Uma Musume, fantastical creatures who were born to run.
They race across vast racetracks against each other, pushing each other to become stronger, until eventually, out of the countless bodies of others, some emerge victorious, achieving untold amounts of honor and glory.
And coincidentally, in a normal looking apartment room, three young Uma Musume were currently chatting around a table, eating a rather humble looking meal of white rice, vegetables, and chicken dipped in some soy sauce.
"So, are you two ready for tomorrow's entrance exam?"
A petite Uma Musume with long silky snow-white hair spoke with a calm tone, almost as if she had lived far longer than her appearance might deceive you into thinking.
"Of course we are, Imanami. Don't think that just because Wada and I lose to you everytime that we're weak, it's just that you're too damn strong!
An average looking Uma Musume with short black hair spoke with resignation.
She slammed her chopsticks down onto her bowl before shifting into a more relaxed position as she complained,
"Plus, how is your rate of growth this fast? We train together every day and even use the same training regime; it makes no sense!"
"Hehe, Ikezoe, this is the result of me doing good deeds for a long time. I have simply accumulated a large amount of good karma!"
"Eh... Imanami, when did you start believing in supernatural stuff like that?"
An Uma Musume, whose luscious blonde hair was tied up into a ponytail, as well as having arguably the most beautiful face and figure among the three of them, called Wada, joked casually.
However, just as Wada brought up the word 'supernatural,' a cold silence permeated throughout the room as memories from last month resurfaced back into their minds.
Yes, as you can tell from their unusual behaviours, these Uma Musume weren't just normal denizens of this world, but actually transmigrators from another world.
"Sigh..." X3
"...I still can't believe something like this happened to us... Don't transmigrators in those novels usually become overpowered heroes that fight monsters and get all the women?"
"WHY DO WE HAVE TO RUN AS HORSES THEMSELVES NOW?!!! AND AS HIGHSCHOOL GIRLS AT THAT???!!!!!"
Ikezoe screamed in anger as she rapidly scratched her painfully throbbing head.
It happened only about a month ago.
Back then, Wada and Ikezoe had decided to go visit Imanami on a whim while also taking a look at the quality of the new generation of racehorses.
However, just as they met up with Imanami, a strange white pony had suddenly appeared out of thin air and attacked them, causing all three of them to pass out...
And then, they found themselves in this strange new world, having transformed into Uma Musume.
Turning into girls was a truly novel experience for the three transmigrators.
"I mean, it's not all bad. There was no way any of us could've ever been so healthy and strong before."
"Just look at Imanami! He used to be half-step into death's door, and now the old man could run as fast as prime Symboli Rudolf!"
Wada made an awkward smile as she tried to comfort Ikezoe.
"You're exaggerating, Wada, and don't curse me! I could've at least lived for 20 more years! 20 I say!"
Imanami joked before she stretched her back, an expression of euphoria appearing on her face as she did so.
"Still, no longer having to deal with constant back pain feels amazing! Honestly, even if I wasn't forced into it, I probably would've willingly turned into a girl."
Ikezoe glared at her two bros... wait, shouldn't it be sisters now? Well, who cares, Ikezoe glared at the two as she fixed her messed up hair, her tone full of grievances,
"Tch, easy for you two to say. The only reason you two can be so casual is because you all got lucky. Look at me! I look completely average!"
"Look at yourself, Wada, you look hot as hell! If I hadn't met my wife yet, you definitely would've been my high school crush."
"Gay." X2
The two transmigrators gave Ikezoe a deadpan reply, which caused veins to pop up on Ikezoe's head.
"SHUT UP YOU TWO! You know exactly what I mean!"
Ikezoe clicked her tongue before she returned to her food, wolfing it down at an alarming pace.
"Slow down, Ikezoe, you wouldn't want to get indigestion the day before the entrance exam, right?"
Right, the entrance exam.
Imanami's reminder caused Wada and Ikezoe to pause slightly.
"So, we're really doing this... the whole dancing and singing thing."
"Oh, don't be such a wuss, Wada. How else are we going to earn money?"
"So you're the type of guy who would sell his pride for money, huh?"
Ikezoe and Wada glared at each other, the tension so high, Imanami even saw sparks forming in between them.
That's right, though being an Uma Musume seemed just like becoming a professional athlete at first glance, you also had to become an idol; singing, doing cute dances, the whole package.
Although they were initially against it due to their already diminishing manhood, they were, however, dirt broke.
Money makes the world go round, and unfortunately, it seemed like becoming horse idols was an incredibly lucrative profession.
"Come on, I'm getting sick of eating the same meals over and over again! I want hotpot! I want some actually decent sushi!"
Despite Ikezoe saying this, she was still eating her meal with relative gusto.
Wada was a good cook, Ikezoe had to admit this.
Clink.
While Wada and Ikezoe were still playing around with each other, they suddenly heard a sound.
"Sigh... Wada, Ikezoe, I'm going to bed first. Remember to not stay up too late; we need to leave early."
Unbeknownst to the two loudmouths, Imanami had already finished her food, beginning to leave.
"Oh, and also, last one who finishes does the dishes."
As Imanami entered her room, Ikezoe could only gawk, dumbfounded, as she looked towards her still-quite-filled bowl compared to Wada's nearly finished one, resigning herself to her fate.
...
...
"...Man, I'm tired."
Ikezoe muttered as she stumbled into her room, having just done the dishes.
Though the three of them would usually hold a meeting around this time, sharing whatever new things they discovered about this world, as they had an important exam tomorrow, they had decided to put it on break for today.
'Though having to do this sucks a lot, at least I don't have to deal with temperamental racehorses anymore!'
Ikezoe flopped onto her bed, getting into a comfortable position as she began to close her eyes.
'I'll just debut quickly... win one or two GIs, then retire...'
'After that... I'll just do whatever I want. Who knows? Maybe I will become a Trainer or something... yeah, that sounds good...'
As Ikezoe's thoughts began to wander, her body started to become more and more relaxed.
Eventually, she fell asleep.
...
...
"Right so, Ikezoe, Wada, are you two ready?"
"Yeah we are, let's go!"
The starting time of the exam was quite early, though luckily, the venue was not too far from where they lived, only requiring them to travel two stations on the train.
"Ikezoe, remember to not hesitate so much when trying to grab a starting position."
"And Wada, don't be so rigid with your running style; also don't be too afraid to go into the inner lane when entering a corner."
Imanami gave her two juniors some advice as they were currently running towards the venue at a brisk pace.
Although the distance between the train station and the venue was considered quite large for a human, requiring a car to reasonably reach there, for an Uma Musume, it was no problem at all.
"Though I should've known, I never expected there to be something like a road built specifically for Uma Musume."
Wada couldn't help but mutter out loud as she looked at the relatively low amount of cars driving by despite being in a major city like Tokyo.
'This really is another world...'
The three chatted as they ran, which continued for a while until they finally reached their destination.
Before their eyes, a large swath of land, littered with many buildings and lush trees, resembling that of a school, laid before them.
"Woah, this place is huge!"
"Japan Umamusume Training Center Academy, Central Tracen Academy... Yup, we've arrived at the right place."
That's right, the entrance exam they were about to take was the entrance exam to enroll in Tracen Academy.
Tracen Academy was the most famous boarding school for Uma Musume in Japan, boasting the highest quality of training equipment and facilities and attracting the most talented of Uma Musume from all over Japan to challenge the Twinkle Series.
To be honest, the three had no idea how they were even registered to take this exam.
It was one of the many things they inexplicably already possessed when they first transmigrated, which also included their apartment room and a decent sum of cash.
As they strolled towards the entrance, they spotted many other Uma Musume had already gathered there, slowly shuffling towards the main gate of the school.
Seeing that they were supposed to go through the gate, the three transmigrators followed the crowd and made their way towards it.
As they approached the gate, a woman dressed completely in green noticed them.
A warm smile formed on the woman's face as she greeted them,
"Hello, welcome to Tracen Academy! I am Director Akikawa's secretary, Tazuna Hayakawa."
"I assume you three are here to take the entrance exam?"
"Yes ma'am, here is our entry form."
Imanami, as the leader of the trio, unhurriedly took out the entry forms from her bag, which looked comical on her considering how small her body was.
Tazuna took a quick glance at the papers, and, seeing everything checked out, handed it back to Imanami.
"So Imanami, Ikezoe, and Wada-chan, is it?"
"Well then, make your way to the hall first."
"You just have to enter the big building right there and then follow the signs; we'll make further announcements there. Good luck on your exam~"
As Tazuna wished them luck, the three finally entered Tracen Academy.
"We're back in school after all these years, never thought I'd see the day."
Ikezoe said this, a subtle emotion stirring behind her eyes.
A strong sense of nostalgia welled up inside the three transmigrators.
Though they didn't exactly love school back then, they would be lying if they said they didn't feel something from going to school again.
But something about being former adult men made the three of them feel weird just being in a high school like this.
"Huff... well let's do this, Imanami and Ikezoe!"
...
...
"SYMBOLI RUDOLF??!!!" X3
The three transmigrators showed shocked expressions as they realized the identity of the Uma Musume on stage.
"Welcome examinees, to Central Tracen Academy."
"I am Symboli Rudolf, President of the Student Council. I'm sure you all have..."
While Symboli Rudolf was making her speech, the three transmigrators didn't even spare a glance towards her as they huddled together, speaking quietly,
"W- wait, d- does this mean that some of the racehorses we're familiar with might have also become Uma Musume i- in this world?"
"There's a high probability that is the case."
Imanami nodded to Wada's inquiry as she eavesdropped on the silent chatter between the other students near them.
"Wow, it's really Symboli Rudolf! The seven-crowned Emperor... Do you think I can get an autograph later?"
"Sure, I'll come with you!"
Just then, a deep contemplation overtook Wada, the voice from Symboli Rudolf and the students around her no longer even registering to her.
'If Rudolf is here... Does that mean, T.M. Opera O...?'
But right as Wada was deep in thought, a sudden increase in volume from Symboli Rudolf shook her awake.
"Alright, please head to your respective classrooms for the written test. The classroom you are supposed to go to is written on your entry form."
As Symboli Rudolf finished speaking, everyone began standing up with Wada having a delayed reaction as she hurriedly stood up, exiting the hall.
As the trio started to make their way towards their respective classrooms, Ikezoe couldn't help but ask Wada in concern.
"Hey, you good man? You seemed really distracted back there."
"...Yeah, it's nothing."
Wada merely shook his head, waving Ikezoe's inquiry off.
"Well, mine's here. Good luck guys."
As they neared a classroom, Wada waved the two goodbye, before finally entering her designated room.
And then, the written exams began.
...
...
"Now I remember why I didn't like school."
Wada walked out the classroom downcasted, black lines appearing on her face.
To put it bluntly, with the exception of language and history, Wada had failed the written papers.
'Right, this was a school after all. Not just a training facility for Uma Musume.'
Although Tracen Academy was most known for being the go to place if you want to become an Uma Musume, Tracen actually offers quite a wide range of alternative routes.
There are even a small number of Uma Musume who study in Tracen Academy specifically to become Support Uma Musume, or to just pursure higher education.
Plus, it's not exactly uncommon for Uma Musume who have retired to want to become Trainers themselves, which is why Tracen Academy offers these subjects in the first place.
As Wada maneuvered through the sea of examinees, she finally reached the cafeteria and spotted Ikezoe and Imanami sitting at a table, similarly having dark clouds above them.
"...Flunked it?"
"Flunked it." X2
Wada could only sigh as she sat down next to them, putting both her hands on her face.
It was then, that Imanami spoke up,
"Still, it's not unsalvageable. I heard that the written part doesn't affect your chances if you just want to become an Uma Musume."
"Wait, really?"
Ikezoe's face visibly brightened up, quickly turning her head towards Imanami.
"Mmh. I even heard that once you debut, you won't even have to do classes anymore."
Imanami spoke calmly, though her tone still contained a tiny trace of fear, probably from seeing calculus questions after so many years away from it.
At that moment, it was Wada's turn to look at Imanami, asking,
"How do you even know all this? Did you make friends with an upperclassman or something?"
"Hu hu, you'll naturally pick up some skills after you live as long as I have!"
"Alright alright, we get it, you're old."
The three transmigrators playfully bickered with each other, only stopping when they saw a gray-haired Uma Musume carrying what could only be described as a 'mountain' of food.
"What an absurd amount... is it even possible to eat all of that?"
And just as Ikezoe said that, she and Wada were left agape as they saw this rather normal sized girl, vacuuming up her food.
That's right, not eating, but vacuuming up the mountain of food, with chunks of it rapidly dissappearing as it transferred into the gray-haired Uma Musume's stomach.
Right then, a light flashed in Imanami's eyes as she spoke,
"That girl... I believe she is Oguri Cap."
"Wait, actually?! The Idol Horse?"
Wada's eyes widened as she looked at the gray-haired Uma Musume, whose stomach was expanding at a rapid pace.
She hadn't told anyone about this, but she was actually a big Oguri Cap fan.
One of the main reasons why she even became a Jockey in his previous world was because he was inspired by Oguri.
'Maybe I'll get an autograph later.'
...
...
After the three went to get their own relatively more, humble, portions, they quickly finished it and prepared themselves for the actually important part, the practical test.
"...Do we actually have to wear this?"
In the changing room, Ikezoe's eyes twitched as she picked up a pair of gym bloomers which had been provided to them, her inner masculinity feeling like it could shatter at any moment.
"If you're not comfortable, you can wear the shorts instead, though it doesn't seem much better."
Wada then scrutinized the pair of gym shorts given to them; the damn thing couldn't even cover half her thigh!
"Don't get so angry, it's just a little skin. Learning to do those dances was more embarrassing, wasn't it?"
At Imanami's comment, Wada and Ikezoe glanced at Imanami, whose gym shorts looked more like regular shorts due to her petite figure, before giving her a dead stare.
"Never thought I would have a day where I envy not being short."
As Ikezoe said this, she took a deep breath as she picked up the pair of gym shorts, eyeing it.
"Hooo..."
"...AHHH!! SCREW IT! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!"
As the three left the changing room wearing their new attire, with Ikezoe and Wada looking particularly flustered, they made their way towards the training grounds and began waiting in the stands.
However, as they were waiting, Ikezoe couldn't help but pop a vein as one of them was starting to get a lot of attention.
"Woah, who is that girl? Her hair's so smooth!"
"I wonder what her skin routine is, it looks so good..."
"Hey, do you think I can ask her out later—"
Crack.
As Wada began to blush more and more as she pretended to not hear the comments from the surrounding Uma Musume, Ikezoe had clenched her fist so hard, it caused her knuckles to crack.
"Lucky bastard..."
While Ikezoe muttered this under her breath, Imanami only gave her a strange look in return, saying,
"Ikezoe, you do know all these girls are kids, right?"
At Imanami's words, Ikezoe's expression immediately froze as she frantically moved to defend herself,
"I- it's the concept! The concept of having a large amount of women fawn over you! You must've at least fantasized about something like that happening to you once in your life before, right?!"
However, Wada and Imanami only gave Ikezoe a 'really' stare, causing Ikezoe to sink back into her seat, making the two other transmigrators chuckle a bit.
After waiting for a few more moments, the time for the practical test was finally upon them.
"...Alright, Wada Ryuji, you are number 30; Ikezoe Kenichi, you are number 59; and Imanami Takatoshi, you are number 182. Just stick those on your shirt and you're good to go."
"When your numbers are called, get ready to go onto the turf, or dirt section if that was what you chose."
"Other than that, just run as best as you can! Hope to see you again in Tracen soon!"
A somewhat reserved male Trainer with brown hair gave the three the necessary instructions before rushing off towards the next batch of Uma Musume to do the same. (Team Canopus's Trainer)
'Those three Uma Musume had such weird names. Aren't those boy names?'
A stray thought couldn't help but pop up in Minamizaki's head, though he quickly placed it in the back of his mind as he continued with his task.
"...It's time."
Wada, Ikezoe, and Imanami nodded to each other.
The three transmigrators had already trained in their new bodies for almost a month now.
Though getting used to the strength and size difference was difficult at first, with their prior experience with handling racehorses, the three had managed to adapt, and even excel at being Uma Musume.
It wouldn't even be an exaggeration to say that they could win a graded race with their current strength.
And now, they were about to show themselves to the world for the very first time.
"...Number 42, Number 59, Number..."
"...Please gather on the training grounds now."
When the voice rang out, Ikezoe quickly stood up and did a few stretches, some muscle definition revealing itself on her body as she did so.
"Hmph, looks like I'm first."
Despite her rather casual outward attitude, Ikezoe was actually feeling a bit nervous, even if she didn't have a reason to be so.
As Ikezoe slowly breathed in and out, she walked onto the turf, feeling a cool breeze wash over her.
"Well, here goes nothing...!"
...
...
"Hmm, looks like this year's batch is quite good."
A female voice suddenly sounded out, causing Symboli Rudolf's ears to twitch as she turned to look at the source,
"Ah, Trainer, you're here. Want a seat?"
The newcomer was none other than Hana Toujou, Trainer of Team Rigil, the strongest team of Tracen Academy.
"Sigh... Thanks."
As Hana Toujou sat next to Symboli Rudolf, a tired sigh couldn't help but escape her lips, as she rubbed her eyes.
"What's wrong, Trainer. Did something happen? You usually don't come to watch the enrollment exams."
"It's... nothing. I just felt like it."
Hana Toujou merely waved Symboli Rudolf off before sipping on some water which Air Groove had served her a few moments ago.
Of course, just by looking at the dark circles forming under her Trainer's eyes, Rudolf knew that something was amiss.
'It's probably not because of our team, I don't see Grass Wonder or T.M. Opera O causing any trouble at all; Silence Suzuka might... but I doubt it was her.'
'So it must be...'
As the gears began to turn in Rudolf's head, she realized that there could only be one person that could cause Hana Toujou to act like this.
"Trainer, is it Trainer Okin—?"
"Quiet, I don't want to think about that bastard right now."
Seeing her Trainer's reaction, Rudolf immediately knew her guess was right on the mark.
The Trainer of Team Spica was a particularly... quirky individual to say the least.
Though Symboli Rudolf didn't know the full story, she knew that the two had some history behind them, with her Trainer still showing interest in Trainer Okino to this day.
However, taking a look at how irritable Hana Toujou was currently, Rudolf held off from teasing her, merely returning her attention back onto the race.
Though there haven't been any surprisingly remarkable ones so far, the level of quality shown by these newcomers has been pretty good.
"...Start!"
CLANG!
The practical exam was pretty easy to understand.
Same rules and procedures as an official race, with the current track conditions being turf, 2000 meters, clockwise.
After the race, the examinees will be reviewed based on certain criterias, and then finally, given a score.
Of course, different Uma Musume will have different distance or track type aptitudes, so participants would be grouped together based on their aptitudes with the track conditions then changing to suit them.
"Number 70 is currently in the lead! Closely followed by Number 31 and Number..."
"Hmm...?"
Although this race looked like it was going to be a pretty normal one, one particular Uma Musume stood out to Symboli Rudolf.
"Air Groove, can you give me the file for Number 59?"
"Here you go you, President."
The Uma Musume Symboli Rudolf was eyeing looked normal at first glance; she was hanging back alongside the late surger pack and wasn't doing anything atypical.
Even her physical appearance looked average. If Symboli Rudolf was asked to describe what an Uma Musume looked like, this Uma Musume would be what she would think of.
But Symboli Rudolf couldn't be mistaken, for this girl seemed to hold the exact same type of hidden temperamental nature as a certain delinquent-looking Uma Musume from the Gold Family.
'Ikezoe Kenichi... wait, an orphan?'
Aside from the strange name, Symboli Rudolf's attention was drawn to this particular detail.
"Her foundations are solid. Does she already have a Trainer?"
Hana Toujou was also intrigued by this Uma Musume; compared to her competitors, she was clearly more skilled.
"Maybe... let's continue observing."
And, as if to not betray the expectations from these two seniors, Ikezoe made her move.
"We're entering the final corner and— OH! Number 59! Number 59 is making her move!"
"She has just passed the Pace Chaser pack in one go! She's now closing in on the Front Runners!"
"The pack has now entered the final straight. Number 59 is currently neck and neck with Number 70— and she has passed her! Number 59 is now in the lead!"
"1 length, 2 lengths! And she crosses the finish line! The winner of this run is Number 59! Winning with a lead of 3 lengths!"
"Huff... huff... hey, I didn't do too bad."
Ikezoe smiled, feeling relieved that she didn't mess up her acceleration timing.
"...Air Groove, when this girl joins Tracen Academy next week, keep an eye on her."
"Oh? Someone has already caught the interest of our Emperor?"
Air Groove couldn't help but become curious as she looked at Ikezoe, who was currently walking back to the stands.
Although a 3 length lead victory was impressive, it shouldn't have been enough to catch Symboli Rudolf's interest like this.
"Yes, I believe she'll at least reach the GI level, if not further. Also, don't we have a scheme for low-income students? Make her aware of that as well."
"Hm? Is her family struggling financially?"
As Air Groove took Ikezoe's file back from Rudolf's hand, she quickly skimmed through it and saw Ikezoe's orphan status, a flash of understanding appearing in her eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of her."
"Thank you for your work, Air Groove."
...
...
After Ikezoe, there were a few number of Uma Musume who managed to catch the interest of Symboli Rudolf and Hana Toujou.
"Mihono Bourbon, was it? She's pretty good."
Hana Toujou looked at Mihono Bourbon, who just had a pretty dominant Front Runner win, leading from start to end, winning with a 2 length gap.
"The new generation really is growing stronger. I can't wait to see what kind of era Tokai Teio will bring—"
"Oh, that child that constantly clings to you~?"
Suddenly, a voice all too familiar to her entered Symboli Rudolf's ears, causing her to wonder what was going on in this particular entrance exam to attract so many people this year.
"Senior Maruzensky, you're here too?"
"Yes I am, Air Groove! Oh, and hello Trainer Hana Toujou~ Long time no see!"
"Yes, hello Maruzensky."
Indeed, this newcomer was Maruzensky, The Supercar, who also a Student Council member, though only in name as she rarely even shows up for duty.
"Senior Maruzensky, why are you here today?"
"I just felt like it~ Can't a senior check up on how her juniors are doing?"
As Maruzensky reached Rudolf and the others, she planted her rear end onto the seat next to Rudolf, thanking Air Groove as she accepted a cup of water from her.
Seeing that Maruzensky was really just here to goof off, Symboli Rudolf simply sighed as she looked at the new batch of examinees.
"Oh~ That girl over there is really cute~"
"...Is this really something appropriate for a senior like yourself to say?"
Symboli Rudolf could only facepalm as Maruzensky simply mischievously smiled at her.
However, Rudolf did have to admit, the Uma Musume Maruzensky was pointing at did look particularly beautiful.
'...Why is everyone looking at me??!!!!'
Wada could only fidget as she felt the many gazes on her as she entered her gate.
Her new body was beautiful; Wada knew this fact.
It seemed like his handsomeness from his previous world had translated into her Uma Musume form in this world, making her even more beautiful than other Uma Musume who were known to be natural born beauties.
In fact, one of the many ways the three transmigrators had thought of to earn money was to turn Wada into a model.
It was only because of their lack of connections, alongside Wada's own vehement rejection, that she luckily escaped that fate.
'Okay... calm down, remember how T.M. Opera O did it.
CLANG!
"And they're off! Unfortunately, it seems like Number 121, Number 72, and Number 69 all had late starts! It seems like they were distracted by something."
As Number 69 prematurely sprinted in order to make up for her late start, she couldn't help but blush at her own blunder.
'Did I really get distracted by looking at another girl?! I'm not even into girls! ...But she did look very pretty...'
As this scene was observed by the group high up in the stands, Maruzensky nudged Symboli Rudolf repeatedly.
"See, see? It's not just me who thinks that!"
Despite the annoying hag seated next to her, Symboli Rudolf didn't spare Maruzensky a glance as she focused on Wada.
Or more particularly, she focused on the strange sense of familiarity she felt when she saw Wada run.
"Air Groove, please give me the file for Number 30."
As Symboli Rudolf flipped through the file she received, she quickly realized what was causing her to feel this sense of familiarity.
"Wada Ryuji, orphan."
"Ah~? Let me see! Let me see!"
Maruzensky quickly snatched the file away from Rudolf's hand before starting to read it herself.
However, Rudolf didn't even show a reaction to Maruzensky's action as speculations began to form in her mind.
"...Air Groove, can you give me back the file for Ikezoe?"
After Symboli Rudolf did a double-check, one of her suspicions was confirmed.
"St. Darley's Orphanage... Ikezoe Kenichi and Wada Ryuji come from the same orphanage. Could they be biological sisters?"
Although the two girls looked nothing alike, Uma Musume are notorious for looking wildly different from their parents or siblings.
The best example was Narita Brian and Biwa Hayahide, who, despite being sisters, had completely different hair colours from each other.
No one knew why this was the case, with most people simply attributing this to magic from the Three Goddesses.
"Eh... what weird names~ Did their caretaker mistake them for human boys or something?"
"That's what you're focusing on?"
Symboli Rudolf's eyes twitched as Maruzensky took a peek at Ikezoe's file which she was currently holding.
"I mean, it's really weird. You can't blame me for getting curious, kay~?"
"Focus, they're in the final straight now."
Hana Toujou's words pulled their attention back onto the race.
And it was just as she had said; the pack had just finished rounding the final corner and were currently entering the final straight, with Wada currently in the lead.
"I'm starting to believe your theory of Ikezoe having a Trainer more and more now, Trainer."
After making the connection between the two orphans, Symboli Rudolf saw the similarities between the two's running styles.
Though one was running as a Pace Chaser and the other, a Late Surger, the way they swung their arms, the stature they had as they ran, the angle in which they used their feet to propel, it was incredibly similar.
"I wonder who trained them..."
However, Symboli Rudolf quickly shelved her speculations for the time being as she saw that the race had concluded.
"...And she crosses the finish line! The winner of this run is Number 30! Winning with a total lead of 4 lengths!"
As Wada heard this, she quickly flashed a smirk of superiority at Ikezoe in the stands, causing the latter to raise her middle finger at Wada.
...
...
Many, many races later, there was only one more group left to go.
"Wow, Imanami, you're actually in the last group. I was starting to think they forgot about you."
Ikezoe, who was currently scrolling through her phone, finally stopped as she sat up to a proper sitting position.
"...I really feel like I should file a complaint to the school. Why wasn't there a schedule sheet posted?"
Imanami was an incredibly patient person, having tempered her mind from living as long she did.
Yet, even she felt annoyed by the fact that she was last without any prior notice.
Wada and Ikezoe, seeing Imanami in an irritable mood, unconsciously began to smile in anticipation.
The two transmigrators, having suffered under Imanami for far too long, were finally getting new compatriots!
"Wahhhh~ I'm so boreedddddd~~~~"
"...Then why did you come here in the first place?"
Symboli Rudolf was finally finding Maruzensky's presence a bit too unbearable.
It was one thing to laze around, but to actively disturb her?!
For a moment, Rudolf even thought of challenging Maruzensky to a race to humiliate her.
However, she quickly calmed down once she remembered the reason why Maruzensky even 'retired' in the first place.
"Sigh... This is the final one anyways, so just bear with it."
"Really?! You're not lying right, junior?"
Just as the two older Uma Musume were playfully squabbling, Maruzensky and Symboli Rudolf suddenly froze.
And it wasn't just the two, Air Groove; who was beside them, had also frozen, as if they had sensed something.
The three of them, with Hana Toujou also following their action belatedly, snapped their necks towards a particular gate.
...
Yo yo yo! It's me! Random Uma Musume number #192841250!
Now, you might be thinking, who is this rando? And well, the only thing I have to say to you is, screw you too!
...Back when I was a kid, I always won against the other Uma Musume in my neighborhood.
Really, I was the best! My parents constantly praised me, the kids in the playground treated me as their boss, it was great!
I even dreamed of becoming a Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume...
But this dream quickly shattered once I reached middle school.
There, I realized I wasn't really special at all.
Uma Musume who were more hardworking than me, those who were more strong-willed than I was, those who could beat me despite not having raced before in their entire lives because they were more talented than me...
...Funny thing is, for a time, I even blamed them for being better than me, that was really stupid of me, wasn't it?
Well, eventually, despite it all, I managed to move past that ugly phase of my life and kept myself together.
I worked hard to make up for my lack of talent, and I even got my application for my dream school, Tracen Academy, accepted too! Am I not amazing?
...These days, I've curbed my expectations by a lot.
I no longer have any lofty goals like becoming a Classic Triple Crown Uma Musume or anything like that.
Nowadays, I only wish to win a single GI.
And, ha... well, if I were to be so arrogant, I also wish for that GI to be the Japanese Derby.
This wish was not for anyone in particular, not for my classmates, not for my friends, not for my parents, no one.
I... only wish to show my younger self that no one is born a loser, that even the most mundane of people could rise up and touch the sky too.
So, I will first start by using everything I have managed to obtain with my meager talent, and then win this practical exam!
...Of course, that would have been the case if this god forsakened world hadn't decided to fuck me over for yet another time.
"...Start!"
CLANG!
As the gates swung open, the Uma Musume in the gates immediately began running, aiming to be the first to reach the finish line.
But...
'Huh, am I hallucinating? Why is that Uma Musume so far ahead?'
Such thoughts resonated among the runners as they saw a small figure with flowing white hair rush past them.
No, they couldn't even see the figure rush past them, only that they had somehow got ahead of them.
"... a, ah, eeeehhh....?"
"W- what was that????!!!!"
"Yeah, I'm done with this."
What could only be described as a 'white line' moved at incredibly high speeds through the track.
The blurry white figure was moving so fast, the other participants couldn't even make out its shape.
Some of the runners didn't even move; they just stood there, staring blank eyed at the small figure who was rapidly leaving their field of view.
"Ah-? Eh-. A- ahem, uh, it seems like Number 182 has decided to run as a Runaway! She is currently in the lead by u- uh... 5- uh, 8 lengths...! W- wow, amazing!"
Other than the sounds of shoes with metal cleats digging into the turf and the heavy breathing from the Uma Musume who were still trying to catch up, the entire training ground was silent.
This was, of course, not counting Wada and Ikezoe, who had pulled out snacks and were giggling like children at the reactions from everyone.
'Hah! That's right, that's our senior right there!'
'If we have to suffer, all of YOU have to suffer alongside us!'
"...Here you go, President."
Air Groove didn't even need Symboli Rudolf to tell her; she proactively took out Imanami's file and gave it to Rudolf.
Then, Symboli Rudolf slowly flipped the pages, her eyes quickly alternating between Imanami's run and the file in her hands, as if she didn't want to miss a single moment.
"This is crazy... Is she the second coming of Eclipse or something?!"
Maruzensky's brows furrowed; from the speed and skill Imanami was showcasing, she was sure Imanami was fully qualified to run in a GI race as she was right now.
"President, do you think she has Aura or a Zone?"
Air Groove asked with some uncertainty; if Imanami possessed either of those, it would make sense how she was achieving her dominant display.
"I'm not sure. Even if she has either of those, it's probably at a very elementary level."
Rudolf shook her head, her eyes particularly glued to a certain name on the file.
It was a pretty innocuous name, something she would've glossed over on any other day.
However, she had already seen this name two times already, making this the third time she saw this name.
"St. Darley's Orphanage... What a coincidence."
"Eh~ seriously?!"
Maruzensky gasped in shock. Three incredibly talented Uma Musume, with one of them being practically a monster, all from the same orphanage?
Were these three Uma Musume the daughters of the Three Goddesses or something?
As everyone was still awed by Imanami's performance, many thoughts began to brew in Rudolf's mind.
What those thoughts were? No one knew.
But, in the end, it all resulted in a wild smile being formed on Symboli Rudolf's face, a fire which had remained unseen for a long time reappearing in her eyes.
It really was time for the new to replace the old.
"...A- and she crosses the finish line! The winner of t- this run is Number 182! W- winning with a total lead o- of 39 lengths!"
"L- let us congratulate this Uma Musume for her extraordinary feat!"
"39 lengths?"
As Imanami crossed the finish line, barely looking like she broke a sweat, she realized that she might've gone a little too far this time in her rage.
'Having a younger body really does affect how I think...'
If the other Uma Musume had continued to persevere, the gap would've probably been around 25 lengths instead.
However, none of them had the heart to even continue running once they couldn't see Imanami anymore at the third straight, not that anyone would blame them for it.
While Imanami stood at the end of the track, with no other Uma Musume in sight, a familiar and a few unfamiliar faces had descended onto the tracks to meet her.
"...Miss Symboli Rudolf?"
"Yes, that's me."
Symboli Rudolf, alongside Air Groove, Maruzensky, and Hana Toujou, had all come down from the stands, walking towards Imanami.
"I saw your performance just now; you're really talented!"
"Thanks for the compliment—"
Seeing that Rudolf was extending her hand to her, Imanami went to shake Rudolf's hand.
However, just as their hands touched, a strong sense of oppression pressed down on Imanami, almost causing her to stumble.
"!"
Luckily, as soon as that sense of oppression pressed down on Imanami, it quickly disappeared right after, with Symboli Rudolf supporting Imanami to stop her fall.
"—Sorry about that, I just wanted to check something."
Symboli Rudolf showed an apologetic smile towards the confused Imanami, helping her to stand back up.
'No Aura or a Zone...'
As Symboli Rudolf gained this new piece of information, a plan that had been brewing in her mind ever since she saw Imanami's performance became solidified.
At that moment, a huge smile appeared on the face of Symboli Rudolf as she gently patted Imanami's shoulder.
"If you encounter any troubles, feel free to visit the Student Council Office, alright?"
"See you around soon."
And with that, Symboli Rudolf went away along with the others who had accompanied her before, Maruzensky also waving a friendly goodbye as she left.
However, as they were leaving, Air Groove stayed behind the group, giving Imanami an apology,
"Sorry for our President's rather... rude behaviour; she sometimes acts like that when she gets too excited."
"Again, if you have any problems or concerns, you can ask any Student Council member for help; we'll be happy to do so."
And with that, Air Groove began to leave as well, catching up with the rest of the group.
...
...
With the end of the entrance exam, Maruzensky, driving in her sports car, waved the others goodbye as she drove off the who know where.
However, just then, Air Groove, having a somewhat hesitant expression, asked Symboli Rudolf,
"President, are you really intending on doing what I think you're about to do?"
"I don't see why not. Tokai Teio's pride has been growing quite large recently, has it not?"
"Someone who can help to reduce it, as well as motivate her seems perfect, no?"
Symboli Rudolf replied with a calm tone, her eyes closing as she did so.
"But don't you think it's a bit unfair to Teio for you to make someone else your apprentice before her?"
At Air Groove's words, Symboli Rudolf looked away, her eyes still closed.
That's right; the plan Symboli Rudolf had decided to put into motion was to make Imanami her official apprentice, something she hadn't even appointed Teio as, despite Rudolf basically treating her as her adoptive daughter.
"That child can't cling to me for comfort forever."
"How do you think her future Trainer would feel if she keeps ignoring them in favour of me?"
"I understand, but..."
Air Groove couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and hesitance at Symboli Rudolf's choice.
She knew it was the right thing to do; after all, this darling of Tracen Academy did possess an overinflated pride. But still...
Symboli Rudolf saw Air Groove's hesitant expression and couldn't help but sigh.
She herself was feeling the biggest sense of guilt from her actions.
But, if she wants to transform the 'genius' Tokai Teio into the 'unyielding' Tokai Teio, Teio will have to travel a long and thorny path to get there.
"...Speaking of which, Trainer, you're planning to recruit Imanami, right?"
"Of course, it'll be a dereliction of my duty as a Trainer if I let a shinning gem like her be taken by a bumbling fool like Okino or an uncaring conglomerate like Shadai."
Hana Toujou adjusted her glasses as she said this, her expression quite serious.
Although she had a rule to only recruit Uma Musume who impressed her in the team trials she opened each year, Imanami was simply too dazzling of a talent to risk passing up on.
If an Uma Musume like Imanami got picked up by Shadai while she could have stopped it... she would probably become too embarrassed to even call herself a Trainer anymore.
...
...
"Congratulations to the three of us for successfully passing the entrance exam to Tracen Academy just after one month of transmigrating! Ikezoe and Wada, CHEERS!"
"CHEERS!"
In a private room, the three transmigrators finally splurged for the first time since the day they had been transported into this world, eating at a particularly luxurious hotpot restaurant.
Led by Imanami, who was still the most authoritative one of the three despite her small stature, they raised their glasses and then started to drink.
Imanami was drinking a glass containing oolong tea while the other two were drinking orange juice, looking a bit bizzarre to any outsider if they were watching.
After the three of them drank a few big sips from their cups, they happily sat back down.
"Ah, this is great! After a month, we finally passed Tracen Academy's entrance exam. Starting from tomorrow, we are officially one step closer to becoming Uma Musume!"
Ikezoe said excitedly while rubbing her hands, a content smile forming on her face,
"One month after we had been transmigrated, and we're finally back on track!"
A few days had already passed since the entrance exam.
As expected, after waiting for a few days, three letters had been mailed to their apartment, informing them that their application to join Tracen Academy had been accepted.
Also in the letter were instructions telling them to pack up items they wished to bring along before officially moving into one of the student dorms in Tracen Academy to live in.
Wada fixed her hair a little as she also smiled at Imanami, saying,
"It's all thanks to Imanami, who managed to translate our experiences in our previous world into training regimes for all of us."
"Otherwise, there was no way either of us could've reached this level in just a month!"
"Haha, I just gave you two a bit of advice."
"Managing to have the discipline to do the training regimes as well as passing the entrance exam was a testament to your own abilities."
Imanami spoke in a slow, calm, and gentle tone, like an old man with rich experience.
She then said warmly,
"Well then, have any of you planned what you wish to do in your careers?"
Ikezoe grabbed some meat and vegetables from the hotpot as she quickly replied,
"The Classic Triple Crowns are a must! There's no way I'm not at least giving it a try!"
"Who knows? Maybe I'll even surpass Orfevre and win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe!"
At Ikezoe's declaration, Imanami couldn't help but give an amused smile in return, giving an encouraging laugh.
However, at the mention of a racehorse from their previous world, Wada couldn't help but voice out her concerns,
"Guys, we know that racehorses from our world like Symboli Rudolf and Oguri Cap are here as Uma Musume, right?"
As Imanami and Ikezoe heard Wada's words, they suddenly felt like they had been missing something incredibly obvious, a foreboding sense of realization slowly overtaking them.
"I searched for the names of some of some of the racehorses from our world, and although some names did show results like Mr. C.B. and Super Creek, many didn't..."
"So... does that mean that we might have to potentially compete against the Uma Musume forms of racehorses we previously rode on?"
When Wada raised this theory, a cold sensation shot up Ikezoe's spine.
Him? Competing against Orfevre?!
Just thinking this caused Ikezoe's body to uncontrollably shake, her chopsticks falling on the table.
"Ikezoe, calm down. This is just Wada's theory; it hasn't been confirmed yet."
Imanami knew exactly what Ikezoe was thinking just by looking at her scared expression, trying her best to quickly calm her down,
"Don't think about these things anymore. Today's a day to relax; we can deal with it later."
"And Wada, you too. Leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's us. There's nothing we can do about it anyways."
After collecting themselves for a moment, the two managed to calm down again, with Ikezoe picking up new chopsticks as she did so.
"...Still, I wonder how T.M. Opera O is doing—"
"—Ahhhh! Don't bring it up anymore, Wada! I don't want to think about those crazed horses anymore!"
"Here! Have this and shut your mouth!"
Ikezoe picked up some beef from the hotpot and stuffed it directly into Wada's mouth, causing her to quickly spit it out due to the heat.
"Ikezoe... come here, you!"
Bubbling laughter echoed inside the private room as the three transmigrators fooled around for the night, truly letting themselves relax for the first time in a while.
And as for where they'll go from here... well, looks like they'll have to go to Tracen Academy to find out.
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And there's where this what if ends.
I have to say, writing is so much harder than translating, respect to the original author as well as every other writer out there.
I'm planning to do a what if every 100 chapters, so one at chapter 300, one at chapter 400, etc, etc.
Of course, if you think my writing's trash and that this is just a waste of time, feel free to tell me, cause man, this took way longer to write than I liked.
If you want to know what happens after this, they'll meet up with their Uma Musume like in the original fic and then Gold Ship would manage to convince the three to join Okino's team.
After that, the three will branch off into their own storylines.
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Wada's storyline I would say would be quite standard, since T.M. Opera O and Meisho Doto are one year apart from him, which just makes it really hard to do anything with them.
I could see Wada's story being a coming of age story where he decides to succeed where T.M. Opera O failed, winning the Classic Triple Crowns, etc, etc.
For the romance portion, it'll be Wada and Doto competing for T.M. Opera O's heart, basically harem for T.M. Opera O.
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Ikezoe's storyline would probably be the most fun, where it's incredibly Blue Lock coded.
Although it's hinted barely in this what if, Ikezoe and Orfevre are very similar, with them essentially being like Broly from Dragon Ball where they have no ceiling, and can easily become stronger through rage amps.
Orfevre will get mad simply by Ikezoe being there and Ikezoe will get mad because Orfevre keeps beating him up.
As the story progresses, Orfevre and Ikezoe will keep getting more agressive and deranged until it eventually culminates into a three way showdown between him, Orfevre, and a mystery spoiler character that hasn't shown up in the fic yet in the Prix de l'Arc.
Romance will be similar to the original fic, with Curren Chan competing with Orfevre for Ikezoe, but this time, Orfevre and Ikezoe turns into rivalry yuri instead.
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Imanami will be basically unchanged compared to his original fic counterpart.
Unlike the other two, it'll be less action and more drama, since he just wins any race he competes in.
In fact, I don't see Imanami even debuting until all his friends are finished with their careers, basically becoming a second Gold Ship in terms of stalling their debut race.
The main storyline for Imanami would most likely be political stuff like dealing with Shadai, alongside the Mejiro, and Symboli family who want to adopt the three of them in.
He'll also play a big part in a lot of side character plotlines, acting like a mentor figure to people like Trainer Okino (Ironic considering he is their Trainer in this what if), Tokai Teio, Haru Urara, etc.
For romance... there's barely none.
Since he isn't McQueen's Trainer, they won't grow close enough to have any emotion blossom between them.
There also won't be anything happening with Gold Ship too since she is too grandson coded.
Only chance of romance I see is toxic yuri with Tokai Teio, with Teio basically being like: "Imanami Takatoshi, I hate you." with her thinking that Imanami is taking everything away from her.
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Overall, I think I had put way too much effort into this, I wrote about, 8000 words which is like 5x the length of an average chapter.
Also, feel free to put your suggestions for what ifs here, I might choose to do them over the ones I currently have planned if I think they are cool enough.
And, if you've managed to read this far, again, thanks for reading, I appreciate the support.
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If you spot any errors, feel free to comment about it and I will fix it as soon as I can.