Flightline, huh… another completely unfamiliar name. At least Gotham Song had absolutely no memory of this horse girl—not in this life, nor in her past life either.
But still, she felt instinctively that if this filly was someone only she could help, she must be a Uma Musume with considerable potential and an utterly unique personality—otherwise Secretariat wouldn't have personally taken notice or reached out with this urgent request.
However, like she'd said earlier, Gotham Song wouldn't commit right now as to whether she'd actually take on this responsibility. She'd decide once she met the filly in person—
If it seemed suitable, great; if not, she'd just explain the situation clearly to Secretariat. Easy enough.
With that decided, Gotham Song hung up the phone and rested peacefully for the remainder of the night. The next morning, she dressed herself in something less casual and a bit more athletic, preparing to leave the house.
And just what exactly was her outfit?
A jacket and shorts combination, black on the outside with bright blue lining, thigh-high stockings, and a rather bold, midriff-exposing top.
It was Mejiro Ardan who'd recommended this particular fashion to her—but what Ardan found incredibly surprising was that her dear little sister apparently felt not the slightest bit of embarrassment about it.
As for who accompanied Gotham Song today?
It was Mejiro McQueen.
Neo Universe had been asked by Gotham Song to welcome Vernal-chan, who'd been delayed slightly due to family matters, while Mejiro Ardan had gone out to help Mejiro Ramonu-san at Mejiro Manor.
At this moment, Manhattan Cafe was still somewhere on the way.
...
Morning, New York Central Hospital.
This hospital was legendary in all sorts of ways—or rather, it had been visited by numerous Uma Musume whose names were legends themselves.
The reason was quite simple: when this hospital was first established, it was merely a medical facility attached to a certain Uma Musume racetrack. Even now, it stood very close to the New York Aqueduct Racetrack, with only a five-minute walk separating them.
The reason for this proximity was straightforward, too. In contrast to Japan, where hospitals were typically built some distance away from racetracks, New York—and indeed much of Europe and America—usually chose differently.
After all, in Japan, Uma Musume typically trained at their academies and dedicated practice areas. But the West had a fundamentally different custom:
New York's Aqueduct Racetrack was genuinely open to all Uma Musume who wished to come and train, even offering free professional guidance services.
Very considerate indeed, though this latter service was rarely utilized—mostly because Uma Musume in Europe and America often had trainers assigned specifically one-on-one.
But, well, none of this had much to do with Gotham Song's actual reason for today's visit. She was just idly scrolling through the hospital's information on her phone, passing the time as she made her way in.
At least, that was her original idea. But when Gotham Song approached the hospital's front desk and asked the Uma Musume nurse on duty about Flightline's room, she was suddenly met with a strangely puzzled gaze.
This abnormal reaction left Gotham Song momentarily flustered, prompting her to immediately inquire further.
And then, she got a response that made her seriously reconsider today's visit:
"I'm very sorry, but that Flightline-san is really quite famous… um… She even has a special room reserved specifically for her in this hospital. This is actually the first time I've ever heard someone ask…"
"…Which room Flightline-san is in. I was so startled, I apologize again."
Of course Gotham Song wouldn't feel genuinely angry at this apologetic Uma Musume nurse. She was just surprised—extremely surprised—and completely uncertain about exactly what kind of Uma Musume she was about to meet.
Just what sort of Uma Musume would have a hospital room specially labeled with her own name?
Did she frequent this place so often that she could even call it home?!
And hey, actually—come to think of it—maybe, in a certain sense, this wasn't entirely impossible.
Because when Gotham Song finally pushed open the door to that hospital room, she instantly and profoundly understood the meaning of the saying that "any abnormal situation must have its own special reasons, tempered through a thousand trials."
Because the moment she stepped inside that room, Gotham Song wondered if she'd suddenly crossed over into another world.
Just what was there inside this supposed hospital room?
First off, there was a bed.
A bed in a hospital room was perfectly normal…right? But what if that bed wasn't a typical hospital bed at all, but rather an elegantly furnished double-bed you'd normally only see at home?
And then there was even a computer desk, and in the corner of the room, something like a tiny…fitness area?
When Gotham Song knocked and stepped into the room, she momentarily didn't know how to describe her current state of mind.
Miss Tutorial, are you here? Did I somehow reach the eighteenth floor again, triggered the passive skill of the big truck, and got sent to another world once more?
Am I about to restart that procedure of burning myself again?!
But after all, she'd experienced plenty of wild situations, so Gotham Song quickly calmed herself down, looking directly at the Uma Musume who was currently staring back at her with curious eyes from the center of the room.
That was an Uma Musume who could only be described as towering—Gotham Song didn't have an exact number, but conservatively estimating, probably… almost two meters tall?
Holy crap, she's practically a titan.
Gotham Song cautiously stepped closer. As the distance shrank, the other girl's features gradually became clearer in her eyes.
From afar, especially under sunlight, Flightline's hair had a subtle golden shimmer. But as Gotham Song approached, she could clearly distinguish a different color:
Flightline's hair was actually black, similar to Secretariat-san's, but even darker—an abyssal blackness, as if a patch of nighttime had forcibly overwhelmed the daylight. Her body was sleek and slender, and her gaze was notably fiercer.
Well, Gotham Song had to admit something: that gaze wasn't just a bit fierce. It was like an experienced hunter sizing up its prey, locking onto her with unwavering intensity.
For a moment, even the legendary Uma Musume who'd just arrived curiously touched her own cheek. Strange, there's nothing on my face, right…? Forget it, better to ask first.
"Um, Flightline-san? What's with… everything around here?"
"Oh, you mean all this stuff in the room?"
Flightline grinned, looking somewhat disheveled. Despite appearing full of energy, she had numerous bandages wrapped around her body, and a large plaster stood out prominently on her smooth, youthful cheek.
Overall, Gotham Song couldn't help but suspect that Flightline might have suffered a recent training accident.
Don't tell me Secretariat-san asked me here specifically to supervise Flightline's training to avoid these sorts of incidents…?
"This stuff, huh? Well, I got hurt too many times over there—at Aqueduct—so after spending enough time here, I figured I'd just make myself comfortable. Occasionally…? Well, alright, not just occasionally. Most nights, I just sleep here."
"You sleep… here?"
Instead of going home?!
Gotham Song couldn't comprehend; Gotham Song was stunned. This was her first time encountering something so utterly baffling.
You're telling me—as an Uma Musume, someone who should be actively avoiding injuries—you get hurt so regularly that you've set up a literal home in a hospital room and just sleep here most nights?
Damn, are all American Uma Musume monsters?
Gotham Song fell silent, then shot a cautious look over at the other girl.
No matter what, she needed confirmation!
"You mean to say, Flightline-san, um… you treat the hospital as your actual home and frequently injure yourself to the point that you require hospitalization and recovery—like right now?"
"Yeah. You seem pretty surprised, huh? I thought a legendary Uma Musume like Gotham Song would be… mentally tougher?"
Flightline spoke so matter-of-factly it nearly pushed Gotham Song into hysteria.
Listen to yourself! Are those words a normal person would say? Are they?!
Ruby already shattered my worldview yesterday, and now here you come, popping out of nowhere to further destroy what's left of it?!
Gotham Song really wanted to scream now, but she maintained her composure through sheer mental fortitude. Pulling up a chair, she sat down calmly, acting as though Flightline's insane response hadn't shaken her at all.
"In that case, could you tell me why you're injured so often? Even if you haven't officially debuted yet, Flightline-san, you know exactly what injuries mean for an Uma Musume, right?"
"The reason? Meaning? Oh, that sort of stuff—I know, obviously. And?"
Flightline sounded completely unconcerned, as though such matters weren't even worth her attention.
Gotham Song stared blankly at the towering girl, momentarily speechless.
How could someone who aspired to become a great Uma Musume be completely unconcerned about such things? This kind of repeated injury could ruin any hope of future achievement!
Gotham Song had to admit, she was intensely curious about Flightline's motivation at this moment—and, somehow, she felt…
…That this had something to do with herself again.
But how could that be possible? She'd never met Flightline before—so how could she possibly have influenced this girl's extreme behavior?
"Then could you at least tell me what exactly it is you're chasing? To keep running so passionately, even constantly hospitalizing yourself, surely there must be some kind of obsession driving you, right?"
"Running because of an obsession…? There's no such thing—tsk, fine, maybe that's not entirely true. If I had to say, hmm… I'm just running to chase after the fastest, absolute fastest speed imaginable. That's all."
Gotham Song furrowed her brows. She chewed over Flightline's words—words said while the taller Uma Musume turned away afterward, unwilling to meet Gotham Song's eyes—the phrase: "That's all."
The fastest, absolute fastest speed… is that really what she's chasing?
"Actually, maybe it was when I was very young? I saw someone who could be called the realization of my ultimate dream—an Uma Musume who nearly reached what I'm dreaming of right now."
"That brilliant silver-white streak was so dazzling…"
Flightline whispered so quietly, yet these words instantly made Gotham Song's entire body tense up.
A dazzling silver-white streak…? When Flightline was young? With truly unbelievable speed?
Don't tell me you're talking about a rainy day.
"Oh right, that Uma Musume looked very, very much like you. You probably know her name, right, Gotham Song? But even if you do surpass her and show even greater strength, I still won't acknowledge it."
Flightline spoke seriously, her amber eyes wide open, shimmering with a fervent intensity Gotham Song couldn't entirely comprehend.
"Hm…? According to what you just said, Flightline-san, you do recognize that I've demonstrated strength even greater than that rainy-day runner, right? Then why won't you acknowledge me?"
Though Gotham Song's expression remained calm, deep inside she was nearly collapsing emotionally.
Wait, hold up—how many people now refuse to acknowledge me because of Twilight Song?
Damn it, Twilight Song's rainy day consequences are still popping up!
"Because your running isn't pure enough! Compared to Twilight Song-san, your running is tainted by too many other things—way too many things!"
"That Uma Musume who stood atop the Arc ran purely and solely for the sake of breaking limits, for the fastest possible speed, surpassing every restriction the world placed on her. That kind of beautiful figure—even though you look so alike that many people believe you're the same person—I won't acknowledge it."
"No matter how fast you run, you'll never match Twilight Song-san's fanatical pursuit of limitless speed! Your running is tainted by too many impurities!"
The corner of Gotham Song's mouth twitched. For a moment, she honestly had no idea how to describe Flightline's attitude.
She'd thought at first this girl was just some troublemaking delinquent brat—but looking at her now…
This child might just be an absolute muscle-headed idiot. Well then… what would it take to completely convince such a stubborn girl?
But at this point, Gotham Song had to admit—Secretariat-san might've actually seen right through her when making this request. When she'd asked Gotham Song to come here, she'd probably anticipated exactly how this would unfold.
Old bastard Number Two, you're scheming against me…! But well, I'm actually pretty excited to try this interesting challenge.
"Is that so? How very confusing, considering my abilities might actually be stronger. How about it—want to test it out? This running you call impure—my fastest speed?"
"You're on…! Let's run, then! Who's afraid of who?"
Flightline responded immediately, clearly oblivious to Gotham Song's intentions behind this challenge.
Seeing this, Gotham Song's lips curled upward.
"Excellent, then let's wait until you're discharged—wait, why are you getting out of bed now?"
"Who needs to wait? It's just bleeding—I can still crush you right now!"
Gotham Song fell silent. Looking up at the literally two-meter-tall Flightline towering in front of her, she couldn't help quietly muttering in her heart:
If you fought me without running, you probably really could crush me flat underfoot.
---
T/N: outfitttt yes gotham looks like melusine
bonus chaps tomorrow
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