Chapter Text
Ah, the Tracen Academy Trainer Scouting Conference, the most anticipated part of the year for any pre-debut Umamusume. Both new and veteran trainers flocked to the academy in droves, hoping to meet their new trainees while bright-eyed Umamusume showed their skills in all sorts of scrimmages.
And Super Creek was no different. While she was admittedly a little older than the others in her school year, she was still eager to start her foray into the Twinkle Series.
“Good morning, Ms. Creek!” Tazuna hummed. Her signature green attire was a welcome sight for any Tracen student. “Are you here to sign up for one of the scrimmages?”
“Mhm!” Super Creek chirped as she looked at the various sign-up sheets. “I was thinking of one of the longer ones- have they filled up yet?”
“Well, our 2000 meter turf race has a few openings. If I may say so, some of your training videos have caused quite the stir among trainers! You may have quite a few offers waiting for you, especially from veteran trainers.”
“Really?” Creek’s eyes widened. “Hehe, that’s so exciting~! You have no idea how much I want a trainer of my own- our careers can start and bloom together. Oh, I’m practically kicking at the starting gate!”
“Oi, Creek!” The distinct voice of Tamamo Cross broke through Creek’s daydreaming. “You done bein’ weird?”
“Oh! I’m sorry, Tamtam. Am I blocking your way?” She stepped aside to give the shorter Umamusume access to the sign up forms.
“Yeah, but more importantly, yer crazy!” She laughed, jotting her name down on one of the forms. “You’ve got actual pros- veterans of this kinda thing looking at ya, but ya want to go with some random newbie?”
“You know how I am. I learn best with a close relationship. I don’t think someone with a bunch of other trainees to worry about is really right for me.”
“But those guys could make ya a damn millionaire!"
“Who’s to say a new trainer won’t?”
“Yer chances of that are way slimmer…” Tamamo sighed as she crossed her arms and shook her head. “Yer hopeless, Creek.”
“We’ll see.”
“Well, if ya don’t want any of the veterans, I’ll happily take your leftovers!” Tamamo joked, lightly elbowing Creek.
“Aw, don’t be so self-deprecating, Tamtam! You’ll get your very own trainer from your own wonderful performance.” She smiled, patting Tamamo’s head before the shorter Uma quickly batted her hand away. “What race did you sign up for? I’ll have to come and watch!”
“Both of you are signed up for the 2000 meter turf race at 3:00 this afternoon.” Tazuna spoke. “I hope to see a good competition.”
“Oh, how exciting! But don’t think I’ll go easy on you~!”
“You better not! Anyways, I’ve gotta go warm up. I’ll see you on the turf!”
~~
Creek took a deep breath as she approached the starting gate. It looked more like a G1 than a simple scrimmage… the stands were packed with prospective trainers, fellow students, journalists, and Umamusume fans. Drones fluttered about, both trying to catch footage for trainers to analyze and use as clips in promotional material.
“Tamtam…” Creek spoke softly. “Don’t focus on the crowd, okay?”
“Wh- huh? What kinda sick mind game are ya playing here?!” Tamamo exclaimed, clearly confused by Creek’s sudden comment.
“I don’t want you to get distracted. Just pretend we’re at training.”
“Wasn’t plannin’ on it…” she mumbled, ears slightly flattening. Neither Umamusume wanted to show it, but the scene was enough to make the both of them somewhat nervous. As Symboli Rudolf read out the list of Umamusume, Super Creek attempted to calm herself by taking multiple deep breaths.
It’s just a scrimmage. It’s not your debut. You’ve run scrimmages before and been fine.
“And on your mark, get set-“
Sure, the cameras are a lot, and all these people… goodness. But this is what I’m shooting for. If I want to run in G1s, I can’t get wet feet from cameras. And seeing all those people happy afterwards- oh, it’ll all be worth it…
“GO!”
“And they’re off! Starry Pride takes the lead, pushing ahead, but will she be able to keep it? Close behind is Fruit Parfait, then Ribbon Etude, and Super Creek!”
“As we near the first corner, the racers have split into two groups! Super Creek appears to be leading the pace chasers, with Tamamo leading the back! Will either be able to make it to the front?”
“Quite good form from all our runners today. This race is a test of speed and stamina- finding the right moment to run forward is key.”
“Coming to the end of the main straight, our runners are tightly clustered together! This will be a close race- Starry Pride falls to third place as Super Creek and Tamamo Cross surge forward!”
“It’s Super Creek taking the lea- no, Tamamo Cross- Super Creek- we’re in a dead heat, folks! And on the final corner, no less! These two have left everyone else in the dust!”
“And they cross the finish line together! We’ll have to review the footage to see who came in first, but that should be quite easy with all your cameras and drones!”
Super Creek nearly tripped as she tried to slow her run due to the uproarious cheers. Fortunately, Tamamo grabbed her wrist to catch her.
“What happened to not payin’ attention to the crowd?” She laughed, slightly breathlessly. “But damn girl, ya put up one hell of a fight. Can’t wait to see ya on the G1 tracks.”
Before Creek could respond, her ears turned towards the crowd, which was surging forward towards the two. People were clambering against the barricades, practically shoving each other over it.
“Super Creek, join my team! You’re prime Arima Kinen material!”
“Screw that guy! I’ll make you a Triple Tiara champion!”
“Tamamo Cross, please! We’ll conquer the Classics together!”
“That guys a damn drunken fool! Join my tea-“
“Oh goodness-“ Creek stammered, slightly stepping back. She could handle chaotic children, even when their fights turned physical, but a crowd of adults, that was another ballpark entirely! “One at a time please- oh goddesses- someone’s going to get hu-“
“QUIET.”
The distinct voice of Air Groove broke through the crowd, silencing them in nearly an instant. She strutted onto the field, and with a sharp glare at the trainers, she practically froze them all in place.
“I can understand excitement over an exceptional performance.” She spoke, voice clear and firm. “But you are all making fools of yourself. You will approach our students one at a time, and speak respectfully to them and of your peers. Any violation of this will have you removed from the premises immediately.”
With that, the crowd simmered down and formed two orderly lines.
“Wow, Groove-sama, I need to bring you to the daycare when the kids are being naughty!” Creek laughed. “That’s impressive!”
“Amen to that! And I thought my mom was scary…” Tamamo added.
“You two are in a very fortunate place.” Air Groove’s expression was serious. It was well known that her first trainer was… not to her standards. “You are in a spot to be selective. Don’t go with the first idiot that flatters you. Consider all of your options and make a good choice.”
With that, the student council vice-president turned on her heel and walked off.
“That’s the student council for you, always taking care of us girls!” Creek spoke, turning to the line of eager trainers. “Anyways, what’s your name?”
~~
“Holy crap…” Tamamo mumbled as she walked off of the field with Creek. The two’s pockets were stuffed with countless business cards. “I’m going to get home and sleep for like… a thousand years.”
“I thought I’d be okay with skipping my cooldown stretches…” Creek rubbed her shoulder, wincing at the aches in her muscles. “But replacing them with standing for hours and shaking so many hands probably wasn’t a good idea…”
“It’s almost dark too. And they’re still goin’! Inari’s race was an hour ago, and she’s still meetin’ with trainers!”
“Do you need help getting back to the dorms, Tama?” Creek spoke. Even exhaustion couldn’t stop her doting nature.
“Nah, I’m fine. Gonna grab some dinner from the conbini and crash.”
“You shouldn’t eat all that junk food…”
“Relax, I’m not just eating chips or instant crap. They’ve just got the best steamed buns ever, and that’d really hit the spot right around now.”
“Well, alright. I’m going to stop by the flower beds. Nishino wanted me to take a look at them…” Creek smiled. “Enjoy your steamed buns, Tamtam~!”
Admittedly, Creek needed a bit of time to decompress before returning to the dorms. To say that she did not mesh with most of the trainers was an understatement. For some, she could practically see the dollar signs in their eyes. For others, they were clearly focused more on adding trophies to their collection rather than the Umas actually getting them.
What a bust… at least I can enjoy the campus at sunset…
Most of the activity had filtered onto the fields or offices, so the courtyards of Tracen were surprisingly quiet. It was certainly a welcome reprieve from the chaos of the afternoon. Nishino was correct, the new flowerbeds were lovely, filled with daisies and marigolds. Making them bloom was no easy task, she’d have to congratulate the little Uma on her hard work! Creek’s ears were filled with soft sounds of cicadas, softly chirping birds, wind rustling through the trees, and… crying?
Creek’s ears stood up straight upon hearing a soft sniffle and a sob. But looking around, she couldn’t identify the source. It wasn’t unusual to hear it by the stump, but they were too far away from it…
Then, she heard the distinct sound of paper being torn out of a notebook, crumpled up and tossed, then seeing a paper ball bounce out from behind a tree.
That seemed to be the source…
As she approached the tree, Creek picked up the piece of paper and unfolded it. Among the wrinkles and teardrops were detailed notes on Umamusume physiology- muscle groups, calculations on muscle fiber change rates, all very thorough.
At the base of the tree was a human girl sitting with a notebook. She must have been Creek’s age, with black hair accented by a white stripe on the bangs, a pink beret, a long skirt, and a cozy looking sweatervest. The Tracen pin on her beret showed that she was part of Tracen’s notoriously competitive Trainer-in-Training program, and from the looks of her tear covered glasses and glossy, violet eyes, it’d gotten to her.
“Stupid… stupid…” she mumbled, tearing and crumpling another piece of paper from a notebook. “Why’d I even sign up for this? This was a mista-“
She froze upon seeing Creek.
“Why are you throwing away all this hard work?” Creek spoke softly, squatting down to her level. “I’m sure you know that littering is against the rules, but you clearly put a lot of effort into these. I don’t think that should get thrown away like trash.”
“I-I-um-“ the human stammered. Her sorrow seemed to have turned into shock and confusion. “They’re… they’re not very good though…”
“Hmm..” Creek took another look at them.
But it’s all correct… it’s easy to read, the math and anatomy are on point-
“I’d beg to differ.” She smiled softly. “What’s your name, sweetie?”
“Um… Clover.” She wiped her glasses as she spoke. “Clover Fields- y-you’re Super Creek, right?”
“How’d you know?” Creek smiled with a small laugh as her tail flicked. “I didn’t know trainers could read minds.”
“I-I watched your race earlier. Also… you’re still wearing your race number.” Clover smiled slightly. “Y-you were amazing.”
“Aw, thank you!” She then paused, unpinning the race number from her shirt and stuffing it in her pockets with the piles of business cards. “You know.. I didn’t see you with all the other trainers. I do wish I could have met you earlier.”
Clover looked down again. “I… panicked.” She mumbled. Her voice was soft and shaky, lacking any confidence. “Everyone else was so well-established and talented and… I can’t compete with that.”
Creek then stood, holding out a hand to Clover.
“Pick up your papers, okay? Then I want to show you something.” She smiled, lifting the girl up to her feet before beginning to pick up the papers with her. “Right this way~”
“What is it..?” She was visibly confused, tucking the crumpled papers into her bag. It was even shaped like a bunny- how cute!
“The tree stump!”
“Huh…?”
“You’ll see~!”
Creek's long stride, combined with her general speed and racing power, allowed her to bring Clover to the stump very quickly, even as the trainer stumbled along with her.
“It’s a hollowed out tree stump…?” Clover tilted her head. “I don’t get it…”
“It’s an old Tracen tradition.” Creek set her hands on the edge. “We yell our frustrations and insecurities out into this stump.”
“Wha- why?”
“I think it helps.” Her tail flicked. “I don’t know- it just… gets it out. Feels like someone’s listening, maybe it’s the three Goddesses, or the earth, but it kind of lifts that weight from your chest. You look like you could use a good stump shout.”
“I… I suppose it’s worth a shot.”
“Here, I’ll show you!” She bent down, taking a deep breath. “That race was an absolute bust! All of the trainers I talked to were self-absorbed jerks, and none of them were right, and now I’ve got a bunch of random business cards in my pockets and no idea what to do with them, sore legs, and wasted time!”
Creek then turned, letting out a small laugh. “Okay, your turn!”
“Oh- oh wow, I’m sorry it didn’t work out…” Clover set her hands on the stump. Over time, the bark had been smoothed out by all the other hands coming to vent their frustrations
“That’s what the stump is for, silly.” She patted Clover’s back as she took a shaky breath.
“I-I think I made a mistake becoming a trainer-!” She gasped, tears starting to fall again. “It’s all too real! I’m gonna mess it up and bring some poor Uma down with me- I don’t know why I thought I could compete with pros!”
The silence was filled by Clover’s shaky breathing as she wiped her face. “I-I’m sorry, Ms. Creek… I didn’t mean to unload all that-”
“It’s alright.” Creek gave a reassuring smile. “Can I give you some input?”
“Y-yeah, I guess…”
“I think today was a lot. I don’t think anyone was prepared for how insane it’d be. I don’t think that’s actually going to be representative of a real training event.” She hummed. Somehow, her voice could have soothed anyone. Her calm blue eyes met Clover’s glossy violet ones. “Are you available tomorrow?”
“Um… yeah- why?”
“Let’s do a trial training session.” She took Clover’s hands. “I can tell you have wonderful potential, and I really want to see it in action. The last thing I want is for a wonderful, up and coming trainer to lose hope and give up.”
Clover sniffled slightly, smiling. “Y-yeah, let’s do it…! Do you want me to make you an exercise plan?”
“Please do! I want to see what’s in that wonderful little head of yours.” She gently patted Clover’s beret, smiling at the soft wool and the slight poof to it.
“Your stamina’s really good…” She pulled out the tattered notebook, hurriedly jotting something down. “I-I’d think improvements in your spurting ability would be the move… your timing is great, you just need that extra-um… that extra bit of oomph.”
Creek couldn’t help but grin- her tail wagging gave it away.
“Your enthusiasm is so adorable!” She laughed. “Oh, I just can’t wait! Do you have any food allergies?”
“Wh-huh?” Clover tilted her head and adjusted her glasses. “Food allergies? Why-?”
“Well, I want to make a little treat for you. The last thing I’d want to do is make you sick,”
“Oh, Creek, no- you don’t need to do that.” She shook her head. “You had a huge race today- the last thing I’d want is for you to overexert yourself… Any training we’ll do tomorrow is going to be incredibly light.”
“Aw, but I want to…” Creek pouted her lip slightly. “Can I at least bring something premade? I need to run by the store anyway,”
“I guess I can’t stop you…” Clover said softly, clearly a bit surprised. “But- isn’t it normally the opposite? Like.. I don’t know- I’ve heard of other trainers giving trainees stuff for scouting…”
“Please, I have plenty of crap from other trainers. I have enough stress balls and pens for a small army!” She laughed, taking Clover’s hands in her own. “But I’m not one for convention. Let’s do things our own way.”
“...Let’s do it-!” Clover beamed.
Creek wrapped her in a tight hug before trotting off to the dorms, waving happily.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Clovie~!”
Her tail was still swishing from side to side- she quietly thanked the Goddesses for the empty campus, or else she’d risk sidechecking someone with her tail.
Finally! Someone that actually cares, someone I can care for and pamper! Oh, that sweet face, I never want to see it cry again. I’ll do my best to keep that lovely smile on her face.
~The Next Day~
“Okay, warmup with 2 laps on standard turf conditions. Time is not a priority, but will still be recorded to analyze. Then, weight training on the legs and shoulders to improve strength in spurting. Afterwards, run on a dirt track- compare times to turf. Lastly, cooldown on standard turf.” Clover paced around the rest area of the track, tapping her pen against her notebook as she waited for Super Creek to arrive.
This is the real test. Not those crazy crowds, this is it. She’s so nice… I don’t want to mess this up. She actually believes in me- maybe she’s crazy, but I don’t want to let her down.
“Hello, Clover!” Creek’s voice snapped her out of her thought spiral. She turned to see the tall Umamusume, who was somehow already frazzled and sweaty. Her hair was still in its typical braid, but it was unkempt and dirty. Her red and white Tracen tracksuit was already stained in dirt.
“Creek- are you okay?” Clover tilted her head in concern, walking over to her. Had she been injured? A fall could be quite bad for a runner like her…
“Ah, well, I kind of forgot that I’d agreed to multiple trial training sessions…” Creek laughed softly. “But, it’s okay, I can still do your routine. I’m known for my stamina-“
“Absolutely not!” Clover protested.
“Oh!” Creek was admittedly surprised by the shorter woman’s sudden response. She’d been so soft spoken before, and so focused on planning every part of her training plan. Maybe she threw her off… “Are you angry…?”
“No- but you’re not gonna do any more training in this state.” Clover folded her arms. Creek couldn’t help but notice her slightly puffed-out, flushed cheeks and furrowed brows- an expression resembling a pouting child.
Oh, she’s just adorable!
“I mean- you’re a great athlete. I don’t doubt that you can handle some crazy stuff, but… I don’t want to risk you getting hurt. Especially not so early on.” She shook her head, then her expression got a bit gloomy. “I couldn’t forgive myself if you got hurt on my watch…”
“Clovie… that’s so sweet.” She smiled, patting her beret again. Clover’s face flushed slightly while she adjusted her hat in response. “Well, we already have the time scheduled, so what are we going to do for our not-training?”
“Um- admittedly, I didn’t plan for this.” She looked at her notebook again before handing it to Super Creek. “Here’s the training plan I made… if you want to do a sort of rain check.”
“Ooh… that’s quite nice!” Creek flipped through the plans, tail swishing in interest. “Such a clever girl!”
~
“Another stunning performance.” The harshness of the man’s German accent contrasted with his gentle tone as he clicked a stopwatch. Hans, an Umamusume filly and the lab’s darling research subject, had completed the spatial reasoning puzzles in record time.
“Thank you, Professor!” Hans chirped, waving at him with pudgy hands and a rosy-cheeked smile. “I like this game.”
“It’s not a game.” He chuckled. “It’s a puzzle. We’re measuring your cognitive abilities.”
“Cog…ni…tive?” The black-haired filly mumbled. “Cognit! To know!”
“I see your Latin lesions have been going well.” He laughed.
“And Japanese! I can write all the pretty characters, watch!” She dragged her chair to the chalkboard, before crawling atop it and writing the kanji for “Umamusume.”
“Such a clever girl, Hans. You’re going to show everybody the true potential of Umamusume.”
~
“Clover? Are you alright?” Creek tilted her head, eyebrows furrowed in worry. “You look a bit spacey… is it something I said?”
Creek’s soft voice snapped Clover out of her train of thought, resulting in her shaking her head.
“Sorry- just… thinking.” She laughed sheepishly. Her face had a slight flush in embarrassment. “Um- I’m gonna run by my office real quick. I want to grab some things- race schedule calendars and stuff like that. If you want to take a look, I’d love to hear what kind of races you’re interested in.”
“Ooh, yes please!” Creek clapped her hands together. “Admittedly, sitting down for a bit sounds quite nice… You know, I’ve heard you can learn a lot about someone through their spaces. It’s partially why I like cleaning for the other girls in the dorms- I get to learn a lot about them.”
“Aw, Creek- that’s really nice of you.” Clover said as she began to walk towards the office. “I-I’m not really sure what mine would say about me. It’s admittedly a little plain… I haven’t had time to decorate it or anything.”
“Shows that you’re new.” Creek explained. “And that you take a while to warm up to a new place.”
“Oh wow…” Clover’s eyes widened. “All that just from a brief description of my office? You didn’t even actually see it…”
“Well, a bit of an assumption. I had to fill in the blanks in some places, but I’m sure I can get some more once I actually see it.”
“Then just give me a second…” Clover fiddled with a keyring, before unlocking a door. “Um… what do you think?”
It was more than a little plain. It was the default Tracen office with everything a trainer would need- a whiteboard, desk, chairs, a folding table, and some filing cabinets, but no real decoration in sight. That is, unless you count the drawn blinds and discarded instant noodle cups in the trash.
Creek frowned a bit.
“It’s…” But upon seeing Clover’s anxious face, Creek gave a reassuring smile as she went to the blinds. “It’s a start. Let’s let in some light, vitamin D is very important for your health.”
“Sorry… I didn’t want people to see me- it kind of opens up into the sidewalk.”
“Maybe we could get you those windows covers. They make ones that look like super pretty stained glass- that way you can let in some light and still have some privacy.” Creek hummed, opening the curtains. A good amount of light trickled in, practically eliminating the need for the overhead light. “And are cup noodles all you eat?”
“N-no, that’d be silly-“ Clover’s face flushed in embarrassment. “ I-I mean… they are my main food since… I don’t have a lot of time to cook and-“
“Naughty trainer!” Creek lightly bonked Clover’s head with the side of an open palm, but her laugh showed it was mostly in jest. “You need more nutrients than that, I thought a trainer would know better.”
“I-I’m sorry!” Clover blurted. “I promise my meal plans for trainees are better- I-“
“I’m not actually mad, you know.” Creek spoke gently. “I was just playing with you. I have no doubt you know your stuff.”
“I guess I do need to take some of my own advice though…” Clover laughed softly, face still pink with shame. “Just… easier said than done.”
“I’ll cook you something.” She smiled. “You know, you never actually told me if you have any food allergies, or even stuff that doesn’t sit well. We don’t want any tummyaches!”
“Honestly, I’m a pretty flexible eater…” Clover thought out loud as she shuffled through a few documents. “Um… spicy foods can sometimes upset my stomach? But that’s about it…”
“No spicy then! Got it.” Creek chirped.
“So.. what kind of races do you want to do?” She spread out a race calendar over the table as Creek sat down. “I think with your stamina, you’d be a wonderful stayer- long distance races are a challenge, but you really have it in you.”
“Aw, thank you!” She then looked at the papers. “I suppose it’s a little cliche, but I’d love to take on the Triple Crown! Especially the Kikuka Sho… something about the flowers is just so dreamy.”
“I-I think you have it in you- you’re the spitting image of a Triple Crown Umamusume.” Clover spoke softly.
But do I? The Triple Crown has some of the most competitive races- Her mind was filled with a flurry of self-doubt. Super Creek could definitely pull it off, but I don’t know if my training skills are really Triple Crown level… What if I ruin her dreams?
“And I think you do too.” Creek smiled warmly, looking at Clover with those gentle blue eyes. Clover couldn’t help but wonder if they were her namesake- the color of a crystal blue, pristine creek. “I can tell you’re nervous, Clover. But I really do believe you can do it.”
“We haven’t even actually trained together yet- can you really say that after so little time?”
“I think so. You’re the only trainer, out of so many, that actually asked me what I wanted to do. You didn’t just say we were doing the Triple Tiara or Classics or whatever. And you noticed I was tired- you’re just… a sweetheart, and that’s on top of that incredibly bright brain of yours. That’s exactly what I want in a trainer, and I think you can go very far with that.” She smiled, gently taking Clover’s hands. Despite her slightly ragged appearance from her vigorous training, her hands were soft and warm. “So, Miss Clover, will you be my trainer?”
Clover looked down at her feet, taking a shaky breath.
“But… that’s the bare minimum. I don’t think I should be rewarded for not being a jerk. You haven’t even seen my actual training methods.” Her words weren’t an outright rejection, but her uncertainty was clear. “How can you know that I’d actually be a good trainer?”
“It’s a little silly, but intuition. Something just… feels correct in a way it didn’t with the other trainers.” Creek gently caressed Clover’s knuckles. “You’re not going to be perfect. Nobody is. But that’s what I want. I want to grow together with my trainer. I want those race wins to be our accomplishments. It’s no fun if you’re already perfect.”
Clover’s hands tensed around Creek’s, eyes squeezed shut. But with a shaky breath, she nodded.
“Let’s… let’s do it. Trainer and Uma- y…yeah.” It was practically gasped out of her lungs. Clover’s brain was trying to justify every reason not to, to run away, to quit, but her heart just wanted to run with Creek.
“Oh, Clover, thank you~!” Creek beamed, wrapping her newfound trainer in a tight hug. Clover let out a small, surprised squeak- she really was strong!
Maybe that weight training routine isn’t as necessary as I thought-
“O-oh wow- are you a big… um- hugger-?” she laughed awkwardly, trying to bring some air back into her lungs once she was freed from Creek’s arms.
“I think it’s just who I am.” She shrugged. “I just have a lot of love in my heart, and it has to go somewhere. And what better than doting on my friends?”
“W-wow…” A small smile appeared on Clover’s face. “You’re- you’re…”
“I know it’s a bit weird…”
“N-no! It’s- you’re really nice, Creek- cleaning for your classmates, o-offering to cook, and when I was crying, you helped… that’s- you’re… like some kind of angel.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Creek shook her head with a small laugh. “It’s really quite selfish.”
“Huh-?”
“Making others smile makes me feel good.” She shrugged slightly as she began to straighten out her hair. “I mainly just chase that feeling.”
Clover couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, leaning over in the folding chair.
“Creek-! That’s- that’s exactly what being nice is!” She giggled. “You just described being a nice person-“
“Well, when you put it like that-“ Creek couldn’t help but join in on her laughter. “I’ll take the compliment then, you sweetheart!”
In that moment, Creek’s heart was full. Clover’s laugh, although quiet and soft, was infectious.
That smile! That’s what I want to see at the end of a race- no, even more than that! I’ll give her a reason to always smile.
“A-anyways… Race schedules.” Clover spoke once the giggles had left her system, handing Creek a calendar with various races mapped across Japan. “The Triple Crown is set- but are there any else you want? I think maybe doing some lower level races might be good too- jumping straight into G1s is near impossible.”
“Hm… let me take a look…” Creek hummed. “If I do the classic Triple Crown, maybe in my senior year we could try the Tenno Shos? I feel like they’re a must-do for any stayer! And those Kyoto tracks are so lovely.”
“Of course! On that note- I think you’d also do amazing in the Arima Kinen. It’s… a bit ambitious, but I think you can do it.” Clover smiled. “I know it’s a bit of a tight fit with the holidays though…”
Did those words just leave my mouth? Am I really trying for the Arima Kinen?
“What’s a better holiday gift than a trophy?” Creek laughed. “But what about your family? Don’t let my races keep you from them.”
Clover’s body stiffened.
How can I even begin to tell her about that?
“Don’t- don’t worry about it.” She shook her head. “My job comes first.”
“If you say so. I certainly wouldn’t mind running in the Arima Kinen.” Creek’s voice softened, sensing her discomfort. Must be a sore subject, she thought.
“Maybe… let’s keep it at this for now.” Clover held up an annotated calendar. “We can add or take away anything- races fill up fast, so there’s room for flexibility.”
“It looks wonderful, Clover.” The brunette Uma smiled warmly. “I just can’t wait to start this adventure with you! I’ll work hard and bring you so many trophies- that smile’s practically going to be glued to your face!”
“Me neither- I-I’ll make the best training plans ever, promise!”
With another tight hug from Creek, the two officially began their journey as Trainer and Umamusume.