In a world where humans were born with pony ears and tails, there was one extraordinary trait that set them apart from ordinary mortals – their speed. They were born to run, to push boundaries, to be perfect. In Tokyo, at the heart of this extraordinary community, stood the Tracen Academy. It was here that young, talented "Uma Musume" trained to achieve fame and fortune, becoming both racing stars and adored idols.

Nika was not one of them. She came to the Tracen Academy as an ordinary person, simply looking for a quick job. She agreed to work as a cleaner, and her days were spent polishing floors and tidying the training rooms. She lacked that divine spark, that innate speed that defined the inhabitants of this world. She was average, and in the world of Uma Musume, that was practically a death sentence.

One day, when Nika arrived at work a little later, trying to avoid the crowds, something caught her eye. In the shadows of the hallway, in the semi-darkness, she spotted a silhouette. A boy who, a moment later, disappeared, leaving behind only the impression of a presence. Nika didn't know then that this accidental shadow would become her constant companion, and later—her tormentor.

She began to notice him more often. His ponytail, twitching with subtle emotion, betrayed his presence even before she saw him. The delicate ears that twitched on his head, reacted to every sound. He was the one who stayed longer after the others had long since left the classrooms. He was the one who, in some strange way, protected her, stealing small things from her—a pen, a hair tie—and laughing quietly when Nika was clumsy, tripping over her own feet.

Over time, he learned more about her. About her loneliness, about her asexuality, about her profound unhappiness. Nika often cried in secret because she wasn't perfect. She wasn't beautiful and thin like the other, dazzling girls at the Academy. Her body wasn't built for running. She was different, and that difference ached every day.

Nika slept in a small guest room next to the Academy, trying to find a moment of peace from a world that seemed so alien to her. She fell asleep thinking about another day of cleaning, about the emptiness that filled her heart. Suddenly, a soft sound woke her. The door to her room, which should have been closed, slowly opened. He stood in the doorway.

Tachyon. His figure was slender, but it exuded strength. His ears, usually alert and alert, were now slightly lowered, as if in a gesture of humility. His tail, usually full of energy, now swung slowly behind him, betraying a mixture of anxiety and determination. His eyes, deep and intense, stared at her with an inscrutable expression.

"Nika..." he whispered, his voice low and melodic, like the rustle of wind in a horse's manes.

Nika froze.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Tachyon entered the room, closing the door behind him. The sound of the latch rang in the silence like a sentence. Nika felt her heart begin to beat faster. She couldn't escape. She was trapped.

"I... I want to be yours," he said, his voice even lower now, almost purring, he utters the next words like poisonous silk woven through steel:. He moved to the small table where Nika kept her meager belongings. He knew her habits, her hidden hiding places. He knew her better than she knew herself. He began preparing tea as if he had been doing it for years, as if he had lived with her forever. His movements were smooth and confident, his tail twitching in time with his thoughts. His ears, sensitive to every little sound, seemed to hear her innermost fears.

In his mind, Nika was a skittish doe who would soon become his. She would be obedient, she would belong to him. He felt the need to mark her, to leave his scent on her, his mark of belonging. His scent glands, hidden within his equine nature, were already beginning to secrete a subtle yet intense scent that would envelop her, trap her in his world.