Chapter Text
“Eh? Where am I?”
In a small apartment, a confused Rae Taylor opened her eyes wide.
The last thing she remembered was eating the chocolate pudding her wife Claire François had made for her. Even though Claire had added sugar, for some reason it tasted salty and burnt.
The red-eyed girl quickly panicked as she recognized the streets of Japan.
Was her entire adventure with her beloved Claire in the kingdom of Bauer just a dream? Was she really going to have to go back to working like a donkey for minimum wage with a shitty boss again?
No! That was impossible. Rae prayed it was just a nightmare. A world without Claire was the same as hell.
Without hesitation, she slammed her head against the headboard of the bed, desperately hoping it was all a dream. The only thing she achieved was giving herself a lump on her head.
“This can’t be happening…”
Resigned to the idea that it had all been a dream, Rae got out of bed and started getting ready for another shitty day at her shitty job.
However, the moment she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she nearly fell over in shock.
“Wait… what the…?”
She noticed she had two long animal ears. Cat ears? she thought.
Then she felt a strange tickling sensation behind her and realized she also had a tail.
What Rae thought in that moment was what anyone would have thought:
“Aw crap… I turned into a furry!”
In disbelief, she kept moving her ears around. Maybe it was magic?
“Judecca!”
Nothing happened. She tried casting earth and water spells, but nothing. There was no magic. Just her strange new ears and tail.
She had already realized she wasn’t in Bauer anymore, but this wasn’t the Japan she knew either. Later, while reading the newspaper, she would find out that in this world, Uma Musume existed.
Rae knew the basics of horse racing. Both of her parents — the one from Japan and the one from the magical kingdom — used to take her to watch competitions from time to time.
What surprised her was seeing very familiar names from her world.
“Oguri Cap, Symboli Rudolf, Stay Gold… All of them—no, all of them are here?”
Still incredulous about her new environment, Rae ended up playing with her brown tail. She wasn’t used to walking with it yet.
“Rae! Get up already! You’re going to be late!”
Rae opened the door with great enthusiasm the moment she recognized her best friend’s voice.
“Misha! Thank goodness, a familiar face! This world is way too crazy—where is everyone?!”
“What are you talking about? Today’s the entrance day! You’re going to miss it!”
“Entrance… what?”
“Ugh, seriously, where is your head today?”
“Well, I…”
“Look, there’s no time. Get changed and don’t forget your Trainer ID.”
“…My what?”
The girl with silver hair and reddish eyes, Misha, also had Uma ears and a tail. She was wearing an elegant office suit, red-tinted glasses, and medium heels. Without a second thought, she kicked Rae in the butt, forcing her to shower and change as fast as possible.
“You’ve been waiting for this day for so long! Why are you being so slow right now?!”
“I’m going, I’m going… So, what train do we take?”
“…Train?” Misha asked, confused, gracefully stretching her leg until her heel reached the height of her head.
“Well, I can’t miss this. It’s up to you whether you wake up or not.”
“Hey Misha, what are you—"
Before she could finish the sentence, Misha took off running at inhuman speed.
Rae froze as she watched her friend dash away like that.
Does magic actually exist here?
There was no point thinking about it. With no other choice, Rei started running after Misha.
“No way… Am I actually athletic now?!”
Rae couldn’t believe she had just shattered her own speed record — meaning she was now faster than an old man.
“You’re too slow, Rae. At this rate, you’ll never catch up to Claire.”
“Wait, did you just say Claire?!”
“Yeah, why—"
“YOU SHOULD’VE SAID THAT FROM THE BEGINNING!”
Rae accelerated like never before in her life, filled with hope at the thought of seeing her wife again.
If Claire existed in this world, everything would be okay, she thought joyfully as she ran with even more enthusiasm.
“Hey, the academy is the other way, you idiot!”
“Okay, so let me see if I understood correctly. You’re saying that in your world magic exists, and we Uma Musume are four-legged beings? And that in your world there’s some kind of loop system between the magical kingdom and the scientific one, and you think this world is one of those loops?”
“Yes, exactly!”
“Girl… whatever you’re seeing at night, you really need to stop.”
Rae insisted that what she was saying was true, but to Misha, her friend had simply gone crazy.
“Welcome to Tracen Academy. This time, we will be your guides.”
Rae and Misha joined a group of trainers — some experienced, others complete beginners. Our protagonist was amazed by the enormous academy and all its different areas.
“My name is Bamboo Memory. Together with my partner Fenomeno, we’ll be guiding you through the academy. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Two Uma Musume introduced themselves: one with purple and black hair wearing a police-style cap, and the other with short hair and a headband.
“I have one!” — Rae raised her hand without hesitation. She was wearing a more casual outfit than Misha, along with glasses for her myopia. She didn’t stand out much.
“Exactly what are we doing here?”
The moment Rae asked that, everyone froze in shock. Did she really just ask that? Misha was silently praying her friend wouldn’t point her out.
“Hahaha, we’ve got a jokester here, huh? But we’ll answer anyway. Fenomeno, if you would.”
“Yes! Basically, trainers come here to observe the Umas, train them, and form teams to compete in G3, G2, and G1 races. Our role is to bring out the maximum potential of our Uma. Any other questions, Miss Rae?”
“Uhh… no.”
In truth, Rae wanted to ask why she hadn’t seen a single male horse, but she figured it didn’t matter.
Following Fenomeno and Memory’s guidance, the trainers toured the entire academy until they reached the racetrack. Many Umas were already prepared to compete.
“We must return to our duties now. It was a pleasure!”
“If you need any more help, feel free to count on me. Fenomeno, heading out!”
Now that Rei was wrapped up in all this, she had no choice but to choose an Uma. This wasn’t like picking a Pokémon — this would be her partner for at least three years.
“Remind me again why I’m doing this, Misha?”
“To reach the woman of your dreams? The undefeated Claire François.”
“Eh?”
“Claire is a very famous trainer. She hasn’t lost a single G1 race in her entire record, and she’s already on her third student. She’s incredibly strong.”
“Just as expected from my Claire! Where is she, by the way? I already want to tease her like in the old days.”
“I already told you your magical world stuff was just a dream. Besides, she’s not here. Right now she must be at some important race with her Umas. What would an elite trainer be doing here?”
“Oh…”
Rae’s mood dropped. She wanted to see her beloved, but the road to her seemed far too long.
“Don’t make that face. If we’re lucky, you might get to compete against her in some major race.”
“Really?! Awesome! Alright, let them race already. I’ll just pick one at random, I don’t care.”
“Hey, you really shouldn’t say that out loud…”
All the Uma Musume lined up at the starting gates, ready for the exhibition race.
“Number 7! … Number 7! We’re waiting for you!”
What’s going on here? Everyone was confused by the delay, with question marks practically hovering over their heads.
This is bad, Rae thought. She didn’t want to waste any more time, so she used her speed to go look for this Number 7 herself.
“HEY! NO RUNNING IN THE HALLWAYS!”
“AH, SORRY MEMORY! I’m looking for runner number 7, she still hasn’t shown up!”
“Oh, I see. She’s still in that spot. It’s not far, follow me.”
Going down the stairs to the second floor, an Uma Musume with a blue ribbon and chestnut hair had the number 7 on her jersey.
“Mom, could you at least come watch my race? … No… I won’t fail, of course not! I’m not going to quit, I haven’t even started my dream yet! … Yes… yes mom… I love you too… Haa… Why is it so hard for her to be kinder?”
“Um… sorry to interrupt, but—”
“AH! ME, SCARED? OF COURSE NOT! A FIRST-CLASS UMA MUSUME LIKE ME WOULD NEVER BE AFRAID! OH HO HO HO HO HO HO!”
!!
That laugh… It was exactly the same one Claire used to make. She even struck the exact same pose.
“Hey… what about your race?”
“Oh! I’m late, excuse me!”
“Haa… She’s really hard on herself sometimes.”
“She reminds me of Claire in a way.”
“Huh? Claire?”
“Eh, never mind. Thanks, Memory!”
Rae ran off again because she was also going to be late for the race.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
The gates from number 1 to 7 were finally full. We expect the best from all of them. The exhibition race… begins!
Seiun Sky, number 3, takes the lead! Right behind her is Special Week closing in!
All the Umas seem to be in perfect sync… Wait, what is this?!
Seiun Sky is incredibly fast! She’s leaving everyone behind!
“Oh… she’d be really good.”
“Don’t distract me, Rae.”
Seiun Sky keeps pushing forward! Even though this is just a mid-distance race, anything can happen!
They pass the first corner. Sky is still in front, but her stamina is starting to run out.
Maybe she accelerated too early?
Here it comes — number 5, Special Week, charging from the right side!
They’re only a head apart!
“They’re amazing…”
But Sky refuses to give up! It looks like the race will be decided between these two!
Sky or Special Week? Who’s going to win? …Eh? …EHHHHH?!!
“But when did she—?!”
El Condor Pasa! She literally came out of nowhere! What an incredible burst of speed just meters from the finish line!
Number 6, El Condor Pasa, overtakes the two favorites with ease!
“Wooooow!”
All the trainers were left speechless watching the incredible battle between those three. But Rae’s eyes were fixed on another girl.
“Not yet! I refuse to lose this race! I won’t accept it!”
“She’s…”
They’re way too close to each other!
Special Week! El Condor Pasa! Seiun Sky!
Seiun Sky loses the battle and finishes in third place!
El Condor Pasa has Special Week right on her heels!
This is going to be an incredibly close finish!
“I still haven’t given up! I won’t—!”
……
AND THE WINNER IS…… EL CONDOR PASA!!
“Yessss! I did it!!”
“Ah— Ahhh, El, you’re way too good!”
“You were amazing too, Spe.”
“…Damn it…”
The exhibition race is over. Trainers, please recruit the Umas that caught your attention the most.
“Hey El Condor Pasa, would you like to join m— AHHHH!!”
Rae tried to recruit her, but a crowd of trainers swarmed and trampled her before she could even finish her sentence.
“Ahhh… Well, in that case, Special Week…!”
“Wait, who are you guys?!”
“Vodka, Scarlet, go ahead!”
“Yeah, Gold Ship!”
“Ehhhhh?!”
Rei watched in disbelief as Special Week was literally kidnapped. She wondered if this was normal at the academy since no one seemed to care.
“Well… that leaves me with my third option. Sky, would you like to—”
“You can count on me, Trainer Misha!”
“Same here, Seiun Sky!”
“No way!!”
The favorites — the Umas who could have helped her reach her beloved Claire — had already been taken. And to make things worse, her best friend had just “stolen” her last hope.
Depressed, Rae left the campus to get some fresh air.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Defeated, Rae returned to the racetrack.
Even she didn’t fully understand why.
Was it instinct? A way to vent her frustration?
She had lost the life she loved so much. Even though this world didn’t seem bad, she still missed her cozy love nest with Claire and their adorable daughters.
Claire was incredibly important to her — her savior, her soulmate across so many lives.
Knowing she was here but not being able to reach her…
It hurt. It hurt so much.
Once again, she tried casting a water spell, just to test it. As expected, nothing happened.
So, to clear her mind…
She simply ran.
It wasn’t like her at all. But for some reason,
running now made her feel less sad.
Maybe it’s my new nature as an Uma?
“I’m not weak!”
Rae’s thoughts scattered when she heard a familiar voice.
She ran toward a dark area — an empty corner where only a small ray of sunlight barely reached.
Rae immediately recognized the Uma with number 7.
She was crying, hugging herself tightly. Her phone kept ringing nonstop, the screen showing “Mother.”
“It’s over… My dream is over…”
“Hey… are you… okay?”
“…Yes. Sorry, I didn’t want anyone to see me like this, so I came here…”
“Why do you say your dream is over?”
“…I made a deal with my mother. If I won, she would let me stay at the academy…” The Uma Musume gripped both her elbows tightly before continuing.
“But I finished in sixth place… sixth out of seven participants. I was lucky not to come in last. No trainer is going to want me now! I’m not as good as her!”
“Your… mother?”
“…Yes.”
The phone kept ringing like crazy. The girl stared at it with horror and despair.
“I don’t want to be a puppet again. I don’t want to live under her shadow anymore…”
“Hey… tell me, you don’t have a trainer, right?”
“…No.”
“I see…”
“Wait, what are you—?!”
Rae grabbed the girl’s phone and answered it.
“Daughter… it’s about time you picked up! You finally realized your dream is impossible, right? Special Week was far superior to you, the others too, and you almost lost to the last one. Stop embarrassing me and—”
“If you’ll allow me, miss.”
The girl jumped out of her daze and tried to snatch the phone back, but Rae protected it with her body.
“Your daughter worked incredibly hard to get here.”
“Yes, but she lost.”
“So what?”
“Excuse me?”
“Just because she lost once, you’re going to clip your daughter’s wings? What kind of mother does that?!”
“How dare you?! This is none of your business… Besides, I don’t even know who you are. Give my daughter her phone back so she can come home and stop embarrassing me!”
The girl’s heart shattered. The phone had been on speaker the entire time.
Even so, Rae placed a hand on her elbow and gave her a wide, bright smile.
“Who am I, you ask?
Allow me to introduce myself… I’m Rae Taylor, and I’m your daughter’s trainer!”
“What…? You’re joking, right?”
“I’m not joking. And if you won’t support her dreams, then I will!”
“…Tch, whatever.”
The girl’s mother hung up.
Rae had learned to be more empathetic during her past life as a teacher. Seeing a mother speak that way about her own daughter made her blood boil.
Maybe she had overstepped, but at this point, it didn’t matter.
“…Hey, sorry. I think I went a bit too far.”
“…Thank you…”
The girl ran into her self-proclaimed trainer’s arms. Even though her tears soaked Rae’s jacket, she didn’t mind at all.
“But I didn’t do it out of pity. I just want to be clear.”
“Eh?”
“I saw you on the track. Even in such unfavorable conditions, you didn’t give up. You kept running even after they declared the winner. I’d be lying if I said you were my first choice, but… you remind me a lot of someone I love and want to reach. Someone I want to catch up to…”
“......”
“I know it’s selfish… But please, so I can achieve my dream of seeing my Claire again, let me be your trainer.”
“.....”
“.....”
“Ho—”
“…Eh?”
“Ho ho ho ho! A first-class Uma like me deserves a first-class trainer like you!
So I’ve decided — you will be my trainer!”
“Wait, but I was the one who asked you. Also, weren’t you sad just a few seconds ago?”
“Don’t ruin the moment!”
“Ah… sorry, sorry. In that case, let’s start properly. My name is Rae Taylor. I want to win many races so I can see my wife Claire again. Now that I think about it… I haven’t asked your name.”
“Oh… that’s right. Nice to meet you, Trainer Rae.
My name is King Halo.”
King Halo and Rae. The adventures of these two as they chased their goals had only just begun…
“Great! Now let’s aim for a G1!”
“Eh… But… we can’t.”
“Ah?”
“We need a team of at least three members to do that.”
…….
“…..Eh?”