The snow hadn't melted from the cobblestones, but the sun was doing its best to make the world look less frozen. Pale light glinted off rooftops, turning the academy's towers into gold-tipped silhouettes.
Vivi walked beside Rudolf. He wasn't sure if his boots were crunching louder than hers, or if the morning was just that still.
Ahead, the campus stretched out — courtyards layered in snow, arched walkways, and long, elegant wings of buildings that seemed to hum with history.
They weren't alone. A few students were out, bundled in winter coats, scarves puffed around their necks. They looked. They always looked.
First at him. Then at the ears. Then at the tail.
Then at Rudolf.
And that was where the curiosity stopped.
No one asked. No one waved. Just brief glances, quiet nods, and steps that carried them elsewhere. Whatever this was, it was with the president — and that made it something they didn't need to know.
Rudolf didn't break stride. She was pointing ahead, to a stone archway dusted with frost. He followed.
[First stop, the 3 Uma Statue. Write this part later after you read the lore.]
_______________
They followed the narrow path until it opened into a wide, silent expanse.
The training track.
It was all white now — turf, dirt, lanes, even the inner field — hidden under a clean sheet of snow. The rails traced a long, looping oval, frost clinging to their edges. Far off, the starting gate sat closed, dusted like it had been waiting through the whole season.
Rudolf stopped at the edge of the track. Her breath clouded in the air, slow and even.
"This," she said quietly, "is where every Uma's journey here begins."
The place smelled faintly of turf and iron, the scent stubborn against winter's hold. The world felt too still for its purpose — no pounding hooves, no cheers from the stands, only the soft crunch of their boots against frozen ground.
Vivi's gaze wandered along the curve of the track, as if he could almost hear it — the phantom roar of a race that had ended years before.
A faint trail broke the untouched snow. Hoofprints, fresh enough to keep their edges sharp.
Rudolf noticed too, but didn't comment. She just smiled faintly, then kept walking.
Probably the first time Vivi saw her smile.
__________
The next building was warmer, but not by much.
The Grand Library — though Rudolf admitted with a shrug that "grand" might be a touch generous.
Tall windows let in the pale winter light, dust motes drifting like slow snow in the air. Rows of shelves lined the walls, but these weren't crammed with novels or thick, academic tomes. Almost every spine here was a journal.
Some worn smooth from handling, others still crisp, their leather smelling faintly of oil. Names were embossed in gold or silver down the edges — not just names, but legacies. Each belonged to an Uma who had raced here, or the trainer who had shaped them.
Rudolf ran a gloved hand along one shelf.
"They're all here," she said. "Every race, every injury, every victory… and the parts no one saw."
Vivi lingered by one open desk where a book lay half-read. A small, neat script described a day's snowfall on the track, and how it had changed the rhythm of training. He touched the page like it might melt away if he breathed too hard.
It smelled of paper and something older — like time itself had settled in.
The whole building felt like a great grandfather clock, its heartbeat measured in turning pages.
_________
Breakfast. Tracen's Cafeteria.
I sipped my coffee like always.
Though for some reason, my friend decided to tag along today.
A rare case — that girl never left her lab unless there was a bomb or something.
She didn't even order food. Just sat there, typing away on her laptop like it was keeping her alive. Probably analyzing that boy's hair.
Speaking of that…
Step. Step. Step.
He's here. The Prez walks beside him.
Agnes froze mid-type. Her eyes locked on the boy like hyenas, but the Prez's quick glance shut her down.
Sigh…
"You sure you don't want to eat anything?"
"Yes, I'm 100% perfectly content right—"
Growl
. . .
"That said otherwise."
"Fine. Be a good girl and get me food. Chop chop."
"…"
Why am I friends with her again?
Forget it. Just feed this bratty horse and be done with it.
. . .
Oh, Prez is ordering too. And the boy.
I wonder what his voice sounds like…
Prez already got her tray without a single word — steak with carrot, rice bowl, and coffee.
> "Same as her, but hot choco."
…
Huh? TTS?
That's… new.
He did it so casually too, like ordering through a robot voice in public was the most normal thing in the world.
Rudolf didn't even react. The cafeteria lady didn't react.
I glance back — Agnes's eyes glint for a second before she's back to typing like nothing happened.
. . .
Okay…
"What about you, miss?"
"…Same with the boy."
Those two are already seated by the window. Far from their table.
I drop her tray on the table.
No "thanks," no "finally," just Agnes cradling her hot chocolate.
Sip.
Tail swish. Swish swish.
Her eyes flick to Vivi.
Sip. Swish.
"Agnes…"
(Both whispering here)
"Hm."
"Calm yourself…"
"I am Calm."
"Why are you like this…"
I glance at them. The boy is staring—not at her—but at her tail. It's practically sending out an SOS in semaphore.
"Please just eat…"
Munch. Munch.
"Thank you…"
. . .
Screech. Stand. Step step.
Uh oh…
__________
[Rudolf's Pov]
"Hey there, Prez."
(Too enthusiast, act friendly)
"Morning, Miss Tachyon."
(Only a glance, sipping her coffee quietly)
"Who's the boy?"
"A student. He starts in February."
"When did he move in?"
"Yesterday night."
"Where's his room?
"You already knew it."
"Yet you didn't stop me."
"I don't think you would do anything reckless, right Agnes?"
"Nope. Never."
"Good."
"So who's the boy's name?"
> "Vivi."
"Vivi… That's the shortest Uma name that I know. Your cat is cute by the way. Is it the same cat as yesterday?"
> "Yes. Her name is Yukki."
"Lovely. Moca likes playing with her. You should bring your cat to visit sometimes."
> "Visit where?"
"In my lab. It's located in the north wing-"
"Miss Tachyon…"
"Hm?"
"If I ever find you sneaking in his room again, we might have a talk. Is that clear?"
"Very clear, Prez."
"Would you kindly let us eat in peace please?"
"Sure sure. Sorry for being a bother. Have a nice day you two."
. . .
> "What do you mean sneaking in again?"
"I'm afraid that this is inevitable. Her curiosity is bound to none…"
"But that's only one person… what about hundreds or million…"
. . .
"Enjoy this winter, kid. The world won't stop bothering you soon…"
> "..."
___________
. . .
Enjoy this winter…
How do I enjoy that when I'm trapped here…
I must say, this is probably the coolest room I've been in. But, it's pretty bland
It has charms, yet it's missing something…
Yukki doesn't seem to care, she somehow gets on top of the giant clock pointers. Even sleep on it.
It doesn't work anymore since most people probably use their phone to look at time these days.
I think that's why they didn't bother to fix this clocktower. It's logical.
. . .
Why hasn't Nat texted me back?
She said this is her number. Did she make an error?
The signal is great here, so why…
. . .
Sigh…
I'm alone here aren't I…
At least Yukki here.
Miss Rudolf is… well…
She's The Emperor alright.
. . .
Hmm… Agnes Tachyon…
I remember her going on hiatus 2 years ago, but she raced again a year after.
5 races, 5 wins.
She never loses. Never.
So why did she sneak into here last night? Was she an actual scientist?
I thought she was wearing that long sleeve lab coat cuz it's cute. She even wears it for breakfast.
. . .
She wouldn't sneak in again tonight, right?
Also is Moca her pet or something?
Maybe I should visit the North Wing tomorrow.
Step. Step. Step.
Who's that?
________
"...Uhmm, hi. You're Vivi, right?"
He just stares for a moment, unreadable, before giving a short nod.
"This is your room now, huh… lucky…"
> "Hugo reference."
"Yeah…"
I set Moca down. He immediately darts toward the dusty gears and cogs, climbing with purpose. From above, I hear faint meows — there's another cat up there. His.
"What's her name?..."
> "Yukki."
"Very fitting…"
> "What are you doing here?"
"This is my place… or was. It's quiet, cold, and very high…"
. . .
"Anyway… how are you?"
> "On what?"
"Nothing in particular really… just curious."
. . .
> "I don't know."
"I see…"
. . .
"You like coffee?"
> "I prefer chocolate."
"You're truly a kid…"
> "What."
"Nothing… You're probably the youngest student here. Hmm… cute."
. . .
> "Thanks."
. . .
"Sorry for my friend's behavior…"
> "Which one."
"The gremlin."
> "Who?"
"Lab coat, you met her this morning."
. . .
> "What did she do last night?"
"A strand of your hair, nothing more. I hope…"
. . .
> "Why my hair?"
"I don't know… I was expecting blood."
> "What?"
"Oh yeah… I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Manhattan Cafe…"
> "Retired, right?"
"Yeah… I'm not fit for race anymore."
> "You old?"
"What year is this again?"
> "20XX"
"Yeah… I'm old…"
> "You look young tho."
"So does the other Uma… haven't you noticed that we don't age past 17-20?"
His expression stills. Processing.
. . .
> "What?"
"Curious, how old are you?"
> "14."
"You can still grow taller… but you're cuter being short."
> "Don't call me cute please."
"Ok…"
. . .
> "Wait, why did your friend break into here last night?"
"I wouldn't say break in — there's literally no door or lock in this clocktower…"
He stares, not buying it.
"She wants to kidnap you, examine you closely."
> "Why?"
"I don't know… maybe cuz you're the only Male Uma in the whole universe, Mr Obvious?"
She tilts her head. "Hmm… calling you Mister feels wrong… Clueless Boy is more fitting."
> "But why does she wants to—"
I turn off his phone mid-sentence. The TTS voice was starting to grate.
"If you want more answers, why not just ask her yourself? I can take you there."
. . .
"Don't worry, I won't let her do anything funny. She wouldn't cross a line. Not with Prez around."
He looks down. Then up. His gaze drifts across the room. I follow it.
Moca is curled up beside Yukki in the corner, both asleep.
"Cute…"
Vivi nods.
. . .
"So…"
I stand, brushing the dust off my skirt, and hold out my hand to him.
He stares at it for a moment — weighing something in his head — before finally placing his hand in mine.
I led him toward the lab.
Surely, this will go well.
_________
The halls felt colder on the way down.
Vivi's steps were slow, like he was hoping I'd forget where we were going.
> "You're not gonna tell me what she's like?" he asked.
"I told you. Gremlin."
"…"
"She's gonna meet you whether you like it or not. Better here, with me watching, than in the middle of the night with a chloroform rag."
"..."
I glanced at him. "And Yes, she would absolutely do that."
That seemed to kill his desire for small talk. We walked the rest of the way in silence.
. . . .
When I opened the lab door, the warm smell of coffee hit first — then the chaos.
Papers everywhere. Monitors showing diagrams I couldn't even begin to understand. A jar full of… something that looked suspiciously like a preserved horse ear.
And in the middle of it all — Agnes.
Lab coat halfway buttoned, hair a mess, goggles perched on her head. She turned toward us, eyes lighting up like she'd just spotted a rare, endangered species.
"Ohhh, you brought him."
Vivi immediately stepped back. I caught his sleeve and pulled him forward, keeping myself slightly between them.
"Play nice," I said.
"I am playing nice," she said, walking toward him with a speed I didn't like. "Do you have any idea how rare you are? Do you know how much data I could—"
I held up a hand. "Agnes."
She froze, glaring at me, then sighed and switched to an almost innocent smile. "Fine. I'll keep my hands to myself… for now."
Vivi still didn't move from behind me. His phone chirped as he typed.
> "Why am I here then?"
"Because," I said, "if you're going to meet her, I'd rather it be here, while I'm watching."
Agnes crouched slightly to get on his eye level — not in a friendly way, but like a cat studying a mouse. "Do you have any idea how much potential you're sitting on?"
Vivi hesitated, glancing at me, then typed.
> "Potential for what?"
"Oh, everything." She waved at a nearby monitor — genetic sequences scrolling endlessly. "Speed. Stamina. Bone density. Neurological mapping. You're a statistical anomaly wrapped in cute packaging."
I stepped half a foot closer to him. "Don't call him that."
Agnes rolled her eyes. "Fine. A statistical anomaly wrapped in boring packaging. Better?"
Vivi's thumbs moved slowly over his phone.
> "I want to leave."
"You will," I said. "After she's done talking." I shot Agnes a look at that last word.
Agnes sighed, leaning back against a cluttered counter. "I'm not asking for blood. Yet. I just want… measurements. Observation. Baselines."
Vivi stiffened.
> "That sounds worse."
Agnes grinned. "Good boy. It means you understand."
Agnes pushed off the counter and circled him slowly, her boots clicking against the floor.
She wasn't touching him — but she might as well have been, with how close she leaned in.
"Hmm… posture's good. Leg length's shorter than average for your species, but that can change. Eyes…" She tilted her head. "You have your mother's eyes, maybe?"
Vivi's phone spoke, monotone.
> "No idea."
Agnes crouched, scanning him from shoes to head like she was building a mental blueprint. "Heart rate's a little fast. Nervous?"
> "Yes."
I took a small step closer, folding my arms. "You're making him nervous."
"That's the point, Café. I want to see baseline reactions."
Agnes leaned closer to his face, squinting. "Skin's clear. No visible scar tissue. Breathing's steady now. You're adaptable."
Vivi shifted back half a step, but she mirrored him instantly, closing the gap again.
> "Personal space."
"Shhh," she said, almost gently. "I'm thinking."
"Agnes..."
Her gaze sharpened on his throat. "That scar on your neck… what was the cause?"
Vivi froze. His fingers twitched against the phone, but no words came out.
"Agnes." Louder this time.
She blinked, like she'd just realized she'd stepped over a line — though the curiosity in her eyes never faded.
"Alright," she muttered, straightening up. "No need to look at me like I kicked a puppy."
Her eyes flicked back to the scar, softer this time. "I'm just curious if a cure is possible… or a tech…"
"You're no doctor, Agnes," I said flatly. "How will you cure muteness?"
Agnes tilted her head, smiling faintly. "I'm not a doctor… but I am an engineer."
Vivi's phone buzzed as he typed, his thumbs moving slower than before.
> "I don't know."
Agnes crossed her arms, gaze drifting to the cluttered workbench. "Then maybe I should find out."
I stepped between them before she could get any closer. "That's enough for today."
"If I can get an X-ray of the neck maybe I could… just saying." She spun lazily in her chair, like she hadn't just freaked him out.
Vivi's phone chimed.
> "No."
"Relax," Agnes said, waving a hand. "Not today. Probably."
I steered him toward the door. "We're leaving before she starts measuring your bones."
"Don't make it sound creepy," Agnes called after us. "I am being scientific here."
"I didn't say tonight," Agnes replied, tilting her head at him. "But you are wondering now, aren't you?"
"..."
Agnes smirked, swiveling back toward her monitors. "Thought so."
. . .
"...Is that actually possible?"
"Who knows? I don't have a reference to work with."
. . .
Tap. Tap. Tap.
> "Fine."
Agnes froze mid-rotation, her eyes flicking back to him. The grin that spread across her face was nothing short of predatory.
"Good boy," she murmured.
She hopped off her chair and disappeared into a side room.
I raised a brow. "Where are you going?"
"Getting the X-ray rig."
"You have one?"
"Of course I do," she called from the other room, her voice echoing. "Where else would I keep it? The cafeteria?"
I looked at Vivi. He typed slowly.
> "Is that legal?"
"No," I said.
"Yes," Agnes said at the same time, wheeling back in a suspiciously beat-up machine with a cable trailing like a tail.
Agnes wheeled the machine to the center of the room with a squeak of the casters. It looked ancient, like it had been salvaged from a hospital dumpster and given a second life through questionable wiring.
She patted the top like it was a pet. "See? Perfectly good X-ray system."
"That thing's older than me," I muttered.
"Vintage," she corrected, already plugging it into a wall outlet that sparked faintly.
Vivi's phone buzzed.
> "Is it safe?"
Agnes blinked at him. "Define safe."
I stepped forward. "Agnes—"
"It'll be fine," she cut in, gesturing to a chair in front of the machine. "Just sit. I only need one shot of the neck area."
Vivi hesitated, looking at me. I nodded once. "If something goes wrong, I'll shut down the machine.."
He sat stiffly, fingers curled around his phone. Agnes adjusted the machine's arm, muttering measurements under her breath.
"Alright, don't move," she said, flipping a switch. The machine hummed to life, lights blinking erratically.
The hum got louder. Then louder.
"…Is it supposed to do that?" I asked.
"Yes," Agnes said, clearly lying.
Vivi typed without looking at her.
> "I changed my mind."
"Too late," Agnes replied, hitting the button. A faint click and flash later, the machine powered down with a groan.
She yanked out the film plate and grinned. "Got it."
I exhaled, stepping closer to Vivi. "Still in one piece?"
He tapped.
> "I think so."
"Good," I said, glaring at Agnes. "That's it for tonight."
> "That's it?"
"Yup," Agnes said, spinning lazily back to her desk. "Now shoo, shoo. Go back to that tower. Unless you want me to run more experiments on you, then by all means—be my pleasure~"
Vivi gave her a long, flat stare, then stood.
I stepped to his side. "He's leaving. Alone. And you're not following."
"Fine, fine." Agnes waved a hand, though I caught the glint in her eyes. "I'll wait until he comes back on his own."
Vivi's phone clicked.
> "That's not happening."
"You just jinxed it~" she sang, swiveling back to her monitors.
I put a hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the door before she could add anything else.
The hum of the lab faded behind us, but I could still feel her eyes on him all the way out.
[Hmmm… do I extend this or not…]
__________
We went back to the Clocktower.
Neither of us said anything.
. . .
Inside, the air was cooler, still carrying that faint metallic smell of old gears. Moca and Yukki were curled together in their usual corner, barely lifting their heads when we came in.
Vivi sat on the edge of his bed, phone in hand, but didn't type. Just stared at the floor.
"Don't think about it too hard," I said quietly. "She's… Agnes."
He didn't look up, but grip the phone harder.
I shook my head. "It's late. Sleep on it."
He nodded once, slow.
I started toward the door, glancing back at him. Outside the window, the gears sat frozen in the moonlight, casting long, jagged shadows across the room — still as the silence between us.
__________
Vivi's gaze stayed on the floor until the latch clicked shut. Then, slowly, his fingers brushed the faint scar at his neck.
"..."
He grabs his phone again and opens Nat's Number.
She still hasn't replied.