It's easy to get lost in time. Days become weeks really fast when your agenda is full of activities. Training in the mornings, attending classes at the academy, and hanging out with the girls, I slowly start to get along with more and more people. And without even noticing...
The Satsuki Sho arrived.
"Waaaah!" The sudden scream of Flashy startled me. "I should be running there!"
We weren't able to get tickets for the Satsuki Sho because they got sold way too fast, so we ended up watching the live transmission in our team room. Ironically, if Flashy had made a little campaign for votes, she probably would have been able to run on the Satsuki Show, the first gem of the triple crown... but...
"There is no way I would let you run in the Satsuki Sho so soon, Flashy. You will have your chance next year, the same as Meek; she will have her chance at the Oaks."
"But... but I would win!" She exclaimed, pouting while looking at the TV.
"I'm sure you will win," Aoi said without a hint of irony in her voice, her faith in her must be incredible "But right now, you need to mature and keep working toward your goal, let your seniors have their moment to shine as you properly prepare for it."
Meanwhile, Flashy was bikering, and the race still hadn't started. I had a small breather to contemplate my stats once again in the system. Every day, I gain a certain number of points, but my skills haven't evolved to C yet. The only one I managed to get to C+ was wit, but now, even if a reward says it would increase wit, I end up having zero gains. That failed thing of a system I have seems more like a tool to taunt me than to help me. How can I touch my ceiling so soon?
'Damn... in the game the umas can get to S rank... and in the Japanese server they have a strange U thing ranking, but I got forced to stop at rank C+, it's so damn pathetic... it is as if I'm no more than a filler character'
My gamer self tried to make sense of the situation, but there is nothing I can do to improve it for now...
'Is there a limit break mechanic in this system? A reward item? A shop item? Damn, this suck, it feels like playing a pay-to-win game' I pondered in silence.
"k... Meek!"
"Aaaah!" I screamed, being startled, I hadn't noticed they were talking to me. "W-What?"
"Give me the chips, please, it's about to start!" Flashy extended her hand, wanting to receive the snacks in the bowl in front of me.
I paid attention to the screen, trying not to think anymore on things I can't fix right now. The 18 umas who will run in this first leg of the triple crown were already making last preparations before going to the gates.
"The uma musume are getting ready for this day; they want it all, each one of them wants to take the first crown home." The commentator wasn't Kokoro this time; it seemed like an older woman with more experience. "This is a fight for the dreams, and each and every one of them is ready to leave it all on the line to get the job done".
"It's a beautiful day here at Nakayama Racecourse, the skies are clear, it's not too hot, and the turf is in perfect shape for the test of speed." The voice of Satoshi seemed jovial. "The votes are locked; it seems the favourite this time is Sadamu Patek."
For some reason, my sixth sense tingled, and I could feel my big sis Goldshi twitching at this comment; she may know one of those umas.
"Sadamu Patek might be the favourite, but each one of the umas has a great chance to win, the real question is... who among them wants to win more? The other favourites are Eishin Flash, Win Variation, and Orfevre."
"All uma musume are starting to head to the gates now! It's starting, ladies and gentlemen, this year Triple Crown Classics!"
"I want to be there!!!!" Flashy was tearing up while eating her snacks like a beast.
"Hey, leave some to me!" I wanted to eat too.
"Calm down, girls!"
"The gate opens! A great start for all Uma Musume!"
While Aoi tried to watch the race, Flashy and I were brawling for the snacks, and that sly fox almost ate them all on her own! I won't allow that!
"Eishin Flash takes the lead by two lengths," Satoshi announced as the group began to divide.
"Eh?" I looked at the screen, and the triumphant Flashy ate the last chips while I was distracted.
"Can she hold this advantage for the 2000 meters of the race?" The woman wondered.
"She is being followed by Win Variation in second place." Satoshi analyzed the situation: "Most of the group is stacked on a big pace chaser pack on the trails of glory. Near the back, we have Orfevre; it seems she is having trouble breaking out from the competition."
"I could.."
"Flashy if you say you could win that, you are going to jinx yourself," I claimed before she could finish her sentence.
For most of the race, it looked like a damn Flashy Step race, Eishin Flash had the lead and kept running with an amazing strength for most of the race, until... suddenly on the last quarter she lost momentum, it seemed she couldn't hold that pace to the end and she got eaten by the pace chasers who began to make their move. The favorite, Sadamu Patek, was hard blocked by other umas, and didn't leave her trough. At that point on the final stretch, it looked like any of them could win.
"Is this a G1 top-level race?" My eyes sparkled.
"Ooooh!! Orfevre! Orfevre is making her move as everyone is trying to stop the favourite!"
An uma musume with orange hair that flows long at the back was making her move as the woman proclaimed, I could see as if she was enveloped in a dominant golden aura as she surged forward. The other umas took a second to notice her card, but it was too late; she was like a torpedo surging forward at full speed, and as the others tried to catch her, Sadamu surged too; it was already game over.
"Orfevre!!!!" Satoshi proclaimed, "She is unstoppable! Orfevre crossed the finish line 3 lengths ahead of Sadmu, who claimed second place! Half a length behind Sadamu, we have Win Variation!"
"Next, we have Belshazzar and Eishin Flash!"
"Woaaaah, that was a powerful surge!" Flashy said, her eyes sparkling.
"That's exactly what you are going to be able to see next year in December when you see me passing by on Arima Kinen! You gotta tell me how it feels like to see it on first view hahaha!"
"Haaaa keep dreaming, Meek." Flashy shrugged.
"Orfevre claims the gold! Now you know who will perform on the winning live! Orfevre claims this year Satsuki Sho! But will she win the Derby!? We will soon find out!!"
The people on the stands chanted her name. She was being bathed in glory, the people loved her, and one cameraman ran towards her as she walked and looked directly at the camera.
"Orfevre-san! Over here!"
"Orfevre, any words after this victory!?" A reporter from the URA brought a microphone near the triumphant uma.
The winner took a moment, then she smiled.
"Hehe." The uma smiled full of confidence, her face sweating and with a cocky smile, "The triple crown is mine from the very beginning, I'm just merely taking it back to where it belongs, with me."
"Oooooh!!" The reporter was amazed by her bold declaration, "Any word toward your family or friends?"
"Special thanks to myself for being so amazing!"
"I like her," Flashy said, puffing her chest with pride.
"She is Gold Ship-san's sister," Aoi commented casually.
I spat the soda I was drinking.
"W-What!?"