Chapter 2
Flip..flip…flip. The sound of pages turning resounded in the office space. Speakers located on a table in the room played relaxing lo-fi music. The pages in question are documents all relating to the 4 races of one particular Uma. Maruzensky.
Four total races. Two won by distance, one won by 9 lengths, and surprisingly, one won by a nose. Her most recent race set a new record time as well. It was still setting in for Riku just what he was looking at. This was real. Maruzensky, a legendary horse spoken in the same class as Symboli Rudolf, was real.
While not establishing an actual timeline, this does confirm for him that Maruzensky was first among the generation of Umas he was familiar with. He had double checked through other race records to see any sign of Symboli Rudolf, Mr. CB, or Katsuragi Ace. Three big-name Umas, two of which would be future members of the student council. Those same two would also be added to the short list of Triple Crown winners in the sport.
"Hmmm.." Riku hummed to himself. Closing his eyes in thought, contemplated what he remembered about Maruzensky's career. A perfect 8-0 record. A career spanning two years? Something to look into, as even for a great Uma, that is a criminally short career. A level of fear was put into other competitors to the point where they would pull out of races rather than facing her, much like Agnes Tachyon.
"Ah, I completely forgot about the most important thing." Riku clasped his hands together in thought. Maruzensky could be considered a precursor to Oguri Cap in a sense. An immensely talented and dominant Uma, who was denied the chance to race in the G1 circuit. However, Riku was not aware of the reasoning she was denied. Was it the paperwork that needed to be submitted a whole year in advance, such as Oguri Cap? Or did it have to do with Maruzensky's foreign origins, leading to the URA stonewalling her from moving up?
A memory/quote popped up in his mind, from the jockey of Maruzensky. "I really want to run in the Japanese Derby. Even if it's from the very outside gate, we absolutely won't get in anyone's way. We don't even need the prize money—we just want the chance to test this horse's true ability." (A direct quote from the jockey, found on a Twitter post.)
Whatever the reason, the JRA completely shut down Maruzensky from competing with the best horses of her time. A completely missed opportunity for a generational horse, and a missed opportunity for fans everywhere to see her race at the highest level.
He did not care for why the JRA had at the time, and the URA in this world denied her entry. Riku could not allow things to go down that same path. One way or another, he was going to get Maruzensky into the G1 circuit. No, not just the G1 circuit. Maruzensky was going to compete in the classics. Nothing would stop him from achieving that.
-Scene Break-
Masayoshi Yoshida is a man who stands atop the Umamusume world. Wealth, fame, and power were all things he wielded as chairman of the URA. Well, at least those who viewed him from the outside would assume so.
Wealth? Masayoshi has that, but nowhere to the level of his fellow board members. Fame? Masayoshi is the chairman of the URA and is the face of the organization as a whole. Power? Due to the lack of success domestically in Japan, alongside the declining viewership, Masayoshi's influence is a fraction of what it once was. Attempting to do anything meaningful within the association is pointless to him; he's been stonewalled at every opportunity by the board.
"Gulp. Haaa." The head of the Yoshida family drank deeply from the sake bottle by his side. Another empty bottle was present on the table next to where he was sitting. Masayoshi slumped further into his chair, covering his eyes with his free hand as he fell deep into thought.
"When did I let it get to this point?" He thought dejectedly. Masayoshi lamented about the man he had become. Masayoshi had been the chairman of the URA for decades. He came into the role with big ideas for the future of Umamusume racing. He wanted to put Japanese Uma racing back on the map, in the wake of how far behind they had fallen to their foreign counterparts. However, he soon found out how difficult those dreams would be to fulfill.
Including Masayoshi himself, there were 14 members of the board. As chairman, his vote counted as three, with the vice-chairman's counting as 2, and all others counting as 1. Despite this advantage in voting, Masayoshi always found himself outvoted for motions he would put forth. This consistent stonewalling from his colleagues slowly eroded the will and optimism of Yoshida. Despite his best efforts, Yoshida was the chairman in name only, with no actual power to make a change.
Masayoshi would not take this well. Furthermore, due to his more timid and non-confrontational nature, he would not attempt to retaliate against his fellow board members. He saw no point in trying anymore; there was nothing more he could do.
"Sigh," Yoshida prepared to take another swig from his sake bottle when-
BANG!
The door to Yoshida's office swung open, revealing his grandson, Riku. The young man in question was breathing deeply, holding a bundle of files tucked into his other arm.
"Grandpa! I've got something you n-. Wait. Are you drinking again?!" Riku excitedly began, only to frown as he saw his grandfather start daydrinking again.
"By the three goddesses, have you ever heard of knocking Riku!? Also, I barely started drinking! I'm still perfectly sober." Masayoshi harrumphed. Mildly incensed at his grandson barging in and coming in just to lecture him again. He attempted to stand up to prove his point and succeeded. With just a little stumbling involved. (A lot of stumbling).
"Really? Could've fooled me. Also, I had been knocking for the past minute, but you didn't reply." Riku muttered as he stepped up and removed the drink from his grandfather's hands, putting the files in his hand on the desk. "You're way past the age where you can drink like this, you know. I'm not going to tell my mother I let you kill yourself drinking." He stated as he stared down his grandfather from above.
Riku's gaze wandered around the office, taking in the messiness of the room. He had just cleaned the office a week ago, yet it's once again dirty. (In his opinion).
"I don't need you to babysit me, Riku." Masayoshi huffed. He turned his gaze away from his overbearing grandson, onto his desk. Upon doing so, he noticed the files Riku had brought with him. "What's this you brought in?"
"Ah! I completely forgot why I rushed up here." Riku blinked owlishly as he replied. "These are files I wanted to bring to your attention. It's the detailed race history of Maruzensky."
"Maruzensky? The Uma we talked about after the Arima Kinen?" Masayoshi questioned as he opened the files of her racing history. "Why the fixation on her?"
"Grandfather," Riku said, as he walked around and placed both his hands on the front of the desk. "I want to get Maruzensky into the G1 circuit. I want her to race in the Classics." Riku stared at his grandfather with a frightening intensity.
"The Classics!?" Masayoshi blinked in shock, completely bewildered by his grandson's request and demeanor.
"Yes. The Classics. I believe it is a crime to have arguably the best Uma running in the lower bracket. To not have a chance to compete in those prestigious races." Riku claimed as he leaned back and crossed his arms. "She is easily in the same tier as Tosho Boy, Ten Point, and Green Grass." Well, he actually believed she was far above those three who ruled the G1 circuit at this time.
"Riku." His grandfather frowned. "Your files do show she can potentially run at the G1 level.. But there's nothing I can do." Masayoshi shook his head, not making eye contact with his grandson.
"Nothing you can do? You're the chairman!" Riku retorted incredulously.
"I can't do it, Riku. I can't do anything." Masayoshi replied solemnly, shaking his head. At this point, Masayoshi began crying. An ugly tide of emotion he couldn't hold back anymore. "I've tried. I've tried so damn hard. I just can't do anything against them, I'm sorry." His head held in his hands, Masayoshi had completely given up.
Riku could only stare at his goofy grandfather's breakdown, unaware of how to react. However, something his grandfather let slip catches his attention.
"Them? Who are you referring to?" Riku questioned. His suspicions only grew. Masayoshi was immensely supportive of his ideas and visions, stating his grandson reminded him of himself in that way. But for someone to make him believe to this extent that nothing can be done?
"...." Masayoshi initially did not answer, too caught up in his emotions. After a minute, though, he looked up with red eyes and a prominent frown. "The board would never let her race. Maruzensky is considered a foreign-born Uma. They're too set in their ways and ideals to let a foreigner ruin what is established."
"The board. Of course." His grandson said aloud. He had forgotten in his excitement to push this through to his grandfather, who really held the power in the organization. "You're positive they wouldn't let her. And this is the reasoning they'd use?"
"Well, yes. They don't have anything else they can use to keep her down, but it's enough." Masayoshi stated, wiping his eyes with his coat sleeve. He looked curiously at Riku. He had begun pacing back and forth with his hands steepled together by his face.
"Its nonsense is what it is. The fact that this corrupt bunch of shit-heads are gatekeeping the league is sickening. If they're going to do everything to stop us, we have to do everything to do the same to them. First, we'll..." Riku began muttering nonstop as he paced more and more. Completely locked into his train of thought.
"Riku. You can't fight them." Masayoshi worriedly stood up. His unsteadiness was only a result of his poor health rather than drinking now, as the situation gradually sobered him up.
"Not if we run away and back down like cowards!" Riku retorted fiercely, his eyes wide as he gestured widely with his arms. "You have given these people everything! They continue to spit on you and your legacy! What we have been doing hasn't been working. We need to adapt." An almost manic gleam appeared in Riku's eyes as he plotted.
Masayoshi was completely taken aback. His grandson wasn't known for being this animated. He had been there for most of his life and could see Riku as a quiet, somewhat snarky boy. But this fieryness, this passionate response, was different.
"Riku," Masayoshi said calmly. "If you were in my shoes. Suppose you were the chairman of the board. What would you do?" A different look had appeared in Masayoshi's eyes that wasn't present before.
"What would I do? I'd present my case on why it's a crime not to let the best Uma in our nation to race at the highest level, due to perceiving them as a foreign threat." Riku passionately claimed. "When they inevitably disagree with me. I'd go for a harder-handed approach. Among the factions within the board, most of them have been snooping around, doing things they should not have. I'd use that information to persuade our more stubborn and greedy counterparts. Then-"
Riku clearly had planned this out far more than Masayoshi expected. But that was fine. Perfect actually. Riku was perfect for what he envisioned.
"That's enough, Riku. I've heard enough." His grandfather leaned back in his chair, an easy smile present on his face. As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I've made my decision."
"Decision? On what?" The now deflated Riku responded. His grandfather really killed his momentum there.
"If you're confident you can do better, why not become the chairman?" Masayoshi clasped his hands together as he smiled.
"Eh?"
Chapter End.