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Angel. A person that meant drastically different things to drastically different people. Some saw him as a capable trainer. Some saw him as a wonderful photographer. But he couldn’t see himself as anything more than a mess.
He had considered quitting, but his trainee, Vodka, and fellow trainer, Azalea, both convinced him to give it at least one more shot. Hesitantly, he tagged along with Azalea to go to a selection race, as Vodka stayed behind in their shared clubroom.
Angel sported his signature white leather cap and grey denim vest over a darker turtleneck. He also brought his trusty Umaroid camera slung around his neck. Azalea, on the other hand. preferred to present herself in a much more formal manner, sporting a collared shirt under a navy-blue longcoat. She also sported a pair of dark-lensed aviator shades that rested on her forehead, which nearly blended in with her jet-black hair.
As the duo of trainers made their way out to Tracen’s racecourse, Angel couldn’t help but notice something off about today’s race.
“Goddesses, it’s just a selection race, why’s the crowd so big?”
A voice responded, but it wasn’t Azalea. “It’s not just any selection race!”
He looked to his right, and an excited Yukino Bijin was standing next to him. Yukino in particular was ecstatic about today's race, primarily because one of her close friends would be running today: Gold City. She was quick to explain her excitement to Angel, and it was enough to pique his curiosity.
“Gold City?”
Yukino gave him a big thumbs up. “Yeppers! She’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Have you even seen her? Her silky hair flowing in the wind whenever she runs? She draws massive crowds like this just by existing!”
Angel, however, couldn’t be fully convinced. “And how does she run?” Yukino’s mind went blank in response to that. “Guess I’ll have to find out on the track.”
Her ears perked up. “Oh! I have just the perfect spot. Follow me!”
Angel quickly turned behind him and signaled for Azalea to follow along. She was almost lost in the crowd, but Azalea was able to catch up soon enough. Once they had arrived, the duo realized that Yukino got them premium spots right next to the track. Even better, Yukino, being a close friend of theirs, gave them the golden opportunity to get pre-game interviews with some of City’s closest friends: Daitaku Helios, Mejiro Palmer, and Tosen Jordan, who were all at the edge of the track with them. Azalea was quick to converse with Helios and Palmer, but Angel felt much more hesitant. Maybe it was just the nerves getting to him? Jordan, however, was quick to notice his doubtful demeanor, as she walked up to him first.
“So, you’re one of the trainers Yukino dragged in, huh?”
Angel was startled, but he regained his composure. “Yeah. I don’t even know why she did that, to be honest.” He wanted to stop the conversation there, but with the opportunity to learn more staring him down, he couldn’t refuse. “Yukino was talking big game about your friend. What kind of a person is Gold City, anyways?”
“Oh, Shichi? She’s one of the coolest gals I know. You definitely don’t wanna get on her bad side, though. She gets, like, legit scary when she’s mad.”
“I’m sure we won’t need to worry about that part if she does well today.”
Jordan hesitated for a moment. “...I’m worried that even if she does well, she’ll get angry.”
“Really?”
Before he could receive an explanation, however, their brief conversation was interrupted by the sound of Helios and Palmer squealing as someone approached the railing. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that this was Gold City. Azalea was swift to introduce herself, and soon it was Angel’s turn as she approached him and Tosen Jordan.
“Great day for a race, isn’t it, Shichi?” Jordan wasn’t wrong. Today was nothing but clear skies.
“Yeah. Who’s the new guy?”
Angel stumbled slightly. He was expecting to just get left out of the conversation, to be honest. “Hi. I’m Angel, one of the many trainers at Tracen.” He extended a hand, not expecting the gesture to be returned.
Imagine the surprise on his face once it does.
He hid the slight shock to the best of his ability, but it was definitely a very awkward handshake on his end. City couldn’t really care less, though. He was just another face in the crowd, a sentiment also held by Angel himself.
“I’m Gold City, but you probably knew that already. I hope you’ll see me for my running today, trainer.”
“That’s a weird thing for an uma to say.“ Angel thought to himself. “Who wouldn’t be watching for their running? It’s their whole thing!“
Soon, Angel was reunited with Azalea at the railing as Jordan went back to the rest of her friends. From what he could tell, Azalea clearly had a much better time with Helios and Palmer, but she acted as if none of that ever happened, opting to pull out a set of binoculars and scout the track further. Eventually, she found her mark.
“Tamamo Cross. The white-haired one.” She said, pointing out to the track. Angel didn’t know much about her, but he knew enough about her and Azalea to know that she’d try to recruit Tamamo Cross.
“You think you’ll beat the swarm of trainers that’ll also try scouting her?”
“With confidence. You should try it sometime.”
“What does that mean?”
She set her binoculars down. Her previously sarcastic remark turned into something much more. “You’ve stopped pushing yourself, man. I’ve noticed that ever since the Autumn Tenno Sho.”
The mere mention of that race caused Angel to tense up.
“...Can you even blame me?” He remarked lamentfully as he leaned on the railing.
“In a way, no. But sometimes, you’ve just gotta push yourself to be better than the past.” Azalea forced Angel to face her as she grabbed him by the shoulders. “Look. I’m gonna give you a shot with Gold City. If that doesn’t work, you could quit like you were intending, but I doubt you’d wanna end your career like this.”
As much as he hated how blunt she could be, Azalea was right. There was still a part of him that wanted to be better and soar beyond that forsaken race. The sight of her face in the crowds that day was one he longed to escape.
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
Angel held his Umaroid camera tight as the sounds of the starting gate filled the air. They had settled in with City’s friends, and Angel had been granted permission by her friends to take photos of the race. The academy already allowed him to do this, he just wanted to ensure that they were comfortable with his idea.
As the racers bolted down the track, the group slowly grew concerned, as Gold City struggled to make any headway, getting stuck in the midpack. Tamamo Cross, on the other hand, stayed comfortably close to the front. However, as they approached the final corner, that began to change. As Tamamo Cross began to fade, Gold City began pressing the offensive, surging forwards with grace.
A moment, Angel noted, that would be perfect to preserve.
As the camera shutters went off, he was quickly surrounded by City’s friends, who were all eager to see what he had just snapped. However, most of their hype died down the moment he held up the Umaroid film.
“Who even uses those anymore?” Jordan asks.
“I just think the process of developing one of these is fun.”
Their attention quickly shifted back to the race. As Tamamo Cross faded farther and farther behind, Gold City climbed higher and higher, until, eventually-
“Gold City has taken the victory in a stunning upset!”
Tamamo Cross tried to surge forward one last time, but it was far too late for her, as she fell just short of the top 5. City’s friends were quick to rush over to her side as she stopped to catch her breath. Initially, Angel was hesitant on joining them, but Azalea knew better than him.
“Angel, what are you waiting for? Now’s the perfect chance!”
“I-I’m just worried I’ll-”
“That you’ll fuck it up? Angel, if you always thought that way, your team would’ve been completely empty. Just give it a shot.”
After a moment of hesitation, Angel nodded, putting a smile on Azalea’s face before she leaped the railing to head over to Tamamo Cross. When he turned around to head over, he noticed Yukino Bijin eagerly waving at him. Eventually, he made his way to her side, where City was still actively catching her breath.
“OMG, bestie! That was the clutchest comeback I’ve ever seen!” Helios exclaimed.
“Thanks, Helios. But I’ve still got plenty of room to improve.”
Angel didn’t want to get left out of the conversation, so he spoke up next. “You did well out there, City.” It felt like a meaningless comment to him, a message that lacked any of the soul he wanted to convey. But to City, it meant the world.
She stood up straight. “Do…do you actually believe that?”
“Of course I do!” Angel exclaimed, with much more passion than what he was used to. “You wanted your victory today, and that’s the kind of drive I’d like to support.” He extended his arm out with confidence, but before she could return his gesture, City looked out to the audience. It was this exact moment that Angel realized something was off about this massive crowd.
“Did you see the way Gold City ran? She was so majestic!”
“Gold City’s hair flowing through the wind was just enchanting!”
“You look so beautiful when you’re running!”
None of the comments were about her actual race.
They only cared about looks.
Angel could see a hint of frustration developing on her face, and before any of them knew it, Gold City ran off, far away from the racecourse.
“Shichi!” Jordan called out to her, but it was too late. In response, Angel let out a heavy sigh.
“That wasn’t my fault, was it?”
“Whaat? Of course not! She just gets like this whenever her beauty gets brought up. Relax, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I’m sure she’ll be happy to join your team once she’s back!”
An idea slowly began to form in Angel’s mind, though he was hesitant to share it.
Yukino noticed his contemplative face. “Is there sumthin’ on yer’ mind?”
He was startled as he got jostled out of thoughts. “Oh, uhm… I’m afraid I’ll overstep doing this, but…” Angel took a deep breath. “What if I helped her? Like, right now?”
They were all quick to call him crazy.
“Do you want to die?” Jordan exclaimed. “She’s likely very pissed right now, and any misstep would destroy any shot of being her trainer!”
Admittedly, Jordan was correct. It would be wiser to sit back and let City come back on her own terms. But that approach of sitting back and watching his trainees suffer on their own was the exact thing Angel wanted to avoid.
“I get that, however, isn’t it part of a trainers job to make sure their trainees are okay? Look, if I really wanted to be her trainer, I’d need to be there for her.”
His mindset was far too much for Jordan to wrap her head around, so she raised her hands up in defeat. “Alright. I mean, it's your funeral.”
Angel smirked in response. For the first time in a while, he would be diving into the unknown.
Oh, how he missed this feeling.
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
The first place he wanted to check was the hollow stump. It was the easiest place to let your feelings loose, after all. As Angel approached the stump, he could hear…screaming. Pained, tearful screaming. He knew exactly who they were coming from.
Angel approached with caution, before stopping at one of the nearby trees to contemplate what he should say. At this point, he was within earshot, and the words that came out of City’s mouth were enough to shatter hearts.
“They don’t care! None of them care! They only see me for my looks, and nothing else! I wanted to prove them wrong today. I wanted to show them that I was a capable runner as well, but…” There were tears falling into the stump as her lips quivered. “...How can I make them change their stubborn minds?” She started screaming into the void once more, and it made Angel realize he had to say something. He couldn’t just stand there, watching as City wept on her own. It’s why he showed up in the first place.
“City.”
Her head shot up to face him. City’s eyes were bloodshot red from the tears.
“Y-you? Why are you of all people here?” She stopped to wipe her face.
“I saw your frustration on the track, and I couldn’t bear just waiting. Are you…okay?”
City didn’t answer his question, instead offering one of her own. “How long have you been listening?”
Angel started stumbling over his words, averting eye contact. “...About thirty seconds, give or take.”
City let out a very heavy sigh, which made Angel fear for the worst. She pointed her index at him, trying her best to stare him down, though there were still tears welling up in her eyes.
“Nobody else hears about this incident. Got it? Good.”
Angel raised his hands in surrender. “You have my word.” His eyes softened. “But, seriously, are you okay?”
She crossed her arms, and turned her head away from him. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Angel slowly realized the gravity in what he was doing. “I’ve known her for, like, ten minutes, and now I’m trying to play therapist? Real nice job there, Angel, now I need to think of a way to get myself out of this mess.”
As they stood in silence, Angel noticed City’s eyes darting between his face, his trainer badge, and the ground. It was as if she wanted to say something.
“...I can’t stand people sometimes.”
For Angel, that was his sign to stop and concede. “Yeah, sorry. I overstepped, and-”
She stopped him before he could complete digging his own grave. “No, not you. I’m talking about the audience.”
Angel breathed an internal sigh of relief before another question resurfaced in his mind. “Oh, the audience? Honestly, I don’t even get why they couldn’t just congratulate you on your stellar last stretch. Why does your beauty matter so much to them, anyways?”
She sighed. “You really don’t know, huh?”
“Huh?”
“Angel, I’m a model. My face is on billboards all across Tokyo. I’ve been on countless magazine covers. People only see me for my looks because that’s all they know about me. I’ve wanted to change that perspective ever since I joined the academy, but…” Tears swelled in her eyes. “Well, you saw how well that’s been going for me.”
In the moment, Angel thought back through his own journey. “City. We all start on rough soil. When I came to Tracen, I was more known for being a photographer, but, eventually, I was able to prove my worth as a trainer, too.”
City looked up at him. Despite her tear-stained eyes, they were nonetheless filled with hope. “Then how did you do it? What made them change?”
“Persistance. Stubborn, undying persistance. It’s made me make some really dumb decisions, but it’s also made me into the trainer I am today.”
“But what if they never change? What if this is what defines me?” She showed visceral anger in her voice, but none of it was directed towards Angel.
He took a deep breath. He knew what he wanted to say, but he would also need to accept it himself.
His mind flashed back. The Autumn Tenno Sho. Vodka was the star of the show that day, getting to face her rival one last time. After her close victory, Angel wanted to celebrate their victory together, but as he looked out to the stands, he noticed his other trainee watching on in the stands. He knew how badly she wanted to run this race. He knew how desperately she wanted the world to remember her name, but now…
She had been forgotten.
Debilitated.
Watching on as her friends were immortalized in history.
Angel held onto that guilt ever since. It almost pushed him to quit training. But now, he was beginning to realize that holding onto his guilt has only made him worse. In his own mind, it defined him.
Just his mind, and nobody else. Everybody else had moved on from the incident, except for him. That changes today.
At long last, Angel found it in himself to speak. “The only thing that can define you is yourself.”
“What?”
“Think about it. Why do you define yourself based on your beauty?”
“Because it’s what…other people…say…” The idea was beginning to click in City’s head.
“You put too much value on what other people think. I put too much value on what I think. We can work together to find a middle ground, right?”
It took a lot of work, but City was convinced. Eventually.
“...You promise?”
“With my life.”
Angel reached his arm out for Gold City’s, and, this time, she accepted, tears still flowing down her cheek. With no audience to shift her view for her, she felt free to think for herself. Angel, on the other hand, felt a massive weight being lifted from his shoulders. The guilt that burdened him, gone in a flash.
Needless to say, the tears streaming from his face were very difficult to explain to Gold City.
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩