The dorm room was quiet. Moonlight streamed faintly through the curtains, casting silver patterns across the bed where Hiyori lay curled beneath the blankets. Her chest rose and fell in slow rhythm.. peaceful, untroubled by the world outside.
But deep within her dreams, another world stirred.
She stood in the middle of a field, once vibrant, now shrouded in smoke and ash. The air was thick with heat and the scent of burning wood. In the distance, buildings collapsed under waves of fire, and the cries of panicked Uma Musume echoed through the chaos.
And there, amidst the falling embers, stood a woman.
She was tall and graceful, her mane long and singed at the ends from the flames, she looked to be injured, but her eyes… those soft, sorrowful eyes, were filled with something deeper than fear. Grief. Desperation. Love.
Hiyori's breath caught as the woman knelt before her, both hands gripping her shoulders tightly as if afraid to let go. The woman's voice trembled when she spoke, broken, yet warm.
"Listen to me… you have to run. Don't look back, no matter what happens. Promise me you'll live… that you'll find happiness someday…"
Her voice cracked, and her hands shook. A nearby explosion sent ash fluttering like snow around them.
Hiyori's smaller hands trembled as she reached up to grasp the woman's wrist. "But… I don't want to leave you…" she whispered, voice tiny, tears welling in her eyes.
The woman's expression crumpled — pain flashing across her face as she forced a trembling smile. "I know… I know, my little—"
The sound cut out. The name that followed…her name came through distorted, blurred, as if the world itself refused to let her hear it.
"———-" the woman said softly, before pulling her into a desperate embrace. "No matter what happens… you'll always be loved. Always."
The flames roared louder. Light swallowed the scene. The warmth of that final embrace faded into white.
———————————————————
Hiyori gasped awake.
Her body jerked slightly, her heart hammering against her ribs. The room was dim now, dawn hadn't yet arrived. For a moment, she didn't know where she was. The soft sheets, the gentle hum of the dorm heater, the faint scent of soap from last night… it all felt too foreign, too unreal.
Then she felt it.
A damp warmth on her cheeks.
She reached up, fingers brushing the tears that had slipped down during her sleep. Her throat ached, though she couldn't remember crying. Her mind was a blur, flashes of fire, of trembling hands, of a woman's tearful smile fading into light.
"…who…" she whispered hoarsely, clutching the blanket. "…who was that…?"
There was no answer, only the faint sound of wind brushing against the window.
She sat there for a long moment, trembling quietly as the memory of that voice, soft and loving, lingered like the ghost of a melody she couldn't quite recall.
When she finally lay back down, her heart still felt heavy, aching with a grief she didn't fully understand.
And as the first rays of dawn crept across her face, she closed her eyes again, the faint whisper of the blurred name still echoing faintly in her ears…
(Skip to the morning)
Morning light filtered softly through the dorm room curtains, painting the walls in pale gold. Hiyori stirred, her eyelashes fluttering as the quiet hum of the heater filled the silence. Her legs ached, sharp, pulsing pain thrumming through them as if every step from yesterday's run had left a mark deeper than she realized.
She winced as she shifted slightly under the blanket. The soreness was unbearable now, far worse than before. When she tried to move her legs, a jolt of pain forced a small cry from her lips.
"Ah-!" she gasped, gripping the edge of the mattress, her breath trembling. "It… hurts…"
As she struggled to breathe through the pain, a faint chime rang in her mind… clear, melodic, and warm.
[System Notification]
Quest Reward Distribution: Completed.
Reward Type: Supportive Equipment
Reward Description: An item designed to assist mobility for the user.
Status Update: Injury detected. User condition: [Leg Strain / Muscle Fatigue].
[Please refrain from excessive exertion until full recovery is achieved.]
A soft shimmer appeared at the foot of her bed, a gentle, golden light that rippled like water before forming into something tangible.
When the glow faded, two small crutches rested neatly against the wall. They were lightweight, padded at the handles, and sized perfectly for her small frame, almost as if someone had crafted them just for her.
Hiyori blinked, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes from the earlier pain she had felt. She reached out hesitantly, her trembling hand brushing the smooth metal. It was cool to the touch, but somehow comforting.
"…these… are for me?" she whispered softly.
The system's voice, gentle and kind as always, resonated faintly in her head, not cold, but warm, almost human.
[Yes, Hiyori. Take it slow. Even small steps are still progress.]
Her chest tightened at those words. Something about the voice… its tone, its care… reminded her of the dream. The woman's voice. That same voice that so desperately told her to live on…
She brushed that thought aside and took a shaky breath, gripping one of the crutches, then the other. Slowly, carefully, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, wincing as her feet touched the cold floor. With the crutches under her arms, she pushed herself upright for the first time that morning.
Her balance wavered. The pain still flared sharply, but she could stand.
It wasn't graceful. It wasn't easy. But it was a start.
A quiet smile crept across her tired face. "…thank you…" she whispered to no one in particular… though maybe, deep down, it was for both the system and the woman in her dream.
Outside the dorm window, the academy grounds began to stir awake, the sound of other Uma Musume laughing faintly in the distance, the chatter of morning practice beginning.
The morning air was crisp when Hiyori stepped outside the dormitory. The faint scent of dew mixed with the distant aroma of breakfast from the cafeteria, and the faint chatter of early risers filled the courtyard.
Her crutches made soft clicks against the polished stone path… steady, rhythmic, almost soothing in a way. Each step still hurt, a dull ache pulsing through her legs, but with the support beneath her arms, she could at least move without fear of collapsing.
She paused near a flower bed, taking a small, shaky breath. Her golden-brown eyes widened as she looked around.
"…It's… huge…" she whispered in awe.
The world around her seemed to stretch endlessly. The Tracen Academy campus wasn't just large, it was vast. To her left, long fields of green spread across the horizon, the race tracks glimmering faintly under the morning sun. To her right, grand buildings towered over her, their sleek glass windows and intricate stonework reflecting the blue sky.
The soft flutter of flags carried the academy's emblem proudly in the wind. The sight was enough to make Hiyori's stomach twist, not from hunger this time, but from nervousness.
She had never seen anything like this.
In her old life, the orphanage walls were narrow, gray, and confining. Here… everything was open. Boundless. The laughter of Uma Musume training in the distance sounded bright and alive, a rhythm of feet against the dirt, bursts of laughter, excited chatter.
It was beautiful.
But it was also overwhelming.
Her fingers gripped the crutches tighter as she made her way forward, eyes darting from group to group. Students in uniforms chatted happily on benches, others stretched before training, some jogged past her doing warm-ups, each one brimming with energy.
Compared to them… she felt so small.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to steady her breathing. Every new sound, every flash of motion around her made her ears twitch nervously.
She adjusted her grip on her crutches and took a few more careful steps forward. Her legs still ached, but the air felt fresh, almost freeing. It wasn't the cold alleyway she'd once slept in, nor the suffocating silence of hunger. This place… it had warmth.
She passed a group of girls jogging past, and one of them gave her a brief, friendly wave. Surprised, Hiyori hesitated, then lifted one hand off her crutch to wave back, shyly.
Her tail flicked once, a small sign of her growing ease.
"This place is huge…" she murmured to herself again. "And kinda… beautiful."
She slowly made her way toward the center courtyard, where the sun lit the stone paths in soft gold. She paused by the fountain there, the sound of splashing water echoing gently. The sight of it… clear, clean, and alive… the sight brought a faint smile to her face.
It was strange. A few days ago, all she could think about was survival. Food. Warmth. Now… she was standing in the middle of an academy built for dreams.
Hiyori took a deep breath, looking up at the massive main building that stood before her. The Tracen emblem shone proudly at its peak, catching the sunlight like a promise.
"…One step at a time." she said quietly, a small spark of determination appearing in her eyes.
Hiyori had only just started exploring the courtyard when a cheerful voice suddenly rang out from behind her.
"Oi oi what's this? A tiny new face wandering around Tracen already?"
Hiyori froze. Her ears twitched toward the sound, and she turned slowly, only to see a tall, ashen haired Uma Musume with a grin wide enough to rival the morning sun itself. Her hair bobbed as she leaned forward, hands on her knees, inspecting Hiyori as if she were some sort of new discovery.
Gold Ship.
Even if Hiyori didn't know much about this world, the energy radiating off this girl was impossible to miss, bright, eccentric, and unpredictable.
"W-wha—?" Hiyori stammered softly, taking a small step back.
Gold Ship tilted her head, eyes narrowing mischievously as she crouched a little to meet Hiyori's gaze. "You look kinda lost, little one. Don't tell me you wandered all the way here from the kindergarten down the road?"
"I'm not that little…" Hiyori mumbled, her cheeks puffing ever so slightly as she gripped her crutches tighter.
Gold Ship blinked in surprise, then let out a loud laugh that turned a few nearby heads. "Ahaha! So the tiny one bites back, huh? You've got guts!"
Hiyori frowned slightly, but her tail gave a faint, embarrassed flick.
Gold Ship's laughter softened as she noticed the crutches and the faint stiffness in Hiyori's movements. The grin didn't fade, but her tone gentled just a little. "Hey… are you okay? You look like you've been through a lot. You sure you're supposed to be here at Tracen?"
The question made Hiyori's ears twitch. She wasn't sure how to answer … technically she wasn't a student yet. She didn't even know if she was supposed to be here at all.
"I… um… I'm just looking around," she said quietly, gaze dipping to the ground. "The president said I could stay for now…"
Gold Ship straightened, crossing her arms. "The president, huh? Ohhh, so you met Symboli Rudolf! That explains a lot."
Hiyori blinked, tilting her head slightly. "You… know her?"
Gold Ship laughed again, tossing her hair dramatically. "Know her? Of course I do! Everyone knows the mighty Symboli Rudolf Tracen's big boss with the scary aura and horrid jokes!" She leaned closer and whispered, "Though don't tell her I said that."
Hiyori blinked again… then unexpectedly giggled. Just a small, quiet laugh that caught even her by surprise.
Gold Ship froze, then grinned. "Aha! There it is! The first laugh of the day! Knew I could do it."
Her energy was infectious, bright and full of life, something Hiyori hadn't felt around anyone in… a long time.
Gold Ship stood back up and rested her hands on her hips. "Well then, since you're under the president's watch, I guess you're one of us now! Sorta... So, what's your name, kiddo?"
Hiyori blinked again, hesitating for a moment before answering softly, "…Hiyori."
"Cute name," Gold Ship said with a wink. "Alright, Hiyori, stick with me for a bit! I'll give you the real tour, the fun kind!"
"Fun… kind?"
Gold Ship laughed, already starting to walk backward toward the main hall. "Yup! You haven't seen Tracen until you've seen all the chaos I can show you! C'mon, don't fall behind!"
Hiyori stared for a moment, half unsure, half curious, then took a slow step forward. Her legs ached, but her tail swayed faintly as she smiled.
(A/N): I was thinkin that it would be cool that maybe she can get a horse companion.. one that will let her ride him around while her legs are bad, what do you guys think?
Also sorry for the slow update.. my phone hasn't been running very good as of late, but i'll try keep posting! Thanks for reading my fic!😼🥳