"These are your directional keys, this is confirm, this is dodge, this is crouch, and this is jump."
Bless the Moment, standing by the arcade cabinet, thoughtfully explained each button to Sakura Chiyono O. "Alright, you've finished the tutorial. Now, how about a thrilling fighting game match with me!"
"..."
The red-haired Uma Musume waiting for her to continue was stunned.
Huh? That's it?
I thought fighting games had combos and special moves and stuff? Couldn't you teach me a little more?
"Perhaps let me play a round with you first?"
Mejiro Ardan, standing nearby, suggested. "Chiyo can stand beside her and watch how we play?"
"Miss Ardan seems quite confident in yourself?"
"I'd say I have a decent level of skill in fighting games."
Mejiro Ardan replied with considerable confidence.
Back when you were still Nakatsuru Aya, I did play fighting games with you for a while, after all.
"Let's do that, then."
Bless the Moment nodded. "Please take a seat, Miss Ardan."
"Alright."
The blue-haired Uma Musume nodded and walked over to sit at the machine opposite Bless the Moment.
The two selected their characters. The game was about to begin.
After a brief exchange of probes, Mejiro Ardan's character was caught off guard, losing a full third of her health bar in one go.
Though Mejiro Ardan didn't show fear and opted for a steady approach, she was still pushed into the corner by Bless the Moment and taken out with a silky-smooth combo.
Sakura Chiyono O, standing beside Bless the Moment, felt utterly dazzled. It was like two supreme beings battling until the very foundations of the earth were worn away.
"So? Did you understand any of that?"
Bless the Moment, having easily won the round, looked up at the red-haired Uma Musume beside her.
"Didn't understand a bit of it."
Sakura Chiyono O shook her head.
"It's fine, you'll start to get it once you play more."
The white-haired Uma Musume comforted her. "How about a round?"
"...Me?"
The red-haired Uma Musume was incredulous.
Me, versus Bless the Moment? Seriously?
"Chiyo."
Just as the red-haired Uma Musume was hesitating about stepping up, Mejiro Ardan's voice sounded by her ear. "I'm a bit thirsty. Could you buy me a bottle of water?"
"Me go buy it? But..."
Sakura Chiyono O's gaze shifted back and forth between Mejiro Ardan and Bless the Moment.
"...Even if I really wanted to do something to her, I'd have to consider the surroundings, right?"
The blue-haired Uma Musume, knowing what the other was worried about, sighed. "Or do you think, Chiyo, that she wouldn't resist?"
Oh, that's true.
Sakura Chiyono O hesitated no longer and turned to leave.
"—You're the trainer, aren't you?"
After Sakura Chiyono O left, Mejiro Ardan, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer, looked down at the white-haired Uma Musume and asked directly.
"Little Dumdan actually figured it out?"
Bless the Moment was surprised.
You're the little dummy!
Mejiro Ardan shot her an annoyed glare.
"Trainer, do you find it fun to tease me?"
The blue-haired Uma Musume, whose joy at their reunion had long since vanished, spoke in a soft, resentful tone. "Have you been having fun all this time?"
"How can this be called 'teasing you for fun'?"
Bless the Moment justified herself righteously. "It was you all who said, 'No matter what you become, we'll recognize you!' I just wanted to see if you could actually do it!"
"The trainer is still exactly the same as before..."
Mejiro Ardan sighed. "...Welcome back, Trainer."
"Mhm, long time no see, Ardan."
The white-haired Uma Musume nodded. "It's been a long time since I played fighting games with you."
"...Trainer, do you not understand the concept of reading the mood?"
Mejiro Ardan fell silent for a long moment before smiling.
That familiar feeling was back when playing games with the trainer.
No concept of going easy, pounding away mercilessly at every opportunity, completely ignorant about what it means to be gentle with the fairer sex.
We know you're amazing at games, but could you maybe let us win sometimes?
"Weren't we just playing a fighting game?"
Bless the Moment continued instructing from her high horse. "When the skill gap in fighting games is too wide, what just happens occurs. If you don't want to get completely crushed, you can only practice hard... Whoa!"
The white-haired Uma Musume leaned back rapidly, dodging the hand Mejiro Ardan shot towards her ears.
"Trainer, why are you dodging?"
Mejiro Ardan asked with a smile.
"Ardan, you and I both know which parts of an Uma Musume can and can't be touched."
Bless the Moment, maintaining her leaned-back posture, said with a serious expression. "So you are not allowed to touch my ears."
"Why not?"
Mejiro Ardan feigned confusion. "'An Uma Musume's ears and tail can only be touched by someone close to them or another Uma Musume.' Could it be that our relationship isn't as good as I thought?"
"Of course not."
Bless the Moment denied it. "We're trainer and Uma Musume, after all."
"Then let me touch them."
"I don't think that's acceptable."
Bless the Moment stood up and took a step back, putting distance between herself and Mejiro Ardan.
"Didn't you say we're trainer and Uma Musume?"
"Right now, I'm just a fourteen-year-old underage little Uma Musume."
The white-haired Uma Musume declared. "If you keep getting handsy with me, I'm going to scream."
"'The second daughter of the Mejiro family molesting a white-haired little Uma Musume in public'—how do you like that headline?"
"..."
Mejiro Ardan stopped in her tracks.
Indeed, if the trainer really yelled that out, it would be in the news tomorrow.
But... as long as she can't scream, then it's fine.
Mejiro Ardan's gaze towards Bless the Moment became dangerous as she thought this.
"You're not thinking of covering my mouth to keep me quiet, are you?"
Bless the Moment, keenly catching the change in Mejiro Ardan's gaze, took another step back. "Don't come any closer! Stay back or I'll scream!"
"Trainer, has it occurred to you that tomorrow's news headline could be about something completely different from what you just said?"
"...What are you trying to say?"
The white-haired Uma Musume asked warily.
"'Little Uma Musume uses proximity to idol as pretext to get handsy with the young lady of the Mejiro family.' How do you like that title, Trainer?"
"Whoa!"
Bless the Moment's eyes widened. "You're playing that card?"
"I learned it from you, Trainer."
Mejiro Ardan said with a smile. "I believe you have a family in this life, don't you? I wonder how your family would react if they heard you did such things to me?"
"I'm sorry, I was being too arrogant just now."
The white-haired Uma Musume moved closer to the blue-haired Uma Musume, actively presenting the ears on her head to within easy reach. "Please, feel free to touch my ears as much as you like."
"Thank you."
Mejiro Ardan reached up and stroked the large ears on her head, pinching them lightly while satisfactorily feeling the subtle tremors running through the Uma Musume before her.
Mmm, still the same old trainer. The feel hasn't changed a bit.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.