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The immutable variable of time would forever make changes in the life of Umamusume and humans alike.
Never in the same way.
Humans life is a continuous path forwards with an indefinite number of branches all in front of them to choose from. Umamusume on the other side had a much more abrupt stop prepared for them early on.
As any normal person they could have chosen to study, go to college, get a degree and a job.
But their desire to run pushed them into racing.
Racers who spent years giving everything into each training, competing in grand races or lesser ones chasing for dreams, glory or honor eventually get swept by it too.
Highs and lows, geniuses and underdogs, winners and losers. Eventually every single one of them would be reaching the day their bodies would no longer keep with the demand and retirement would arrive.
Inevitable.
Didn’t matter if the Dream Trophy still allowed them to run after it, or if they extended their career two more years, the Twinkle Series would someday be over for them and so was racing as a profession.
Grand winners got the chance to retire well, if managed correctly even never having to bother with working seriously in the future.
But we are not accompanying neither a slacker nor a grand winner.
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Three years had passed by her since she left Tracen Academy.
Walking through the halls of a decently sized building an Umamusume with brown hair with red eyes walked through the hall dressed in a very nice green shirt buttoned shirt gray pants and dark blue ear covers.
Today was her first day at her new job, a day that meant a new beginning in the life of King Halo.
Her heels clicked with every step, some heads turning to look as she smoothly navigated the building a good amount of them recognized her form due to her appearance remaining similar despite the passage of time.
Looking younger than the twenty two years she now had.
She didn’t care much for those eyes, today was a culmination an effort completely adjacent to her life during Tracen and as such she would live it as it should be. Untied to the identity she held as a runner, not that she would forget those days.
King would honor it with the duty itself that she had chosen, not with the fame she gained. For that’s what a true first-rate Umamusume should strive to be.
Her whole racing life ended in a graduation that had been a magical yet sad day for her and everyone around them.
The Golden Generation would no longer be in Tracen academy, separation would become an inevitability with some moving back to where they originally lived, trying different career paths in life, or deciding that they wanted to do something else before settling down.
Spe had gone back to Hokkaido, Grass remained in Tokyo studying literature at college still, Sky was completely off grid for them with no one aware of her destination, El went to the states not long after graduating and Tsuyo has chosen to remain within Tracen as a faculty member to cover a similar role to Tazuna.
Each following a different road, leaving her alone for the most part.
It seemed everyone had some form of idea of what they wanted to do, to see or to experience. They had wasted no time in getting their lives to march forward, keeping contact with who they wanted and even visiting them everyone once in a while.
All of them but herself found some proper path forward at least to her knowledge, meanwhile she remained stuck and unsure to where to move with her life.
Zero desire to go back home was the only consistent thing her heart had told her at that moment. Taking all of her earnings she rented out a place in Kyoto to put some distance as she could with her mother remembering the last words she heard from her.
“Finally, to think that you’ve made me wait this long” She hadn’t even come to the graduation, just one phone call two days after broke whatever though of reconnecting with her mother that King Halo had.
“Have you gotten that rebellious streak out of you now? Has this pointless little endeavor of yours calmed you down?”
Was that truly all her racing career was for her?
“Who knows how much time you’ve waisted with this”
Did she really not care at all.
“Come home now, maybe you could be successful in life now”
She hanged up instantly.
From then on she began to trying figuring out her life, spending weeks staring at a blank piece of paper, various professions, business, or ideas that never went too far.
Design was something she adored to do, something she would have chosen were it not for her mother.
The younger her would have called not choosing to do it to avoid any chance of her mother ever finding out and hoarding it over her, to know that despite it all she finished doing what she wanted, to take part in the same industry as her.
She knew now that that decision back there was just fueled by spite.
So she searched, tried arts, sciences, languages. Trying every possibility that would have been seen as something of the highest rate on an ideal level.
That was not what she settled with.
Finally King Halo had reached a door, sliding it open revealed a classroom. Children both human and Umamusume spoke loudly amongst themselves, tables and chairs located in a grid like pattern in front of a whiteboard and a desk.
Turns out Education was the choice she ended up making.
“Impossible, how could one task be so hard!” Papers scattered the moment she angrily got up, dressed in casual clothing Halo began to pace around her room. “Nothing, a month of searching and I have nothing”
Frustration swept her into an even quicker pace around her new apartment. “I am a first-rate Umamusume, deciding on a career path should not be a difficulty for one like me!”
But it had been, and she was now stumped.
“…” In a flash she decided to go out, leave the apartment and live for a little to clear her head and refresh. (Yes, that is all I require) Changing into more proper outdoor clothing, made for running, King peacefully walked the streets of Kyoto.
Despite having been living here for weeks the place remained unknown to her, the effort driven mind she had denied her of a moment of peace while a matter as important as her future was unclear.
Now she had a chance to see some at the very least, even if it was at the cost of her stressing out.
From the grand streets to more historically rich areas, King Halo ran through them all to clear her mind. Each step on the ground was so nice, having sat still for long in her new home. (How shameful, to have missed beautiful scenery like…and this freedom too)
Eventually she ran a circling route, going through more places right until she was stopped, a mass of children leaving a school nearby chatting amongst themselves, running, laughing, some sad or angry.
Nostalgic feeling of her time in the Academy returning to her.
(Has it been this much time?) For children to be leaving school she must have been running for three hours already. (Returning home becomes a priority then, schooling registries will close soon Tracen recommendation or not)
In that moment, before she could continue running towards her house she’d crash into someone that would change her trajectory of choice forever.
Now she stood here, on the same school that she’d seen three years ago.
“I greet everyone here with spirit” Confidently walking her presence shut up the entire room, eyes only on her. “This one’s name is King Halo and as of today I am your homeroom teacher” Swiftly her hand grabbed one of the many markers in the desk, writing on the board her name for them all to see.
Whispers spread, her name was a known one after all that despite how much time it may pass it still held on in the world. She’d be having none of that however, this king would build a different reign in this school than in the track.
“Do listen students” She clapped once, a dry impact that startled everyone with its volume. “This year we will be starting things differently that you are used to”
She would be their teacher for once, that was an honor. “I require an introduction of everyone where you state your name and what is it that you desire to do in life” But it went beyond that.
“A teacher?” It was an idea that was never within her options in the first place, a profession she’d never thought about too hard.
The redhead woman sitting beside her in the café smiled, they’d met short of a week ago in front of the same school she’d seen, having collided with her in a rush.
This had been the first friendship Halo had made after leaving Tokyo. “I do believe you have an aptitude for it” One that came unexpectedly from her having seen her racing.
“A stubbornness to make people understand thing, being loud and good at gathering attention as well as a great care for those around you” Halo was smiled at with confidence, passing trust through a gesture. “I know you’ll support those kids”
Her cheeks warmed with the sudden rush of compliments, at least she took them that way. “Saying such things won’t sway this King, I doubt my skills would fare well in such an environment”
Raising her cup of coffee the woman sipped before extending an offer. “You’re stuck on your search, so why not try this? We got a summer camp coming next week at our institution and we could use a few hands” Gesturing King with her palm up in a handshake position. “You got two to figure out what you want so give it a chance”
Rejection danced at the tip of her mouth, she had no time to waste when trying to find what she wanted to do. “Is there a reason for such desire to have me teach in your school?” But exploring options was all she did these days, this was no different.
“I admire perseverance friend, if someone could teach children such a thing before life truly puts its challenges ahead of them or if it helps them if it has already happened” Many things could life throw towards someone. “I’d make me feel much safer for the future” Yet without a drive to do anything about it things would not change.
“A classroom is just the start of that” That’s why she felt fortunate having met King Halo. “To support those kids when nobody else will” Even her attitude on track showed those traits.
“I’ll let you think on it” Her hand lowered, grabbing her cup once more. “We should enjoy the free time we have for now”
To support and motivate those children who nobody else was willing to. Maybe at that moment the idea had resonated with Halo from the very beginning, maybe she’d been ensnared by the director before she realized.
She did not care anymore, just as she had loved racing, helping the children to build themselves a place in the world through their attitudes and knowledge had now a spot in her heard.
“It doesn’t matter if it is big or small” Her voice was hard her crimson eyes scanning every single one of these fourteen year old kids, who’d soon begin to choose the life they have for themselves. “I care not for your parent’s idea of your future or if you do not know of it at the moment”
“I want one look within yourselves” For she would support such dreams, so nobody would stand alone against what they want to be or do. “Tell me what would make you happy to do the rest of your lives”
Rebellion would be instilled within all of them, for their sake and nobody else’s. She’d teach them how to dream and chase that dream if need be.
Because that’s what a king should do, strive for the best for their people.
“Now we begin” Her finger quickly pointed to the first one on the list.
Her life would begin anew today, the same as that of all who would come into her care.