Chapter Text
It was the beginning of a nice summer day when Vodka moved into Tracen Academy. It had sheer rays of heat produced by the sun, but it only helped to make the academy more brighter than ever. Vodka arrived at the entrance, carrying her schoolbag with her. She stared at the building. It was her first time here. She takes a few steps in the academy, eager to start her new life. While walking through the entrance, she spotted another Umamusume, whom she believed that she might be a student there. She had long, wavy dark cocoa-brown hair with a side ponytail on the left side of her head. She wore a ribbon on the left side of her ear that resembled a comet, along with meteor-orange eyes to complete the look. One of her socks resembled a shooting star falling down, while the other one was a black sock with a white tip on the end. Her knee-length tail had the same color as her hair, adorned with shines to resemble an actual starry sky. Yes, she looks just like the comet in the movie that has the same name as her. Vodka approached this mysterious Umamusume, who was staring off to the sky. When she got close to her, she touched her on the shoulder, causing the mysterious Umamusume to turn her head towards her.
"Hey," Vodka said. "Are you a student here at this new school?"
The mysterious Umamusume fully turned around, making eye contact with Vodka's light brown eyes with dark rings around her pupils. "Oh, uh.. yeah. Are you new or something? 'Cause I've never seen you before." Vodka immediately answered along with a nod. "Heh, of course i'm new! What didya expect?" She proudly then began to introduce herself to the mysterious Umamusume. "Name's Vodka, as in the alcohol. What's yours, buddy?"
The mysterious Umamusume, after knowing about Vodka's presence, began to smirk and introduce to her back. "Well, Vodka," she proudly said. "My name's Deep Impact. I'm quite.. popular around this school. But it's mostly for my victory for the Wakagoma Stakes, the Yayoi Sho, the Kobe Shimbun Hai, and the Triple Crown races."
Vodka's light brown eyes shimmered. "Triple Crown? What the hell is that?" She demanded, despite already knowing the other races. She never knew about the Triple Crown ones—But it's mostly because she might have forgotten.
"Well," Deep Impact said. "The Triple Crown races are a set of three races: The Satsuki Sho, the Tokyo Yushun (or the Japanese Derby), and the Kikuka Sho— or Kikka Sho." Vodka ends up recognizing it at last. "Ohhh! I understand now!"
"These races are prestigious," Deep Impact added. "but not as prestigious as the Arima Kinen. Barely any Umamusume with the right earpiece can win that. Most winners are the ones with the left earpieces. Oh, and speaking of the Arima Kinen, did you know that i got registered into there?" Vodka's ears twitched. "Nah, i havent. But hey, at least you will try your best at there, right?"
"Oh, i will," Deep Impact smirked. "I definitely will. I just need some training, it's a requirement before you go to races like the ones i mentioned earlier."
"Training.." Vodka murmured. "Ah, yes, right. If i REALLY want to be cooler, than i have to train!" Vodka's eyes lightened up as she took one last gaze at Deep Impact. "I need a trainer, thanks for reminding me, bud! See ya later!" She said as she sprinted towards the entrance, waving goodbye to (supposedly) her new acquaintance. "Oh- Uh- i wasn't reminding you, but good luck, Vodka!" Deep Impact shouted, waving goodbye to her back before gazing into the sky.
Vodka trotted happily, ready to start her new life. As she enters the academy, she sees A LOT of students of all shapes and sizes, realizing how massive this school was. While walking, see notices a group of students talking. As she took a look, she noticed someone familiar. She was an auburn-haired Umamusume, who had just transferred her a day ago. she wore twintails tied with fluffy blue hairties, along with a red ribbon the right side of her head and finally a silver tiara with a gemstone on it attached ontop of her hair. She seemed to be discussing something with two other Umamusume, with one having chestnut hair adorned with a wing hairclip and a sky blue ribbon with a gemstone on the center, the same gemstone for the twin-tailed Umamusume completed with sky blue eyes with a darker gradient; while the other has the same hair color as hers; but instead of twin-tails she had short, neck-length hair completed with a music notes on both sides of her head completed with a blue ribbon the left side of her ear.
As Vodka looked closer, she fully recognized the Umamusume who were talking—It was Daiwa Scarlet, her old friend; along with her sisters: Deep Sky and Daiwa Major! The three siblings were talking about Daiwa Scarlet's debut, and what to do about it. "So, dear sister of mine," Daiwa Major said. "What are your plans for your debut? Its gonna happen in about four months or so." Daiwa Scarlet's ears twitched. "Oh, Major, don't be so reckless, of course I'm gonna get the fans' attention! I swear i will win this! I am number one, after all."
"I kinda doubt that.." says Deep Sky. "Are you sure you're gonna give it your all?" Daiwa Scarlet turned her head against Deep Sky and then started to yowl. "OF COURSE I WILL, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT?!" Deep Sky's ears then bent down as as submitted to her middle sister. "Okay, Okay! GEEZ!" she whimpered, scared of how aggressive Daiwa Scarlet was. Then, Daiwa Scarlet pouted; crossing her arms together. "Anyways, go get my stuff. We're settling my dormitory today." She said as she walked away in such a demanding manner. "If my roommate is chosen, it better not be that alcoholic freak." Deep Sky locked her eyes with Daiwa Major, as Major shrugged. Major then motioned Deep to help Daiwa Scarlet unpack her belongings and prepare her room as they both walked away.
Vodka, overhearing their conservation, felt uneasy. Why was Daiwa Scarlet so demanding? And was she insulting her when she mentioned a "alcoholic freak"? If only she had found an answer to solve it. It had been exactly been a lot of years since she hasn't seen Daiwa Scarlet. She and Scarlet used to be friends before Scarlet had to move away to Hakodate. She had missed Scarlet ever since their separation, and was worried about her during certain times. Now she's worried that she had matured and had forgotten about her after all those years. Vodka sighed, walking away and parting ways with Daiwa Scarlet's sisters.
As Vodka walked through the halls, she didnt know what she was doing. She kept trying to process what she had did when she arrived at Tracen. It went on like this before someone approached her. She had short raven hair with dazzling sapphire blue eyes with a white strand of hair in the midst of her bangs. She also wore two gold earrings on both sides of her ears along with a golden circlet with a small sapphire jewel on it attached on the left side. She had a charming look on her face, as she confidently walked up to Vodka. "Hey there, Vodka." she smirked.
Vodka flinched, flustered and embarrassed. "Wha- Who- Who are you..?" Vodka said, still blushing and her tail held high. "Oh, dear, i'm Fuji Kiseki, one of the dorm advisors. I assume you are new here, darling." Vodka stammered and shook. She was so shocked she could freeze into a statue for hours. "H-How did y-you k-know my n-name?" she stammered. "Oh, it's simple, miss. You registered here, didn't you? Director Akikawa told me ALL about you, so i decided to prepare you a dorm for yourself~" Vodka then started to stop stammering, now realizing why. "Oh yeah, i did register here. Anyways, what are the steps here? I need a trainer, and i need to know the ropes of this... can you help me?" Fuji Kiseki chuckled. "Oh, i wish i knew well, but i'm more excellent in tours and dormitories. You want a tour?" Vodka couldn't hesitate. "Sure thing, Fuji." Fuji Kiseki then nodded and then dragged Vodka along to show the entirety of Tracen Academy.
After the tour, Fuji Kiseki guided Vodka to her brand-new dorm. "And here's your room. The good old fresh dormitory right here in Ritto!" Vodka was amazed. The room looked luxurious, but there was one problem with it. Where's her roommate? Vodka then turned towards Fuji Kiseki. "Hey, Fuji, do i have a roommate?" Fuji Kiseki turned her head towards Vodka. "Oh, this one's brand-new. You can choose a roommate if you want." Vodka stared down. She would've chosen Daiwa Scarlet, but she's afraid she might be aggressive to her. Deep Impact would be a better choice, but she didn't know her quite well. Hesitantly, she replied. "But.. i dont know what to choose." Fuji Kiseki's ears twitched. "Well, if you couldn't choose one, then we'll figure out who would will be your better roommate. But hey, i hope you adjust here well." She then leaves Vodka all alone in her new dormitory. Vodka, still staring at her new dorm, then decides to lock in and unpack everything from her bags. After unpacking, she begins to lay down on her bed and drift to sleep.
While sleeping, Vodka dreamt about winning a G1 race and impressing everyone, including her idol Tanino Gimlet and her best friend Daiwa Scarlet. She wanted to become cooler, just like the top students. As she fantasized about being successful, her dream was cut short when Fuji Kiseki opened the door and called out her name. "Miss Vodka, i have some excellent news!" Vodka woke up from her sleep as her light brown eyes looked into Fuji's sapphire-blue eyes. "Vodka, how about this: you can stay with Deep Impact and Heart's Cry while i go and talk with Amazon and the staff about who's going to be your roommate. Deal?" Vodka thought for a moment before responding. "Ah, why not? I wouldn't mind if i can stay with them." Fuji Kiseki smiled. "Good," she said. "Come on, i know they are gonna like you." She said as she walked away, with Vodka following her soon after. "Wait!" Vodka said. "What will happen to the one i'm currently staying in?" "Don't worry," Fuji Kiseki said. "Amazon will take care of this."
Fuji Kiseki brought Vodka to the dormitory where Heart's Cry and Deep Impact were staying. As Fuji Kiseki opened the door, Vodka saw Deep Impact. It's her! The same person she saw when she first came here! Unlike Vodka though, she had a roommate herself. She was a long, beautiful, curled light pink haired umamusume with a lighter gradient. One of her pupils was a heart while the other had the most gorgeous shade of pink. She had a pink ribbon attached to her left ear adorned with a wing and a veil lasting to her shoulders. She also had heart hairclips on her bangs as well as long, chest-length curled side-hairs flowing down. She also wore heart-patterned socks completed with a leg warmer on her right leg. This must be Heart's Cry, Deep Impact's roommate. Deep Impact's meteor-orange eyes locked into Vodka's light brown eyes, immediately recognizing her. "Oh, Vodka! It's you again!" Deep Impact smiled, giving Vodka a happy gaze. "What are you doing here? I already have a roomate." Fuji Kiseki gestured towards Deep Impact. "She's just you and Heart's Cry-san's temporary roommate," she said. "She doesn't know what to choose, so we'll figure it out sooner or later. Right now, this is all that we've got." Deep Impact nodded. "Ah, i understand." Heart's Cry then noticed Vodka. "Hey, Deep Impact-san, who is this?" She nudged. "Oh, that girl's Vodka. She's new here. She currently doesn't have a roommate since she cant choose so she's staying with us temporarily." Vodka gave a confident wave at Heart's Cry, as the latter waved back. "Alright," Fuji Kiseki said. "You're staying here with them until you get your permanent roommate. See ya later." The raven-haired Umamusume then walked away, as Vodka turned to her temporary roommates. "Heya, Heart. You're Deep Impact's roommate, aren't you?" Heart's Cry then blinked before responding. "Y-Yes," she replied. "Are you, uh.." "Yes, i'm training for my debut." Vodka replied. "It's only in 2 months. I'll make sure i will give everything i got!" Heart's Cry then exchanged glances with Deep Impact before looking at Vodka. "Okay.. But remember, training's going to be difficult though," she stated. "It gets progressively more harder for each race, especially graded ones." Vodka then nodded. As she was about to talk, Deep Impact stopped her. "Okay, if you REALLY want to train, you need a trainer. There's gonna be a tryout tomorrow. You wanna join?" Vodka's eyes glimmered. "Oh, hell yeah! I haven't asked anyone for a trainer, UGH! how stupid i am.. But don't ya worry, i'll make sure to impress them, no matter what!" Deep Impact then understood. "Okay, good luck. Anyways, i think it's getting late. You should REALLY get some rest." Vodka then nodded. "Alright, G'night, guys.. Wait. Where do i sleep?" Deep Impact grabbed a blanket and placed it on the sofa. "Listen, i know there isn't a third bed, but feel free to sleep on the couch.. or not." Vodka nodded. "You don't have to tell me, i'm comfortable with that. Thanks a lot!" Vodka said, walking away and laying down on the sofa. It's comfy for such a sofa.. but not as comfy as the bed itself. But still, she would be cool with sleeping on the couch. "Rest well, Vodka," Deep Impact said as she turned to Heart's Cry. "Come on, Heart." The latter then nodded, following her roommate towards the bedroom as she turned off the lights. Vodka couldn't believe it. It's her first day.. and now she's getting goosebumps. What's she gonna do now? Well, we'll find out sooner or later. As Vodka closed her eyes and went to sleep, she wondered a lot. But still, she will try her very best, especially on her debut.