Between all the magic, “engineering,” swimming, running, and now singing and dancing I have to learn, those three goddesses have certainly thrown me in unprepared. I gaze to my three guides as they lead me to the next stop on the tour.

  As they begin taking me further, discussing the practice course for racing. My eyes drift towards the horse girls around me. While they all wear the same uniform. I do notice something that causes me to stand out. My eyes gaze at their heads. Upon them they have hats, ribbons, jewelry, some sort of headwear, but upon none do I see simply hair. I pause noticing this, the three seem to notice my lack of following and turn.

  Yayoi is the first to perk up. “What’s wrong Aven?” She asks curiously, tilting her head slightly. This only causes me to stare at her own hat and cat sleeping on it.

  “Is… it customary to equip something upon your head or ears?” I ask. Noticing my three guides all have something.

  “Customary?” Tazuna asks, she feels her green hat, as if making sure it’s on.

  I nod. “Yes, every umamusume I’ve seen has something around their ears, or on their head.” I point to Tazuna and Yayoi. “You also are wearing hats.” I fold my arms. “I can understand needing shade, or protection. But you told me this is a world without most fears.”

  Yayoi smiles, opening her fan. “Hmmhmm! Very observant! Yes! Umamusume tend to like to accessorize their ears and hair! It’s similar to the ‘fashion’ we mentioned earlier!”

  I pause. “So, me not having this, ‘fashion,’ means I do not blend in well.” I fold my arms. “How do I acquire such fashion?”

  Tazuna smiles. “It’s not something you can exactly acquire, it’s your opinion, what do you think you’d like to see on your head in your reflection?”

  I pause, a silly question. “A helmet.”

  Rudolf cocks her head slightly. “I assume you imply a helmet as in something more military, rather than biking or motorcycles.”

  “I do not know what those things are. So yes.” I feel my head. “A helmet, with a visor specifically. My hands begin to go through the motions of lowering a visor and raising it. “Full plated!”

  “Full Plated?” Tazuna asks, as I assume she gathers what I mean.

  I nod in confirmation. “Yes, I would prefer not walking around with this maiden’s face revealed to the world.” I nod again, as the idea sounds more and more comforting. “Back home the armor of Elfine was based around an Avian. My name actually comes from that.” I fold my arms, lips forming a smile as I continue to nod up and down repeatedly. “Is it possible to commission a local armorsmith for such a thing?” I feel the flattened sides of my head where my human ears would be. “I need… this empty space covered up also.” I shudder feeling the uncanny flatness. “It feels wrong, my ears should be here.”

  “Director?” Tazuna turns to Yayoi to see her with a smirk.

  “Fufufu!” Yayoi laughs out. She folds her fan and uses it to point at me. “What if I offer you a deal? I will grant you a helmet! In fact, I will grant you an entire armored outfit!”

  Tazuna gasps. “Director! The budget!?”

  “I will take it out of my own personal funds, Tazuna!” She smirks, her eyebrows curve seriously, as if declaring a challenge. “I have a form you must sign first!” She holds out a piece of parchment at me.

  “A form?” I mumble, my head tilts slightly. “A parchment? Is it taxes?”

  “No. It is a registration form! That way you can run as an Umamusume!”

  “Registration?” I pause, trying to connect the word to something familiar. “Such as signing up for the military?”

  “Exactly!” Yayoi lets out, leaning forward with a determined look in her eyes. “Except less dangerous! It means you can begin running in the races!”

  The emotions on my face become stern as I fold my arms. “Unfortunently, I do not think signing it at this point will be a good idea.”

  Yayoi's smile doesn’t fade immediately. However a few seconds later she suddenly looks taken aback as her face expresses disappointment, as if her brain just connected what I said. “Why?” She lets out in a voice that almost sounds like a whine.

  I sigh. “I know nothing of running. I only have basic military training of running, but, as a cavalier, speed of mounting and preparing our horses were much more important than the idea of practicing our running to a location. I am ill prepared for such a thing as a race on foot. Nor do I know if I actually am able to do it.” I turn to Rudolf. “You claim that it’s an umamusume’s desire to run, and that I… that we are stronger than humans. But that does not mean I am particularly good at running. I have not grown up in this body, nor have I practiced channeling my strength. The strength of a horse in a human is pointless if it can’t be controlled correctly. Both horses and humans are frail creatures. A wrong move, and it could lead to amputation.”

  Tazuna raises her hand slightly to get my attention. “Modern medicine has made amputations a lot less common than your world.”

  I sigh, steeling myself. “Even so. As much as I want to find Archibald, to be ill prepared for combat is resigning yourself to die. If I am to run these races and gain such… ‘fans’ as I am. I will lose.”

  Rudolf steps forward, closing the gap between us. “Do you fear losing?”

  “If I lose due to my own faults, then I do not. However, my current situation is anything but my own fault. Dying due to an ambush I failed to see through, I take responsibility for that. But being reborn as a uma due to caring for Archibald ‘too much.’ I do not see why I am punished for such.” I give a serious expression towards the three. “I have no affinity for running. I have no affinity for dancing. I have no affinity for singing. I have no affinity for lightning magic. I have no affinity for swimming, and to be brought into this world at a mature age instead of a newborn? I have not been given time to learn these skills, to learn this body, to learn my limits, if this is a competition of running, everyone around me has an advantage I do not.”

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  I sigh, averting my eyes from the three. “It is very possible the goddesses have made a mistake. This world should have been for Archibald alone. To take a failure of a commander like myself…”

  Yayoi stares at me. My ramble seems to have illustrated my aversion to the idea of running races.

  Tazuna seemingly seems to whisper to the small director, as she does, her sour mood seems to light up. “Aven.” She opens her fan.

  I notice the distinct lack of ‘young’ used to describe me. Is this an attempt at flattery?

  “The goddesses have chosen you. If your vision was accurate. I do not think they would drop you in unprepared.” She smiles. “We will take a detour, before bringing you to the track.”

  Yayoi, Tazuna, and Rudolf change course, walking the way we came. I seem to be left in the dark again. It seems like that will continue for now.

  I follow along, unsure what they are planning. We walk around the palace of Tracen Academy, until we get towards the front. I notice a statue of the three figures from my vision right in front of the front entrance towards Tracen. A fountain encircles the statue. The three share the same horse parts, ears and tail. “A statue?” I ask, confused.

  Tazuna smiles. “Aven, many umamusume find themselves coming to this statue, as if being called by it.”

  Symboli Rudolf smiles with her arms folded. “Yes. I find myself wandering my way to it while I am lost in thought some times.”

  Yayoi points her fan at me. “It helps fill the uma with inspiration! And these are the three you saw in your vision?”

  “They resemble their silhouettes, yes.” I mumble. I do feel… a pulse coming from the statue. “Is this… another one of your thunder magic tricks?”

  Yayoi blinks, turning around, seeing the water pouring from the statue. “Well, the water pouring out has to do with electricity.” She pauses. “I’m pretty sure…” She mumbles, unsure of the logistics herself.

  I shake my head. “How does lightning… create a… calling?” I mumble, finding myself approaching closer. My body… it needs to come closer.

  Yayoi blinks. “I don’t know about creating a calling…?”

  Rudolf whispers something to Yayoi, as she perks up then stays silent. I’m unable to hear what they say. It’s as if… something is beating, internally, my footsteps follow in rhythm as I slowly step closer. Am I merely a moth drawn to a flame? What…?

  In an instant my surroundings fade. I find myself in a dark empty corridor. There is no light, yet I can see my body quite clearly.

  “It was no mistake.” A gentle voice lets out. “It makes sense to be worried. You’re somewhere new.”

  Another womanly voice speaks up, more stern. “Are you not a first rank cavalier general? You welcomed death openly, yet you worry about running?”

  A third distinct voice joins in. “You are brave, while not an umamusume in your previous life, you performed with all the heart of one.”

  As I look around for the voices, I notice, behind me, a familiar horse facing me. Archibald, jet black fur, he still wears his armor from the last time I saw him. I approach him, rubbing him. “Archibald…”

  “You recognize Archibald.” The third voice speaks up. “He owes you his life. Both you and him saved each other on multiple occasions.”

  A large white horse appears on my left.

  “R-... Roland?” I mumble.

  The gentle voice sings to me. “Roland, the first horse that let you mount him. He went out on a trip while you were a simple stablehand. And he never returned… you were distraught. The first casualty of war you truly cried for.”

  “Why… why show me these Three Goddesses?” I ask, looking around for them, but only see the continued darkness around me. “This is nothing but a vision, correct? I wish to reunite with Archibald. But I know nothing of running! Why introduce me into this world already grown? Could I not have been born a child and learn all of this strength I’ve been given?”

  The sterner voice speaks up. “Even as goddesses, we are tied to restrictions. It took a lot to bring both of you here. Upon learning our restrictions, Archibald proposed a loophole, following the rules we are tied to. There must be a new uma, and an uma from another world must be reborn.”

  “It is obvious you raised him to be intelligent and brave!” The third voice speaks up. “To find a loophole that obeyed the rules, and still allowed your soul to come. He is ever loyal to you”

  I pause trying to figure out the meaning of what they say. “Uma… Archibald, do you imply that he was just reborn? A mere infant? Then I will have to wait years to reunite with my friend?”

  The gentle voice speaks calmly, as if speaking comfort to me. “The event you saw when you fainted, Archibald talking to us. That had happened eighteen years in this world before we talked to you.”

  “Eighteen…?” I still see no sign of the goddesses anywhere, I only see the two stallions and further darkness.

  “Archibald is roughly the same age as your form now.” The third voice says, clearly joy in her voice. “And I’m sure he wants to meet you, but first he must find you. To be reunited as friends, you must first reconnect.”

  The stern voice interjects. “That means you must make your name known, and as an uma. It means your best chance is to run!”

  As the goddess says this the horses, Roland and Archibald, begin running. “Hey!” I quickly turn, seeing the direction they’re going, I see in the distance a faint light. “W-What…? I’m a cavalier! I do not know how to catch up with them!” I say, trying to pursue them, as I do, the distance only grows.

  The stern voice continues. “You are no mere cavalier now. You are an umamusume! As such, follow their movements! They are your goal! They are your inspiration!”

  I try to pursue. “How can I follow their movements?!” I let out, trying my best to exert my energy. “How do I run like a horse?”

  “Do not try to run like a horse. You are no horse. You are an umamusume.” The third voice assures. “Do not overthink. If this was combat, what would happen if you thought about how to act when an enemy closes in.”

  “I-I would be dead before I could react!”

  “In this world, run in the same way you used to fight! Use your instincts!”

  I feel the pounding of my feet on the firm ground. Roland and Archibald are no longer getting further away, but I can’t reach them yet. As I move, the white lights are passing by me, but I’m unable to focus on them, I only focus on the horses ahead of me. I feel myself trying to exert myself, but my energy and strength do not obey my objective. I continue for a minute, but find myself reaching my peak. “I don’t have much more left to give!” I let out, gritting my teeth.

  The gentle voice speaks up. “You are only just reaching the peak of your human strength. Do not be fooled. You are no human. You are an umamusume. Feel the taste of the wind passing your cheeks. Your legs can go faster.”

  The… my fatigue, it was lightened? I feel the wind blowing past my ears, my tail, it instinctively moves with the wind as my arms pump themselves back and forth. “I’m… I’m… I’m an umamusume.” I let out, my leg pushes firmly into the ground, as I spurt forward, I have no surroundings to judge my speed on, but the way the wind whips past me. It’s faster than when I rode archibald. My arms pump, my legs firmly push.

  The distance between me and the two horses in front of me changes rapidly. The gap is closing. With each pump, it feels second nature, the thrill, the power. It was as if it was my first time on Roland’s back again. As I run, the divine light color shifts. The bright white slowly becomes an inviting gold. The golden glow gets closer as I run. I catch up to Archibald and Roland, as the glow envelopes my very being. I feel… warm, I feel strong, I feel flowing energy through me, an excitement bursting in my chest. Running… running is… fun?” As the glow fully envelops me, I can’t help but smile. Embarrassingly full faced. I don’t recall smiling so happily in my life.

  Suddenly my eyes open, revealing me staring at the statue of the three goddesses. “Huh?!” I gasp, out of breath, as I nearly keel over, falling to my knee. I feel my tail brush the ground as my ears lean back. There is a distinct sense to them, as if my body has become much more aware of them. “W-What… What was that?”

  Symboli Rudolf smiles, grabbing my hand and helping me to my feet. “So, you had one as well.” She smiles.

  Yayoi opens her fan. “Congratulations, young Aven! That proves it!” She pulls out the form from before. “Those who come here and attain visions! That is proof there is a fighting spirit for you to race!”

  I’m still catching my breath. “Don’t get… too hasty.” I mumble, leaning on Rudolf for support slightly. “I… I had a vision, yes, and I feel… aware. But… to run in a dream and run in reality are two very different things.”

  Tazuna smiles, clearly happy about the revelation. “Well, then there is only one place to go to prove it.” She holds her hands together neatly. “If you come to the racetrack, and run, we shall see if what you worry about still holds up.”

  I take a deep breath, leaning of Rudolf, and holding my knees. “Very well…” My tail flicks. I will see that racetrack now.” I mutter. The fears and worries I had seem much farther than they were before.