Mizuki felt deeply emotional after seeing her cheat awaken. Nowadays, even systems know how to entice their hosts with big promises; just train horses and write a diary to become a legendary Trainer.
This Sly System really knew how to play the game...
And she was more than happy to swallow that bait!
"Ah, McQueen-san, are you feeling better?"
"Dia, wait for me! I still want to see if Teio-san is here!"
As Mizuki was lost in thought, two adorable little Uma Musume suddenly came running into the Spica training camp. It was none other than Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond, who had been best friends since childhood.
Today was Tracen Academy's Open Day, and countless young Umas and aspiring Trainers had come to visit.
The usually-gentle Symboli Rudolf had already prepared a mountain of dad jokes to welcome the children, believing that cold puns were the best way to ease a serious atmosphere.
Air Groove was rubbing her eyes. She had to be careful; if any little Umas asked for a photo, she needed to be prepared, as she was quite sensitive to camera flashes.
Smart Falcon was incredibly excited, planning to host a whole welcoming party for the kids. She had been practicing her dance for a long time...
...Unfortunately, because she failed her recent exams, she— along with Special Week and El Condor Pasa— had been held back by the teacher. They were currently trembling as they sat through remedial study.
To be stopped right when she was going to pass the metaphorical finish line... it's quite heartbreaking for Falco.
At this moment, El Condor Pasa was sitting bolt upright, gaze locked firmly on the board, although her brain couldn't process a single thing.
As for Special Week, her eyes were spinning; she was completely out of it.
And don't even mention Smart Falcon— she had just calculated a math problem where a bus contained 7.5 people!
It was a total disaster.
Back to the present.
Kita-chan and Dia-chan were, of course, the two little ones visiting Tracen. Having heard that McQueen was injured, they headed straight for Team Spica. Currently, they were still in their "child" forms, having not yet matured or "debuted" into their racing forms.
Even though they were small, they were as exquisite as porcelain dolls. Seeing such cute, energetic girls running their hardest would melt anyone's heart— especially since Kitasan and Diamond were like a pair of curious kittens.
On their way into Tracen Academy, they encountered a few "incidents" due to the Open Day crowds. For instance, Kitasan ran into a strange character: Sounds of Earth. She was also in her younger form, but she looked incredibly confident and elegant, standing alone and performing a violin solo.
Kitasan was amazed at the time, thinking she played beautifully. However, she later realized the violin was fully automatic; Sounds of Earth wasn't actually playing it at all.
Kita and Dia were left speechless, silently watching her show off for ages only to realize it was a sham.
Then, they encountered an even stranger one: Sakura Bakushin O. She was clearly over-enthusiastic, unable to speak three sentences without saying "Bakushin." Kita and Dia were so overwhelmed they felt like their heads would be ringing with "Bakushin, Bakushin" even in their sleep, potentially causing nightmares.
(T/N: Being able to BAKUSHIN in my dreams is the exact opposite of a nightmare.)
Fortunately, under the guidance of Miss Nice Nature, they finally reached the Spica clubroom. Looking at the two little ones, Nature felt that her heart had taken a critical hit. Umas from her own generation already had dedicated fans, while she was still struggling just to get a win.
'So dazzling... Teio and McQueen are loved by so many people,' Neicha-san sighed once more at the injustice of the world. She wished she could just win once. But as soon as the thought appeared, she shook her head.
'Wait, wait, I shouldn't have such delusions. It's the middle of the day, why am I dreaming? Sigh...'
"Hm? You there, little one, don't cry. What's wrong? Did you lose your mommy?" The kind Neicha-san went back to helping more children.
Inside the Spica room, Satono Diamond looked at her idol, Mejiro McQueen, with stars in her eyes. This was the Uma Musume she aspired to become.
"Oh, it's Dia-chan. Thank you for your concern. I've fully recovered and will be able to race again soon." Mejiro McQueen smiled gently. The visit from Dia and Kita warmed her heart.
Kitasan Black walked over and said adorably, "That's good! Dia was so worried."
Then she blinked. "Wait, who is this? Oh! I know! Are you that strange Trainer'who came out of the tree hole?"
Mizuki's reputation in the world of Umamusume was currently... legendary. Her method of isekai-ing into this world was quite explosive. It was the first time in years the Umas had heard of someone crawling out of a tree hole.
Rumor had it Miss McQueen was right there at the time and was scared half to death.
Kita and Dia looked up, curiously sizing up this extraordinary Trainer. It had to be said that Mizuki was tall and charming, at least a head taller than McQueen, and her figure put the filly's to shame. Her looks were definitely top-tier.
"Haha, it's Kita and Dia! Guests are always welcome. Here, have some of my specially prepared carrot juice. It'll help you grow up faster."
Mizuki handed them the juice, adding mint candies she thought they'd like. She had planned to write in her diary immediately to get rewards from the "System," but decided to entertain these two little ones first.
"Wow, thank you!" Kitasan's eyes lit up. She took the cup and gulped it down savagely despite her cute appearance, a bright smile on her face. The way she slammed back the drink was exactly like that of an experienced alcoholic.
"Dia, why are you going to the corner to drink?" McQueen suddenly asked, bewildered by the younger Uma's maneuver.
"Because the adults say that if you eat while standing in a corner, you won't grow tall or something like that. I'm going to break that curse! I'll definitely grow tall, just like McQueen-senpai!"
Satono Diamond had always been obsessed with breaking curses. The one she wanted to break most was the rumor that the Satono family could never win a G1 race.
"Haha, I'm sure you will," McQueen said softly, though internally she was thinking: 'I just hope you don't inherit my 500kg weight.'
'Wait, what am I saying? Why am I worrying about my weight again? I need to fire myself up! Just like Dia-chan, I will break the 500kg curse!'
"Here, McQueen. Your carrot juice. You said you wanted some earlier." Mizuki handed her a cup, but she didn't add mint candy to hers.
"I can't, Trainer-san," McQueen said with a determined look. Something with such high sugar content was a total no-no.
"Just drink it. There's no ingredient label. If it's not written, it's zero calories!" Mizuki declared shamelessly.
McQueen was stunned. What kind of logic is that? Was that actually true?! Has she finally found the secret to eating sweets without gaining weight?!
Hope blossomed in her chest... only to quickly be stomped out by the giggles of the two children next to her.
Kita and Dia couldn't stop laughing. Watching McQueen's expression shift when she heard the words "If it's not written, it's zero calories" was hilarious! The way her face fell when she realized that Mizuki was messing around only served to make the two laugh even harder.
Their impression of Mizuki quickly soared. Both of them prefer the current atmosphere— one where a Trainer and their Uma can tease each other and crack jokes— much more than a strict and serious one. In their eyes, Trainer Mizuki's willingness to tease McQueen was a really good sign!
"Um, Ms. Trainer, how many members does Spica have now?" Dia asked curiously.
"Currently, we have Gold Ship, Daiwa Scarlet, Vodka, and our ace who is preparing for the Spring Tenno Sho, Mejiro McQueen. Speaking of which, you two will come to Tracen eventually, right? Have you considered joining Spica?"
Mizuki took the chance to do some recruiting. She didn't know their final records, but she knew they were the protagonists of the third season of the anime. If they were the main characters, they couldn't be weak, right?
"Yes, do you have a team you want to join?" McQueen asked gracefully. At this moment, she looked like an angel— the epitome of Mejiro elegance. 500kg of weight, but 499kg of it was manners and nobility.
"Thank you for the invitation, Trainer," Dia said, "but I will eventually join Team Capella. Have you heard of them? Capella has immense significance for the Satono family."
Team Capella was the Satono family's team. So far, they hadn't won a single G1, leading to the "curse" Dia wanted to shatter.
"As for me, I want to join Teio's team!" Kitasan Black declared with a punch of her fist— the same "punching" pose she'd have for years.
"Is that so? No worries. Regardless of which team you're in, you're always welcome to come here and play." Mizuki smiled and rubbed Kitasan's head. She had to admit, her head was very pattable, especially those soft, squishy ears.
Kitasan asked, "Trainer-san, if you get your head rubbed, will you stop growing?"
Dia's ears twitched. "Is that a thing?"
Kitasan explained that her family members always said so. But as soon as she said it, she realized Dia-chan was getting excited again— Dia didn't believe it and wanted to break that "curse" too.
Left with no choice, Mizuki rubbed "Freaky Dia's" head as well. She felt like she was tricking children. A sin, this must be a sin... truly, life is becoming more criminal by the day.