Mizuki set off with Mejiro Ardan. She didn't actually know that Chairwoman Yayoi Akikawa had chosen to change the location specifically because she read her log.
Originally, they were supposed to go shopping on the outskirts of Tokyo, but now, she was taking everyone to a resort paradise near Amanohashidate in the Tokyo countryside. The total drive was only about an hour.
It was said to be a forested area, with the entire resort nestled within the woods and surrounded by lakes. The scenery was excellent and it was a popular destination.
Chairwoman Akikawa had known about this place for a long time and originally planned to bring everyone here for the Summer Festival. Now, she was simply moving the schedule up.
She knew the facilities were great: An arcade with several fighting game cabinets, various PC and console games, pool tables, claw machines, and more. This arcade was part of a Tokyo chain, so many Uma Musume could even use their existing loyalty points.
She had many other options for the actual Summer Festival location, so she wasn't worried— she just wanted to resolve the current situation first.
Mizuki didn't think too much of it. Chairwoman Akikawa was known for her wild ideas and acting on whims, so she found it quite normal.
"Hey, Trainer Mizuki! Ardan-san! Over here, over here!"
In front of the bus, Maruzensky waved happily, signaling for them to come forward.
"Sorry we're late. Is everyone here?"
"You're not late, everyone just arrived. We can set off now that you're here."
"Then let's get on. By the way, Maruzensky, I have a question— do you get motion sickness? Will you be okay?"
Mizuki asked out of concern. She knew Maruzensky drove fast— her heavy foot on the gas pedal often made countless Uma Musume tremble— but she was a classic "high attack, low defense" type. The moment she sat in the passenger seat, she'd get dizzy.
Mizuki suddenly wondered if the "Old Lady" Maruzensky wasn't just bad in the passenger seat, but turned into total fodder the moment she sat in any moving vehicle.
"Of course not! I'm Maruzensky, after all. You're looking down on me, Trainer Mizuki! Just watch me later, there won't be any problems at all." Maruzensky was very confident.
"Driving and riding are two different things," Mizuki said, shrugging.
As she spoke, Sakura Chiyono O walked over and added, "That's right, Maruzensky-san. I have motion sickness patches here. You should put one on, I brought them specifically for you."
In the real-horse world, Maruzensky was the father of Sakura Chiyono O, and in the Uma Musume world, Maruzensky was someone Chiyono O deeply admired, so she was always very caring and attentive toward her.
"No need, no need! What kind of speed could possibly make me feel faint?" Maruzensky had her own stubborn pride, she was truly brave.
"Alright, alright." Mizuki figured she might actually be fine as a passenger and stopped asking. She returned to her seat, which happened to be right behind Maruzensky.
Soon, the bus started moving toward the resort. Everyone was excited, anticipating what they could play.
Mizuki chatted with everyone for a while. The highlight was when Chairwoman Yayoi Akikawa decided to get up and sing.
Since she used to be an active Uma Musume, she probably missed the Winning Live stage by now. She even dragged Hayakawa Tazuna along.
"Joy! Everyone, Tazuna and I will show you a little something to liven up the atmosphere!" Chairwoman Akikawa snapped her fan open. Everyone clapped in unison.
She was delighted and, while Tazuna set up the music, invited the other Uma Musume to join in.
"Can I join? Then I'll dance too, Chairwoman!" Matikane Tannhauser raised her hand. She really wanted to be a "unique" Uma Musume, yet she often felt she was quite ordinary.
Furthermore, Tannhauser had a great deal of affection for the Chairwoman, and Akikawa had repeatedly stated that Tannhauser would surely achieve greatness. It was like a mutual admiration between two kindred spirits.
"If there's dancing, how can you leave me out? Audience, eyes on me! This is my showtime!" Tap Dance City arrived. She was a professional.
Cheers, Fame, Money, she wanted it all. But of course, since she was dancing for her friends, it was free.
"Marvelous! Truly Marvelous! I'm in too!" Marvelous Sunday rushed up, followed by Mayano Top Gun. These two troublemakers loved joining the fray.
Chairwoman Akikawa was overjoyed, laughing, "Wahaha! Tazuna, with this many people, it's bound to be fun!"
Mayano said cutely, "Neicha-san, come join us! Chairwoman Akikawa said we're doing the 'Random Animal Dance'! It's super fun and the moves are bound to be cute!"
Nice Nature had a skeptical expression and waved her hand. "Ahaha... Neicha-san is already too old for this. You guys go ahead."
She was still shy, acting like a cute little animal in front of everyone was a tall order for her.
However, Matikanetannhauser waved her little hand. "Neicha-san, everyone from Canopus is here! Guess who's missing?"
Nature blinked.
'Wait, what? Everyone's up there?'
Under the Chairwoman's lead, she was half-forced, half-willingly dragged into the path of the Random Animal Dance.
The "Random Animal Dance" involved playing random snippets of music associated with animals, and everyone had to mimic their movements. It was fun, lighthearted, and tested imagination and reflexes.
Stats: Energy -5, Wit +5.
Soon, the cute animal BGM began. The first song was a very warm Japanese nursery rhyme, "Inu no Omawari-san", a story about a kitten looking for a dog policeman. The cheerful childish vocals filled the bus.
Chairwoman Akikawa and Tazuna were familiar with it and immediately acted like cats. The other Uma Musume hadn't reacted yet, but they quickly focused.
Soon, the BGM shifted to a tiger. This time, everyone reacted fast. Tannhauser, Twin Turbo, Nature, Tokai Teio, Smart Falcon, Special Week, and some others followed Tazuna and the Chairwoman's lead.
They held their hands up like claws and let out a growl, doing their best to mimic a tiger.
Tannhauser looked adorable, Nature was a bit restrained, Spe-chan tried to look as fierce as possible, and as for Smart Falcon— every move was perfect.
Tap Dance City, on the other hand, felt like an elegant Tiger Queen. These two pros completely stole the show.
Silence Suzuka and Narita Taishin clapped along. More joined in mid-way, with Grass Wonder hopping in for a bit.
The BGM switched to a rabbit. Marvelous Sunday and Mayano Top Gun turned their fingers into V-shapes and held them above their heads like ears.
Smart Falcon was even more impressive— she started improvising, making "pulling a carrot" motions with a super cute expression, though she acted like she couldn't pull it out.
Spe-chan and Nature followed her lead. It must be said, Falco's stage instincts were incredible. The result of years of experience showed.
For a moment, despite being a short dance, the atmosphere on the bus became incredibly warm. Eventually, everyone returned to their seats.
"Ikuno Dictus-san, I didn't expect your dancing to be so cute! I haven't seen you dance much before," Twin Turbo said with a grin.
"Hmm? I do practice, you know," Ikuno Dictus said, pushing up her glasses.
"Nice dancing," Mejiro McQueen evaluated with a smile.
In the real world, McQueen and Ikuno Dictus were "spouses." The real McQueen loved sticking close to Ikuno Dictus and would gravitate toward her the moment no one was looking. Their affection was clear.
McQueen and Ikuno Dictus were roommates, which was a deliberate arrangement by Cygames. While the pairing of McQueen and Teio in the second season of the anime is standard, the two real horses were the hottest rivals of 1992.
On a side note, speaking of the Mejiro family, they were once extremely glorious but later declined until the Mejiro Farm ceased to exist, which is a real shame.
If Mejiro McQueen, Mejiro Ramonu, Mejiro Ryan, or Mejiro Bright knew this, how would they feel?
But although the farm declined, the Mejiro story is enough to inspire many. While McQueen's bloodline is also fading, his sire line isn't extinct. His son, Ginza Green Grass, though having a career of 109 starts and only 3 wins, became a Mejiro sire after retirement, continuing the oldest Japanese domestic sire line.
Unfortunately, none of Ginza Green Grass's offspring have won in the JRA yet. One can only hope a horse will appear to restore the Mejiro glory.
Coincidentally and sadly, Mejiro McQueen's son, Ginza Green Grass, passed away from illness on December 22, 2023. Even more coincidentally, McQueen died of heart failure, and his son died of heart disease as well.
"Thank you, McQueen-san. You left in a hurry this morning, so I extinguished your incense for you. I also tidied your bed and put some clothes in the side cabinet, you can ask me if you can't find them," Ikuno Dictus said gently, the picture of a devoted roommate.
"Eh?!!! I forgot?! Thank you!" McQueen blinked, then spoke gratefully. She would light incense she got from her grandmother when she slept, filling the room with fragrance.
Ikuno Dictus liked the scent too, so they lit it every night, but McQueen likely didn't sleep well last night and forgot to put it out in the morning.
"McQueen, that was so much fun!" Tokai Teio hopped over after her dance, clearly having had a blast.
"Hehe, I saw you dancing, Teio. If I'd known, I would have joined too. It looked quite difficult," McQueen smiled gently, maintaining the elegance of a fat pony. Even though her real-life counterpart ballooned to 600kg after retirement, she was still running hard to burn off weight now.
"No way, it was super easy!" That brat Teio gave her review.
At that moment, Mizuki smiled. she opened her mental log. She had saved a few uses from previous rewards just for an occasion like this. she began to write.
[Just got on the bus. Didn't expect to see Chairwoman Akikawa and Secretary Tazuna performing a Winning Live dance— the Random Animal Dance at that. Everyone had a blast. Being able to watch this dance come from girls like Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka... this Trainer life is truly sweet.]
[I've had a great time with everyone this past month. After the dance, that brat Teio was full of energy and said, "It was super easy."]
[I really want Teio to play her own URA scenario— having Energy +30 events with Mayano pop up every day. She'd probably have a brain hemorrhage.]
["Super easy," my ass. Try it yourself and see.]
[I can only say Cygames is too cruel. Everyone has quieted down now. I thought we'd just chat casually all the way to Amanohashidate, but some genius suggested watching Manhattan Cafe's video from yesterday.]
[Good lord, I'm impressed. Poor Cafe can't take it anymore. Her face is as red as an apple, she's probably about to explode from shame. If there were a crack in the floor, she'd dive in without hesitation.]
[Everyone, stop watching! Give my girl Cafe a break.]
[Sweep Tosho, however, thinks it's very interesting. She keeps asking me if there are any "Witch Transformation" videos. She wants to film one too. She wants to be an influencer and the world's number one witch.]
[I said no, and she immediately grabbed my arm and "Yada Yada"-ed me for thirty seconds. My head is spinning.]
[Someone save me! Go summon Ikezoe!]
[Everyone is currently discussing what they want to play later. They've all become pro gamers, and they all say they're going to take Haru Urara with them. Urara is so, so happy. She really is the school's mascot.]
At this moment, everyone saw Mizuki's log and began reading. The atmosphere on the Tracen bus was excellent.
"Eh? Cafe is shy? Why? Wasn't it filmed really well?" Tokai Teio couldn't understand.
If it were her, she'd be bragging about it, practically taping the video to her forehead. Besides, it already had 500,000 views and was nearing the one-million mark! The video's title, "Five-Finger Discount", was already trending.
Someone like Teio naturally couldn't understand the mind of a socially anxious person.
Meanwhile, in America...
"The "Five-Finger Discount" happens quite a bit over where we are. I didn't expect it to just start becoming a trend in Japan,"
Flightline remarked. Well, it was practically a tradition in the States, so she wasn't surprised that it spread to Japan.
(T/N: "Five-Finger Discount" is a term for shoplifting.)
Meanwhile, Mizuki's log continued.
[Today, I'm going to show off some moves at the arcade. Wait... what's wrong with the "Old Lady" Maruzensky? She's suddenly crying and shouting "impossible!" Oh my God, she really is motion sick.]
[She started out saying she was fine, and even when Sakura Chiyono O offered her a motion sickness patch, she refused. Now she's got the whole bus stopping, she just got dizzy out of nowhere.]
[Thankfully, the "Old Lady" didn't keep acting tough. Her head might be made of iron, but at least her mouth is soft enough to admit defeat.]
[I can't say this in front of her or else I'll regret it later, but I can say it now! Old Lady Maruzensky, you're so weak! Where'd that confidence go? Didn't I warn you?]
At this point, a crowd of people on the bus couldn't hold it back anymore, and some burst out laughing.
Grass Wonder shook her head, "Sigh, there's no helping it. Sometimes people are just like that— they insist on tempting fate."
Fine Motion giggled, "It's fine. I gave Maruzensky a four-leaf clover, she'll be okay. Now that she's wearing the patch, she's feeling much better."
Grass Wonder replied, "I wasn't talking about Maruzensky-senpai. I was talking about Trainer Mizuki."
"As soon as Maruzensky-senpai has recovered, she'll make Mizuki regret writing those words."
Yaeno Muteki laughed, "Sakura Chiyono O is really good at taking care of people. Under her meticulous care, Maruzensky is doing much better. She's getting more skilled at it by the second. Mizuki will probably need her help to recover after Maruzensky is finshed with her!"
Sakura Chiyono O blushed, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
"Ahem, please stop teasing me, Muteki-san."
As for Maruzensky, she had finally recovered a little. When she saw the contents of Mizuki's log, she wanted to cry but had no tears left. She really had hit her limit, she couldn't understand why she never got sick while driving herself but felt so terrible as a passenger.
Furthermore, seeing the "Old Lady" nickname again made her determined: She had to find a chance to take Trainer Mizuki for a street race to settle this score once and for all.
But for now, Maruzensky was spent.
She obediently let Sakura Chiyono O apply another patch and went to sleep.
The log continued.
[Anyway, we have about half an hour left, so I think I'll nap for a bit. Seiun Sky is already searching for nearby fishing spots. She even asked Matikane Tannhauser if she knows how to grill fish. The moment the words "grilled fish" were mentioned, the sleeping Oguri Cap snapped her head up.]
[I'm impressed— is her hearing really that good?]
[Are we almost there? I have to go up against the likes of Yaeno Muteki, Mayano Top Gun, Tosen Jordan, and Sirius Symboli today. I don't know how strong they are, so I need to prepare.]
Mizuki scoffed to herself. She knew some of the girls had prepared ahead of time just to crush her, but she wasn't afraid. Her gaming skills were solid, and she happened to know her way around a pool table— she figured she would be 50/50 against Sirius Symboli.
However, a point interface suddenly appeared in Mizuki's mind, startling her.
[Arcade Point Exchange Template Activated! (Limited to 1 day)]
[50,000 Points can be exchanged today for 5 "Cheats." Below is the list of options for the Host to choose from. Each option costs 10,000 points, and is only active for one game.]
[Options include: Pool, Baseball, Basketball, Street Fighter, etc. Please check the list for details...]
Soon, Mizuki could see various gaming categories. The points she earned as a reward today could actually be used to exchange for abilities that would boost her gaming level— though they only lasted for a day, that was more than enough.
For instance, her shooting accuracy in basketball increased, her pool skill went up, and all arcade-style games received a boost. There were even some powerful special perks that only activated for one game.
One such ability was the "Gamer D'Arby" skill from JoJo. It allowed her to read the opponent's inner thoughts, though it could only discern "YES" or "NO."
In an arcade game like baseball, this was god-tier.
Mizuki made up her mind: if anyone wanted to play a betting-style baseball game with her, she'd swap to this ability.
She could keep asking the opponent: "What kind of ball are you going to throw? Inside? High? Low? Outside?"
She could keep questioning and reading their mind, and the moment a "YES" appeared, she'd have her defender make the perfect move. It was the ultimate ability for reading intentions.
She got excited. She didn't expect that going to an arcade would turn her into a JoJo villain. It felt pretty cool.
Besides, the "Japan Derby" also sounds like the "Japan D'Arby", and as a future "Derby Trainer," it was only logical for her to have a D'Arby ability, right?
She immediately started adding to her diary.
[King Halo, allow me to steal your laugh once more!]
[O~hohohoho!]
Just when everyone thought that Mizuki was done writing for now, a new entry popped up in front of them.
[I was already confident in my gaming skills, but now, none of the little fillies stand a chance against me!]
[I just got an amazing ability from the System— for today only, I can exchange 10,000 points to activate "Cheats" during games. I'll only have five chances, but that's more than enough to crush all the little girls here.]
[Haha, all of the girls are going to be so angry. All of their hard work preparing for today will be for nothing. They're going to get destroyed when they go against me.]
[I can't wait for someone to challenge me to a penalty game! They won't know what's coming.]
[Baseball, basketball, fighting games... I'll win them all! Some of the girls coming with me today may end up setting records in racing, but today, I'll set records in gaming!]
Unnoticed by Mizuki, the expressions of every Uma around her darkened at the same time.
[That brat Teio is always going on about being "invincible." I can't wait to see her expression when I beat the brakes off of her in whatever game she choses.]
[I already feel like a villain, and we haven't even arrived yet.]
[Today is going to be fun.]
[Fun for me, at least.]
After another hour of driving, they arrived at the outskirts of Amanohashidate. Everyone hopped off the bus. They were met with stunning scenery— a lake with crystal-clear water nearby, surrounded by lush forests and fresh air.
Normally, in winter, this place should be covered in snow, but with the recent rise in temperature and the bright sun, the early snow had melted, leaving the vegetation surprisingly green. It truly lived on up to its reputation as a tourist destination.
After getting off at Amanohashidate, they walked up the mountain toward their destination. There were grand Japanese-style villas, towers, and log cabins. Plenty of places for them to explore.
"It's so beautiful! Trainer Mizuki, look, look! There's a tower over there! Can we do a barbecue there? I can already smell the aroma!"
The moment Special Week got off the bus and saw the scenery, she was like an unbridled horse, filled with nothing but pure excitement. It made sense. She came from the countryside, so returning to nature gave her a sense of home.
"Seriously, stay calm. If you get lost in here, I'm not going to be able to find you," Mizuki teased, knocking her on the head.
If Spe-chan got lost in these woods, she'd probably die of exhaustion trying to track her down.
"Okay! I'll stick with Suzuka. We can explore the area as well as play!" Special Week held hands with Suzuka and prepared to head for the peak.
"Nyahaha~ time to go fishing." Seiun Sky looked toward the distant lake. She originally planned to slip away immediately, but she spotted Mizuki. Instead of avoiding her, she signaled for her to keep it a secret. She was going to catch fish for everyone's dinner.
With a wink, she cutely headed off to fish.
Mizuki was speechless, this girl was truly bold.
"Oh, look, there's an eagle!" Yukino Bijin said cheerfully. She was full of energy and bowed to Mizuki when she saw her. Yukino was also curious about her real-life horse history.
She was thinking: 'Orfevre, Gold Ship, and Nakayama Festa were all part of one family, and Urara belonged to the Northern Dancer family... but what about me?'
She was super excited to find out what her future would hold. Would she become a city girl? But she told herself to be patient, there was no rush.
"Hello! But did you say an eagle...? Oh crap, that's no eagle, that's Mambo!"
Mizuki was stunned. El Condor Pasa had actually brought Mambo along. She looked up to see the hawk shivering in the air, looking like he was freezing to death.
The bird probably thought El Condor Pasa was insane— why summon him out in the middle of winter? He didn't want to play.
Indeed, El Condor Pasa feared Mambo would be lonely and brought him along, not realizing Mambo wasn't lonely at all. He just wanted to sleep comfortably in his cage.
He was probably planning to call the Animal Protection Association right now.
"Mambo?" Yukino Bijin looked up and waved cutely. Mambo, being polite, flapped his wings once and flew off, only appearing when El Condor Pasa called him.
In reality, Yukino Bijin's bloodline came from Sakura Yutaka O, who dominated the 1986 Autumn Tenno Sho in record-breaking fashion.
However, that record had long been shattered.
Yukino Bijin left shortly after. Hokko Tarumae came over carrying a tripod. She was trying to set up a livestream.
She planned to ask Chairwoman Akikawa and the owner for permission to stream a bit to promote herself, Spica, and Tomakomai.
"Trainer-san, in the spring, there might be squirrels here, but they're all hibernating now," Hokko Tarumae remarked, the scenery here was similar to Tomakomai.
"How about we go wake them up?" Mizuki suddenly suggested.
"H-Hold on!" Tarumae was startled, her hands waving frantically. She had just made a passing comment, and she didn't expect Trainer Mizuki to blurt out such an idea.
Of course, Mizuki was just teasing her. She walked up with her, leaving Tarumae with puffed-up cheeks, annoyed that she said it with such a straight face just to mess with her.
When Mizuki reached the hall of the Japanese-style villa, a gust of warm air hit her, feeling incredibly comfortable. Waiters immediately came out to greet them and help store their shoes.
The Uma Musume had booked the whole place, and some had already started gaming.
Naturally, the Uma Musume hadn't forgotten their main goal— to make Haru Urara happy. As it turned out, Urara had already been distracted. She started looking at the snacks and told everyone to play first and teach her later, as she was a slow learner.
She was already much happier. After all, Urara was naturally optimistic. She was the representative of hope.
So, everyone began their game challenges and PvP began.
"Oh my god, Trainer Mizuki, did you see that?! My match against Sakura Bakushin O! Our battle was spectacular! It was a legendary standstill, a total fight to the death!"
Winning Ticket was playing a King of Fighters-style game, hyping up her match with Bakushin O.
"Oh? Play another round so I can see how good you guys are," Mizuki laughed.
"Trainer Mizuki, I've started the stream! There are so many people!"
Hokko Tarumae was streaming for the first time, her heart pounding. She had rehearsed her lines repeatedly on the way, but the moment she went live, she forgot everything. She stood frozen in front of the camera, not knowing what to say.
However, because her previous videos had been popular, her viewership was climbing rapidly. It turned out everyone wanted to see her, which made her panic even more.
Eventually, she forced herself to calm down and stammered through the hosting. Currently, the viewer count was holding steady at 5,000.
"Streaming, huh? Perfect! Come, come, let's point the camera at Winning Ticket and Sakura Bakushin O's game. They say their battle is legendary, maybe it'll be exciting enough to keep the audience," Mizuki immediately began strategizing.
Tarumae nodded nervously. She hoped Winning Ticket and Bakushin O's gameplay would retain the viewers— after all, 5,000 viewers in Japan was quite a lot.
She also wanted Aston Machan to come stream, but she didn't know where Machan had disappeared to.
Winning Ticket and Bakushin O were playing passionately and didn't hear them. This time, they chose a co-op game, something like It Takes Two. Even though it was a different genre, if played well, it could attract a huge audience.
"This game tests your coordination. Do you have confidence?" Mizuki asked.
"Of course! Bakushin O and I just finished a match, we know each other perfectly now! Just like my path to the Derby Championship, this is the road to victory! Trainer Mizuki, watch me rack up those points!" Winning Ticket was full of energy and confidence.
Sakura Bakushin O laughed with her hands on her hips, "Hahahaha! Leave it to me! We'll just Bakushin through!"
Mizuki watched them play. They both started controlling their characters. The initial levels were simple— just jumping.
"Okay, let's jump together!"
"Got it!"
They coordinated a dash-jump, but unexpectedly, one went left and the other went right. They both messed up the timing, fell simultaneously, and it was Game Over.
An awkward silence filled the room.
Mizuki was stunned. She'd seen bad players, but never this bad. She wanted to say: "Winning Ticket, Bakushin O, your match wasn't a 'legendary standstill,' it was just two noobs pecking at each other."
Both of them looked like they weren't the"sharpest tools in the shed.
Mizuki told herself not to panic, maybe it was just a fluke. Even pros make mistakes.
However, she soon realized it wasn't a fluke— they were genuinely terrible. It took them over ten minutes just to clear the first mini-stage.
Mizuki checked the stream— the viewer count had plummeted to 2,000. It was clear the audience was getting brain hemorrhages from their gameplay. If they didn't scroll away, they'd get high blood pressure.
"Quick, stream something else. Even a stream of a chair would be better than this." Mizuki said, dragging Hokko Tarumae away.
Tarumae couldn't hold it back— she was gobsmacked. But she knew she was right, if she were a viewer, she'd have bailed too.
The screen was just constantly flashing a black and white Game Over.
They wandered around for a bit and spotted Tap Dance City on the dance pad. Her moves were immaculate, hitting "perfect" scores left and right. They streamed her for a few minutes, and the audience marveled.
As expected of an Uma Musume, she was incredible. The count rose back to 4,000.
At that moment, Tosen Jordan invited Mizuki to play a basketball shooting game, but when Mizuki suggested a wager, Jordan shot her down.
Tosen Jordan was actually very good at the shooting machine, just as her name would suggest.
Mizuki was eager to accept the challenge, and the two headed to the machine. They started by entering nicknames. Mizuki's ID was always: "I Love Crying Umas."
Tosen Jordan was speechless at the ID. She seriously suspected that Trainer Mizuki must have a mental problem.
She had heard that she once demolished Mejiro Ardan for hours without letting her win once, found time to beat Invincible a dozen times, and didn't hold back against Satono Crown either.
Beating cute, innocent Umas was likely her goal.
Jordan had to do her best.
"Hey, look, look! Tosen Jordan and Trainer Mizuki are going head-to-head on the basketball machine!"
"Trainer Mizuki knows how to play basketball?"
"I don't think it matters if she knows how to play or not..."
In an instant, many Uma Musume gathered to watch. Everyone was curious to see how Mizuki's "cheats" actually worked.
Mizuki asked Tosen Jordan, "By the way, Jordan, why didn't you make this a penalty game? Were you scared?"
Tosen Jordan immediately shook her head. "Ahem, of course not."
And indeed, Mizuki had already exchanged for the "Gamer D'Arby" ability. The moment she asked the question, she had already read Tosen Jordan's true inner voice.
[NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!!!]
"Eh? So why'd you refuse?"
"No reason."
Mizuki was confused, but shook it off.
'Maybe Jordan just doesn't feel like betting?'
Soon, they both inserted their coins. Nakayama Festa stepped up and hit the start buttons simultaneously. With a smack of her hand, the match began. Basketballs rolled down from the metal rack, and both sides started shooting.
Tosen Jordan had quick reflexes. The moment the ball rolled down, she grabbed it with both hands and began her assault.
The ball spun off her fingertips with a beautiful arc, swishing directly into the net. Her skill level was clearly high. She repeated the motion, racking up points in rapid succession.
Mizuki was the same. She was already a decent basketball player, and now, with the buff from the arcade shooting skill, she was in her element. At this distance, it was basically a gimme— one hundred percent accuracy.
Swish! Swish!
The crisp sound of the net snapping rang out as her balls fell through the hoop one after another, unerringly.
"58 : 54."
"62 : 56."
"66 : 58."
The score kept shifting, and Mizuki pulled ahead. With her "cheat" active, she didn't even have to try to score a basket. It just came naturally.
"They're both so amazing!" Special Week couldn't help but exclaim. She had tried it before and couldn't land a single shot.
She naturally knew her Trainer would win, but she admired both of them. When she watched the two of them play, she felt more excited than Mizuki herself.
"Wow, I feel like even I could do that! Is shooting really that easy?" Twin Turbo was stunned.
Eager to try, she went to the machine next door. After putting in her coin, she tried to experience that "perfect accuracy" feeling, but the very first ball she threw bounced off the rim and smacked her right in the face, dazing her.
Ironically, the ball then bounced back through the hoop, netting her two points.
The match ended with Mizuki winning 98 to 94. She had controlled the score, but she hadn't expected Tosen Jordan to be this good. She was definitely a pro among casual players.
Mizuki claimed her victory.
"Not bad, not bad. If you want to challenge me again later, just ask. I'm ready anytime," Mizuki laughed. After a few moments of teasing, she decided not to make things harder for Jordan.
Losing in the game you're best at sounds demoralizing, and she didn't want to make Tosen Jordan feel any worse than she already had.
Afterward, Mizuki was challenged two more time to various games. The first was a poker with Nakayama Festa, and the second was a test of strength against Gold Ship.
She only had 20,000 points left by the time Gold Ship challenged her, so she didn't want to accept, but when Gold Ship offered to nag McQueen into getting her a nice cash bonus from the Mejiro Family if Mizuki won, she had no choice but to accept.
In the end, Festa lost due to drawing nothing but bad hands, and the strength tester Gold Ship had chosen ended up malfunctioning out of nowhere, resetting Gold Ship's score to 0.
Both of these were the results of Mizuki's cheats, of course.
This was all great content, so she recorded all of it into her diary.
After beating the two of them, Mizuki went around the arcade to check out other areas.
Everyone was working hard to earn points to exchange for gifts later. Seiun Sky sent her a private message with photos of the fish she'd caught, telling her that they were going to have a feast tonight.
Haru Urara was currently at the crane machines, but a whole group of them couldn't catch a thing. It was just like those frustrating settings in real life— you'd lift several plushies at first, only for them to drop midway until you only had one left, or even none at all.
Mizuki decisively spent another 10,000 points to exchange for the "Crane Master" ability. Once she stepped in, she helped catch over twenty dolls, leaving the surrounding Uma Musume gobsmacked.
Urara was thrilled. It was a worthwhile investment.
She continued wandering and saw Vodka and Daiwa Scarlet playing together. These "friendly rivals" were quite entertaining, playing an RPG called Forest Samurai.
Daiwa Scarlet said,
"Hey, Vodka! Hurry up and help me, I can't beat this ice boss."
In Forest Samurai, there were Ice and Fire mechanics, Ice monsters were easier to beat with Fire, and Vodka was the Fire type.
Vodka replied, "I know, I know! Just a minute ago you were complaining I was too close, and now you need me?"
Scarlet huffed, "Are you coming or not? I'll help you out later too."
Vodka sighed, "I'm coming, I'm coming."
Mizuki noted that their relationship was as good as ever. As for Spe-chan, she was playing one of those cattle-roping challenge arcades.
Believe it or not, she was a natural. She caught the cow every single time. Is this the prowess of the "General" from the countryside?
Mizuki completed a circuit and saw Teio and McQueen. McQueen was playing a baseball game, and they were quite into it.
"McQueen! We cleared the fourth stage! Awesome! Only the last one left!"
"Teio, it's time for LESSON 5!" McQueen smiled.
At that moment, Nice Nature spoke up, "Oh, Trainer Mizuki, do you want to try a baseball match?"
Hearing this, Mizuki smirked and said "no problem."
It turned out Nature had just beaten Teio, Mayano, Marvelous Sunday, and the whole lot of them at baseball. Teio was currently trying to learn techniques from McQueen just to settle the score with Nature.
The "Bratty Teio" was genuinely upset after being crushed.
In reality, Tokai Teio's personality as a horse was very similar to her Tracen counterpart. The real Teio was quiet usually, but if you went into the stables and didn't greet him first, he would hold a grudge and stay angry.
Why was Nature so good at the baseball game? One reason: her high Intelligence.
As a "Debuffing Uma," she needed plenty of Wit, and her dialogue and mind games were crucial in this kind of strategy game. Marvelous, Mayano, Teio, and Yaeno Muteki were simply no match for her.
Mayano Top Gun, in particular, had been completely fooled— the four of them combined weren't enough to handle Nature alone. They were just too inexperienced.
Nature was currently basking in her first-place glory, feeling a bit floaty.
'So this is what first place feels like...'
Even if it wasn't a race, she didn't care, she was going to enjoy it. Seeing Mizuki arrive just as Twin Turbo went to exchange more coins, she asked if she wanted to play.
Mizuki said, "Sure, though I'm not great at baseball. You'll have to teach me the rules."
Actually, Mizuki didn't know much about baseball, but she was confident in her cheats. As soon as the game started, she'd buy another round with the "D'arby" ability and give Nature a taste of defeat.
In the original JoJo story, the game D'Arby played against Jotaro was baseball. He had been supremely confident because his mind-reading was terrifying— he knew Jotaro's defensive setup for every swing, nearly wiping out the Crusaders.
Mizuki suddenly felt like she had a villain's power. It felt great.
"Sure, I'll teach you," Nature said gently.
But unknown to Mizuki, Nice Nature wasn't planning on acting "nice" today.
She began patiently explaining the rules to Mizuki. She explained that in the game, you first choose a team— like the Jaguars or the Red Dragons— each with its own focus, some on offense and some on defense.
After picking teams, you decide who goes first. The pitcher has several directions to throw: inside, high, low, breaking balls, or straight down the middle.
The defender can predict a direction in advance and then react. You can change your swing mid-way, but you have to analyze the opponent's movements and react.
If you predict the direction correctly, the defender has a massive advantage. In short, it's a game of observation and psychological warfare.
They would establish their character models by taking photos and entered the game. The match ends if the score gap reaches 11.
Mizuki nodded. She understood the basic rules and was eager to start.
"But before we start... would you like to make it a penalty game? The loser has to do one thing that the winner asks?"
Mizuki grinned when Nature asked this. She had been waiting all day for someone to challenge her.
"Of course! Spica's clubroom has been needing to be cleaned for a while, so I'll thank you in advance for volunteering."
"Are you sure? When I win, I'm going to make you dress up in the cutest outfit I can find and sing 'Umapyoi Densetsu' in front of everyone. I'll even set up speakers and a stage for you too."
Mizuki scoffed. "It's not like you're going to beat me, so I don't have to worry about something like that."
"Well if you're sure... let's start!"
As the game stared, a crowd of onlookers gathered around the two, all with the same expectant look on their faces.
The teams took the field. With a small, self-satisfied smile on her face, Nice Natured turned towards Mizuki.
"You've been winning a lot today, haven't you Mizuki-san? I mean, you beat Gold Ship, Nakayama Festa, and Tosen Jordan during gaming."
"That's right."
When Mizuki answered, she felt a strange sense of dread.
"And you also won a lot of plushies for Urara and them, didn't you? How many points did you get from all of that? It can't be more than a few thousand, right?"
"..."
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"UUUUUUUUUUUU UMADACCHI!"
"UUUUUUUUUUU UMAPYOI, UMAPYOI!"
"UUUUUUUUUUUU SUKIDACCHI!"
"UUUUUUUUUUUU UMAPYOI!"
"UMA UMA UMYA UMYA 3, 2, 1, FIGHT!"
Today, Trainer Mizuki learned a valuable lesson: Cheaters never prosper.
Or more accurately: Cheaters never prosper if they run out of cheats.
The footage of "Umapyoi Densetsu: Trainer Version" would quickly be uploaded onto the Internet, where it became an instant classic.
In under a week, it broke ten million total views.