Archive of Our Own

Part 1 “Blind Tears as They Cry, a Heart That Refuses to Die”

How much longer... will I keep watching to others run?

After months, the question only grows louder whenever she sees the girls enjoying their own glories, a blow that hasn't left her in peace since then, making her wonder if she made the most of every moment of her own splendor...

What a joke...

Since when have I become so pathetic?

Left behind by the press, receiving smiles that look like pure pity. In the solitude of her mind, Only stares into the void that reflects her, tossing out questions she cannot dodge... because she is losing everything to it.

Is she still the role model for the other Umamusume?

What does her mother see now, when she can no longer compete and shine to be the Empress?

Is she herself... happy now?

Who is the Empress... when she cannot do what everyone else does?

Running, moving forward, laughing, turning the page as if it were nothing in retirement, an oddity who doesn't fit into what is expected of herself.

Left only with the crumbs that are running out, because she no longer knows what to do or where to fall before the end of everything.

The questions are more hurtful; the months have done nothing but estrange her world from everyone else. The sun is far too bright for the spirits worsening inside her, contrary to what she should be feeling, that everything is fine.

That was what she did at the end of her career...

But now those are nothing but lies that leave her in a withering garden, with questions she can no longer ignore, stupidly wanting to return... to what others do, where her friends enjoy their retirement, how others are happy with their lives.

Why?...

Why... does it have to be different?

...............

The atmosphere inside the Student Council room was so thick it could be cut with a sword.

But the Empress doesn't cut it, because she hangs by a thread while looking outside at the normalcy she should be feeling like the others... and she doesn't.

For a year now, the race tracks had stopped vibrating under Air Groove's feet.

To the outside world, the "Empress" had retired with her dignity intact, a transition maturely forced by a sick heart that imposed a brake her legs refused to accept.

Groove watched her former companions advance toward the future, adapting to new lives, while the new generations crowded the racetracks with an energy that burned her up inside.

In the council, fulfilled her duties, clinging to the stupid lie that none of this was real, that she could still run and be the academy's role model, the pride of her mother and of herself.

What a fucking joke.

Showing pain was not worthy of my lineage. That ghost does not exist. I am the Empress.

She had to grow up.

She had to move forward.

This is enough already.

There is no point talking about this.

Nor watching the others run.

And as always... she doesn't believe in that... because in the end, she keeps looking outside.

Standing by the large window, Groove locked her eyes onto the outdoor track. Fine Motion and Silence Suzuka were devouring the meters—an insult she didn't know how to react to. In her lost reflection, the Empress crossed her arms and dug her fingers into her own shoulders, gripping them tightly while her brow furrowed into a scowl unworthy of her.

She is fine.

Everything is fine.

……………………….

...............

The subtle sound of the door opening broke the stillness of the office. In an instant, Groove's expression vanished, returning to her serene neutrality. Firm, measured steps began to close the distance. Rudolf had entered.

- Air Groove - The President called out, stopping at a prudent distance, using her usual tone but with an unusual softness - "The minutes from the previous meeting, did you have time to review them?"

She didn't turn around immediately. She couldn't move, keeping her eyes fixed on the track for one more second before spinning on her heels with elegance. A face covered in snow, a blank page.

- President. Good afternoon - Groove said, perfectly modulated and rigid, just as she always has been and always will be - "I apologize for my distraction. I didn't notice your arrival"

Rudolf observed her in silence, slowly crossing her arms, casting certain glances between the woman she sees and the friends she observes. Her magenta eyes held a shadow of deep concern, but kept her profile serene and low, almost casual, seeking not to invade her vice president's space.

- It's a perfect afternoon for distance training, don't you think? - Shifting her gaze subtly toward the window, attempting to build a bridge without pushing - "The weather is unbeatable today"

Groove smoothed the front of her uniform with an impeccable gesture, maintaining her distance. Her response was as corporate as it was cold, as always...

- The weather conditions are optimal for the racing club to maintain its expected performance, indeed. Regarding your previous question, the budget documents are already prepared.

She moved fluidly toward the table, pointing to the papers.

- They are classified and sorted on your main desk, just as you requested. There are no errors in the balances.

Rudolf glanced only briefly at the folders, but reviewing the contents could wait; didn’t avert her eyes from the mare. Took a slow step forward, measuring Groove's impenetrable posture. Weighing her options. She found her again...

Looking outside, at the others, at the world. The silences happen so often, a face whose thoughts she couldn't guess, let alone know what was wrong with her.

Another quietness she doesn't know how to fill, an uncomfortable atmosphere of wanting to be able to do something, to help, because senses something is wrong and simply stopped believing that everything was normal.

Could it be that...?

.........

.....

Regardless, Rudolf wants to hear it from her.

She had been noticing this behavior for weeks, no, months. Months of wanting to say something that she ultimately swallows back down, drowning in a sea she knows how to escape but that could ruin her entire intention.

She tries; she truly tries.

A robotic efficiency, short answers, and a detachment that didn't fit the Empress's usual sharpness. She wanted to know what lay behind that wall, but formulated her words with extreme subtlety, respecting her friend's pride.

- I know the work is flawless, Air Groove; it always is. I trust deeply in you and your diligent care - Softening her posture even further - "However, sometimes I wonder if the council's responsibilities don't become too monotonous when the landscape on the other side of the glass proves so... eye-catching"

The Empress didn't even blink. Held the Emperor's gaze with her usual unshakeable calm, which somehow left the stallion thrown off.

- I was merely supervising that the assigned track schedules were being respected, President. There are no updates to report regarding logistics.

The stallion's hands moved, playing with a certain... wariness.

- Sometimes silence safeguards more than logistics can explain - Replied in a measured tone, weighing the impact of her words - "It has been a year since your full transition to the council after your racing career. I only wish to ensure that you are finding stability in these duties, Air Groove"

The Empress kept her chin held high, imposing. She didn't waver; there was no breaking her, as remained dangerously neutral.

- My stability is found in the fulfillment of my duty as Empress, President. My mind is exactly where it needs to be; in the administration of this academy, in the well-being of the Umamusumes, and helping them achieve their goals. If my responses or my current performance does not seem sufficient to you, then I am failing at something. I suggest you review the reports yourself for your own peace of mind"

That... leaves her uneasy. Everything is fine in that tone; there is nothing different from how Groove would normally respond...

But...

Why can't she be at peace with that answer? That way of speaking? That look?

Subtly clenches her fists before relaxing them out of reflex.

Closed the final distance separating them. Almost reverently, she raised her hand and placed it gently on the mare's shoulder, offering silent support, a reminder of the bond they shared since that day in the doctor's office.

- The commitment we made goes beyond daily duties - Whispered, using a tone stripped of titles - "If you need a breather... you know this office isn't just a place where we work. You can talk to me"

Silence...

Took a step back in a fluid, calculated manner, breaking the physical contact without any abruptness, maintaining a formal distance. Her face remained a mask of absolute aristocratic coldness.

- I appreciate your consideration, President, but it’s not necessary - Declared in a firm, icy voice - "If you are referring to what happened at the hospital, don’t worry. What happened at the hospital was resolved under the terms of my formal retirement. My health is monitored and my administrative capacity remains intact. Is that everything you required to confirm?"

Rudolf stared at her. Faced with the unyielding wall Groove presented, the Emperor understood that pressing further would only push her away. A deep, contained melancholy reflected in her eyes as lowered her hand.

- Yes... I only wanted to make sure of that - She said, barely audible, a stale lie that tasted bitter in her mouth, but there was nothing she could do.

- Then, if you will excuse me, I will proceed with the pending inventory in the east wing - Gave a subtle tilt of her head, a gesture of courtesy - "With your permission"

Without a single trace of hesitation in her stride, turned around and walked toward the exit with firm, elegant, and completely controlled steps. The door closed behind her with a clean, definitive click.

Left entirely alone, slowly lowered her gaze, pressing a hand against her own chest, wrinkling the fabric of her uniform as let the name escape in a whisper loaded with helplessness.

- Groove...

As stepped out into the hallway, the full light of the campus hit the vice president dead-on.

Never... had she felt so alone... or so lost in her life.

The students walked in groups, laughing, talking excitedly about the day's training, the upcoming races of the season, and the cafeteria's new desserts, a vibrant academic life with a bright future.

Advanced through the crowd in perfect silence, keeping her chin up and royal bearing intact, like a true ghost, a shadow of the past floating in a present to which she no longer belonged.

Disgust settled in her chest; shouldn't act this way. She should be happy with how everything ended, with how the others look forward and not backward.

Not like her.

They all shine as radiant as flowers.

And she is left just walking, without the fire she deeply wants to return.

And there is nothing she can grab onto as she sinks deeper toward the bottom... little by little...

Walked with a slow, dragging pace to the privacy of her room. Once inside, turned the lock and went straight to the closet; she didn't want her roommate Motion to see what she was doing.

Only when she was completely alone doing her hands betray her control, trembling visibly as searched through the back until she pulled out her old training tracksuit and racing shoes.

She stood there.

Contemplating the items for long, silent minutes.

Her fingers clamped down with violent force around the fabric, bunching it against her chest as she raised her eyes toward the sky, which was already staining with the orange colors of evening through the window.

The tightness in her chest turned into a spark of stubborn, dangerous resistance. A dam that she couldn't hold back no matter how much she wanted to; a reality she refused to accept, that she cannot accept it.

She just cannot accept this.

Hating the days and how everything ended. Hating herself for staying there without fighting even harder against this body that won't obey her, that doesn't hear her screaming into the void to run, to keep fulfilling her dreams, that she could still be admired and a role model.

To run... to reach that ideal that vanishes no matter how much she helps other students or tries to feel satisfied with her achievements. She must recover, fight for her ideal, bring that Empress back, and make everything the way it was before.

Yes, she had to run. She couldn't allow her story to end this way. Her mind completely ignoring her own body's warnings, the doctor's very words, she clung to the only purpose she knew.

She could still take one more step. She could still be the model the others needed to see.

Still... she was still the Empress.

................

..........

Part 2 “At the End of the Race, Time Slows Its Pace”

The grass is all hers when no one is around to see her, when nothing can stop her in this solitude.

She has been doing this for a few days now; hasn't actually gone back to sleep in her bed since curfew.

No one needs to know that she has been sleeping in one of the dark classrooms and waking up very early to reach her room without Fuji Kiseki noticing her absence, entering through the bathroom windows. Fine Motion hasn't noticed anything regarding Groove, believing she was asleep; when her friend’s phone alarm went off, everything continued without a hitch.

It’s somewhat uncomfortable sleeping without her pillow or blanket, but she couldn't stay in the room.

It would be noticeable that something is wrong.

No, nothing is wrong.

The mare continues her normal routine, doing the council work, watering the flowers... her entire normal routine... Yes, she eats… very little…

That... relieves her quite a bit; that everything remains in the dark so she isn't seen. No, doesn't want to know that others are watching; she doesn't want their pity; she doesn't want anything.

The shadows of the night stretched across the empty track, perhaps the only refuge that understood the burdens she cannot speak. Wouldn’t tolerate anyone witnessing her decline, what she is trying to recover.

Not to Motion, Suzuka, Taiki, Scarlet, Dober, Fuji, Amazon, Brian, Teio... and, above all else...

Not a single ounce of strength she had left would allow Rudolf to see her in this state.

In this panther who wants to reclaim her title, the Empress.

She had been stuck in the same frustrating routine for days. Would station herself on the circuit under the moon, but the feet felt strange, heavy, as if sabotaging her own progress of returning to the track.

Confined herself to warming up, stretching her muscles over and over, postponing the moment of taking the first real stride. When a sharp pang crossed her chest, clenched her teeth.

- It's nothing - Told herself in a choked whisper, pressing her fist against her uniform, unable to spend much time listening to everyone laugh, distancing herself from everyday conversations, from the smiles, from the whistle of the races, another running with freedom - "It's absolutely nothing. I'm fine"

The following night, the icy wind of the stadium seemed to cut through skin, freezing the sweat on her forehead before it could fall. She pulled an automatic stopwatch from her pocket. Set the marker for a 2000-meter trial; needed to measure reality, to know how much of the Empress remained.

Placed herself in the starting position. As she crouched, the smell of damp grass assaulted her with the force of a blow, triggering a shiver she stubbornly ignored.

Closed her eyes for a second, imagining the echo of the crowd's roars, the tremor of the metallic gates opening, and the brush of other competitors at her side.

Ding!

The sharp beep of the stopwatch shattered the silence.

Se shot forward, pouring all her pent-up energy into the first straightaway. Feeling the impact of her strides against the ground and the crisp air striking her face ignited a spark of the glory that had been ripped away from her a year ago.

How she had missed it!

Devoured the meters with desperation, forcing herself to maintain the pace.

Everything is fine, everything will be fine.

Even if her body protested, even if her heart wanted to fall. She doesn't have a place to fall; if anyone knew what she was doing, they would surely say she should have gotten over it by now, that she needs to act like the mature Empress she is, that it's just a phase, that everything will return to normal if she is stronger.

They have all gotten over their retirement, so why hasn't she?

Convincing herself that she still belonged to that place, she pushes harder, harder still.

She can still hear the doctor, wanting him out of her head forever.

- You have certain heart issues that will prevent you from ever running the way you used to. Even if we treat you, in the end, you won't run like before. You have a fracture in your foot from one of your races; with the time and wear you've put on the track, forcing your body to run is no longer viable because of how intense it is... You must retire, Miss Air Groove. I am very sorry.

Rudolf squeezed Groove's hand at the news, her face holding so much pain and horror at her friend's condition. Groove's name was a blur to the mare's ears; her face didn't change. Not when they performed the surgery. Not when they recommended the medications for her heart, to rest without making any efforts to run.

Even though they treated her, her heart and her foot fracture, even as the years passed so that her heart no longer had issues, even when they did all that... her running was never the same. She could only do warm-ups, but her body...

No...

Her mind is treacherous; in the middle of a stride, it brought back the doctor's voice from that fateful day. She remembered the broken look when Rudolf accompanied her to the infirmary when she felt her chest hurting, the funeral silence of the President while they listened to how running was already a death sentence, even if her heart healed over the years…

- Shut up! - Roared internally, accelerating even more, refusing to listen to the warning.

Her lungs began to burn and her breathing turned erratic, but she wasn't going to stop.

She knew that if she stopped now, she would be accepting definitive defeat. No, she can't, she can't!

Entered the second straightaway with her eyes locked onto the white line at the end. She had to reach it. She had to.

However...

Her legs began to respond like lead. Her speed dropped significantly.

- Move, damn it! Move! - Demanded of her own body, hating the weakness of her flesh.

Clank!

Her eyes went wide as saucers, everything freezing until her inside burned.

Pain...

So much... pain...

Her heart gave a violent jolt. A discharge so sharp and lacerating pierced her chest that it forced a gut-wrenching scream from her.

Lost control of her steps, her legs crossed in an uncoordinated tangle, and the ground seemed to sway.

The finish line, which was only a few meters away, now seemed to drift further away in slow motion. Her steps were forcibly slowed until they ground to a complete halt.

She... couldn't take any more.

NO!

Groove fell to her knees, driving her hands into the ground, panting in a way so fast and ragged that every breath of air felt like broken glass in her throat.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

MOVE!

The pain in her chest was unbearable. With what little strength she had left, she stretched a trembling arm toward the finish line, refusing to fall before touching it. Raising herself with a force that leaves her staggering, fixed on the goal... she had to...

- N-no... just one more step... I can't...

- AIR GROOVE!!

The scream tore through the stadium's gloom, making her lose her breath.

Panic made her skin crawl as she recognized the voice. It couldn't be her.

Before she could crawl away to hide her misery, strong arms caught her firmly around the waist, lifting her just as her strength gave out completely toward the ground.

Looking up, she encountered an expression she had never seen on the Emperor before.

A blind fury, with eyes bloodshot in panic and horror.

- WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! - Rudolf shouted at her, her voice cracked and her breathing heavy from having sprinted toward her - "You cannot force your own body! The medical report was clear; the doctor said your heart—!"

That...

A crack in her walls echoes within the mare, her mouth opening before she can stop it, everything slipping from her hands.

- I don't care what the doctor says! - Wrenched herself free with a sharp, violent motion, shoving the President's chest to push her away, even though her own legs faltered as she took a step back - "Let me go, President! This... this cannot end like this! This cannot be my end!"

The stallion's eyes widen in horror that shatters her composure and her world. Rudolf took a step forward, her facial features distorted by a heart-wrenching anguish.

- Groove, look at yourself! You can barely stand! Do you want to kill yourself in front of me?! - She raises her voice further as her eyes begin to well up.

- I must cross that line! - The mare roared, repressing her tears entirely, trying to carry her disaster, everything she has contained, a small broken note audible in her tone - "If I don't cross the finish line, Rudolf... if I cannot run, then I am nothing! I am not the Empress, I am not the pride of my mother, or of the students! I am nobody! Let me go! Don't keep looking at this part of me!"

Tried to drag her feet forward, but she didn't advance even half a meter before Rudolf enveloped her from behind in a suffocating embrace, pinning her arms and anchoring her against her own body.

- No! - The desperation reaches levels that not even the Empress herself could bear to hear from the person she loves - "I won't let you!" - She decreed, squeezing her with unshakeable strength - "I am not going to let you destroy yourself!"

- Let me go! Leave me, please! - Groove began to struggle desperately, striking with her elbows and thrashing in the hold, while stretching her fingers toward the distant finish line - "That is an order, Rudolf, let go of me! I am not going to cry... I am not going to...!"

- Groove!

The brunette pulled her firmly, forcing her to spin on her heels. The mare fought with her eyes closed, using all her energy not to reach the track, but to prevent the President from seeing the absolute ruin she had become.

But she did not yield.

- Groove, look at me for once! LOOK AT ME! - The shout resonated so loudly it seemed to strike the empty bleachers, loaded with a pain so pure that it froze the mare's struggling.

Opened her eyes, panting, and what she saw left her completely paralyzed.

The Emperor, her dear and important friend, the person she could never confess her feelings to...

She was crying....

..............

Large tears rolled down the stallion's cheeks, and her gaze reflected a plea so desperate that it squeezed the mare's soul. That her own actions had caused such a breakdown in the person she respected and secretly loved the most gave her a terrible flip in her stomach, filled with complete guilt.

- Rudolf... you... - Managed to articulate in a whisper.

She didn't answer with words. Guided the trembling steps of them both backward until the mares back gently bumped against the concrete wall of the bleachers. Gently, the President slid down toward the ground, pulling Groove down with her, keeping her in her arms at all times, never breaking her gaze, showing her tears, her pain before the Empress.

Upon touching the cold ground, the wall the Empress had built for a year collapsed completely. Tried to cover her face with her hands to hold back the weeping that threatened to choke her, but her fingers were trembling too much.

- Please... Groove... stop already... - Pleaded, resting her forehead against hers, her voice entirely broken - "Please, don't hide from me. Don't do it... stop, please"

- No…. stop, Rudolf… don't look at me like that… I… - She tries to choke back her voice, the guilt reaching the point where she cannot stand the other's gaze.

The brunette only pulls her closer, burying her head into the tense neck of the dark-gray-haired mare, letting her tears fall, letting her hear the other's heart, the beats mingling with Groove's agitated ones.

Its already too much.

- Ru-Rudolf….. stop…. no…. I-I-I can't…. - She doesn't move; the dam is unsustainable. Her bearing, her pride, her lies, her cold dignity, this is not the Empress, speaking in a stammer, losing her strength in the Emperor's embrace.

Rudolf, no matter what, doesn’t let her go; if she does… she might lose her forever…. tangles herself further into her, squeezing her until she smells her skin, sobbing against her neck at the tears that fall, at the sun she holds in her arms, wanting her to be free…

Without the mask that holds her prisoner.

..........

Oh.....

..........

The brunette's vulnerability finally shattered the last remnant of pride. A river overflowing, no longer to be stopped.

She let out a gut-wrenching sob, a cry of pure repressed pain that choked against the fabric of the President's uniform. Dropped her head heavily onto Rudolf's shoulder, weeping hard enough to shake her entire body.

The stallion keeps pressing forward, holding her close without moving to pull away, squeezing her against herself with agonizing strength, gently stroking her dark gray hair while weeping in absolute silence, using her own body to shield her Empress from the harsh cold of the night.

The silence of the darkness swallowed the echo of the last cry, leaving the track plunged into stillness and the empty echo of phantom crowds so as not to see this.

Only the sound of two broken breaths trying to synchronize in the gloom of the bleachers remained. The president's embrace was the only thing keeping the vice president anchored to the earth.

The Empress had her fists clenched into the Emperor's uniform, wrinkling the fabric with desperation and a deep fear she never expected to express from herself, clinging as if letting go meant falling into an abyss she doesn't know if she will ever escape. Her shoulders shook violently from a weeping that had remained frozen for an entire year.

The stallion remained motionless, with her chin resting on the mare's neck. Wanting to shield that erratic, wounded heart beating wildly against her own chest. Each disordered pulse against her right hand caused the President a dull, aching anguish.

Heavy, silent tears slipped down the Emperor's cheeks, losing themselves in the gloom, in a state of completely helpless hunger. She had conquered the country's most demanding tracks, working with all her might for the paradise of the umamusumes.

But neither of her hands… was of use to make Groove's body return to what it once was, to make her run like the majestic winds of dusk and smile radiantly like the sun itself, to make happy…. the person who matters most to her in this world.

- What…. absolute helplessness… damn it… - The Emperor thinks bitterly.

Gradually, Groove's cries faded into ragged sobs as extreme exhaustion began to numb her muscles. The rigidity of her body gave way, letting herself fall heavily against Rudolf's body. The wave of wounded pride and the shame of having broken down in that manner hit her all at once, forcing her to hide her face even deeper into the brunette's uniform.

After a few long minutes where only the early morning wind accompanied them, she slightly lifted her face, though without breaking the closeness. Muted and stripped of her usual firmness, she barely broke the silence.

- How... how did you find out? - She asked, narrowing her eyes toward the ground - "I made sure no one was around…"

The stallion exhaled a long sigh, stroking the mare's back to instill calm before answering.

The fountain pen glided with precision over the Student Council documents, serving as the only sound that broke the dense stillness of midnight. The President remained concentrated, giving herself over to the administrative routine to placate the dull worry that had been haunting her for days. Unbearable, that her silence does not save her from her thoughts regarding a certain Empress.

Everything has been fine… but instinctively, there was only uneasiness growing inside her, getting caught up in words once again; they have only spoken of the day, work, activities, and more papers to sign. She has not been able to bring up the subject of their last conversation.

Her eye is not lying to her; Groove… she is paler than when she saw her, skinnier, and falls asleep at times. Has she been eating? Sleeping even?

She has stopped writing; her fists clench until her bones ache.

Staying silent is killing the president exceedingly; hates this helplessness, she loathes it. She doesn't know what to do, how to talk with Air Groove, to know what afflicts her, to be able to be there for her… it hurts her, it breaks her to see her like this. The passage of time has improved nothing, since her retirement, since they operated on her…

She has not been the same Air Groove again; every month… has to see her brightness fade away, catching her staring out the window. She doesn't even remember her right hand having talked to anyone; if she hasn't said anything to Rudolf, the stallion would like to have hope that she told one of her friends…

But if that is not the case…. if not even her friends have done anything..

………………

No, it cannot stay like this. I can no longer continue with this stupid silence. Groove is not fine; nothing is fine.

Its decided; tomorrow she will not allow Air Groove to run. Rudolf has had enough; she will speak face-to-face, locking this office if necessary.

Groove… don’t forgive me for what I will do, I do not need it. I respect your dreams, your pride, your dignity….

But this cannot go on any longer. I can no longer keep watching you drift further away.

RING – RING – RING!

Eh?

Her world stops to look at her desk.

Who is calling me at this hour?

The strident vibration of her personal phone shattered the stillness of the room. Rudolf raised an eyebrow, surprised to receive a call at night; it is not normal, unless it’s about something important. Upon looking at the screen and seeing an unknown number, furrowed her brow slightly before sliding her finger to answer.

- Symboli Rudolf speaking - Responded with her usual imposing and serene tone.

- P-President? I am incredibly sorry about the hour and the trouble... truly, forgive me for interrupting you so late - Fine Motion's voice sounded agitated; Groove's friend lacked her usual cheerfulness, transmitting an urgency that set off the brunette's alarms.

- Good evening, Fine Motion. How can I help you? Speak freely, please.

- ………………………….. - The line goes quiet, even though she can hear her breathing on the other side - "How… can I explain it?"

- Fine Motion? What’s wrong? - Rudolf grips the back of her chair, squeezing it lightly - "No matter how it comes out, say what you have to say"

- I-I… I am calling you regarding Air Groove... You see, I took your direct number from Groove's phone a while ago in case an emergency occurred, I—

- Don’t worry about the number, Motion - Cut her off immediately, tossing aside all formality upon sensing the danger - "Tell me what’s happening. What is wrong with Groove?"

On the other side of the line, the princess took a breath before leaving the room frozen.

- Groove is not in her room, President. And it's not just today... I don't know how many days she has been doing this… 3 days maybe… on all of them, she doesn't return to the room until the following morning, skipping curfew at the exact same hour. She always says she has to do something, but 3 times? She disappears completely in the middle of the night… I… I don't understand… this isn't typical of her; I don't know what to do - The princess is quieter… with deep fear in her voice.

The stallion's phone is squeezed exceedingly; her breath hitches, and her eyes can only widen with the worst possible feelings, devoid of brightness because of what she is hearing. Air… Groove…

- H-How….? - That is all she can utter in the lonely office.

- I've been so worried. I tried to find a way to speak with her, but she hasn't let me get close or dodges my questions. When I was going to confront her upon arriving at the room, she wasn't there. I panicked and asked Fuji Kiseki if she knew anything, but she hasn't seen her either. Nobody knows where she is… I… I…

Her air left her completely.

The sentence repeated in her mind like a deafening eco.

Three days…

Three days skipping curfew without Motion knowing where she is…

In that instant, the Emperor's face turned completely frozen, losing its color as the cold realization of what Groove was trying to do struck her chest. Out of all her fears and worries… there was only one single thing the Empress could be doing…

The medical report, the retirement, her attitude fading away with the passing of the months, the views at the window watching everyone run…

Damn it…

DAMN IT!

Stood up abruptly from the chair, pushing it back with a violent screech against the floor. With her heart pounding so hard it left her feet trembling, used her free hand to quickly straighten her uniform; she does not plan to stay in this office for a single second.

- Motion, listen to me carefully - Rudolf spoke, forcing her tone to maintain a firmness she did not feel so as not to alarm the student further - "Don’t worry. Maintain your calm and stay in the dormitories. I will find her myself. Thank you so much for informing me of this"

- Thank you very much to you, President... - Fine Motion's voice trembled, on the verge of tears - "Please... let Groove be okay"

- She will be. I will hang up now.

She turned off the phone, without wasting a single second to turn off the office lamp or to sort the paperwork. Strode across the room, turning off the light. Opened the large wooden door of the Student Council, locking it, and stepped out into the deserted hallway.

Running until nothing remained to stop her, with only the thought that has led her to lose a broken piece of herself: Air Groove.

The cold of the night hit her face the exact instant she crossed the threshold of the main building, but barely registered it. Her shoes struck the concrete of the academy so chaotically and desperately. Panic was a foreign poison to her. But at that moment, while the air burned her lungs, the President was completely disarmed. Her worst fears only made her run faster, searching for Groove across the vast campus.

Three days. Three damn nights in which Groove had deceived me, looking me directly in the eyes.

Her mind began to map out the campus at a dizzying speed. She had to think like her, but the anguish clouded her judgment completely. She ran first toward the greenhouse where the mare always was, straining her sight among the flowers and the shadows of the trees. Nothing. Only the echo of her own hurried steps.

Diverted immediately toward the training rooms, praying to encounter her tall, elegant silhouette walking back, so she could reprimand her for skipping curfew and feel the blessed relief of seeing her safe. But life gives her no consolation, the rooms, every damn hallway and path was empty; there was nothing.

She was not there.

Rudolf knew that Groove was not hiding to flee from her responsibilities, nor to seek a simple moment of solitude. She knew her too well; a person as proud and careful as her would never say where she is. If the Empress was risking everything in the middle of the night, it was to chase the only ghost that obsessed her.

The training track.

When the idea settled in her head, her blood froze in her veins. The warning from the academy doctor, that damn sentence that had remained buried in her memory for an entire year, resonated in her ears.

«One more high-intensity effort even during her recovery, and her heart could fail completely. It’s not a game, President»

Accelerates her pace, shattering any trace of the composure she worked so hard to maintain.

She crossed the doors of the sports facility. The nearest training stadium opened up before her, plunged into gloom, illuminated solely by the pale light of the moon. Rudolf's eyes scanned the 2000-meter circuit with a lethal fixity, until her gaze locked onto a small, solitary silhouette moving in the distance.

It was her.

The initial relief lasted less than a second, swallowed immediately by the suffocation of watching everything fall.

Groove's stride was no longer the triumphant and perfect march that used to hypnotize crowds; it was heavy, erratic, the agonizing effort of a body fighting savagely against its own limits. Rudolf saw how the vice president entered the second straightaway, forcing the pace in a criminal manner.

- Stop, Groove...! - The Emperor wanted to shout, but the wind stole her voice as she flew down the stairs of the bleachers at full speed.

Then…

She saw her falter…

Helpless… and slow, she was living this in her flesh… her eyes unable to be wider with horror.

Groove's legs crossed, losing all coordination, and her speed plummeted. From the distance, a gut-wrenching scream of pure physical pain ripped through the silence of the night, a sound so sharp and full of suffering that its broke Rudolf's soul into a thousand pieces. She saw the Empress bring her hand to her chest, staggering, while stretching a trembling arm toward the finish line, standing up once more, refusing to surrender even when her own body was already betraying her. Her knees began to give out, seeking the ground inevitably.

The fear emptied her inside, a jolt of pure adrenaline. Her legs reacted before her mind could process the fall. She crossed the space separating them in a blind sprint, stretching out her arms to catch the sun, to catch Air Groove.

- AIR GROOVE!!

…………………..

……….

- I searched the campus, but I couldn't find you anywhere... - The Emperor diverted her gaze for a second toward the immensity of the empty track - "This was the last place I could think of… And well... here you have me"

- ………………………………. - She can do nothing but stay there, without having the strength to scold herself, believing she was being subtle. Goddesses…. what did she do… acting in this manner. Her breathing is somewhat agitated - "Ru-Rudolf… I…"

- Say no more…. please, breathe with me... - Says it with restraint and a certain tiredness from her adrenaline, pressing the mare's head further against her chest.

Air Groove cannot reply to that, almost collapsing as if it were a bed; the dense exhaustion from not sleeping in the dormitory is taking its toll on her. She admits it…. the president's chest… relaxes her.

Silence settled back in between them, dense and cold. With a gesture loaded with tiredness but determination, she pulled her phone from her pocket. Her right hand did not let go of Groove at any moment. After dialing a quick number, waited for the tone while the wind swept their hair.

- Fuji, it's me - Rudolf spoke as soon as the call was answered. On the other side of the line, Fuji Kiseki's voice sounded awake and filled with a contained anxiety - "Don’t worry, Fine Motion told me everything. I know you were worried too when she told you she couldn't find Groove anywhere"

- Did you find her, Rudolf? - Fuji asked immediately, letting out a half-relieved sigh - "Is she okay? Motion was truly distraught"

- She is with me - The stallion stated, staring fixedly at the silhouette of the Empress against her chest - "Listen, Fuji, curfew has already passed by quite some time. Groove is going to stay with me tonight at the Miho residence. She will not return to the common dorms today; perhaps…. depending on how things turn out, I will hold onto her for a few days"

- Rudolf…

On the other side, there was a brief pause. Fuji Kiseki felt a certain worry for the vice president; her brightness wasn't the same. After the announcement of her retirement, she thought everything was fine, but with the passage of time…. felt like an idiot for not doing more than she should, for not daring to when Groove dodged her worries, and to think it would come to this….

- Understood, President. I am glad she is safe - Warm but serious - "I will speak with Groove later, when everything is calmer. Just... make sure she is okay. Tell me anything I can do to help and I'll be there"

- I will. Thank you, Fuji. Inform Fine Motion that everything is okey. Good night.

Rudolf put away the device. Upon ending the communication, the vice president, with her eyes narrowed and a weakness seeping into her bones, spoke almost inaudibly from the physical exhaustion.

- You didn't have to find me... - There is a hint of bitterness - "You didn't have to see the state I am in now. I've ended up involving Fine, Fuji... you. I am sorry for causing so many problems to everyone over a stupidity"

- Don’t say that - Silenced her with a deep and unshakeable tenderness - "That is no longer your decision, Groove. The others worry about you because they appreciate you, because you are a fundamental pillar in their lives, not a burden. And I... I am not going to let you fall. Ever"

The stallion looked down, connecting directly with the clear light-blue eyes of the mare, baring her own vulnerability - "If something were to happen to you... if you destroyed yourself this way in the darkness... I wouldn't know what to do, Groove…"

Faced with that declaration, remained completely static. She diverted her gaze between the serious, moved face of the Emperor and the distant finish line of the 2000 meters resting under the moonlight. She plunged into an absolute mutism, devouring the warmth of those words that shattered her armor.

Is this…. real….?

……………

I shouldn't say more, I am getting Rudolf into trouble, but even so… I want to cross that finish line.

Everything hurt her; her body tells her to rest, but her mind cannot stand being immobile in this manner, from what she planned to do, just…. please… let it be just this finish line… that is all she asks.

- Why do you stay quiet? - Rudolf asked, caressing her cheek with her thumb - "You don’t have to keep silent now. Tell me what you are thinking"

- I apologize for my stubbornness, Rudolf... - She admitted, closing her eyes for an instant - "I know my body has changed. I know about the doctor. But that finish line... that damn finish line ahead... I want to cross it. I need to do it. If I cannot cross it by myself... if I cannot even finish what I started... I… won't be able to live with that fact"

The Emperor furrowed her brow suddenly. The words impacted her chest with violence. All of this is so painfully familiar….

How many friends, companions, and rivals have I had to see and console in this state of defeat, where their bodies can no longer compete like before….?

She understood that pain; running is important and vital for the umamusumes.

She understands that pain perfectly…. because she…

………………..

No….. not now…..

………….

Debating her friend's health and the respect for her desire. After a tense silence, she made a decision.

- Very well - The stallion conceded, softening her gaze, adopting a tone that admitted no reply - "We will do it. But under one condition. We will stay here one more moment so you can relax; your breathing needs to calm down and your heart must regain a safe rhythm. After that, I myself will help you cross the finish line. I don’t plan to abandon you in this state or leave you halfway. I don’t plan to leave you behind, ever, Groove"

The mare experiences another flip in her heart, a wave of warmth so intense that it returned the lucidity to her breathing. Those words cut deep, disarming her completely. She nodded in silence; she had no choice, it was either that or Rudolf wouldn't let her pull another oversight, much less since her own body isn't cooperating. Rested her forehead back on the president's shoulder, allowing herself to breathe in unison with her until the sharp pain in her chest diminished to a steady, manageable beat.

When the moment arrived, calmer and more determined, she draped her left arm over the stallion's shoulder to support her weight. The president took her firmly by the waist, applying the necessary strength to lift her from the ground with utmost care. Upon standing, the mare's legs trembled notably; had no energy to run, her lungs still protested the previous effort, and cold sweat continued to drench her temples. However, the determination remained intact. She had to take that step. She had to walk toward the finish line once more.

They began to advance. Rudolf held her with a protective, iron grip, marking a slow, measured step over the asphalt and the grass.

With every meter they covered in the gloom, the silence of the night began to fill Groove's head with memories, living them as if they were yesterday. She closed her eyes; at a slow pace, she could hear it, the deafening echo of the packed grandstands, the roar of thousands of fans shouting her name in unison, cheering the Empress under the blinding floodlights of the great racetracks.

Relived the day of her official retirement, seeing her mother's silhouette among the crowd, with tears of pride and melancholy running down her cheeks. Every step was a parade that her body had stolen from her.

The stallion tightened her grip a bit more, transmitting her own strength - "We're almost there, Groove" - Rudolf whispered near her ear - "Just a little more, Groove, I know you can"

- I know…. - Whispers with what little she has, tightening her arm on the president's shoulder, her eyes still on the finish line, her ears filled with the shouts of better days, making all the effort she has left to cross the finish line - "Ju-Just…. a little more…."

- Yes.

They kept moving forward together, shortening the distance to the white line that divided the ground.

Just a little more, come on… come on, please…

One last effort…. please…

The sounds of the racetrack are louder, the cameras are hilarious in their light at the final moment, she taking the roses of her farewell, from the track, everything she has ever known, so stubborn to reach the end, until the sweat was unbearable, where she only had left to beg her legs, her heart…. just… one more time….

It seemed an eternity walking, dragging herself toward that line, a tunnel that gradually saw the light, just… a little…. more…

And finally….

The finish line…

I.… I made it.

Her foot touched the white line.

In that millisecond, her world stopped completely.

A belated and brutal realization shook her. The crowd fades out, her mother isn't there, the applause vanishes, the roses feel heavy as they are thrown to the ground, the trumpets stopped sounding, that entire dark tunnel disappears, illuminated by the light of the moon, by something so simple, so obvious, that from the beginning she couldn't fully accept… but when she crossed the finish line, when her body was already screaming at her to stop, even if she recovered with the passage of time…

The reality was already inevitable…. that her time had come…

The stage on the tracks had ended. The Empress whom everyone saw as a role model for the runners. Her speed and power will not be the same as when she started her debut. The cycle had closed, and her body could take no more pressure, even from herself.

It was the moment... to let go.

The weeping poured out again, but… this time… she didn't deny the fact that she can take no more. All that she did, all her damn denial that she could return to being what she was…

Her exhausted legs gave out at last, making her fall to her knees directly onto the finish line. The stallion's arms enveloped her instantly, descending with her to the ground.

This time, Groove didn’t fight; she didn't try to wrench herself free or conceal her face ruined by tears. There was no longer any point in continuing to deny the obvious, what her heart wanted to let out during a year of absolute silence, an Empress who wouldn't let anyone get close despite the fact that the others tried to do so: Motion, Suzuka, Taiki, Scarlet, Dober, Fuji, Amazon, Brian, Teio…

Everything falling like stones at how she tried to push them away, at how she was cold, robotic, and distant with everyone…. with Rudolf….

Swallows hard; her weeping is long, horrible, nothing worthy of a lady of her caliber, moments in which she cannot breathe, in which she cannot look anyone in the face like before. She has fallen so low. Where is her dignity?, pushing away the people who matter so much to her. She couldn't be stronger; she couldn't act like those who retire… she couldn't be… normal…

A hand caresses her head, slowly, brushing her back, repeating over and over. It made her halt her breathing; despite everything… used all her strength to see the face of the person beside her…

Not knowing what to expect…

But undoubtedly, it was not that smile.

That very same one with which she greets her every morning, when she gave her chamomile or black tea to relax, bringing her some dessert she buys at the shop, inviting her to jog, to walk to watch the sunset, to watch the students run and improve, when she always, always listened to her with full attention, no matter the topic she spoke of; flowers, work….. gentle… sweet… too good… too…

Doesn't hide her tears, perhaps wanting Rudolf to get angry with her, that she didn't need to see this….

Why? Why do you keep looking at me like that?

But in the end…. doesn't stop her when she draws closer to her, burying her in her warmth, nor when she whispers to her, or when she is held in the stallion's arms back to the Academy, to the Miho residence. The exhaustion overcame her, she didn't protest… grew tired of stopping what she repressed so much, Rudolf is taking the watch that kept counting, she turns it off, and they leave.

In the biting cold, over the lonely track, only the shattered pieces of her days of glory remained.

But in the middle of the ruins of her past, she was no longer alone. Someone had seen her at her worst moment, disarmed, vulnerable, unable to be the image she so desired everyone to see, that she so wanted to bring back…

And Rudolf had decided to stay by her side to help her stop time and cross the finish line.

……………………

……………

Part 3 “At the End of the Glow, Beauty Still Shows; Despite All You Go Through, You are Still You”

The journey toward the Miho residence had been a blur of shadows and heavy steps in the middle of the night. After an emergency stop at the academy's infirmary to gather the necessary supplies, Rudolf helped Groove into the room, supporting her until settling her onto the bed. The Empress allowed herself to be guided like an automaton, but the moment her body touched the sheets, a deep and suffocating layer of guilt settled onto her face.

It hurt the Emperor deeply to see her like that, stripped of her brilliance by the weight of remorse. However, she kept her gestures calm.

- Wait here - She said, regulating her tone to transmit serenity - "I will prepare chamomile tea for both of us"

The room plunged into a deathly silence, broken only by the soft and progressive hiss of the kettle beginning to boil in the small integrated kitchen. Groove diverted her gaze toward the opposite wall, unable to hold the Emperor's gaze.

- I never should have acted like this... - Articulated suddenly, breaking the stillness with a hoarse voice - "I apologize, Rudolf. Its foolishness. I... I just wanted to feel the grass under my feet again. Just one more time"

Let out a small bitter, dry laugh, devoid of any hint of serenity; a cruel mockery toward her own weakness.

She didn’t interrupt. Listened attentively to every word, using a small medical mortar in deliberate movements to crush the metoprolol and nitroglycerin tablets she had brought from the infirmary. The sound of the medication being reduced to powder mingled with the boiling of the water. Arranged the cups with a clean clink, then turned to look at the mare.

- Is it only because of the races? - Asked with extreme caution, causing Groove's gaze to return to her - "You always look at the other runners. You watch the others train on the track, perhaps…. you wished to merge with the asphalt"

Poured the hot water into the cups, letting the aroma of chamomile flood the space.

- You never spoke about it with anyone, did you? Your friend told me you've been skipping curfews for three days. Where have you even been sleeping, Groove?

- …………………………………. - Continues without looking at Rudolf, sighing tremulously upon being discovered - "I-I slept in the classrooms…"

The stallion's breath hitched; everything is progressively worse than she imagined, swallowing hard as asks, with a pain she no longer conceals - "So…. all this time…. you wanted to reach the end like this, carrying it in this manner? So that we would never see the level you have reached?"

The immediate silence was the most resounding response of all. Rudolf closed her eyes for an instant, hurt and deeply worried by the isolation in which her friend had secluded herself.

- Why?... - The stallion inquired in a whisper loaded with affliction.

Groove lowered her head. Looking at Rudolf in that state felt like an unbearable task.

Clenches her fists against her dirty, sweat-stained pants. It takes a long time for her to let go.

- Because I hate all of this - Confessed after a moment, "hate" being a rather strong word, sounding almost strange in her mouth - "I didn't want to worry the others. To worry you. It was supposed... it was supposed to be that nobody would find out"

Shook her head softly, fixing her eyes on the wooden floor. The room remains in silence; the mare's breathing is tense, not knowing whether to say more than she should. The Emperor is calm. It is difficult for her to speak of her own feelings, her mouth faltering to find the words; she has not told this to anyone, so strange it is to pull out what the heart has wanted to say in disarray.

- Yes, I miss the races. But above all... I miss the admiration that came with the effort I make. I miss being the model of the Empress. It was su-supposed that I would keep winning for my mother and keep surpassing her, that I would keep setting the ex-example to inspire the next generations... that I would enjoy simply running"

Her hands closed so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Looked even further down, detesting the sensation of showing herself vulnerable before the President.

- I hate how the months have passed. This entire year has been a complete lie. That bit about me retiring in a normal way, with maturity and dignity... a farce. The world moved forward at full speed outside while I remained stuck. How the others speak of me as if I were perfectly fine, living a full and ordinary life. I knew I had to mature, I knew perfectly well that my body no longer had the capacity to run... and I got fed up!

Her voice began to rise, completely losing the control that characterized her. How much control will she have to lose?

- I tried everything! Continuing with my gardening, doing the Student Council duties, advising and helping other runners... I did whatever it took to keep my mind occupied. And I still keep looking at that damn track every single afternoon!

Clenched her teeth, forcing the tears to remain stagnant in her eyes.

- I don't know where I am really going. If I don't run, if I am not okay with the life I have now, everything I built and everything I did crumbles. If I do nothing, everyone will leave me behind and move forward. I want to advance too... I wanted to! And I failed at everything! At absolutely everything!

The final shout echoed off the four walls of the room, dying out suddenly and leaving an abysmal emptiness. The Empress seemed to deflate on the bed, losing her rigid posture, her shoulders drooping.

- If I cannot prove anything in the place where I belong, if I cannot be okay... who is the Empress supposed to be? - Added in a broken whisper, overwhelmed by the shame of having brought to light the storm that devoured her - "Everyone has advanced. I... I am just a thing of the past"

The silence is dense, incredibly so; doesn't believe it was a good idea to tell something that everyone else could overcome so easily, she sees it on their faces, every damn day, in the laughter, in how they don't give up. Why can't she be like that?

But it did not last long. A physical warmth forced her out of her thoughts. Rudolf had approached without her noticing and had placed her firm hands over hers, halting the trembling of her fingers.

The Empress looked up, surprised by the contact.

She was looking at her directly. Her magenta eyes shone with a boundless intensity, narrowed in a soft, unshakeable expression. The strength emanating from the Emperor seemed to fill the emptiness of the room.

- You are wrong, Groove - Cut through the uncertainty like a sword - "The Empress is not a trophy stripped away by another competitor. It’s you. Your history and your achievements are not erased because your body demands rest; your value and the concern others feel for you do not depend on how many times you cross the finish line. You earned your title inside and outside the tracks; no matter what generations pass, Japan will always have the Empress in its history"

Kneads those hands that have clenched and bruised themselves so much; she smells the sweat and doesn’t care, looking at them like a treasure - "That you mature does not mean making it look as though everything returned to normal. You retired after years on the tracks, under conditions that sooner or later would stop you; many would react with the best possible face…."

Reveals herself with sincerity before the mare - "But beneath their appearances, it does not mean that the pain doesn't matter, or that what you once knew slips from your hands without you being able to do anything about it. Even if the world moves forward, it doesn't mean others haven't noticed your brightness fading, or that they don't want to help you"

- …………………………………… - Her face is conflicted; hearing those words does something to her that shatters the tortuous and isolated months of her mind - "But… the others look at me with pity; perhaps they want the Groove of the past…"

- Is it pity when the others look out for you, ask if you are okay, seek your guidance and support, and want to be by your side? When I stopped you, was it out of pity? Do you truly believe that my position as President isolates me from your pain? Is that what you believe?"

- ………………………………… - She cannot answer that; perhaps deep inside…. she knows the raw truth. It isn't painful, but the sensation is similar; that nothing is as she is thinking. That she… is important…

Shakes her head firmly; Groove's silences are clear - "None of us who are here look at you with pity; you wouldn't want that for anything as long as you live, because you matter to us. Your presence is immeasurable. We haven't come to demand that you return to being the Air Groove of the past; we are looking at the now, and that is what matters here" - She says it without reservation, a devastating but sincere truth; if Groove needs anything, its sincerity.

- Rudolf….

- For your friends, whom I see from afar waiting for you at the exit to spend time together; those you train who seek your guidance to improve more and more; Teio, who wants to play and have a good time with you; Brian, even though she won't admit it, who wants to be by your side even if she has to drag you out of your darkness… And I, Groove, who cannot tolerate or permit you to destroy yourself when you still haven't taken a rest from your mask, when you didn't allow yourself to fall when you knew nothing was right, when….

She pauses, remembering that cry of pain from her right hand; she pins her ears at that sound that destroys her, whispering softly - "When you still haven't been able to walk and look at the sun on the horizon in your new life, your place on this new turf that you haven't stepped on, beyond running, beyond what others hide, how others see you now, how nothing has ever changed in me upon seeing you. To allow yourself to stay and rest, letting yourself be helped to find a new path. Your greatness, your perseverance, your light are an essence of you…. I want to he—"

No, stop, please.

You don't have to carry this burden with me. I've already…. caused so many problems.

Those words reach her, and it is already too much for Air Groove.

- You don't have to trouble yourself with that... - Groove interrupted immediately, turning her gaze away with a hint of bitterness and weariness in her voice, but she does not stop those hands holding her to the earth - "I don't want to ruin anything with you, Rudolf. I was supposed to... I should have matured. I should have accepted this with the dignity expected of me, instead of—"

Rudolf stopped her firmly, squeezing her hands closer to Groove's, a grip that admitted no replies, yet loaded with sweetness, without losing her direction, nor her message, much less what she had been hiding, the love, appreciation, care, and genuine concern she has for the Empress.

- Please, do not belittle yourself that way - The stallion requested, locking her eyes with fixity - "Never, ever would you ruin anything between us, Groove. Helping you, being here with you... it’s not a burden. It’s something I myself desire to do. There is nothing that would make me flee from this, or from you"

Groove looked at her, her chest tight, aching; she shouldn't… - "Rudolf…" - letting out the name in a breathless whisper, disarmed before the absolute devotion of the Emperor.

The brunette waited for the tension to ease a bit before breaking the silence.

- Could you listen to something I have to tell you? - Asked after a moment. Perhaps what she shares… can help Groove see things a little better.

Observed her in silence, nodding slightly with a mix of doubt and expectation, relaxing her posture.

The Emperor settled at the edge of the bed, taking the cup of hot tea and placing it carefully between the Empress's trembling hands so that the warmth would comfort her. Then, she took a sip from her own cup and fixed her eyes on the rising steam.

- As you can see, your situation is not isolated - The stallion confessed in a low voice - "In the end, every runner, when the time for retirement arrives, has a completely different way of dealing with the end of their career, when they encounter the void. If it were up to us, to that indomitable instinct we carry inside, we would never stop running. Even I... "

It cost her a bit to utter her words, but she releases them like remembering a dark moment in her life - "Even I went through that very same abyss"

Groove listened attentively. Her drooped ears pricked upon catching the President's unusual confession.

Rudolf let out a sad smile, fixing her gaze on a distant point in the room.

- When my time came... when I contested my last race in the United States, in a painful sixth place, my feet hurt so much they couldn't take any more. My body was collecting its dues for every victory. When I returned to the academy and they granted me the position of President of the Council, I pretended everything was in order, but the truth is I had no idea what to do with my life. It terrified me to think whether this desk was going to bury my existence in racing forever, or if I would end up becoming a stranger to myself and the others.

- Rudolf... - The Empress murmured in a low voice, her mind also taking her back to that moment when the person she appreciates so much was falling into nothingness. How much it hurt to see her like that; at that moment she didn't want to stand idly by, she had to intervene, and she did. Now… now she remembers it… so… she did too…

- It took me a long time - The brunette continued, returning her eyes to her - "But I finally understood that I didn't have to give up on racing completely. I discovered that I could still build a legacy and fulfill my ambitions from another place. Despite not running like before on the track, I was still the Emperor. I was still Symboli Rudolf, and no amount of time or stillness was going to strip that away from me; even if I wept at that moment, it doesn't change that I still exist"

She leaned slightly forward, with a gaze loaded with a profound gratitude that took the mare by surprise - "And in fact... it was you who taught me that a long time ago"

Groove opened her eyes in astonishment, thrown off balance…

Has Rudolf remembered her words that much?

The answer is so obvious in Rudolf; she never forgets a face, much less what others say.

- You saw me fall at the moment I assumed the council and was drowning in my own doubts - The stallion recalled with tenderness - "I still remember perfectly the words you said to me back then, when you stopped my fall"

«Even if you cannot run, even if you decide to give up on racing completely, wherever your destiny lies, you will always carry the name of Symboli Rudolf. No one has that name or soul but you, and that is okay»

The room plunged into a silence. Groove's own words returned to her from the past, resonating with a renewed strength.

- Those words changed my life - Rudolf continued - "They gave me back something that was always there, but that I was unable to see due to fear. You were at every stretch of the way, when I had no one to talk to about this, when the pressure was too much, when some doubted my role as president, you were always there" - Whispers gratefully, with all her heart and passion.

Looks out the window, squeezing her cup a tiny bit - "Outside, all the other umas seem normal; some get over that stage quickly, others spend their lives searching for the port to anchor their ships. Running is everything to an umamusume, Groove. Thinking of a life beyond the tracks is no easy task, and the solutions don't appear overnight. Acceptance doesn't always come at the exact instant of retirement; it's normal to believe everyone else is moving forward fast, or to have those complicated feelings you don't expect to feel in your life"

Rudolf exhaled a sigh, remembering the cases that had passed through her hands in the office, on the training fields at night, in every hidden hallway and corner of the academy.

- I've had to deal with many runners, friends, and rivals who desperately try to return to the tracks because the normalcy of daily life simply does not fulfill them. It is a sad reality... but it’s a completely normal phase that must never be brushed aside or ignored before it turns into something worse. Denial is natural, Groove, and you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. There are many who are exactly like you; proud souls who refuse to fall before the shadow of what was once their former glory.

It hurt the mare's heart to see herself reflected so clearly in Rudolf's speech. The tears kept crowding at the edge of her eyes, but her contained stubbornness prevented them from breaking free entirely.

- I don't know what to do... - The mare admitted once more, haltingly, before something so sincere that pulled more from her dams already destroyed down at the stadium - "I've kept sweeping and saving the broken pieces of this year, but I don't know how to make this evolve into something more. I feel... I feel like I am still in mourning. Are you…. not angry about what I hid from you?"

- Mourning is something that cannot be repressed, Groove - Stretching out her hands bravely to caress the rigid fingers of the Empress - "Even if I might be angry, it doesn't mean I don't understand why now; my anger is not contempt. You matter to me, and it saddened me that you hid this from me"

- Forgive me… truly - Apologizes again, sincere and with the pieces on the floor. The stallion shakes her head softly, drawing closer, caressing the mare's shoulder.

- I don’t want your apologies, it's okay, but I believe it’s feasible for you to apologize to the people who have wanted to help you. They deserve to know that you are open to listening; they haven't stopped watching, I know it - Rudolf knows it; of course she knows it.

The continuous questions from Mejiro Dober and Daiwa Scarlet about Groove in the office; Teio whining in anguish at not finding the mare to hang out with her; Amazon preparing food dishes to improve the Empress's mood and be able to talk; Fuji Kiseki and her complete readiness to help even when the mare rejected it.

Brian, who acted in silence, Rudolf always saw her clench her own fists when she saw Groove withdrawn and couldn't break the walls no matter how much the wolf uma wanted to, how to make her understand that she mattered.

The dog-like sadness of Taiki Shuttle when Rudolf told her that Groove didn't want to converse with her, her friends, or go somewhere to spend quality time, or want to warm up with Silence Suzuka and Fine Motion.

- You have been holding back that entire storm all by yourself, but you don't have to do it anymore. The answers are not going to arrive today, or tomorrow, much less in years. You are barely starting to open up like a flower; every umamusume has her own time and her own place to bloom anew. Don’t carry this in the darkness. With all the honor and affection I hold for you, I will accompany you and help you at every stretch of this path.

Groove looked at the floor, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the promise. Taking a deep breath before such an avalanche that almost makes her cry.

Is it okay to ask for help?

Is it okay to fall?

Is it okay to be seen?

Is it okay…. to admit that nothing is going wonderfully?

- You know perfectly well the time something like this will take... - The Empress warned heavily - "It’s too much. It is an investment of time and effort that is not yours to make. You saw something I doubt won't appear again, a view of me that…. is difficult to take"

- It’s nothing to me if it is about you - The stallion decreed, shortening any distance - "You saw me at my worst moment. Even when your pieces fall, I want to hold them to help you create the glass once more; what's more, it doesn't have to be the same cup. I want to do it. Groove... you are the most important person in my life. There is no force in this world that can stop me from worrying about you and appreciating you the way I do. My view of you didn't change, I assure you that and more"

Rudolf squeezed her hands, transmitting an unshakeable security.

- You are an extremely strong person, but today, and in the years that follow, I want you to know that you can let yourself fall calmly into my arms to be able to lift yourself up again. You are still the Empress. Even if you never step onto a race circuit again, even if your heart heals with continuous treatment or your objectives are different from what they are now, even when you don't run like always, I know with absolute certainty that wherever your destiny takes you, you are going to shine as bright as the sun. I believe in you completely, Groove, because you are you.

Rudolf's smile is a crescent moon, so unique, beautiful, that it blinds the most radiant.

Groove's eyes opened wide. The barrier she had held crumbled completely once again, first on the field, now in the stallion's room, letting the tears run freely down her cheeks. She let out a broken laugh, a mix of relief, that given this night…. she was able to release what she held back so much.

- You are incredible, Rudolf... How can you say these things to me…. How….? - Whispered, returning the words with devotion.

The stallion kept smiling, seeing her finally free from her own prison. She wipes away her tears slowly. That leaves the mare thrown off balance and turned into a warm, blushing bundle, but does nothing to prevent it; the Emperor's love and affection is physical contact. What a cuddly lion…

Taking advantage of the warmth of the moment, Groove finally brought the cup to her lips and drank the chamomile tea. The sweet, hot flavor coursed through her system, a bomb that relieves her shoulders and her heart; the weight she carried began to dissipate, relaxing her tired muscles for the first time in days.

- You are tired, aren't you? Having slept outside must have worsened your back. It’s appropriate for you to sleep in my bed.

- Are you sure?

- Always, Groove. Resting is important. I haven't bought futons to be able to sleep on the floor; I haven't had anyone to sleep here with, so no, I will not sleep anywhere else but in the bed. Besides, after tonight….. forgive me if it sounds very sudden on my part…. I don’t want to separate from you - She blushed at the last part she said, but she doesn't regret it; it is the truth, and she wants Groove to see what she had hidden.

- …………………………….. - Nods slowly, though her heart is anything but calm at that declaration.

When the night grew even deeper and the time came to rest, they bathed, and Rudolf put her own uniform and Groove's sportswear into the basket to be washed tomorrow. Feeling fresher, both settled into the stallion's bed. Finding themselves in such an intimate position, sharing the same space, a subtle but evident blush painted the Empress's cheeks.

Despite being separated by just a few inches, she stayed quiet, listening to Rudolf's heartbeat. It was steady, soft, and strangely peaceful, enveloping her in a bubble of security that dissipated any remaining doubt. She knew perfectly well that she had scared the President terribly tonight.

The hours prior to being here have been entirely too unreal.

With a small, timid smile forming on her lips, Groove broke the silence of the room.

- Rudolf...

- What is it, Groove? - The brunette asked, slightly lifting her face in the gloom.

The Emperor froze completely when the Empress leaned forward and gently placed her lips on her cheek, delivering a soft kiss that sealed the space between them.

- Thank you for everything - Whispered against her skin - "Truly... do not worry anymore. I am here... and I think from now on I will be fine. I will take your hand… for now… don't get used to it" - Her cheeks are flushed; it’s so complicated to state her feelings or what she really thinks, but she tries, drawing closer, feeling the other's warmth.

A spark of real, genuine light ignited in the mare's chest. For the first time in a year, could conceive the idea that she would be able to move forward. It wouldn't be today, nor would it happen tomorrow, but she knew that someday the sun would shine brightly again, and when she looked back, would do so with pride, with a sweet nostalgia, and with unshakeable resolution.

Thanking her silently once more, Groove timidly snuggled directly over the brunette's chest.

Rudolf cheeks burning with a visible blush that the gloom couldn’t fully hide, widened her smile and wrapped her arms around her, holding firmly against herself to protect her from the cold, wanting to embrace that light so it would grow healthy and strong in the paradise of the umamusumes, so that Groove herself could walk without fear, because she will be watching over her for the rest of the grass she breathes.

- It's okay... - The stallion murmured, caressing her hair - "Please, go to sleep. I know we are rounding a long, steep mountain, but I have no doubt that there will be a bright light waiting for us at the end of the road. Sleep well, Groove… I will always be here"

The mare smiled in the darkness, closing her eyes. For the first time in her new life, on this new turf of her old racing life, her heart rested in a peace. Doesn't know what the future holds for her, but her anguish and disorientation have calmed.

Thinking things through more carefully, will have to take more breaks of this kind, she has the time for it. She will have to apologize to the others tomorrow, and continue with her heart treatment… but she does not rush, and for the sake of being kind to herself, she lets herself fall into the soft darkness.

Has no idea of her destiny, but with nothing suffocating her like before, she believes with certainty that she will be fine; it’s a matter of taking one step at a time.

Beside her, the Emperor also allowed herself to close her eyes, finding her own tranquility upon seeing her sun let herself fall with confidence, knowing that, sooner or later, she would shine again with her own dazzling light. Freeing herself too from having confessed her past to her, without a doubt, it was the right thing to do.

Facing the years ahead, they are going to be fine, thinking her final thoughts to the Empress in her arms.

-  At the end of the glow, beauty still shows - Caresses Groove's short hair one last time, gradually dreaming of a peaceful world without dreams - "Despite all you go through, you are still you"

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