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Agnes Tachyon knows many things. Some of her peers at Tracen Academy consider her a genius, others believe her to be completely insane. To her, it matters not which party is true at the end of the day. What matters to her is that she still doesn't know enough, that she still hasn't reached beyond the limit of her own fragile body, still has yet to touch the glory of an Umamusume's true potential.
Her recovery has gone well. The brace she wears on her ankle helps, and the pain flairs have calmed, for the most part. She's been able to return to training, though not to the same level as the others. Secretly, she's glad. It's given her plenty more time to work on her new research topic; investigating whether emotions truly have the ability to improve one's potential, and the extents thereof.
She still doesn't have a name for this one yet. It'll probably become Plan D.
First, her investigations took her back to her dorm room proper. She'd been avoiding it during her "dark period", as her companions have taken to calling that time. Part of it was to keep working on her research, no matter what. The other? Digital.
Who was the very reason she returned. Well, her notebooks were. If anyone in all of Tracen Academy knew about the spiderweb of relations between the top umas, it would be Digital. So, Tachyon began sleeping in her room again (and sleeping regularly, again) to gather info.
And info she gained. Digital was very eager to talk about her beloved Umas with someone who was just as "obsessed" with them as she was, even if their areas of obsession were quite different. She learned of the rumours of who was dating who, and took note to compare her previous data on Daiwa Scarlet to how she performed now with Vodka overseas.
There was a downside to this approach; many of her chosen subjects refused to participate in her lines of questions. Tachyon did learn that certain specimens (Scarlet) would react rather violently (punch her in the face) should you imply (outright say) that they're romantically involved with their rival.
Jungle Pocket laughed at her for a long five minutes.
Pokke-kun was, through and through, her most eager guinea pig. Not just in her newest endeavor, but also in her previously-secret project in finding a way to push beyond the limits of her condition. The second the younger girl found out about her connective tissue disorder and her desire to find a solution, she was applying that undying spirit to it as well.
She showed up to pick her up from appointments. Asked questions about things she could do to help, mirrored her stretches and learned how to do the massage Tachyon was to perform weekly on her ankle. Pokke kept saying it was to ensure that when they were able to face off again, they'd both be at their best. But, she'd say it with her eyes averted, ears flickering, face blooming a warm red.
Agnes Tachyon didn't put it all together for a concerningly long time. Agnes Tachyon took just as long to realize she felt the same way.
It started to creep up on her, then all at once. She found herself opening up to Pokke in ways she couldn't with anyone else. Long evenings in the abandoned classroom, idly chatting as she scribbled notes and mixed mysterious liquids. Pokke would sit on the desk next to her work, kicking her feet like she has to keep moving to live, actually trying to understand what Tachyon was doing. Even when it all flew over her head, she stayed, and listened. Offered commentary that was often unhelpful in the research sense, but priceless to Tachyon.
She stopped hating being dragged from her work to grab a meal. She started looking forward to when Pokke would barge into her space, fill the dark lab with her bright, loud energy. She spent more time watching her train, watching her races, seeking out Pocket more than any other.
And it hit her like a wild Bakushin one day in the lab. She'd just finished another concoction, and shook the vial at her favourite test subject with a grin she knew was less cunning than usual. "Jungle Bucket, I have another experiment for you~"
"Oh, is this the endurance thing you mentioned?" Pokke took it from her like she was handing over tea. Like it wasn't oddly warm. Like it wasn't slightly glowing, and red. Like it wasn't Agnes Tachyon that handed it to her. Or, like it was. "Sick. Should I just down it now?"
Yeah. That's all it took. The casualness of it all. How Pokke payed attention. She stood suddenly, startling her beloved guinea pig so badly she nearly dropped her newest achievement. And she didn't even care. One of her hands went to a knee, the other grabbed at the collar of the younger Uma's uniform.
Gold eyes went wide, darting all over her face. "Tachy?"
One second. Two. Jungle Pocket's eyes lingered on her lips. Her own flickered down in time to watch her wet her own. On second three, she mentally gave in to impulse, and shot forward.
As far as kisses go, it was Tachyon's first. It was just a press, really, but she wished she had been hooked up to some monitors, just to record the sheer effect it had on her. Pokke's quick intake of breath had her chest fluttering. When she returned the pressure? Oh, she understood why so many couples spent so much time sucking face. She knew she'd have to repeat this experience. See if she could reap better results.
"I need you to run first before taking it." Right back to business, Tachyon turned and grabbed a tablet, slinking out of the lab. A cheeky glance back revealed Pokke frozen, fingers a hair from her lips. "Ideally, it should result in a surge of energy that would resemble a second wind." She paused at the door, her own face feeling warm. Rather than her usual near-crazed grin, she found herself smiling fondly. "Are you coming, Pokke-kun?"
It would be an hour later, when she found herself pushed against a wall in a shady corner, with Pocket's lips desperately against hers and Pocket's hands on her, that she decided on a proper name for her new research topic. The Pokke Variable; an emotional factor brought forth by a close friend, a rival, a lover.
Also, she would have to go back to the drawing board and make a less effective version of this new liquid. Yeah, it was a little too effective.