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( Faster . . Faster . . ! )
Sprinting down the empty track at the peak of midnight with almost all of her might, yelling and panting into the empty atmosphere, Admire Groove would be found training herself to the point of extremes, and going at it once again for another lap soon after.
( It’s not enough. More . . keep pushing . . ! ! )
With the current of the wind whistling behind her, Aruvu was soaring around the corners and gliding down the straights as if she was skating on ice. The more she ran, the less composed she found herself: a sight of clenched teeth, howls of intensity, and visible determination only seen during her most intense practices by her lonesome.
( HYAAAAAAH !! )
And repeating itself over and over until her legs would not listen to her anymore. When they finally slowed to a crawl and caved for the night, she would lay her back onto the soft turf, gazing at the starry sky above with her hand held out towards it. In her wide open eyes, those lights felt right within reach, but just outside of it, no matter how much she grabbed at them. All that brushed her palm was the light dust of snow beginning to fall.
Streams of emotions constantly swirled around inside her. Her times were improving, but they were not improving enough. Her form was flawless, but she felt she needed to go beyond perfect. When it came down to race time, her run was beautifully chilling to witness, but to her, nothing compared to the crimson’s lily garden ever since she experienced its scent, one that seemed burnt into her mind.
For days now, against the opinions of those who were a bit concerned about her wellbeing, Aruvu had ended up constantly training well into the night at the local park’s track to see the improvements she envisioned. She also found it easier to focus in solitude, absent of anything and anyone who would interrupt her flow. All that could be seen underneath the moon’s glow was the cold princess, the racing turf beneath her heels, and what felt like the presence of red thorns lurking in the shadows.
That was how it always has been for what seemed like eternities, yet was a little more than a year in reality. Every time she stood on the track, it was as if the faintest sense of bloodlust could be felt in the air, brushing against the back of her neck and urging her senses to run like her life depended on it, all thanks to that one umamusume whose flame of hidden passion had lit a spark within her soul. Although that light was encased in a stasis of ice, it remained unwavering beneath her subconscious, driving her more and more forward towards her goal of the perfect race against that very same girl:
Still in Love.
They faced off multiple times, yet the scarlet beast had consumed her by a hair’s length with every showdown, each becoming more and more unsightly of a twisted meal for the crimson beast than the last. On the outside, Aruvu kept her will high and her head distant from everyone around her, taking the races and the time building up between them day by day, but on the inside formed the small cracks in her icy exterior, finding herself unable to take her mind off the beautifully blood stained girl for very long.
In what seemed like fate’s twisted stage play, was the recent announcement of a team relay event at Tracen academy, to be held at the end of winter pitting groups of three umamusume against each other. The trainers were the ones who decided on teams, and the two rivals were about to find themselves running with each other for a change in the near future. The news was enough to get a visible flinch out of Aruvu, but naturally she kept her thoughts to herself, and was certainly relieved on the inside that Still was not around to see the reaction. The two were bit by bit becoming more amicable and communicative with each other, although for Aruvu’s low bar, that only meant willing to hold conversations without immediately returning to her solitude, away from the fellow umamusume who always carried herself softly around the icy queen.
Nevertheless, the formal practices were set to begin after the December holidays, and Aruvu found herself sticking to her strict training regiment, as closely under her trainer’s discretion as possible. Even if the two rivals were not competing against each other, just being strong enough to both inspire the found family she grew up with at the orphanage, and one day crave her name into the generations of racing history was more than plentiful motivation. Winning against her eternal rival at her full strength, in the most flawless race ever was enough of a silent oath to reach the peaks of her potential, for both their sakes.
Her routine continued the same as usual over the next few nights, but each session caused a bit more uneasiness than the last. She felt as though she was being observed, but the fieldlights wouldn’t cast themselves on any other figure around her. That same pressure she feels when racing against [her] could be vaguely felt, but Aruvu just chalked it up to a mixture of both fatigue from the late hours and her locked in mindset.
The intuition would soon come into fruition however, when at the halfway point of one of her laps, the corner of her eyes caught sight from the back of a white hood and long hair that she knew all too well beyond the surrounding fence. Though it was only seen for a brief moment, it was enough to get an audible gasp out of her as her stride wavered and became unsteady. Was she going crazy? No, there was no time for thoughts of that right now, she was timing herself and had to finish the spurt. If this was a real race, faltering would mean defeat, she thought to herself. As she ducked her head in, Aruvu leaned and swung forward, silently flying through to the end before pulling out the stop watch on her pocket.
“ How embarrassing. “
The only word she could disappointingly describe her performance there aloud. She truly was being hard on herself to improve, even a rough practice trial would cause a scoff. But she never loathed too much on it, and did not have the time to either way with a familiar someone calling out in the distance. Her voice was far and faint, yet Aruvu could immediately determine who it was. She turned her head towards the sound, and it was Still In Love as presumed. Still was already walking over, with what looked like a tote bag swaying in her grip with one hand, while her other meekly waved at Aruvu with her hand held high as the distance closed. Aruvu was curious to know why she was out this late as well, so she decided to step forward to meet her halfway off the edge of the track.
“ Still. “
Her voice was stern but soft to address Still, nothing out of the ordinary from their past conversations. She always was good with hiding what she felt were excess expressions, and this time was no different.
“ Aruvu, good evening! I overheard someone running by the track out here, so I went to go check it out for myself. “
On the opposite end, Still addressed her in a warm manner, with her eyelids lightly shut and head tilted, visibly pleased to see it was her rival of all umamusume out here.
“ What brings you out here so late at night? “ Admire Groove sharply cut right to the point.
“ Ah, I was just out here for a run around the park to clear my head is all... Whenever I’ve been having trouble sleeping recently, I find it pretty relaxing for my thoughts. “ Her tone hinted at something more hiding beneath the surface, and Aruvu picked up on it rather fast.
“ I see. This also wasn’t the first time you watched me training around here this week, was it? “
She crossed her arms as her eyes grew analytic with a brow raised. She realized she truly wasn’t going crazy over the past nights, and that feeling of being watched felt awfully similar to Still’s overwhelming presence in races where her inner monster was released, like a predator observing her prey.
“ Ehehe .. My apologies, it’s true, but I did not want to disturb your training … “
Shrugging off the little blush of embarrassment for being guilty as charged, Still held out the bag and opened it to reveal water bottles as well as thermal containers of various hot soups before continuing to warmly speak.
“ But this time, I brought refreshments with me that I thought you could use as much as me. It’s important to take yourself when you’re out so late~. “
Aruvu glanced away for a bit, a little caught off guard by the kind gesture, but it would take a lot more than that to get her to crack.
“ It was not required… but, thank you-.
We’ll talk more by the stands. “
She audibly showed appreciation where it was done, but already began walking towards the seats around the track’s edge since her own practice finished, before Still could even respond or give her anything from the tote.
“ Alright . .
( Aruvu seems as though something is on her mind as well. I hope this isn’t too much of a bother . . ) “
Still’s smile remained warm as she hurried her feet along to catch up with Aruvu, until the two sat next to each other facing the field, with the littlest of gaps separating their bodies. Still reached into her bag and handed Aruvu a bottle and thermos, and prompted the blue maiden to start sipping away at her water.
“ Good work out there today~. Are you nervous about the team race meeting coming up, Aruvu? “
“ Not at all, we’ll just run as we always do, and it will be enough.
You said there was something on your mind earlier, address that first. “
Aruvu was quick to dismiss her own uncertainties, partially because Still was heavily related to them, but also her concern towards the scarlet uma was currently a more pressing matter for her to attend to.
“ Right .. well, the truth is .. “
Still’s smile began to sink more and more to a neutral then blank expression as she gazed down at her lap, fingers fiddling between themselves while trying to find the words to explain her predicament. Aruvu looked towards the opposite end of the track, a natural reaction to spare Still the trouble of eye contact so that she could proceed after hesitating for another moment.
“ I . . I can’t bring out those instincts whenever I run recently . . “
The corners of Aruvu’s eyes met Still’s melancholic expression immediately, as if this was as much of pressing matter for her as well, despite keeping composed appearances.
“ Did something happen recently?“ Aruvu couldn’t describe it well herself, treading lightly as she didn’t know much about the intricacies of her running condition, other than the overwhelming racing craving it possessed. Still was a terrifying force even without it, but when she fully cut loose and gave into her carnal desire to race for the sake of the hunt, she was on a whole new level, one that Aruvu found herself striving towards surpassing since the day she first witnessed it.
“ Not in particular, no . . “ Still shook her head before continuing.
“ I can still hear it within me, aching to release all that pent up tension, but no matter how hard I push myself, it’s as if I’m rejecting its appearance in front of others once again... Even though I certainly feel ready to accept showing its hideousness to the world… “
Still laid her hand over her chest, as if she could feel the monster’s heartbeat alongside her own. Aruvu was listening intently, curiously gathering questions to ask one by one afterwards without letting her own feelings on the matter get in the way. Hideousness, what an insult to it she thought to herself, being the complete opposite of how she felt about it.
“ Have you spoken to your trainer about it? “
“ That’s another issue.. I can’t really go much into detail about it since I’m not sure of it myself, but they’ve fallen rather ill recently, and I believe it is from overwork... And since they taught me how to bring out those urges before without any shame or remorse, I believe I have the capacity to do it myself for the most part. “
Still went on despite the verbal difficulty she found in explaining something that just came naturally to her, but Aruvu was both accepting and willing to question more to help Still find a solution, even if it came from a somewhat selfish reason.
“ I see. And those runs at night involved you trying to push your limits and bring it out by force.“
“ Mhmhm, you’re taking the words right out of my mouth, Aruvu. ~ “
The mood lightened a bit as Still covered her lips and giggled, prompting a sharper turn of head from Aruvu.
“ I’m sure your intuition can guess what I’ll say next then. “ She teased lightly in return.
“ Of course. You believed watching my run would help draw it out. “ And Aruvu met the comment with her own remark.
“ For the most part... But now that we’re teammates, I wanted to ask if I could.. Train alongside you, if it’s okay. I believe you’re the only one who could assist with this, even without directly interfering. “ Still’s own confidence in her plea grew towards the end of her speaking, even though she was preparing herself to accept if it was declined.
Aruvu’s ponder on the request was quick, but it mattered less around thinking about the answer and more about not coming off as /too/ invested in it.
“ … Very well. We’ll start tomorrow night, same time. “
And as fast as she replied with a plan in motion, she was already rising up off the bleachers and turned towards the ground to exit. Still was visibly surprised at the simple answer to leave it off at that, so she immediately rose up and began walking at a bit higher pace than Aruvu did to catch up and continue with her hand stretched out.
“ Ah- Aruvu! Is it truly okay? Would you like me to prepare you something in return for your kindness-? “
Aruvu stopped for a second, whispering “how troublesome” over needing to continue under her breath, before turning her head over her shoulder to reply with a challenging declaration that solidified their grand rivalry.
“ … Prepare yourself, and look forward to the most flawless race on this turf. Nothing else will satisfy me, Still in Love.
And I’m sure you feel the same. “
With a cheesily dramatic flip of her hair and grace in her step, Aruvu began to walk back towards the dorms, leaving a frozen Still there whose eyes couldn’t stop looking at her back until it became a mere silhouette in the distance. And when she had finally disappeared completely, it was though the night sky was turning crimson as her world began to descend into a moment of twisted madness while those words resonated over and over in her head. Her blood red fingernails uncontrollably stroked her chin, while her eyes glowed a shade of red just as bloody before exclaiming her sinful joy at the challenge.
“ Ah… AH! 𝅘𝅥𝅮 AHAHAHA ! THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR, ADMIRE GROOVE..! Oh, how I look forward to having you all to myself . . ! ~ “
The moon just days away from approaching its full shape, the scarlet witch’s instinct pulsed towards the stars above, a declaration of acceptance with a promise to clash in the most beautiful banquet imaginable.
“ She really is the key... ! “
As Aruvu faded past the glow of the park’s floodlights, her thoughts began to race with the words she couldn’t speak minutes ago, clenching her fist tight all the while.
“ ( She couldn’t have truly lost that drive, I do not doubt what I felt earlier.
I will be the one to drag it out if I must. You will watch me become the best in the world at my side, Still in Love. Only through devouring each other may that come true. ) “
Her lips were voicelessly syncing with her thoughts as the clacking of her training heels filled the quiet space on her way back to the dorm. It was difficult to take her mind off the ‘what ifs’ that arose from her line of thinking, she truly could not stomach the thought of seeing her beloved rival defeated by her own self, and was preparing to do whatever it took to make sure that was avoided, even if it costed Aruvu some of her own sanity. Though unbeknownst to each other, the two were on a closer of the same page than either of them thought.
—
Throughout the day after, the two found themselves fixated on their midnight meeting, though neither would be willing to admit their thoughts very easily, especially Aruvu. They did not run into each other while the sun was up either, being too busy with preparing for the holidays, upcoming races, and their own personal training. Aruvu’s tensions were controlled and kept to minimums by her usual lone wolf routines, while Still was distracting herself from her own issues by simply embracing her warm side for the time being.
By nightfall, the two agreed to meet at the same park track in their practice tracksuits, just as empty as before with only the two of them there. Aruvu showed up early and was 2nd to Still, who was already found lightly jogging around the course, bringing up the last corner to arrive where Aruvu was entering from. As she got closer, her pace slowed to a halt while waving at the fellow umamusume with a light smile until they stood at arm's length.
“ Good evening, Aruvu~. “ Her tone was as warm as usual, nothing boosted her mood more than the heart race of running.
“ . . I should’ve accounted for this. “ A hint of sassyness, and even defeat, in her tone for not showing up first, Aruvu’s eyes glanced off to the turf, scanning to confirm that it was just the two of them there: The perfect conditions.
“ You seem ready, so we’ll get right to it. “ Tossing her shoulderbag down to the ground, Aruvu had trained late today and was already feeling warmed up, prepared to give her 101% while stretching her legs behind her. Still nodded with a determined look on top of a few arm and leg extensions to psych herself up as she was ready to give everything she had in return.
“ Mmm, right. I would just like to thank you again for coming out to train more tonight. You’re quite nice when you want to be.~ ”
“ . . . Just focus on what we’re here for-.” She turned her ahead to hide the little visible fluster that could’ve possibly formed in response, but it was enough to get a giggle out of Still anyway.
In the back of her mind, Still wondered about Aruvu’s ease of convincing to help with her issue. Normally, Aruvu seemed very reserved to herself, taking quite a bit of talk to get her to cave into anything that wasn’t racing really. But here, she accepted it with no hassle whatsoever. She wondered if this would help solve her own issues that she might be having, or perhaps to take her mind off things, or even just simply that Aruvu was a nice girl underneath that chilling exterior of hers.
Nevertheless, Still felt like she would let Aruvu down if she didn’t give her the race she sought for, and would let herself down if she didn’t accept her instincts as part of herself and even feel disrespectful to her fellow racers if she ran without them.
The course at the park was a 1600m right handed turf track, consisting of four alternating straights and corners, before ending on a fifth and final straight to the finish line. The ground as of late was soft and a bit soaked from the gentle snowfall of the season. It was mostly used by humans during the day, but no one would be found on the track this late at night. It stayed open quite late regardless, and Aruvu took advantage of it. As a result, she knew the track well, but both were professional enough runners to adapt to anything on the spot.
Aruvu lined up at their designated starting point and reached into her pocket to grab her phone and open an app that would simulate a gate countdown. Still followed suit, leaning in preparation to zoom. Aruvu hit the start button before tossing it down, and mirrored Still’s stance. The countdown began:
3 . . .
2 . . . .
1 . . . . .
…
( beep! )
As the alarm imitated the opening gate, the two immediately took off in a blinding burst of speed that shook the wind behind them. Aruvu was running closer to the inside of the track, with Still shoulder to shoulder to her right. The strides of their arms waved parallel to each other as they turned the first corner. Aruvu pulled ahead by just under a length as the corner came to a straight, the gap remaining consistent while arriving at the second corner.
Aruvu’s run was as composed as her typical behavior, with little need to scan her surroundings as she was all too familiar with this track, and there was no one to mark or look out for in front from this position. She typically ran as a late betweener, but it mattered little in a one versus one scenario besides the conservation of her energy and when to step on the gas for the final spurt. Her run usually focused mostly on herself, letting nothing phase her sense of calm before burning the ice away and soaring past the competition.
Still ran in the same position, relying on her advantage of being “unseen” to surprise attack her opponents with her incredibly low-leaning stride that sent her flying when she began her late advance. When combined with her instinct, setting crippling fear into the racers around her made her finishing move terrifying to both victim and viewer alike.
As the two rounded the third corner, neither were preparing to make their last moves just yet. Aruvu kept the length lead, with Still following in her slipstream to keep up accordingly. Amidst the silence of what felt like a limit testing race, Aruvu was constantly checking in with her own mental state, her breathing was rhythmic and normal, which was almost beginning to bother her.
( Nothing yet . . )
Her pupils checked behind her, gazing at the red uma that was trailing close behind, appearing to be the same Still as before with her eyes staring ahead and gluing them there. Still looked as though she was focusing intently, but Aruvu didn’t know if it was on the race or her own self.
( Everything feels normal . . but fun . . )
From Still’s perspective, there was no issue keeping up, but more of a mental block to make any advance as the third corner was rounded onto the second to last straight. Whether consciously or not, she was staying positioned like this in the hopes that it would awaken her instincts with the will to pass and consume her rival. So far she could not feel any urges though, and Aruvu could feel the lack of them as well. She knew that feeling better than anyone, and even felt that same fear just from her mere presence while being watched during earlier practices.
As the fourth and final corner was wrapping around, it was about time to let loose as Aruvu proclaimed her challenge and began her gear change first.
“ Come, Still in Love . . ! “
The silence in the air between them broke as Still caught a glimpse of Aruvu turning her head over her shoulder, her icy glare intimidating her to keep up just before the real battle began. With her head lowering, Aruvu ducked in and began to glide across the turf, her steps growing larger and even lighter as her heart pounded into overdrive, arms swinging farther to accelerate using more and more strength.
With a little gasp of a short breath, Still immediately locked in with her shoulders freeing themselves of tension before thrusting her own arms forward, letting her knees angle themselves high as she flew down the corner and into the last straight, closing the distance step by step as her impressive form bestowed incredible speed like it was nothing. All the while however, her mind was the real gatekeeper, continuing to conceal her primal urges airtight and causing enough hesitation in her advance.
( Nothing again … I can’t hear its voice right now . . This run is simply too… serene to ruin… )
Still wanted to find enjoyment in this more than anything, she finally had the opportunity to run alongside her beloved rival as just the two of them and the turf beneath. Aruvu and her were almost neck and neck closing in on the last 200 metres, both of them running at paces that would match even their graded times, yet Still’s expression was conflicted between enjoying the moment and frustration in her current inability to awaken her full power.
Her body was moving on its own, with her vision constantly scanning back and forth from right of her, to staring at Aruvu on the side, who was mere centimeters away and didn’t even look to her own side. Aruru knew that regardless of the result, this race did not solve the underlying issue Still had, but to treat the run without seriousness was a bad habit she always avoided.
Aruvu had just crossed the endpoint barely ahead, and the two began to deepen and slow their breaths as their legs slowed to a halt. Standing right beside each other with heavy breathing, it took a bit of unwinding before Still spoke up.
“ Nothing .. Did you feel anything, Aruvu? “
“ Not a thing. Are you sure you’re serious about this, Still. “ Aruvu was as blunt as could be as her breath was recovering, seeing that Still definitely needed such a tone more than ever.
“ Of course . . !
Maybe another try will help-? “ Still raised the question as she felt her strength returning enough to do another lap. She wanted to run more with Aruvu, all night and into the daylight if she could, as she knew this was the path to solving her issue, there just needed to be more pieces of the puzzle discovered.
Aruvu gazed up at the dimming night sky before responding, determining how late it was outside before the park would close its gates. There was time for one more, and Aruvu wanted to run with Still with just the same willingness, almost desperate for validation to see whether she stood alone at the peak of speed at the moment, but only if it wasn’t coming from a place of stress for Still, which was becoming difficult for even Aruvu to discern from her scarlet rival.
“ . . Just once more, it’s getting late. “
With a pleased nod, Still was the one who lined up first on the turf this time around, already positioning herself to soar once more, while Aruvu followed to her side promptly after and leaned forward. The countdown fired off once more as their mock race began, but ended in almost the same exact fashion as before in terms of Still’s progress, and her instinct was absent once again. The actual results were too close to call without a 3rd eye’s judgement, but once more, Aruvu paid no attention to them.
The blue uma was already found picking up her phone and slipping on her coat shortly after, preparing to call it a night and head out immediately.
“ We’ll continue tomorrow. “ She sternly spoke and left it at that before beginning to walk towards the exit, requiring Still to raise her voice a little to reach the now distant Aruvu, even reaching her hand out a bit as if it would stop her in her thoughts for just a moment.
“ Mm, have a good night, Aruvu..~ “
Her warm smile of appreciation quickly faded into a melancholic gaze up at the moon, approaching its fullness in the coming days, a phenomenon that was very important to Still.
“ Thank you, Aruvu, I promise I won’t let you down. I will give you the greatest race you seek, no matter what. . . “
—
Throughout the week, the two umas ran the course over and over amidst the late nights, yet results kept falling short of what they aimed for. Their running was becoming sharper, more refined, and more competitive with each day, but Still could not awaken the dormant instinct during her run. She felt it creeping up on her more and more, feeling as though the chains that shackled it were mere inches from being broken, but there seemed to be just one key missing to unlock it. That pulsing agony, mixed with carnal bloodlust, she could sense it with each step on the turf, but just one more push, whether internal or external she did not know, would be the last necessary kick to open the gate at last.
Aruvu began to feel its presence grow stronger as well, but she also could not put her finger on what the missing key was, no matter how much she racked her brain about it, while no one was looking of course. Did the race stakes need to be raised? Did Still need a proper challenge once again? Was it her own fault? The thoughts were beginning to bother her, so she shoved them aside and acted on action only, doing what she can and trusting Still would do the same, as she knew herself better than anyone, but Aruvu would certainly make a strong case for 2nd place if it was a contest.
In their quest to find an answer, the two girls confided in those closest to them, with Aruvu speaking to her seniors and Still to her close friends. Their suggestions, which seemed silly at first, made more sense as they conversed with each other about them through texts the night before, helping to remind them that their races could both be fun and serious at the same time.
Still: [ What do you think, Aruvu? Should we try it?
I think it could be fun.
(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) ]
Aruvu: [ It sounds ridiculous.
But if they think it will aid us, then so be it.
Tomorrow is our final chance to practice alone. ]
Still: [ Right. I’ll be sure to rest early tonight
Did you have something in mind for the wager already? ]
Aruvu: … ( is typing )
…
…
[ We’ll discuss it after I win. ]
Still: [ Hehe
I like your confidence~
Then I’ll keep mine a secret too
I’m looking forward to tomorrow
c: ]
Aruvu: ( read message )
. . .
. . .
Still: [ Good night, Aruvu~ <3 ]
Aruvu: ( read message )
. . .
. . .
The two closed their phones and laid onto their beds, separated by dorm buildings upon dorm buildings. Still glanced out the window and the beautifully large moon, before staring up at the ceiling and losing herself in her own stream of thoughts.
“ ( I’m sure things will be fine. But I’ll miss all these nights of running together with Aruvu . . I know there’s plenty more to look forward to, but being alone like this . . it was really fun . . ~ I will give her the most delightful feast tomorrow . . ! ) “
Just as her primal urges began to invade her thoughts, she clocked out in fatigue, letting her dreams contribute to continuing her imagination.
On Aruvu’s end, she was turning from side to side every so often, stuffing her face deep into her pillow as if it was to block out noise. She did not look physically distraught, but her own thoughts were stopping her from falling into a deeper slumber.
“ ( . . There’s no use in thinking about it. I will just run how I always have, with or without her. ) “
As much as she couldn’t outright admit it, she also truly had fun throughout the past week of running together. Aruvu found herself improving, and her itch to race until she couldn’t race anymore was continuously satisfied thanks to Still. If only these moments could last forever, but life has other plans for everyone, and Aruvu has a path to follow, only hoping that Still’s will be right beside her own for as long as possible.
Which is why for that wager, she wants to ask her . . .
. . .
The night had arrived faster than anticipated, but the twilight’s light signaled that it was their last midnight rendezvous. As discussed in their texts, they wore their proper G1 race outfits out to the track in a bit of an extra, motivational way to fully immerse themselves in the run, and confirmed with each other their little raised stakes for this race at the starting marker.
“ Still, I hope you’re more prepared than ever this time. “ Despite the not so serious wager, Aruvu was as serious as could be. More than just the personal one on one time they spent together over the past week, her yearning for this moment over years was approaching the light at the end of the tunnel: Just the two destined companion competitors, putting their souls into their run as they took on each other in a bout that rivaled the emotional high of a graded race.
“ Mm.
I’ll bare everything to you, Aruvu. Please, do the same for me . . ~ “
Still’s voice rang with confidence and just enough of a twisted undertone that warranted a side glance from Aruvu as she was in the middle of warming up in place. Her words certainly inspired confidence from Aruvu’s side, but also the seed of chaos that Still’s ego thrived off of. Before she could even put much analysis into it, Still’s hand was right at Aruvu’s shoulder, standing on her tiptoes to accommodate for their height gap, and continued to water that very seed with sudden devious, breathy language at her ear, sending it right down her spine.
“ Let’s have some fun ~ . “
Aruvu’s eyes shifted over to the scarlet rose, immediately noticing that smile that has both haunted her nightmares and blessed her dreams, in all of its twisted fixature, beginning to spread across Still’s lips. The blue uma kept her head forward regardless, pausing in place for a moment before moving forward, with Still hanging on for a little before splitting off a clingy separation.
“ I’ll hold you to those words. “
It was all Aruvu had to say for now, with full certainty that her running will fill in the blanks where her words could not. She had already made her way to the starting line, leaning forward with a determined expression. The corner of her gaze watched as Still approached her side and did the same, immediately noticing her cheeks growing redder by the second, as if the excitement and thrill building up inside was prepared to explode any moment now. Still looked over at her fellow racer once more before looking forward, a maddened smile both signaling her anticipation and holding back maniacal laughter.
Aruvu took a deep breath while tossing her phone down to the ground just as always, setting the timer and preparing herself mentally. She could feel Still’s overwhelming presence, one that had been constantly sought out for this week, attacking her senses, and yet knew this was only just a taste of what was to come. Still was capable of much more, and Aruvu was psyching herself up for bracing all of it. This was indeed going to be the race they had been chasing, and it made the icy cold uma crack the smallest of smiles, noticeable to only the most keen eyes.
Still’s eyes were lightly closed, as if taking one last moment to release any remaining tensions or doubts to fully cut her instincts loose. The fear and confusion from the past had finally disappeared, and all she could envision was the track in front and her beloved beside her. She could feel the tingles of carnal desires twitching in her fingertips, ready to take off when the alarm rang.
And above all else to the both of them, they knew already that it would be the most fun they would ever have.
The full moon’s light illuminated them and the ground, the only thing filling the silent atmosphere as the count was approaching its sound off:
. . .
. . .
( beep! )
The race had begun, with Aruvu’s impressive burst of speed, thanks to her concentration, had kept her in front as they made it to the first corner. She felt as light as a feather, her steps were forceful yet fluid, taking massive strides with her legs while her arms propelled her further than ever before. Still was right on her tail with impressive form, consistently so as they began the next straight into the second corner. It was as though she was admiring her prey from behind, both gathering information and finding enjoyment out of the process to make the inevitable push from Aruvu’s shadow all the more satiating for her sadistic instinct. Still was finally beginning to speak as Aruvu refused to turn her head behind, focusing solely on her own running until Still would have to force her to look at her.
“ Aruvu . . ! Aruvu . . ! ! more . . MORE ! ! ! .. “
Her voice was cracking in the rush, all while her gaze, tinted red in bloodlust, was fixated heavily on Aruvu and the turf to her sides. Aruvu’s breaths were becoming more hastened, the effects of Still’s pressure slowly invading her mind from all directions. She did her best to block out any mental noise, yet few drops of sweat began to drip down her forehead as the battle to keep her composure while the run at her peak proceeded. The two were moving past the halfway point, making their way into the 3rd straight as Still continued to vocally bask in the blissful insanity.
“ GIVE ME MORE, ARUVU ! ! EVERYTHING YOU GOT ! ! “
Still’s vocal chords loudly strained her proclamations of desires, and the only response from Aruvu was to switch it up a gear and sprint around the corner’s bend even faster.
“ ( I will prevail, Still in Love. Try and take it, show me so that I can surpass you . . ! ) “
Her own proclamation was silent in her thoughts, once again letting her running do the talking for her. Nothing felt like a potential issue in her current state, it was as though she was already in the state of flow without even realizing it. She felt conditioned enough to be able to fully spurt towards the finish line from this level of a racer’s high without any trouble or fatigue in her body. Her limbs were moving naturally, as if the two were entwined in a dance with matching each other’s steps. Aruvu wouldn’t break that formation first, she wanted Still to break through her own limits, so that she could push herself to do the same.
“ ( Not yet . . Don’t look back . .
Let her come to you . . run . . RUN . . ) “
Still’s instinct was now beginning to affect Aruvu’s own mind, as though thorns were invasively growing within her garden of solitude. She wasn’t alone anymore, and deep down, she wanted it to be that way. Bracing the challenge head on, Aruvu would feel it causing her head to pulsate and field of view narrow, yet her body continued pushing on, as though it were a boon rather than a bane. The second to last straight was concluding, and the final corner was near a foot’s length.
“ ( Not yet . . almost . .
. . ) “
“ ( Aruvuuuuu ~ Notice me , all of me . . !! ~ )
As they entered the last turn with their senses firing on all cylinders, Still had ended up just behind the shoulder of her rival. Taking an observation that Aruvu seemed to be waiting for Still to make the first move, she decided now is the perfect time to do just that. It became dawn for the rose’s feast, as her devious smile grew wide and her footsteps took the outer corner of the track at a scarily incredible speed.
“ If you won’t give it to me . . Then I’ll just take it . . ! ! ! “
“ . . Come get it.
! ! “
With an immediate reaction to her remark that finally acknowledged Still’s presence, as though her words came from inside her own head, Aruvu responded before swiftly leaning in and lengthened her stride to shift into her full acceleration, soaring around the corner and onto the final straight. Still matched her pace, visibly finding more elation than ever now that Aruvu had not only responded to her, but was giving her exactly what she needed to turn her into the finest meal she could ever dream of. Seeing Aruvu visibly shook and pushed to the brink had Still turning red in ecstatic joy.
Flying down the last few hundred metres, the two girls were neck and neck, barely a nose’s length between them in distance as the naked eye couldn’t tell who was leading now. The two umamusume were running like never before, pushing each other to their physical limits and beyond as the finish line was approaching. While Still kept quickly turning her head forth and back to savor the look of Aruvu’s expression, Aruvu kept Still within the corner of her eye the entire time and channeled all the energy she could to match her rival’s flame. Seeing her run like this was truly beautiful, and feeling that she was the only one who could push her like this, made the smallest of smiles formed across her lips for just a brief moment, enough that Still would see it and feel the same warmth in the collective enjoyment of the time they spent together.
“ ( Ah ~ She’s having just as much fun . . ! ~ ) “
The finish line was only mere dozens of steps away, and the two, still deadlocked in a tie, gave it their last exhalations of breaths as no words could escape their lips. They yelled out in unison to the open air as it came down to the end, without a single care or thought in the world besides for their run together. It continued to be too close to call anyone’s race, sprinting side by side until the very last moment and letting everything loose.
( HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!! )
And in the blink of an eye, the finish line was crossed and ran through for a bit further until their legs gave up and slowed to a full stop. For how well she was stabilized during the race, Aruvu could now feel the effects of fatigue weighing down on her thighs, panting heavily as she bent down out of stamina, and shortly after sinking down to the turf with an inability to stand. After Still grabbed her own breath, she strolled with light steps from behind, seemingly bursting with energy out a fusion between her instinct and her ego, even after thanks to the rush of excitement.
“ Ah, that was beautiful, Aruvu ~ ! I can feel my heart pulsing, the aftertaste of it lingering . . It feels wonderful ~ ! “
Her spirits were higher than ever, gleefully prancing about until she finally towered above Aruvu, before sinking down onto her knees and once more resting herself on her rival’s shoulder.
“ Although, there wasn’t a clear winner there. And since we’re both out for the night, I suppose we’ll have to call it a tie . . ~ “
Aruvu made no efforts to move this time, welcoming Still against her body as she continued to physically recoup her lost breath until she was able to speak once more.
“ I suppose so. A deal is a deal.
You go first then, if you can’t wait any longer to speak your mind. “
As discussed earlier, their wager, as suggested by those closest to them, was simple: The winner had just one moment to say or do whatever they wanted. It would be a secret they would keep to the grave, but also their way of letting out long withheld feelings without shame or embarrassment, or worrying about whether it would be the right or wrong time to do so.
Still, filled with undying love for the moment, grabbed the opportunity as soon as she was given it. Anything at all was quite the stretch, and Still was prepared to take full advantage of it. Rising up off of Aruvu for a moment, she toed around until she towered in front of her, before lowering herself down onto Aruvu once more, her weight pressing down against her waist. Aruvu could instantly feel her warmth on top of her, and watching as the only thing she could see, and wanted to see, was the devilishly grinning Still leaning in further and further, their bodies resting more and more against each other until the two were at nose length with one another, eyes glued to each other’s own.
“ Aruvu … ~ “
Her whispering voice was once more a mix of soothing alluring tones and unstable passions. Still could feel her breath brushing against her own lips, and took a long view at Aruvu’s browed down stare, hiding as much of those flusters and desires as possible beneath her blank stare that was slowly melting away from Still’s heat. It was compounded as Still laid a hand on Aruvu’s cheek, cupping it gently at first and then letting her red fingernails stroke across her skin, while the latter made no attempt to move or flinch at all. A deal was a deal, and she was infinitely more than secretly happy with the terms than she had given off so far.
“ If I could say just one thing . . Promise me we’ll keep running like this together . . forever . . ♡
Your turn now . . ~ “
“ ( You beat me to it, and left me in quite the check, Still . . ) “
It was though Still took both the words, and even the actions, right out of her mouth. But it wasn’t everything, she forgot one last touch, or to Aruvu, maybe she had left it out on purpose and put this task up to her instead.
Still was busy staring into Aruvu’s crystal eyes, still exploring every last inch of her face, before sinking down her throat and onto her collarbone without stopping. Aruvu couldn’t hold it in any longer, it was time for her own prize now. Just as Still was about to speak once more to acknowledge the paralyzed girl, Aruvu went in for the kill.
( . . ! )
With a sudden motion, Aruvu slammed her eyes shut and planted her lips on her partner, tiling about a little as even her needy hands had wrapped around Still’s figure and pushed her in deeper. Still was caught completely off guard in a small gasp and gentle blush, yet she also made no attempt to contest it. She let Aruvu take in her fully, causing seconds to feel like eternities as they sat there kissing underneath the moonlight.
When Aruvu finally had her fill, she paused in place, before jolting her head back and letting only a strand of saliva link them together, avoiding eye contact shyly. It was as though a totally different side of her took over for a brief moment, but she made her winning comment before Still could say anything.
“ . . As long as you keep your eyes on me, at my side. “
Still’s expression went blank in thought, gazing at the girl in front of her who was doing a very poor job at hiding her own fluster, despite her attempt at looking cool and composed once more. Her regular personality was dominant once more, as though Aruvu had put it to rest for the night.
“ Of course, Aruvu . . ! ~ “
As though she was fighting back tears in her words, she instinctively hugged Aruvu bear tight, getting an audible noise out of her rival from the sudden embrace.
“ You’re mine, and I’m yours . . ! ~
Ah, sorry about that, I got a bit carried away. “
Upon noticing how much force she squeezed her with, she released herself and stood up, before extending a hand to her rival.
“ It’s getting late, shall we head back to the dorm? “
“ . . Right. “
The night had gone on for what felt like countless nights, as Aruvu hesitated for a moment to gather herself before accepting Still’s hand and lifting herself up with it. Still made an effort to not let go even after Aruvu stood up, yet Aruvu was certain about walking with her arms crossed, prompting a little giggle out of Still in response.
“ Hey, Aruvu, after tonight, I feel like nothing can stop us at the relay . . Don’t you agree? ~ “
“ . . Of course. “
The confidence boost was enough to even get one last smirk out of Aruvu, as the two partners in racing, and in love, happily strolled off together back home.