[Fanfic] Umamusume: My Number One, Daiwa Scarlet! [Part 7]

Title: Umamusume: My Number, One Daiwa Scarlet!
Genre: Sports, Slice-of-life, rom-com
Previous: Chapter 6

==Chapter 7: Road to Shuka Sho==

"Yo, Vodka, are you done?" Kondo Mitsuba marched into the academy's gym, his voice boisterous. "You've been in here for half a day. Come on, take a rest and enjoy life a little," he said, smirking at his ace trainee.

"One more set, Boss," Vodka grunted, straining under a heavy lift. "The Shuka Sho is next month, and I want to be in peak condition!"

"HAHAHAHA!" Kondo laughed, combing back his pompadour. "That's the spirit, Vodka! Alright, one more set, then rest for ten minutes. After that, head to the base camp, we're having a team meeting."

"On it, Boss!" Vodka said, continuing her lift. "See you at the base camp."

For the next forty-five minutes, Vodka's mind remained fixed on one person: Daiwa Scarlet. Her defeat at the Oka Sho months ago still haunted her. "Scarlet, I let you take the glory at the Oka Sho..." she thought to herself. "However, at the Shuka Sho next month, I'll make sure you're the one looking at my back."

CLANK!

Vodka finally dropped the barbell. "Phew, I think that's enough," she muttered, sipping her energy drink and wiping away the sweat.

"You worked hard today, Vodka."

A familiar voice called out to her. Vodka turned around to find a tomboyish Umamusume with crimson hair and a single white stripe running down her bangs, wearing an eyepatch over her right eye. Tanino Gimlet, Vodka's senior and older sister figure.

"Gimlet-senpai!" Vodka gasped excitedly, her eyes sparkling with adoration. "How have you been? It's been a whole year! Are you still kicking fences whenever you get bored?""

"Hahaha, well, sometimes," Gimlet laughed. "By the way, do you want to hang out? There's a new coffee shop nearby."

"Ah, I am sorry, senpai. I will have a team meeting with team Icarus in ten minutes" Vodka said, "Maybe next time?"

"Sure," Gimlet smiled. "I just wanted to check on my favorite kouhai, after all. Looking at your record... five wins, including the Tokyo Yushun, I'm so proud of you."

Vodka blushed. "O-oh, well, thanks, Senpai, I-I-I appreciate it," she stammered. "But... I still couldn't beat her, you know?" she added, her tone turning somber.

"Her?" Gimlet tilted her head, "Oh, you mean Daiwa Scarlet? Well, yeah, I admit she's strong. A good runner. She defeated you once in the Oka Sho, didn't she? Twice if you count that-"

"T-t-that mock race doesn't count, arlight? We are still even!" Vodka stammered defensively. "What matters are official graded races, and at the next Shuka Sho, I won't let her take the trophy away from me again!"

Gimlet smiled and nodded approvingly, placing a heavy hand on Vodka's shoulder. "This is why I like you, Vodka. You remind me of myself when I was still an active runner. Keep it going, kiddo! show everyone who the real champion is."

"Of course, senpai" Vodka grinned with fierce determination, "In the Shuka Sho next month, I'll be the one who reign supreme!"

---

While Vodka was busy training, another event was unfolding at the Hanshin Racecourse.

The Rose Stakes, a Grade-2, 1,800 meter race. For Daiwa Scarlet, it served as the perfect warmup before the Shuka Sho.

"UOOOOOOOOOOH!" Scarlet roared as she surged through the final turn, leaving her competitors in the dust.

"GOOOOOO, SCARLET!" Akagi shouted from behind the railing. Behind him, Curren Chan, Gentildonna, and Aston Machan cheered enthusiastically for their ace.

"GOOOOO, SENPAAAAAIIIII!" Curren shouted. "SHOW THEM YOU'RE NUMBER ONE!"

"---AND DAIWA SCARLET CROSSES THE FINISH LINE!" the announcer boomed as Scarlet secured the victory by a half-length margin over her rival, Bella Rheia.

"YEEEEEESSSSSSS!" Team Emerald cheered. "SENPAAAAAAI, YOU WERE AMAZING!" Curren yelled.

Scarlet trotted toward the stands, stopping in front of the audience to strike a victory pose that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Her eyes met Akagi's, who smiled proudly back at her. "Trainer..." she thought, her face flushing slightly. "You saw that, right? I won..."

"DAMN IIIIIIIIIITTT!" Bella Rheia dropped to her knees, slamming her fists into the turf in frustration. "IT WAS SO CLOSE! SO CLOSE!"

Scarlet turned around to face her frustrated rival. Taking a deep breath, she walked over. "Bella Rheia-san," she said softly. Bella Rheia looked up, tears welling in her eyes, as Scarlet leaned down and offered a hand.

"That was a great race," Scarlet smiled. "You're a truly tough opponent."

Bella Rheia's eyes widened. She stared at Scarlet's hand, then up at her face, before finally taking it and letting herself be pulled up.

"I... feel honored, Scarlet-san," Bella Rheia said. "You truly earned the title of Number One today... but...." She pointed a finger forward. "At the Shuka Sho, I'll have my revenge and crush you for good!"

Scarlet smirked. "Challenge accepted, Bella Rheia-san. I'm looking forward to it."

---

Meanwhile at team Icarus basecamp...

The entire roster of Team Icarus watched the race live on television, their focus glued to Daiwa Scarlet. "Well, as expected," Mejiro Palmer said, leaning back comfortably on her chair. "Scarlet finished first. She's going to be a tough opponent for Vodka once again."

"I know, right?" Helios chimed in, chewing bubblegum loudly. "She always has this final boss vibe! I can already feel the hype for their next showdown at the Shuka Sho, fr, fr!"

"Vodka has been working hard to improve herself for their next confrontation," Cesario noted. "However, we shouldn't take runners like Bella Rheia lightly either. This is racing, after all. Anything can happen."

"Oh, fear not," Kondo Mitsuba said, smoothing back his pompadour with a smirk. "I'm sure Vodka can handle them, especially her."

The base camp door swung open. "Sorry I'm late," Vodka announced, returning straight from the gym. "How did the race go?"

"Haha, just as predicted," Helios grinned. "She won."

Vodka turned her attention to the TV. Scarlet, flanked by Akagi and her teammates, was posing with the trophy. Vodka fell silent for a moment before a sharp smile touched her lips. "That's good," she said. "This just makes me want to crush her even more."

Vodka turned to Kondo. "Boss, I'm asking for your permission for some extra training."

Kondo raised an eyebrow. "Extra training? Again? Are you sure? Don't push yourself too hard, Vodka."

Vodka didn't answer, her face set with determination. Kondo looked at her for a long moment before letting out a sigh. "Fine," he said, pushing himself up from his chair. "On one condition: the entire crew joins you."

"Really? Thanks, Boss!" Vodka cheered.

With that, Team Icarus rallied behind Vodka, helping her power through her grueling extra workouts. They all shared a single, unwavering goal: win the Shuka Sho.

---

Time passed like the wind after the Rose Stakes. With only two weeks left before the Shuka Sho, the Umamusume racing fan community was buzzing with hype over the upcoming clash between Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka. Analysts had already begun predicting every possible outcome of the race.

As for the two rivals themselves, each Umamusume pushed theirselves to the limit through grueling training sessions, backed by the unwavering support of their respective teammates and trainers.

Both rivals shared the exact same goal: victory.

During lunch break, Teams Emerald and Icarus ended up sharing a large table because no other empty seats were available. The air between the rival teams was heavy. All eyes in the cafeteria were drawn to them, knowing that Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka were set to face off in the Shuka Sho.

An awkward silence hung over the table until...

"So," Gentildonna sighed, breaking the silence, "does anyone want some sauce?" She held out a bottle.

"Me," Mejiro Palmer said, taking the bottle from Gentildonna. "By the way, how long are we going to sit here glaring at each other? It's not like we actually hate one another, right?"

"Agreed," Kawakami Princess said. "Even these two were still bickering over something in their room this morning." She smirked, pointing a thumb at Scarlet and Vodka, who sat across from each other eating lunch.

"Ugh, she was the one who started it, you know!" Scarlet groaned, pointing a finger at Vodka. "She used my deodorant without my permission. Now it smells like motor oil!"

"Hey, that's the smell of a champion, Scarlet!" Vodka teased with a grin. "You just can't appreciate it because you prefer something fruity for your cologne!"

The group erupted into laughter. Somehow, the sudden levity lifted the tension across the entire cafeteria.

"By the way, have you guys read the latest issue of Twinkle Monthly magazine?" Curren Chan asked, pulling a magazine from her bag. "Look, they wrote an exclusive ten-page feature about you two!" She excitedly flipped open the pages.

"Well, they always exaggerate everything," Vodka said, snatching the magazine from Curren. "But... hehe, look at who the number one favorite is," she gloated with a smug grin, pointing at her own name at the top of the favorites list.

"Give me that!" Scarlet snatched the magazine back, only to find she was ranked second. "Meh, this means nothing!" she declared, even though her twitching eyebrow said otherwise. "The most important thing is the result! And I, Daiwa Scarlet, will be the one to take that Double Tiara!"

"Hahaha, keep dreaming, Scarlet!" Vodka grinned, standing up and striking a heroic pose with her hands on her hips. "Because I'll be the one who wins! Easy peasy for a Derby champion like me."

"Is that so...?"

A cool voice rang out from the corner of the room. Everyone, including Teams Emerald and Icarus, turned their attention to a tall, brown-haired Umamusume sitting by herself, quietly sipping her drink.

The Umamusume stood up, glancing at both Daiwa Scarlet and Vodka with her sharp green eyes. A sudden chill ran down both rivals' spines.

She walked slowly toward their table and snatched the magazine, reading the favorite list. "Hmph, of course it's always you two," she said, her voice cold and detached. "No matter what race you're in, everyone only ever talks about you two... sidelining small-fries like us." Her tone grew increasingly bitter.

Scarlet stared at her, blinking in confusion. "And you are?"

The Umamusume looked down at Scarlet with icy eyes. "As expected, you don't even remember me. Well, then, there's no use telling you my name. I'm just a small-fry to champions like you two anyway."

"Rain Dance, isn't it?" Cesario spoke up, recognizing the girl. "Scarlet-san, Vodka-san, she participated in the Tulip Sho and the Oka Sho as well."

"Eeeeh, for real!?" Scarlet and Vodka gasped in unison.

"Tch, see? This is what I'm talking about," Rain Dance gritted her teeth. "You two treat races like your own personal playground. You don't even notice anyone else out there running alongside you!"

"Okay, look, we're sorry if we came off as too... focused on each other," Scarlet said, attempting a conciliatory tone. "Yeah, I admit Vodka and I get way too fired up when we race, but that doesn't mean we-"

"Cut the crap!" Rain Dance barked, causing the rest of the cafeteria to grow uneasy. "I don't need any fancy talk like 'we didn't mean to underestimate you'." She pointed an accusing finger at both of them. "I'm just here to warn you not to act so high and mighty just because you're the top favorites, because... anything can happen on race day!"

Scarlet and Vodka both broke into a sweat. "W-well, we know that," Scarlet stammered. "We just-"

"I said I don't need your fancy words, Scarlet," Rain Dance interrupted, turning on her heel. "I just want you to know that at the next Shuka Sho, I, Rain Dance, will be the one to defeat both of you." With that declaration, she turned and walked out of the cafeteria.

Scarlet and Vodka exchanged a stunned look.

"I think... I'm going to start training right now," Vodka said, standing up. "Helios, tell the teacher I'm taking early leave."

"M-me too," Scarlet echoed, leaping to her feet. "Machan, could you tell the teacher I'm heading out for extra training?"

Aston Machan and Daitaku Helios both nodded, watching as the star aces of their respective teams walked toward the exit. Curren Chan looked back at the magazine, eyes on Rain Dance's name on the list: Seventh favorite.

[To Be Continued]
Next Part: TBA