[Fanfic] Umamusume: My Number One, Daiwa Scarlet! [Part 14]

Title: Umamusume: My Number One, Daiwa Scarlet!
Genre: Sports, rom-com, slice of life

Previous: Chapter 13

==Chaper 14: Joint Training==

"Alright class, that's all for today," the math teacher said as she prepared to dismiss the class. "Do your homework, and don't forget we have a quiz next Tuesday. Class dismissed!"

As the teacher left, the classroom filled with murmurs from the Umamusumes, all relieved to finally be freed from the numbers and letters that had cooked their brains.

"Ugh, that was painful," a gyaru-looking, blonde-haired Umamusume said, stretching in her chair to loosen up. "Now I can finally go to the arcade and meet my boyfriend."

"Eh, you have a boyfriend?" a short-haired Umamusume asked with excitement. "Since when? Is he handsome? How'd you two even meet?"

"Aren't you supposed to be training for your maiden race?" a quiet, nerdy-looking brown-haired Umamusume asked, ruining the gyaru's mood in an instant.

"Don't be such a buzzkill, you nerd!" the gyaru barked in annoyance. "You're just jealous you don't have a boyfriend!"

While the group bickered, Daiwa Scarlet sat quietly at her desk, looking out the window.

"A boyfriend, huh?" she thought to herself. "Hmph, who even needs that? Boys are noisy, annoying, and—"

Her eyes locked onto a figure standing in front of the Three Goddesses Statue, talking to his fellow trainers. "Akagi..."

Scarlet's heart hammered against her ribs the moment she saw Akagi Noboru down there, looking handsome and charming as usual—at least in her eyes.

Akagi happened to look up toward Scarlet's classroom, and their eyes met. He smiled and waved his hand at her. Scarlet's heart pounded even harder, and her face turned bright crimson. She quickly averted her gaze.

"I-Idiot!" she screamed internally, her breath hitching. "Why is he waving his hand like that?!"

Scarlet shook her head, slapping both cheeks with her palms to regain her composure. "No, I'm sure it's nothing! He's just being nice, I'm sure of it!"

She peeked back out the window. Akagi was now standing with Kondo Mitsuba—who marched up and, as usual, issued him a foolish challenge. Scarlet sighed and smiled softly. "Well, he is just a dummy, after all..."

BZZZZT.

Scarlet's phone buzzed with an UmaLINE message from Curren Chan. "Senpai, where are you, we are already waiting?" the message said.

Scarlet took a deep breath and packed her things into her bag. "Alright," she murmured, "time to head to the base camp."

---

"Good afternoon, everyone," Scarlet said as she stepped into Team Emerald's base camp.

"Good afternoon, Senpai!" Curren Chan called out, busy posting a cute selfie on her Umastagram.

"Good afternoon, Scarlet-senpai," Gentildonna said smoothly, flipping through a fashion magazine.

"Good afternoon, Scarlet-san," Aston Machan greeted in her usual soft voice.

"Hmph. Good afternoon, I guess," Sweep snorted, waving her wand.

"Good afternoon, Scarlet!" "Yo!" "Hey, Scarlet!" "GOOD AFTERNOON!" "Good afternoon, Scarlet-san!"

"Good afternoon Kawakami-san, Vodka, Cesario-senpai, Palmer-senpai, and Helios-senpai," Scarlet replied politely

Then she froze.

"Wait—"

She blinked once. Twice. She slowly looked around the room.

Sitting around Team Emerald's table were Sweep Tosho, Gentildonna, Aston Machan, and Curren Chan. But squeezed onto the sofa next to Gentildonna were Kawakami Princess and Cesario. Flopped across the rug were Mejiro Palmer and Daitaku Helios. And leaning against Team Emerald's storage cabinet, casually drinking juice, was Vodka.

"Why?!" Scarlet stammered, pointing an accusatory finger at Team Icarus. "What is Team Icarus doing in our base camp?!"

"Yo, Scarlet! Mind making room for my gear?!" Vodka called out, casually kicking a gym bag out of the doorway. "Your locker was open, so I put my spare sneakers in there."

"You put your dirty sneakers in my locker?!" Scarlet shrieked, her face flushing red. "That space is for my personal stuff!"

Before Scarlet could start a fight right there on the rug, the doors burst open with a loud bang.

Kondo Mitsuba swept into the room, his leather jacket flaring behind him as he struck a dramatic pose beneath the ceiling light.

"BEHOLD!" Kondo declared, his pompadour gleaming. "A NEW ERA BEGINS! TWO TEAMS! ONE ROOF!"

Stepping in behind him were Akagi, holding a stack of clipboards, Tazuna Hayakawa, and Director Yayoi Akikawa, who was waving her paper fan with absolute delight.

"Director! What is going on?!" Scarlet demanded. "Why is Team Icarus invading our space?!"

"A most unexpected situation!" Director Akikawa announced, holding her fan high. "Earlier this morning, Vodka-san attempted to ride a motorcycle on the walkway outside Team Icarus's base camp, resulting in a minor... accident with their main wall!"

"She drove straight through the drywall," Tazuna corrected gently with a tight smile. "Their base camp is currently undergoing emergency repairs."

Scarlet glared at Vodka—who rubbed the back of her head with an awkward grin, poking her tongue out as her face flushed with embarrassment.

"So!" Director Akikawa declared, snapping her fan shut. "Team Emerald will host Team Icarus for the next two months! You'll share base camp facilities, training schedules, and lounge areas!"

"WHAT?!" Scarlet screamed, looking around the packed room. "Director, look at this place! We don't have enough chairs, we don't have enough desk space, and it's way too cramped!"

"Nonsense! It builds character!" Akikawa brushed her off with a flick of her fan. "Think of the teamwork, Scarlet-san!"

"Teamwork?! We can barely move!" Scarlet argued, gesturing wildly. "Gentildonna takes up half the couch by herself!"

"I am sitting in my usual spot," Gentildonna noted smoothly, not even looking up from her magazine.

"See?!" Scarlet yelled, throwing her hands up. "The room was already small for one team, now it instantly feels like a crowded train!"

"Now, now, Scarlet," Akagi stepped in, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's only temporary, okay?" he said softly. "Mitsuba-san and I already agreed that we'll run joint training sessions during this time."

Scarlet softened instantly under his touch. "But..." she muttered, a hint of vulnerability slipping through. She looked around at both teams, then back to Akagi. "W-Well... if you say so, then fine!" she huffed, crossing her arms. "But I am not sharing my locker with Vodka!"

"See, girls?" Curren Chan whispered conspiratorially to Mejiro Palmer and Daitaku Helios. "I told you our captain softens up the second our handsome trainer talks to her."

"Hihi, I know, right?" Palmer giggled. "I mean, who would've thought someone could actually tame our Daiwa Scarlet?"

"POWER OF LOVE, FR FR!" Helios exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air.

"SHUT UP!" Scarlet barked, her face burning. "AND VODKA, I TOLD YOU I'M NOT SHARING MY LOCKER!" she yelled, catching Vodka trying to stuff more gear into her locker.

"B-But I thought we were friends!" Vodka cried dramatically, clutching her hands to her chest and shedding fake tears.

Akagi took a deep breath. "Alright, I think it's time for everyone to start training. Mitsuba-san and I will be waiting on the track," he instructed. "Everyone, change into your tracksuits."

----

4:30 P.M, the main training field.

Teams Emerald and Icarus began their first official joint training session. At first, everything ran smoothly—until the inevitable chaos broke loose.

"VODKA, DID YOU DRINK MY WATER?!" Scarlet shouted, pointing an accusatory finger while holding up an empty bottle.

"HEY, YOU ATE MY PROTEIN BAR!" Vodka yelled back, crossing her arms. "SO WE'RE EVEN!"

"YOU DARE MAKE FUN OF THE GREAT WITCH SWEEP TOSHO, MORTAL?!" Sweep Tosho shrieked at Kawakami Princess. "DO YOU WANT ME TO TURN YOU INTO A WORM?!"

"OH, DO YOU THINK I'M SCARED?!" Kawakami yelled back, slamming her fists together. "BRING IT ON, SHORTY!"

"AIEEEEEE! GENTIL IS SO SCARY!" Mejiro Palmer and Daitaku Helios shrieked, clinging to each other after accidentally tripping and splashing water directly onto Gentildonna's face—who responded by calmly crushing a nearby rock in her fist as a warning.

"Whoa, are you seeing this, chat?" Curren Chan whispered into her phone while livestreaming. "Our supposedly peaceful joint training has devolved into a warzone. Stay tuned for updates!"

Akagi, Kondo, Cesario, and Machan stood on the sidelines watching the chaos unfold.

"I knew it would end up like this," Cesario sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well, at least it's lively," Akagi chuckled, taking notes on his clipboard.

"HAHAHA! FOR ONCE I AGREE WITH YOU, NOBORU!" Kondo boomed with a boisterous laugh. "Besides, this is the perfect opportunity to spy on your team's weaknesses!"

"AHA! SEE?! I KNEW YOU JUST WANTED TO SPY ON US!" Scarlet pointed an angry finger at Kondo. "HOW CAN WE HAVE JOINT TRAINING WITH A RIVAL WHO'S RUNNING IN THE SAME RACES AS US?!"

"Scarlet, calm down," Akagi said, his tone shifting to be firm and authoritative.

Scarlet huffed, her cheeks flushing. "Hmph... fine," she muttered, looking away. "...But Vodka still owes me a drink!"

---

"Ugh, I am so tired..." Curren Chan groaned, sprawling out onto the rug next to Kawakami Princess.

"Good job today, everyone," Akagi said, looking over both teams with a warm smile.

"Don't forget, tomorrow we do hill runs!" Kondo announced loudly.

"Understood, Trainer!" the members of Teams Emerald and Icarus replied in unison.

"By the way, Mitsuba-san, do you want to get a drink?" Akagi asked, turning to Kondo. "I heard a new izakaya opened up nearby."

Kondo blinked, staring at Akagi in surprise. Then he chuckled, a smirk spreading across his face. "Well, why not?" he said. "And I challenge you to a drinking contest, Noboru! Loser pays for everything, deal?!"

"Deal!" Akagi smirked, taking Kondo's outstretched hand.

Scarlet and Vodka blinked in disbelief, watching the two trainers actually shake hands and plan a night out together for the first time.

"Well, that was unexpected," Vodka said. "Boss usually brags about how much he despises Trainer Noboru, but I think he's actually softening up a bit."

"They were high school classmates, after all," Gentildonna noted smoothly.

"By the way, Vodka," Scarlet said, turning her gaze toward her rival, "are you feeling alright?"

"Huh? Why ask, Scarlet?" Vodka blinked.

"Your movement during training... it looked off," Scarlet said, crossing her arms. "You aren't injured, are you?"

"Me? Injured? Of course not!" Vodka said dismissively, waving a hand. "My form and running were completely fine, alright?"

Scarlet stayed silent. Even if Vodka hadn't realized it herself, Daiwa Scarlet—her best friend and eternal rival, who had faced her countless times—knew instantly that something was wrong.

"Well, if you say so," Scarlet sighed, shutting her locker door. "But still... you should get a medical checkup. Especially with the Queen Elizabeth II Cup coming up in November."

"Speaking of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, have you girls heard that Team Aster is sending a representative as well?" Curren Chan chimed in, lying back on the couch while lazily scrolling through her Umastagram.

Everyone turned to look at Curren the moment Team Aster was mentioned. Kawakami Princess's expression shifted instantly, her hands clenching into tight fists.

"Who is it?" Kawakami murmured, her voice dropping. "Who is it, Curren?"

The air in the room grew heavy as everyone watched Kawakami. The shift in her atmosphere was impossible to miss.

Aston Machan sighed softly. "The winner of last year's Queen Elizabeth II Cup," she revealed. "Fusaichi Pandora."

Kawakami's eyes widened. Within seconds, a flicker of deep pain crossed her face before she gritted her teeth in raw frustration. "Fusaichi Pandora, you said?"

Sweep Tosho looked over at Kawakami, her usual mischievous face turning serious. She let out a quiet sigh. "You still haven't moved past what happened in last year's Queen Elizabeth II Cup, have you, Kawakami?"

Kawakami didn't answer—but the agonizing look in her eyes spoke louder than words ever could.

---

Meanwhile, on the other side of the academy grounds...

A woman around twenty-five years old—fair-skinned, with soft brown hair pulled neatly into a ponytail—walked confidently down the covered walkway toward the indoor pool, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

Marching behind her were several high-profile Umamusumes well-known throughout the campus. Marvelous Sunday skipped along energetically, with Mayano Top Gun bouncing happily right beside her. Behind the senior duo walked the reigning Dubai Turf champion, Admire Moon, and the explosive sprinter, Dream Journey. Walking directly alongside the woman was a meticulous prodigy who had recently transferred from Germany: Eishin Flash.

The group came to a stop beside the sparkling lanes. Emerging from the water in front of them was the champion of the previous Queen Elizabeth II Cup—the so-called genius, Fusaichi Pandora.

"I think that's enough for today, Pandora-chan," the woman said with a warm smile, stepping forward to hand her a fresh towel. "You can take tomorrow off to rest. You've been working exceptionally hard these past few days."

"That's right, Pandora-chan!" Mayano Top Gun chimed in brightly. "Maya and Marvie are planning to hang out at the arcade tomorrow. Come have fun with us!"

"MARVELOUS!" Marvelous Sunday struck a energetic pose. "MAYA AND I ARE ALSO PLANNING TO TRY THE NEWLY RELEASED CHOCO SUNDAE AT OUR FAVORITE CAFE!"

Pandora looked at the two energetic senior Umamusumes and smiled softly. "Thank you for the offer, Mayano-senpai, Marvelous-senpai," she replied politely. "But I am afraid I must decline. I need to keep improving if I want to be ready for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup next month."

"Such dedication, Pandora," Admire Moon said with an approving nod. "Some people claimed your victory in last year's Queen Elizabeth II Cup was merely a fluke. But everyone here knows how hard you truly work."

Pandora let out a quiet sigh, a trace of melancholy flickering across her eyes. "One year ago, I did indeed take the Queen Elizabeth II Cup..." she murmured, her voice dropping. "But... it was only because Kawakami Princess was demoted."

Pandora clutched her chest, her knuckles turning white. "Ever since that day, Kawakami has resented me. She believes I stole her victory, and she refuses to even look at me whenever we cross paths." Pandora looked down at the towel in her hands. "If that hadn't happened, I might never have claimed my first G1 title... but winning like that... it still feels so hollow."

A heavy silence settled over the group. The brown-haired woman took a step forward and gently pulled Pandora into a comforting embrace.

"There, there," she murmured softly, stroking Pandora's back. "What happened in the past stays in the past. What matters now is facing the future. If you want to prove your strength once and for all, then I... no, all of Team Aster will stand beside you."

"Indeed," Dream Journey said with a sharp, confident smile, adjusting her glasses. "We are Team Aster, after all. Victory is always our goal."

"I will also do everything I can to assist you, Pandora-senpai," Eishin Flash added with a crisp, polite bow.

"ALRIGHT, FORGET THE SUNDAE!" Marvelous Sunday declared loudly, pumping a fist into the air. "MAYA AND I WILL ACCOMPANY YOU IN TRAINING TOMORROW INSTEAD! IT WILL BE TRULY MARVELOUS!"

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Mayano Top Gun cheered, striking a high-energy stance. "LET'S SHOW EVERYONE HOW STRONG OUR TEAM IS!"

The woman looked back at her team, a proud, affectionate smile spreading across her face. She turned back to Pandora. "Now, head to the changing room, get dried off, and rest, Pandora-chan."

"Understood, Trainer Aozora," Pandora replied, taking her gear bag and heading toward the locker room.

Team Aster... Under the brilliant guidance of the genius trainer Tsubame Aozora, they were widely considered the strongest, most dominant team Tracen Academy had ever produced. Their legendary reputation was anything but a fluke. Across campus, other teams looked up to them in awe—while a selective few dreamed of surpassing them.

Andcurrently, the combined forces of Teams Emerald and Icarus were the only ones bold enough to challenge their throne.

[To Be Continued]
Next Chapter: TBA