A/N: Since there are complaints about why tf am I doing slice of life so much, I will proceed with the race now.
Anyway, daily check-ins... Show your Uma pic or I'm gonna umapyoi you.
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A month passed by quickly, and today was the day Silver Tear had her debut race.
___________
The waiting room.
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The waiting room felt smaller than it had any right to be for Silver Tear.
Not because of the people in it, but because the sound of the stadium seeped through the walls in a low, constant rumble. Every cheer outside felt like it pressed inward, squeezing the air just a little tighter each second.
Silver Tear stood near the bench, hands clasped neatly behind her back, posture immaculate. If her current appearance could be graded, she'd be passing straight up with 100 points with how calm she looked.
Inside her head, however, everything was on fire.
'Why are there so many people? There is hardly anybody in the practice races that I forgot I have to perform in front of thousands of people.'
'And why does the floor feel different from five minutes ago?'
Dante cleared his throat and stepped in front of her, tablet tucked under his arm. "Alright. One last briefing before you head out."
Silver Tear nodded once, sharp and professional.
"Yes. Briefing." She said.
Gold Ship, sprawled across a chair like a creature that had given up on dignity years ago, grinned. "She sounds like a robot."
"I'm not." Silver Tear replied instantly.
Her tail flicked.
Everyone in the room noticed this.
Gold Ship perked up with the energy of someone waiting for disaster to unfold. "Oho? Is this the legendary pre-race tail betrayal?"
Silver Tear didn't turn around. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Though internally, she was bargaining with the universe.
'Okay, listen. I will run very seriously. I will not trip. I will even accept going second or third. Just please stop my legs from turning into wet noodles.'
Dante tapped the tablet, bringing up a profile. "Okay, let's make this quick. Among today's runners, there's one you need to be especially aware of."
Silver Tear leaned in slightly.
"Oguri Cap." Dante said.
Upon hearing the name, Silver_Tear_brain.exe has stopped working.
Oguri Cap.
The name echoed once, twice, and then dissolved into static.
Oguri Cap.
O-gu-ri…Cap…
That one. The gray one.
The one the commentator wouldn't shut up about.
What is this shitty luck?!
Dante continued speaking, unaware that his trainee's soul had temporarily left the mortal realm.
"She's considered new in the central, but there were already 12 races under her belt. The most dangerous weapon in her arsenal is in the final stretch." He said.
"If you see her moving, that's your signal. Do not hesitate—"
Silver Tear did not hear a single word after the name was mentioned.
The stadium roar spiked suddenly, louder than before, and Silver Tear's eyes flicked instinctively toward the corridor. For just a second, she imagined all those eyes turning toward her at once.
They're watching.
Why are they watching already?
I haven't even done anything yet.
Alright, breathe in, then breathe out. Slowly.
–Inhale–
Too much air. Abort. Abort.
"Silver Tear?"
Dante frowned. "You with me?"
"Yes, absolutely." She said immediately.
She was not in the slightest.
Grani stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Hey, are you alright? You're spiraling."
"Must be your imagination." Silver Tear said calmly.
Her leg started bouncing, betraying her in an instant.
Agnes finally spoke, voice gentle but precise. "Senpai, you just stopped breathing normally."
Silver Tear froze.
"…Did I?"
Agnes nodded. "For about three seconds."
Gold Ship gasped theatrically. "Wow! New record! At this point, you could survive underwater."
Silver Tear inhaled sharply, then exhaled. She straightened, reassembling herself with visible effort, like someone stacking plates that absolutely wanted to fall over.
"I'm fine." She said, putting on her best cool smile. "Really."
Dante studied her for a long moment, then sighed. "Listen. Oguri Cap is strong, yes. But she's not unbeatable. And you're not here to survive the race. You're here to run it."
Silver Tear met his eyes.
Agnes stepped forward then, standing directly in front of Silver Tear. She didn't gesture dramatically. She simply adjusted Silver Tear's collar with careful hands, straightening it by a few millimeters.
"You look good, senpai." Agnes said.
Silver Tear blinked.
"…That's cheering?" She asked.
Agnes smiled faintly. "In my own way."
Grani clenched her fists. "You've trained hard in the past month. Time to show everyone your effort. Run fluffily, Silver-chan."
Gold Ship hopped up onto the bench, pointing dramatically at Silver Tear. "And if things go wrong, just remember! Run now! Panic later!"
"WHY IS THAT YOUR ADVICE?" Grani snapped.
Silver Tear laughed.
Her heart was still racing. Her thoughts were still loud. But they weren't crushing her anymore.
Dante nodded, satisfied. "That's better."
The announcement rang out again, final and unavoidable.
"Runners to the gate!"
Silver Tear took a step forward, then paused. She turned back to them, eyes bright, smile steady.
"Oguri Cap or not, I'm the one who is going to win this race." She said lightly.
Dante chuckled. Grani groaned. Gold Ship gave a thumbs-up. Agnes smiled, approving.
Silver Tear turned toward the tunnel.
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The noise swelled again as the runners finished their wave and began lining up near their assigned gates. The stadium screens shifted, one by one locking onto each position.
The commentator's voice snapped into a sharper, more rhythmic cadence, the kind built to ride tension and stretch it thin.
"Alright! Let's break it down gate by gate!"
The crowd leaned in, cheers rolling into a steady undercurrent.
"In the first gate, we have a solid front-runner with consistent times in training." He announced.
"Not flashy, but dependable. And in a debut race, that alone can carry you far!"
"That's none other than—"
"Skibidi Rizz."
Applause rippled through the stands as the camera caught a brief nod, a confident wave.
"Moving on to the second gate. Now this one's been turning heads. Strong acceleration, sharp corners, and a style that says she won't hesitate to take control early."
His voice lifted.
"If the pace gets messy, she might be the one who benefits most!"
"Fortnite Dance."
The cheers spiked again.
"In the third gate—"
…
Then the commentator paused, just long enough to let anticipation settle.
"And now!! Eyes to the screen at the fourth gate."
The camera zoomed in.
"There she is!!" He said, voice bright with emphasis.
"Silver Tear, making her official debut today, and already sitting as the third favorite going into this race!"
The stadium reacted immediately, cheers swelling louder, more focused.
"Take a look at that composure." He went on.
"No stiffness in her stride, no wasted movement. That's not what you expect from someone stepping onto this stage for the first time. The bookmakers like her, the audience likes her, and judging by that posture! She likes this track too."
Silver Tear lifted her hand briefly, acknowledging the noise. From the outside, she looked unshaken, steady as the camera panned past her.
But inside, however, she was already cursing the commentator in 13 different languages.
"Now, don't let the debut label fool you." The commentator added.
"Third favorite doesn't come from nowhere. Training reports suggest excellent endurance and a finishing kick that could surprise even seasoned runners."
The lineup advanced.
Then, again, a shift.
"And in the fifth gate…"
The screen filled with muted gray.
"Ohhh, now this changes things!!" The commentator said, unmistakable excitement creeping in.
The crowd erupted, recognition roaring through the stadium.
"Originally hailing from the countryside, she enrolled in Tracen Academy after dominating the racing scene back home."
"With an impressive racing record and equally monstrous final legs."
"Coming in with the first fan favourite, she will once again prove to everyone why her title is 'Gray Monster'."
"OGURI CAPPPP!!!!"
The commentator added, voice tightening just a touch. The audience roared in excitement.
The camera caught Oguri Cap waving lightly, smile easy, eyes steady.
They continued to go over the other horse girls, but there was no denying that everyone here was watching Oguri Cap. That alone showed how popular she was in this racing world.
The lineup is completed, and all runners are now in place.
"So there you have it!" He concluded, volume rising to meet the moment. "A stacked field, rising talent, proven monsters, and enough uncertainty to keep everyone guessing."
The bell loomed, the air humming with expectation.
"Buckle in, folks. We are witnessing a race never before seen."
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A/N: A little hype up for the fatty.