Chapter Text
Tracen Academy Training Grounds - 3 months later
The brown haired umamusume stood to the side of the green turf, stretching her arms across her torso as the single blue ribbon adorning her right ear swayed peacefully with the calm breeze of the spring morning.
"Are you ready?" The man a small distance away asks, holding a stopwatch in his palm tightly, emanating an aura of both a strict professionalism, and old-fashioned tendencies.
Something his juniors would probably make fun of him for, she thinks to herself.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"Alright, Deep. I've taught you all the basics. Now, it's up to you to show me where to go next." Kaneko shouted as Deep Impact took her place in the school's practice gate. The trainer was right. Positioning, form, pacing, distances, styles. Since she was recruited, all have become drilled into the muscles and skin of her body, a routine made to form legends, she thought to herself.
"Thank you." She muttered under her breath, taking her form as her breathing grew sharp in anticipation.
Creak!
With a sharp twang, the metal doors of the holding gate swung open in a flash as Deep Impact flew forth from within. She paced herself well, slowing down after exiting the gate as attuned to her late surging style. With precision and care, she positions herself towards the back of an absent pack, just close enough to pressure the fellow closers and surgers to share her position.
From the side, Kaneko watches intensely on his trainee, eyes laser focused on her form and technique while he clutched the stopwatch in his right hand, anticipating it's usage.
"In only a few short months, her form has improved drastically, as well as her overall understanding of the intricacies of a real race, though admittedly...I am a bit worried regarding her true capabilities. As of now, I'd say her best time possible lies within the 58 second mark, provided she paces perfectly." The man rambled as he watched with lasered focus.
Deep Impact flew through the corner quickly, moving along the inside of the track as she maintained both position and pace with a flawless care.
"This is good. I'm doing good." She said quietly under her breath. She continued running, further up through the second straight and into the third corner.
"I'll do it soon. 600 meters right?"
Deep Impact looked towards the signs lined along the inside of the racetrack. 800 meters. She took in a deep, slow breath. 700 meters. A slow exhale escapes her mouth as she tightens her core. 600 meters.
"Now."
The girl's foot burrowed down with an immense strength, carving out the ground beneath her before kicking up with an explosive force. Her acceleration increased further as she began her final spurt, a speed growing immensely as she flew through the corner at an unprecedented pace.
Kaneko's pupils shrank at the sight he witnessed.
"T-this speed! It's like then!" The trainer's mind travelled back to four years prior, the Hopeful Stakes. Just as his former trainee, Perry Steam had begun a battle for the lead, a powerful white streak had arrived from the middle of the pack to usurp them both.
"She's fast! Even faster than her! This is!-" Kaneko stopped.
"This is...dangerous!" The trainer's heart sank as Deep Impact continued to run, accelerating even further during her spurt. 400 meters. 300 meters. Passed in mere seconds. Was this is? Was this journey over before it began? Kaneko moved closer to the track, watching the girl closely in shock. 200 meters. 100 meters. And...
Click.
Kaneko clicked the stopwatch instinctively as Deep Impact came to a stop, standing still past the marked goalpost of the track.
"Deep! Are you-"
"Hm? How did I do, trainer?"
Kaneko looked up and down at her, looking for signs of injury or strain. Yet, he found nothing. Not even a single scratch appeared on her arms or legs, without even a bead of sweat on her body. He looked down at the stopwatch. 54 seconds. He looked back up at her. To him, it was decided right then and there.
Deep Impact is an umamusume that will change history.
Unbeknownst to the two, another umamusume watched from a distance, her long black hair flowing slowly along the same spring wind while a single small plant stalk rested between her lips.
Tracen Academy Student Council Office - later that night
Symboli Rudolf sat at the central desk, skimming through a variety of documents. Training reports, student requests, repairs for numerous fences. The umamusume once known as the emperor spent many of her nights like this, though since Umamusume racing once again entered a golden age, the woman was at least glad to have found assistance in her work. On another desk sat Air Groove, doing much of the same mundane work.
The doors swung open as Narita Brian entered the office, her familiar aura of intimidation and rebellion coming along with her.
"Welcome, Brian. Didn't think you were coming in tonight." The president spoke.
"Ugh, can it."
"Ha. Well, regardless, there's some work here for you if you'll oblige."
"You should know the answer to that. I only need one report."
Brian stood over Rudolf's desk, flipping neatly through the training reports the president had oversaw already, before then turning to the incomplete pile. Finding it, she took time to observe it's details carefully.
Name: Deep Impact - Trainer: Yasuo Kaneko
Best Time: 54 Seconds.
"Hm? Got your eye on someone?" Rudolf questioned. In response, Brian offered her the paper, allowing Rudolf to read it's contents as well.
"Deep Impact, huh?" Rudolf moves further down the page, glancing over the notes left by the named trainer.
Deep Impact's spurt is by far her strongest specialty. During today's training, it was as if she was flying. If we can ensure consistency, then I truly believe that she has what it takes to be the symbol of this generation- the symbol of the sport itself maybe.
"Her trainer speaks highly of her. A great time too...you think she has what it takes, Brian?"
"If what I saw this morning is right, she can definitely reach our level."
"If it's coming from you, we'll need to keep an eye on her." Air Groove interjected, looking up from her papers.
"Let's keep watch then, we'll see how much of an 'impact' she can make."
"That wasn't good, Rudolf."