"White tank top, cactus green jogger pants, and blue running shoes."
'... If I wasn't a little kid, I'd look like a prisoner character from the movies.'
"I'm gonna wear a white shirt instead..."
Par goes through his drawer and takes out a white shirt with a cute carrot design in the middle.
"More carrot merch?? I get umas like carrots- Wait. I've never had carrots, yet. I wonder if the carrots are different or if umas have a special taste for carrots."
After changing into the shirt and returning the tank top (folded), Par went downstairs to his papa at the front door.
"You didn't change, pa- trainer?"
Takahiro is wearing the same clothes he had during breakfast just now. A lavender checkered open polo shirt, white tank top underneath, jeans, and flip flops.
"No need. The grass is dry and firm. Very low risk of me getting dirty."
Takahiro turns to the door, hand on the knob, then looks back at Par.
"You ready, son? I'm not going easy on you during training."
*nods*
"I can handle it, papa! I'm a strong boy!" Par says with visible enthusiasm.
"That's my boy. Okay. Let's go!"
"Yes!"
=====
"Hii... haa... Trainer- I can't-" Par says with heavy breaths while running, or at least he was earlier.
"I said JOG, not run, Par."
"R-Right. You did say that. Eheh..." Par says before plopping down on the grass.
*click*
Takahiro stops the stopwatch in his grasp.
"Hm.. Ryza said you ran for about 3 minutes yesterday, right? Your time now is 3 minutes and 20 seconds."
"Okay-" Par says while catching his breath. Still on the grass.
"We'll do runs like this only on Fridays so we can gauge your progress and work with that knowledge." Takahiro walks over to Par.
"Next time JOG, understand?"
"Yes, trainer."
"Alright. Now do 30 jumping jacks."
"Yes, trainer!" Par jumps back up and begins doing jumping jacks.
'.. This is satisfying. Both as a trainer and as a parent.'
"Alright! 20 second break."
'We'll do a week of just basic exercises to build up his body. We can figure out Par's strengths and weaknesses later.'
"Next 30 squat jumps!"
'So far, so good. For a homebody, Par is doing well. Sure, part of it is because he's an uma, but his own physique plays a major part, too. He isn't complaining either. Unlike McQueen at his age...'
"Pfft- Heheh." Takahiro couldn't hold back a chuckle recalling Mejiro McQueen's childhood.
"Hm? What is it, trainer?" Par asks mid-jump.
"Just recalling your tita McQueen. She used to whine whenever she had to wake up early for morning training."
"The oh-so-noble Mejiro McQueen??"
"Hahah! That's the usual expression people have of her. Once you're close to her, she can be as silly as your mama when teased."
'Huh. Oh, right. She was sorta like that sometimes in the anime.'
"20 second break. Afterwards do sit-ups."
"... Papa, is the old lady in the picture frames with us grandma?"
Takahiro is caught off guard by the sudden question.
"Yes.."
".. Is she in heaven now, papa?"
".. Yes. Yes, she is."
"I see.."
'I couldn't even meet her..'
Par's heart becomes a bit heavy.
"We were merely visiting your grandma, but then your mama had to give birth to you here. You came out a week earlier than planned, Par."
"Well, I wanted to see you guys ASAP. Heheh." Par says with a chuckle.
Takahiro couldn't help but smile at his son's joke.
"However, since you were born as a boy uma musume. We decided to stay here and raise you. Your tita McQueen and the Mejiro family weren't happy, though. We lived near them before coming here, after all. Ah, I still talk to them from time to time. Of course."
".. Does everyone in the Mejiro family not know I'm a boy uma, papa?
".. Yes. They all think your mama gave birth to twins. An uma musume and a human boy."
"But why, papa?"
Takahiro's grip on the stopwatch tightens.
".. I didn't want you to be crushed by expectations, Par. We want you to grow up happy, son. I've seen first-hand how heavy the expectations the family places on uma musume. I didn't want you to experience the same thing. Especially since you're the first and only boy uma musume in history. I couldn't predict how the Mejiro family would react if they found out the truth."
*nod*
"Okay. I understand, papa. I know you, mama, and tita only want the best for me." Par says with a smile.
"... Thank you, son."
A touching father and son moment fills the air.
"Now give me 20 push-ups. I'll show you the proper form for this one."
"Yes, trainer!"
======
*creak- thwaang~*
"Hm? Back from training already?" Ryza asks from the kitchen.
"Yeah. Par did surprisingly well. His stamina recovery is excellent. Just 20 seconds of rest and he can start the next exercise." Takahiro says while changing his flip flops at the entrance.
"Training was satisfying too! I had a blast! Heheh~" Par says while crouched down, untying his shoes and switching them out for flip flops.
"Par's current stamina isn't great, but we can build that up with time. His stamina recovery, on the other hand, is top-tier and among the best I've seen. In the future, he'll likely excel at 2000 meter races and even up to 3000 meters or more. Whether he'll be able to win them with a Front Runner strategy or not we still need a lot of training to tell. " Takahiro gives his verdict and predictions.
'I wonder if part of that is from the Mejiro family or just purely my own talent. I should look up whether uma musume are able to inherit aptitudes from uma musume ancestors.'
"Wow~ That's amazing, Par." Ryza says with a smile.
"Yep, yep! Ah, but won't I need the appropriate speed (velocity) and power (acceleration) too?"
"Hm.. Yes, but stamina is equally as important and sometimes more so than those two. However, we need to build a solid foundation for you before we begin training either."
"Okay, papa!"
"Anyways. Have some snacks before you begin with trainer cla-"
*grrrooowll..*
"""...."""
"... Next time let's train BEFORE breakfast time.." Takahiro says with an awkward smile.
".. Tita, what're the snacks?"
"Champorado*.."
"Heavy on the stomach. So it should fare you long enough for lunch, Par. I think."
Takahiro turns back to Ryza.
"How much did you make, Ryza?"
"10 bowls worth.."
"Let's start with 4 bowls." Takahiro says without hesitation.
'I could barely even finish 1 bowl of champorado when I was an adult human, yet, why does 4 bowls of champorado for an uma musume child sound appropriate..?'
Four bowls of champorado later...
'... I feel like I can down a 5th bowl with little issue, but this is enough.'
"Do you want more, Par?" Ryza asks while eating her own bowl of champorado.
*shake shake*
"No, I've had enough. Thank you, tita."
The three are currently seated and eating champorado together.
"Alright. We'll begin trainer class in 10 minutes in your room, Par. Ah, go shower first, though."
'Oh, right. I forgot all about the sweat and dirt on me.'
"Could I bring mama a bowl of champorado too? She might feel left out."
"Alright, but go clean up first."
"Okay!" Par then runs for the bathroom.
====
After a refreshing shower.
'Hm.. I should probably wrap the towel up to my chest. I remember reverse world novels usually made a big deal out of men's chests. And I'd rather not get lectured by walking around the house with just a towel on my waist.'
One Umagle search later proved Par right.
*knock knock*
*creak*
"Par? Did you finish training with papa already?" Jane asks after she opened the door to her office and spots a freshly bathed Par in clean clothes with a bowl of champorado in his hands.
"Mhm! We also ate champorado after! Here, mama. Have some!" Par says while lifting up the bowl of champorado.
"Aww~ Thank you, Par!" Jane then takes the bowl from Par.
"Good luck with work, mama! Papa will be tutoring me now."
"Uuu! My baby is too precious! Mama will work very hard!"
Par then goes back to his room and waits for Takahiro.
'Exercising never felt nearly that great and refreshing in my old body. I wonder if it's because I'm an uma musume now. No, maybe not. Since papa said young McQueen whined about morning training.'
*knock knock*
"Par, I'm coming in." Takahiro says before opening the door and coming in.
'A laptop. Just like tita when she tutors me. The adults around me are quite tech-savvy, huh.'
Takahiro sits down next to Par and places his laptop on the coffee table in the middle of the room.
"What're you gonna teach me about today, papa?"
"We can't start off on strategies immediately, Par. So we'll build your knowledge foundation on how races work."
"Ooo okay!"
Takahiro opens his laptop and brings up a powerpoint file.
[Basics of Uma Musume Racing]
"To uma musume, racing is a sacred and honorable sport that existed for as long as they have. They run to achieve their dreams, or simply for the thrill. No matter the result, if it's a fair race, everyone will accept the outcome. Cheating and unfair practices are highly looked down upon and punished heavily."
"Who does the punishing, papa?"
"Well, each country has their own organization that manages everything about the races in their country. For the Philippines, it's the Philippine Racing Commission or PRC for short. For Japan, it's the Japan Racing Association or JRA for short. These organizations are also the ones responsible for testing and giving out trainer licenses, Par. And they decide the rules and criteria uma musume and trainers must follow to enter races."
'Indeed. I can still remember when the JRA barred Oguri Cap from participating in the Classics, let alone the Japanese Derby, just because she didn't apply in time. Even after many fans signed the petition for Oguri to be let into the derby, they didn't budge.'
'However, it's not to say they're stuck-up. They simply chose not to give preferential treatment to anyone. The JRA has a "Code of Fairness" that they follow dutifully. Bending the rule just before the derby would go against that. Instead, they began to formally remove the rule requiring the registration for the Classics. So that cases like Oguri Cap and Maruzensky would never be barred again from reaching their dreams. And I genuinely respect that they follow a code of fairness that doesn't bend even when the Emperor, Symboli Rudolf herself, asks.'
Some time later...
"Next we'll touch on the races. There are many factors on just the track alone that can significantly affect the participating racers."
[Distance Types]
Sprint: 1,400 meters or shorter.
Mile: 1,401 to 1,800 meters.
Medium: 1,801 to 2,400 meters.
Long: 2,401 meters or longer.
"The first of which is the distance. The distance is incredibly important as that decides how much you need to run at a steady pace before going full speed for the finish line which is often referred to as the "last spurt" and is often the most exciting part of the race where anything can happen. Let's take a 1800 meter race. The last spurt phase starts at the 1500m mark. However, this isn't the case for all umas. Depending on their stamina, they may start earlier or later than the 1500m mark. There are also cases where they start their last spurt too early and fall short of the finish line and begin slowing down."
"Papa, how fast can uma musume run?" Par speaks up.
"Ah, uma musume can run at over 50 km/hr. Skilled racers can run upwards of 70 km/hr. With around 80km/hr being the highest recorded speed an uma musume can reach. For reference, the average adult human woman can run at 30 km/hr. If I remember correctly, the fastest human of our world can run upwards to 45 km/hr. Just under the average uma musume."
"Wow~ Could I reach 80 km/hr one day, too, papa?"
"Hm... I'm not sure, Par. Usually only sprinter-type racers can reach that speed."
'Ah, makes sense. Considering my excellent stamina recovery, I might be more suited for Medium and Long races instead of Mile and Sprint races. I can't be selfish. Even Triple Crown uma musume like Narita Brian and Mr. C.B. who excelled at Medium and Long races, lagged a bit behind when in came to Mile races. Let alone Sprint races.'
"I'll quickly go over the two track surface types; Turf and Dirt. Ah, turf is essentially like the grass outside, Par. Dirt is soil or sand. On turf, racers focus more on tactics, quick-thinking, and precise moves. Dirt on the other hand, leans more towards power and endurance since the surface is softer, disperses the power in your steps, and make you a bit prone to slipping."
'And when racing on dirt, if there's an uma in front of you, their steps may throw soil or sand at you which will hinder you.'
Takahiro glances at the time on his laptop.
"Hm.. Let's finish with race styles. There are four race styles; Front Runner, Pace Chaser, Late Surger, and End Closer."
[Race Styles]
Front Runner- begins the race aiming for the very front of the pack, usually positioned 1st to 3rd, and attempt to stay at the front the whole race.
Pace Chaser- stays close to the front, usually behind the Front Runner(s) and positioned 2nd~5th before attempting to overtake at the last spurt phase.
Late Surger- starts at the back of the pack before speeding up at the second half of the race.
End Closer- stays at the very back of the pack, sometimes called "the anchor." They attempt to overtake everyone at the end.
"The racers at the very front become the 'pace maker' and influence how fast and how much stamina the racers behind burn before the last spurt. And the further you are towards the front of the pack, the more stamina you will consume. Late Surgers and End Closers usually have more stamina than the Pace Chasers and Front Runners, which gives them a chance to overtake them at the end."
'Mhm. So far, everything papa has taught I already know. Glad that nothing fundamental has changed.'
"And that's it for today's trainer class. Good job listening, Par." Takahiro says while headpatting Par.
"Thank you for your hard work, papa."
*ping~*
"Hm? Ah, your tita just texted me that lunch is ready. Let's go, Par."
*grroowwll~*
""...""
They both looked at Par's stomach then at each other.
"Heheh... I guess the champorado only carried me this far.."
"Just in time for lunch, so perfect timing."
The two then proceed downstairs where Ryza and Jane are already seated. Everyone's plate and utensils are set and there was already rice on everyone's plates.
One plate had one serving of rice, two plates had about two servings, while the 4th plate...
"Uhh, papa, how much rice is that?"
"Looks to be about... 2 cups of rice? So about 4 servings of rice."
"I-Is that supposed to be mine..?"
"Yeah. Honestly, it should be enough." Takahiro says with a straight face.
Par looks at the huge serving of rice, then back at Takahiro.
"W-Will I have to eat that much after every training session??"
"It'll increase as you get older. Ah, but after your growth spurt you might need less food. Some umas eat way less than before their growth spurt."
'That's true.. I remember some scenes from the anime where umas at Tracen only have 1 or 2 servings of rice for lunch. Then there's fatties like Special Week and Oguri Cap who eat literal mountains of food for lunch...'
"What're you two waiting for? Come sit already!" Ryza beckons the two over.
*creak- thud*
Having sit down, Par is now faced with the hill of rice in front of him.
"Tita made Pinoy-style Chicken Curry~ Enjoy!" Ryza says as she places a large bowl of green chicken curry in the middle.
"Ah, Par, let me serve you yours." Ryza then starts pouring curry on Par's hill of rice. Then places half a chicken's worth of cuts on the front of his plate.
'F*ck. I'm actually salivating now. I'm worried I'll become a glutton monster like Oguri Cap..'
Par then picks up his spoon and fork. He takes a cut out of a drumstick and scoops it up with some rice, a piece of carrot and potato then takes it all in one bite.
*nyom*
"Mmm! It's really good, tita!" Par says with a beaming face.
"Heheh! Eat up!" she says with a wide grin.
*nyom! nyom! nyom!*
Par starts chowing down with great delight. The adults smile watching Par eat so heartily before beginning themselves.
*burp-*
"Ah, sorry." Par leans back into his chair with a comical bulging belly full of food.
"It's fine, Par. That just means you really enjoyed the meal." Jane says having just finished eating herself.
"I'll allow it, since it's just us. But try to avoid doing that in public, okay?" Takahiro says.
Ryza then begins to clean up the table.
"Par, do you know why we allowed you to become a racer?" Jane asks.
"Huh? Is it not because I wanted to, mama?" Par shoots back. Genuinely unaware of the real reason.
"That's part of the reason, but your tita gave us a compelling argument."
"We wish for you to aim for Triple Crown status, Par." Takahiro declares.
Par's eyes widen. He's very much aware what that means and how difficult it is.
"Triple Crown status... Me?"
"Your tita argued that if you achieve Triple Crown status, then society will be much more likely to accept you when you reveal yourself to the world."
"Triple Crown... acknowledged and respected by everyone."
"Yes. That's the supporting argument I told your parents, Par." Ryza says as she returns from the sink.
"But can I really achieve such a thing?" Par asks. Genuine doubt in his talent.
"You have a worthy shot at it, Par. I can feel it, not just as your father but also as a trainer. You can reasonably aim for a Triple Crown title."
"Classic Triple Crown, Senior Autumn Triple Crown, Senior Spring Triple Crown, or even the Triple Tiara. Aim for one of these, Par."
"Aren't there only less than 10 Triple Crown winners in all of Japan? There are many legendary uma musume who aimed for the Triple Crown title, but they all fell short.."
"5 actually. Saint Lite, Mr. C.B., Symboli Rudolf, Narita Brian, and Orfevre. There's also 4 Triple Tiara umas, so that adds up to 9." Ryza adds
Par fell silent. Contemplating whether he really can achieve the status sought after by every professional racer.
"Par. Look at mama." Jane says with a tender voice.
Par looks up and meets his mother's gaze.
"It's fine if you fail, son. You can count on mama to make it so you can one day hold your head up high in public. Without having to hide nor lie."
'She's right.. Even if I can't attain Triple Crown status, I still have tita Ryza, mama, and papa with me.'
The memory of the first and second uma musume destined to be close to Par flash through his mind.
'And maybe those two as well..'
"Regardless, we'll support you all the way, Par. And I'll train you to be one the same level as your tita McQueen. No, we'll aim to surpass her!" Takahiro declares.
"Mama's company could develop tech and machines that could further train uma musume." Jane proposes.
"Your tita here will make sure you're getting the nutrients you need to grow big and strong." Ryza says.
"..." Par stares speechless at the three loving adults in front of him.
*sniffle*
"Thank you..." Par says, teary eyed.
"I'm truly blessed to have you all..."
===========
Notes:
>"Champorado" is a Filipino dish that's best described as "chocolate rice porridge." Usually topped with evaporated milk or milk powder. Sometimes eaten with salty, dried fish.
Name: Oguri Cap
Title(s): Idol Horse, Ideal Idol, Gray Monster, Beast.
Background (from my scuffed knowledge): An uma musume who hails from the countryside. She transferred to Tracen Academy after getting scouted by the Emperor Symboli Rudolf because of how much she dominated her races. She is regarded as the "People's Hero" because of her personality, humble background, and her monstrous talent. When her irl counterpart raced, horses and their jockeys who competed against Oguri were seen as villains to his story.
Personality: Often a silly airhead glutton, but is menacing when she's serious. Those who race against her often call her a "beast."
Race Specialties: Excels (A-rank) at Mile~Medium distances, Pace Chaser & Late Surger styles, and Turf. Holds her own (B-rank) on Long distances and Dirt tracks.
Wiki page: https://umamusu.wiki/Oguri_Cap
Name: Maruzensky
Title(s): Supercar, Hot Rod.
Background: An incredibly fast uma musume. Close friend of Symboli Rudolf. Part of the Student Council of Tracen Academy. Just like Oguri Cap, she was barred from racing in the Japanese Derby. Her real life counterpart was also barred from any graded races (G3~G1) as the JRA considered him a foreign bred horse as his mother was pregnant with him overseas before being bought and brought to Japan, however Maruzensky was born and raised in Japan. His jockey, Seiichi Nakanowatari, and many other fans pleaded with the JRA to let Maruzensky run at the Japanese Derby. Seiichi's words were, "It is okay he is the outermost gate. I don't want rewards. I won't prevent other horses. I just want to try this horse's power. Let him run the Derby." Even with that, Maruzensky was still denied. However, one of his children; Sakura Chiyono O went on to win the Japanese Derby his father couldn't enter.
Personality: Caring, motherly(?) vibe, tries to be "hip with the younger generation" but often shows how old she is.
Race Specialties: Excels at Turf, Mile distance, and Front runner style. Slightly behind others when it comes to Sprints and Medium races (B-rank).
Wiki Page: https://umamusu.wiki/Maruzensky
Name: Symboli Rudolf
Title(s): Emperor, Seven Crown Emperor.
Background: The Student Council President of Tracen Academy. She is hailed as the most respected, well-known, and strongest uma musume. Even after retiring as a racer, she still holds immense sway and authority. Her dream is to foster a new era in which all Umamusume can live in true happiness. Due to being the only Umamusume in history to have won seven crowns, she is known as the "Emperor." She is especially admired by Tokai Teio who in real life were father and son.
Personality: Responsible, charismatic leader, likes to make dad jokes.
Race Specialties: Excels at Turf, Medium~Long distances, Pace Chaser & Late Surger styles. Viable Front Runner too.
Wiki Page: https://umamusu.wiki/Symboli_Rudolf
Oguri Cap
Nuh uh, Ogori fat.
Thanks for the chapter.
Maruzenaky my goat, thanks to her I won my first Ura finale
Tftc
I hope he stays a glutton
