Chapter 87: Those Who Start Running, Those Who Stop, Those Who Begin to Walk

Mid-January had arrived, and the air was still bitterly cold.

A single cheerful voice rang out across the Tracen Academy training grounds.

"Rice, I’m baaack!"

"I’m baaack."

Punching their fists triumphantly toward the sky with a loud "Yeah!" were two Uma Musume: a petite black-coated girl and, standing in stark contrast to her, a tall chestnut-coated one.

They were my juniors—Rice Shower and Mihono Bourbon.

…Though, to be precise, Bourbon hadn’t been sidelined in the first place. Even so, she’s surprisingly good at playing along.

As for Nature and me, we clapped in applause for them.

"Congratulations on your return to joint training and racing, Rice."

"Yeah, you really worked hard. I’m glad it finally paid off."

That’s right.

Last year, Rice had developed problems with her legs and was barred from official Twinkle Series races, as well as from training with us.

But at long last, she’d fully recovered and received official clearance—not only from her trainer, who also happens to be Nature’s trainer, but from Ayumu as well. Starting today, she was finally allowed to rejoin joint training.

Honestly, it really is something to celebrate.

Rice is one of the Uma Musume I support the most, second only to Bourbon. More than that, she’s a kind junior who often keeps me company during late-night self-training sessions.

Seeing her able to run again in good health makes me just as happy as if it were my own achievement.

"So, what about tonight?"

When I asked right away, Rice flushed slightly, lowered her gaze, and murmured shyly.

"Um… would tonight be okay?"

"Straight to the point, huh. Then wait for me in my room."

As I grinned at the thought of running together with Rice again after so long, something thudded sharply against my head.

"Ouch."

"Hey! What are you talking about!?"

The one who’d chopped me was Nature, who had been celebrating Rice’s recovery right beside me just moments ago.

For some reason, her cheeks were faintly red, and her hand was clenched tightly into a fist.

…Huh? What’s wrong? Why is Nature mad?

"What do you mean? We were talking about nighttime self-training."

"…Oh. Right. Yeah, of course."

Nature replied with an oddly awkward expression and looked down.

"Nature, what did you think we were talking about?"

"It’s nothing! Nothing at all! Come on, this is joint training, right? Let’s run!"

I couldn’t get a clear answer out of her, and Bourbon and Rice could only tilt their heads in confusion.

I don’t really get it, but… well, as long as we’re running, it’s fine.

"Shall we go, you two?"

And so, today’s training began like any other.

---

"Mmmf—"

Just like always, running feels incredible.

The sensation of my feet gripping the ground, the slight spring of the turf clinging to my steps, the exhilaration of kicking it away behind me, and the steady realization that my technique is improving—all of it is irreplaceable.

Compared to ordinary stress relief like karaoke or punching a sandbag, this feels far better.

Back in my previous life, when I was still human, I never felt anything like this. It really must be an instinct unique to Uma Musume.

They say appetite, libido, and sleep are the three basic drives—but for Uma Musume, maybe the desire to run gets added to that list.

…That said, people often misunderstand this. It’s not as if we can just run anywhere and be satisfied.

An appetite analogy might make it clearer.

No matter how hungry you are, you won’t eat just anything. Better food sharpens the appetite and leaves you more satisfied.

In the same way, this urge to run is more easily fulfilled in better environments.

As you can tell from how turf dominates Japanese racing, for most Uma Musume in Japan, grass is the easiest surface to run on.

I’m no exception. As a competitive Uma Musume, I find well-maintained turf far more comfortable and enjoyable than concrete, sand, or dirt.

The turf on the Tracen grounds may not quite match an actual racecourse, but it’s still meticulously maintained and wonderfully easy to run on.

If I could, I’d love to do my nighttime self-training here too… but that would only cause trouble, raise suspicion, or turn into some kind of ghost story. So instead, I make do with the public Uma Musume-only lanes.

Ah, if only I could always run somewhere this pleasant…

Well, they do say hunger is the best spice. Maybe it’s because I can’t do it all the time that I appreciate this turf so much.

As I was thinking that, Nature—running right beside me—spoke up.

"You look like you’re having fun, Wilm."

For Uma Musume, talking while running isn’t all that difficult.

…Okay, talking at top speed would be unreasonable, but depending on the pace, it’s perfectly doable.

It’s like how humans can chat while lightly jogging.

Today’s training menu, put together by Ayumu, had Nature and me running at a relaxed pace, while Rice and Bourbon maintained a slightly faster pace over 2,000 meters behind us.

Thanks to our stamina, Nature and I kept circling the grounds continuously. Bourbon and Rice would merge with us every few laps, complete their 2,000 meters, peel off to rest, then rejoin once they’d recovered.

A pace that’s low-intensity for senior-class runners like us is still fairly demanding for Bourbon and Rice. Running nonstop for several thousand meters would be tough for them.

For competitive Uma Musume bound by the rules of maturation, a single year’s difference is overwhelming and decisive. Training alongside someone a class above you puts a heavy load on the body.

…Though, as a reincarnated Uma Musume, I might be a bit of an exception.

So while classic-class Bourbon and Rice were clearly worn out, Nature and I could keep going for quite a long time, even if we weren’t completely free of fatigue.

At this pace… yeah, we could probably last about an hour. By human standards, it’s basically a brisk run.

And because the speed leaves us with some breathing room, we can chat like this.

When Nature pointed out my relaxed expression with mild exasperation, I answered honestly.

"Yeah. Running really is fun."

"Coming from you, Wilm, that makes me happy to hear…"

"Oh, come on. What’s that supposed to mean? …Though, compared to how I used to be, I guess it is surprising."

"No kidding. You used to look so bored… or rather, like you were running in pain."

"I really was. I’d been cursed by my late father’s words—like my worth only existed if I won races."

"…Wait, didn’t you just casually drop something insanely heavy?"

"I figured it was okay to tell you, Nature."

"That was way too sudden! I don’t even know how to react! …Still, I see. That must’ve been rough. Are you okay now?"

Even flustered, she responded sincerely. She really is a great friend.

Truly.

I’m glad the first friend I made here was Nature.

She taught me passion, ran alongside me, and saved me more times than I can count.

"I’m fine now. Thanks to you too, Nature, I’m feeling great."

"Me…? Well, yeah. Lately, you really do seem like the most Uma Musume-like Uma Musume out there… like you’re genuinely enjoying running."

"I really am. I’m so fulfilled I almost don’t want this dream to end."

"…I see. That’s good to hear."

Saying that, Nature gave a faint smile as she ran beside me.

Meanwhile, just a little behind us—

"…1,500 meters, cleared…!"

"I’m keeping up, I’m keeping up…!"

Unlike our easygoing run, a fierce contest was unfolding.

Keeping pace with us were Bourbon and Rice.

This training plan was supposed to be simple pacing practice, but at some point, their run had started to look like a one-on-one duel.

Not long ago, their trainer had analyzed their current physical abilities.

Bourbon had the edge in explosive speed, acceleration, and mental strength, while Rice—naturally a stayer—excelled in stamina.

Up to 1,600 meters, Bourbon would have an overwhelming advantage. But at 2,000 meters at a faster pace, it was impossible to say who would win.

And that very uncertainty—“either one could win”—is what most strongly stirs an Uma Musume’s fighting instinct.

This wasn’t meant to be a win-or-lose situation, but even so, the two of them were desperately driving their legs, unwilling to fall behind the Uma Musume running beside them.

Listening to the sound of their footfalls, I was enjoying my run when—

Suddenly, Nature spoke up again from beside me.

"Hey, Wilm. Between those two… who’s got the upper hand right now?"

"Hm? …Judging by their footfalls, Bourbon-chan is slightly ahead—about half a length. But her rhythm’s getting messy, so by the 2,000-meter mark, I think Rice-chan will be the one in front."

"…Seriously, those ears of yours are ridiculous."

Nature shook her head in disbelief.

Not to brag, but my hearing is good. Or rather, it becomes good.

One of the defining traits of the racing Uma Musume Hoshino Wilm—only while I’m running—is that I can clearly pick up the footfalls of others within roughly ten lengths and even tell their cadence.

It’s probably a fragment leaking out from my reincarnation cheat, “Anime Reincarnation,” manifesting as a special ability.

I’d already gotten permission from Ayumu to tell Nature about this ability. Of course, I left out everything related to reincarnation.

Honestly, there wasn’t much point in hiding it anymore. She’d already noticed something was up with my ears.

…Though she did say she hadn’t realized they were this good.

"For someone like you who loves to break away and leave everyone behind, isn’t that insanely useful? I’m jealous."

"Ahaha…"

Well, this level of hearing is probably just a tiny leak from “Anime Reincarnation.” If I actually used it seriously, things would get way, way more absurd…

That part stays secret. This is my greatest advantage, and openly revealing it would be the same as handing my weaknesses to my rivals.

Thankfully, Nature doesn’t seem to have noticed the cheat aspect of it.

…Honestly, expecting anyone who’s firmly grounded in this world to notice something this ridiculous would be unreasonable.

If someone seriously tried to claim, "That girl’s a reincarnator with cheats," they’d probably just be told, "Here, let’s get you some medication." Even I find it hard to believe sometimes.

At best, someone might think, "I don’t know why, but doesn’t she suddenly get insanely fast sometimes?"—and that’s the limit.

Uma Musume getting temporarily faster isn’t exactly rare in this world. Even if someone partially figured it out, there’s no way they’d trace it back to reincarnation.

Besides, there are Uma Musume like Suzuka-san who come with cheat-like abilities by default. No one’s going to dig that deep. Safe, safe.

…Still, having people probe too much is a little scary.

Probably best to change the subject.

"Nature, you’re great at smoothly guiding everyone during races, aren’t you? From my perspective, that’s a skill I really envy."

"That’s just because if I don’t do that, I can’t keep up with you or Teio."

"And I couldn’t beat you without my hearing and leg speed either."

"No, that’s not what I mean…"

"I think that schemer side of you counts as a real ability."

"Mmm, it’s not like that… it’s more like… sparkle, you know?"

While talking with Nature and her oddly specific hang-ups, I noticed that the footsteps behind us finally stopped.

It looked like the match had been decided.

As expected, Rice-chan had won.

…Though the margin was incredibly slim. Not even half a length.

The rules this time favored Rice-chan, but the fact that it was still that close really showed that Bourbon-chan’s raw specs were higher.

If she keeps growing at this pace, Bourbon-chan will probably have the advantage through the Satsuki Sho and the Japan Derby.

"Haa… huff… Bourbon-san really is amazing…! This distance isn’t supposed to suit her…!"

"No, Rice-san… you are the impressive one. I must redouble my training efforts…"

They’d slowed down and fallen a bit behind us, so it was harder to hear, but it sounded like they were praising each other’s efforts.

…Ah, beautiful yuri in bloom. Mihorai really is justice.

"Bourbon-san, let’s do our best together! I’ll work hard so I can catch up to my sister!"

"Yes. To achieve my master’s goal—the Classic Triple Crown—I must continue to improve."

…Wait, Mihorai is happening, right? I’m starting to get a little worried.

---

…If only the day had ended right there.

My trainer, Ayumu, doesn’t come to watch training very often.

Apparently, that’s somewhat unusual. Rice-chan was pretty surprised at first—her eyes went wide, which was adorable.

But personally, I don’t have any complaints.

The reason Ayumu doesn’t show up often is simply because of his strong management skills and the trust he has in us.

Checking in once an hour is more than enough to manage stamina and prevent accidents, and he believes we’ll train properly even without constant supervision. That’s why he only comes by occasionally.

…Well, to be fair, he’s also probably swamped with paperwork.

And it’s not like no one ever watches us. When he’s free, Masa-san sometimes checks in, and during joint training, Nature’s trainer or a sub-trainer from Souryuu-chan’s team often stops by.

It’s actually pretty rare for us to be training completely alone.

…But that day, for whatever reason, no one was watching us.

I don’t think that was anyone’s fault.

Even if someone had been there, the only one who would’ve noticed was probably Ayumu—and he’d been extremely busy these past few days.

In other words, it couldn’t be helped.

In fact, no one blamed Ayumu.

Not even the person involved.

But…

I did think that Ayumu might blame himself.

"Nice Nature!"

Hearing Ayumu’s voice calling out from afar, Nature and I stopped running on the turf.

I felt a small pang of disappointment—we’d just found a really good rhythm.

But more than that, the lack of composure in Ayumu’s voice worried me.

Ayumu almost never raises his voice. Honestly, I sometimes wonder if he even has an emotion called anger.

For someone like that to sound so urgent meant—

"Huh? What? What’s wrong, Horino-trainer?"

Nature clearly hadn’t grasped the situation yet, her eyes darting around in confusion.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t help but furrow my brow.

Ayumu’s observational skills are sharp.

Not once—not a single time—has he misread an Uma Musume’s condition.

He’s supported me all this time with those very eyes.

So this time too, his words must be right.

Whether they were good news…

…or bad.

He ran up to us, shoulders rising and falling as he caught his breath, then spoke with a grave expression.

"Nice Nature. Go to the infirmary. Immediately."

---

"Ah… guess I messed up."

Lying on the infirmary bed, Nature scratched her head lightly, her tone oddly cheerful.

…The results of the examination.

Inflammation of the periosteum had been found in her leg.

Tubular Bone Periostitis.

Commonly known as shin splints, it’s one of the most widespread—and most infamous—injuries among racing Uma Musume.

It’s said to occur when too much training is piled on during the maturation phase.

To be honest, the condition itself isn’t all that severe.

If it worsens, it can cause swelling and pain, but if it’s caught early, simply reducing training load and properly cooling the affected area is usually enough for a relatively quick recovery.

The real problem, however, is how easily it comes back.

Once periostitis develops, it often recurs—two, three times, sometimes more. In the worst cases, an Uma Musume ends up dealing with it throughout her entire active career.

Naturally, if the inflammation becomes severe, running properly becomes impossible.

And if an Uma Musume in the middle of her maturation phase develops it seriously, it drastically eats away at the limited time she has to improve her physical abilities.

Even after maturation ends, if the inflammation flares up again, racing itself becomes impossible.

It’s a condition that places a heavy shackle on the athletic lives of racing Uma Musume.

That was periostitis.

And it was the injury that had struck Nature.

"Nature…"

The word slipped out before I realized it, my gaze drifting to her as she lay on the bed.

In the Tracen Academy infirmary, surrounded by me, Ayumu, Bourbon-chan, Rice-chan, and her trainer…

"Don’t make that face, Wilm. What, do you think I can’t run anymore?"

Even then, she sounded bright.

…It wasn’t an act.

From the emotions in her eyes, it was clear that she regretted this injury deeply.

And yet—Nature didn’t seem to view it as something truly hopeless.

Seeing my brows knit together, she spoke with a wry smile.

"Actually, you know… this isn’t the first time."

"What? But—"

"Last year, after I lost to Teio in the Wakakoma Stakes, I messed it up. I caught it early, so I managed just by cutting back on load, but… yeah, I’ve been pushing myself a bit too hard lately. Guess it flared up again."

She laughed lightly.

"I mean, I went and got third place at the Arima Kinen, didn’t I? My legs were bound to start screaming eventually."

She looked at me, confident.

"It’s fine. We caught it even earlier than last time. I’ll definitely be back."

…I see.

Knowing this was her second time—and that the chances of her returning were high—I finally felt myself calm down.

…Right. That’s right. Even Teio and I came back after half a year away. There’s no reason Nature wouldn’t return too.

As I eased back—

Ayumu, standing beside us, bowed his head.

"I’m sorry, Nice Nature. If I’d been watching more closely—"

"Oh, come on, Horino-trainer, how many times are we going to do this?" Nature cut in. "You caught it at an early stage that normally wouldn’t even be noticed. If anything, I should be thanking you. Right, trainer?"

She turned her gaze toward her trainer, who had only just arrived at the infirmary and was finally catching his breath.

"Yeah… she’s right. Exactly right. Horino-kun, I’m grateful to you—there’s nothing to blame you for."

He continued, firm and calm.

"If anything, it was my fault for not being able to watch over Nature’s training properly. And even so, you noticed the periostitis at what was probably the best possible moment."

"But—"

"No objections," her trainer said flatly. "Nature developing periostitis isn’t your fault, and you noticed it as quickly as anyone could have. Expecting more than that from a fellow trainer would be unreasonable. More than anything, I should be thanking you."

…That’s right.

No one could blame Ayumu.

All he did was notice periostitis in an Uma Musume whose contract trainer wasn’t present, send her to the infirmary, and notify her trainer.

Especially this time, the injury hadn’t occurred because of Ayumu’s training plan.

Periostitis is caused by long-term accumulated load. The joint training sessions weren’t excessively intense, and on their own shouldn’t have caused an injury.

I don’t like saying this, but if blame had to be placed anywhere, it would more likely lie with her trainer’s overall policy.

…Even then, completely avoiding periostitis while pushing rigorous training is difficult.

The fact that I’ve avoided injuries almost entirely—aside from that one Takarazuka Kinen—is only because Ayumu’s observational skills and knowledge are exceptional.

For an ordinary trainer, this kind of injury can happen no matter how careful they are.

Nature’s trainer did his best—but there was a limit to what he could manage.

…Anyway.

It was obvious Ayumu wasn’t at fault.

And yet, the fact that he still blamed himself probably stemmed from his past.

From the experience of failing to act, of being unable to save a girl he once knew.

That lingering curse.

As I frowned at the thought—

"…Honestly, hearing that helps."

Ayumu raised his head and said it.

Something he never would have said before—he said it clearly.

As I stared at him in surprise, the conversation continued.

"That said, there are still things I can’t fully swallow. At the very least, let me help with Nature’s recovery plan however I can."

"I told you already—you’re not at fault."

"I know. This is a matter of my own feelings. …I’m one of the people involved. Let me help."

"…I see. If that’s your reasoning, then… yeah. Sorry. Honestly, that would help a lot. I’m counting on you."

"Yeah."

…The old Ayumu would have insisted it was his fault.

He might have even tried to shoulder full responsibility for Nature’s recovery himself.

But now—

He accepted that he wasn’t to blame, and instead offered help as one of the involved parties, simply to put his own guilt to rest.

"………"

He’s changing.

Ayumu really is—slowly, but surely—changing.

It feels wrong to say this, given that Nature was injured.

But still.

That made me genuinely happy.

---

Now then—this is something of an epilogue.

After discussing it with her trainer, Nature decided to take the entire spring season off.

She’d trained intensely for a long time, so the plan was to properly rest her body, rebuild carefully, and pour everything into races from autumn onward.

"I figured I shouldn’t rush things this time. Even when I ran that perfectly at the Arima Kinen, I still got beaten by almost two lengths. If I’m going to race again, I want to polish my running even more."

"…When you say spring, do you mean until April?"

"Hey, don’t ask when you already know. …Realistically, I won’t be back before August. Might restart around the Mainichi Okan or the Kyoto Daishoten."

"I see…"

So that meant nearly a full year without seeing Nature race in official events.

My shoulders slumped before I could stop myself, and Nature laughed at me.

"Don’t look so down. Hey, if it’s autumn or later, we can always do mock races at full strength."

Ah—yeah, I appreciate the offer, but…

"That might be a little difficult…"

"Huh? Why?"

She looked at me blankly.

Scratching my head, I answered.

"Well… I’ll be in Paris starting this autumn…"