A trainer is a guide to an umamusume. Not merely a teacher, not merely a guardian—a trainer is someone who would remain with an umamusume throughout their racing career. They would be there in the heat of the mundane days of training, in the joys of a victory, and to offer comfort in the throes of a defeat. A bond closer than mere friends, transcending into a lifelong partnership.
That was the first thing all trainers had been taught. The description was flowery, but the gravity it carried was not to be ignored. Umamusume were amazing in their own right, but at the end of the day, most who began their careers were just young girls. To let them brave the intense world of umamusume racing on their own would be akin to leaving a child to fend for themselves.
That's how it is. That's how it's supposed to be.
But if that was the case-!
"How does it feel, trainer-san~?" Super Creek asked, her breaths warm against her ear. "Do your shoulders feel better now?"
"A-A-Ah…" Nase Fumino whispered, her eyes spinning as she tried her hardest to remain in place. "It's-, um, it's good-, uh-" She nearly shrieked when Creek resumed messaging her shoulders. She could feel the soft fingers cradling her shoulders, the warmth of Creek's breaths, the softness pressing into her back-
No, no, no. Something was wrong here!
Right now, they were in Super Creek's dorm room. Normally she wasn't allowed in here, but since it was still the holidays and Creek didn't have a roommate just yet, Fumino had been allowed to visit as long as Creek wanted to. And right now, Creek was giving her a shoulder message after she'd offhandedly commented that her shoulders had been feeling stiff due to all the paperwork she'd been finishing.
But this scene was clearly wrong! She didn't know how exactly, but she knew it was!
Here's the thing,
A month back, she'd noticed that Creek had grown…distant, for a lack of a better word. She was still the Creek she knew, but her trainee was getting more and more absorbed by the need to win the [Arima Kinen]. It'd even gotten to the point where Creek sometimes forgot to go eat—something she would never do in the past.
Worried and lost, she inevitable came to ask a respected junior of hers for some advice, and what he said was,
"Just treat her like your daughter then." Kitahara had said back then, just a few days after he'd finished his Final Exam. "I mean, just look at me. I know Oguri, Belno, and Star are pretty competent on their own, but they're still kids." He had a fond smile as he spoke of them. "I might've only been with them for a year, but I can't ever imagine never meeting them."
Kitahara had given his advice in good faith, and she had no doubts that his words were correct. He is an Apprentice that even Hayakawa Tazuna held in high regard, after all.
The issue was that she didn't know what 'being a family' meant. Her mother had passed when she was just a toddler, and her relationship with her father was…nebulous at best. And so she didn't know how to treat Creek as a 'daughter', nor did she even understand what being a 'daughter' meant.
So she turned to Director Akikawa for help.
The director had been enthusiastic to help, and she explained her own relationship with her mother with great detail. Director Akikawa spoke of how her mother would always spend time with her whenever she felt lonely, or hug her whenever she felt sad, or gently tuck her to sleep whenever she'd stayed up too late.
So she did just that with Creek. Whenever she noticed Creek looking down, she would give Creek a hug. Whenever Creek forgot to eat, she would gently bring her to the cafeteria. Whenever Creek tried to slip away and train on her own, she would do her utmost best to be with her regardless.
And it seemed to work! The frost that'd built within Creek slowly melted away, and before she knew it, the Creek she'd known and loved was back!
But now…
Fumino eeped when she felt Creek's nail gently press into her skin. The same nails she'd helped trim just a day ago. "C-C-Creek?" She managed to whisper, her vision growing hazy. "Ah-, um-, you're-, I'm so-, um-" She rasped, trying to control her breathing. "A-A-Are you-, um-, happy?"
Creek giggled, and Fumino felt a strange thrill run up her spine as Creek gently embraced her from behind. "I'm really happy, trainer." She whispered, her voice soft and fond. "I've never felt happier in my life."
Fumino shakily breathed out, forcing back some of the embarrassment she felt. "T-That's good." She whispered, and she managed a genuine smile as she placed her hands atop Creek's.
She still didn't know much about her own trainee, in truth. She'd never met Creek's parents, nor did she know much about her past—but she didn't need to. It was clear that Creek was reluctant to revisit that portion of her life, and Fumino knew that feeling a little too well.
In a sense, they were both running from the past. And if that was the case, then let them run away together.
…Which would be fine, but with Creek being so close, she felt like she was seconds from having her consciousness flee to heaven.
Suddenly, she felt Creek pull her down, and Fumino yelped as her head was suddenly placed onto Creek's lap. Her already red face burnt like a tomato as she felt Creek's soft thighs, and her throat grew dry as her vision was blocked by the two massive-
"And done~" Creek said, smiling kindly. "How do you feel now, trainer-san? Do your shoulders still feel stiff?" She giggled as she ran a hand through Fumino's hair. "I can message you again if you want~"
Gulp.
"I-I-I'm good…!" She squeaked, feeling both mortified and regretful that she'd refused such a proposition. "It's-, um, what're you-?"
"Shh~" Gently, Creek placed a hand over Fumino's eyes. "It's okay, trainer. You've been tired, haven't you? Why don't you take the time to sleep now?"
Fumino shivered slightly. Having Creek cover her eyes was already stimulating enough, but hearing Creek's bell-like giggles without being able to directly see her made her feel like she was about to faint.
She didn't know what was happening anymore, nor why she was reacting so strongly to all of this. All she wanted to do was to bridge the gap between her and her trainee, and now somehow she'd found herself in her trainee's room, with her head in Creek's lap, and her heart beating out of her chest.
Just what was she becoming!?
"But-, this is-, I mean-, won't you-"
Creek giggled. "There, there~" She said kindly as she patted her head. "You don't need to worry so much, trainer. I'm also plenty comfortable as I am now."
"I-I-I see…"
Ah, this was bad. With Creek pampering her endlessly, she could feel herself slipping a little. All the exhaustion she'd built up from handling all the necessary paperwork for next year was finally slamming into her, and she couldn't help but further melt into Creek's gentle embrace.
"I…um…"
"What is, trainer~?"
She took a shaky breath as she fought to remain awake. But she could feel the warmth pulling her further and further. And so, gathering what little she had left, she put all her feelings into a word she didn't quite understand herself. "I'm…happy that I met you…Creek…"
She fell asleep not long after, surrounded by a warmth she'd unknowingly longed for.
.
.
.
"Me too, trainer."
Creek gently giggled as she ran a hand through her trainer's hair.
"Thank you for being with me all this time."