"Chief really did not hold back at all…"
I laid down on a long bench spread around Tracen's park, with my body experiencing a single continuous ache, wondering what I had been through recently.
After the full body assessment, my training regime had intensified beyond what I thought possible. Flexibility training was still the main subject, but the sessions and the difficulty were nowhere near the early days. I also had additional tactical training, where I studied race tapes and learned the intricacies of my new End Closer racing strategy. On top of that, I had started my exclusive stride training, where I focused mainly on developing the long but fast stride we were aiming for. For easy use, I had started calling it the "Ideal Stride." Still, those three subjects were just the main course. My regular speed, stamina, and power training sessions were also gradually intensified to prepare me for my Make Debut this summer.
The result? My body was in pain every night. My muscles felt the deep burn of being torn down and rebuilt, my joints ached with a profound weariness, and my mind was often too tired to form a coherent thought. Thank the Three Goddesses, the dinner was always sumptuous and tasted better for it; hunger and tiredness were the best spices, or so they said. And after taking a hot shower, my relaxed body would go stiff from top to bottom almost instantly. Most nights, I could only watch the patterns on the ceiling before I drifted into an exhausted sleep. Even Meek-senpai had started to voice her concerns in her own way. But miraculously, I woke up every morning with a fresh mind, the fatigue more or less gone, though a collection of aches always remained.
Well, this was what I had wanted. I had been the one to propose increasing my training workload, and Chief Kitahara had delivered. As for why? The most obvious answer was that I, who had started developing late due to my stunted period, had a massive disadvantage compared to my adversaries. Yes, my development now was rapid, but it was not permanent. The doctor back then had pointed out that my growth would eventually hit an equilibrium, and by that time, I would start to grow at a normal rate.
I was confident my adversaries, who were already ahead of the curve, would not be so foolish as to wait for me. So, I had no choice but to fully utilize my robust body and this growth frenzy period for very high-intensity training. The constant aches and fatigue were a cheap price to pay, as the sooner I caught up with them, the better.
"I do not want to keep losing. And most importantly, I want to win," I murmured, my voice a low whisper to the evening sky. A can of warm corn soup, which I had gotten from a nearby vending machine, rested on my stomach, clasped between my two hands.
I had just finished my training for the day. On my way to the dormitory, I had craved corn soup, so here I was, lying down while enjoying the orange hue of the setting sun and sipping the sweet, warm liquid periodically.
"You cannot win anything if you are dead because you got choked while drinking corn soup."
As I was wondering, I heard a voice from the top of my head. There was someone, and I did not know since when she had been there, already using the vending machine.
I instantly sat up with a pained groan. "Atatata~"
There I saw a senpai who was very eye-catching with her rather small frame and aloof expression. She was a Satsuki Sho winner and the 'N' of the BNW generation, Narita Taishin.
She was focused on the vending machine, seemingly not caring that I was staring at her. With every push on the number pad, her wavy brown hair swayed messily in the evening wind. She then spoke up without looking at me. "What? Never seen someone ordering from a vending machine?"
Clank.
She picked up her drink from the dispenser and glanced back at me. "Do new students receive new tracksuits? The camouflage pattern you wear looks neat."
"No, no, it is just dirt," I answered, instinctively patting at my tracksuit to clean it up from the dried dirt from my last drill.
"You look like hell," she stated bluntly. "Anyway, beware of choking. I do not want to get the police on my tail because I was the last person to see you." She said that and turned around to go back. But…
"Um, Narita Taishin-san!" I interjected, my voice louder than I intended. This was actually a lucky.. and somehow fateful(?) encounter, I still remembered her last race vividly and now we met here. Plus, she had been the one who spoke to me first, and from how carefree she talked to me, I supposed she was not in a rush. I could not just let this pass.
"Hm?" She stopped and looked back at me, one eyebrow slightly raised.
"Apologies, but do you have any spare time?" I asked with my formal and polite speech. "I would be grateful if you were willing to talk to me. There is something I need from you."
"What's that? And what is in it for me?" she asked bluntly, her tone sharp but not unkind. That was fair. It was our first time talking to each other, and we were basically strangers. It was easier for me if she asked for something in return rather than let this pile up as a debt. Though she was aloof, she was quite a direct character.
"First, let me introduce myself. I am Copenhagen, a freshman and an active Umamusume in her Junior Year," I began, trying to organize my thoughts. "For the background, I used to be a Pace Chaser, but my weaknesses, an embarrassingly low top speed and a debilitating quirk, became fatal when using that style. That is why my trainer is retraining me into an End Closer now. Though I feel comfortable with it, I still have not really refined it. That is why I want to ask you, Narita Taishin-san, if you have any tips as an End Closer and are willing to share them with me, I would be grateful. And as an exchange… how about this? Tomorrow I have a Home Economics class, and I plan to make cornbread. I will give it to you as gratitude."
She listened, her expression unreadable. "I do not hate you formal bunch, but just take it easy in front of me, alright? It is suffocating," she said finally. "And just Taishin is fine."
"Yes—uhum, okay. So, what do you think, Taishin-san?"
"It is not like I have any plans either," she admitted. "But cornbread?"
"Yes. Do not worry about the quality. I guarantee it," I said, puffing out my chest with a confidence I did not entirely feel.
"Well, let's make it a deal then," she said. She moved to the bench I had been lying on, patted the dirt off it with her hand, and sat down. "I do not know what tips can really help you, so just ask me the things you are curious about. Alright, shoot."
"Yes, we have a deal," I confirmed, a sense of relief washing over me. "Let's start with my information as a racer. I can run on both turf and dirt. As for my distance compatibility, my trainer has calculated it to be medium to long, 2400 meters up to 4000 meters. As I said earlier, I have a problem with my low top speed and…"
So, we talked until just before the dorm curfew hit. And to say I had struck gold was an understatement. So far, I had learned how to run as an End Closer mostly from what the Chief had taught me and from what I had practiced. I had already gotten the basics of pacing distribution, stamina consumption, and final spurt timing right. But because I had only ever practiced in a one-on-one race against Oguri-san, my sense, my instinct, and my weapons.. I meant 'tricks' for racing against a full field were still severely limited.
This was where my discussion with Taishin-san came to fill the gap. She told me some of the tricks that she usually used, like how to conserve stamina when the way ahead was jammed up by a slow-moving pack and when the overall race pace usually slowed down in the mid-race. For shorter races, she advised me to show no reluctance to spend my stamina and speed up early to aim for a better position for spurting later, rather than conserving it all for the final stretch. Another thing she pointed out was a specific set of head movements to use when moving sideways during a race, as it could widen my field of vision and allow me to take in a lot more information about my opponents' positions and the race progression.
From my end, every piece of advice and every trick she told me, although she only explained it through words and did not physically demonstrate it, had the undeniable weight of experience and refinement to them. I could still make do with such clear and easy-to-understand explanations, and I knew I could practice it myself tomorrow by following her instructions.
But honestly, I still felt bad. Though she had told me it was fine, I did not think our exchange was equal in value. So, I intended to go an extra mile for my cornbread tomorrow. Though it would not really make up for the deficit, I still needed to try my best.
With that new conviction, my stiff muscles, and my cracking joints, I closed my eyes later that night and swayed away into a deep, dreamless slumber.
---
"Hey, be careful with the tray! Your hands are shaking!"
Even her shout was still as haughty as ever, I mumbled to myself.
In the second period, we had Home Economics class. Through some twist of fate, or perhaps a random plotting by the universe, I, who usually ended up in the leftover group, was paired with King Halo. When the instructor had called out our matching numbers, she had let out her eccentric ojou-sama laugh, quickly gliding over to my side to declare, "It is better if you do not drag me down! This King will make the best dessert ever!" Yeah, her confidence was truly dazzling.
After we went to our assigned pantry, we discussed what dessert we should make. Her suggestions were a flurry of elegant, complex dishes: Tiramisu, Ricotta Cake, Profiteroles. But my headstrong "suggestion" was able to pass through. There would be none of that. We would make cornbread. She looked thoroughly defeated when she finally gave in, even grumbling that cornbread was a side dish, not a dessert. But cornbread was a universal dish. You could put it anywhere and it would be fine. So, dessert it was.
Now, we were putting our batter into the oven. I was the one holding the tray, but yeah, my hands were shaking from the lingering fatigue of this morning's training.
"King-san, if you may," I said, carefully transferring the heavy tray to her steady hands.
"Though you are trying to hold it in, your groan every time you move can still be heard by this King, you know?" she said, her eyebrows winched with a mixture of annoyance and concern. "We have not even done our Make Debut yet. Please do not break down this early. It will not be interesting otherwise."
"I have promised it, King Halo. I will not betray my words," I said, my voice steady. "A breach of contract is the same as a mutiny, and a mutiny is punishable by death… figuratively." Speaking with King Halo was one of the only few times I felt I could speak freely and did not need to consciously change my speech. Honestly, I rather enjoyed it.
"Sounds about right," she conceded. "But the trainer who found Oguri Cap really is a Spartan, huh? No wonder she could transfer to Central and become a monster." She suddenly opened a new topic. We had so far focused on our cornbread, and except for her occasional warnings and interjections, we had coordinated nicely in near silence. Her dedication to our craft was admirable.
"He is," I agreed. "He understands my limits and gives me the right amount of push to further that limit. But, although he is a great trainer, no doubt, it is Oguri-san we are talking about. She is that 'Monster'."
"Yeah, but how does it feel to have a senior like her? My contracted trainer only has me. As a first-rate Umamusume, he has to focus only on me, ohohoho! So I did not join any established team," she said proudly.
"Now that you say it, I was convinced you would join Team Rigil or Team Sirius, as they are the big two in the academy. But you chose to have a personal contract instead, huh?" I mused. "As for Oguri-san, she is fast."
"Tch, I did not know that the two-time Arima Kinen champion and the latest entrant to the Dream Trophy League is fast," her sarcasm stank. I only smirked at her. She continued, "Team Rigil has their own exclusive selection race, and that race clashed with my own that time. Plus, I do not really intend to join a team. As for Sirius… I have heard their recruitment strategy is rather 'unique'."
"I had never heard of this Rigil Selection Race before…"
"That's why you should not just daydream and should talk to your classmates," she sighed exasperatedly. "We discussed it all the time back then."
"Un, I will consider it," I said. "Anyway, how unique is Sirius' recruitment?"
"You had better," she said sternly. "I have heard of things like leg palpations that borderline on sexual harassment and forceful kidnapping. Special Week from the next class is one of the victims, I mean, recruits."
"That sounds more criminal than unique…"
Ding.
The oven timer went off, signaling that the cornbread was ready.
"You stay. I will take it out," she commanded, pushing me gently back down onto my stool when I made a move to stand up.
"Gratitude," I murmured.
She easily took out the result of our teamwork, placing the tray of perfectly golden-brown cornbread muffins on the cooling rack. The shape was perfect, the color was appetizing, and the smell was heavenly. As expected, the recipe from the Director would not disappoint.
"This turns out better than I expected," she said, looking at the cornbread with a critical but impressed eye.
"It is a matter of course," I said confidently.
"Let's try it," she said. She picked up one cup, expertly divided it into two pieces, and handed one to me.
"Oh, the inside is also nicely done," I observed before blowing on the steaming piece and taking a bite. Un. With better, higher-quality ingredients than what we had at the orphanage, the results were even better. It was very well done.
"Umm! This is even better than the cornbread from my usual Texas Barbeque restaurant!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying across the classroom. Her outburst gathered the attention of other classmates and the teacher.
"Great if you acknowledge it," I said, a small, proud smile on my face.
After King-san and I set aside some for ourselves, and a generous portion for Taishin-san, we then exchanged the rest of our cornbread with the other pairs in the class. We received slices of cake, a few cookies, and a rather wobbly pudding in return. But still, in my opinion, ours was the best. Sorry, classmates. Though this was subjective, I would not budge on this point.
---
The Home Economics class ended, and so did the school day. I had a promise with Taishin-san at the same place we had met yesterday, so I made my way to the rendezvous point with a nicely wrapped package of cornbread.
"Oh, I have arrived first. I hope she does not forget," I said to myself as I sat on the now-familiar bench. I began to review my racing strategy in my mind, tracing the entire course from start to finish and back again. I went over the best-case scenarios and the worst-case scenarios. It was best if I understood them all like the back of my hand.
"Oi! Are you there?" a voice suddenly rang out. A cold sensation on my cheek woke me from my deep concentration.
"Ah, Taishin-san, apologies," I said, blinking back to the present.
"You seemed lost in something. Anyway, here," she said as she sat beside me, handing me a can of soda she had just taken from her cheek.
"Gratitude," I said, accepting the cool can. "Though I was not really lost or anything, just reviewing my strategy. Did I really look that lost?" I asked, a little concerned.
"Maybe? Or maybe not? It's in your mind," she replied with a shrug. "But one thing for sure, don't do that outside the academy. You will not be able to dodge when a serial killer tries to stab you in the back."
"Thanks, but if the serial killer stands behind me, I would instinctively kick them first," I smirked.
"Yeah, you and your quirk," she said, a hint of amusement on her own lips. "You had better not kick other runners in a race. It would be an outright penalty and, at worst, ban."
"I am always practicing my self-restraint. Do not worry."
"Great then," she said, sipping her drink. "Every weakness has its silver lining. If you are weighed down by that weakness, that just means you have not found the strength behind it."
"Hearing it from you really makes it have some credibility," I said, following her actions and taking a sip of my own soda.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, though she did not sound offended. "Though yes, for me, it is my height. The ones who bullied me were just brats who did not know anything, so I have somehow already made peace with it. My nimble footwork, my lesser wind resistance, and my lower stamina consumption are some of the advantages I have. Without this body, I am not me. Though if someone says something behind my back, I will still get pissed off and crack their skull open."
"Make peace with it… make your weakness your strength," I mumbled. That was a contradictory but also a rather poetic way to say it. The most direct and efficient way to solve a weakness was to make it disappear. But well, if the trade-off for losing that weakness was also losing your greatest assets that were tied to that weakness, that would be awful.
"Yeah, I say that because I cannot do anything about it anymore," she admitted with a shrug. "I could not grow taller, and I do not want to go for surgery, so I can only make peace with it. I am telling you this to show you there is an alternative to discarding your weaknesses entirely. But if someone suddenly told me there was a way that could guarantee I would grow ten centimeters taller without surgery, I would not immediately say no to that."
"Un, gratitude, Taishin-san," I thanked her sincerely. I guessed after our talk last night, we were somehow getting closer. Other than her being a famous senpai, I also felt a sense of camaraderie with her. We both had an obvious, glaring weakness that was significant for racing: her small stature and my slow top speed. Maybe it was only me who felt so, but I really meant it.
"Anyway, here is the cornbread that I promised yesterday," I said as I handed her the paper-wrapped package. It looked quite fancy, as expected of King-san; she was so meticulous.
"This packaging looks like heaven and earth compared to you yesterday," she smirked, taking the package.
"It was my partner who decorated it, so yeah," I shrugged.
"Anyway, thank you. Let us see if your guarantee is valid."
"No, no, thank you," I said, bowing a little. "I got more than I asked for. I am very grateful." I continued, "By the way, when is your next race, Taishin-san?"
"I just ran in the Spring Tenno Sho, so maybe next autumn or even next year. I haven't discussed it with my trainer yet."
"I see. Biwa-san won that race, huh."
"Yeah, she's the best stayer in my generation," Taishin admitted without any bitterness. "With Rice Shower not entering, it should have been either me or her, but alas."
"Yes, my team was also watching the race live on TV. My trainer said you both had an equal chance of winning."
She just shrugged again, a gesture I was coming to understand as her default response. I guessed their friendship was not only founded by the time they got along, but also by a deep acknowledgment of each other's abilities. That was why she could take the loss with respect. As expected of a veteran.
"Anyway, I'll scram first," she said, finishing her drink and standing up. "Ticket and Biwa are waiting for me in the canteen."
"Well then, let's go together," I suggested, standing up as well. "Oguri-san must have already been there."
"She has to be," Taishin replied.
We both smirked.
----
Random character hints drop!
My Rule:
"All training equipment must be returned to its proper place, cleaned and inspected, after use. An unserviceable tool is a liability."