"Why did you decide to drop out of university?"
A lazy voice asked as he sat silently in the backseat of the car.
"When I'm close, my impulsive actions can involve innocent people."
The white-haired boy in the backseat said while looking out the window.
"This time I involved civilians…"
"Were you that involved in that incident?"
The driver looked back and observed the boy who was gazing absently out the window.
"He was 80 percent involved."
The person in the passenger seat said boredly while watching the road ahead.
"Did you use Maria to find out?"
The white-haired boy asked while looking at the seat in front of him.
"Why not use her? She's good at calculations."
"Don't keep giving that thing power, or it might start using the money in my accounts to buy itself silly things."
The white-haired boy moved his hands, gesturing with each word.
"We're the richest people on the planet, even with a high-tech company that has contracts with major countries. Why should we worry about money?"
"Hmm."
Although he wanted to retort, there really was no answer. If they wanted more money, they could get it.
Whether by selling technology, or by other means, like being overworked by that hellish mangaka, detectives, or high-ranking officials.
Basically, they had everything arranged to never go bankrupt.
"Besides, we can hack the account of some drug trafficker or the mafia if we run out of ideas."
The driver said lazily while turning her gaze back to the road with no real concern.
"It really is a bit boring…"
The white-haired boy murmured while listening to all the solutions to any future situation.
Whether economic or social, everything had an easy fix.
Without him noticing, the two people in front exchanged glances, speaking silently to each other.
"If you're bored, why don't you go watch the UmaMusume races?"
The person in the passenger seat asked while leaning over and looking back with a smile.
"Mom always watches them and they seem fun. Besides, the underground bets are surely juicy."
Smack!
"That hurts!"
"Don't learn bad things from your tall father. Him being a gambler doesn't mean you have to inherit it."
"But Mom, it's the only fun thing I can do after playing the piano! It would be unfair to other people if I participated professionally in any physical activity."
The white-haired boy in the back only heard the complaints exchanged between mother and daughter as they continued their journey home.
"UmaMusume."
The white-haired boy murmured the word while looking out the window again.
"Isn't that what the old man talked about before what happened?"
He asked but didn't expect an answer from the two women.
"Let's leave it for later... I still have to sort out many things to focus on these small matters…"
There was only silence in the car after his words, and so the hour-long journey continued until they reached the mansion.
Unlike during vacation time, at this moment the mansion was very lonely.
It never had servants; the closest thing was the bodyguard he had hired, but he was now at university and surely thinking of dropping out.
"Do you want anything else?"
"Not for now, Aiko-San."
"I've told you to call me Mother."
The white-haired boy's head was hit by the white-haired woman, and he could only complain while covering his head.
"That hurt."
He complained. Now he understood why Kyo complained.
"I have to leave."
She only murmured while looking at the sky.
"I'll soon be taking the trip to China with Xiao, so I'll leave everything to you."
She looked at the white-haired boy, as if everything really fell on him.
"Tsk, shameless old people, that's what you are."
And as expected, he accused them.
He couldn't blame them.
That's how it was anyway.
"I've been taking care of your pets these days you were at university, even that lazy bear."
He just started walking towards the mansion.
"Though there are some surprises you might have ignored before."
Aiko gave him a mocking smile before entering the mansion.
"Hey, when do you plan to help me with your stuff!?"
"Sorry."
The white-haired boy ran to the back of the car and took out several of his suitcases while Kyo helped him with a few.
"By the way, what was Mom talking about?"
"I have no idea."
Kyo shrugged.
"I just got back from France."
The white-haired boy had no choice but to nod and enter the mansion.
After putting away his things and changing into more normal clothes, he wandered around the mansion, noticing the absence of almost all its inhabitants.
Aiko had already left, and now only he and Kyo were in the mansion.
Though she would surely travel again soon thanks to her talents.
He just sighed, left the mansion, and began walking through the extensive grounds of the mansion, where they had even built specialized buildings for one of his whims.
"So they've been taking good care of them."
He silently watched the lion cubs playing with each other while the lioness watched lazily.
"At this rate, I'll have to return them to the wild, though that would be very complicated since they've grown up in captivity."
The white-haired boy sighed as he continued his tour through the customized habitats on the mansion grounds and then stopped at a habitat that was empty.
He tilted his head and frowned.
"Shouldn't there be two animals here?"
It was strange for him to forget something unless by his own decision.
And this private zoo was what he treasured most besides his family and friends; forgetting any of its inhabitants was impossible.
Even when he knew he wouldn't be around, he would get someone to take care of them.
"Maybe they took them for a walk."
He murmured and continued the tour until the end, where he played with a crocodile that had been left in his care.
—————————
"Let me go!"
"No!"
"But he's already a licensed trainer. Why won't you let us be his first team members?"
"We're five years away from trying to enter Trance."
"Shut up, Swift Shadow!"
"Magatsuhi is being impulsive again, Kyo-San."
"Knowing whose descendants you two are, I'm more surprised that you're the quiet one."
The white-haired girl sitting in the driver's seat said boredly, as if all the chaos in the back of the car was nothing.
"Anyway, if you keep making a fuss, Freddy's dinner tonight will change."
And everything returned to tranquility.
The black-haired girl with white streaks fell silent and simply sat while puffing out her cheeks.
After Aiko left the mansion, they were under Kyo's care and dedicated themselves to school studies until they were old enough to go to an UmaMusume academy.
Though both were sure that Trancen would accept them without question.
"So what are we doing here if we're not being invited to join his team?"
Swift Shadow asked.
"Charlotte asked me to pick her up after an investigation."
Kyo responded calmly while checking her phone.
"Then why are we in Kasamatsu?"
Magatsuhi questioned with a grimace, still annoyed that she wasn't allowed to run just because of her "age."
"Because this investigation is in Kasamatsu."
Kyo responded boredly to such a question.
"Does she want to take him and lock him up so he doesn't have a romantic relationship with an UmaMusume?"
"She's not that close-minded, but the possibility isn't zero."
Kyo said, and at the same time, the passenger door opened and a black-haired girl sat down calmly.
"I finished the investigation."
"What's the result?"
"False, but similar."
Charlotte smiled while fastening her seatbelt.
"I'd say it's an excess of vitamins. So if you're lucky, in the future the Umas from this academy will stand out at a regional level; maybe some will reach nationals."
"And what about his first Uma?"
Magatsuhi asked.
"Is she cute?"
Swift Shadow also leaned over, and Charlotte just rolled her eyes.
"She's cute, more than you two."
Charlotte smiled mockingly, and both girls puffed out their cheeks.
"But in talent... it's very unlikely she'll reach the classic races in a short time."
Charlotte murmured, remembering having met Symboli Rudolf several times due to anti-sports investigations, and the presence between her and any of the umas in Kasamatsu was like heaven and earth.
"Ha, see, Kyo? If you let us go, we'd surely win those races soon."
"You're too young; any Uma could fight you for position and you'd go flying."
The white-haired girl let out a laugh while starting the car and waiting for it to warm up a bit.
"Though with him, nothing is impossible."
Charlotte smiled, and Kyo nodded as she finally started driving, feeling a little disappointed not being able to visit Kiyoshi—something shared by the two umas in the back seat.
'Oguri Cap.' Charlotte looked in the direction of the academy and remembered the name of that gray-haired Uma.
"Are you her mother?"
The car stopped as Kyo turned to look at her silently, clearly asking what she expected.
"Don't brake suddenly!"
Charlotte scolded, and she just huffed while pressing the accelerator again.
It seemed Souji wasn't the only one who had made a mistake in this matter.
—————————————-
"I'm back."
Kiyoshi announced his return to March while carrying a bag and a bottle in his hands.
"You missed your friend's exhibition."
March said while taking the bottle and quickly taking a sip.
The taste was sweet and the liquid thick, but she still enjoyed it in silence as her eyes fell on the bag the black-haired boy was carrying.
"And that is?"
"Your carrot dessert."
"Did you really make it as a blackmail method to get me to join your team?"
"I think I'll start thinking about putting you in the Arima Kinen."
"That's fan voting."
March pointed out mockingly, and Kiyoshi smiled coldly.
"That's not a problem for me."
March felt a chill and just continued drinking the smoothie.
It was better not to push her luck on this point.
"And responding to your previous comment."
Kiyoshi turned to look in Oguri's direction and gave a half-smile.
"You think I didn't know about her?"
March tilted her head confused.
"Then why didn't you invite her to your team?"
"You want me to be unfair to these kids? The fact that I took you from the start already puts them at a total disadvantage."
Kiyoshi murmured in a low voice, wanting only March to hear his words, which had a very simple yet sharp meaning.
"Though I also like being selfish, so I would have chosen Belno and Oguri too. That way, I'd have the best of the academy and could compete in the classic races faster than expected."
Kiyoshi stroked his chin and then frowned.
No.
That was impossible. Just by choosing March, he had already caused an uproar. Imagine if he took Oguri and Belno?
Those old ladies wouldn't stop bothering him for a few days, and that was tedious in many ways.
He hated being bothered.
After several seconds of mental complaints, Kiyoshi returned to reality and gave the bag to March, who didn't refuse it.
"Tomorrow at the same time, we'll meet again. I hope it's not a bother."
Kiyoshi said calmly, and March nodded without saying more.
In her mind, Kiyoshi's words about the classic races still echoed.
'It's hard for someone from here to reach nationals.'
She thought while watching Kiyoshi walk away after greeting Oguri and Belno.
"It's even harder to win a classic race."
——————-
"What March lacks most is endurance and adaptability to any track."
Kiyoshi murmured while doodling distractedly on a whiteboard.
"Endurance is easy to improve. On the other hand, adapting her to foreign tracks is difficult since it depends a lot on the local climate and sports mentality."
Kiyoshi looked at the whiteboard where a version of March had been drawn, with many of the current March's limitations at a high competitive level.
It wasn't just talent.
It was also training and mentality.
Having dreams wasn't bad, being conformist wasn't bad, and being occasionally selfish wasn't either.
"How complicated."
Kiyoshi sighed while writing other things on the whiteboard and began writing goals he wanted to achieve in March's training.
Just as he was about to go prepare a snack.
His phone began to notify him of an incoming call. Neither slowly nor quickly, Kiyoshi went to the table where he had left it and looked at who was calling at this hour.
"Yes?"
He responded without much enthusiasm, really not expecting a call from her at this hour. She should have been in bed since nine.
"I heard you already have a member on your team."
She sounded cheerful, as if she expected to see his achievements while eating carrot-flavored popcorn.
"Yes, Fujimasa March, one of the three talents that stand out most from the Trancen Academy in Kasamatsu."
Kiyoshi spoke calmly, though surely the other party was also very informed about everything.
"Wow, it seems you prefer to play it safe rather than try to find some hidden talent."
The other party spoke calmly, and Kiyoshi sighed with relief.
"It's better to be safe. Later, I don't like dealing with doping suspicions."
Kiyoshi let out a small laugh and began drawing a chibi figure of the director of the Trancen Academy on the whiteboard.
"By the way, I wanted to talk to you about something, but I didn't because I thought you were asleep since nine at night."
Kiyoshi swore he heard the creaking of the desk on the other side, but he ignored it.
He wouldn't buy her another desk, after all.
"I want March to participate in the classic races."
There was silence on the other end of the call.
"Kiyoshi... you know the difference between a soccer player who plays for Manchester City and a soccer player who plays in the fourth English division?"
Kiyoshi knew, and he also knew where Yayoi was going with this.
The Umas who run in regional races are the soccer players of the fourth English division.
Both in preparation and competition.
"Great soccer players aren't always on great teams, Director."
Kiyoshi smiled a little amused by his own words.
He wasn't that naive either.
"Yes... hypothetically speaking, if March is a good soccer player on a small team, in a given transfer to Trancen, why do you also expect to be in that transfer?"
Kiyoshi huffed; that was a good point.
He was in a trial or learning period to return to the central academy and train for the national races with the UmaMusume he would add to his team.
Also... she didn't know his identity, adding the fact that he didn't want to use it anymore after moving so much money.
"I think I should stop spending money."
Kiyoshi murmured and then focused back on the call.
"My fault for rushing."
Kiyoshi spoke calmly, and there was only a small laugh on the other side.
"But... if your results turn out to be good, I can consider having March attend the central academy. But ensuring she participates in the classic races is beyond my control."
Kiyoshi nodded in understanding; that was more under JRA's jurisdiction.
If he continued March's career aiming for the Tokai Derby, she would be registered under another jurisdiction.
NAR, which handles Umas who run in regional races.
"I understand."
After his words, the call ended.
———-
"Isn't that boy too confident in himself?"
Yayoi Akikawa wondered as she set aside her mobile phone.
"But... with so much excitement, I forgot to tell him."
Yayoi ruffled her hair with a bit of frustration as she remembered the real reason she called Kiyoshi.
"Those transactions..."
Yayoi looked at several documents that had piled up on her desk.
There were millions of transfers in the last two weeks that had moved, making big changes in the Japanese and to some extent world economy.
All went in a specific direction.
The UmaMusume who couldn't shine on the tracks.
Though there were also transfers to human families, everything was very focused on the UmaMusume. Even large land purchases were made where they had already begun building houses at great speed.
No... it was better to say they were making a town with several buildings that were just beginning to take shape.
Whoever was behind this could only be someone related to oil or one of the huge companies dominating the world market.
"What a dilemma."
She sighed while moving her feet and distractedly reading those documents.
"Kiyoshi... doesn't seem like a bad person, but even so, he needs to have some experience as a trainer."
Yayoi sighed again and then looked for a document where she already had all of Kiyoshi's information, and only a few signatures were missing for him to work at the central academy.
"I'll also send him the necessary documentation, just in case."
She gave a small smile, a little excited to see if Kiyoshi really had the gift to be a trainer.
——————-
Finally, the sun began to rise and illuminate a new day in the land of the rising sun.
Adults were already mobilizing to their jobs.
The UmaMusume were already running as part of their training routine.
Children were still resting after a long week of classes.
But there were people who weren't having a good time.
Yes, among them were the mangakas and March.
"Not bad."
Kiyoshi stopped the stopwatch just as March passed the "finish line" he had named.
He looked at the stopwatch, which indicated a record of 40 seconds.
It was a thousand-meter training track, so the result wasn't bad.
But unlike the time achieved, there was something wrong with March.
"But the fact that you're already getting tired is a bad point."
"I've been tortured by you for three hours!"
That was also true, but he wouldn't admit it openly.
"Do you want breakfast, or do you prefer to keep training until seven in the morning?"
Kiyoshi questioned while watching March catch her breath a few meters away from him.
"It's six-thirty."
March looked at her watch and then at Kiyoshi.
"I can still continue."
The black-haired boy nodded while with his free hand he searched for something in a bag at his feet and then took out what looked like wristbands.
"When running, even the movement of your arms is important."
Kiyoshi dropped both wristbands on the ground, and they sank a little.
"They're two pounds—a minimal weight for you, but it's better to start with something minimal."
March silently looked at the two wristbands; she had seen similar ones on Kiyoshi's wrists.
'Is that why he says he's always training?'
Besides.
March took the two wristbands and felt their weight.
'How can these things weigh so much?'
They looked like normal wristbands, with some refined decorations, nothing really outstanding if compared to decorative bracelets you'd find in a store like that.
When she finally put them on, she noticed they fit perfectly, feeling nothing but the discomfort of carrying weight on her wrists.
"I won't prioritize this type of training for your arms, since really the only thing that matters is training your legs."
Kiyoshi noted something in the notebook he carried and then put it in his pocket.
"Then why don't we focus specifically on the legs?"
March questioned, and Kiyoshi pointed to her shoes.
"I don't have your measurements."
Kiyoshi gave a small smile and continued with his words.
"That way, I can't buy you everything necessary for your future torture..."
Kiyoshi coughed and corrected his words.
"For your training."
Kiyoshi said, and March just looked at him with dead eyes.
Really, this guy somehow made her react in ways she never had before meeting him.
Her eyes only followed the black-haired boy who had turned around and was walking with the stopwatch in his hands.
"Do you really want to know who he is?"
March's eyes opened in surprise when she heard that voice in her head.
The training track had disappeared; almost everything was dark. There was only a path that extended with each step Kiyoshi took.
"Are you really ready to walk this path?"
Her breathing began to grow heavier.
She could feel the overwhelming pressure of three presences behind her; she could feel a chill as the sensation of someone forcing her eyes open grew stronger with each moment.
"Then you have to..."
The whispers were becoming more understandable; she wanted to speak, ask, and scream at the strange sensation.
"Then you have to abandon all hope of normality."
"Abandon your desires."
Kiyoshi began to turn around; March could feel the hands that imprisoned her disappearing.
The once dark place began to crumble.
"You have to be reborn."
The last whisper reached her mind at the same time those blue eyes looked at her. A second, it was only a second, but March swore with all her strength that she saw a golden flash in those eyes that had become as cold as ice.
"Why have you fallen behind?"
His words were cold with traces of annoyance, but it wasn't annoyance directed at her.
'Those whispers...?'
March took a step forward, her body staggering a bit because she still seemed affected by that strange event.
'Does he know?'
March took another step, this time regaining more control of her body.
"It seems your body isn't in condition to continue training."
Her thoughts were interrupted by Kiyoshi; his tone of voice had changed again, as if he knew nothing, as if March had only fallen behind simply because she was tired.
"Better go to my house; I'll prepare something so you can rest."
Kiyoshi walked towards her while putting his things in his jacket pockets.
"I said I'd keep training."
Her voice was stronger than usual, something that even surprised her as she watched the black-haired boy stop a few meters away from her.
"I'll stop until seven in the morning."
March stood completely upright while clenching her fists.
She was exhausted, physically and mentally.
But... that memory only echoed in her head.
"And then you'll make me breakfast."
Her cheeks puffed out a little as she pointed at Kiyoshi.
It was embarrassing that he spoke of taking her to his home without having known each other for long.
But the thought of having more food prepared by him made her ignore his lack of tact on that topic.
"You're weirder than usual."
Kiyoshi said dryly while tilting his head, as if he wanted to know what March was thinking at that moment.
With a tired sigh, the trainer turned around and continued on his way.
"Fine, but don't overexert yourself. I couldn't forgive myself if you got injured when your career hasn't even started."
March didn't respond and only silently watched the black-haired boy retreating.
"I want to know who you are."
March murmured while clenching her teeth. Those whispers, her own curiosity, and the fact that Kiyoshi focused only on her.
She wanted to know, and apparently the only answer was...
"Be reborn?"
That confused even her as she looked at her palms. What did he mean by that?
She set that aside and began jogging in Kiyoshi's direction.
Every time her feet touched the ground, it felt different, as if the ground were made of glass that could break at any moment.
Her breathing began to grow calmer, something incongruent since just a moment ago she was at her limit.
As she increased her pace to catch up to her trainer, she noticed that although he was still walking at a slow pace and she was running to reach him, the distance between them was enormous.
She blinked to make the strange vision disappear; when she opened her eyes again, she was next to Kiyoshi, who watched her out of the corner of his eye while she continued jogging but maintained the same position with him.
"Are you ready to continue training?"
The black-haired boy turned his eyes back to the track where March had been running.
"I'm ready for anything."
A strange feeling emerged in March's words.
"Hahaha."
Kiyoshi noticed and simply let out a laugh of genuine amusement.
"Good."
Kiyoshi pointed to the track and then smiled.
"Let's begin with the real training, Fujimasa March."
End of Chapter.
And here's a new chapter of this fic, and the first update of the year.
Anyway, I've really liked the reception of the story, which is why I've been writing a lot, hahaha.
I even finished Oguri's anime and watched the Jungle Pocket movie to know how to place the story.
But well.
Anyway, I already have an idea of what to do, but what I'm still uncertain about is March. Her destiny has changed, so many things will change from the Cinderella canon, but I'll leave you with this question:
March winning the Tokai Derby and reaching the nationals to compete with Oguri and Tamamo.
Or March forfeiting the Tokai Derby and entering the classic Triple Crown races after achieving the miracle of reaching the nationals through great effort.
I'd like to hear your thoughts, as it helps me get an idea of how to handle future interactions between Kiyoshi and March.
I think there's nothing more for me to say, so...
Until next time!