Inside the commentary booth, Rin Akasaka sat with her hands resting on a plush Dream Weaver doll.
She stared blankly out the window at the turf, lost in thought.
Kentaro Sugimoto, having just finished organizing his notes, caught sight of her dazed expression. He picked up a stack of papers and gave her a playful, light tap on the head.
"It's the third leg of the Triple Crown," he said with a sigh. "Haven't you gotten used to this yet?"
"It's not that I'm not used to it," Rin replied, snapped back to reality.
She rubbed her head and gave a silly little laugh, but her gaze drifted back toward the window before she even realized it. "I just suddenly realized... this is Dream Weaver's very last Triple Crown race."
"The exams, the hard work to become a commentator, moving up bit by bit from local booths to the central stage, and then finally stepping onto a G1 platform... Before, time felt like it was moving so slowly. Every step felt distinct and heavy."
"But now, it feels like it's moving too fast. It's caught me off guard. This Triple Crown season has spanned half a year, but it feels like it's only been a few days."
"This is the last time for Dream. It's a stage an Uma Musume only gets once in her life. There are no do-overs. What if my lack of preparation leaves her with a bad memory? What if my commentary doesn't do her justice? If that happens..."
Rin's voice grew more frantic, and her fingers tightened unconsciously, squishing the cheeks of the Dream Weaver plushie into a messy pile of fluff.
"It'll be fine," Sugimoto said. He wasn't angry that she was losing her cool so close to the start. Instead, he reached over and patted her head, keeping his tone as gentle as possible.
"The Triple Crown is far from her finish line, isn't it? This is only her second year since her debut. She has a nearly limitless future ahead of her."
"She'll definitely run in the Arima Kinen at the end of the year, right? And what about next year? Maybe a back-to-back victory in the Tenno Sho Spring? Or winning the Autumn Triple Crown? Or maybe she'll just head overseas and show the world what she's made of. If she can, maybe she'll be the one to finally break the 'Arc Curse' for this country."
"There are too many possibilities, too much future. I can't even find the words to describe all the paths she might take."
"Her future will only stretch further and further away. When she looks back one day, the Triple Crown will just be one achievement near the starting point. No matter what happens at Kyoto Racecourse today, she'll only look back with a nostalgic smile."
As Rin's direct senior, Sugimoto understood the mindset of a rookie commentator perfectly.
She hadn't been in the business long, and this was her first time handling a task as long and prestigious as the Triple Crown.
Naturally, she wanted a perfect ending. It was only logical that the pursuit of perfection would lead to pressure and self-doubt.
But as Sugimoto said, the future was long—both for Dream Weaver and for Rin. They both held infinite potential.
Perhaps Rin would continue to follow in Dream Weaver's footsteps, accompanying her through race after race, witnessing one glory after another.
When that time came, she would think back on today's anxieties and simply smile, cherishing it as a precious memory.
"It's almost time. Both of you need to take that step toward the future."
Sugimoto pointed toward the microphone in front of Rin.
"This is the first step. Call out her name."
The unease in Rin's heart settled. She looked up at the man who had been her mentor throughout her career, and he simply gave her a nod and a smile.
Rin took a deep breath, exhaling all the tiny fears of failure in one go.
She picked up the mic and, using the talent she had honed for so long, spoke to the entirety of Kyoto Racecourse—and to the Uma Musume she loved most.
"Welcome to the Kikuka Sho! The final destination of the Triple Crown!"
In the paddock tunnel, Dream Weaver looked up at the wall. She knew that voice—it was the signal that the race was about to begin.
As the number one favorite and the number one starter, she would soon be stepping onto the track. She reached out and touched the wall, feeling the cold sensation against her palm.
I'll definitely come back to Kyoto Racecourse, Dream Weaver thought with absolute certainty. She would definitely race here again, walk this tunnel again.
But coming here for the Triple Crown? This was truly the last time.
The once-in-a-lifetime Classic Triple Crown was reaching its end for her.
Before this moment arrived, she hadn't expected to feel particularly emotional. After all, she had competed in many races.
She had even experienced the "once-in-a-lifetime" Triple Crown several times in a different world, achieving that glory elsewhere. This was supposed to be just another run.
But in this instant, Dream Weaver realized it was different.
No matter how many times she had run the Triple Crown in the simulated worlds, and no matter how many times she might achieve it in another life, there were no second chances in reality.
This was the end. Dream Weaver felt it deep in her soul.
Her story had begun because of the Triple Crown.
To save her mother, she had challenged the Classics over and over in the simulated worlds. This series of races was special to her; it was the ultimate goal that had sustained her through the bulk of her journey.
And now, it was really ending. Whether it was the journey to save her mother or the Triple Crown of the real world, the story that began with these races was about to reach its final period.
Just then, a voice came from behind her.
"What are you spacing out for? Aren't they about to call your name?"
She turned toward the voice and saw Tokai Teio, dressed in her racing silks.
Seeing that Dream Weaver didn't respond, Tokai Teio tilted her head, looking puzzled.
"What's on your mind? Don't tell me you're worried about whether you'll make the entry list for this year's Arima Kinen? Relax! You're the most popular Uma Musume of the year. Getting into the Arima Kinen is a total lock."
Teio was actually projecting a bit. Because she kept losing to Dream Weaver, she had once worried she wouldn't make the cut for the year-end Arima Kinen.
She was surprised to find herself ranked second in the popularity polls a few days ago.
Though she didn't quite understand why she was so popular, she was relieved. Seeing Dream Weaver dazed, she assumed her rival was fretting over the same thing.
(As a side note, the third most popular Uma Musume this year was Nice Nature, who had previously helped explain the situation to Teio.)
"The Arima Kinen? You're already thinking that far ahead?"
Dream Weaver blinked. Teio had sworn she wouldn't lose, yet here she was, already planning for the next race before the Kikuka Sho had even finished.
Teio looked away awkwardly, scratching her head and glancing around as if the answer was a bit embarrassing. Under Dream Weaver's steady gaze, she finally gave up and blurted it out.
"Because I honestly don't have the confidence to beat you at long distances! The Kikuka Sho is 3,000 meters. I've never run anything that long before. The 2,500-meter Arima Kinen is obviously much better suited for me!"
"And where did you get the confidence that you can beat me at medium distance...?"
"Shut up!" Teio shouted, her face turning bright red. She puffed out her chest as if cheering herself on.
"If the Arima Kinen doesn't work, then there's next year! The Osaka Hai, the Takarazuka Kinen, the Tenno Sho Autumn... there's bound to be a medium-distance race where I finally catch up to you!"
"You're looking so far ahead, even though the Kikuka Sho isn't over yet."
"So what? If I'm not sure about winning a 3,000-meter race, I might as well focus my energy on the future. Our careers are long, anyway. One day, I'll beat you!"
Dream Weaver paused, murmuring to herself, "A long career, huh..."
She had spent so much time in the simulated worlds that she tended to forget she was only in her second year since her debut in reality. The end of the Triple Crown was just the end of one series.
There were so many races she had yet to enter, so many she had yet to win.
Seeing Dream Weaver sink back into thought without replying, Teio suddenly got nervous.
"Wait, you are going to run in those races, right?"
If she didn't, Teio's whole plan would be ruined! Teio scratched her head in frustration, wishing she had asked about Dream Weaver's schedule for next year sooner.
"Dream! What are you running next ye—"
"The first favorite! Entry number one, Dream Weaver!"
Before Teio could finish, an earth-shattering roar of cheers erupted from the stands.
Dream Weaver stepped toward the arena, which was already flooded with the sound of the crowd. She turned back and gave Tokai Teio a small smile.
"As for next year..."
"Let's talk about that after I win this Kikuka Sho!"
"Hey! Don't act like you've already won! The odds might be slim, but I'm definitely not giving up!"
Ignoring Teio's voice behind her, Dream Weaver stepped onto the stage, greeted by the thunderous applause of the entire Kyoto Racecourse.
The Triple Crown was the beginning of her story, but it wouldn't be the end. After winning this race and becoming an Undefeated Triple Crown winner, there was still so much to do.
She could recreate the back-to-back Tenno Sho victories in reality. The battle between Mejiro Asama and Northern Grandmother would surely be spectacular.
Or she could win the races she hadn't touched yet—the Arima Kinen, the Osaka Hai, the Takarazuka Kinen.
Even though the Dream Weaver in the other world had collected every trophy except the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, this version of her hadn't done it yet.
And speaking of the Arc—she definitely couldn't forget about entering the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the real world.
She was very interested in breaking the curse that had driven the Japanese racing world nearly insane.
Besides, there was more to the world than just the Arc.
There were so many G1 races out there: the Dubai Sheema Classic, the Hong Kong Cup, the Juddmonte International... She might meet rivals from overseas who were entirely different from anyone she had faced before.
Even if she won every possible race, she still had the System. If she wanted to keep challenging herself, the "tickets" were right there in her inventory. With a single thought, she could enter another world.
In those countless worlds, she might face Uma Musume she could never meet in reality.
Frankel, the "British Legend" who went 14 for 14 and was considered a masterpiece of a century.
Or Secretariat, whom more than a few considered the greatest and most perfect in the world.
Perhaps even Eclipse, the one from history who used the entire racing world as her stepping stone, until no one dared to run against her.
Even though it felt like a lifetime had passed, the real Dream Weaver was only sixteen or seventeen.
At sixteen, she had a nearly infinite future.
And naturally, she held a tiny, private ambition in her heart.
--+--
Without any suspense, Dream Weaver won the Kikuka Sho.
Amidst a tidal wave of cheers, she became an Undefeated Triple Crown Uma Musume. But the first thing she did upon returning backstage wasn't to rest—it was to find the staff.
"Change the song?!"
The director in charge of the Winner's Stage rehearsals stared with wide eyes. In all his years, he had never heard of an Uma Musume making such a request. He was so shocked he could barely get the words out.
"B-b-but there's no precedent for this!"
"The song for a Triple Crown winner on the Winner's Stage has always been Winning the Soul! It's a song only a Triple Crown winner has the right to sing! Why would you want to change it?"
"But the decision for the Winner's Stage belongs to the winner," Dream Weaver insisted, uncharacteristically firm. "I am the Triple Crown winner. I should have the freedom to choose what I sing."
"But..."
While the director was at a loss, Symboli Rudolf, who had gone to the dressing rooms but couldn't find Dream Weaver, arrived after asking the staff.
After hearing the situation, she looked at Dream Weaver with curiosity.
"Why change the song? Winning the Soul is a great piece. I sang it when I won my Triple Crown. It's very powerful."
"Does the President not support me?"
With that one quiet question from Dream Weaver, Symboli Rudolf's attitude flipped instantly. She cleared her throat and turned to the director.
"Well, although it is the tradition, a Triple Crown winner should have the right to decide her own performance. She's today's champion, after all. We should grant the victor a little bit of authority as a reward."
She was, after all, the "Emperor" who governed Tracen Academy.
While she had no defense against Dream Weaver, she carried immense weight with everyone else. Once she took a stance, the director didn't dare argue further.
After Dream Weaver handed the selected song to the director and watched him leave, Symboli Rudolf finally asked, "So, why the change? You don't like Winning the Soul?"
"It's not that. I just heard a song recently that I like even more, and I wanted to sing it on the Winner's Stage."
Months ago, when she and T.M. Opera O bought that sound system, Dream Weaver wasn't going to let it gather dust.
Aside from playing the disc from the other world, she had spent her free time listening to various songs.
As luck would have it, just two days before the Kikuka Sho, she heard a song that struck a chord deep in her heart. Right then, she decided she had to sing it for her Winning Live.
A long time ago, during her very first Winning Live, she had been unprepared and only decided on a song with the help of Admire Vega and Narita Top Road.
Since then, she had always followed the traditional setlists.
But this time, for the first time, Dream Weaver wanted to be a little selfish. She wanted to sing a song of her own choosing, for herself.
Though she had sensed a change in her, this was the first time Rudolf had heard Dream Weaver admit it so directly. Rudolf was stunned for a moment, but Dream Weaver didn't give her time to respond.
She had to get to rehearsal, so she gave a quick greeting and hurried off.
Watching her leave, Rudolf stood there for several minutes before finally coming to her senses. She shook her head and smiled with a mix of awe and pride.
"She really has changed, hasn't she?"
Because she had made up her mind long ago, rehearsals went smoothly. Before long, it was time for the Winning Live.
Dancing Brave led King Halo—who was still buzzing with excitement over Dream Weaver's victory—into the venue, having already picked out the best seats.
The rowdy group from Kasamatsu crowded together with laughter, waving their glowsticks to cheer for Dream Weaver before she even appeared.
Prestigious families like the Gold, Mejiro, and Northern households had long ago reserved VIP seating to enjoy the best view of the stage.
Symboli Rudolf left the backstage area, bringing the Student Council members to the stands to wait for the show to begin.
Agnes Tachyon and Sugar Lights arrived with the yet-to-debut Equinox and Liberty Island.
Rin Akasaka and Kentaro Sugimoto, having finished their commentary; Phil and Richard, who had flown in from Europe; Dr. Shuuji Zaizen, who had taken time off; Sakurako Kazehaya, who had skipped class; and T.M. Opera O, who would never miss this, were all in their seats, waiting.
Once everyone was settled, the stage lights cut out.
Before the crowd could react, a golden-red light streaked across the darkness like a falling star, illuminating the stage.
Dream Weaver stood at the center in her ornate silks, addressing the people who loved her.
"The song for today's Winning Stage is..."
"Tiny Ambition!"
The moment the words left her lips, before the crowd could process that this wasn't the usual Triple Crown anthem, a grand, orchestral wave of sound—like a symphony—echoed through the arena.
Tokai Teio and Nice Nature stepped onto the stage as backup dancers, but the shimmering golden-red light never wavered, staying fixed on the protagonist at the center of it all.
The storybook of another world I couldn't put down as a child,
Has now become a new poem written in my heart,
Just like those scattered stars.
As the music swelled, the memories of the simulated worlds surged in her chest, finding their way into her song. But this wasn't the end. Far from it. After saving her mother, she had found a goal for herself.
If the old Dream Weaver was always living for others—for her mother, for King Halo's dream of becoming an elite, for Kasamatsu Tracen after its decline, for the Northern family trapped by blood and past, for a world overshadowed by the unfairness of European racing—then, during that race at the Arc where she faced herself, she had finally begun to move forward.
She had taken a step that belonged only to her.
In this night that never ends,
A little ambition quietly sprouts.
Even if it was small, that ambition was blooming.
She wanted to win more.
She wanted to face stronger rivals.
Even if it wasn't for anyone else's sake, she now had a reason to keep running.
The Triple Crown wasn't the finish line—at least, not for her story.
No matter what rivals she would face in the future, Dream Weaver had the confidence to be the one and only champion. So, she followed the rhythm of the music, singing to the world under the spotlight.
I want to shout the voice of my heart toward the distant sky,
No one can tell me what waits on the path of tomorrow,
But in my heart, a vivid road has already appeared.
As the music began to fade, Dream Weaver sang the final line of the song.
Of course, there's no turning back now!
The music died down. Bathed in the light, even the sweat on Dream Weaver's brow sparkled.
As was her custom, she untied the red ribbon from her hair, wrapped it around her hand, and waved it toward the crowd, shouting with all her might:
"Thank you, everyone!"
[End of Main Story]
--+--
T/N: Wow~ This is my second fic that ive completed all the way to the end, and coincidentally its the second umamusume fic ive translated to the end. This one was way better than uma doctor, don't yall think?
Im not being biased, but id say Dream Weaver is top 3 umamusume fanfic mcs, no? (at least thats what i believe).
Thank you for the readers who kept commenting on this! It's very much appreciated and motivates me to continue translating chapters!
Also, for the people who want to read more umamusume fanfics, a new umamusume fic should be out by now. While it isnt better than don't look, id say its very entertaining, so check it out if you're still uma brained.