It angered her.
How dare she…
HOW DARE SHE!
Damned be her beauty and presence, she refused to accept this! She refused to accept that by all metrics she wasn't even viewed as a threat right now! She refused to accept that her foe had left them all behind!
Left her behind!
She strangled a snarl that was growing in her throat as she increased her pace to match that of her rival. She knew that it was a bad call. But so what! It didn't matter whether or not it was the right call!
SHE REFUSED TO ACCEPT THIS DISRESPECT!
She could accept being viewed as nothing but a nuisance… EVEN IF IT HURT HER HEART! She could accept it…
But… to be viewed as… nothing.
Something lesser than the earth and the air!
SHE REFUSED!
Her pace quickened again, her accelerating carrying her forward and out of the first turn right as her rival reached the middle of the second straight.
Disregarding the yelps of surprise of the other racers behind her, she accelerated again. And again.
"WHAT'S THIS?!?!" The announcer started, "IT'S REVE D'ESSOR! SHE'S CATCHING UP! SHE'S CATCHING UP!"
So what if she was viewed as nothing but an ant, she refused to accept this! She refused!
Her breathing became heavier, her strides became more and more lethargic, at least in her view, she couldn't keep this pace much longer, she wouldn't be able to.
She would lose.
She was… going to lose?
No.
No no no no nononono! NO!
NO! NO!
She couldn't lose!
She couldn't!
She made a promise didn't she!
That she would put her rival in her place.
"BOTH HOPE FOR TOMORROW AND REVE D'ESSOR ARE EXITING THE FINAL TURN AND ARE NOW ON THE FINAL STRAIGHT!" The announcer screamed, his tone excited beyond measure.
It didn't matter, she was going to lose, no matter what she did now. Her body was too tired, too weak. She pushed it too far, she used her trump card, her final spurt way too early, instead of saving it for when her foe would slow down she used it all the way at the halfway point!
…wait, that's right… that's right!
They were at the final straight!
Her rival would always slow down here!
She wasn't sure when she watched the race footage, but after stalk—observing her rival practice she realized that no matter what, she would slow down at the final straight!
SHE COULD WIN!
She looked forward at the star that looked closer than ever, and noticed that she was slowing down, her strides were slowing and her overall condition worsened.
This was it.
THIS WAS IT! SHE COULD WIN! SHE COULD TEAR DOWN THE STAR FROM ITS PEDESTAL! SHE COULD W—
It was then that she realized, that she was also slowing down.
Her body was already breaking down the moment she also entered the straight.
And as it currently stood… she was going to lose.
The only way for her to win, would be a miracle…
damn it.
Damn it all.
She was going to lose… was she really going to lose?
No. No.
NO!
"AAAAAHHHH!" A scream pushed its way out of her throat, as a power that she didn't know she had surged within her body, she felt like… she felt like she could win!
She could win!
She accelerated again, and for the first time since the beginning of the race she was even with that 'everdistant' star.
She looked to the side and saw her rivals face.
It was twisted and pained, as if even running right now hurt her greatly.
Was this the reason she always slowed?
How pitiful.
To think that her great rival had this kind of face.
Honestly, she felt kind of bad, winning like this.
And to think, that she was so sure she was going to lose!
…
The visions were getting worse, the fire more and more detailed, but even then she noticed something.
"REVE D'ESSOR HAS CAUGHT UP!"
Somebody had caught up… she was going to lose.
Sorry… mom, dad… old man… I'm not going to be able to win after all, I'm not strong enough… I can't face it and win I'm sorry.
I'm going to lose…
I'm going to lose.
I'M… GOING TO LOSE!?!?!?
NO!
I REFUSE! I REFUSE!
I REFUSE TO LOSE!
I WILL WIN!
A snarl grew on her face as she forced strength into her limbs once more.
Her body which felt as if she was running through tar and dragged down suddenly felt free.
And so… she accelerated once more, intent on reminding this… this 'rival' of hers who was destined to be first and who was cursed to be second.
"WHAT'S THIS! HOPE FOR TOMORROW! HOPE FOR TOMORROW IS ACCELERATING ONCE MORE SHE'S STILL GOT MORE IN HER!"
As she pulled away to the front again, she felt like she did at the beginning, as if she was flying unbarred.
And so, with the cheers of the crowd, she crossed the finish line first.
They cheered and they cheered, clearly happy about her victory, her domination, her spectacle.
She granted them the promise of victory and they cheered and cried as she made due on her promise.
The screams of her past however, were quiet and reserved.
It worked it seemed, her gamble had paid off.
So, she waved to the crowd with a smile as the wind pushed and pulled her scarf.
It was then that she heard somebody collapse on the grass.
…
She lost.
Damn it.
She… she didn't know how to feel, she knew deep down, that she would lose, she all but knew that after the first half of the race, but she couldn't help but feel hope as she almost surpassed her rival.
She had almost done it, she was almost free…
She crossed the finish line second, it was a five length difference, to think her rival would have such an amazing spurt.
It was magnificent.
But even then, she couldn't help but collapse on the turf.
Her body was sore and tired, and her right leg hurt like crazy!
She hissed in a breath, closing her eyes all the while, only to feel something soft place itself beneath her head.
"Huh?" She couldn't help but exclaim as she opened her eyes and looked at a rather familiar chest…
"You certainly pushed yourself didn't you?" Her rival said, tilting her head, a bit further out so that she could look at her in the eyes.
"…" she couldn't say anything and she felt her face heat up in embarrassment at their current position.
"What? Don't have much to say? That's fine, just rest for now, it's better, that you don't hurt yourself during the winners live. You know?"
"You…" she started.
"Hmm?"
"You know we're in public right? An entire stadium is watching…"
"What's the problem? This is something that friends do for each other right? My old man said so at least…" she said with a wry smile.
"No… no they don't," she made to get up, only to feel something soft push her back down.
"It's fine," Her 'rival?' said with a soft smile, "We pulled so far ahead from the others that we can stay like this a while longer."
——————————————
AN
So we cucking orfe now are we hope? What am I saying I wrote this lmao.
Anyway, I watched the odyssey, and all I can say is… it's mid. Nothing more, nothing less, wanted to get that of my chest.
Btw, school, is starting soon for me, so I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to continue the weekly updates, I'll try to and if I can't then I'll try to make it biweekly.
This fic, won't be stuck in hell, like the rest of my fics on ff.net.
On a completely different note, AspenTl, my umafic seller, isn't translating uma fics daily anymore, so I'm just sad now, my daily crack— uh I mean, my daily pleasure is gone and replaced by a pokemon fic, which is ok I guess.
Anyway, this is GreekAntrielos,
signing off.
Till next time.