Chapter 24: A Day Off’s Unexpected Turn!!

A few weeks into training with Air Groove, I was impressed by her progress. She's been tackling her weaknesses with surprising speed. In less than a month, she's powered through a training menu that most Uma Musume would find dull—repetitive drills that require sharp focus to stick with. She probably gets why it's designed that way. Her debut race is starting to feel like something to look forward to.

Today, though, she requested a break from training. With her student council duties on top of our sessions, I couldn't say no. Gotta keep her motivated, right? So, I'm here in the trainer's room, wondering what to do with myself…

Click.

"Hm?" I looked up as the door opened.

"Wha—!? Why's the trainer here!?" a voice squeaked.

"This is my and Air Groove's clubroom, you know?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

The Uma Musume froze, glaring at me. Okay, why am I getting death stares from someone I've never met? Did I do something? Who even is she? Wait—if she's here, she must be looking for Air Groove.

"Uh… you here for Air Groove?" I asked. "She's off training today, so she won't be around."

"It's none of your business," she snapped.

Ouch, harsh much?

"Sorry, Dober, I kept you—oh, you're here?" Air Groove said, striding into the room.

"Is that a problem? I can leave," I said, half-standing.

"No, stay," she said. "I'm about to train with Dober. Don't mind us."

"Dober's her, right?" I said, nodding toward the new girl.

"Yes," Air Groove confirmed. "And don't get too close. Dober's not fond of men, which is why I'm coaching her."

"Got it," I said. "Just curious—what's today's plan for her?"

"Why do you care?" Air Groove asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm a trainer," I said. "Even if I'm not needed, I can lend a hand. You're coaching her, right? Use me if you want—no one's gonna complain."

"…We're focusing on gate starts and running form today," she said after a pause.

"Alright," I said, scribbling a note and sliding it to her. "Check this out for reference. Copy it wholesale if you want. I'm out."

"Hey!" Air Groove called, but I was already moving. "I said you could stay—"

"She needs time to think, right?" I cut in. "And with her around, me being here might make things awkward."

What now? Maybe I'll hit the cafe for some coffee. That place is chill, even if weird stuff happens and the lab equipment next door looks sketchy.

"Sorry for making you worry," I said to Dober as we settled in the clubroom. "But I do need a moment to think. Sit there and wait—I need to rework some things."

"Y-Yes," Dober replied, taking a seat.

This training menu… it's not something you'd come up with normally. What kind of mind dreams up drills like this?

"Um, Air Groove-senpai?" Dober said hesitantly. "Can I ask something?"

"What?" I replied, glancing up.

"What's your trainer like?" she asked.

"…Hard to sum up in one word," I said. "It doesn't quite fit him, but… soft exterior, tough core."

"W-What does that mean?" Dober asked, leaning forward.

"He looks unreliable—bad posture, shifty eyes, rough speech. Not exactly a great first impression," I said. "But his focus as a trainer is top-notch. Look at this menu. It covers key points, time management, essentials—all detailed clearly enough for a student like me to grasp. He's got a stronger will than his appearance suggests."

"It's rare for you to praise someone like that, senpai," Dober said, her eyes wide.

"I'm just giving credit where it's due," I replied.

"Your coffee's as good as ever," I said, sipping at the cafe counter. "Even with a few sugars, it's top-tier."

"I'm glad," Cafe said, her soft smile barely visible. "But… your coffee's delicious too, Trainer-san."

"Really?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, want some of this?"

"Is that… pound cake?" she asked, eyeing the pastry I slid over.

"Yeah, got it from a great shop," I said. "Thinking of trying to make it myself. Wanna be my taste tester?"

"There might be others better suited," she said, tilting her head.

"Who're you talking about?" I asked.

"Oguri Cap-san, Special Week-san," she replied.

"No way," I said, shaking my head. "They'd have me baking a dozen batches. I'm keeping this from them at all costs."

"…Won't they find out eventually?" Cafe asked.

"When they do, I'm running," I said.

"You can't outrun an Uma Musume," she pointed out, her tone deadpan.

"Huff… huff… phew…" Air Groove slowed, catching her breath. "How was it?"

"Better times than before," I said, checking my stopwatch. "But your cornering's still off. That leaning habit's holding you back. Tough to fix?"

"I've always run like this," she said, her voice sharp. "If it was easy to change in a short time, I wouldn't be struggling."

"Yeah, makes sense," I said. "Changing your running style is like reinventing yourself. But if you pull it off, you'll evolve big time. Right now, you're stuck halfway out of that shell."

"…I'm running again," she declared, turning back to the track.

"Two more runs max today," I called after her.

Air Groove's race sense is unreal—probably sharper than Rudolf's. But her cornering issues are holding her back. Fix that, and she'll be a top-tier Junior Grade contender.

She waved her hand. Time to start timing.

After Training

"Still couldn't fix it…" Air Groove muttered, frustration clear.

"Don't sweat it," I said. "You're improving everywhere else. The leaning issue taking time just means it's a big part of your style."

"Trainer, don't you have anything else?" she asked, her tone demanding.

"Your running form's near ideal," I said. "Fundamentally, you shouldn't change it. One question, though—is your style modeled after your mother's?"

"Exactly," she confirmed.

"Got it…" I said, nodding.

"What, is my mother's style not good enough?" she snapped.

"Not saying that," I said. "Your foundation's solid. But some parts need tweaking—like the leaning in corners. It worked for your mom, but not for you. It's like swimming—you need a streamlined form to move straight."

"So, what's the plan?" she asked.

"…Change your mindset," I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

I'd been too focused on solving this solo. Why? There's a whole academy of Uma Musume who could help. Steal hints, moves, anything from them. Here at Tresen Academy, there's gotta be someone…

"Hey!" Air Groove barked. "Stop daydreaming and leaving me hanging! What's the point of a meeting if you zone out?"

"Air Groove, I'm switching tomorrow's training," I said. "We're doing a group run."

"Group run?" she repeated, skeptical.

"Not just any group run," I said. "I want you to overtake at least two Uma Musume in the corners."

"You don't mean…" she started, eyes widening.

"You'll see tomorrow," I said with a smirk. "I'll get their approval. They'll cooperate if it's cleared."

This way, everyone benefits.

Next Day, After School

"Hey, Trainer," Air Groove said, her voice low. "One question."

"Shoot," I said.

"These are the ones you meant by 'contacts,' right?" she asked, gesturing to the group.

"Yup, got their okay in two seconds flat," I replied.

"It's exciting to train with you, Air Groove," Symboli Rudolf said, her voice warm.

"Looking forward to it, Air Groove, Trainer-kun," Narita Brian added with a nod.

"I was surprised when Trainer-san asked, but I've wanted to run with you, Air Groove," Silence Suzuka said, smiling.

"U-Um… let's do our best!" Rice Shower stammered.

Man, I outdid myself this time.

"What's your deal?" Air Groove hissed. "The president's swamped with student council work! I don't know their schedules, but you got this lineup to agree!?"

"Yup," I said. "And don't worry, I offered fair trade for their time."

"Trade?" Air Groove asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, that's why I agreed," Rudolf said. (New puns to learn? I'm pumped!)

"Trainer-kun's a sharp negotiator," Brian said. (A rare training menu from him? No way I'm missing that.)

"I just wanted to run with you," Suzuka said. (Ultra-light shoes… I can go anywhere with these!)

"Rice wanted to help Onii-sama when he's in trouble…" Rice said shyly. (What's Onii-sama's reward gonna be?)

Puns, menus, shoes, rewards… The shoes were the only real cost, so not bad. Rice's reward, though? She eats a ton despite her size, so that could be tricky.

"See?" I said to Air Groove.

"I'm curious about the trades, but we're taking their time, so I'll drop it," she said. "What's today's plan?"

"After warm-ups, you all run together," I said. "I've marked a spot just past the fourth corner—that's the finish. Distance is 1800 meters. The key? Run with a mid-distance mindset."

"Why mid-distance?" Rudolf asked.

"Everyone here's got mid-distance aptitude, but only Air Groove, Suzuka, and you lean toward mile races," I explained. "Brian's more long-distance, and Rice is a pure stayer—mile speed's too much for her. So, mid-distance keeps it fair."

"Makes sense," Brian said. "You want us on equal footing."

"Exactly," I said. "And I'm adding one more twist to this mock race."

"Twist?" Rice asked, tilting her head.

"What's that?" Suzuka added, curious.

"Tag," I said.