Chapter Text
“The racers are rounding the final corner!” The announcer shouts into her mic. The crowd picks up, the yelling and cheers drowning everything else out.
“Mini Cactus is in the lead!” A scraping noise, the announcer most likely stood up in her chair, “The rest of the pack is closing in! Can she hold onto it?”
Blake is drumming her palms anxiously onto the bar in front of her. Alia stands to the left of her cooly, her arms crossed. Her hands are gripping her sleeves tightly, the only sign she’s just as anxious as Blake is. On her right, Fuji Kiseki hasn’t taken her eyes off the turf once.
Blake has her eyes focused on one racer and one racer only.
And she’s making her move.
“Oh!” The announcer gasps, “from the middle of the pack, Gold City accelerates with an incredible burst of speed!”
Gold City speeds up at a frankly astonishing rate. A fierce look on her face matching her fierce stride. She quickly dwarfs the majority of the pack, claiming the second place spot in what feels like record time.
Blake falters and stops drumming on the bar, gripping it instead. She stands stock still, City’s running stealing her breath away.
Gold City truly is an incredible runner.
“It’s Gold City! Gold City is making her move, ever closing in on Mini Cactus!” Blake faintly registers the announcer saying, “Gold City isn’t giving up her third crown without a fight! Will we see a new Triple Crown born today?”
Blake sure fucking hopes so.
All the blood, sweat, and tears they’ve put into this is coming to fruition. Gold City has given it 110% to get this far. Winning the Satsuki Sho and the Derby just to fall short for the last crown would be gut wrenching for her. All Blake can do now is trust in Gold City’s ability.
As if she’s ever had any doubt.
“Gold City and Mini Cactus are neck and neck!” The announcer shouts “200 meters left, who will win the crown??”
Blake is gripping the bar painfully.
“Gold City! Mini Cactus!”
Blake is leaned so far forward she feels a firm hand gripping her shirt so that she can’t fall.
“Gold City! Mini Cactus!!”
There’s so many cheers from the crowd around her, Blake can’t even make them out. Her own heart is pounding like she’s the one running out there.
The racers rush by them, right past the finish line, and Blake is awestruck again.
It’s almost like time stopped. She sees Gold City’s teeth grit, sweat dripping down her face. Her hair flowing behind her, a mesmerizing wave of gold. Her eyes are determined, maybe even slightly desperate, and solely focused on what’s in front of her. Nothing was going to stop her from moving forward.
She sees that Gold City was the one in the lead.
Time moves again.
“Gold City! It’s Gold City! She wins by a neck against Mini Cactus!” The announcer sounds breathless, “We’ve witnessed the birth of a new Triple Crown Champion!”
The entire racetrack explodes. The roar of the crowd is near deafening, the ground around shaking with the force of everyone jumping and stomping.
Blake shoots up, the hand on her back flinging off. She whoops, hooting and hollering, jumping in sheer joy. As she comes back down she flings both her arms around Alia and Fuji, bringing them in for a crushing hug.
Alia chokes, definitely not expecting to be manhandled so roughly. Fuji on the other hand is laughing with her, patting Blake’s back. Blake can feel her tail thwacking against her legs.
“Uncle! Uncle!” Alia begs, barely heard over the crowd, tapping Blake’s arm frantically.
Blake only loosens her grip slightly, Alia taking a dramatic breath in. She’s laughing still, Blake isn’t sure she’s felt this happy in well…ever! She wiggles in place, making Fuji and Alia wiggle with her.
Blake looks to the turf, Gold City is standing there beaming at the stands. She looks so…
“…cool.” Blake murmurs softly, before laughter bubbles out of her again. She speaks up. “God she is so fucking cool!”
Blake is basically vibrating with the energy of the stands. She can hear voices in the crowd echoing her sentiment about City. So many are saying she’s cool, strong, you name it.
Holy shit, Blake thinks, she did it.
“You know, I believe you have somewhere to be.” Fuji says up next to her. Blake glances at her, sees mirth dancing in Fuji’s eyes. Blake looks back at the turf. City hasn’t moved yet, she’s just smiling radiantly, basking in the moment for all it’s worth.
“Fuji Kiseki, you’re so right.” Blake grins, giving one last squeeze to both Alia and Fuji. Alia squeaks, looking incredibly disheveled, and now that Blake was walking away Fuji sidles up next to her.
“Blake?” Alia sounds alarmed, “what exactly are you do—“
Blake effortlessly hops the fence. Making her way out onto the turf, she has one destination in mind.
Another panicked shout, then she hears Fuji’s faint laughter behind her.
No one stops Blake, it’s not uncommon for trainers to go on the turf after the race, and everyone knows she’s Gold City’s trainer. Blake gets closer, passing other Umas catching their breath. Gold City hasn’t noticed her yet, that lovely smile still on her face.
A giddy laugh sits in her chest. She picks up speed, running to Gold City.
City notices her almost at the last second, ears turning toward her. She looks to the sound, a look of pure shock on her face before Blake is colliding with Gold City, laughing brightly and lifting her up in the air in a twirl.
“Trai—Blake!” City yelps. Her hands are gripping Blake’s shoulders for balance.
“You did it, Shichi!” She gushes proudly to the wonderful girl in her arms.
City still looks completely taken aback by Blake holding her. Blake doesn’t really care, she doesn’t plan on letting go until told to.
What she wasn’t expecting was for City to start laughing too. It was a relieved sort of laughter, almost. She adjusts, instead of holding Blake’s shoulders she wraps her arms around her neck, hugging Blake back.
Blake is going to explode. Right there on the turf.
“You’re so worked up.” City chuckles, looking down at Blake still holding her, “You realize you’re going to be covered in sweat now, right?”
Blake didn’t realize, but again, she doesn’t really care. Clothes can be washed, but this moment will never happen again. A little sweat isn’t going to ruin this occasion for her.
She’s grinning up at Gold City. She’s a sweaty mess, her hair is every which way thanks to the wind, and Blake can still feel her pulse beating rapidly. Her breathing isn’t quite steady yet, not fully recovered from her run.
But her eyes and smile are brighter than Blake’s ever seen them be before.
How stupidly easy it was to fall for her.
Blake holds onto that warmth in her chest, carefully lowering Gold City down till her feet touch the ground again, but she doesn’t let her go just yet.
City actually seems fine with it, her arms still wrapped around Blake’s shoulders, albeit a bit more difficult now with their height difference. City scans her face, searching for something. All Blake knows is that she’s smiling like a fool.
City laughs again, this time because she was happy. At least that’s what Blake thinks.
“You’re such an idiot.” City says fondly, tightening her grip slightly, before leaning into Blake and putting her head on her shoulder.
City is hugging her of her own free will. She’s hugged her not once, but twice. Blake thinks she might’ve died from a heart attack mid race because this is better than any dream she could ever have ever.
She thinks the crowd may be cheering louder too, but that might just be her imagination.
City steps back, breaking the hug finally. She spares one final glance at the crowd, her tail flicking happily.
She turns and grabs Blake’s sleeve, tugging a bit and leading her towards the racers tunnel. Blake walks with her, pep in her step and light on her feet. Lord knows there’s going to be a bajillion interviews after this for City, she needs to get rest where she can.
They make it halfway through the tunnel, the roar of the crowd softening dramatically. City stops walking, her hand dropping from Blake’s sleeve. Blake pauses, just a step in front of her and makes a questioning noise.
Gold City is staring at her. She looks as if the weight of the world just fell off her shoulders. “I can finally start running as the real me now,” she says, “just as ‘Gold City’”
She looks away, letting out a small chuckle, “You know…it’s weird.” She says, almost bittersweet.
Blake smiles gently. It makes sense, this has been her goal for the longest time. Now that she’s achieved it, things are going to be a bit strange from now on.
“New things are always weird,” Blake grins, nudging her a bit to help perk her up.
City’s annoyed look in her eyes at the nudge was softened by the smile on her face. “That’s true,” she agrees and Blake squints at her, it’s not like her to agree so easily.
“After all,” City continues, sideways glancing at Blake with a coy smile, “When I first met you, you were the weirdest person I had ever seen.”
Blake shoves City’s shoulder, laughing heartily. For once she doesn’t worry if City would kick her for it, the girl laughing nearly as hard as her.
Blake is excited to see what tomorrow brings.
Things are definitely looking up.