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Do you know what day today is? Well yeah it's Sunday, but other than that, it's also the day before I officially start studying at Tracen Academy! THE Tracen Academy!
Can you believe that?! I thought I wasn't going to make it, but I did, just barely! I can't wait to meet all kinds of Umamusume, I wonder ...will they be just like me, or will they be kind of scary?
Oh what was that...? My name? Oh right, I totally forgot, I'm just a little excited, that's all...! Ahem...! My name is K-
"Sweetie...? Are you still in bed? It is time to wake up...!"
Two knocks and a voice came from outside my door, it's Mama's voice; Usually Mama has trouble waking up in the morning, I guess she's pretty serious about today as well!
"Good morning, Mama!"
I opened the door, she's still in her pajamas. Unlike Mama, I'm already in my uniform, I've always wanted to wear it for real!
"Oh...? You are already dressed, my dear...? The uniform looks nice on you!"
"Of course! I can't wait to wear it to school!"
"Fufu... You look just like your mom..."
Mama patted me on the head, before fixing the bow on my top, it's a little loose...
"But remember to wear it properly, okay...? We will not be there to ready you for school once you move into the dormitory..."
She sounded a little sad...
"It's okay Mama... I can take care of myself, I am your daughter after all...!"
"Fufu... That is true... I know you can do it...!"
Mama seemed happier now, the last thing I want is to make her worry... She might sound tough and proud sometimes, but whenever she's down, she liked to cry quite a lot when no one's looking...
"... Breakfast is almost ready, Mama is going to wash up, head to the dining room first, okay...?"
"Okay, Mama!"
Mama slowly closed my door, before walking off to the bathroom.
She's right about no one being there to get me ready once I'm living in the dorm, I should be mindful at how I look! I spun around once before the mirror, my top is neatly tucked into the skirt, my collars are even, my hair and tail are combed, I'm definitely ready now!
I head to the dining room by myself, and I could smell the breakfast before I even turned the corner... Mom always cooks the best...
"Good morning, sweetie... You look lovely in your uniform..."
Hearing my footsteps, Mom turned around to greet me.
"Good morning, Mom!"
"Ah... Someone is quite excited for school I see...!"
"Yep! I can't wait to start my first day!"
"Fufu... That is a good attitude, my dear... Would you mind helping Mom with the setting the table?"
"Sure Mom!"
I helped set the utensils and cups at our seats, before Mom served breakfast, it looks amazing as usual...!
Just when I finished setting the table and sat down, another set of footsteps became audible from behind.
"Good morning, girls...!"
Said Mama, finally in her outside clothes.
"All accounted for... Good morning to you too, McQueen..."
Mom replied, before she leaned down to let Mama kiss her on the cheek, they seemed to do this every morning... My parents sat down beside each other at one side of the table, and me at the other.
"Let's eat!"
Oh, in case I didn't make myself clear, yes, I have two mothers, my friends used to ask me how come my family doesn't look like theirs, I never had an answer, nor did my parents, maybe they don't know as well...?
But, for all I care, Mama and Mom both love me, and I love them both, that's enough for me...!
"Ikuno, do we still have our uniforms from the academy?"
Mama asked.
"Of course, they are in the closet, why do you ask?"
"I was just thinking that our little girl looks a lot like you when we were younger..."
"Is that so...? I think she resembles you more..."
They could never agree on who do I look like more, my hair color is closer to Mom's, but my face and hairstyle is closer to Mama's, I suppose I just look like them both!
"Mama, Mom, does your uniform look like mine...?"
I asked.
"It was similar, but it seems that the academy recently changed the color of the sleeves a little."
Mom answered, she's always observative on things like this.
"But regardless, Mom looked adorable in her uniform back in the day!"
Mama chimed in.
"McQueen...! Don't say that in front of our daughter...!"
"Not just back then of course! You are still adorable now, Ikuno!"
"McQueen...!"
Mama and Mom continued to joke throughout breakfast, they have an habit of going back and forth like this, ever since I was old enough to remember...
Apparently, Mama and Mom met each other at Tracen Academy, and they used to be roommates, then friends, then rivals, then they really liked each other, and then they- You get the rest...
"Thank you for the food!"
Mom's breakfast was so good, that I am a little sad I won't be able to have her cooking everyday in the dorm, at least I can come home on weekends and holidays... However Mama told me the cafeteria at Tracen was exquisite, ranked just slightly behind Mom's home cooking, which will always be number one for her.
After breakfast, it's about time I make my leave, I'm not exactly moving out forever, but it feels weird, leaving home knowing that I won't come back here everyday anymore...
"Guys... You really don't have to take me there... I know my way to school..."
"I know you do, sweetie, but we thought we should make sure you move in just fine..."
Said Mama, loading my suitcases into the trunk of the car.
"Thanks, Mama..."
I was quite against the idea of Mama and Mom helping me move in, surely I can handle moving a couple of suitcases myself... But they insisted, maybe they're just worried, I've never lived by myself before after all...
"And that is everything..."
Mom closed the trunk, while me and Mama got in the passenger seats.
"Thank you, Mom..."
"It is nothing, princess... We have nothing else to do today anyway..."
"It is supposed to be your day off as well, you both work hard enough already..."
"It is fine, I can handle just a little drive. Now let's go, before traffic gets heavy..."
It's a sunny weekend today, usually we would be spending time outside, not seeing me off... A part of me is excited at what the academy will be like, but the other part of me misses my parents already...
"Mama..."
"What is it, dear?"
"W- When you and Mom were in Tracen, did you miss your parents...?"
I asked, not sure if they were as clingy to their parents as I am to mine...
"At first, quite a lot, even though I could call your grandparents all the time, it still felt different from seeing them everyday I get home from school..."
Said Mama, Mom was nodding along but not saying anything.
"But whenever I went home, all the worries vanished, I was still my parents' daughter, and I will always have a place at my home..."
Mama turned around, and wiped a tear off behind my glasses with the back of her palm, I didn't even know I was crying...
"Our home will always be you home... You will always be our little girl... There is no need to be sad, okay...?"
I nodded...
"Besides... Now that you are far from home, maybe Mom will cook your favorites whenever you come back to visit...!"
Mama said jokingly.
"Good idea, darling..."
Mom said, eyes still on the road.
My mothers rarely had to comfort me like this, as I rarely had a reason to cry when they loved me this much...
After a drive that seemed to last just a second, we've finally arrived, not at the academy itself, since school starts tomorrow, but at the dormitory.
"Here we are, Ritto Dormitory."
Mom said, as she pulled into a parking spot.
"Mom, did you and Mama used to live here as well...?"
"Yes, this exact dormitory...!"
By the time I got out of the car, Mama was already unloading my luggage. There were other Umamusume around, some in the same uniform I'm wearing, some in casual wear, some were accompanied by who I assumed to be their parents, some moving in alone or with friends...
"Looks like we are not the only ones who are early."
Mom said.
"Then we should hurry, whoever shows up to their room first, gets first picking of their side of the room!"
Mama said, with a full box of winter clothes in her arms.
"Really?"
I asked, as I unlocked the wheels on both my suitcases.
"That was what Mom did when we first met, I arrived later than her that day I believe..."
"That is accurate... Although I would have given up my side, had you preferred it then, McQueen..."
"Not exactly something I thought of asking during our first meeting, was it...?"
They're doing it again...
"Okay okay... We should probably get going then..."
I hurried them both, otherwise we might be here for minutes.
The outside of the dormitory seemed a little bit old, it's been here for decades after all... But the insides are completely different, it's clean and warm, plenty of space for hundreds of girls to live in; The dorm director is a nice senior that guided a group of us around the dorm, her and Mama also seem to know each other, not surprising considering Mama is a trainer at Tracen also... And yes, that means I will likely see Mama at school daily... I wonder if I should refer to her as a trainer, or just Mama as usual...
The dormitory has everything I need, a cafeteria, a laundry room, even a dance studio! I've watched the videos from the days back when Mama and Mom used to run together, Mama danced surprisingly well in her winning lives considering how clumsy she can be now, and Mom as well, but I expected her to be good at it... Sometimes when I couldn't sleep, I would sneak out of bed for a glass of water, once I saw Mama and Mom dancing to music with each other, not like winning lives, but slow dances... I should probably never tell them I saw it...
After showing us all the facilities, we were shown the room allocations, it's time I find my room for the next six years...
"So... Did you find your name...?"
"Yeah, Mama, the director said my room is room 120."
"... Room 120 you say...?"
Mom said meticulously.
"Room 120...? Ikuno, that would be..."
Mama added quietly.
"Mama? Mom? Is something wrong...?"
"Nothing, dear... Room 120 it is, let's go then...!"
For some reason, they seemed more eager to find my room than I am, though it seems like they know the way, perhaps it's because they used to live here?
"Here it is, room 120! The director said the door is unlocked, she will give us the keys tonight."
I said in front of the room.
"So it really is..."
Mama said to Mom.
"Really is what, Mama...?"
I wondered.
"It is nothing sweetie, now let's get you settled in...!"
"Hmm...? Weird..."
I commented.
I turned the doorknob and headed inside, the room is nicer than I'd imagined, two desks, two chairs, two closets, two beds, one for each that would live here!
I left both my suitcases in a corner, and my parents lowered my remaining boxes nearby.
"Whoa...! This is nice! Which side should I pick...? Mom, what do you think?"
I turned to Mom and asked.
"Hmm... Perhaps the left side? The right side is my side after all..."
Mom was sitting on the bed on the right side, before I knew it.
"That is right, but unfortunately my little Queen... The left side is Mama's side...!"
Mama was on the remaining bed now.
"G- Guys...?!"
They seemed to have made themselves at home, one of them sitting on what would be my bed!
"D- Don't tell me... This used to be your room...?!"
"That is correct, sweetie... What a coincidence!"
Mom said jokingly.
"Aw... You could've told me...! You guys had me worried for a moment!"
"Fufu... We were not wholly sure at first... Perhaps it is just the same number, I thought..."
Mama said, getting off what could be my bed.
"Look at this, Ikuno, this is definitely my desk!"
"You are right, McQueen...! Look at this, this part of the floor still creaks in a funny way when I step on it...!"
They're way too comfortable in my room, if I don't do something, they might spend the entire day here.
"Okay...! I'm glad you guys are reminiscing about your youths...! But stop sitting on my bed, you're going to wrinkle the sheets...!"
"Fufu... I get it, sweetie... By the way, did you know that Mama used to climb into my bed when she was lonely...?"
"I- Ikuno...!"
Yep... That mental image is in my mind now... whatever happened in this room stays in this room I suppose...
It's difficult to imagine that Mama and Mom used to be as young as I am now... and they stayed together ever since they met here... It's kind of romantic if you think about it... And a little corny...
"So much has happened here... I am glad we met, McQueen..."
Mom said, she has the happiest face you could imagine on her.
"I feel the same, Ikuno..."
Since this is somewhat of a special occasion, I suppose I'll leave them be for a minute...
This minute felt like eternity, I'm sure Mama and Mom were enjoying it, even though they were just resting their heads on each other's shoulders.
"Excuse me... I believe this is my room...?"
The long silence was broken by two knocks at the open door, I just realized we didn't fully close it.
Behind the door, is a girl wearing the same uniform I am wearing, her hair is long and greyish, kind of like Mama's hair, she is peeking in, curious as to why there's three people in her two-person dorm room.
"Y- Yes, of course...! Please, come in...! Mama, Mom, cut it out...!"
The girl stepped through with just a travel bag, and closed the door on her way in, her movements are slow yet precise.
"A- Am I interrupting something...?"
"Oh... No, of course not...! My parents are about to leave...!"
I looked behind me, hoping to see Mama and Mom ready to leave, this is hardly the perfect first meeting with someone I will share a room with for six years...
"What do you think, McQueen...?"
"I like her, perhaps she is the type to wake our little girl up if she forgets to set an alarm..."
Mama and Mom are discussing something between them both...
It took another minute for them to finally get off possibly my bed, and seemingly head towards the door; But instead of leaving, both my mothers stopped before who I assume to be my roommate, and bent down a little.
"Our little girl might miss her alarm clock, please remember to wake her up."
"Eh...?"
"She does not like pickled food."
"O-Okay...?"
"And do not forget to-"
They are making a list of how to babysit me, to someone I don't even know...!
"G- Guys...!"
I yelled out, that seemed to got them off my roommate.
"It's time for you guys to go...! I got this from here...! I'll give you a phone call later, love you, bye...!"
I turn both of them to the exit and began pushing them outside.
"W- Wait, but we still have not helped you unpack yet...!"
"I got it handled, Mama...!"
I stopped just before I too stepped through the doorway, Mama and Mom didn't resist much, maybe they just wanted to spend a little more time with me today...?
"Fufu... okay, we get it... We should probably take our leave now..."
Said Mom.
"Promise me to eat properly... And take care of yourself, okay...?"
Asked Mama.
"I- I will..."
I answered.
"Fufu... That is our good girl..."
"That she is..."
Who knows when will be the next time we have dinner as a family together...? Next week perhaps...? I don't know... I have no answer...
Now that it dawned on me, that it's really time for them to go, I realize how difficult it is now, Mama and Mom have always been there... Can I handle living away from them...? Will they miss me...? I know I'll miss them...
"Mom... Mama..."
I said, as I held out my arms.
Mom let out a relieved sigh, as she bent down to hold me tight and pat my hair, before Mama too followed suit.
"I'm not saying goodbye... I'll come back home when I can, okay...?"
"Of course... We will be waiting for you, sweetie..."
"We love you... sweetie..."
"I love you, Mama... I love you, Mom..."
Maybe I'm just a bit too emotional...?
After an ensuring amount of time has passed in their arms, I let go of them at last...
I looked at both my loving mothers one more time, a little worry in their eyes, and a lot of pride for me finally ready to let go...
Knowing that this is far from farewell, I closed the door myself...
"That... That was heartwarming..."
Said the girl behind me, surely she saw the entire thing...
"Ah... my apologies... My parents, they're a little uh..."
"It is fine... I think they just care about you a lot..."
"Haha... That's true...!"
We share a little laughter, it seems even total strangers can bond over things like these...
"Oh right...! I totally forgot! I have yet to introduce myself...!"
I said, before the girl in front of me could bring it up.
I remembered what Mama and Mom taught me in a situation like this... I straightened my back, took a deep breath to clear my mind, and looked the girl in her eyes.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I will be in your care for the next six years! My name is..."
"Kisoji Queen...!"
...
McQueen and Ikuno are standing outside the room that was once theirs, Now a part of it belongs to their own daughter.
"Our little girl has grown so much..."
Ikuno commented.
"She really has..."
McQueen replied.
"..."
For a moment neither knew how to continue.
"... Come to think of it, McQueen... Do you remember how you bit your tongue when you introduced yourself to me...?"
"Ikuno...?! You are bringing it up again...!"
"Fufu... I just happened to remember, now that we are here..."
"But it was embarrassing...!"
"You also wore the wrong ribbon...!"
"H- Hey, that one was surely not me...!"
"Hmm...? Was it not...? Fufu..."
"... O- Okay, perhaps it was... Fufu..."
It is almost as if they are back to that fateful day when it all started.
"Since the day is still far from over, Ikuno... How about we spend a little time together today...?"
McQueen suggested.
"Fufu... So you are asking me out on a date then...?"
"I believe I am..."
Ikuno took the hand that was offered to her, she wonders what McQueen has in mind today...
No matter how much things may change, somethings, or in fact some people remain the same as they were...
And neither of them would have it any other way...