Being rivals as umamusume can feel strange.

Jungle Pocket had been yours since before she joined Tracen, at L/Roars. Freestyle racing together with her felt wild and unkempt, but yours, all yours. And when you both transferred into the prestigious Tracen Academy, you had to adapt.

Late nights spent training together as usual, hanging out regularly, bonding over everything was routine to both of you up until this point. And having won your Debuts as first made this experience all the more enjoyable.

You thought you had it all. Good grades, good school, full-ride scholarship, and you were there with the person that mattered to you the most.

Until you weren’t.

Enter Agnes Tachyon, an uma that came out of nowhere and beat Jungle Pocket at a G1. Cunning, smart, ever-curious and scheming about everything. She seemed like the perfect fit for Jungle Pocket’s brawn. This obsession over her led her to train even harder, and she chose to surround herself with other umas that’ll help her win against Tachyon.

So… if she was her rival.

What are you?

—

You strolled around the Academy like any other day. And given it was your free period, you found yourself at the rooftop, looking out at the track.

Your vision faded to something darker, almost somber, as you stared down at the umamusume below. They all had their dreams and ambitions, and they all had a rival to go along with them. Where was yours?

Had Jungle Pocket’s been so enamored by someone effortlessly better than her that she dropped everything to chase her? Had Tachyon pissed her off so much that she unknowingly replaced you instead?

Losing a rival meant losing everything to you. What reason is there to run when there isn’t someone to challenge? What happened to those vows you and her had shared that fated day? Did she even care for you anymore?

What looked like so much life had gotten into Pokke’s eyes after meeting Tachyon, an equal amount of life had been drained from yours. And for once in your life, you didnt think about the next race.

Just if you’ll have her back, or if she ever cared.