DON'T GO ANY NEAR HIM! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!
...Calm down, I know what you're going through.
—No, you don't understand a thing! You've always had everything just by being born; what many cry and bleed to achieve, you have simply by breathing.
The shouts grew louder and louder in the hospital room, drawing the attention of nurses who tried to separate the children, though it was too late because one had already managed to connect his fist with the other's face, knocking him to the floor.
—So don't you dare tell me you know how it feels! My father is dead, and it's all your fault, yours and the main family's. I... I hate all of you!
The boy desperately tried to hit his former friend again, but the nurses pulled him back to prevent him from continuing his aggression against the boy lying on the floor.
—I HATE YOU, SYMBOLI PEGASUS!
---
—RHA AH AH AH! —Pegasus writhed as his eyes snapped open, gasping heavily while the nightmare faded like a bitter memory from a past he could never forget, no matter how much he wanted to.
—What... what is this? —Pegasus murmured, his face slightly pale as he squinted one eye. His head throbbed painfully; he felt as if he had been hit with a bat. And after a second, the memories slammed into his mind, stopping at the exact moment Symboli Kris S had knocked him out with a kick to the face, which explained the sharp pain.
—I can't see anything here, —the chestnut-haired teenager said through gritted teeth as he tried to move. He truly couldn't see almost anything; the only thing he could make out was his nose. From his position, it was easy to tell he was sitting in a chair, and by the soft clinking of metal...
—Fools. This isn't the first time they've tied me up like this, —murmured the boy with chestnut hair and white streaks in the shape of an inverted crescent moon, as he began to strain against his bonds. —What is this? I can't break it. —Pegasus gritted his teeth when the chains restraining him didn't yield an inch, no matter how much force he applied, until he finally stopped.
—Are you done with your foolish performance, brat?
Pegasus froze upon hearing a woman's voice in front of him. The tone was authoritative and mature, with a familiar edge that unsettled the boy somehow; after all, the voice was undeniably known to him. But before he could speak, the voice from the shadows spoke first.
—I see you still don't recognize me. Then, why don't we turn on the lights a bit?
CLACK
The sound of a click echoed deeply in the darkness of the room. A second later, as if by divine command, the lights of the place turned on, forcing Pegasus to close his eyes for a moment to adjust to the light of the room—or at least, what he thought was a room.
—You are... —The boy's voice caught in his throat upon seeing the familiar figure of someone he never wished to see again. Those unmistakable eyes, almost identical to his own, but with a touch of iron, authority, and maturity he hadn't even begun to approach. Those horse ears slightly tilted back, denoting her displeasure at seeing him. The name of that woman roared in his throat like poison that could kill a person, or perhaps like a curse he had sworn never to utter again.
—SPEED SYMBOLI!
The name of his relative spilled from his mouth like venom. His attempts to break the chains imprisoning his body resurfaced, now redoubling with much greater force, caring little how his arms began to turn slightly purple from the interrupted blood circulation.
And so it went for several minutes, Pegasus straining with all his might to break the chains holding him in that damned chair, but, as expected, he achieved nothing. From the bored and exasperated look on Speed Symboli's face, it was evident the boy's attempts to free himself would not work.
—Unless you want the bones in your arms to break, I advise you to stop trying. Those chains are made of tungsten (wolfram), specially forged to immobilize Uma Musume. You'll never break them no matter how hard you try; not even I could do it. —Speed Symboli said while pinching the bridge of her nose with the fingertips of her right hand, and sighed wearily, like an adult watching a child throw a tantrum for not getting a cookie.
After a few more failed attempts, Pegasus finally gave up trying to free himself, especially because when he looked down, he could see it wasn't just the metal that gave the chains their strength, but also because these particular chains had a design similar to those used to hold trains. Although, even if they were normal-sized chains, Pegasus still doubted he could do anything to them.
—So, you're finally going to listen to what I have to sa—
—I have nothing to say to you, old woman!
Pegasus interrupted his relative with a snarl, his voice so loud he almost sounded like a rabid dog.
Speed Symboli sighed to calm herself while holding her wrist with her other hand. With her free hand making a circular motion, the retired Uma Musume felt a strong urge to hit a spoiled child, though she resisted. Besides, it had been many years since she'd done that to anyone; the last time was to a young Symboli Rudolf after a tantrum.
—One would think you'd miss your grandmother after not seeing her for several years, you insolent little brat, —the Uma Musume with the chestnut hair characteristic of the Symboli family said as she adjusted her stance, standing before the boy tied to the chair, straightening up with an elegant and serious aura around her.
Pegasus distractedly noted that the aura was truly a much more refined form than what Symboli Kris S had shown before knocking him out, to drag him to some Symboli family place where he was now about to be interrogated by his grandmother. To anyone seeing her, it wouldn't even cross their mind that this woman could be called "grandmother"; after all, she was a beautiful woman who looked about 30 at most. But reality was different.
After all, it was normal for Uma Musume to age at a much slower rate than humans once they reached maturity; in fact, it wouldn't be odd for a 40-year-old Uma Musume to be mistaken for a girl barely in her 20s.
—I would have preferred to spend the rest of my life without ever seeing you again, old woman, —Pegasus spat out in an annoyed huff as he adjusted himself as best he could in the chair, his arms aching from the great strain they had endured moments before.
Despite her grandson's harsh words, Speed Symboli's eyes warmed a little before hardening like iron as she looked at him with a coldness and seriousness she reserved only for the worst people she had dealt with. The air around them grew harder to breathe, betrayed by the barely concealed discomfort that began to show on the face of the Symboli family deserter.
—I suppose you know why you're here, Pegasus, —the elder Uma Musume's voice was like a razor as she pulled a yellow folder from behind her coat and opened it in her hand to begin recounting its contents. —You have been found guilty of not only collaborating with clandestine Uma Musume races—a strictly prohibited crime—but also indirectly collaborating with the Japanese Yakuza, fleeing the crime scene, assaulting two law enforcement officers, resisting arrest, driving without an authorized license, providing instruction to Uma Musume in illegal betting without a trainer's license, and last but not least, stealing the clothes of the police officers you had previously attacked... Am I correct?
Even though Pegasus would have loved to refute and contradict his grandmother's words, he himself knew he couldn't; after all, he still felt guilty for hitting two officers who were just doing their jobs.
—The sum of all these crimes together could easily result in life imprisonment or, at minimum, 80 years in prison without the possibility of bail.
Speed Symboli's cold eyes watched as her grandson shuddered slightly and looked down. After all, even if he tried to escape, it would be futile, not only because of the chains restraining him but also because he was on Symboli family territory and his grandmother was standing before him. If he, by some miracle, managed to free himself, Speed Symboli could easily subdue him.
—However, you are a core member of the Symboli family. That complicates things further, —the chestnut-haired woman said as she closed the folder and tossed it onto the teenager's lap. —And that is why you have an opportunity.
Despite how encouraging those words might have been for Pegasus, they weren't. That indulgence... that favoritism... that exception just for being a member of the main family made rage bubble fiercely in his stomach as he struggled against his bonds again with force, even though he knew his attempts to free himself were useless.
—I DON'T WANT YOUR PITY, OLD WOMAN! I'D RATHER GO TO PRISON THAN ACCEPT HELP FROM THIS FAMILY!
The furious shout; the boy's eyes shone with a fury that Speed Symboli only remembered seeing the moment her grandson left the Symboli family. Back then, she had been indulgent with him, let him go, even helped him from the shadows, but this time... Despite what her words might have suggested, she was not being indulgent with her grandson.
PLAF
Pegasus's head snapped to the side. His vision saw stars, nearly feeling himself being sent back into unconsciousness, were it not for delicate-looking fingers that gripped his cheeks with force, forcing him to look into his grandmother's furious eyes, without a shred of compassion or indulgence.
—Do you think this is all about you, you conceited little brat? —the throat of the head of the Symboli Family released an angry growl as, with her fingers firmly holding her grandson's cheeks, she forced him to look at her, caring little for the finger marks beginning to form on the boy's cheeks. —Do you think that just because you're from the main family you'll be spared your punishment, you gullible fool? I don't make exceptions for anyone. So now, shut up and listen.
Having finished speaking, Speed Symboli released her grandson's face, where the finger marks were clear.
—I said you had an opportunity, but I never said it would be easy, —the elder Uma Musume said as she began to circle the bound boy. —If you want your freedom, you must train an Uma Musume to win the Triple Crown, and you only have one chance.
Pegasus's face turned incredulous at his grandmother's words.
The Triple Crown was the ultimate achievement a young Uma Musume could aspire to; it was what they all longed for. It was said there was only one Triple Crown winner per generation; that achievement was reserved only for the best of the best. True elite Uma Musume who stood above others. In general, Japan's Triple Crown was one of the most prestigious in the world, only surpassed by the American Triple Crown and the British Triple Crown.
What truly made achieving the Triple Crown difficult and prestigious was that the three races to win it could only be run during a Uma Musume's classic year, only once in a lifetime.
Specifically, the races that made up Japan's classic Triple Crown were the Satsuki Shō, the Japanese Derby, and the Kikuka Shō, all of them high-intensity races, categorized as Grade G1 turf races.
And if Pegasus's memory served him right, the last winner of the Japanese Triple Crown was Narita Brian, with Mihono Bourbon coming close to achieving it but losing the final race to the dream devourer, Rice Shower.
—Are you insane, old woman? Is your brain not working at your age, or what? —the chestnut-haired teenager asked incredulously, still not fully processing the imposition just placed upon him. —No Uma Musume has been born who can win the Triple Crown in years, not since Tokai Teio. —Pegasus said, still trying to regain his composure, since the last Uma Musume with the potential to achieve a Triple Crown was Tokai Teio, and it was a certainty she would have done it if not for the injuries that prevented her from reaching her goal, leaving her with only the less appreciated Double Crown for winning only the Satsuki Shō and the Japanese Derby.
—My brain is far more functional than yours, brat, —the elder Uma Musume said as she rolled her eyes, calming down from her previous outburst. —I said you'd have an opportunity; I never said I'd make it easy for you. You must train an Uma Musume to achieve the Triple Crown next year, and then you will be forgiven. Otherwise, I hope you like sleeping on the floor of a cold cell.
—That still sounds like favoritism, —Pegasus said dryly, since to him all this still seemed like just an excuse to forgive him for being from the main family, because he doubted his grandmother would have been so kind if someone else had been responsible.
—Don't be mistaken, brat, —Speed Symboli said while pointing at him with one finger. —In any other situation, I would have handed you over to the police myself, but I'm not doing it for one simple reason.
—And what would that be? —asked the bound boy with a raised eyebrow, genuinely curious about what his grandmother was about to say.
—Tell me, boy, what's the last thing you've heard the Symboli family has done recently?
Pegasus's brow furrowed for a second, trying to remember something he'd heard in the news; however, nothing important came to mind.
—Not much...
—Exactly. Just like the other families, like Mejiro—which hasn't had another wonder competitor since Mejiro McQueen's retirement—or the Satono family—without having won a single G1 race in its entire history. —the chestnut-haired woman began to recount as she adopted a thoughtful but equally serious posture as before. —The last glory of the Symboli family was Symboli Rudolf, the undefeated Triple Crown winner, an achievement that could be called almost unrepeatable. It's a fact that all Uma Musume of the Symboli family are very strong Japanese racers... Do you understand where I'm going with this, brat?
—Yes... I think I know what you mean... —Pegasus murmured in a slightly lower tone.
How could he not know? Although Japan always wanted to cover it up to avoid tarnishing the image of what was once Japan's best racer, Symboli Rudolf... it was true she had won all her races in Japan with absolute dominance, it was also true that her record abroad was, to put it simply... disappointing. In her first and last race abroad, she only achieved a shameful seventh place and, as if it were the cherry on top of the shameful performance, she also ended up injured with a fracture that forced her to retire from racing.
Then there was Symboli Kris S, that Symboli family Uma Musume who had knocked him out. She also had a more than notable career in Japan, being a winner of several Grade G-1 races. However, just like Symboli Rudolf... her career abroad ended with an even more disastrous eleventh place.
Then there was the new jewel of the Symboli family, Sirius Symboli, who had decided to pursue her career abroad. She was a promising Uma Musume who, no doubt, would have dominated Japanese races. A major support campaign was even launched, with a news channel spending a lot of money to promote the Uma Musume... however, the results were not as expected. Of the 14 races Sirius Symboli had fought abroad, she hadn't managed to win a single one, losing each and every one, with her best result being second place in a Grade G3 race preceding the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. It should be noted that the news channel never recovered its investment.
—Then why me? You could have asked any other trainer in the family, or even one of the family's Uma Musume, —Pegasus said, still unsure why specifically he was being selected for this task when there were easily people much more prepared than him to accomplish it.
—I think you should already know, brat, —Speed Symboli said as she rolled her eyes at having to continue explaining something that seemed more than obvious to her. —Tell me, boy, what did your body feel when you saw me?
One of Pegasus's eyebrows rose at the elder Symboli's words. He certainly realized she wasn't referring to his displeased reaction at seeing her... so the only thing she could be referring to was...
—Hey... old woman... —Pegasus began slowly, as if the words he was saying were difficult to formulate. —I know women your age often feel needy, but I'm not into inces— OW! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, OLD WOMAN?
Pegasus shouted when a sharp thump on the head interrupted him; he could almost see smoke coming from his head and his grandmother's fist from the speed with which she had hit him.
—You idiot, you little brat! —the Uma Musume growled angrily, truly feeling better after hitting her wayward grandson. —I'm talking about what you felt when you saw me. I bet you felt something similar when you saw Kris S.
After the pain in his head subsided, Pegasus racked his memory, recalling the moment he saw the dark-skinned Uma Musume: the unmistakable tingling sensation in his body. And, in fact, now that he realized, it also happened when he saw Speed Symboli, but his anger at that moment had prevented him from noticing.
—By the expression on your face, I can see you've already figured it out, —Speed Symboli said as she crossed her arms, looking at her grandson with renewed seriousness. —It's scientifically proven that the children of Uma Musume cannot inherit their characteristics, that which is usually called 'the blessing of the three goddesses.' However, a new area of research was recently added.
The matriarch of the Symboli family said as she raised a finger, then pointed it at the boy chained to the chair.
—There are those born lucky who can inherit something; that which was born from the pure love with which Uma Musume were created by the three goddesses. Your mother, Symboli Souji, died the day you were born, preferring your life to her own—an unmistakable act of pure love. However, even so, you were a premature baby. Even the best doctors the Symboli family could hire gave no encouraging news; no one believed you would survive. Even your father lost hope... however, you didn't die. You lived; every time your body faltered, it recovered with even greater strength. It was something that shouldn't have happened; that which they called... a Miracle.
—Your mother may not have been the best racer, but she had something that very few other Uma Musume possessed: that which is considered the phantom sense, the sixth sense... Instinct.
Instinct, called and considered by some as the sixth sense of animals, was something fundamental in the animal kingdom. It allowed prey to escape predators; in the case of humans and Uma Musume, it allowed them to sense when something was wrong and, on occasion, anticipate something that was about to happen. For Uma Musume, this was especially useful in races, as only on rare occasions could an Uma Musume afford to look back.
Very few Uma Musume possessed this ability, considered more of a myth than a fact, although it was also true that Uma Musume could develop even better and more effective skills for racing.
—I don't see how that has anything to do with this... —Pegasus said in a sour tone after hearing about his mother. After all, the only things he knew about her were what his father could tell him before dying in a plane crash.
—Your mother used instinct to gauge how dangerous other Uma Musume were each time she competed. Of course, it wasn't an infallible ability, but it was useful for detecting the most important or prominent threats at the time, —Speed Symboli explained, a certain melancholic touch in her voice. —And from what I could identify by how Symboli Kris S described your reaction upon seeing you, I can say with certainty: your instinct is perhaps even sharper than your mother's. It's just a theory, but it might be because you're a human who senses the threat that an Uma Musume poses.
I want you to use that; to track down a sufficiently talented Uma Musume and restore the honor our family has lost in these years... However, that remains your choice. You are well within your rights to refuse, but I hope you understand that if you do, I will immediately hand you over to the Japanese National Police to pay for each of your crimes.
It was an ultimatum.
No matter how Pegasus looked at it, he couldn't escape. His grandmother could say he could refuse, but the consequences were certainly too high. Even Pegasus had to admit that the idea of spending his entire life in a cold cell held no appeal whatsoever.
However, he only had one chance. Just one to find an Uma Musume who could win the Triple Crown.
—What about the Triple Tiara? —Pegasus couldn't help but ask. After all, the Triple Tiara was the equivalent of the colts' Triple Crown, but for fillies. But just like the classic Triple Crown, Triple Tiara winners were extremely rare these days. —I know it's not as prestigious as the Triple Crown, but it's undoubtedly an achievement few Uma Musume can manage. It's a great merit that shouldn't be dismissed.
—Oh, it seems you're not an idiot when it suits you, little Pegasus, —The Symboli family matriarch couldn't help but give an amused smile at her grandson's cunning. —Of course, if you get a filly to win the Triple Tiara, I might consider absolving you of your crimes. But that's all it is: I might consider it. Although if you win the Japan Cup or the Arima Kinen, you could also consider yourself free.
Faced with those words, Pegasus could only say one thing:
—You are a ruthless woman.
—Of course I am, my grandson. It runs in the family.
Of course it ran in the family.
—So, what do you say, Pegasus? Do you accept or not?
Pegasus truly felt as if he were about to sign a deal with the devil.
—Alright. You have a deal, old woman.
The horse ears atop Speed Symboli's head perked up as her smile widened.
—That's good. Now, I'll be going. The study materials you'll need to pass the trainer entrance exam for Tracen Academy will be left here by one of the Symboli family maids, —Speed Symboli said as she turned to leave.
And just as she opened the door to the room, her grandson's voice stopped her in her tracks.
—Wait! Are you leaving me here tied up? —Pegasus complained, looking down at himself, still bound by the chains.
—Oh, about that... Well, you've been a very naughty boy with your grandmother, so consider this your punishment. Wait for the maid to free you. It will be soon... or maybe not, —the last part was said in a whisper, but also loud enough for Pegasus to hear.
—WHAT?! WAIT, I HEARD YOU! GET BACK HERE, YOU DAMN OLD WOMAN!
The boy's complaints were ignored as Speed Symboli simply walked out of the room, closing the door behind her, caring little for the stream of impolite curses pouring from her grandson's mouth.
End of Chapter
---
AUTHOR:
Well, this is this week's chapter. It was much longer than I expected, but here it is.
I must clarify that I will not be strictly following the canon of the Uma Musume series, so don't be alarmed if you see any changes.
Another thing I'd like to emphasize is that the Uma Musume are still the same beings of light as always, especially Haru Urara, so don't worry about that.
You know, if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them, either in the comments or in future chapters. Opinions or suggestions are welcome, as long as they are expressed respectfully.
Now, with nothing more to say, goodbye and I hope you have a happy day or night.