Three days later, on the academy's track, Yasui Makoto and Hokubu Genkoma met a Uma Musume famous for her twin tails—or rather, her "triple tails."
As soon as she saw the Uma Musume, Hokubu Genkoma excitedly rushed over and threw her arms around her.
"Yamato-senpai! It's been so long!"
"You're a little late, Xiao Bei. Don't tell me you overslept again?"
The "triple-tailed" Uma Musume hugged Hokubu Genkoma back. Her face held the same warm, nostalgic smile.
"I didn't! I'm an officially debuted Uma Musume now. I don't oversleep like I used to!"
"I watched your Debut Race. You did wonderfully. Xiao Bei has really grown up."
"Hehe, thanks, senpai... Oh, I haven't introduced you yet!"
Releasing her, Hokubu Genkoma eagerly hurried over, grabbed Yasui Makoto by the sleeve, and tugged him closer.
"This is my trainer, Yasui Makoto. I only won my Debut Race because of him!"
"I've heard all about you, Trainer Yasui."
The "triple-tailed" Uma Musume smiled and nodded at Hokubu Genkoma, then extended her hand to Yasui Makoto with easy grace.
"Hello, Trainer Yasui. I'm Yamato Akagi. It's a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working with you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too. I look forward to working with you."
After shaking Yamato Akagi's hand, Yasui Makoto looked at Hokubu Genkoma and smiled.
"Xiao Bei is exaggerating. I won't deny that I put a lot of thought into planning her training.
"But winning the race also took her hard work and talent.
"So I'd say we won that race together."
Yamato Akagi smiled approvingly and turned to Hokubu Genkoma.
"Xiao Bei, your trainer really is excellent."
"Hehe, I think so, too."
Hokubu Genkoma scratched her head with a goofy grin, then looked eager to get going.
"So... can we start the practice run? I'm all ready, Yamato-senpai!"
"Still as impatient as ever... Don't rush, Xiao Bei."
Smiling, Yamato Akagi shook her head, then faced Yasui Makoto, her expression growing serious.
"There are a few things I'd like to ask you, Trainer Yasui. Is that all right?"
Yasui Makoto and Hokubu Genkoma both froze for a moment. Then Yasui Makoto nodded.
"Go ahead, Yamato. If it's something I can answer, I won't hide anything."
Yamato Akagi didn't bother with pleasantries. She nodded and said,
"Before coming, I looked over Xiao Bei's race schedule.
"The Satsuki Sho is in April, the Spring Stakes are in March, and she has a conditional race this month.
"Thanks to her win in the Debut Race, Xiao Bei already has nearly ten thousand fans.
"But that's still a long way from the hundred thousand required to enter the Satsuki Sho, and well short of the fifty thousand needed for the Spring Stakes.
"This may sound discouraging, but that's not an impossible situation for an Uma Musume.
"Suppose—just suppose—
"she doesn't win the conditional race, or she doesn't win the Spring Stakes, and she doesn't have enough fans to enter the Satsuki Sho...
"Trainer Yasui, have you considered that possibility?"
Her questions were delivered calmly, but there was an unmistakable edge to them.
Hokubu Genkoma sensed it at once. She faltered, her gaze darting uneasily between Yasui Makoto and Yamato Akagi.
"Yamato-senpai, but... And, Trainer..."
"It's all right, Xiao Bei."
Noticing his Uma Musume's nervousness, Yasui Makoto gave her a reassuring look, then gratefully nodded to Yamato Akagi.
"That's a very pointed question, especially since Xiao Bei has just won her Debut Race.
"Most people would avoid the subject to spare her feelings—and mine.
"But that's exactly why, Yamato, I can tell how much you care about her.
"Because, as you said, each race has a dozen or more entrants, but only one can take first place.
"For any Uma Musume, losing a race is far from impossible.
"In fact, losing is the norm."
A glimmer of approval and relief passed through Yamato Akagi's eyes.
As an experienced Uma Musume, she'd seen countless prodigies and ordinary runners over the years, and witnessed countless races. She knew that victories were rare; failure was far more common.
Many Uma Musume, whether gifted or not, couldn't handle the pressure of losing and never made it to the end.
It was all right if Xiao Bei didn't understand that yet. But if this young trainer didn't understand it either, she'd have to consider bringing it up with her senior and old friend, Tokai Teio.
For now, Yasui Makoto's answer was satisfactory.
But she didn't say anything. She simply held his gaze, neither avoiding it nor wavering.
Understanding what Yamato Akagi meant, Yasui Makoto replied calmly:
"It's simple. The Spring Stakes are called a trial race for the Satsuki Sho because the top three finishers can enter the Satsuki Sho ahead of the others, regardless of their fan count.
"This year's Satsuki Sho is on April 19. There are still two months until then.
"That's plenty of time to add another OP race and replace the Spring Stakes with a less demanding OP race.
"With the Debut Race and two OP races, she'll have a good chance of making it into the Satsuki Sho.
"Besides, I have other ways to support her outside of racing, and..."
Smiling, he patted Hokubu Genkoma on the shoulder.
"I can't guarantee she'll make the Satsuki Sho, or even finish in the top three at the Spring Stakes. It's a Major Race, after all, and the competition is fierce.
"But I've compared the data on the entrants in every OP race over the next two months. I don't think many of them will be a match for Xiao Bei.
"And that's the worst-case scenario. If even that's enough to satisfy you, Yamato, then can I say...
"I don't think Xiao Bei will lose either of her next two races—not even the Spring Stakes."
Hokubu Genkoma lit up with excitement, while a hint of surprise appeared in Yamato Akagi's eyes.
She'd been keeping tabs on Hokubu Genkoma's debut even before getting a call from Alice Speed, and had heard about Yasui Makoto, a trainer who seemed far too young for his position.
In her view, the way he'd planned that Debut Race was nothing like what a novice trainer would—or dare to—arrange.
Despite having plenty of strength and stamina, Hokubu Genkoma had deliberately given up the easiest way to win a Debut Race: taking the lead. Instead, Yasui Makoto had placed her near the back of the pack, risking that she might get boxed in, all to improve her adaptability in future races...
It was a tactic she'd seen only a handful of trainers use.
Every one of those trainers was a well-known veteran in the industry. If they'd coached Hokubu Genkoma to run that way, it would have been one thing. But Yasui Makoto had the same vision and nerve. She couldn't help but take notice.
She was immediately pleased.
Not because Yasui Makoto's answer had been flawless, but because his thorough consideration of the matter once again confirmed her earlier impression.
The trainer seemed young, but his training philosophy and methods were unusually seasoned.
She was quietly glad Hokubu Genkoma had a trainer like him, and decided that from here on, she'd leave the practice run entirely to his instructions.
"I'm already looking forward to it—the practice run, and Xiao Bei's next race."
Rather than praise Yasui Makoto directly, Yamato Akagi smiled, interlaced her fingers, and cracked her wrists.
"It's been a while since I was on the track, but I make a habit of training. I can manage a few practice runs with Xiao Bei.
"So give me your instructions, Trainer Yasui."
I really want to...
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