"I'm Eplano, a transfer student from Ohi Tracen Academy. P-please look after me, Trainer, and everyone else as well."
The Uma Musume with long, reddish-brown hair had changed into the Kasamatsu Tracen Academy uniform. She looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka, appearing somewhat at a loss.
As far as Eplano herself was concerned, she hadn't really wanted to come. Kasamatsu was simply too small; the track was tiny, there was even a hole in the perimeter wall, and Kasamatsu Tracen lagged far behind Ohi Tracen in every category. It felt like she had been exiled to the sticks.
But she had come anyway. On one hand, she didn't want to be injected with the "diligent and hardy" spirit of the Showa 40s education style; on the other hand...
Eplano looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka expectantly, a tiny spark of excitement in her heart. Her senior, Maruzensky—who had taught her so kindly—had told her: "Fujimaru-kun is a world-class trainer, you know. If you can get his guidance, little El might be able to step onto the Central dirt tracks very soon, and maybe even win a G1!~"
With Maruzensky going that far, what was there to think about? Coming here was the only option!
As for how to get Fujimaru Ritsuka to accept her, with Maruzensky's remote guidance, it would surely be no problem!
Oguri Cap was surprised. She never expected the girl who had been crying to follow them all the way here. Her legs trembled slightly, and she felt a sudden urge to bolt: Is she here to eat the carrots Trainer prepared for me?
Twin Bee was even more shocked. After being prompted by her family, she had tried to gather some data and discovered something startling: although Eplano raced on dirt, she looked exactly like a "Junior Version" of Maruzensky! There had to be some sort of secret connection between these two Uma Musume.
To Eplano's surprise, Fujimaru Ritsuka was very easy to talk to and accepted her as a new member almost immediately. However, a certain trio of girls looked a bit menacing—even if they were actually quite weak (from Eplano's perspective).
Under Ritsuka's guidance, the Trio had also developed a certain level of intuition. They realized almost instantly: this "big shot" from Tokyo was someone they couldn't afford to provoke (and couldn't possibly beat).
Mini Lady whispered to her friend, "Hey, Noren, that Eplano looks like trouble. Your 'Trainer Capture Plan' is probably going to die a premature death."
If the only rivals were the clueless Oguri Cap and the country girl Twin Bee, Noren Ace might have had a chance with her "gal" image. But with a Tokyo racer suddenly joining the fray...
There was no way to win, right?!
Noren Ace barked back into Mini Lady's ear, "Shut up! As an Uma Musume, the first priority is obviously running (I'm totally lying)!"
Considering they were best friends, Mini Lady just rubbed her ear and didn't hold it against the "Loser Dog" who likely wouldn't have even spoken up if Fujimaru Ritsuka hadn't invited her first. She simply complained in her head: If it's about running, you'll lose even harder, Noren.
This was an Uma Musume from Tokyo. Her upbringing and training environment were leagues beyond what they had in Kasamatsu. How could they possibly win?
That was the reality, yet it also wasn't.
Over the next few months, Eplano underwent intensive training under Fujimaru Ritsuka's guidance. Naturally, she defeated the other Kasamatsu racers with effortless grace; even Fujimasa March suffered defeat at her hands. However, the one person she could never beat was Oguri Cap. Her record against Oguri went from 0-1 to 0-3. Not only that, but the gap between them had widened from half a length to a full length.
Under Ritsuka's tutelage, Eplano could clearly feel herself growing. She realized Maruzensky's judgment had been spot on: Fujimaru Ritsuka possessed an indefinable, special magic that could drastically improve an Uma Musume's overall capabilities.
Meanwhile, time moved to late October.
Saturday, October 31, 1987.
Maruzensky, her mind weighed down by her own thoughts, didn't go to sleep. Instead, she pulled up the broadcast of the Futurity Stakes. She remembered clearly that Miss Trêve had made a grand declaration early on, claiming she would easily seize this G1 crown.
[1600m Futurity Stakes, Turf, Sunny, Firm Track]
Under the glow of the autumn sun, the turf shimmered with an emerald luster. Almost all the Uma Musume of the British Isles seemed to have gathered here to watch or participate in this race, which symbolized the highest honor for a rookie in Britain.
It was no exaggeration to say that the winner of this race would be the British Rookie of the Year. Thus, the British Uma Musume were sharpening their claws, determined to keep that honor on home soil.
Consequently, when that cute, pink-haired Uma Musume appeared, the atmosphere turned heavy instantly.
The girl wore a small white cap over her left ear and a red bow at the tip of her hair. She wore a light blue top paired with a matching denim skirt, revealing long, porcelain-white legs.
As the sunlight hit her well-defined calves, it shattered into circles of soft light, adding a dreamlike quality to her elegant curves.
However, in the rhythm of her gait, the whistling wind carried a whispered secret: An Uma Musume's strength is revealed through those very legs~
And it was true. During the opening phase, Trêve was in no hurry to fight the British and Irish racers for position. She cautiously stayed at the very back of the pack to avoid being elbowed by the other racers in succession.
A "friendship" spanning hundreds of years existed between Britain and France, and the Uma Musume of both nations were no exception. Marking each other relentlessly during a race was second nature to them.
Trêve remained silent and still, almost making the British racers think she was just a French girl who liked to boast—right until the final stretch arrived.
The racers were bunched together, refusing to give an inch. In that chaotic moment, a fierce radiance suddenly ignited in Trêve's eyes!
The pink-haired girl threw her arms wide: "Come! Bow before me!"
BOOM—!
Accompanied by her sharp cry, a golden torrent, nearly tangible, erupted from within her, weaving a perfect, streamlined Domain around her body!
At that moment, the headwind was no longer a resistance blocking her path; it transformed into a special force lifting her slender feet.
The turbulence kicked up by the other racers? Mere trifles!
Almost simultaneously, an abundance of stamina surged from every fiber of her being, allowing her to leap toward the outermost lane, rapidly overtaking one racer after another!
This unstoppable momentum incensed a British Uma Musume. She swerved aggressively, attempting to use a predatory stride to squeeze Trêve's space. Not only that, after forcing Trêve close to the inner rail, she lunged forward with a brutal, heavy elbow!
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