or more umamusumes would happen to find him out of coincidence. Mach thought otherwise but nonetheless he tried almost every spot.

Almost in the sense the private bathroom reserved only for him would be the perfect location, but the portraits of Yayoi being in there even while having her picture facing the wall away from sight, still gave him the sense that someone was in there. The umanoshonen checked every nook and cranny for a hidden camera at one point but found nothing.

Hopefully.

Aside from that the second most cheerful member of Team Canopus happened to find him and luckily it was only her. In Matikanetannhauser’s mind she was overjoyed for getting some alone time with Mach and wished that it would last forever.

Matikanetannhauser grinned scratching underneath her nose. “That’s the Mambo super-duper ultra deluxe family special made for our most special customers!”

Mach raised an eyebrow swallowing a piece of his steak. “Some name but fits the bill! Heck this rivals the A6 wagyu I had weeks ago.”

With a blush Matikanetannhauser looked down poking her index fingers together. “Y-You’re too kind Mach-san. Honestly this isn’t something special, and my mom can make way better steak anyway.” her ears and expression lowered. “I’m just a plain ole countryside umamusume in the end.”

Emerald eyes looked at Matikanetannhauser’s defeated appearance, Mach lowering his bento and rotating his seating position to face her.

“You’re not plain Omachi-san. You got qualities that set you aside from other people and you do things that most ordinary folks can’t even do.”

The brown-haired uma girl looked up. “Like what?”

“Well to start off you’re an uma. You have superhuman strength, speed and durability that humans don’t have and they vastly outnumber us. We’re basically like 1% of the world population so if anything, we’re unique due to that.” Mach continued. “The other is that you do things without realizing that they aren’t ordinary and people look up to you on that.”

Matikanetannhauser raised an eyebrow. “So what’s one thing about me that stands out?”

Mach looked up thinking of something, until a light bulb lit up above him.

“Well for starters you like colorful stuffed spiders, yet you’re terrified of real spiders.”

The uma girl’s eyes widened significantly as she gasped. “W-W-WHO TOLD YOU THAT?!”

The umanoshonen grinned. “Minamizaka-san, and because I saw that your phone has a wallpaper of stuffed spiders the other day.”

“Hueeegghhhh…” Matikanetannhauser grabbed her hat and lowered it to cover her face feeling embarrassed. “Now you know what one of my fears is…”

Mach sweatdropped. “Well to be fair it’s a common fear but what’s unique about yours is that you like a cute representation of your fear, while you fear the actual thing that’s different from what you like.”

Matikanetannhauser took her hat off and sighed. “Yeah but it’s humiliating. Only people very close to me know of that.”

“But do they see you as ordinary when they found out about it?” Mach asked.

“Well… actually they did say it was weird and not in a hurtful way. They did laugh about it however, but it was a kind laugh.” Matikanetannhauser responded.

“And that’s what makes you not ordinary. An ordinary person would be afraid of all spiders regardless if they’re a toy or not. You on the other hand like them when they’re cute and a stuffed animal, so you stand out from others in your own way.” Mach chuckled. “It’s funny, but it’s something that makes you unique and I don’t know anyone else that shares a trait like yours.”

The umamusume’s eyes lit up at his explanation. ‘He’s right… maybe I’m trying too hard.’

As if the uma boy read her mind Mach nodded. “Just be yourself and don’t work too much on it. As long as you don’t doubt yourself on anything, you’ll be more than ordinary to your family and friends. Minamizaka-san told me that he is proud to be your trainer. A trainer for someone that wants to be more unique in her own way.”

Tears stung the edge of Matikanetannhauser’s eyes as she sniffed and wiped her amber-yellow orbs.

“Y-Yeah!” she raised a fist in the air with a large smile. “I’ll be the extraordinary Mambo that everyone can look up too! I’ll try my best to stand out so others can watch me work towards my dreams!”

Mach laughed giving applause while Matikanetannhauser giggled. The latter glanced to the side for a moment.

Seeing a tiny spider crawl towards her.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Mach felt Matikanetannhauser’s generous melons block his vision, the umanoshonen yelping as he and the umamusume fell to the floor.

“GET IT AWAY GET IT AWAY GET IT AWAY HYAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!”

‘Heh, not ordinary at all…’ Mach thought getting bear hugged very tightly.

-

Matikanetannhauser smiled at the recent memory which helped her ignore the burn coming from her working muscles as she blazed through the second turn. Her breathing was even and she could feel the tailwind hit her back, using it to her advantage to start sprinting down the final straightaway.

“LET’S GO OMACHI-CHAN!” Nature called out with both hands around her mouth.

“BETTER BE FASTER THAN NATURE-SAN OR I WON’T FORGIVE YOU!” Twin Turbo said something similar for the third time in a row.

“Please finish strong Omachi-san! Manage your speed and stamina!” Ikuno also said alongside her teammates.

Minamizaka looked at her elapsed time with a large smile as she felt Matikanetannhauser cross the starting line leaving gusts in her wake.

‘She has gotten much stronger as well.’

Mach eyed her starting to enter her kick, her limbs propelling her forward in blurs getting through the halfway point.

‘Just like that. Don’t doubt yourself and no matter what, you’ll always be unique in your own way.’

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Matikanetannhauser let out a cry accelerating to her fullest top speed, a yellow aura manifesting around her form for a brief moment.

Crossing the finish line.

“1 minute 56 seconds! Same time as Nature-san but albeit a bit slower by milliseconds.” Minamizaka announced pressing the button on his stopwatch and writing down the time.

“Very impressive. It seems I can now see Omachi-san as a worthy rival.” Ikuno grinned crossing her arms.

“That’s insane! She really came out of her shell!” Nature gave a laugh after.

“Alright it’s my time to shine, I’ll beat everyone’s times!” Twin Turbo jumped once and headed over to the starting line.

Matikanetannhauser herself jogged towards the group and like her two teammates before her was panting heavily.

“I think I *PANT* overdid it *PANT* heh.” the brown-haired umamusume nervously chuckled.

Minamizaka and Mach looked at each other, a smile raising for both. Looking back her trainer showed Matikanetannhauser her time.

“Extraordinary time for an extraordinary uma such as yourself Omachi-san. You did it and I look forward to seeing you do a similar if not stronger performance in a race.” Minamizaka spoke. Matikanetannhauser’s eyes lit up intensely looking over at Mach who gave a thumbs up. “Never doubt yourself.”

“Hehe… hehehehehehe.” Matikanetannhauser began giggling in happiness while walking over to the table for water. Mach and Minamizaka sweatdropped but nonetheless shrugged to each other and focused their attention on the last member of Team Canopus.

A sharp-tooth grin displayed itself proudly to the world as Twin Turbo felt the need for speed rise within her small body getting ready. ‘I’ll be the fastest uma out there! Time to give it everything I got!’

“And… GO!”

Per her name sake Twin Turbo instantly bolted off the starting line already hitting full speed, contrails flying behind her from the cold air hitting her body. Heterochromatic eyes filled with confidence and energy were laser focused on the turf path ahead as Twin Turbo unleashed everything she’s got on the first turn.

“C’MON TURBO-CHAN YOU CAN DO IT!” Matikanetannhauser cried out happily.

“Remember not to go too hard at the start! Conserve your energy only until the end!” Ikuno advised as well.

Nature silently watched her blue-haired teammate sprint across the turn with interest. “Looks like Turbo-san also improved a bunch.”

Minamizaka looked at his trainee with worry, knowing how erratic Twin Turbo can be when she runs.

‘She’s doing it again, going all out and not worrying about burning out early.’ the brown-haired trainer looked at Mach’s reaction.

Surprised to see the umanoshonen smiling.

‘Well if Mach-san isn’t looking concerned then I shouldn’t be.’ Minamizaka looked back towards Twin Turbo and his eyes widened.

He saw that his trainee’s form was incredibly refined, her posture looking optimal and her strides were even. As Twin Turbo made her way through the straightaway, Minamizaka noticed that she also had a relaxed expression, breathing in and out with no signs of fatigue or exhaustion.

‘She’s actually doing quite well. And now that I see it, her speed hasn’t gone down one bit?!’ Minamizaka turned his attention to his stopwatch, eyes widening much more. ‘If she keeps this up… how did she get this fast?!’

Twin Turbo glanced towards the group, specifically at Mach, for a quick second.

Their eyes meeting telling the story…

-

“GAH!” Twin Turbo cried out falling to the ground once more, lying face down on the turf breathing heavily. Sweat poured down at every inch of her body as her arms and legs refused to move no matter how much she tried. Her normal twin-tails have become undone which allowed her cobalt blue strands to flow freely, though due to the amount of running she had done they were pretty disheveled. Twin Turbo didn’t care much about that however and focused on trying to get back up, but her hard grunts and shaking meant it was a difficult task.

“Damnit *PANT*! Get back *PANT* up Turbo, you can’t *PANT* just quit like this!” with a heave she forced all her energy into her limbs getting up slowly but with a struggle. Wiping the sweat and strands of hair off her face Twin Turbo breathed in deeply and exhaled out her mouth, readying herself once more and starting a sprint down the straightaway coming up. Gritting her teeth she ignored her muscles telling her to stop and kept on pushing her body through the racecourse feeling the icy wind nip on her skin.

‘Just ten more sets of these and after that, ANOTHER TEN MORE!’

“AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” letting out a long shout the exhausted umamusume dashed across the second turn appearing as a blur. Her speed and power on full display with each step breaking through the surface of the turf and causing dirt and grass to fly into the air without a care in the world, and Twin Turbo was determined to be the fastest uma out there.

Her future goal is beating Tokai Teio in a race.

“AAAAAHHHHH-!”

Yet her body said otherwise and collapsed back to the floor due to exhaustion. Twin Turbo skidded several feet through the straightaway and stopped about a quarter of the way. The uma girl heaved loudly as she gritted her teeth trying to get back up, but this time there was no argument.

Steam rose up from her depleted form.

‘I did twenty laps all out, but it’s still not enough!’ Twin Turbo could only manage to clutch the patch of grass that was in front of her, the normally energetic member of Team Canopus feeling the cold yet slightly prickly plants tickle her skin. ‘The others are doing much better compared to me… it’s not fair.’

Coughs starting coming out of Twin Turbo and a moist feeling run down her cheeks. She gasped knowing what it was but refused to acknowledge it.

“I-I *pant* can’t… not *pant* now. Not when *pant* I-I still have much more *pant* to prove.”

“Do you?”

Twin Turbo jumped upon hearing the foreign voice, her head snapping towards the opposite direction to see Mach crouching down next to her with a smile. “It looks like you overexerted yourself and are now stuck. Plus today was supposed to be your recovery day.”

The blue-haired uma girl sniffed and shook her head. “N-No, I wanted to *cough* do more training.”

“Is it because you feel like you’re going to be left behind by the others?” Mach questioned. Twin Turbo averted her eyes downward for a bit not saying anything, but she couldn’t deny it and eventually nodded. “Y-Yeah.”

Mach sighed and sat cross-legged next to her. “Well trying to kill yourself doing it isn’t going to help. Also you’re still going all out at the beginning and-.”

“I CAN’T HELP IT!” Twin Turbo yelled in pure anger, which was surprising for the normally positive uma girl. Dangerously sharp teeth clenched hard at one another with ferocious multi-colored eyes glaring at Mach. “ALL I WANT IS TO BE THE FASTEST UMA OUT THERE AND BEAT TEIO-SENPAI! I ALWAYS KNEW THAT SITTING IN THAT TRAINING ROOM AND IGNORING TRAINER-SAN WOULDN’T HELP BUT THE OTHERS LOOKED LIKE THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO, AND THAT’S WHY I TRUSTED THEM MORE! BUT THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT STYLES AND PERFORM MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN, AND THAT’S WHY I WANT TO SHOW THEM HOW CAPABLE I AM LEADING AT THE FRONT! AND TO DO THAT I HAVE TO BE THE FASTEST AND HAVE AS MUCH STAMINA AS I CAN, BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRY… I JUST CAN’T! AND YOU WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND EITHER SINCE YOU’RE THE BEST UMA IN SCHOOL AND PROBABLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD, SO DON’T TRY TO CHEER ME UP WHEN YOU NEVER HAD IT ROUGH LIKE I DO!”

Mach remained silent letting Twin Turbo release all her grief. His emerald eyes watched her colored ones close tightly with tears flowing out of them, the sounds of her crying being let out into the air and forgotten. Her body trembled heavily from both exhaustion and sadness, steam continuing to come off it and dissipate in the air as well.

Several minutes passed and Twin Turbo seemed to have calmed down, her expression appearing hollow but at the same time her crying having been reduced to sniffs and small coughs. This was enough for Mach to act.

“W-Huh?!” the umamusume yelped feeling herself getting picked up by Mach in his arms. A full-on blush covered her entire face and her body curled into his chest. “H-Hey w-what are y-you-?!”

“Relax Turbo-san, you’re overheated and need to go inside. You need time to cool down and being outside won’t help as it will rapidly cool you down to the point you can get sick or develop hypothermia.” Mach began walking out of the racecourse and into the tunnel leading out. “It’d be bad if you stayed out there and you’re lucky that I found you.”

Twin Turbo timidly averted her eyes. “How did you know I was there…”

“I didn’t. I came because I wanted to see if Minamizaka-san didn’t drop a pen on the field.” Mach chuckled. Twin Turbo sweatdropped and rolled her eyes. “Figures, Trainer-san can be a dummy.”

“And you can be one too.” Mach said with a grin. The umamusume stared at Mach in slight shock. “Y-You have no proof!”

“Well let’s see today you ran and ran until you your body gave out and didn’t have anyone else with you in case you need aid. Hmm I think that qualifies as such hehe.” the uma boy responded humorously.

Twin Turbo rolled her eyes again and playfully poked at his chest. “Well I guess you’re right. Even you can be a dummy you dummy.”

Mach smiled. “I’ll accept that.”

The disheveled umamusume then looked down in guilt. “S-Sorry for yelling at you and… saying those things…”

The umanoshonen shook his head smiling. “Don’t worry about it. Venting is a great way to let everything out.”

The duo headed over to Miho Dormitory where Twin Turbo lives at. Luckily there weren’t any other umas around them and hopefully there weren’t; Mach carryng Twin Turbo bridal style will not suit well for the two umas, especially the latter.

“Okay looks like we’re here. Will you be able to walk normally?” the umanoshonen asked. Twin Turbo nodded and steadily Mach lowered her to her feet. The blue-haired uma girl wobbled a bit but Mach kept her upright with hands on her shoulders, the contact making Twin Turbo blush once more.

“Thanks for the help, I can take it from here now.” the Team Canopus member gave a bow after. “I-I’ll see you at practice.”

It hurt her to leave his presence, but Mach was right. She needed to rest.

“Hold on.”

Yet his voice asked for her. Turning back to him, Mach gave her a serious look.

“You have tremendous potential as a front runner and speed rivaling those of sprinters. You just need more stamina on you to maintain that speed.” Mach got closer to her, Twin Turbo gulping and realizing how much taller he was compared to her. “Your form has gotten much better as well that you lean in when you run, but aside from that I can most likely help you in maintaining that speed.”

Twin Turbo gasped. “You do?”

“Yeah, and aside from that know this: we’ll help you reach your dreams no matter what. You got people that support you whether you win or lose. The most important thing overall is to listen to your body and know its limits. Only when you can really push yourself can you break your limits, but you can only do that when you actually feel ready. Not when you’re trying to prove that you want to be faster than everyone else.” Mach explained.

Looking down in sadness Twin Turbo silently nodded.

A hand on her shoulder surprised her and she looked up again.

This time Mach gave her a warm look.

“So tell me Turbo-san, do you feel ready to break your limits?”

Twin Turbo was about to say her answer, but then she hesitated. His words struck her deeply in a way that she can’t answer immediately like she would always do when asked a similar question. She went through all the previous workouts she and her teammates did under Mach’s and Minamizaka’s leadership, and in every single one of them she didn’t place first. If anything, she focused more on what her body told her rather than simply go all out like she normally would. In the trail runs she kept a pace, in strength training she took it easy and slow, and in swimming she focused on not trying to drown with the weight bands on. Twin Turbo was being strategic in her workouts and this contradicted with her normal routine of letting everything out at the start.

To her, Mach’s question became something foreign that she couldn’t answer straight. In her mind she’s battling whether or not she is, but above all else she knew of one thing.

She wanted to run, and she wanted to run in order to reach her dreams.

“I… I… I don’t feel ready Mach-san, but that doesn’t mean I want to give up on doing it.” Twin Turbo gave her answer. Mach nodded and took off his hand on her shoulder.

“Good. Meet me at the track tomorrow.” Mach said with a grin. “You’re going to be part of one of my personal workouts and we’re going to refine your stamina to match your top speed. It’ll be just you and me as well.”

Twin Turbo’s eyes widened in shock at his statement, the umanoshonen giving a laugh and waving goodbye to her as he left.

‘Just him and me… him and me…’ Twin Turbo held her cheeks burning red. ‘Eeeeeeeeee!!!’

-

Twin Turbo’s cheeks were slightly red from the memory, yet she returned her gaze to the track as she continued her run through the second turn. Her feet pounded the turf the same way like her teammates with bits of dirt and grass flying in the air leaving small craters resembling umashoes. Nonetheless Twin Turbo had her eyes set on finishing the run as fast as possible, wanting to be the fastest she can be and set on breaking her limits to surpass her idol.

“Here we go Turbo-san, remember what I told you to do.” Mach muttered under his breath seeing the twin-tailed member of Team Canopus start the straightaway part of the track. Her teammates cheered her on while Minamizaka glanced between her and the time on his stopwatch, the latter honestly not believing what he was seeing.

‘It’s like she finally learned how to pace herself, but at the same time she’s still going all out. Just how?’ the brown-haired trainer tried figuring out.

Twin Turbo breathed in and out steadily, leaning forward slightly more to become more aerodynamic about to cross the starting line. Moving her arms faster she began to ready herself for the final sprint.

‘Just like what Mach-san taught me, let off the gas slightly after the first turn and keep it that way. Once you get to the last four hundred meters.’

Crossing the starting line, time slowed as Twin Turbo’s pupils dilated.

‘Kick in the turbos!!’

A small shockwave was released from Twin Turbo, the umamusume beginning to accelerate through the turn utilizing as much speed into her run as possible.

“LET’S GO TURBO-SAN YOU CAN DO IT!” Nature called out to her teammate in excitement.

“Holy cow she’s soaring like a rocket! Turbo-chan’s so cool!” Matikanetannhauser said aloud in wonder and awe.

Ikuno’s eyes widened at the surprising kick her teammate was using for her final leg.

‘H-How did Turbo-san manage such speed when she’s been running at her fastest the entire time? Where did she get this much energy and skill from?’ the orange-haired uma girl thought.

Mach saw the white aura slowly being released from Twin Turbo’s body, the uma girl letting out so much power into her run trying to go beyond her top speed.

‘That’s it Turbo-san, use those reserves to your fullest. Go all out.’

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Twin Turbo kicked in the afterburners, the air currents creating a whistling sound around her form with the aura getting more intense as she sprinted towards the finish. Her eyes narrowed focusing on her goal showing confidence and determination on achieving the fastest possible time she can get.

It was for a tiny moment, a flash of white light appeared on her heterochromatic orbs.

Mach saw it immediately, his own emerald ones widening in surprise.

‘No way. That was… in just this short amount of time?’ Mach was reaching for his phone, but at the last second decided against it. The umanoshonen chuckled lightly.

‘Turbo-san, you really are passionate on what you want to accomplish.’

Twin Turbo continued to accelerate putting in everything she has on the final distance left between her and the finish.

‘They’re all believing in me. My friends, my trainer, and Mach… I have to reach my goals and pass Teio-senpai!’ Twin Turbo’s thoughts ranged from everything which included meetings with Team Canopus, hanging out with her friends, studying in school, and talking about her dreams to people close to her. Another memory came to her and one that was important.

The very first day she joined the team and met Minamizaka.

‘I was really scared thinking I wouldn’t have made the team, but Trainer-san accepted me with open arms. Back then I was different… I was more scared that I wouldn’t be good enough, but he believed in me… in us.’

Huge gusts of wind continued to blow around her form, the aura becoming more intense.

‘He’s done so much to help us and all we did was keep him at the side. If we listened to him then we would’ve won the high-level races and be just like Team Spica. Ever since Mach started helping us, Trainer-san also became more involved and even started running with us. The trail runs were the toughest we’ve ever done, yet for Trainer-san he was able to do them easily like it was nothing while we struggled so much on them.’

Twin Turbo continued to speed through the last leg of the run.

‘We umas have the much better stuff compared to humans, but I have to admit that there are things they are better at than us. Trainer-san proved it with trail running and unlike racing, trail running has so many things we have do and I feel like we still didn’t get it right. The many times he passed us when we would normally beat him… I never knew a human like him can be so impressive. I always thought he was a bit of a bum.’

The blue-haired umamusume was five meters away from finishing.

‘Trainer-san… no, Minamizaka-senpai. You showed me that without your help I wouldn’t even be able to run races. You believed in me even while I followed the others more than what you asked us to do. And more importantly… you showed me how much a human can believe in an uma when so much is against them, both physically and mentally.’

She crossed the finish line, everything going silent.

‘Thank you, Trainer-san. For never giving up.’

On the field, Minamizaka’s stopwatch fell to the floor, his expression in complete disbelief.

…

“1 minute… 47 seconds…”

The others were stunned upon hearing the time, speechless as well.

THUMP.

And per Twin Turbo style the blue-haired umamusume fell to the ground face first.

A clipboard also fell and rapid footsteps were heard, Minamizaka quickly running over to his fallen trainee with the others following suit. Mach smiled at them.

‘Ms. Yayoi was right, they’re like a tight-knit family.’

Minamizaka kneeled down to Twin Turbo and lifted her upper body, noticing that she was breathing pretty hard and sweating profusely. He sighed in relief seeing that her face didn’t show any pain or discomfort.

Her eyes were shut for a bit, opening them after feeling her trainer’s presence and staring at him tiredly.

“Was *pant* I *cough* fast?” Twin Turbo asked nearly breathless. Minamizaka gave a small grin and a laugh.

“You were wonderful Turbo-san. You just shattered a record.” the trainer of Team Canopus replied. “I’m so proud of you.”

Matikanetannhauser suddenly started bawling. “WAAAAAHHHHH TURBO-SAN WAS SO AWESOME!”

Nature giggled wiping an incoming tear from her eye. “So much raw speed that I don’t think I would keep up with you.”

Ikuno took off her glasses blinking several times. “Incredible organization of your speed and stamina Turbo-san… you have bested all of us today.”

Twin Turbo felt her own tears sting her eyes giving her trademark toothy grin. “Thanks *pant* heh.”

Minamizaka was surprised feeling his trainee wrap her arms around his neck and bringing herself close for an embrace.

“T-Turbo-sa-?”

“Thanks a bunch Trainer-san. You were always there for us even when we treated you as a background character. You are much stronger than us in believing and showed us that a human can be better than an uma in many ways.” Twin Turbo choked a sob rubbing her face in his neck. “Y-You were s-so cool in t-trail running.”

Matikanetannhauser started crying louder and also hugged the pair. “S-She’s right Trainer-san! You d-do so much for u-us and I-I’m really sorry!”

Nature’s mouth trembled and like her brown-haired teammate, the dams burst. She quickly ran over and also hugged her trainer and teammates.

“I-I’m your first e-ever trainee T-Trainer-san. I s-should take responsibility f-for neglecting you a-all this time…”

Ikuno stared silently at them, her own set of tears wanting to come out but she forced them to remain inside. A pat on her back surprised her and turning her he she saw Mach gesturing her to go.

“Like I said before, be natural about it. You don’t need to manage yourself for something like this… just relax and let go.” the uma boy said.

Seeing that she couldn’t deny it Ikuno whimpered a few times and after a few seconds she rushed over to her team, throwing herself at them in a tight hug.

“M-My many apologies Trainer-san! I-I wish f-for your forgiveness for our ignorance o-on focusing more on strategy a-and not f-for proper training! P-Please Trainer-san!” the orange-haired umamusume tightened her hold on Minamizaka, sobs coming out from all of them while the brown-haired man tried to reassure that it’s alright, but on his side he was also sobbing.

Mach continued to smile at the scene before him, feeling warmth in his chest.

‘This brings me back to when I won my first race with uncle. I was so excited and happy that I couldn’t hold myself back and just let it all out. I didn’t care if I looked dumb doing it, all that mattered was that I put everything into achieving something I didn’t expect to achieve.’

The umanoshonen looked up at the sunset sky, the orange glow casting a nice scenery above.

‘It was just like this… and I wished she was there to see it.’ Mach’s smile slightly lowered at that part, but nonetheless he sighed to himself and looked back at Team Canopus. They continued to hug while crying, but what’s important was that they did with a mixture of laughs and smiles.

‘I think I’ll leave them alone. This is their moment.’ Mach silently nodded and began to walk away.

“H-Hey *sniff*, where are you going?”

Only to stop hearing Twin Turbo questioning him. Mach slowly turned around to see all of them watch him with confusion and slight annoyance. Their eyes were red and puffy with tears still going down their faces.

“Um, I didn’t want to interrupt anything so I figured I’d let myself le-.”

“Why are you t-thinking such ridiculous things Mach-san?” Nature scoffed playfully. “You’re just as important to this.”

“Y-Yes.” Ikuno wiped her eyes and put her glasses back on. “You have done a lot for us during the two weeks of our training. It is befitting that you are important to us as well.”

Matikanetannhauser nodded vigorously. “I-I also agree! Why are you being a dummy wanting to leave us in our moment? You matter to us so don’t think you’re off the hook mister!”

Mach was surprised. He was only with them for two weeks and already they assume he was part of their family.

Nonetheless the umanoshonen tried to object. “B-But-.”

Tried.

“Mach, just stop talking heehee~.” Twin Turbo giggled. “You’ve done a lot for us.”

Minamizaka nodded in agreement. “If I didn’t request for your help my team wouldn’t have seen this much improvement. You have tremendously supported us in such a short amount of time and I thank you for it.”

“Okay girls.” Twin Turbo wiggled out of Minamizaka’s arms and stood back on her feet pointing a finger at Mach.

“GET HIM!”

Mach’s eyes widened raising his hands upfront. “W-Wait hold on now there’s no ne-ACK!”

And just like all four members of Team Canopus tackled him to the ground and hugged the life out of the uma boy. Mach tried to escape but each of them had a firm hold, the umanoshonen blushing hard and his senses going on overdrive from their soft touch and sweet laughs.

Minamizaka stood up from his crouching position and laughed as well.

‘Thank you director, for helping us with this. It’s a huge step closer to seeing Team Canopus reach their dreams.’

…

…

“CHEERS!”

Jugs of carrot juice clanked against one another as Mach and Team Canopus were currently at Matikanetannhauser’s family restaurant sitting at a round table that fits all of them. The interior was decorated with holiday themed items due to Christmas and New Year’s being around the corner. A large banner also covered the entrance welcoming the brown-haired umamusume back to her home per tradition.

“ALRIGHT TIME TO DIG IN!” Twin Turbo wasted no time devouring her omurice mixed with vegetables, the energetic umamusume scarfing down as much food as she can.

“Turbo-san please mind your manners.” Minamizaka sweatdropped picking up a napkin to wipe some food off her cheek, but he was hesitant given that his fingers might get bitten off by her incredibly sharp incisors.

Nature sighed at them while she ate her takoyaki. “Even when she beat us in overall time, Turbo-san is still Turbo-san.”

Ikuno hummed in approval. “Yet we still admire her for being her.”

“Yes!” Matikanetannhauser approached their table while holding several carrot cakes in a platter. “Now who wants dessert?”

“I DO!” everyone immediately announced, their mouth watering for the tasty delectable.

Mach chuckled looking at everyone enjoying themselves. He saw that everyone dressed in warm casual clothing (A/N: I won’t describe them so either look it up or come up with your own designs xD) while he was wearing a simple gray hooded sweater with his usual cargo pants and shoes.

Nothing much, just to keep warm.

“We are grateful that your folks welcomed us to your family restaurant to celebrate our huge achievements Omachi-san.” Minamizaka said.

“Of course Trainer-san! We’ll welcome you and everyone else anytime you wish to visit haha!” Matikanetannhauser replied happily.

While everyone ate their meals for several minutes, the brown-haired trainer cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone for their incredible progress these last several days, and I want to start off by commending each of you individually.” Minamizaka looked at Matikanetannhauser first.

“Omachi-chan, you have overcome your self-doubt and showed huge confidence over the course of our training. Not only did you improve so much in your physical performance, but you were able to keep your emotions in check to the point where you fully enjoy running without feeling concerned. And I’m sure you heard this several times over the last several days, but you are unique in your own way Omachi-chan. Never forget that.”

The group clapped as Matikanetannhauser blushed and covered her face. “T-Thank you everyone! I appreciate the kind words Trainer-san!”

Minamizaka nodded and looked over to Ikuno.

“You are the most organized member of the team and the most knowledgeable on keeping everyone together Ikuno-san. Over the last several days I have seen you improve in technique and form, and apparently Mach-san helped you elevate on that by having you be more relaxed and more in tune with your running. It is through that, I have seen you become more efficient and look more excited when you run. As I would say, you look more natural and more as one with running which shows much more of the real you.”

A second round of applause came as Ikuno-san bowed deeply. “I thank you for the praise Trainer-san, and I will do my best to incorporate more ‘at ease’ when training.”

Same way as the previous two Minamizaka turned to Nature.

“You were my very first trainee and my most accomplished, placing top three in all the races you participated in. You have so much potential hidden in you and during the training I’ve seen more of that come out. What held you back was feeling insecure that you’d never be more than who you are, always saying that you’re an ‘extra’ when you are certainly not one. As your trainer, I have never seen you as such and I’m glad that you went above and beyond to see who you truly are inside: a capable and confident young lady that can win races.”

Nature hid her faces behind her pigtails as everyone else clapped in response. “T-Thanks everyone. Thanks for believing in me.”

“Now then.” the brown-haired man lastly focused on Twin Turbo. “For the most interesting uma in the team.”

Twin Turbo was shaking in anxiety awaiting his words. She didn’t have to worry much as Minamizaka happily laughed.

“Having to get you to train was tough on day one, but it was the same as the others. You were different back then, being more reserved and cautious but over time we got to see the real you. You have so much energy and excitement that no one else can match and you always brighten up the day whenever we meet in the training room. While you have an unorthodox way of running, you always held your head up high and never gave up always wanting to go past your limits. It was with this training that I got to see you become more focused on your strengths and weaknesses, the end result being that you shattered a record by a huge amount. For that… you are at this moment, the most capable for Team Canopus and the most improved.”

Cheers and whistles came from the others as Twin Turbo’s expression was of shock, her eyes glistening with incoming tears. Looking at Minamizaka the latter smiled and applauded her, while Mach did the same and nodded.

Jumping out of her seat Twin Turbo rushed towards her trainer and hugged him tightly, shaking hard while she started sobbing into his dress shirt.

“*sniff*… please… stay by my side… forever…” Twin Turbo choked out. Minamizaka quickly understood and petted her head. “Don’t worry Turbo-san, I won’t go away hehe.”

Matikanetannhauser also chimed in. “Same with me Trainer-san! Even after I quit racing don’t ever leave me!”

“I also would like you to remain near me, no matter what.” Ikuno said adjusting her glasses while trying to hide her blush.

“I’m your first Trainer-san, so I get first dibs on you!” Nature spoke loudly.

Minamizaka sweatdropped from their responses but nonetheless nodded. “As everyone’s trainer, I won’t let each of you down.”

Mach silently ate his meal on his part until Minamizaka looked at him curiously. “By the way Mach-san, do you have any idea how Turbo-san was able to maintain her high speed on the last run?”

Swallowing his food Mach spoke without thinking. “Oh because she trained with me during my personal sessions and I showed her what to do.”

Silence for several seconds until…

“HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!??!?!?!”

The other three umamusumes yelled in shock.

“W-What?! Turbo-san had personal time with Mach-san?! Since when?!” Ikuno blabbered which was out of character for the normally organized uma girl.

“Impossible?! W-Why did she get special training and n-not us?! Matikanetannhauser complained at the uma boy.

“Yeah! What makes her special that you got some alone time with her and not any of us?!” Nature added to that.

Mach shook his head and raised his hands. “E-Easy now I ran into her when she was struggling, so I wanted to help her out. Besides I actually spent personal time with each of you outside of training anyway.”

“WHAT?!” they all looked at each other.

“YOU SPENT TIME WITH MACH-SAN?!” Matikanetannhauser pointed a finger at both Nature and Twin Turbo.

“Of course I did Omachi-chan. We walked together after school.” Nature replied flipping her hair.

“You all should not be surprised I had personal time with Mach-san in the training room as everyone knew. We discussed very important information, just the two of us.” Ikuno said with confidence and pride.

“Ha I beat all of you!” Twin Turbo grinned widely. “Me and him trained together so we ran as one! I win out of everyone!”

“Girls please stop.” Minamizaka tried defusing the situation, but it fell on deaf ears as Team Canopus started arguing with each other. The man sighed in defeat knowing they tend to do this at times, until a tap on his shoulder broke his stupor.

Minamizaka turned to Mach who had a hand close to his mouth.

“We trained in a way where her running technique focuses on pickup and recovery. For the first straightaway or turn she would go all out for a while until she completes either the full turn or straightaway. After that the remaining distance will have her slow down a bit which will act as recovery while maintaining close to top speed so she doesn’t feel fatigue soon. Once she gets to the final turn or straightaway she begins to speed up and at that point can unleash her reserves going all out. In a way she would give everything she’s got for only the first and last part of the run while slowing down a bit for the rest, but in order to do that I had to help her match her stamina level with her speed.” Mach explained quietly.

The brown-haired trainer raised his eyebrows. “Ah that’s quite clever Mach-san. As Turbo-san is a front runner, that approach would let her remain in the front while conserving her energy level by lowering her speed to a point that she still feels quick enough to remain in the lead, then after that she can sprint through the end… that actually sounds like it best fits her style!”

“Exactly, though it did take some time because Turbo-san needed to get used to the slight decrease in speed. In the end however she managed to do it and from there it was all her.” the umanoshonen finished.

With a nod Minamizaka chuckled. “I’m very impressed that an uma such as yourself holds so much knowledge on running.”

“Heh you can thank my uncle for that. He has the real brains when it comes to training and I just soak up whatever he tells me to do.” Mach grabbed another piece of his rice and munched on it. “If he were with us he’d turn your team into a powerhouse, but overall it was you who inspired them to keep going so you should thank yourself for their achievements.”

Minamizaka felt honored to hear Mach say that, the former giving a bow to the uma boy.

“T-Thank you so much Mach-san. I am still grateful that you got to train with us and for helping the girls get back up to their feet.”

Mach waved his hand with a laugh. “Don’t worry about it. If anything you made sure everyone trained well and correctly, making sure they didn’t get injured or so.”

Once the umamusumes stopped arguing they all conversed with one another, exchanging stories and telling jokes that kept the mood happy and lively. They got to meet Matikanetannhauser’s parents as well, her mother being an umamusume while her father was a human.

“Oh my so this must be that famous uma boy that I heard so much about from overseas!” Matikanetannhauser’s mother said in awe.

“You weren’t kidding. Nice to meet you young man, I’m Matikanetannhauser’s father.” the human man said giving a bow to which Mach returned one as well. “Pleasure is all mine sir.”

Matikanetannhauser’s mother then looked at her daughter with a smirk. “So when are you going to ask him out?”

“PPFFFFHTOAACCACKGACK!” Matikanetannhauser choked on her drink spraying out its contents from her mouth in astonishment, her wide amber yellow eyes watching her mother incredulously “MOM STOP THAT!”

“I wouldn’t object my dear daughter.” Matikanetannhauser’s father eyed Mach up and down. “He looks like a very strong uma and to have an uma boy in the family would make us stand out much more than the other restaurants!”

“Oh and he’s such a cutie dear! I’m starting to imagine what my future grandchildren will look like when the two get married~!” Matikanetannhauser’s mother had her hands on her cheeks in bliss.

Matikanetannhauser wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide for eternity from the embarrassment she was facing.

‘Then again mom isn’t wrong. Mach-san is pretty cute and handsome… ooooh who am I kidding I want him~!’

Mach was extremely red in the face keeping himself busy by continuing to eat his meal, Minamizaka holding back a laugh.

The brown-haired uma girl felt ominous auras coming from her teammates and with a scared look turned to see them glaring back with shadowed faces.

“Don’t think I’ll be letting Mach-san go…” Nature spoke eerily low.

“It is wise for all of you to keep your distance. Mach-san is much more compatible with me.” Ikuno countered with the same tone.

“As if any of you will be taking him. He carried me like a princess and we are destined to be together.” Twin Turbo seethed through clenched teeth.

After another bout of arguments between the team members they all finished their meals and thanked Matikanetannhauser’s parents afterward.

…

“Aaah that hit the spot!” Twin Turbo said happily stepping out of the restaurant into the chilly night. “Man Omachi-chan’s folks make the best food!”

“I won’t contest that, Omachi-chan’s folks really make awesome dishes.” Nature said in return.

“I believe it wouldn’t matter Nature-san. Yours and Matikanetannhauser’s dishes are well made and taste elegant.” Ikuno replied.

“Honestly I don’t mind it. Mom and dad can make mean food that brings joy to everyone and that’s all that matters!” Matikanetannhauser said on her part.

Minamizaka nodded. “Especially when it brings us together as more than a team. Again I’m proud of everyone for their incredible progress.”

Mach smiled at them. “Can’t wait to see all of you pull times like that during actual races. Remember to embrace your inner self and don’t be afraid if you start having doubts. Whether you win or lose, the most important thing is that you have become much better runners.”

Team Canopus nodded while Minamizaka looked at them. “Alright girls, just as we practiced.”

Mach raised an eyebrow from his statement seeing all of them stand next to one another.

They all gave a deep bow.

“We thank you for your time Mach-san!” they all said.

The umanoshonen scratched the back of his head. “Heh again don’t worry about. I’m just glad to help.”

Minamizaka rose up and nodded. “We’ll make sure to keep on improving while utilizing your training methods, and I’ll keep at it with my training as well.”

“Yeah and I’ll show you what real speed is when I break my higher limits!” Twin Turbo yelled with a fist in the air.

“I won’t be an extra in races anymore. I’ll plan to reach my goals and be the best I can be.” Nature added with a smile.

“Mambo will do her best to do well in races Mach-san! Make sure you’re there when that happens!” Matikanetannhauser said with hands on her hips.

“Like the others, I will focus less on treating running like a planner and more like a natural thing. I’ll become ‘loose’ and ‘relaxed’ to increase my chances of winning.” Ikuno said last.

Mach nodded in return to all of them. “Sweet, but overall just have fun and be yourself. That’s what counts.”

“Okay everyone I guess it’s time to head back to the academy. You girls will need to get ready for next week’s training and Christmas coming up soon.” Minamizaka said.

“Oh yeah speaking of that!” Twin Turbo eyed Mach. “When we meet again I’ll have your present ready!”

Nature scrunched her face at her. “I’ll have mine ready for him before you have yours ready.”

Ikuno shook her head. “Incorrect, I’ll ensure his present will be properly delivered on schedule with no delays ahead of all of you.”

Matikanetannhauser puffed her cheeks. “As if you all will get him a present! Mine will be the most special just watch!”

Their trainer sighed as yet ANOTHER argument came out on who will give a gift to Mach. The umanoshonen nervously chuckled and looked at his watch.

“Oh dang look at the time I guess it’s time for me to leave haha.” Mach gave all of them a bow. “I’ve had a great time being with all of you and hope we can train again with one another down the road!”

Minamizaka nodded giving a bow. “Team Canopus will welcome and be ready for you when you are able to.”

“Cool. Alright everyone have a happy holiday and hope to see everyone again before the new year!” Mach turned around heading over towards the train station while waving at them.

The umamusumes all waved with both arms bidding him farewell.

“Later Mach! Let’s have a race before the new year as well!” Twin Turbo yelled.

“Please visit us again during the new year! We’ll have our special mega deluxe new year’s cake for a limited time!” Matikanetannhauser asked him.

“I’ll have my schedule planned for a possible meetup during the next several days Mach-san. You will be a priority!” Ikuno told him happily.

“Bye Mach-san! Let’s meet up at school one of these days to hang out!” Nature said loudly.

Mach grinned at each of them as he turned a corner, their smiling faces disappearing from sight.

The umanoshonen looked at ahead at the setting sun and gave a sigh.

‘I had a blast with them, the most fun so far. And if I had to guess, and I forgot to tell them, they’re almost on par with Team Spica and Team Rigil.’ Mach’s smile widened. ‘In a short amount of time they were able to catch up with the others, and I’m looking forward to see their awakenings if I get the chance.’

“ACHOO!” Mach sneezed afterwards and sniffed. “Gotta get home quick or otherwise my holidays won’t be too good.”

…

…

The gentle snowy day of Christmas Eve made itself known to Tracen Academy. School was out for the day as well as tomorrow, and any training will be on hold to give a chance for the umamusumes to enjoy themselves with their friends or families and rest up. For the ones that remained at the school in the dormitories, they were presented with Christmas decorations that covered the halls and outside buildings with the trees leading to the entrance having lights wrapped around them, the gentle glow illuminating the grayish scenery. The fountain within the main plaza that held the Three Goddesses statue, a pillar of greatness to which many watch in awe to it every day and feel themselves become inspired, was also decorated with holiday cheer in which a Santa hat was placed above each of their heads and red poinsettias surrounded their forms. All in all, Tracen Academy, while it may be closed in terms of classes and such, was still open for its students to celebrate any way they wish.

Mach was currently walking through the pathway leading up to the fountain, his sneakers making contact with the snow and creating a crunching sound with each step he took. The uma boy’s attire consisted of a red scarf tied around his neck with the ends flowing behind him, a navy-blue long-sleeved sweater and black cargo shorts with black and red high top sneakers. Normally he’d be wearing his uniform when he went to the school but since it wasn’t in session he was free to wear whatever he wants. Within reason.

Stopping in front of the Three Goddesses statue, his emerald eyes looked up at it to admire its beauty. Created from stone and grafted with the highest detail, each of them represented an uma woman holding a jug over their shoulders which poured water out into the pool below. They wore flowing robes that covered their feet and gave an elegant and calm appearance. The Santa hats they wore and poinsettias around them made their appearance much more lively and brought out the holiday spirit to an icon that many new and current students look up to everyday for guidance and uplifting.

“I never got the time to actually watch the statue for more than a minute.” Mach said to himself as he gazed at each of their faces. “I can see why Ms. Yayoi takes great pride in caring for it.”

A few minutes passed by with the snow falling gently onto the ground and tickling Mach’s skin. Fair wind was present but wasn’t enough to give Mach a chill, having bundled up well for his trek to the academy. The sky itself was cloudy but illuminated the scenery well enough to show the winter season in its full glory, amplified by the Christmas lights that showed themselves on the trees around the plaza. The only sound coming off was the water coming out of the jugs from the statue and splashing into the fountain pool below, its flowing stream light enough to create a nice ambient effect.

“It’s been almost more than half a year that I’ve been here and there’s been so much that uncle and I are learning from the umas.” Mach smiled continuing to look at the statue. “All of them are giving it their all and improving at a very fast pace. It’s crazy that some of them come from backgrounds where they didn’t have much but have big dreams that they want to accomplish. If anything that makes a big impact on people they influence so they can spread their passion to others and show that no matter where you come from, anyone can aim for greatness.”

A warm feeling started rising in the umanoshonen’s chest, memories of his experiences during his stay going through his mind which made him chuckle. “Umas like the ones in Spica and Rigil sure are hilarious and weird, and then you got some that act serious but underneath are much more different than what they show.” Mach blinked and gave a sigh looking down at the moving water.

“And that’s something that I’ve been missing in my life. Traveling around the world and competing in races, I never had the experience to enjoy a real childhood. Sure enjoying the sights overseas was nice… but at times I just want to settle down in one place and get to know the people.” Mach’s smile appeared once again letting out another sigh. “I’m glad that I came here and if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to meet so many wonderful people. Uncle was right this whole time… I needed to be with others who I can bond closer with. Others that I can call friends…”

An ominous laughter came into his head, his emerald eyes hardening and hands turned into fists.

“And yet I had one… until he-.”

“Mach-san?”

The umanoshonen jumped snapping his head to the voice. Standing before him was Team Canopus and their trainer, watching Mach with curiosity and surprise.

“Whatcha doin here?” Twin Turbo said with a grin.

“Oh u-um hey everyone.” Mach scratched the back of his anxiously. “I was heading over to Ms. Yayoi’s office to pick up something real quick. I didn’t expect to bump into anyone.”

Minamizaka replied. “The girls were planning to have a small party at the training room since their folks are out of town and they decided to celebrate it with each other. I on the other hand wanted to go see my parents-.”

“-and it’s a good thing we phoned them ahead of time so they can receive their blessings for you to be with us for the holidays Trainer-san.” Ikuno added adjusting her glasses. “Team Canopus cannot celebrate without Trainer-san.”

“Heh yeah, and I’m still trying to figure out how you four got my parents’ number…” the brown-haired man sweatdropped.

“Aside from that we were just heading over there bringing the food and stuff, so like you we also didn’t expect to run into anyone.” Nature stated. Mach nodded seeing that the four umamusumes were carrying several bags which most likely had the items the pig-tailed umamusume spoke of.

“Alright that makes sense.” the uma boy replied.

“Well I diiiid hope to run into you Mach-san!” Matikanetannhauser happily said. “It’s like a Christmas miracle and I had a feeling we would meet again before the new year!... and Fuku-chan said I’d meet someone special during Christmas Eve.”

Her teammates glared at her for how she worded it while Minamizaka laughed anxiously. “Anyway Mach it seems like the Three Goddesses are taking your interest.”

Mach smiled and looked at the statue. “Yeah, during my time here I never got the chance to see it for more than a moment because almost the entire school doesn’t leave me alone.”

Twin Turbo tsked. “Like I’ll let them get a chance with you…” she whispered to herself.

The umanoshonen continued. “Seeing it up close for a bit is giving me a sense of comfort and telling me that things will go well. It’s like… I can figure myself out more.”

“That’s the power of the Three Goddesses.” Ikuno said. “When an uma requires help and wisdom for their mistakes or weaknesses, we look to the statue for inspiration.”

Nature nodded to her words. “There are times when I would hear a voice in my head calling out from the Three Goddesses. It happens when I’m in a rut on training or lost a race, and whenever that happens I feel so much better and gives me the energy to try harder.”

“Yeah it’s really nuts, like they tell me ‘Omachi-can you got this! Go for the win!’ and I feel my body suddenly get all fuzzy and warm! After that I would run and feel so much better!” Matikanetannhauser explained.

Her thoughts were different. ‘And I get the same feeling when I’m with you…’

Twin Turbo looked at the statue with a large smile. “I always think that the Goddesses are super-fast runners and one day I want to be faster than them. I want to beat Teio-senpai as well, but I want to be the fastest that even the Goddesses will have to train to beat me!”

Minamizaka laughed petting her head. “And with more training you’ll meet that goal soon Turbo-san.”

Mach smiled at their answers. “I believe you girls on that. While I haven’t gotten the chance to see the statue up close, I can sense that it does bring out the best in Tracen Academy.”

GRROOWWWWLLLL!!!

Team Canopus sweatdropped at Mach who sheepishly clutched his stomach. “Hehe sorry. I didn’t eat a big breakfast today.”

Matikanetannhauser’s eyes lit up. “Hey I got an idea! Why not have the party with the director!”

“Will that be a good idea? I feel like we may disturb an important meeting or break her busy schedule.” Ikuno countered.

“I doubt she’ll be that busy. Plus it’s Christmas so I don’t think she’d be working.” Nature said.

“I’m all for it! If there’s more people then it’s bigger the party! Let’s do it!” Twin Turbo cheered with a fist in the air.

Minamizaka sighed knowing if he argued he wouldn’t win.

Mach nodded. “Well alright let’s head over to her office!”

Everyone walked towards the main building once they agreed upon it. Matikanetannhauser asked Mach a question as well.

“What about your trainer Mach-san?” she asked.

“Oh he’ll be out of town taking care of some things so it’ll be just me, and don’t worry we spend the holidays together every year so it’s nice that we take a break from each other this time.” Mach answered.

“Ah okay okay. Then how about you also spend the new year with us!” the brown-haired umamusume suggested.

The umanoshonen looked ahead and smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

Once they got to Yayoi’s office.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS MACH-KUN~!”

Mach felt the full force of Yayoi’s powerful hug envelope him as the uma boy stood there awkwardly. “G-Great to see you again Ms. Yayoi.”

Tazuna gave a bow to him and Team Canopus. “Happy holidays Mach-san, and a surprise but welcoming one to you and your trainees Minamizaka-san.”

The trainer bowed as well. “Happy holidays as well Ms. Secretary.”

Yayoi released Mach and looked over to the others, specifically Matikanetannhauser.

“Omachi-chan! How is your training going under Mach-kun?”

Matikanetannhauser’s eye twitched from hearing Yayoi say his name that way but kept a wide smile. “It’s been super fun and great! I was close to beating a record several days ago and it sure was tough going through the training as well!”

Yayoi opened up her trademark fan. “That’s what I want to hear from you! And I assume the rest of you have worked hard to become much better umas under Mach-kun’s guidance!”

“Yes Ms. Director. I humbly thank you once again for accepting my letter and having Mach-san informed.” Minamizaka bowed to her.

“Hahaha! It’s no problem at all Trainer-san, as long as my umas here give it their all and reach their goals that’s all that matters!” Yayoi noticed them carrying several bags. “Were you all planning to have a party?”

“Yup, but Omachi-chan said to have it here so we can have more people party with us!” Twin Turbo stated.

Yayoi’s grin grew wider. “Well then I will humbly accept that! I would’ve been hindered by paperwork for the next two days but this will be a great excuse not to do it!”

Tazuna’s smile twitched. “I guess the deadline can wait then...”

“ALRIGHT LET’S PARTY!”

From there the food was set up and several games were laid out to which everyone dove right into the festivities. Mach per his grumbling stomach instantly headed towards said sustenance and engulfed more than half of the stock within seconds.

“MACH!”

It took everyone’s strength to pry the uma boy from eating everything, but even at that it was INCREDIBLY difficult as Mach’s trainer did not lie when he stated how powerful an awakened uma was. The only way they succeeded was Yayoi attempting to aim her lips at his which snapped him out of his foodie assault, the distraction enough for all four members of Team Canopus to yank him away and each girl fuming at the director’s actions. After apologizing several times Mach dove right into the games getting a chance to play with everyone. There was a lot of rage when it came to shogi, particularly from Twin Turbo’s side. This was a given, yet the most intense match was between Mach and Ikuno, their battle one for the ages with a bunch of heavy clanks from the wooden pieces making contact on the board, the speed between their turns almost unreal. Unfortunately with how fast and impactful it was the board ended up breaking in two and no winner was declared, but they got a laugh out of it.

“So Mach-san do you know where your trainer is at the moment?” Minamizaka asked the umanoshonen. Mach looked around the room seeing the others continuing to play games with one another, the two males in the director’s office standing on the side drinking hot chocolate.

“Uncle said he wanted to go visit Kyoto the last time he sent a message. Apparently he wanted to get a head start on sightseeing other cities without me.” Mach rolled eyes and laughed. “He still wants to feel young and lively so I don’t blame him.”

Minamizaka smiled sipping his hot chocolate. “From what I heard about you and him at school, you two are very close and I can see why you’re very successful internationally.”

“Yeah.” Mach gave a simple response, emerald eyes looking down at his half-empty mug. “He’s been there for almost my entire running career. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have come this far.”

‘But he wasn’t the only one… she was what made me chase after my dreams, and I promised her… I’ll be the-.’

“Haha, hopefully I get to be the same with my trainees Mach-san. Each of them hold a special place in my heart.” Minamizaka spoke. “Though they didn’t listen much when I asked them to train and each of them have very strange personalities, I couldn’t ask for a more talented team.”

Mach’s thought was interrupted by his speech, his ears flickering as the umanoshonen could only nod.

‘No, no more thinking about that Mach. Focus on the present, not the past.’

“Anyways Minamizaka-san, do you do gift exchanges with the girls?” Mach asked the trainer.

“Oh why yes Mach-san and I believe we should be close to doing that!” Minamizaka looked over to where the others are. “Hey everyo-.”

Only to see no one there.

Mach raised an eyebrow. “Where’d they go?”

“No idea, I guess they left to the restroom while we talked. Anyway I was also curious if you had a cru-.”

“HEEEYYOOOOO!!!!”

The two males jumped at the sound and the front door bursting open. They looked at the entrance, their eyes bugging out.

Team Canopus, Yayoi and Tazuna were all dressed in fluffy Santa outfits with a small, draped cloak over their upper body and a red skirt that reached up to their mid-thighs. Each of them wore Santa hats with holes poked through them to let their ears out and red boots with the tops reaching up to their shins. They all gave a wink and a peace sign to Mach and Minamizaka.

Well almost all of them as Tazuna stuck with her formal bow.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!” Twin Turbo shouted carrying a large red sack behind her which most likely held presents.

“HO HO HO MAMBO CLAUS IS HERE TO GIVE GIFTS TO ALL THE NICE BOYS AND GIRLS!” Matikanetannhauser yelled raising a candy cane in the air.

Nature blushed playing with the fluff on her cloak. “Y-Yeah, Merry Christmas you two…”

Ikuno was equally nervous as she pulled her skirt down further. “I-Is this length even a-appropriate for s-school?”

“HAHAHA! While we could’ve given presents tomorrow, it’d be best to do it today since we’re all here!” Yayoi said aloud, the cat above her head giving a meow.

“Yayoi-san is correct. We may not have another opportunity to meet together and I do wish to participate in gift giving.” Tazuna added.

Mach and Minamizaka looked at each other and shrugged.

“Well alright I’m not against that.” the brown-haired trainer said.

Mach looked down scratching his cheek. “Really sorry on my part, but I didn’t get any presents for anyone since I didn’t know I’d be meeting with you all again until after the holidays.”

“Ah it’s alright Mach-san, you helping us train is the best present we gotten so far!” Matikanetannhauser replied cheerfully.

“Yeah! You and Trainer-san made us faster than fast and I can’t wait to show it off in my next race haha!” Twin Turbo chimed in happily.

“No worries Mach it’s cool.” Nature smiled.

“We don’t expect any gifts from you. Only your presence is enough.” Ikuno nodded.

Yayoi pulled out her fan. “Then it’s settled! Let us commence the gift exchange!”

“YEAH!”

After a bunch of violent unwrapping and oohs and aahs later, the gifts were as such:

Twin Turbo got a no speed limit wall sign, ribbons and bows for her hair, a white and blue scarf and new racing shoes. She tackled Minamizaka for gifting her the new shoes and snuggled his face with hers.

Matikanetannhauser got two stuffed rainbow spiders (her teammates got her the same toy except different colors), a thick rope for tug-of-war, a dessert cookbook and a new hat which she said was her fourth overall.

Nature got new ribbons, colorful origami paper, a stuffed cat toy, a customized table tennis paddle which had her name on it, and food containers since she’s the only one on the team that can manage the leftovers in their fridge.

Ikuno got five personal planner booklets, a set of expensive looking chopsticks, aviator glasses, hairbrush and comb, and a guide on how to eat hamburgers properly. The last gift made her scarlet red when Mach asked why she needed such a thing much to everyone’s laughter.

Minamizaka received a burgundy red scarf, new running shoes, a more technologically advanced stopwatch, and a frame with a crayon-drawn picture of what looks like him with his trainees surrounding him, two at each side and hearts above them with the background being a flowery field. This made the trainer tear up as he hugged his team, the girls returning it in fervor and apologizing for making him too much of a background person.

Yayoi and Tazuna exchanged presents with one another to which the director got a new sunhat while the secretary received a sundress. The two blankly looked at each noticing that they matched each other’s color scheme, then gave a laugh afterwards.

Mach watched all of this with a smile on face, his gaze perking upon seeing Tazuna walk up to him with two gifts.

“Damon-san left his gift with us before he left while the other is from Yayoi and I as thanks for your immense support in training the umamusumes to become much more than they can be.” the green-clad woman said with a smile.

The uma boy was surprised, taking the gifts from her and bowing. “Thanks Tazuna-san.”

Upon opening them Mach received a navy blue samue with cherry blossom designs on the front and back of the long-sleeved shirt part from his uncle, and from Yayoi and Tazuna he got a plaque with the Tracen Academy school crest displayed in a brilliant gold color with the bottom having text that read:

“Mach Infinite, Tracen Academy’s Brightest Hope.”

“I…” Mach couldn’t believe. “I don’t know what to say…”

“Say no more Mach-kun. You and your trainer are determined in helping the umamusumes work harder and reach new heights, so as a token of our gratitude we hope you accept this. I humbly thank you for your arrival at our school and for helping everyone become better racers.” Yayoi gave Mach a deep bow. “As the director of Tracen Academy, you have my eternal gratitude.”

Tazuna also bowed. “We appreciate and look forward to your continued support for however long you spend with us Mach-san.”

The umanoshonen could feel tears threaten to come out his eyes, his vision becoming blurry from the wetness.

‘S-So this is what uncle meant when I needed to settle down and get to know people. I… never expected this much.’ Mach looked down at the plaque given to him, its shininess radiating from the light of the room above. ‘I still don’t know what to say and-.’

Maniacal laughter echoed.

‘Why the hell would anyone give you something worthless like that Machy? They don’t know the real you…’

Mach’s eyes flashed red for half a second.

‘Shut up! I’m not going back to that-.’

‘You can’t avoid it assface. Soon I’ll be coming to Japan and when I do, I’ll take everything from you…’

Mach’s grip on the plaque tightened, his nerves unsettling. Yayoi noticed this.

“Is it too much Mach-kun?” she asked in concern. “I-I mean if you don’t like it we can-.”

“No.” Mach interrupted, the umanoshonen looking up giving a grin. “It’s incredible Yayoi-san. I d-didn’t expect something like this that’s all, it’s quite a shock.”

Tazuna giggled. “Well we’ll make sure that next time, if you’re here that long, we’ll settle for a simpler gift.”

The uma boy nodded and looked at the others, his ears lowering. “Wished I could’ve gotten all of you something as well. I’m sorry.”

The members of Team Canopus looked at each other with slight glares, but then it became smiles with determined looks. Facing towards Mach they then raised an arm up high which held…

A certain green leafed plant with a red ribbon at the stem.

Mach’s eyes dilated. “I-Is that…?”

“HAHAHA!”

Emerald orbs darted over to the director and his fears were confirmed. She also held the same plant while displaying a large grin and pink-tinted cheeks.

“We only ask of one thing Mach-kun, but unfortunately we umas do not allow sharing so please choose wisely.” Yayoi placed a hand on her chest. “I’m the best fit for this!”

“HECK NO! MACH-SAN IS MINE!” Matikanetannhauser countered her director. “I GET TO KISS HIM!”

Twin Turbo blew a raspberry. “AS IF YOU’LL GET TO SMOOCH HIM DUMMY! I’M THE FASTEST IN OUR TEAM SO I GET HIS KISS!”

Ikuno glared at her teammates. “HE DESERVES SOMEONE THAT’S ORGANIZED AND ON TOP OF THINGS. I SHALL BE HIS FIRST!”

“NUH UH! YOU THREE SCARE HIM WITH THE WEIRD STUFF YOU DO EVERYDAY, I’M THE ONE CLOSEST TO WHAT HE SEES IN A GIRL!” Nature argued.

Minamizaka sweatdropped giving a chuckle. “Now girls behave yourse-.”

“STAY OUT OF THIS TRAINER-SAN!” all his trainees barked. The brown-haired man yelped and nodded, going back to his background person position.

Mach gulped seeing that each of them were getting closer to him. He walked backwards for several steps until his back collided with the curtained window, the umamusumes and Yayoi surrounding him with no chance of escape.

“C’mon Mach-kun, let’s show your fellow peers what the adult world is like~.” Yayoi purred lifting the mistletoe between them. Mach looked away to the others, their expressions just as lovestruck as Yayoi’s.

“Mach-san, just one kiss is all that matters~.” Team Canopus said at the same time, their lips puckering slightly as they closed their eyes. “One long, succulent, tasty, passionate, steamy tongue-filled kiss~.”

‘W-Wait this is too much!’ Mach panicked getting as close to the wall as he can. They all looked very cute in his eyes and their scents created a heavenly aroma that caused his brain to go haywire, the inevitable about to happen soon. ‘Someone halp!’

WHOOSH!

A hand quickly brushed through all their faces which held a simple white cloth, and in an instant the umamusumes and Yayoi fell to the floor in several thuds. Their eyes were closed but maintained their lustful expressions, a goofy grin on each of their faces.

“Aaaaahhhhh that was incredible Mach-kun~. Mooooore~.”

Mach cringed at their words and sighed in relief after. “Whew, thanks for the save Ms. Tazuna-san.”

The red and white-clad woman put the cloth away in her person and smiled. “You’re very welcome Mach-san.”

Minamizaka sweatdropped. “I won’t question how you did that and why you have something like that, so I won’t say anything more.”

The umanoshonen laughed. “She’s done it several times when Ms. Yayoi would get out of hand.”

“Indeed and do not worry Minamizaka-san. As long as you behave then it will not happen to you.” Tazuna gave him a shadowed look nonetheless. “Just ensure no inappropriate activity occurs.”

“H-Hai!” Minamizaka instantly bowed.

Mach scratched the back of his head. “Well now that that problem’s out of the way what do we wanna do nooOOAAAOOWW!?!?!”

The sixteen-year-old felt himself get hugged by Tazuna, her gentle eyes looking down at him with admiration.

“Now that they’ve been put to nigh nigh, I have you all to myself. I hope you’re into older women~.” Tazuna giggled.

“W-Wait Ms. Tazuna-san d-don’t do something irratio-!”

Mach felt it.

It was one of the softest feelings he ever felt in his life.

The only times it ever happened was when his mother and grandmother would do it, and he never thought anyone else would do it.

But it did.

Minamizaka was standing in shock at the side, eyes wide open.

Not believing what he saw…

“Mwah~.”

But then again, it wasn’t anything crazy.

Tazuna pulled back and admired her work. “There we go.”

Mach remained in her arms with swirly eyes and almost unconscious.

With a kiss mark on his right cheek.

The secretary looked at Minamizaka raising a finger to her mouth, the trainer instantly knowing and nodding quickly. Tazuna herself sighed and giggled.

“If only I was younger, but one can dream heehee~. Merry Christmas everyone, and Mach-kun~.”

…

…

Damon held a phone close to his ear as he walked the calm streets of Kyoto, a serious look on his face.

“So January of next year huh?”

Conversation occurred, the 55-year-old giving a sigh.

“Alright by that time we should already have several of them meet the goal, but as for the World Trip-.”

 More conversation continued, Damon pinching the bridge between his eyes.

“Yes understandable, Mach will be ready by then. However I do not agree with that part happening. You do remember what happened last time no?”

The talk continued from the other side of the line. Damon narrowed his eyes at the words being spoken to him.

“You and the IRA are making a big mistake if this occurs. Whatever happens, there’s a chance we will not be able to stop it and it will be entirely your fault.” Damon replied.

More words went through the line, the trainer gritting his teeth.

“It will go as you and the organization had discussed; the students will be ready by then. However with Mach and… if anything happens, I will never forgive you. Goodbye.” Damon ended the call placing his phone away. Looking up at the quiet night sky the middle-aged trainer stopped walking, the dim lights of the street revealing his route.

‘I did the best I could Mach. I just hope you’ll stay focused… and yourself.’