The drive to tracen academy was uncharacteristically silent, no one said one word, it confused Hope for Tomorrow but she wouldn't question it.
She had bigger fish to fry after all.
It would be her first time running since that day, add on to the fact that she would be meeting new people, barely even knew anything about popular culture and was, as her adopted father put it, an airhead.
She wasn't even sure she would be able to make friends; hell, she would be surprised if anybody even turned to look her way.
As if!
People turning to look at her, now that would be a surprise!
Ah! She made have gone a bit of track, the biggest problem wouldn't be making friends, no, it would be… that wouldn't it.
She had never ran with much "gusto" after that day, still haunted by the guilt of her perceived wrongs she had done.
But… she had made a promise.
Would she live to regret it?
Yes.
Yes most certainly.
She knew that much at the very least.
But she kept her promises, if nothing else.
On another note, she was curious of how Tracen Academy looked.
Would it be a sprawling campus, with almost endless fields of grass, a place where you could run for however long you would want to without ever reaching the end! Oh, now that would be perfection, a utopia, one where you could run never reach its everdistant border! A place where she could run without fear, without her past demons hunting her down!
Oh… she would love that.
And so, she broke the silence.
"O-Old man, Stay Gold-san, how does Tracen Academy look?" She asked will looking out the window, the sprawling country side panning out right next to her, an odd look on her face.
"Hmm," It was Stay Gold, "Well, you'll see when you get a tour of the campus, you know before you do the entry exam, that is if you even do one."
"What do you mean?" She looked at the back of Stay Gold's head.
"Well, I wouldn't be surprised that because he," she poked a finger at her old man's position as he drove, "Is your adopted father that they'll let you in no problem."
"Isn't that just corruption?"
Her old man scoffed, "Well, yes but actually no."
She looked at him now, "What do you mean?"
"Well… Tracen normally gives free passes if you are an excellent prospect or you have a trainer to vouch for you, and luckily for you, your old man is a trainer, semi retired, but a trainer nonetheless."
"So… that means I'll get a free pass inside?" She said with a smile on her face, as her tail wagged.
"No."
It was Stay Gold who answered this time.
"Because you're from the country side, have an uncertain pedigree, an unknown training regiment, or a registered max speed, you will have to take a test."
She felt like she was hit by every last one of those words, it seems like she wouldn't have an easy way inside.
"You should be fine," her old man started, "I know your potential, they'd be insane not to let you in, add in the fact that you do train, you should be fine."
She looked at him in shock, was her secret out? But how did he find out! How did he know!?
He glanced her way, looking at her with the side of his eye, as Stay Gold was smiling, an… odd smile… she couldn't quite describe it.
He sighed as he put his eyes back on the road, "If you're wondering how I know, well let's just say, you aren't the best at hiding it.
She covered her face from embarrassment feeling the warmth of her cheeks.
Not long after they slowed down as they approached the train station.
Without much happening they entered the train and were well on their way to tracen.
…
She woke up, picked herself up off of where she fell asleep, fixed her hair, and wiped some drool, when she heard a sigh.
Looking to the side she saw her father giving her a look of exasperation as he pulled a handkerchief and wiped away the drool from her face, "You should be more mindful of yourself, Hope, I know that it's your first time being on a train, but you should be more careful especially when there's people around like a certain somebody."
He looked at Stay Gold who had just put her phone away.
Heat surged to her cheeks as she looked at the almost Cheshire grin of her old man's old trainee.
She wanted to say something but the words escaped her.
Suddenly, a voice surged on the intercom.
"Now approaching, TracenAcademy."
She shot Stay Gold a glare at the older uma as she got up.
Said older uma just grinned.
They all got up and left the train.
They passed through a shopping district which had plenty of buffets, which all oddly enough had a sign out front saying that a "Oguri Cap and Special Week" were banned.
Soon enough they reached the front gate of the academy where an older looking woman was standing, she was fully glad in green, green jacket, green hat, green skirt, green everything.
"Tazuna-san," her old man started, "Long time no see," he said with an almost nostalgic smile.
"Tazuna. Yo." Was Stay Gold's greeting, her old man just sighed.
Feeling like it was now her turn to say a greeting she spoke next.
"N-nice to meet you Tazuna-San!"
She stuttered.
Of all the times to stutter, why did it have to be now… why…
She felt a part of her die in embarrassment.
Tazuna only chuckled, taking amusement from her suffering.
She felt that part die even faster.
However before she could feel another part of her die, Tazuna spoke, "Nice to meet you too, may I know your name?"
Her voice was a beautiful thing, one of the most beautiful she had ever heard, "My-my name is Hope for Tomorrow!"
"That's a nice name," she said with a smile.
Her cheeks heated up.
She looked at Stay Gold.
"Nice to see you too Stego."
She then proceeded to look at her old man almost in shock, before a smile appeared on her face.
"Yes, it's nice to see you too, Trainer Emiya, long time no see. I suppose that you brought Hope for Tomorrow to enroll?"
"You would be correct, Tazuna-san."
"I see, then you know that she will have to run a lap before we can admit her yes?"
"I am well aware, but… before we do that, could you do me a favour and give Hope a tour of Campus?"
"I could, but why? You would also be able to do it?"
"I have to pay Ikezoe a visit, you know see how he's doing."
Tazuna nodded, "Come with me Hope for Tomorrow-San, I'll give you a tour of Campus."
"Y-Yes!"
She hurriedly followed, Tazuna as she showed her around campus.
Sadly it wasn't quite what she imagined it to be, that of course wasn't to say that it was bad.
No far from it.
Tracen was, well beautiful.
It just wasn't quite what she thought it would be.
"Say, Tazuna-san…"
"Hm?"
"What do you do around campus outside of guard the front gate?"
"Ah, well if you must know I'm also the acting director's secretary."
"Wow! That must be hard work…"
She didn't respond, instead she had an almost sad look on her face as she seemed to remember something.
But as their tour continued they soon reached the track.
"Wow…" she couldn't help but say as she looked at the rings upon rings of tracks.
She heard footsteps behind her as somebody approached, she turned to look around and a hand came under her chin.
"Ah," the figure, who was an Umamusume with primarily brown, almost golden hair and a bit of white started, "It's almost like the goddess's made you by hand," she said with a sly smile and an… odd twinkle in her eyes, which were outlined by purple on the bottom and a soft blue on the top, "Only you, are beautiful enough to catch this emperor's eyes," she had an ornament on her right ear which looked to be made of gold, "So tell me, oh goddess given beauty, what is your name?"
She felt her face go red.
ー
Author's note
Yes, they are the same Emiya, blame Zelretch.