Uma Musume Pretty Derby: To The Basement

Mizuno pushed along the sulking Tokai Teio, finally leaving behind the terrifying Uma dormitory.

Inside the dorm, Mizuno had constantly caught faint, distant screams, half-real, half-illusory. Only after leaving the range of the dorms did those sounds fade away.

Maybe it was just hallucinations born of stress... Or maybe they weren't hallucinations at all, but the genuine cries of some Trainer locked inside a room...

Mizuno didn't dare dwell on it. He had no way to intervene anyway. All he could do was silently pray—pray that the scumbag who had hurt Fuji Kiseki would be brought to justice soon, so she could recover from her sorrow and find the strength to clean up the dorm. No more Trainers should be trapped and squeezed dry in there...

After ten minutes of coaxing, Mizuno finally managed to drag the puffed-up Tokai Teio to the teaching building for class.

"Teio, you head to class now. I'll go back." Mizuno handed over the schoolbag he'd been carrying on his shoulder and prepared to leave.

But just as he took a step, his sleeve was caught.

He turned and saw Teio with her head lowered, her gaze timid and fidgety.

"Hey, Trainer Mizuno, won't you come to our classroom? My classmates really want to meet you..."

"Your classroom?"

Mizuno looked at the teaching building before him, and at the endless flow of unfamiliar Uma streaming inside. A chill seized him; his feet refused to move forward.

When he had first reported in to Tracen Academy, Hayakawa-san had warned him: the teaching building was for Uma to study cultural classes. Male Trainers were advised not to enter alone.

He didn't know exactly what might happen inside. But it definitely wouldn't be good.

So Mizuno had resolved to follow Hayakawa-san's advice strictly—never set foot in that building.

"Sorry, Teio, I can't go." Mizuno waved his hand.

"Eh? Why not?" Teio asked, baffled.

Mizuno coughed guiltily. "Uh... because the academy has a rule. Trainers can't enter the teaching building alone."

"Does the school really have such a rule? I've never heard of it," Teio frowned.

"Ahem." Mizuno gave a forced cough. "Well... something like that. It's more of a Trainers' rule, one we set for ourselves. No wonder you haven't heard of it."

"Since it's just a private rule... then breaking it a little... wouldn't be so bad, would it..." Teio looked up at him with tear-brimming eyes.

"No. I can't do that." Mizuno shook his head firmly. He raised a finger and spoke gravely:

"Teio, remember this. When you make a promise with others, you must never break it."

"And now, I declare this as the third creed of our Team TAC, [Lesson 3]. As the captain, I must take the lead in following it."

"Teio, it's not that I don't want to go. Honestly, I do. But if I break an agreement with others, that would be unfair to them. If another Trainer went in, I'd follow. But since there isn't... well... what a shame..." Mizuno sighed and spread his hands in mock regret, as if he truly wished he could but was bound by duty.

"Then... alright." Teio's ears drooped in disappointment.

"Good. If there's nothing else, I'll be going." Mizuno turned away without further ado.

But after only two steps—an accident.

He spotted one of his fellow Trainers from the same class—Kaneshiro Takeru—walking this way with his own charge, an Uma named Daisy.

And Kaneshiro was even carrying Daisy's schoolbag on his shoulder, just like Mizuno had been with Teio. Aside from small details, it was like seeing Mizuno and Teio's situation mirrored.

"Trainer, thank you for bringing me to class..." Daisy's cheeks pinked as she thanked him softly.

"No problem. I'm happy just to spend more time with you, Daisy-chan." Kaneshiro smiled, naturally patting her head.

"Uuh..." Daisy's face burned deeper, her ears and tail wagging madly.

"If that's all, I'll head off. See you this afternoon." Kaneshiro handed her bag back, ready to go.

But Daisy tugged his sleeve gently.

"Um... Trainer... could you walk me to my classroom? My classmates all want to meet you..."

"To your classroom?" Kaneshiro hesitated.

He had heard the same advice from Hayakawa-san, and he'd been diligent in learning from senior Trainers too. Many had warned him: don't get too close to your charge, and never accompany her into dorms or classrooms.

He hadn't fully understood why, but he trusted his seniors. Surely they had their reasons.

He was about to decline when he looked down... and saw Daisy with her head lowered, eyes peeking up at him, pleading.

"Trainer..."

"..." Kaneshiro froze. Then, after a moment of thought, he lifted his head and gave her a bright, handsome smile.

"Alright then. Since it's Daisy-chan's request, I'd be honored."

He took her small hand, tossing aside the warnings of Hayakawa-san and the seniors, and walked her into the teaching building.

"Uuh... Trainer really is so gentle..." Daisy's blush deepened. She hugged his arm, resting her head lightly on his shoulder. Her tail coiled tightly around his thigh.

"I love Trainer the most..."

"And I love Daisy the most too~" Kaneshiro rubbed her head fondly, his eyes full of the doting warmth of an older brother.

Mizuno: "..."

No way! Trainer Kaneshiro! You just have to step on every single landmine, don't you?!

And now Teio had also noticed the close gestures between Kaneshiro and Daisy. She beamed and pointed. "Trainer Mizuno, look! Another Trainer went in too~"

Her bright eyes sparkled as if to say: See?

Mizuno: "Tch..."

Right now he wanted nothing more than to punch Kaneshiro in the face and demand: Do you realize you're not only dooming yourself, but dragging me down with you?!

And he also wanted to punch himself from one minute ago—Why the hell did I have to say that if another Trainer went in, I would too?! Why did I even invent [Lesson 3]?!

"Trainer Mizuno~" Teio's arm slipped around his, her tail curling slowly around his thigh. Mizuno's lips, which had just curled upward in relief at the thought of escape, collapsed instantly.

Trainer Kaneshiro! I love you! (through gritted teeth)