Chapter Text

Pretty Pretty Please, I Don't Want to Be a Horse Girl!

It’s a crisp afternoon, the air warm and fresh. The turf is green, the sun is bright, and everything is primed for another entertaining Junior Make Debut. To most, the Junior Make Debut is the race to start off the season and introduce the newest talent on the track. However, to the new Umamusume, this is one of the most defining moments of their racing career.  

One of those new Umamusume being New Blood. Better known as Noob. 

For someone as much of a coward as they are, it's a surprise they even managed to step in front of the silver gate. It’s well-taken care of, yet it’s seen many a race and rowdy runners. New Blood feels a tremor of nerves run down their spine, yet something dangerously close to excitement bubbles up in their stomach along with it. This is it. This is their debut race. Years of watching Make Debuts just like this, except now, instead of the fabled Uma of prior, it’s Noob—no, New Blood—in their stead. 

Oh.

This is their debut race.

A cold sense of dread forms in their chest, a heavy weight that settles in a deep part of them. Their debut race. Their performance can make or break their entire career; if they place horribly, they’ll be forgotten and overshadowed by everyone else, and if they don’t put enough effort, they’ll be known as the lazy one that doesn’t work—!

No, Sixer kept telling them it would be fine. Just do their best, and they’ll quickly accumulate a fanbase. All racers have fans, after all. 

But really, they’re nothing special—

—they’re just your run-of-the-mill Uma…

…barely compares to the others…

…if anything, they’re—

“—It’s a sunny day here at Hanshin Racecourse. Nine runners are eager and ready to make themselves known today on the 2000-meter turf! The favorite…”

A confident voice knocks them out of their thoughts, no doubt a commentator. Actually, if they know their stuff (which they definitely do), that should be none other than Brighteyes. She’s only a third year at Traken Academy, and yet she’s praised as one of the most charismatic and entertaining commentators of the generation. New Blood wishes they could be like that; effortlessly shining. But like Sixer told them, they can’t just wish, they have to chase their dream, and that all starts with the Junior Make Debut. 

With a bang, the doors swing open, and the race has begun. Luckily, due to their nerves, New Blood is off like a bullet; quickly securing a place in the middle of the pack by the first few hundred meters. 

“An impressive start from all the runners! In the lead is number seven, Cembalo Rhythm, followed closely by number two, Bravo Deux! Looks like there’s a spot struggle going on between them.”

By the time the race is halfway through, New Blood takes fourth. 

And then third.

Please, please, please…

“It’s a close one! Number two, Bravo Deux, number nine, Jewel Fantasy, and number four, New Blood, are all locked in together!”

Let me get through this… Just one race…

“And New Blood pushes through at the last second! In first place, New Blood—Bravo Deux comes in second, and Jewel Fantasy in third…”

New Blood slows down, trying to catch their breath—first! The thought hits them like a train. Did they really do it? The first race of their career?

First place!

Sixer will be so proud.