Chapter 88: Dubai Expedition Team Training!!

As our makeshift "Dubai Expedition Team" trained together, Valentine's Day gradually approached. During training breaks, we casually chatted about what gifts we'd give our respective trainers.

"I think I'll make chocolates again! But since I gave some last year too, I should change up the varieties..."

"Since I took it easy last year, I should put more effort this time. To properly express my gratitude, handmade would be best..."

"Makes sense... What about you, Guriko?"

"I feel like I gotta make different chocolates too this year. My trainer's already busy managing the whole team. Need to make sure mine stand out from others."

"However you do it, expressing daily gratitude is important!"

We might be top-class athlete horse girls in Japan, but no matter how strong we are, we're still teenage girls at heart - with personal lives of our own.

Balancing private life with professional athletic conduct, enjoying both daily life and racing to the fullest - that's the secret to a horse girl's strength.

And deepening trust with our trainers in private is never a detour. The stronger the bond between trainer and horse girl, the better the training results. There's even a persistent rumor that "horse girls gain greater power through strong human bonds."

This isn't about practical effects but more spiritual. Given that horse girls are already rather unscientific beings, this widely-believed rumor feels credible. I've actually experienced it myself, so part of me hopes to legally get closer to Tomio through this...

We (forcibly) pulled nearby Meek-chan and Suzuka-san into starting some Valentine's Day girl talk.

"So Suzuka-san, are you giving heart-shaped chocolates?"

"Me? To my trainer? Well... since he works late every night, I'm thinking of making vegetable chocolates good for stamina."

"Vegetable... chocolates? What's that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. I considered simple truffles, but I really want him to take care of his health. He already eats too much sugar with all those candies..."

"Ahh..."

Are they married or something? But pointing that out would mean losing, I thought, glancing at El-chan and Guriko - too late. They simultaneously whistled "Are they married?" "Totally married." Meek-chan pondered, "Married...?"

Truthfully, these two have been "complete" since last summer's training camp. Though we only started interacting with Suzuka-san's group after that, things were already like this back then. Probably all teammates except Spe-chan have noticed.

Suzuka-san and Trainer Okino have this... unconsciously close distance. Okino probably thinks he's just normally interacting, but since Suzuka-san aggressively closes the gap (or so it seems), they've created this unique atmosphere.

"Suzuka-san, are you and your trainer actually together?!"

"Hey, Guriko, stop that!"

"I'm curious too!"

"Even El-chan?!"

"Suzuka... together with trainer...?"

"Together? What do you mean? We're completely normal."

"Oh come on, Suzuka-san~"

Romance-obsessed Guriko keeps pressing. While I try stopping her, I'm actually curious too. Gradually my protests weaken as my ears strain toward Suzuka-san.

Under four pairs of staring eyes, Suzuka-san gazes upward before smiling awkwardly. She's not the lying type, so she genuinely seems unaware. They clearly have strong trust, but romance seems unclear. Yet with this reaction, they'll probably end up together in 10 years.

"Anyway, leaving Suzuka-san aside... Guriko, what about you? With Team Castor's trainer, you must have lots of competition?"

"Huh? Wh-what do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb! El-chan, Meek-chan, let's tickle it out of her!"

"Roger!"

"...Mmm."

"W-wait stop! Why does my trainer matter?!"

Guriko's trainer Serizawa leads small-scale Team Castor. After Guriko won her first major race, then kept winning domestic and international G1s, they rapidly rose to become the training center's third-ranked team.

As Team Castor's ace, Guriko's rise brought three other major-winning horse girls. While Trainer Serizawa specializes in local/dirt races, Guriko's dominance across central/overseas circuits makes her special.

Holding Guriko's ponytail, I touched her neck - making her yelp pathetically. El-chan's also extremely ticklish, but Guriko's no better.

As we playfully attack her, El-chan says:

"Ah... but I kinda dislike Guriko-chan's trainer. Always smiling and friendly, but impossible to read..."

"Right?! He just nods smilingly no matter what I say! When we went out, he just kept smiling the whole time! No clue what he's thinking!"

Guriko's ever-smiling trainer shares similarities with Canopus's trainer. That constant mask must frustrate Guriko who has feelings for him.

...Guriko has it tough too. A trainer unfazed by such a strong horse girl's affection - impressive. Though my trainer's defenses are pretty solid too.

We conclude Guriko's made no progress. That leaves me as the only one with a male trainer not questioned yet - immediately becoming Guriko's next target.

"Apollo-chan, what about you?"

"What about what?"

"Don't play dumb!"

"You're always going on about Tomio this, Tomio that."

"Nothing special with me. No progress..."

"Ooooh there it is. Says the one who brought her trainer home."

"Wha-?!"

"Hey! We agreed not to mention-"

"Speaking of homes, my trainer's visited too."

"Suzuka-san?!"

Suzuka-san casually drops another bomb, but I remain the main target. But really, there's been no progress! Trainers visiting horse girls' homes before overseas trips is normal. Even if I got words like "forever," nothing's changed.

As El-chan locked me in another wrestling hold, I reluctantly started recounting the New Year’s events. With every detail I spilled, I could see everyone’s jaws dropping—except Suzuka-san’s, of course.

"Wow, so you’re basically married already."

"El thinks this is boooring, dess~"

"…………Tch."

"Hey, why’s everyone so cold?! Meek-chan, did you just click your tongue at me? Rude much?!"

"Just give him heart-shaped chocolates and get all lovey-dovey already. Stop overcomplicating it. Say it’s honmei and boom—done. Momozawa Trainer’s already fallen for you anyway."

"N-no, it’s not… I-I’m still not confident enough…"

"Hesitating now?! Infuriating, dess!!"

Right as El-chan tightened her submission hold, the timer blared, signaling the end of our break. She instantly released the move, her expression sharpening. Guriko’s smile vanished too as she chucked her sports drink aside and sprinted toward the track.

The moment training begins, our private selves disappear. The girlish facades fade away, leaving only the raw essence of umamusume—beings who live to run.

Valentine’s Day could be tomorrow for all I care—nothing slackens our training intensity. Just thinking about the drills ahead is exhausting, but if enduring this hell brings us closer to glory, then it’s a bargain.

—Our current location isn’t the track course at Tracen Academy, but a special training facility owned by Director Akikawa Yahoi. Ordinary umamusume rarely use it—only those who meet certain conditions crave access to this place.

The reason? This training facility doesn’t have a track covered in Japanese turf. Instead, what it does have are courses modeled after dirt and turf tracks from America’s West Coast, Central U.S., East Coast, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and more. On top of that, it also features turf tracks replicating racecourses from Europe, Australia, and Hong Kong.

For umamusume focused solely on domestic races, there’s no point in training here. Why risk diminishing training effectiveness with unnecessary variables?

Conversely, those aiming to compete overseas flock to this facility. While it’s possible to train at the actual venue a few days before a race, a mere few days might not be enough to fully adapt and perform at peak condition. This facility exists precisely to prevent such regrets.

However, the URA is, at its core, an organization dedicated to the development of Japan’s domestic Twinkle Series—meaning it tends to discourage Japanese umamusume from racing overseas. They’d never say so officially, of course, but from a business standpoint, they’d prefer to avoid draining talent abroad.

And that’s precisely why Director Akikawa Yahoi supposedly built this facility. Officially, she’s the owner, but rumor has it that URA executives funneled massive funds into its construction. The stated reason was to ensure Japan’s racing standards don’t fall behind the world’s, and to this day, the turf is regularly updated to match real-world conditions.

Today, we’re training on the track modeled after Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse. Lately, we’ve been running nonstop here, acclimating our bodies to the turf and dirt before frequently engaging in head-to-head runs.

Since we’ve already warmed up with a light jog before the break, the plan now is a 1,000-meter paced run to test our speed. Today’s opponent? El-chan. The perfect chance to pay her back for that wrestling move earlier.

"El-chan, let’s have a good race today."

"Yes! I won’t lose!"

Under the watchful eyes of Trainer Toujou and Tomi-o beyond the fence, I stretch lightly to loosen up. As I press a hand against El-chan’s back, I swallow hard at the sheer density of her physique.

Thick. And with a core of steel. Even when pushed, she doesn’t budge—her stability is unreal. Even her back, a notoriously hard area to train, is layered with muscles forged like iron.

This is the world’s strongest fledgling. A body built to compete on the global stage. I pride myself on my own training, but do I really measure up to this level…? Lost in thought, I barely notice El-chan pushing back against me.

Some say El Condor Pasa’s physique has no defining traits—especially when compared to the likes of King Halo’s explosive closing speed or Seiun Sky’s frontrunning prowess. Even Tomi-o has muttered things like:

"Is she a speed type or stamina type? Hard to tell."

"Does she prefer turf or dirt? Honestly, no clue."

"She just lacks any standout features."

But El Condor Pasa is anything but bland. Her so-called lack of traits is an illusion born from the fact that everything about her is at an elite level. Torso, arms, leg length, body balance, muscle elasticity—all flawlessly proportioned. Her "genericness" is the mark of the ultimate umamusume. And supporting that physique is an unshakable willpower, the true source of her strength.

I thought she’d already peaked during the summer of her Classic campaign… but her growth shows no signs of stopping. This relentless evolution is yet another of El-chan’s strengths.

The only time I’ve raced her directly was in the Japan Derby, where I won… but if we raced under the same conditions now, I’d lose without a doubt. Her victory in the Japan Cup as a Classic-level runner was no fluke.

"Apollo-chan, your abs are tense again!"

"Hey, you don’t need to poke there—"

"Think they’ll be a six-pack soon?"

"...That’s the kind of talk that gets you choked out by Grass-chan."

Even though she’s usually a jokester, El-chan has never slacked in races or training. More than her roommate, Grass Wonder, she’s a true competitor. Right now, her tone might be light, but her gaze is sharp and blazing—no doubt she’s fully fired up.

As Trainer Kirishima signals, we take our positions. Rolling my ankles as I wait for the starting call, El-chan mutters under her breath:

"Even if this is just a paced run… I hate losing to a rival."

"......"

"It’s too bad we can’t race together in Dubai, dess."

—Is she still holding a grudge over the Japan Derby? Hard to say, but El-chan flashes a fanged grin, radiating intensity. If she has any real weakness, it’s that she struggles to perform at her best in tightly scheduled races. That was her only downfall in the Derby.

I brush it off with a "Give me a break" and launch forward the moment Trainer Kirishima shouts "Go!" I’m not running to lose, either. Whether in races or training, I fight every battle to win.

The initial sprint goes smoothly. I steadily ramp up speed, hitting my peak velocity just as the trainer’s hand signals from the edge of my vision—marking the start of the 1,000-meter paced run and time trial.

Side by side with El Condor Pasa, we tear through the Meydan-modeled track. Speed, stamina, power, fighting spirit—she’s top-tier in every aspect. If I let my guard down, I’ll easily fall prey to the Condor’s talons.

Lacking in explosive acceleration, I have to defend the lead at all costs. If she passes me, it’s over. Against El Condor Pasa, reclaiming lost ground is impossible. Gritting my teeth, I cling to a lead of mere centimeters.

It’s just a training run. But if you can’t go all-out even in practice, how can you expect to win when it counts? Only by giving your all does training yield results—only by pushing each other to the limit can we grow. Unless I run with the sheer will to silence the umamusume before me, I don’t deserve to stand on the world stage.

When competing overseas, we’re inevitably seen as representatives of Japan. Even if it’s a personal challenge, we carry the prestige of the Twinkle Series on our backs. Especially as a former Umamusume of the Year, I can’t afford half-hearted results—not for my rivals’ sake, and not for my own.

Shoulder-to-shoulder with El Condor Pasa—not intentionally, of course—I defend the lead with every ounce of my trained core.

Outside of training, we’re close friends. But once the session starts, we’re rivals clashing with pure hostility. We might help each other sometimes, but the default is an all-out war for victory. That’s what it means to be an umamusume. No exceptions.

"500 meters left!! Both of you, dig deep!!"

Amid the roaring rush of wind, Trainer Toujou's faint voice reaches my ears. We take the corner at full speed—El Condor Pasa extends her stride as I deploy every cornering technique Silence Suzuka and Momozawa Tomi-o ever drilled into me.

El Condor Pasa’s murderous glare and demonic stride crash into me like a physical force. I swing my arms desperately, fighting to hold her off as she tries to surge past from the outside.

"Pushing each other to the limit in training breeds split-second adaptability in real races." Trainer Toujou and Okino always hammer that into us—and they’re absolutely right.

My mind races as I strategize to contain El Condor Pasa—micro-adjusting my positioning, timing subtle accelerations. How do I evade the Condor’s lethal pursuit? Put another way: What movements will make El Condor Pasa hate me the most? I commit to them ruthlessly. And in turn, she responds with equal ferocity, countering my counters.

I counter → she counters my counter → I counter her counter-counter → an endless loop of feints and assaults. The battle is so vicious I can’t even spare a thought for my dwindling stamina.

—There’s no way this won’t pay off when it matters.

Ah, how agonizing… and how exhilarating.

We cross the 1,000-meter finish line locked in battle—a dead heat. Our fighting spirit and stamina spent in barely a minute, El-chan and I collapse onto the turf, backs first. When I finally lift my head, Trainer Kirishima is scratching notes onto her clipboard with a troubled expression.

"Photo finish! Uh… let’s call it a tie!"

"…We can’t review footage, so it is what it is," Trainer Toujou sighs. As Guriko, Meek-chan, and Suzuka-san start their warm-up laps, El-chan and I drag our exhausted bodies past the fence for a five-minute break before the next round.

"…El won that one."

"What? I had it by a nose!"

"Non non non~ El doesn’t lose."

"Tch… You’re insufferable. Fine, next run settles it."

"Gladly, dess!! I’ll win next time too!"

"No, I just won that one!"

"El won!!"

"Hah!? Hey—ugh, whatever. Next time, I’ll make you admit it."

"Perfect!! Bring everything you’ve got—I’ll be waiting, dess!!"

Trainer Okino mutters, "…Just rest already," half-exasperated, but neither of us hears him over our five-minute squabble.

By day’s end, my head-to-head record against El Condor Pasa stood at 5 wins, 5 losses, and 4 ties.

…………Next time, I’m winning.