Chapter Text
Nice Nature sighed and leaned back against Ritto dorm’s front door as she slammed it behind her. I’m such an idiot. What did I think would happen? That I’d get down on one knee and we’d be lovey-dovey rivals forever? I can’t compete with either of them, why’d I even try? Do I like doing this to myself? She massaged her brow with the back of her hand. This Valentine’s Day had been disastrous, but at least she was back ho-
A heard a cough, and looked up to see about a dozen of her peers looking at her. They had turned away from their Love, Umactually watch party to behold Nature in all her miserable glory. She quickly shoved an unopened box of chocolates and a heavily shaken bouquet of roses behind her. Heat rising in her face she started skittering over towards the stairs. She noted the garbage can under the first flight and raised her hand to discard the unwanted items, but a firm yet gentle grip wrapped around her wrist. Nature turned with a start to see Fuji Kiseki smiling at her.
“It’s wrong to waste food my dear pony, wouldn’t you agree?”
Nice Nature couldn’t hold her gaze and her eyes fell to the floor. “It’d be pathetic for me to eat it…” she mumbled. Fuji’s smile softened as understanding crept into the corners of her eyes,
“Then let’s eat them together!” She slipped the heart-shaped box out of Nature’s hand and turned to walk towards a secluded table in the corner of the common room. Nice Nature’s first instinct was to run, to hide under her sheets for the next calendar week. But she could tell Fuji was trying to be nice, and although she wanted to be perceived as little as possible, it wasn’t worth burning a bridge over.
She sighed and followed the dorm leader, sitting in the chair opposite of her as Fuji deftly opened the chocolate box with practiced precision before popping one of the sweets into her mouth. She pointed out another treat to Nature, “You should try the caramel, it’s quite good!”
Nature hesitantly picked up the candy and nibbled on the corner. Okay yeah that’s pretty good. She looked back up to Fuji, who had moved on to her second piece, “You must get a lot of these, huh?”
“Well yes, my ponies are quite generous~”
“But you don’t have a date either…” Nature mumbled absentmindedly, “AH! S-sorry that was so rude of me!”
Fuji chuckled, “I keep this day open to help heartbroken ponies like you, it’s my responsibility to keep you all safe during your stay here.”
“I guess I appreciate it- W-wait! H-heartbroken!? N-no I just, um, found these outside!”
“I may be a flirt Ms. Nature, but I’m not a gossip,” Fuji replied calmly as she laid her hand over Nature’s, “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, but there’s no need for dishonestly.”
Nature’s face reddened once again. She knew this Fuji’s whole shtick, but damn it didn’t hurt for even someone as unworthy as her to get a little attention. “These were for Te-, m-my crush, but when I went to confess, someone was already there.” She chuckled morosely, “Nice Nature comes in third place yet again…”
Fuji gently caressed Nature’s knuckles with her thumb, which definitely did not cause the redhead to bite her tongue to stop herself from yelping. Fuji calmly replied, “It happens more often than you think my dear pony. There’s a lot of stereotypes about umamusume falling in love with their “destined rival”, but in reality many racers one could consider rivals appear over the course of one’s career, and while this can bloom into romance, other find love in other ordinary places.”
“I dunno… I just… at this point it’s hard to imagine myself getting everything I want, I don’t have what it takes to win.”
“Nice Nature, love isn’t a race.”
“…” The red-haired uma paused in her lament.
“It’s not about being the strongest or the fastest.” a bit of of melancholy tugged at Fuji’s eyes, “Take it from me my dear pony, don’t rush through your life. When you look back at everything you missed, you will wish you had slowed down.”
“T-thank you Fuji, and… I’m sorry.”
“Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, I-”
Fuji’s eyes flickered over Nature’s shoulder as she heard the door open once more, “Oh! Give me just a moment.” Fuji slipped out of her seat and Nature turned to watch as she strode up to none other than Mejiro Palmer, looking about as miserable as herself. She didn’t have any chocolates but tightly clutched a bouquet behind her back, causing Nature to remember her own flowers laying on the table. She quickly turned away not wanting to be rude, but after a moment she heard footsteps growing closer,
“-night’s not over yet pony, try to relax a little.” Nature looked up to see Fuji standing besides the table with Palmer in tow, who had a strained smile on her lips, “Nature! As much as I was enjoying our conversation, I do have some responsibilities to attend to, but~ I did find a replacement!”
Palmer raised her hand weakly, “Hey.”
“Share some chocolate you two, and try not to have too much fun without me!”
Nature’s mouth opened to respond, but swiftly the dorm leader wheeled around and sauntered away, leaving Palmer standing there, about as confused as she was. After a beat, the Mejiro shrugged and plopped down into the empty chair before pointing at the open candy box,
“You mind?”
“O-oh! No, g-go ahead!” Nice Nature was panicking. She had just warmed up to confiding in Fuji, and now she was gone. She didn’t hate Palmer or anything, they had had some classes and races together, but they weren’t particularly close. And frankly, as petty as it was, Nature wasn’t sure she wanted to be around a Mejiro right now.
“You have a shit Valentine’s too?” Palmer inquired between bites.
“Y-yeah, you could say that.”
Silence.
“Look, we’ve both taken L’s today, we don’t gotta have a pity party about it. Let’s just call it for the night-” The front runner went to push off from the table, but Nice Nature’s hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist. What the hell are you doing Nature!? You literally thought this like ten minutes ago! But Palmer just looked, miserable. Oh, you think you’re Fuji now? Gonna make it all better?
“W-wait, I… I think Fuji was right, I think it would be better if weren’t alone.”
I don’t know if I deserve this kind of help… but Palmer does.
The other girl sighed and slid back down into her seat, “Yeah, you’re probably right. Sorry for being such a bummer.”
“Pfft, don’t worry about it, if there’s one thing I’m first place in it’s being a bummer.”
Palmer laughed, a shockingly bright thing considering her previously dower demeanor, “Soooo true Natie, I feel like I’ve seen you every time I went to the stump-”
Nature face fell into a frown, “One, it’s Nature. Two, what happens at the stump stays at the stump.”
“One hundred percent… but have you seen it today? The line’s wrapped around the science building!”
“Yeah, I was kinda hoping to use it, but waiting in line that long would be miserable”
“Totally,” a cheeky grin appeared on Palmer’s face, “then I guess I could be your stump tonight.”
“Huh?” The redhead responded eloquently.
“Yeah! Spill some tea to me, get it off your chest, and we’ll kept it on the downlow.”
Nature bit the inside or her cheek. Shit, I REALLY don’t want this to spread, but I did keep Palmer here, and talking to Fuji helped...
“W-well… I went to talk to someone, to c-confess, and someone else got there first, it sucks.”
“I mean, someone got there first, but how’s mean you’re screwed?”
“L-let’s just say I can’t really compete with them. Te- The person I like is already outta my league, and M- the other one’s beyond that.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t say that, you’re a real catch you know,” Nature felt her face heat up as Palmer smiled at her with those big blue eyes, goddesses am I really that easy to fluster? “and you don’t gotta beat around the bush, you’re talking about Teio and McQueen right?”
Nature’s mouth flapped open uselessly, “A-ah, n- well, uh…”
Palmer chuckled, “Listen, I get it, I’ve been comparing myself to McQueen my entire life, “ She quickly threw her hands up, “I love her obviously! It’s just… it was hard to live in her shadow sometimes.”
“Y-yeah, this,” Nature lifted her grocery store bouquet, “was about half the size of the one I saw Teio holding… but it’s not even money, just from being on the same track as those two you can tell… but for some reason I still thought I had a chance…”
“I know the feeling, it sucks.” Palmer sighed, “It was really hard to start racing while she was hitting her prime, I could always tell the Older Mejiro were focusing on her, so it was hard to stand out.”
“What did you do?”
Palmer shrugged, “I stopped holding myself to their standards and focused on what made me happy. I got a lot of help from… Sorry, I’m getting off topic, how are you doing?”
Nature took note of the other girl’s not-so-subtle deflection, but played along, “It just blows to put my neck out like this for once, only for it to blow up in my face. The only upside is that neither of them saw me with this crap.” She gestured to the flowers and chocolate. Palmer’s forehead wrinkled,
“I don’t know Teio super well, but McQueen wouldn’t give you crap about it, if anything she’d be-”
“Too nice! They’d be so apologetic and understanding, but I don’t want their pity! I wanna forget this ever happened so I can feel like ten-percent less of a screw up!” She blurted out before burying her face in the table.
She let out a deep breath as she let the cool plastic or linoleum or plywood or what ever this crap was press against her cheek.
“… Yeah, McQueen would totally do that.” Palmer conceded. Nature hummed quietly in response, before feeling a hand begin to slowly pat her head, “Goddesses, I could imagine them getting you chocolate for white day or something so you ‘didn’t feel left out’. One time when we were kids-”
Nature stopped listening as she slowly melted under the Mejiro’s touch. Damn, am I really this touch-starved? … I guess I was kinda hoping it might be Teio- NOPE! Don’t cross the streams here Nature, be normal!
“-Hey, you listening?”
Nature shot her head up, “Y-yup! I’m just a little tired, ya’know?”
Palmer nodded, “Oh yeah, it’s been a long day huh?” The brunette had that typical lazy smile on her face, but Nature noticed her eyes still hadn’t moved to meet her mouth’s enthusiasm.
“… Do you want me to stump for you?”
“Huh?” Now it was Palmer’s turn to be caught off guard.
“It’s only fair right? That I listen to you I mean! Y-you don’t have to say anything you don’t want!” Nature waved her hands in front of her as Palmer visibly tensed up.
Palmer looked genuinely lost in thought, her eyes unfocused, before she slumped into her chair, “Yeah… yeah, you’re right. Goddess, where do I start?” Palmer rubbed her face while Nature chewed her lip and folded her hands on the table in a vain attempt to look dependable. “Well, you know how me and Helios are besties right?”
Nature nodded, “Oh yeah, you’re always either racing each other or cheering from the front row. You’re like, attached at the hip! I even saw you with her earlier today when she was chasing Daichi Ruby… Oh. Oh, Palmer…”
“Yup,” she confirmed morosely, “I spent all day today trying to help her rizz up Ruby, there were bouquets and chocolates and musical numbers and more flowers and more songs. But after all of that, I gave her my gift, and she thanked me because she loves getting “bestie candy”,”
Nature’s heart ached in sympathy, at least she didn’t have to follow Teio around all day as she flirted with McQueen.
“But what else can I do? Try and keep her from chasing Ruby? That’s so lame!”
“Do you think she has a chance?”
“Honestly, I don’t know, Ruby’s pretty hard to read. The bigger issue is that Helios is just, really stubborn, I don’t see her giving up anytime soon.”
“What about you?”
“I… I love her Nature, she was there for me at the lowest point of my life, she showed me how to be myself. Maybe one day I won’t want to be with her so bad, but that’s not today.”
“… I know what it’s like, to work so hard, everyday, to try and achieve something, to be someone worth noticing, just to never get there. I wish I had advice for you, goddesses know I could use it, but I get it. It just sucks.”
Palmer looked back up at her, eyes wide, lip trembling, “Really?”
“What, you think I like getting third place?”
The Mejiro snorted, and leaned her head in her hand, “You’re funny Natie… and you’re a good listener. Thanks.”
“Don’t sweat it,” the other uma replied, “but it’s Nature, okay?”
“No problem Natie.” The girl groaned as Palmer started giggling. At least she seemed to be in better sprits. “But for real though, I appreciate it. Honestly, I’m surprised we haven’t hung out before, you’re cool.”
Nature couldn’t help but blush slightly at the compliment, “T-thanks, and you’re pretty cool yourself.”
Palmer shrugged, “I try my best.” She stopped and thought for a moment, “You know, Ace said she was gonna be gone tonight, you wanna come to my room and watch some movies or somethin?”
“What like romcoms?”
“Hell no! That’s not the vibe tonight, let’s watch Happy Gilmore!”
“That old American movie? Does it even hold up?”
“Probably not! But me and dad used to watch it all the time, so it’s kind of a comfort watch for me.”
Nature thought for a moment before shrugging, a faint smile on her lips, “Sounds fine to me, but I get to choose the one after.” She felt her chest warm as Palmer’s eyes lit up,
“You’re literally peak Natie! Let’s go!”
“It’s Nat- hey!” She was interrupted as Palmer grabbed her hand and started running for the stairs, “P-Palmer, we’re not supposed to run in the hallway- ha, hahaha!” She couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Half an hour ago Nice Nature thought she was going to curl in on herself so deeply she might blink out of existence, but here she was running and giggling with a new friend! A friend with rough hands- Nature! Chill!
Three hours later Nice Nature found herself sitting next to Palmer in the Mejiro’s bed, watching as the credits for the second movie they had watched appeared on screen. They had started with Happy Gilmore, which Nature found passable, much to Palmer’s delight. After that Nature suggested they watch the new Ultrauma movie, as her little brother had been talking about it to her nonstop the past few times she visited home. It was a bit outside both uma’s wheelhouses, but they had a good time watching it together.
As the credits rolled Nature pulled checked her phone. “Crap, it’s almost curfew.”
Her companion groaned, “Awwww come ooonn, you can still stay a little longer right?”
Nature winced, “Fuji really helped us out tonight, I don’t wanna make trouble for her…”
Palmer sighed, “Yeah, you’re right…” Suddenly she perked up, a crafty grin appearing on her face, “Hey Natie, give me your phone so I can put my deets in.”
“For the twelfth time tonight, it’s Nature, but sure.” She unlocked her phone and handed it over, “Here you go.”
“Thanks!” Palmer plucked the device from Nature’s hand and began tapping away it.
… It shouldn’t take this long just to put in her contact info, what’s she do-
“Here you go, all done!” and suddenly the phone was back in her hands, with Palmer looking noticeably smug about something.
“Thanks,” Nature scrolled down her contacts, but Palmer’s name wasn’t where it should be. Nature kept scrolling, “Where’d you put-”
Suddenly she saw it, a new contact. Not labeled ‘Mejiro Palmer’, just simply
STUMP
Accompanied by maybe the lowest resolution photo the uma had ever seen. Nature’s hand shot to her mouth to keep herself from cackling at such a late hour. “Oh my goddesses Palmer…”
“Thank you, thank you, been cooking that for the past hour.” The Mejiro bowed in mock gratitude before looking back up at the other girl, “But seriously, if you ever need someone to talk to again, about Teio or anything else, you hit me up.”
Nature blinked for a second before smiling, feeling genuinely moved by the offer, “Thanks Palmer, I really appreciate that.” She paused for a beat before grinning wider, “And the offer is fully reciprocated, so let me stump your phone!”
“Hell yeah!”
Nature took the other girl’s phone and began putting in her contact, and even though she had to get Palmer to help her find a good picture, eventually a matching entry was made in the Mejiro’s phone. Palmer smiled at her, the glow of her laptop’s screen lighting up her pale blue eyes, “Y’know Nature, I lowkey thought tonight was washed, but I had a lot fun. Honestly, Teio doesn’t know what’s she’s missing.”
Nature suddenly became very aware of Palmer’s eyes, and her lazy smile, and how close they were sitting on the bed, and how warm her blankets were, and how their knees were touching and – “T-thanks! Um, I-I had a lot of fun tonight too, I’ll t-talk to you soon!”
“Sounds cool- oh, later!” Palmer was interrupted as Nature practically leapt out of her bed and slipped through the door. She kept up this swift pace as she retreated back to her dorm and shut herself in the bathroom. After turning the lights on she lent over the sink and started the water before splashing her face. Taking a deep breath, Nature looked up at her reflection in the mirror.
What the hell is going on? Am I really doing this again? You literally got your heartbroken TODAY, there is NO WAY you’re getting a crush on Palmer, who is actively in love with someone else, which doesn’t even matter! It’s not right to move on that fast. It doesn’t matter how comforting her smile is or how blue her eyes are, kinda like Tei- STOPSTOPSTOP. Nature buried her head in her hands. Okay, let’s just calm down. It’s been a really crazy day, and all the ups and downs have just, confused me a little bit. It’s like with Fuji earlier, I’m just craving a little comfort for today, that’s all. I’ll wake up tomorrow and Palmer will just be a cool friend I had a fun night with, okay? Okay. Nature took a couple of deep breaths and started doing her nightly routine.
After she finish she poked her head out of the bathroom. Thankfully Marvelous Sunday was fast asleep, unperturbed by her sudden entrance earlier. Seeing her roommate snoring peacefully, Nature slipped out of the bathroom and flopped into bed. The exhaustion of the eventful day finally hitting her all at once.
All of that aside… I did have fun tonight… I should thank Fuji for her help… Maybe a bento… what would she like… maybe some katsu… or maybe…
And slowly, peacefully, Nice Nature drifted into sleep.