Yasui Makoto silently nodded to himself.
Air Groove's mother had also been an outstanding Uma Musume, once winning the prestigious Oaks, a Grade 1 race.
After retiring from racing, she'd initially become a trainer before taking a teaching position at a Tracen elementary school.
Thinking back to records he'd read, Yasui recalled that Duramente had attended that very school. She and Air Groove probably knew each other from an early age, and since they both belonged to the same extended family, their closeness seemed perfectly natural.
"After discussing it with my mother and her trainer, we decided it was important to address her personality issues somehow," Air Groove continued. "Even though I'm no longer formally working here, I still keep an eye on current students."
"Kitasan Black-san is quite well-known around campus. She often appears on the school announcements or honor lists, recognized for helping others whenever she can."
"Although I've never personally met her until now, she appears lively and outgoing. So, I thought perhaps if Duramente spent more time with someone so cheerful, it might help temper her impatient side."
"What do you think, Trainer Yasui?"
Listening carefully to Air Groove's explanation, Yasui couldn't help but feel fortunate, even as he considered the situation thoughtfully.
Duramente's problem wasn't exactly uncommon.
Uma Musume were generally pure-hearted, kind, and gentle—that much was certain. Yet their competitive spirit was equally strong. Otherwise, something like the Twinkle Series wouldn't exist at all.
Properly channeled, that competitiveness could drive an Uma Musume to greater heights during a race.
Handled poorly, though, it could become a serious hindrance.
The phenomenon Air Groove described—"race anxiety"—was common enough. When afflicted, an Uma Musume would lose sight of pacing strategies and their own stamina, single-mindedly fixating on passing particular opponents. They would accelerate too early or at the wrong moments, wasting energy and ultimately losing their chance at victory.
In truth, every Uma Musume faced this risk at some point.
Fortunately, Kitasan's cheerful, optimistic personality made her naturally resistant to such anxieties—a genuine blessing.
Considering all this, Yasui met Air Groove's earnest gaze, nodding thoughtfully.
"Duramente-san likely has an exceptionally strong competitive instinct. Only someone intensely focused on winning would become this anxious at such an early stage in her career."
"Kitasan, meanwhile, has always been easygoing, which might indeed help balance Duramente-san's temperament."
Air Groove's eyes brightened immediately.
"So... does that mean you're agreeing, Trainer Yasui?"
"It could indeed be worth trying to train together," Yasui replied with a nod. "Every personality type has pros and cons. Kitasan's outgoing nature makes her less prone to anxiety, but it also means she sometimes lacks a sharp edge—or a certain obsessiveness—in races."
"From what I've observed, Duramente-san's performance has been remarkable. She consistently demonstrates powerful late kicks, often clocking 33.7 seconds—a feat few others can match."
"I believe Kitasan would benefit greatly from spending time with someone like her."
As he agreed, Yasui had carefully considered several factors.
On the one hand, joint training between Kitasan and Duramente could provide mutual emotional balance. On the other hand, it offered a valuable chance to learn more about their toughest rivals firsthand.
In a parallel world, Kitasan Black and Duramente had debuted in the same year and raced each other multiple times. But crucially, Kitasan had never defeated Duramente—not even once.
Their confrontations during the classic races had been particularly one-sided. In the Satsuki Sho, Duramente placed first, Kitasan third—a close yet clear defeat. In the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Duramente again secured victory, while Kitasan sank to fourteenth place, failing to even make it onto the winners' board.
Although many things might differ in this reality—especially considering Yasui's presence—Duramente remained a formidable rival whose skills and performance demanded respect.
Getting these two acquainted early could provide insights capable of altering the outcomes of future races.
Of course, mutual understanding went both ways.
By spending time together, Duramente and Air Groove would naturally learn about Kitasan and Yasui as well.
But refusing such an opportunity out of fear of revealing weaknesses would be nothing but cowardice.
Even without joint training, races inevitably exposed competitors' strengths and weaknesses anyway. Refusing out of fear of exposure would be pointless self-deception.
Yasui had never been someone who ran from challenges. Rather than retreating, he preferred confronting obstacles head-on, finding ways to overcome them.
Besides this reasoning, Yasui also considered his own future.
Air Groove had spent considerable time within the Tracen Academy's Student Council and was currently managing the university division. She undoubtedly knew the inner workings of the Twinkle Series far better than Yasui.
In terms of experience as a trainer, Air Groove was essentially his senior. More importantly, Uma Musume rarely hid anything. She'd likely answer any of his questions openly and directly, providing valuable insight.
Building a good relationship with a senior figure like Air Groove would definitely prove beneficial.
While Yasui thought this through, Air Groove watched him approvingly.
"You truly are as excellent as everyone says, Trainer Yasui. It's no wonder you ranked first in your assessment, and why Kitasan-san's win streak is no coincidence."
"How about we exchange contact information, then?"
Naturally, Yasui readily agreed.
...
Meanwhile, at the other table in the cafeteria…
"Um…Duramente-chan? Is it alright if I call you that?"
"…Mm."
"O-oh, you don't like it? If you don't like that, maybe…Duramente-san? Or maybe just Duramente? Or…"
"…Mm."
"Well…Duramente-chan it is, then!" Kitasan forced a cheerful smile. "Um, Duramente-chan, is that really enough food for you?"
"…Ah."
"Er…do you want some of mine? Or I could order more for you—"
"…No need."
"Oh…oh, okay then…"
Kitasan's voice faded awkwardly as she turned back toward her own mountain of food, quietly eating with her mouth twitching nervously.
She honestly had no idea how to continue the conversation.
At first, she'd assumed Duramente was just shy or reserved. Kitasan had dealt with quiet classmates before, so she'd felt confident she could manage somehow.
Yet, after several failed attempts at conversation, each met with terse, monosyllabic replies, Kitasan started to worry she'd been talking too much or had said something inappropriate.
But after eating in awkward silence for a while, Kitasan reconsidered.
Maybe we're just not familiar enough yet, so she's embarrassed to say too much.
Thinking positively, Kitasan cautiously decided to broach a different topic.
"Um…Duramente-chan, could I ask…why did you want to become an Uma Musume?"
After speaking, Kitasan expected another noncommittal grunt followed by prolonged silence.
Surprisingly, Duramente swiftly raised her head from her meal, staring at Kitasan with a sharp, cool gaze.
"Because…"
"The fastest. The strongest. The supreme."