October 20th, Kyoto Racecourse. Rain, track condition: Good.
As the final stop on the journey for the Classic Triple Crown, the stands at Kyoto were, predictably, packed to the rafters.
Yet, the feverish energy in the air was strictly for the Kikuka-sho itself; it didn't seem to transcend the gravity of the race.
That was only natural. This year's Classic generation hadn't produced a girl dominant enough to crush the field. To make matters worse, the two Uma Musume who had snatched the Satsuki-sho and the Japanese Derby were both absent for their own peculiar reasons.
The Satsuki-sho winner, No Reason—had lived up to her name perfectly.
After scraping into the Satsuki-sho line-up and baffling everyone by winning at 15th favorite odds, she had managed to collide head-on with her trainer during a session just two days before the Kikuka-sho.
The result? Both were hospitalized, leaving her with no choice but to bow out.
The Derby winner, Tanino Gimlet, had a more conventional excuse: a sudden bout of tendonitis the day before had forced her withdrawal.
With those two out of the picture, the Kikuka-sho had lost much of its luster.
There had even been whispers that Symboli Kris S might skip the race entirely in favor of an unorthodox path toward the Tenno-sho Autumn. Fortunately, the rumors remained just that.
Symboli Kris S was still on the roster, sparing the audience what might have otherwise been a rather lackluster affair.
Then again, "lackluster" might be an exaggeration. Beyond the "Baffling" trio, there was one more girl who commanded everyone's attention.
"The stablemate of the reigning Triple Crown holder! The prize pupil of a world-class legend! After a narrow second in the Kobe Shimbun Hai, can she claim her revenge here at the Kikuka-sho?!"
"The second favorite! Number two, Hishi Miracle!"
At the announcer's call, Hishi Miracle stepped out from the paddock tunnel in her blue-and-white racing silks. As the second favorite, she was greeted by a wave of applause and cheers.
Though her nerves were fraying, Hishi Miracle raised her hand to wave at the crowd, mimicking the way she remembered Dream Weaver doing it on the big stage.
A year ago, she never could have imagined standing here, let alone wearing silks designed just for her. But a year later, here she was, standing on the turf of Kyoto Racecourse, enveloped by the roar of thousands.
All of it—every single bit—was because, on one very ordinary day, she had met the person who changed her life forever.
Hishi Miracle looked up at the stands, waving vigorously toward the VIP boxes.
She was just an average Uma Musume. Honestly, winning her debut had felt like a miracle in itself, but her trainer had actually kept that fairy-tale promise made back then. They had brought her here.
Only Hishi Miracle knew exactly how much her trainer had sacrificed to get her to this spot in Kyoto.
Four months ago, Hishi Miracle had watched Dream Weaver's defeat with her own eyes.
The girl who had spent her life a stranger to loss—save for that one brush with the Arc de Triomphe—had looked frail before her.
Hishi Miracle knew why. She knew what had caused Dream Weaver's form to slip.
It was her.
It was the fact that she and Liberty Island, as trainees, had spread their trainer's energy too thin.
Dream Weaver had been forced to abandon her own lingering hopes, gambling her future on the track just to secure theirs.
After that loss, Hishi Miracle had gone back and binged every single tape of Dream Weaver's past races. Only then did she realize just how far her trainer had fallen from her peak.
But there had still been hope. Even in her final Arc, facing the world's elite, Dream Weaver had managed a brilliant third-place finish.
If a girl like that stayed on the track, things could turn around.
She could have won more G1s; she could have challenged the Arc again.
Instead, Dream Weaver—her trainer—had walked away from the turf for their sake.
Having not stepped into a formal race in nearly two years, she was "semi-retired" in name, but in reality, she had moved to the sidelines.
Even the newspapers had stopped calling her a "World-Class Legend," replacing it with "Trainer."
That's why I absolutely cannot lose, Hishi Miracle thought, her hands tightening into fists.
She had already tasted defeat in the Kobe Shimbun Hai. If she lost the Kikuka-sho too, she wouldn't know how to look her trainer in the eye.
She was "average," sure, but that didn't mean she was giving up. Even against a world-renowned prodigy, she wasn't going to let go of that trophy!
Hishi Miracle was tired of being just another face in the crowd.
She wanted to stand on the brightest stage, under the world's spotlight, holding a victory so brilliant that her trainer wouldn't have to search for her—they would see her instantly.
She didn't voice some grand, sweeping oath, though. Hishi Miracle knew she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed; if she were, she wouldn't have challenged her trainer to mock battles over and over again.
As a bit of a dummy, she was much better at doing than talking. For someone truly determined, words were unnecessary. Her silent resolve was the only answer she needed.
"The rising star of a prestigious house! The future of the Symboli family! She has never finished outside the top three since her debut—can she make up for her Derby heartbreak and claim her first G1 crown?!"
"The first favorite! Number six, Symboli Kris S!"
Amidst the thunderous cheers of the crowd, a black-haired Uma Musume with a high ponytail emerged calmly from the tunnel.
Her silks were a variation of the traditional Symboli military-style dress, though with a bold, modern cut.
The dark green tunic was cropped to reveal a powerful, athletic waist, while the shorts left her strong, sun-kissed thighs completely exposed.
Compared to the usual stiff formality of the house, Symboli Kris S's outfit carried a hint of the wild.
In contrast to her striking look, her expression held none of the typical pre-race hunger. She was as calm as still water, her face unmoving even as the cheers washed over her.
Giving a curt nod to the stands, Symboli Kris S walked straight toward Hishi Miracle without stopping.
"We meet again, Hishi Miracle."
"I wonder if you've improved since the Kobe Shimbun Hai..."
"If you've become... a little more worthy of being her disciple."
Watching Symboli Kris S approach, Hishi Miracle bit her lip.
She didn't know if it was just a coincidence or if her trainer's legacy was simply that overwhelming, but her greatest rival—
Was also one of the girls who had grown up idolizing Dream Weaver!
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.