Two hundred meters before the finish line, Seabiscuit was still in the lead.
Seven other horse girls began their final sprints, hooves pounding the dirt in unison, but even as they pushed forward with all their might, the gap refused to close. Seabiscuit was flying—her strides long, her determination blazing.
She would win.
She was sure of it.
And yet, something gnawed at her chest. It wasn't the fear of losing—no, she knew victory was hers. It was a strange, restless feeling, an urgency that whispered, Finish it. Finish it fast. He's waiting.
Her ears flicked back, catching the roar of the crowd. Her breath burned, but her heart burned brighter.
"Let's go… even faster!"
With a sudden surge, Seabiscuit kicked off the ground dirt exploded beneath her shoes.
"Seabiscuit finds another burst of speed!" one commentator shouted in disbelief.
"She's accelerating again six lengths ahead—seven… eight lengths! Incredible!" cried the second.
"In a G3 event, no less! This is spectacular! Seabiscuit is dominating the field!"
The stands erupted into cheers.
"Seabiscuit! Seabiscuit!!"
With a thunderous finish, she crossed the line—eight lengths ahead.
"Seabiscuit wins the race by an overwhelming margin!" The commentator's voice nearly broke with excitement. "Is this her turning point? Has all her hard work finally paid off?"
Applause and shouts filled the air, the sound washing over her like a wave she'd never felt before. Seabiscuit slowed, chest heaving, and gazed up at the crowd.
They were cheering… for her.
Not for someone else. Not for the stars she'd always watched from behind. For the first time, the noise belonged to her.
Her lips curled into a trembling smile. He'll be proud of me, she thought. Trainer Ren will be proud…
Her gaze scanned the stands—until she found him.
Ren was there, but not alone. He was talking to Dream Journey, the two smiling as they exchanged something on their phones. Orfevre sit beside them, arms crossed, clearly irritated, but still close enough to him to make it look… familiar.
The warmth in Seabiscuit's chest died instantly. Her expression hardened, her eyes growing cold as the cheers around her faded into a distant hum.
"…Who?" she muttered under her breath, her tone chilling.
A few seconds later, Infidox crossed the finish line, gasping for air. Tears welled in her eyes as the realization struck—she hadn't won. She had failed her trainer's expectations.
If only I'd pushed harder…
But she quickly wiped the tears away. Her trainer wouldn't want to see her like this. She'd use this failure as fuel—to train harder, to come back stronger.
Her gaze lifted toward Seabiscuit's back.
She's strong… But next time, I'll beat her. I'll make sure of it.
Infidox jogged toward her, trying to shake off her exhaustion. Yet, as she drew closer, the air felt heavy—cold, almost suffocating. She hesitated before calling out, forcing a smile.
"Hey, Seabiscuit! Congrats! But next time—I'll win!"
Seabiscuit turned, her face unreadable, her voice detached.
"Huh?"
"N-Nothing," Infidox murmured, shrinking under that icy stare. "Second place isn't bad anyway…"
She turned and walked away quickly, muttering under her breath.
Behind her, Seabiscuit exhaled sharply—a faint snort—and turned her attention back to Ren.
He was waving at her now, his usual warm smile plastered on his face.
Seabiscuit smiled too and waved back.
But there was something unsettling about that smile something cold and deliberate that made Ren's worry.
A chill ran down his spine.
Ren swallowed hard, a bead of nervous sweat forming on his temple.
She's… mad, isn't she?
Even from across the track, he could tell his trainee was standing at the exit tunnel with her arms crossed and her leg tapping the ground impatiently. The way her tail flicked was never a good sign.
Ren forced an awkward smile before glancing at Dream Journey and Orfevre."Well, it was nice meeting you both, but I should go congratulate my trainee before she decides to trample me."
Dream Journey gave a soft laugh. "Of course. Go on—and congratulations on her victory."
"Thank you," Ren said, nodding politely. He turned to Orfevre and, with a mischievous glint, added, "Oh, and by the way—ahem—'won,' by the way."
He didn't wait for her reaction.
As he walked off quickly, Orfevre's brow twitched, her jaw tightening. "That arrogant little—"
"It was unexpected," Dream Journey murmured, adjusting her glasses as she watched Ren disappear into the crowd.
"Hmph. He's not the worst trainer I've seen," Orfevre admitted reluctantly, folding her arms.
Dream Journey chuckled, standing from her seat as well. As she did, something caught her eye on the floor.
She bent down and picked it up—a small plastic card with a familiar face.
A trainer's ID.
Ren's face smiled back from the laminate, next to neatly printed letters.
"Takahashi Renjiro…" Dream Journey read aloud, her tone thoughtful. "So that's his full name."
Orfevre leaned closer, arching a brow. "Careless of him to drop it."
Dream Journey only smiled faintly, slipping the card into her palm. "Perhaps fate's just being generous."
--------------------divide------------------
At the exit tunnel
Seabiscuit stood waiting, arms folded, her foot tapping against the floor. Her expression was serious—unusually so.
Ren approached carefully, clearing his throat. "Ahem… Biscuit?"
Slowly, Seabiscuit lifted her gaze to meet his. Her eyes narrowed slightly, unreadable.
She stepped closer—so close he could feel the heat radiating from her after the race.
"U-uh… Biscuit? Did I… do something wrong?" Ren asked, forcing a nervous chuckle.
Seabiscuit didn't answer right away. Instead, she tilted her head and asked in an even voice, "Trainer, that wish you promised me… can I use it anytime I want?"
Ren blinked, caught off guard. "Yes, of course. You can use it whenever you want."
"Good."
She took a small step back, glancing behind him as if to check for someone. A quiet sigh escaped her lips when she didn't see the two horse girls from before.
Then her eyes returned to him—sharp and direct."Trainer, who were those two girls?" she asked firmly. "The ones with you earlier."
Ren scratched his cheek. "Ah, you mean the two sitting beside me? They're new acquaintances. Met them just today, actually."
Seabiscuit studied his expression carefully, then nodded. "I see."
A moment later, her cold look softened into a bright smile. The tension melted from the air like morning mist.
Ren exhaled in relief. The storm had passed.
"Trainer, did I do well?" Seabiscuit asked, her tone suddenly lively again as she slipped her arm through his.
Ren laughed and patted her head. "Yes, you did amazingly well. You were incredible out there."
"Right? Then how about we celebrate today!" she said, tugging on his sleeve excitedly.
"You're using your wish already?" he teased.
Seabiscuit blinked. "What? Of course not! Isn't it normal for a trainer to celebrate his trainee's victory?"
Ren smirked. "I know, I know. I was planning to, anyway."
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "So you were trying to trick me into wasting my wish, weren't you?"
Ren coughed and looked away. "Ahem. No comment."
She pinched his arm lightly, pouting. "You're hopeless sometimes, Trainer."
"By the way, Biscuit," Ren said, changing the subject, "you should start getting ready for your winning-run concert. You're the lead performer, remember?"
"I know!" Seabiscuit beamed proudly. "Make sure you sit in the front row! You'll get to see my brilliant dance!"
Ren gave a thumbs-up. "Of course. I'll even make stickers of it."
Her expression instantly turned sour. "Don't you dare make weird stickers like last time!"
Ren chuckled. "What's the point of making them if I can't have a little fun?"
Seabiscuit groaned, then grabbed his wrist and started dragging him toward the waiting room. "You're unbelievable! Just—come on already!"
Ren smiled faintly as he let himself be pulled along. Her warmth and energy returned, just like before.
Behind them, the noise of the cheering crowd slowly faded, replaced by the quiet echo of their footsteps.
------------------divide---------------
The live performance ended beneath a shower of gold and silver confetti. Seabiscuit struck her final pose at center stage, her chest heaving, sweat glistening under the spotlights. The crowd erupted into cheers—her name echoing like a chant through the stands.
Ren, standing near the edge of the stage, clapped with a proud smile. As the lights dimmed and Seabiscuit jogged over to him, his grin only widened.
"So," she asked eagerly, still catching her breath, "how was it, Trainer?"
Ren nodded approvingly. "It was great. Perfect material for a new sticker set."
Seabiscuit's smile froze.
Then she lightly kicked his shin. Not hard—just enough to make her point.
"Alright, alright!" Ren raised his hands defensively, laughing. "I meant to say—your performance was amazing! Absolutely worth celebrating."
Seabiscuit huffed but smiled anyway. "That's more like it. So, Trainer, where to now?"
Ren thought for a moment. "How about we grab something to eat? You've earned it."
"Sounds perfect," she said cheerfully, tail swishing behind her.
Together they left the arena, their footsteps echoing down the quiet corridor toward the parking lot.
Just as they reached his car, a soft, graceful voice called from behind him.
"Trainer Ren."
Ren froze mid-step, but Seabiscuit had already turned around before he did.
Her smile faltered. Standing a short distance away were them—the same two horse girls she'd seen beside her trainer earlier.
Dream Journey approached with her usual calm grace, Orfevre walking silently beside her.
Ren blinked, surprised. "Dream Journey? What's the matter?"
"You dropped this earlier," Dream Journey said kindly, holding out a familiar card.
Ren's eyes widened. He quickly checked his pocket—and sure enough, it was empty. "Ah. So that's where it went. Thank you so much for returning it."
"No problem at all," Dream Journey replied, handing it over.
Ren pocketed the ID, then smiled. "Actually, if you're not busy, why don't you join us for dinner? We're celebrating Seabiscuit's victory."
He turned to his trainee. "You don't mind, right, Biscuit?"
Seabiscuit folded her arms, her gaze flicking between Dream Journey and Orfevre. "…Hmm. I don't mind," she said finally, though her tone carried a hint of tension.
"Then we'll gladly accept," Dream Journey said, her smile as gentle as ever. "Wouldn't you agree, Orfevre?"
Orfevre shrugged. "Fine."
"Do you two have a ride?" Ren asked as he unlocked the car.
"We took a taxi here earlier," Dream Journey replied.
"Then hop in. There's room for everyone," Ren said as he opened the driver's door.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Dream Journey said with a polite nod and began to move toward the front passenger seat.
Before she could reach it, however, Seabiscuit suddenly darted forward and slipped into the seat first.
Ren blinked. "…Uh, Biscuit?"
"I'm sitting here," she said firmly, buckling her seatbelt with exaggerated pride.
Dream Journey paused, then let out a soft chuckle before quietly opening the rear door instead. "Of course," she said gracefully, taking a seat behind Ren.
Orfevre followed and settled beside her without a word.
As Ren started the engine, Seabiscuit glanced at the rear-view mirror, meeting Dream Journey's calm gaze. She gave the older mare a subtle, victorious smirk.
Dream Journey only smiled in amusement, as though she found the whole exchange endearing rather than competitive.
The drive was peaceful, city lights gliding past in golden blurs. Yet Ren couldn't shake the surreal feeling settling in his chest.
He sneaked a glance at the mirror again Dream Journey and Orfevre, two living character from the Umamusume game he use to play, were sitting in his car. Not only that, but they were chatting softly between themselves as if this were completely ordinary.
Even now, part of him couldn't believe this was happening. Meeting these two horse girls from in person, talking to them, even exchanging contact info... It was surreal.
Just as he began to relax, a sudden sharp pain on his arm made him flinch.
"Ow—what was that for?" he hissed.
Seabiscuit was glaring at him, her fingers still pinching his sleeve. "Stop looking at the back mirror so much. Eyes on the road, Trainer."
Ren chuckled awkwardly. "R-right. Of course."
---------------divide------------------
(A/n: justice kick)