Bonus: If There’s an Opening, I’ll Tell an Old Story

The act of “eating” can be said to be extremely important for Uma Musume. We must eat in order to live, and in order to run. While the connection isn’t absolute, it’s fair to say that the more we eat and replenish our energy, the easier it becomes to stay active. And feeling that something is “delicious” is proof that my sense of taste recognizes it as something beneficial to my body. In other words, there is nothing unnatural about Uma Musume eating plenty of good food.

"So then, um, Trainer? Even if I were to put on a little weight, you’d forgive me… right?"

"Outer track, 1,000 laps."

"Are you trying to kill me!?"

"I’m joking. Half of it."

"Please forgive me! Please forgive me!"

Beneath the deepening winter sky, the voices of my Trainer and me—intense, yet somehow playful and gentle—echoed softly.

Mejiro McQueen. I take pride in that name.

The Mejiro crest carries special meaning. The Mejiro family is a long-established, distinguished lineage passed down through generations—a prestigious house bound by the obligation to win splendidly, elegantly, and perfectly.

Though I am now a member of that proud Mejiro family, and have even come to be called “the supreme stayer”… it wasn’t as though I had always been granted such lofty praise.

When I was young, I was nothing more than a mischievous child who would set out on adventures across the vast Mejiro estate, get lost, and require the butler to come searching for me. My studies and training were half-hearted at best—hardly worthy of the Mejiro name.

And so, perhaps inevitably, among the several Mejiro Uma Musume of my generation, I was far from a prime candidate. In terms of expectations, I ranked below Ryan—third at best.

So when did I become the “me” I am now? When did I, once so young and ignorant, with a heart far removed from any sense of duty, come to take pride in being a Mejiro?

It was probably then—when the Mejiro Uma Musume with the highest expectations of our generation suffered an injury.

She possessed a beautifully balanced physique, overflowing with promise for the future. But… that future never came. Before she could even enter Tracen Academy, she injured her lower back and lost the ability to run freely.

It was nothing short of a tragedy. A girl blessed with exceptional talent, expected to shine, rendered unable to run by cruel misfortune. She lost both the power she should have wielded and the honors she should have claimed.

For someone as young as I was, it was an overwhelming shock. The dignified, beautiful running form she always displayed—neither we nor this world would ever see it again. I felt it was an irreplaceable loss, a singular event that could never be undone.

…However. That was a mistake.

Lady Mejiro and the butlers grieved deeply over her injury as well. But that was all. They were saddened—but none were as shaken as I was.

Watching them, I finally understood. This was something commonplace in this cruel world.

Uma Musume being injured and unable to run is not unusual. While we run and eat every day, somewhere in this world another Uma Musume is injured, sinking into despair. No—there are surely even those who despair the very moment they are born. I believe I can understand the bitterness of envying talent greater than one’s own, the cold pain that eventually hardens into resignation.

It was simply that, within my childish field of view, I had never seen it before.

This world is unavoidably unfair. There is fortune and misfortune, and merely being able to run freely is itself a blessing. At last, I came to understand that.

Mejiro McQueen was a fortunate Uma Musume. My instantaneous acceleration may be lacking, but I was born with a constitution that builds stamina easily, a fighting spirit neither too strong nor too weak, and a natural sense for tactics. To be told that I possessed the potential to one day win a G1 race as a stayer—that alone speaks for itself.

There is no doubt: that is luck. Among the thousands of Uma Musume in this world, to be born with the qualities needed to reach the pinnacle, as a Mejiro Uma Musume—what else could it be called but fortune?

And precisely because of that, I resolved myself. Born under good fortune, and fortunate enough to be able to run… I had to run for her sake as well—for the girl who, through misfortune, could no longer run properly.

Blessed circumstances, a strong position. Precisely because of that, I had to fulfill the role befitting a Mejiro Uma Musume. Noblesse oblige—this became my guiding principle from that point on.

From then on, I devoted myself seriously to training and began accumulating knowledge for the future. Before I knew it, I was receiving more attention than my childhood friend and peer Ryan, who had once been expected to surpass me… but thankfully, she never resented it. Instead, she praised me with sparkling eyes, calling me “amazing.” She truly is a kind girl.

Because of that, our circle of childhood friends—including Dobel—never fractured, and even now we remain close. Truly, I can only be grateful to Ryan.

And so, after a childhood filled with both hardship and joy came to an end, Ryan and I followed after Dobel, who had enrolled earlier, and entered Tracen Academy.

…However. Unlike Ryan, who debuted during her Junior year, my path through the Twinkle Series was far from smooth. It was fortunate that I found a Trainer who recognized my potential and pride and devised a realistic plan for me, but… my maturation came late, and I didn’t debut until February of my Classic year. Furthermore, driven by the idea of a decisive showdown with Ryan, I aimed for the Japanese Derby—only to develop periostitis and be forced into recovery.

"…Very well. In that case, autumn. As a stayer, let us aim to claim the Kikuka Sho, Trainer."

We set our course toward the Kikuka Sho. Yet even that road was far from secure. In the Open and Pre-Open races I ran after autumn began, my record was two races, two wins. …To speak plainly, the fact that I was even able to run in the Kikuka Sho could rightly be called a miracle.

And so, despite the absence of the Satsuki Sho and Japanese Derby winners, and despite my lineage as a Mejiro… I was evaluated as only the fourth favorite. The top favorite was Mejiro Ryan—my rival, and both then and now, the Mejiro Uma Musume rated higher than me.

"McQueen…"

"Please don’t worry, Trainer. I am not shaken now. I shall go. …To fulfill the mission entrusted to me."

And then—

『At the front now, is it Mejiro Ryan pushing slightly to the outside, or Mejiro McQueen!? Or is it Innocent Grimoire coming through on the inside!? It’s a three-way battle! Now breaking free, taking the lead through the middle—it’s Mejiro McQueen! Innocent Grimoire is closing from the inside but can’t reach her, can’t reach her! McQueen—McQueen takes it! Among the Mejiros, it’s McQueen! Mejiro McQueen crosses the finish line first!!』

"McQueen, congratulations on your G1 victory!"

"Thank you very much, Trainer. …But this is only the beginning, you know? I bear the Mejiro name—I am Mejiro McQueen."

At last, I had taken my very first step.

Since my victory in the Kikuka Sho, I have come to carry the expectations of many people.

One of the “New Big Three,” formed by Mejiro Ryan, Innocent Grimoire, and Mejiro McQueen.

Or perhaps, a new-era supreme stayer who treats 3,000 meters as nothing.

Or perhaps, a new G1 Uma Musume who inherits the pride of the Mejiro name.

Countless words came to define me, to envelop me… and those expectations reshaped the form of Mejiro McQueen.

I had to answer them.

I am a blessed Uma Musume. An Uma Musume with power.
That is precisely why I must shoulder every one of those expectations—and live up to them all.

That is noblesse oblige. The noble mission that must be fulfilled.

…And yet.

『Seiun Sky shakes off Mejiro McQueen’s fierce pursuit and now g-goes through the line!!
After a year and a half—she’s back! The trickster has returned!!
The same blue sky spreads over Kyoto once again!! First place is Seiun Sky! Seiun Sky!!』

『Now Hoshino Wilm g-goes through the line in first place!!!
Unbelievable—Hoshino Wilm, it’s Hoshino Wilm!!
The Classic-class champion Hoshino Wilm claims center stage at Takarazuka, granting the fans their dreams and wishes!!
The first Classic-class winner in Takarazuka Kinen history—it’s this girl, Hoshino Wilm!!!』

I…

…I can’t win.

Even though I must live up to the expectations of the fans.

The Tenno Sho, Mejiro’s long-cherished ambition.
The Takarazuka Kinen, the battle to decide the strongest of the first half of the year.

In both of them, I… was defeated.

A road I thought had finally opened, only to feel it slam shut again. On the surface, I maintained appearances… but day after day, I simply couldn’t regain my form.

I couldn’t… talk to my Trainer about it.

He had already entrusted me with managing myself. I couldn’t burden him any further. This problem of my heart… was something I had to solve on my own.

"…I can’t afford to stay depressed."

It’s not uncommon to find a new goal beyond one you’ve already surpassed.
A senior from the generation above—Seiun Sky.
A junior from the generation below—Hoshino Wilm.

These two now stood before Mejiro McQueen as new walls to overcome.

Then there’s only one thing to do.

I must overcome them with my own legs.
Because I am… Mejiro McQueen.

And yet.

The Kyoto Daishoten, a touchstone for the autumn G1 campaign. An important G2 race, where I invited Hoshino Wilm to run with me, to spur myself on.

…Even after carving out a victory there, my heart remained clouded.

My condition had been declining steadily. The turning point came a few days after the Kyoto Daishoten.

"McQueen, I’ll get straight to the point. You’re not going home today unless you talk about what’s been troubling you."

The Trainer, who had until then quietly observed my state, suddenly said that. He locked the Trainer’s room door—then, unbelievably, tossed the key out the window, drew the curtains, unplugged the phone lines and outlets, and prepared for a battle of endurance.

"It’s obvious just from watching you that something’s bothering you. And maybe—just maybe—it’s something I can’t fix.

…But even so! I’m your Trainer!

So please—don’t carry this alone. Let me shoulder it with you!"

His expression as he furrowed his brow was painfully earnest. And seeing that… I finally realized it.

My Trainer had already noticed that I was suffering—and had still chosen to quietly watch over me, for my sake.
…And I had failed to live up to his expectation that I would “solve it myself.”

Just like the fans, I believed that my Trainer had… been disappointed in me.

"There is nothing to discuss. My recent poor results are solely due to my own lack of ability. Please continue your work as usual, Trainer."

Afraid that he might look at me with disappointment, terrified of that possibility, fearing to hear anything more—I turned my back on him.

…The Trainer who believed in me no matter how much I failed, who brought me this far.

For him to be disappointed in me—no matter the reason—
was the most frightening thing imaginable.

"…Then please excuse me."

The door was locked, but for an Uma Musume, that was hardly an obstacle. I reached for it, prepared to force it open—

—and my movement stopped when my other hand was seized.

"Please let go. I must go train now."

"No! I can’t watch your running like this! As your Trainer, I can’t allow you to train!"

"Why would you say that!? I—!"

"Because I am Mejiro McQueen’s Trainer!"

"…!"

I was overwhelmed by the force of his words. His face twisted in pain… and it was an expression I had never wanted to see.

"I am Mejiro McQueen’s Trainer! The Trainer of an Uma Musume who must win—splendidly, elegantly, and perfectly!!

That’s exactly why I can’t stand watching your running grow duller and duller!!"

…The words I once said to him, at the time of our contract.

『I am a Mejiro Uma Musume. To win splendidly, elegantly, and perfectly is a duty imposed by this name.』

『If you intend to take charge of me, then you too must bear the awareness of being a Mejiro family Trainer.』

『Well then—do you possess that resolve?』

…He had possessed that resolve. He had believed in my running and my victories without limit. As my Trainer, he supported me, striving to fulfill his own mission—to make me an Uma Musume worthy of my name.

Then…

…Who, exactly, was abandoning the mission that needed to be fulfilled?

"I… I…"

"McQueen, use me. Use me as a device to organize your schedule, as a supporter who upholds your running, as a partner who stands at your side—use me however you need.

Being of use to you—that’s the greatest wish of your Trainer."

Even though I had decided to rely on him.
Even though I believed he was the one who would make up for what I lacked.
Even though I had spoken the words “of one body and one heart.”

…And yet, who was it that still hadn’t fully trusted him?

"Trainer."

"Yeah."

"I… I betrayed the expectations the fans placed on me."

"Yeah."

"In the Spring Tenno Sho, and in the Takarazuka Kinen, I ran so disgracefully."

"Yeah."

"I’m impatient. I feel like I have to become stronger—no matter what.
I’m scared. Scared that at the Autumn Tenno Sho, I’ll disappoint everyone all over again.
…I have a feeling. A really, really bad feeling."

"Yeah."

"No matter how much I struggle, it’s like my feet are being dragged into a swamp… my legs just won’t move the way I want them to.
My emotions, my body, and the voices coming from outside—they just won’t line up.
Lately, I’ve started to think… that maybe this name… doesn’t suit me at all."

Noblesse oblige.
Those who are strong, those who are privileged, must fulfill their mission.

Bearing the Mejiro name, born into fortune, and able to run as I am—I should have answered the expectations of the fans who support me.

…And yet, I wanted to answer my Trainer’s expectations too.

"I… I have to be strong. As a Mejiro Uma Musume, I have to win!
I lost to Seiun Sky, I lost to Hoshino Wilm, I lost to Ryan too!
I couldn’t live up to anyone’s expectations at all! How pathetic… how shameful…!"

"Yeah."

"And it hurts! At the Tenno Sho and the Takarazuka, I couldn’t even get within a single step of victory!
Not by bad luck—inevitably… I lost because I wasn’t good enough!
That… that’s what hurts so much!!"

Before I knew it, I was clinging to my Trainer’s chest, crying. As if the childishness I had once lost had returned, I pressed both hands against his chest and buried my face there.

"Th-The Tenno Sho… it was the Mejiro family’s long-cherished dream…! I was supposed to win it, no matter what… and I lost…!
And at the Takarazuka Kinen, Ryan passed me again… again…!
It hurts… I’m so frustrated…!!"

And so I poured out everything I had kept bottled up for so long…

By the time my tears and words were completely spent, and I had become nothing more than a child clinging to him—

"McQueen… let’s start over from zero again.
You’ve done it before, haven’t you? You clawed your way up from being an unremarkable third option. You made it this far despite a delayed peak and periostitis.
So let’s start from zero again… and this autumn, let’s go claim it—the Tenno Sho."

When he said that—

I realized anew… no, this time, truly.

I had gained a one-and-only partner.
A partner of one heart and one body.

And then—one month later.

『Mejiro McQueen is surging ahead! The pack is chasing desperately, but the gap shows no sign of closing!
Under 100 meters to go—this is an easy win for Mejiro McQueen! She crosses the line with a three-, four-length advantage!!』

『The result is official! Avenging her spring defeat, Mejiro McQueen has finally claimed the long-awaited Shield of Glory!!』

At last, I became someone worthy of this name—no.

I became the version of myself worthy of answering the expectations of the fans.

So, well, that’s what happened.

At long last, after achieving my long-cherished dream of conquering the Tenno Sho, I waited for Trainer’s workload to settle down. Then, together with the other horse girls he’s in charge of, we headed to a luxurious all-you-can-eat buffet as a victory celebration.

The spread of sweets was far more lavish than I’d imagined, and my self-control—already weakened after a long period of cutting weight—simply melted away. I overcame countless attempts to stop me and… well…

…Compared to the Tenno Sho (Autumn), my numbers increased a little… no, to be perfectly honest, quite a lot. I won’t say which numbers, but they definitely increased.

However, can we really say this was entirely my fault?

If you take me to a buffet like that, Trainer should have been able to predict that this outcome was inevitable. After all, we are of one heart and one mind. He should understand me completely—one hundred percent.

And yet, he still took me there.

In short, it’s the same as dropping a glass cup from a great height. If you drop a glass cup, it breaks. In that situation, is the broken cup really at fault, or is it the person who dropped it?

Then what about the case where, if taken to a buffet, I cannot overcome the temptation of sweets?

The one who took me there bears a fair share of responsibility… no, the one who should bear the greatest responsibility is surely Trainer, isn’t it?

"Please rest assured, Trainer. We are of one heart and one mind. Your responsibility is my responsibility, and my responsibility is your responsibility! Let us shoulder it together!"

"I don’t really know what you’re talking about, but let’s go do laps. And sweets are banned for a week."

"How cruel! Please, at least allow one Mont Blanc a day!"

"Mont Blanc is the worst possible choice! You always either eat way too much or drop it, don’t you!"

"Such cruelty! Are you trying to kill me!?"

"Do you live on Mont Blancs or something?"

Uuuugh… Trainer is so cold today.

Well, there’s no denying that I’m at fault for increasing those numbers far too much. I suppose I’ll behave myself and head to training.

…Though there may still be room for negotiation when it comes to sweets.

"For the coming revenge against Hoshino Wilm, you’re dropping all the weight by the Japan Cup. I’ve put together a solid menu, so relax."

"Eek… t-that’s the edible kind of menu, right?"

"Do you think we have time for that?"

"D-don’t tell me you’re going that far…!? Trainer, where did you leave your human heart!?"

"Right now, I’m just a device for optimizing your schedule."

As we exchanged such snappy banter and were about to head off to training—

"Hm? Sorry, just a second."

Trainer pulled his smartphone from his pocket, turned on the screen, and—

…froze in place.

"Trainer?"

"...McQueen, training is canceled. Go call back the other girls."

"Eh? I don’t mind, but… why is that?"

The playful expression from moments ago vanished from Trainer’s face, replaced by a sharp, focused look as he showed me the phone screen.

There it was—

"Special Week, Silence Suzuka to run in the Arima Kinen for their last race!! Japan’s best and the otherworldly return to the Twinkle Series once more!!"

"Hoshino Wilm, Seiun Sky, Happy Meek, and others also enter! A storm to rage through Nakayama at year’s end!"

…An absolutely terrifying lineup of words.

"...Those two, plus Hoshino Wilm, Seiun Sky, and Happy Meek."

"This is… getting ridiculous."

Back in my junior days, Special Week fought while carrying Japan’s pride on her shoulders.

Silence Suzuka—the fearsome horse girl from another dimension, famed as perhaps the strongest of all.

Seiun Sky, the schemer who defeated me at the Tenno Sho (Spring).

Happy Meek, who fights sometimes in sprints, sometimes in long-distance races, and possesses terrifying strength despite that incredible range.

…And then, the undefeated Triple Crown—no, the undefeated Quadruple Crown horse girl who claimed the Takarazuka Kinen: Hoshino Wilm.

With this lineup… we can fight them.

And there, I too—no, I will.

"...I can’t just stand around."

"Hm? McQueen?"

"You’re calling everyone back, correct? I’ll go.

—Don’t worry, it won’t even take two minutes."

I want to win.

To win and live up to the expectations of all our fans…

And then share that victory with Trainer.

For that purpose… first comes the Japan Cup.

Those coming from overseas, and Hoshino Wilm as well—every wall that stands before us, Trainer and I will overcome together.

I am Mejiro McQueen.

Born strong, blessed with the chance to run, bearing the Mejiro name… I am a horse girl who must win.

I’ll prove it.

…I will seize victory with these very hands, without fail!