November 7th, XXXX
"Did she just say she wants to race!?" A voice screamed out, one of the many in the crowd around as they whipped up into a frenzy. Their disbelief and excitement were evident all around, and who could blame them? Although it had been only three years since her retirement, Secretariat was already a household name, even in Japan.
Riku was in the same boat as the rest of them, his eyes wide as he glanced between Secretariat and Maruzensky. This wasn't what he expected to happen when he took that call earlier that day.
Very Brief Flashback - Riku's Car
The surroundings passed them in a blur, Buckshot gripping the steering wheel with an iron grip as she stared ahead, Opal glancing between her and Riku in worry as they drove on the private roads towards the airport, well above the speed limit. Riku felt a torrent of emotions as they neared their destination. Shock, confusion, joy, and maybe a small bit of anger. He had received a call just earlier from Secretariat's trainer, that she had arrived in Japan and wanted to be escorted to see Tracen Academy, for some reason.
He was shocked to find that Secretariat had somehow made it to his country to visit Tracen. He was confused, as there had been no prior communication with him about quite literally the biggest name in racing deciding to visit Japan. He was happy for the chance to meet an Umamusume idolized by many around the world, and one he had been born too late to witness in his original world. However, he was just a bit peeved that nothing was communicated to him in advance, and was essentially told to chaperone her on the legendary Uma's whims. He grumbled to himself a bit as he pinched his brow, his glance going towards Buckshot, who was driving the car.
She had frozen entirely when he dropped the news, and had been far more rigid and robotic upon hearing it. So far, she had not spoken a word to either him or Opal after he dropped the news, and he could admit to being more than a little worried about her. However, he didn't have much time to think, as Buckshot was driving INCREDIBLY fast. They arrived at the airport swiftly and slipped into a private arrivals area.
Standing there was a tall Umamusume with striking red hair, a cheery grin, and an apparent disregard for the chaos her arrival had caused. Secretariat had arrived.
FLASHBACK OVER
His ruminations were broken when Maruzensky finally answered, slightly shaky but filled with resolve. "Sure. Let's race." Maruzensky's eyes were filled with light, a slight aura seeping from her as she looked up to the Titan in front of her. Secretariat's smile widened, her own aura visible to Riku's eyes, but far, FAR more controlled. The two Umamusume made their way to the track, everyone giving them a clear avenue to reach it. Maruzensky smiled at Akitsu Teio as they passed, her junior giving a shocked look.
Riku gripped his arms tightly, a knot of worry forming in his gut. He believed in Maruzensky completely as a runner, and he was firm in his belief that she was the symbol of Japan's future in racing. However, he couldn't help the ominous feeling in his gut as they prepared to run. Secretariat is an almost otherworldly existence in horse racing. He set records in the Classics of America that still haven't been surpassed fifty years later, and retired with an insane record during his Classic year.
More than that, though, Secretariat's Uma counterpart had something he noticed that worried him for Maruzensky. Above all else, it was her domain/zone that bothered him the most. Secretariat's aura was denser, controlled, and even affected Riku himself. He wasn't aware it was possible, since the zone was available only to the top tier of Umamusume and generally only affected the other Umamusume they were racing against.
"Both runners ready?" Ace's voice caught Riku's attention as he glanced over and noticed her standing to the side, acting as the referee for this race. She looked composed but shaky, something that was mirrored by everyone else as she glanced at Secretariat and Maruzensky. Riku gripped his arms tighter as they both signalled their readiness for the race. "Start!" Ace chopped down her hand, and both runners took off.
Foom! Sounded off as Maruzensky blasted forward, immediately taking the lead. Her eyes widened slightly as she glanced back to see Secretariat about half a length behind her to the right. Secretariat wore an easy smile as she kept pace. Even as Maruzensky slowly increased her speed, she could not create any distance. Maruzensky's frustration grew as they passed the halfway mark and neared the final corner, the same thing repeating in the race.
Gritting her teeth, Maruzensky felt the urge to win, to challenge this Umamusume behind her. Her zone slowly manifested: a bright red aura surging from the corners of her eyes, then turning orangish-yellow, and the revving of a turbocharged engine. She kicked hard as she accelerated and began to round the final corner. However, to Maruzensky's shock and widened eyes, Secretariat was still in the same position. "What..?" Maruzensky muttered, her disbelief evident as she met Secretariat's eyes.
For once, the taller Umamusume was not smiling as she looked at Maruzensky blankly. It felt as if time had frozen between the two. "You remind me a lot of her after all," Secretariat remarked while looking at the younger Umamusume. "You're also not controlling your zone properly, kiddo. You do it, like this." Secretariat grinned sharply, exposing her canines.
A red aura spread out from Secretariat's eyes, an impossibly bright red that seemed to saturate the air around her before being contained entirely within Secretariat's body. It made her whole body seem to glow with an otherworldly red aura, as if she were in the wrong franchise and should be fighting battles, blowing up planets instead. She kicked once, before blasting forward, completely overtaking Maruzensky.
"You…what? My body." Maruzensky tried to follow, a growl almost escaping her lips before she felt herself slowing down. Her energy seemed to completely leave her as her zone winked out of existence, as if it were never there. "!!!" Maruzensky ran as hard as her drained body would allow, but it wasn't enough. Secretariat's lead only grew until Maruzensky mercifully passed the finish line.
An oppressive silence took over the track, as everyone watching could only look on in disbelief. Secretariat stood, a very light sheen of sweat present on her forehead as she breathed in and out, a smile on her face. Maruzensky, however, felt a sense of defeat unlike any she had ever known. Her breath came laboured and rushed. Her hands were on her knees as she deeply panted, her eyes unfocused as she tried to recover.
Riku, like everyone else, felt disbelief, but more than anything else, resignation. That was what the peak of the world looks like, the very performance Secretariat had just shown. What was worse to consider was that Secretariat was far more comfortable on dirt tracks, as that was America's specialty. Yet she still utterly demolished Maruzensky on Japan's fast turf. He frowned as he felt a prick of pain; his lip was bleeding slightly from how hard he was biting it as the race ended. He covered his mouth with his sleeve as he glanced around, taking in Maruzensky's peers' reaction.
CB and Akitsu were frozen entirely, their eyes almost not wanting to believe what they had seen. Ace seemed torn between glancing at her stopwatch in disbelief and looking worriedly at the despondent Maruzensky. Riku's eyebrows rose slightly as he saw Opal looking towards Maruzensky with a frown, her focus completely ignoring Secretariat. It was Buckshot who had the strongest reaction, her eyes widening completely, her emphasis on Secretariat. Her hands clenched tightly, so tightly that Riku wouldn't be surprised if she were bleeding from them.
His gaze moved forward once more, as Secretariat seemed to notice the silence around her, looking around with a frown. "Everyone alright?" She asked curiously, tilting her head as the crowd seemed to regain their nerves once more.
"Did you see that!?" An Umamusume student called out from somewhere to the right.
"She completely beat Maruzensky!" Another remark from the left as they began to gossip.
Thankfully, intervention arrived unexpectedly. Ding Dong! Resounded from behind the students, as the bells rang in Tracen Academy. Break time was over for these students. Riku glanced back, and his eyes widened upon noticing Tazuna and Director Akikawa approaching with a few trainers.
"Chairman," Tazuna spoke softly, a warm smile on her face as she looked at him, before glancing sternly at the nearby students. "Break time is over, everyone. Please return to your classrooms. Immediately." A glint appeared in Tazuna's eyes as many Umamusume discreetly backed away from her, before rushing towards the academy. It would seem the Green Devil was still feared by many, eh?
"I say, what a race that was!" Director Akikawa remarked, a smile on her face as she waved her fan around. Her smile was bright, even though her eyes seemed quite annoyed as she looked at Secretariat. The trainers from behind Akikawa walked past Riku, heading for Ace, CB, and Akitsu, respectively. They seemed to enter a discussion before reluctantly leaving, glancing back at Maruzensky as they walked off.
Akikawa strode right past him towards Secretariat, even as Tazuna stopped and took a position right next to him and his two bodyguards. His eyebrow rose as Yayoi stepped up to Secretariat with a huff, looking exasperated at the taller Umamusume. Somehow, Secretariat appeared almost sheepish as she scratched her cheeks while looking at the director. Ah. Wasn't Northern Taste in the same generation as Secretariat, but from France?
"You big smiling brute, you got too excited again." Akikawa scolded, pointing her fan at the taller Umamusume who wouldn't meet her eyes. Akikawa huffed while glancing at Maruzensky, before looking back towards Secretariat. "Haa, you never change." Akikawa smiled lightly while she grumbled, getting a small smile from the titanic Uma herself.
Footsteps caught their attention as Maruzensky walked up, the defeat on her face giving way to a burning resolve. Quite literally, it seemed like her eyes were on fire as Riku looked at her. "Again. Race me again." Maruzensky's words sparked surprise across the room, and Director Akikawa looked at her in sheer disbelief. Secretariat though? Secretariat, after looking shocked for a moment, burst out into laughter. Bright joy filled laughter.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She held her belly as she crouched down, her laughing episode carrying on for a solid minute. Maruzensky frowned and gradually turned into a pout as she looked up at the towering Umamusume. Secretariat coughed lightly before waving Maruzensky's way. "Sorry about that, I'm not laughing at you, Maruzensky." Secretariat smiled warmly as she looked at younger Uma.
"I said when I first met you, that you remind me of her." Secretariat smiled, looking slightly wistful as she looked away before looking back at Maru. "You remind me of Sham, my rival during my years." She crossed her arms as she looked at Maruzensky, looking fondly at the younger Uma as Akikawa huffed in realization. "Alright, I'm down. I'll race you as many times as you want."
Tazuna seemed ready to say something, probably something to do with the fact that Maruzensky had classes she needed to attend, before Akikawa waved it off. "Let her run. She needs this." Her words caused Tazuna to frown before she glanced at Maruzensky and nodded. Tazuna gave Riku a warm smile again and a pat on the arm before she headed back towards the academy.
Riku himself felt a bit of exasperation; he had a feeling he was going to be here watching for a while. He quietly stepped aside to call Hiromi and let her know he wouldn't be available for the rest of the day. He had a free-spirited Umamusume to look after, it seemed. He stepped forward near Akikawa, seeing that another race had already begun between the two on the track. Secretariat, instead, was front-running, with Maruzensky struggling to catch up.
"She's always been like this," Akikawa remarked, briefly startling Riku as he turned down to look at her. "That big bumbling brute loves running more than anyone I know. Unfortunately, she's far above anyone else." Akikawa seemed slightly wistful as she watched their race finish, Maruzensky's spirit and competitiveness shining as she rechallenged Secretariat. The taller Umamusume laughed brightly before agreeing, her spirits seeming to rise. Riku frowned at her words.
"It gets lonely at the top, huh?" He remarked, looking at Secretariat carefully as they raced again. She had been perpetually cheerful the entire time he had seen her, but as he watched her run more, he came to a realization. "So that's what her real smile looks like." What a lonely existence it must be, to be that far above all your peers in every aspect. She had a charming smile. She almost looked like a godd– SLAP.
Riku slapped himself on the cheek hard, startling Akikawa as she looked at him incredulously. He had found himself completely smitten for a second, his blush slowly receding. Akikawa looked him over before grinning slyly. "Ohoho. What would Tazuna think if she saw you right now, hmm?" Her smile grew at his mutinous look. They both quieted down after, resigning themselves to watching as they raced again and again. Opal and Buckshot stood behind Riku still, with Buckshot gripping her arm tightly as she continued to watch, not seeing the worried looks her friend was sending.
Several Hours Later
"Not bad. Not bad at all." Secretariat remarked with a shining smile, sweat glistening on her face, as she looked fondly at the Umamusume lying exhausted on the ground beside her. Maruzensky appeared utterly spent, her body pushed beyond its limits for the day, perhaps even for the week. "You've definitely improved, little Maru." Her words received a tired glare from Maruzensky before she huffed and stared into the slowly darkening sky once more.
"I'm not ready," Maruzensky remarked, a tired resignation in her voice, yet carrying traces of something else. Secretariat perked up and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, the two uncaring for their continued audience that was waiting just beyond the track. "The Japan Cup. I'm not ready to take the world on just yet." Secretariat looked curiously at her, cocking her hip to the side as she hummed in thought.
"Are you sure? Not everyone is going to be like me, y'know?" Secretariat stated plainly. It wasn't bragging, but a statement of fact in her eyes. Maruzensky glanced at her before looking up.
"I'm sure. Losing… is not a feeling I like. I know if I go into the Japan Cup as I am now, I will lose." Maruzensky replied; her words, while sounding defeatist, carried a quiet confidence. "But that only applies to me right now." She slowly stood, her legs shaking as she did. Secretariat didn't offer assistance, but watched her. "I'm going to win the Arima Kinen, and I'm going to win the Japan Cup next year." She pointed her finger at Secretariat, a cheeky smile reminiscent of herself as she did so. "Then I'm going to beat you."
Her words carried a silence afterward, only to be broken by Secretariat's laughter once more. She laughed as hard, if not more so, than before, even slapping her knee as she did so. She glanced at the blank-faced Maruzensky before stepping forward. Maruzensky's eyes only had time to briefly widen before she was pulled into a crushing hug, her face smushing in Secretariat's chest as she lifted and spun her around. She only stopped after Maruzensky was almost blue in the face, gently setting her back down.
"I look forward to that day, Maru." Maruzensky stared into the taller Umamusume's eyes, her own smile growing to match. After a moment, they glanced over together and noticed their spectators, who had been there with them the entire time. "Ah. I forgot you guys were there, sorry." Secretariat shrugged, not looking apologetic in the slightest.
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" Maruzensky, however, sheepishly bowed and nearly fell over, had Secretariat not kept a firm grip on her arm.
Riku waved her apologies away, stepping forward with a smile as he looked at the two. "Not a problem at all, Maru. I think it was well worth it." He smiled at her, which she matched brightly, getting a raised eyebrow from Secretariat as she looked at the two before he turned to her. "Miss Secretariat, how long do you plan to stay? Do you plan to stay for the Japan Cup?" He asked curiously, as the Uma had basically led them by the nose without saying anything.
Secretariat blinked several times before scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "Ah, woops. I totally forgot to say huh?" Her blush grew as Akikawa looked at her dryly, shaking her head. "I plan to stay to watch the Japan Cup." She gave him a thumbs up with a grin, before looking towards Maruzensky. "I wasn't planning on it, but I have a reason to stay a little longer now."
Maruzensky smiled at that, her cheeks a little rosy. Riku, however, brought things back to the point. "Perfect. We should get going then, classes will be getting out, and Maruzensky here needs some rest." He looked at her pointedly as she looked away from him with a pout. "We can drop you off at your hotel." His last remark froze Secretariat. Something that wasn't missed by anyone present as they all looked at her.
"Hahaha.. Uhm." Secretariat looked strangely bashful, an endearing but strange look for the tall Uma as she glanced at Riku. "I kinda forgot to bring anything with me… including any money." Riku looked at her flatly, his mind not registering her words as Akikawa facepalmed. Now that he thought about it, she didn't have any luggage with her.
"Ah! I know!" Secretariat pointed at him with a grin. "How about I stay with you, boss-man?" Riku blinked several times at hearing her address him the way Buckshot did. Maybe it was an American thing. Wait. What did she just say?
"...What?"