Running alongside each other—also known as parallel running or friendship training—is actually a crucial aspect of training for Uma Musume.
Uma Musume are creatures born with intensely strong competitive instincts.
Even when facing off against close friends, they will unleash their full power, perhaps even surpassing their own limits.
However, a burning fighting spirit and the desire to battle can sometimes override logic and judgment.
That is exactly why logical thinking and a calm mind are critical components in Uma Musume races.
It is vital to maintain a cool head even when the spirit is blazing.
But Kato Akira never expected this instinct to be this overwhelming.
“Don’t run!
Stop running!
Stop it, stop it!”
Running like this won’t achieve anything!
Watching the two horse girls furiously circling each other on the dirt, Akira couldn’t help but feel a wave of sheer exhaustion.
It had started off so well.
They were just supposed to do some basic gate training together.
But after only a short while, things went completely off the rails.
No one knew who started it, but what began as a simple run quickly devolved into an instinctive battle for position on the narrow dirt path.
They even started using their rest breaks to figure out how to secure a better position for the next sprint.
They hadn’t even been formally taught how to do this, yet the two horse girls were mastering it on their own.
Minute by minute, with every change in their starting positions, subtle, highly technical jockeying movements began to show in their footwork.
What troubled Akira even more was that after all this fighting, the two girls seemed completely fired up.
Their friendly practice run had turned into a glaring contest.
Locking onto each other like two stray dogs about to brawl, they silently circled one another.
Sighing like a tired old man who had seen too much, Akira reached out and chopped both horse girls on the head.
“Ouch!”
“Ugh!”
“What on earth are you two doing?”
Horse girls’ heads are seriously hard.
Chopping them actually hurt his own hand.
Looking at the two girls squatting on the ground, holding their heads and tearing up in pain, Akira silently crossed his arms behind his back and put on a stern face.
“Gate training is gate training.
Side by side running is side by side running.
Right now, it’s time for gate training!
Your fighting spirits are flaring up so much you can’t even practice properly.
If you step onto the real turf in the future, are you just going to run wild like this?
What about your Running Styles?”
“Uuugh…”
“Now then, Deep Impact, what is your question?”
Seeing her stubbornly raise her hand like a student wanting to speak, Akira helped her stand up.
“Kato-san, if we just went to the official training ground, you wouldn’t have to stop us from running together!
For us Uma Musume, running and training together is super important.
Stopping us so easily is a crime!”
“Hey…”
Looking at Orfevre, who also seemed to agree with this, Akira scratched his head and sighed.
“Have you guys ever seen a janitor hanging around the official training grounds or mock races?”
“…No.”
“Uma Musume training and races are official, confidential business.
Support staff like us aren’t allowed to get involved.
Running Styles and training records are strictly classified.
Even if you two are bottom tier right now, you still have futures ahead of you.”
Looking at the two young girls, Akira lowered his voice.
“If I wasn’t so fixated on becoming a Trainer, I wouldn’t have asked you two for help.
That’s why just practicing gate starts here in the woods is enough.
Doing anything more than that could mess up your future development.”
Above all, every horse girl has a different way of running, a different aptitude, and a different running style.
Akira wanted to be a Dark Trainer, but he understood one thing very clearly—you can’t just forcefully train an Uma Musume blindly.
Before their debut races, without properly understanding their running styles, letting them run wild on a makeshift track was incredibly dangerous.
If they developed any hidden injuries, it would be entirely his fault.
If the academy investigated, he wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences.
“Basically, don’t worry about the complicated stuff.
I don’t have my license yet, and I can’t guarantee I’m a good trainer right now.
So let’s skip the side by side running and anything that puts too much strain on your legs.
Starting gate practice is the best I can safely do for you right now.
You’re both doing great.”
Seeing Deep Impact looking a bit dazed but seemingly understanding, Akira naturally reached out and patted her head.
To his surprise, Deep Impact didn’t dislike this sudden gesture of affection at all.
Instead, she narrowed her eyes and twitched her ears, as if she was genuinely enjoying it.
Compared to Orfevre—who had nearly died of fright and almost punched a hole through him during their first meeting—Deep Impact was definitely much better suited to be his vanguard. This story is hosted at novelping.com.
After all, she had a great personality, was clingy in a cute way, and was very easy to get along with.
(…So, could you please stop looking at me with those desperate eyes, like a housewife catching her husband touching his mistress?
Orfe?)
(We aren’t officially in a Trainer-Uma Musume relationship yet, so please stop making that face.
Please.
Seriously.)
“Alright, you two go rest in the back for a bit.”
Ruffling Orfevre’s hair, Akira pointed toward the woods behind them.
“I’m going to fix the gate up a bit, it should be better soon.
Don’t wander too far, the forest is pretty big.
That’s all.”
“It’s fine, I can still—”
“…”
Deep Impact, whose face was full of energy and clearly wanted to keep running, was suddenly pulled away by Orfevre.
Under Akira’s confused gaze, Orfevre shot a glance at the woods and signaled the black-haired girl to follow her.
‘What are you doing, Orfe?’
‘Shh, I have a great idea.’
With her ears twitching, the little goldsmith looked around.
Once she confirmed no one was hiding in the woods, she lowered her head and whispered to Deep Impact.
‘Don’t you think this secret training feels way better than the training on campus?
Since there are so few people, it actually feels really nice.
For the first time, I feel like someone can actually keep up with me.
Plus, Kato-ojisan is a very important person to me, so I have a plan.’
‘…Tell me.’
As a (temporary) member of the Bottom Tier Horse Girls Club, Deep Impact twitched her ears, looking at the suddenly serious girl in front of her with great interest.
However, while the two horse girls were secretly whispering in the woods behind the junkyard, a figure wearing a racing uniform suddenly appeared in front of the scrap pile.
Heroic and imposing, with chestnut hair draped down her back, her dignified and majestic presence naturally commanded respect.
Symboli Rudolf, who was supposed to be wearing her racing uniform at the turf to encourage the new students, had suddenly appeared right here.
Looking at Akira’s utterly shocked face, she gave a friendly, approachable smile.
“Hello there, Janitor-san.”
“Ah, Rudolf-san.
Is there something I can help you with?”
“Have you happened to see at least two Uma Musume running around this area?”
Staring at Akira, who seemingly hadn’t changed his expression, Symboli Rudolf, clad in her racing uniform, smiled and asked in a low, heavy voice.