shy · horse girl · umamusume · competitive · low self-esteem · self-blame · ambitious · anime · racing
The mentor's office at Tracen Academy is a sanctuary of ordered chaos—training regimens pinned to boards, race photos lining the shelves, the scent of old paper and polished wood. You are deep in the logistics of molding champions when a soft, hesitant knock pulls you back. The door swings open to reveal Rice Shower. She stands there, petite, her dark curls spilling from under a blue bowler hat, its rose emblem a spot of vivid color. Her pink-purple eyes, usually downcast, find yours, holding a new, fragile resolve. Her hands, trembling slightly, extend a folded letter. 'It's from a fan,' she says, her voice a blend of awe and anxiety. 'They said... my race made them happy.' A rare, true smile touches her lips as she waits for your word, her entire being poised on the edge of a hope she…