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—START—
Sweat rolled down her body, her legs rattled each time they impacted the floor, her stride shortening and her pace shortening after crossing the finish line, decelerating into a stop.
This lap had gone well, beyond knowing the numbers her instinct and racing sense felt that it had been one of her better attempts lately.
Looking at the sky as she finished for the day left her thinking.
It was just another day of preparing for the Dream Cup for Oguri Cap, two years after her retirement from the Twinkle Series here she stood once more within Tracen Academy.
No Musaka around, no Kitahara telling her how to train or measure her, each of them had teams to run and while they helped her when she asked or when they had time different priorities now kept it from being how It used to be in her younger years.
She missed those times, every person around her that now lived their lives as they wished.
Still that wouldn’t stop her as she trained mostly on her own, practicing with regiments made years ago but tuned by them to fit the schedule of two races a year that one might not even classify for. But that was fine, as long as Oguri Cap could run and keep moving forward she’d be fine.
Career path and the future could wait until she was out of the track.
The sun shined in its highest point as she sat on the edges of the training grounds, fatigue after a productive day of effort always felt satisfying and now all she had left to do was stretch before leaving.
(Maybe I could visit Tamma’s restaurant before going home?) The idea seemed enticing, her friends cooking was always top notch although she served too little to her every time. (Or Kitahara’s team could need some help) There was so much free time that sometimes she didn’t know what to do with it.
Bending forward Oguri shifted her body to the right going to touch the sole of her left foot, a basic stretching exercise ingrained into her that normally would be done with someone else.
Her natural — very gifted actually — flexibility allowed her to reach into it without anyone thought, the sound of birds chirping and steps approaching were her only companion.
(Wait, steps?)
Someone kneeled down beside her without notice, putting their hands on her back as if it was the most natural thing to do. Oguri’s ears and tail stood on edge for a second, caught off guard by a mysterious individual.
The surprise vanishing into the most pure joy when the person spoke to her.
One voice so sweet and soft that she needed a moment to process who it came from. “Brings memories back doing this huh Oguri” Her heart bead faster and faster as her mouth moved without emitting any sound, her cheeks slowly turning pink.
Her head snapped back to look at Berno Light.
Two years she had been gone, away from Japan to get an international trainer license in the United States, the one person who made Oguri’s heart turn with each smile and laugh, the friend who’d always been by her side since her racing career began, the most special person in her life was right there.
Berno was finally back.
Her tail began to sway aggressively, her ears now straight up in recognition, eyes wide as a smile began to form on her face. “!!” Twisting her body from her position Oguri lunged happily, planting her foot to get more impulse, and throwing both of them into the ground.
For a moment the chestnut haired girl saw what would happen, yet there was not enough time for any action to be taken. “Oguri wait!” Feeling hands coiling around herself into a crushing hug as her back hit the floor.
The entirety of Berno’s face began to heat up with the contact, the pressing against her, the affectionate rubbing of her face on her shoulder was too much for her right now. “Berno’s back I’m so happy!!”
When Oguri lifted her head to look at her, the moment blue met with orange with the most dazzling smile she had been graced with in such a long time Berno felt herself entering a trance, her hand unconsciously pressing against her friend’s back with all the care of years and answering with the best smile she could right back at her.
Low but filled with care the newly licensed trainer spoke. “I missed you too” Like a spotlight the sun gave Oguri the most dazzling of shines, her gray hair reflecting in such a manner that illuminated her whole face.
On the offside Berno’s face was cast with a shadow that let her eyes shine, almost as if they pierced right through Oguri with a more mature elegance than the once she had when going abroad.
Each could feel the other’s pulse, their breathing, and every minimal movement they made. Turning their faces now red away from the other in one last act of avoiding one long overdue conversation.
Even with that, Oguri had no intention of letting go, the warmth provided by Berno and her heart by being near her was wonderful right now, and something she had lacked for too long.
Seconds passed, both of them pressed together. One unwilling to let go while the other didn’t have the strength to tell her to do so.
(Is…is it the correct time now) Something long overdue for her to say, a weight in her chest she had carried for more time than she’d be brave to admit. (Now that I finally have her in my arms)
No better time would come, not after having missed two years of her life and never even knowing she’d be coming back. (This warmth…I don’t want to lose it)
With each heartbeat she gathered her courage, slowly letting the words slip through her tongue with naturality.
Oguri Cap was not someone who doubted her actions, never wavering and running forward. “When Berno decided to leave I got really sad, it was like not having dessert after a nice dinner” Slowly the volume of her voice increased, once more initiating an eye contact that she would not break. “I was happy for you…but at the same time something was missing”
Explanations or questions died in the throat of the aforementioned person, a part of herself desiring to know where exactly was Oguri going with this.
“Days felt empty” A void that just clung unto her and wouldn’t spare a moment of rest. “Meals just passed by in silence most days without you here” There were days her friends came around or when her old trainers spent time with her but Berno had been a constant companion, an always orbiting satellite around her. “I asked others what was wrong, I was feeling too weird”
Slowly Oguri pushed herself off of Berno — whose face was reddening to an alarming point — taking her hands into her and helping her sit upright while she kept herself kneeled at her level.
The eyesight was not broken and all of her sincerity would be transmitted with the next words. “Having Berno here by my side, that’s what I wanted” Nothing but love was conveyed with that sentence. “Everyone said I missed you since I always had you with me and I needed to get used to it”
Yet that was not the case at all, for there was no forgetting or getting used to what her soul asked of her. “And every time I thought about it, every time I ran to , I realized more and more that having Berno by my side for the rest of my life was what I wanted”
Oguri Cap took one deep breath, Berno Light stared speechless and smitten by the beautiful words. The ambience remained a shower of sunlight and peace granted to them as if a miracle was bestowed unto the two.
And then she said three words.
“I loved Berno” Her past realized what she wanted too late to catch it. “I still love Berno” Her present had gotten back what she missed so dearly. “And I want Berno to let me love her” And her future was to be one with her by Oguri’s side, everything else would not bring her happiness.
A confession that had been festering for the past two years — Perhaps even more — finally reaching its intended audience. Any other thought or activity as not important anymore.
For the big question would be asked.
“Berno…would you stay by my side forever?” Curling her fingers around her beloved one, intersecting them palm against palm as she confessed what she meant to her.
Berno felt everything at once, her body reacted way before her brain did as heat spread from right under her eyes to her cheeks, ears tensed yet her tail wagging.
The wind blew, the sun lit the two of them and for a moment nothing else in the world mattered, for a moment only the two of them existed sharing the heat of the other while Oguri waited for her answer.
Many things to say fast-forwarded through Berno’s mind, a plethora of untold feelings had finally a chance to unveil yet remained stuck in her. Her mouth moved once, nothing coming out of it.
Then she tried once more, getting the same result of nothing coming out.
“You don’t have to answer now” Softly expressed Oguri, lost in Berno’s baffled expression with a soft smile. “seeing you again I had to say this, but I can wait more if that is-”
“No” Cutting her off Berno found her nerve, after such beautiful things aimed at her she would not be the one to let this moment die.
Letting go of Oguri’s hands, gathering the courage of many years of suppressing the growing seed of love within her, she grabbed her face.
Pulling close and letting their lips connect in what most would think as a sloppy and inexperienced kiss, pressing herself closer with the girl whose astonishment made her react a tad slower.
And once she processed it her reciprocation was immediate, using her now free hands to pull Berno closer by the waist to continue enjoying each other’s warmth.
Quite some time passed before they let go of one another, the desire to do so was nonexistent.
Umamusume need to breathe however, so they pulled themselves apart eventually.
“I’ve always watched your back moving forward” Berno said with labored breath. “I loved watching you every time you took a challenge ahead and I would absolutely love to keep living by your side” Turning a gasping expression into a beautiful toothy smile. “My answer is yes”
This time it was Oguri who pulled Berno for another kiss, unable to resist it any longer.
The sun the only witness to the birth of undying love, the wind carrying away any ills they might have carried for this was a moment of joy.
Sitting together they let the future come, for they would not be apart when it came.
—END—
—Mystic—
