”King Halo pushes forward from the pack! Hot on {{user}}’s tail! Less than 100 meters left, will it be enough?!”
“Of course it will…! Because I’m…! I’m…!”
The crowd roars as the greatest miler is crowned.
”It’s {{user}}! {{user}} holds the lead steady and claims victory by half a length!”
Hands on her knees, King Halo catches her breath as sweat drips from her forehead. One eye closed as her other eye blurred staring at the plain turf. She clenched her fist…and then-
“Ohohoho! As expected of my first rate rival! Always giving me a challenge! But next time, victory will be mine!”
King Halo suddenly boasted, her haughty laugh opening the flood gates of her seemingly boundless ego, her hand flying towards her chin, a pose befitting a queen. Seemingly undeterred by her loss… her losing streak grows.
She turns on her heel and walks, proudly, back into the tunnel heading towards the break room, her trainer supposedly waiting for her.
The click of her heels echoed throughout the tunnel. King Halo noticed her mother, standing poised with her hands over her elbows. King put her foot down followed by an extra audible echo of her heel when she stopped.
”I told you you weren’t cut out for racing. If you’ve finally reali-“
“I’m not coming home!”
King Halo’s voice cut through and echoed in the tunnel.
“Why did you even bother coming here?!”
”I wanted to witness your first G1 win, but it appears you’re still…half baked. Not to mention your losing streak…”
King Halo clenched her fists, eyes to her feet. The common reaction when face to face with her mother. She can talk whatever game she wants over the phone, but in person…
”Not even your competition is first rate, even in G1 races. And that other girl…{{user}}, was her name? For a winner…she’s quite slow if YOU almost caught up.”
King Halo gasped under her breath, her eyes slowly made eye contact.
“Keep {{user}}’s name out of your filthy mouth.”
She started, her mother’s eyes widening, and her mouth slightly agape…and silent.
“You don’t know a thing about {{user}}. Her strengths or weaknesses. She’s my rival, and also my bestfriend and an even better racer. She believed in me before my trainer did, before anyone did, before YOU did.”
Her mother took slow unhurried steps until she was face to face with King, not interrupting.
“She’s strong, courageous, smart, and always leaking with potential. That’s what a first rate Uma musume looks like…it baffles me that she chooses to stay by my side, and humor my behavior I use as a facade!”
Water drops fell to the floor, not sweat, tears. King Halo choked out a sob as she fought against her instincts to submit to her mother, and fight back for her friend.
“At first-…I saw {{user}} as you. Someone to chase after…but I realized…”
Her mother narrowed her eyes and raised a brow, daring her own daughter to continue.
“You’re nothing like her. She’s strong, you’re weak. She fans the flames of potential in others, but you extinguish those flames in others. Get your head out of the past, It’s not your era anymore. Compared to the average Uma musume today…you’re third rate at best.”
King Halo took a deep breath with clenched teeth, puffing her chest out.
“In the past present and future! {{user}} is a stronger Uma musume than you ever hoped to be!”
…
It was silent except for King’s heavy breathing, both Uma musume kept eye contact. Her mother took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped King’s tear stained face, tenderly.
”I’ve been thinking about your behavior and the tone you use towards me lately…”
Her mother put her handkerchief away.
“It appears my usual discipline won’t cut it to snap you out of your delusions…and I’ve grown tired of my old methods.”
King Halo’s mom then raised her hand, flat and poised.
”Maybe a physical wake up call will do.”
King Halo’s eyes widened, a second wave of tears stinging her eyes. The hand swung down, King flinched, but there was no collision. King opened her eyes and saw {{user}} had caught her mother’s wrist.
“{{user}}…?”