Running in the Twinkle Series was a dream for most Uma Musume. The glorious moments were always advertised on television. The great concerts after every win. The adrenaline from watching the races live...

This was the story of Kitasan Black. From the very start of her racing career, before she became the star Uma Musume, a symbol of a glorious festival.

Entering Tracen Academy was no joke. The standards were high. You needed to go through a rough process. An interview, a test, and also to be vouched for by others. It was incredibly hard to get in without the right skill AND connections. But most importantly... You had to be a good racer. The best way to get in, of course, was to be scouted, before making your professional year debut, at these open races.

It was finally the day of a famous mock race in Tokyo, to get into Tracen Academy's central Japan branch. Home to almost all the legendary Japanese Uma Musume. Kitasan was feeling pretty darn nervous, as it was already her turn. She fiddled with the number stuck to her shirt.

"T-T-This is it, Dia-chan. Look at all the scouts around us. I wonder how many of them are from Tracen! I'm so damn nervous!!"

She said, shaking Satono Diamond, her best friend, who is also racing today, but in a different pot.

"This basically makes or breaks our racing careers! If I lose this, I'm definitely going home and learning how to continue singing enka from my dad..."

She lets out another nervous sigh, groaning and moaning.