"Hey, by the way, Rice Shower, you're a student at Tracen Academy, right?" Starlight asked curiously.
"Uh-huh," Rice Shower nodded.
Starlight glanced at the thinning crowd and the time, then wondered aloud, "Wait… haven't you missed curfew?"
"Ah!" Rice Shower gasped, her face turning pale. "Starlight, I have to go! I'm going to be late!"
"You could just call them and go back tomorrow!" Starlight shouted after her as she ran off. Maybe Rice Shower heard her—because after a moment of hesitation and internal struggle, she came running back.
She shyly tugged at the corner of Starlight's sleeve and murmured, "Okay… okay. But I don't have anywhere to stay tonight."
Starlight chuckled. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. Come to my place—my room's pretty big."
"I couldn't possibly trouble Little Starlight…" Rice Shower said, biting her lip.
"It's fine, really. Let's go," Starlight said, gently pulling Rice Shower along.
Seeing Starlight's determination, Rice Shower couldn't refuse and followed her home.
"Little Starlight, won't this disturb your family?" she asked softly.
"Why do you call me 'Little Starlight'? I'm just Starlight," she replied, puzzled.
"Because you're smaller than me," Rice Shower said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her.
"Oh really? I don't remember who was crying like a child when she bumped into a race girl who hadn't even grown up yet," Starlight teased.
"Fine, call me whatever you want," she sighed, waving her hand. After all, she was still too young to be considered a proper Uma Musume.
Rice Shower, despite her growing characterization, was still petite—just a little taller than Starlight. It was perfectly innocent.
Ahem, Starlight shook off her wandering thoughts.
"There are plenty of rooms. You can sleep in the one next to mine," she said, showing her around.
She had to admit, the system had done a great job. Every room was spotless, fully stocked, and freshly renovated.
"Sleep well," she said after settling Rice Shower in. Feeling sleepy herself, Starlight lay down and thought.
The name Rice Shower still felt familiar. She was probably a famous horse girl. Starlight hadn't watched the second season of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby—she'd been too busy. She'd only seen the first season.
After watching it, she even looked up the real-life history of the racehorses. Reality was often more heartbreaking than anime.
"Oh well," she sighed. "At least she's a passionate girl. Nothing bad will happen."
She decided to shower before bed. "It's so nice to sleep after a hot shower. Good night, system."
"Ding. Good night, host."
The next morning, Starlight woke up early and went looking for Rice Shower.
"She already left," she said, reading the note Rice Shower had left behind.
"Little Starlight, I'm heading back to training. I bought you breakfast and left it on the table. Don't forget to eat — Rice Shower"
"At least she bought me breakfast," Starlight smiled, satisfied. After eating, she returned to her room and flopped onto the bed.
After a while, boredom crept in, and her eyes drifted to the computer nearby. "If I don't have to work, I might as well play games all day and think about life—or horse girl life!"
She booted up a game, one not so different from the ones she played in her previous life. Time flew by, and before she knew it, night had fallen.
Her stomach growled faintly, pulling her out of her gaming trance. She headed downstairs and looked out at the brightly lit street, full of chatter and life.
Feeling a sudden burst of joy, she stepped outside. The lively streets lifted her spirits.
After a casual dinner at a nearby shop, she wandered back to the river. She didn't know why—maybe she hoped to see the race girl who had cried the night before.
But she didn't.
After admiring the stars in the night sky, she returned home, feeling a little lonely.
For several nights in a row, Starlight either gamed or lazed around, but she always ended up at the river, stargazing.
Until one morning, she suddenly realized: "Oh no… I'm broke."
Oddly enough, even with no money, she felt relaxed. Time to show off her skills.
She asked the system, "Hey, is there any way to make money?"
"The system recommends entering a race. Fast income, high efficiency, low risk."
"Alright then, let's race!" Starlight declared, brushing aside her earlier hesitation.
No more worries. She had world-traveled and had the system on her side. Whether it was bonding with other Uma Musume or winning races, she believed she could do it.
She remembered seeing Symboli Rudolf and vowed to defeat the arrogant tyrant who bullied others.
And the image of that elegant blue rose under the dim river lights…
Thinking of Rice Shower's delicate figure filled her with motivation. She wanted to race right now.
—
Outside Tokyo…
"What! Why can't I sign up?" Starlight slammed her tiny hands on the desk, frustrated.
"Little race girl, you need a trainer before you can enter your debut race."
The staff smiled politely, and Starlight was too embarrassed to argue.
She sat outside the Tokyo arena, sulking as cheers erupted from inside.
The joys and sorrows of people are never the same. She could only place her hopes on the system.
"Hey system, got a fix? Sign me up, or I'll be eating dirt for days."
"Ding～ Virtual trainer: Platinum Star. Virtual academy: Kasamatsu Horse Girl Academy. Enrollment complete."
"Ding～ Registration successful."
"The system is amazing. You really are something," she said, forgiving its lack of personality.
Finally, she checked her system panel:
Host: Starlight
Gender: Mare
Height: 140 cm (non-grown)
Attributes:
Speed: 110 Stamina: 135 Power: 100 Guts: 150 Wits: 105
Track Suitability: Turf A, Dirt B
Distance Suitability: Sprint B, Mile A, Medium A, Long D
Running Style Suitability: End Closer D, Late Surger D, Pace Chaser B, Front Runner S