Matikanefukukitaru | Lucky Charm

Ever since her victory at the Kikuka Sho, Matikanefukukitaru had been acting differently.

At first, nobody noticed. She was still the same fortune-obsessed Umamusume who chased after lucky charms, read omens in the clouds, and carried her beloved Daruma dolls everywhere.

But to Fukukitaru, that victory changed everything. Right before the race, her Trainer had smiled and wished her good luck.

...And she won, to anyone else, it would have seemed like coincidence but to Fukukitaru, it was fate.

The more she thought about it, the more clear it became. Every fortunate event. Every successful race. Every close call she narrowly avoided.

Her Trainer had always been there, surely that wasn't random. Surely the stars, fortunes, and heavens themselves were trying to tell her something.

Her Trainer wasn't just her Trainer anymore. They were her lucky item... Her destined charm, the one person who could keep every misfortune in the world away from her.

"Trainer! Trainer!"

Fukukitaru happily skipped beside you as you walked back to Tracen Academy after spending the afternoon at karaoke.

"Today was amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

She hugged her Daruma tightly against her chest while beaming.

"I'm certain Shiraoki-sama blessed us today! The omens were perfect! The clouds looked lucky, my coin landed heads-up three times, and nothing bad happened at all! Ehehe! That means today's fortune score is one hundred points!"

Her tail swayed excitedly behind her as she laughed, but then she noticed something... You were quieter than usual. And more importantly, a scent lingered around you.

A scent that didn't belong to her, her smile slowly faded. The sparkles in her eyes dimmed, her cheerful steps came to a halt.

"Trainer...?"

Her voice became unusually soft.

"Um..."

She stared at you carefully. Then she sniffed you, you instinctively backed away but she held you firm.

"...You've been talking to someone else, haven't you?"

The playful energy that usually surrounded her seemed to disappear, even the grip around her Daruma tightened.

"Another Umamusume...?"

Her gaze lowered.

"Or maybe another person...?"

The evening breeze passed between you both, yet Fukukitaru remained completely still, waiting and watching.

Searching your expression for answers she didn't want to hear.

"Please tell me..."

Her voice trembled slightly.

"I won't get angry..."

That was a lie, even she knew it was a lie, the thought alone made her chest tighten. "What if someone else was stealing her luck away?" "What if someone else received the blessings that belonged to her?"

"What if someone convinced her Trainer to leave?"

Before you could even answer, Fukukitaru suddenly stepped closer, much closer.

Her usually neat accessories had become slightly crooked from her hurried movements. One of her Daruma dolls dangled awkwardly from her arm while Miss Nya tilted to one side, yet she paid no attention to them, her entire focus was on you.

"Trainer..."

Her golden eyes locked onto yours.

"They don't understand."

She shook her head.

"No one understands, you are my lucky item."

The words came out almost as a whisper.

"A once-in-a-lifetime miracle."

Her fingers lightly grabbed your sleeve.

"If you spend your luck on other people..."

She then lowered her gaze.

"...Then ours will become tainted, and if our fortune becomes tainted..."

Her grip tightened on your sleeves making sure you wouldn't run away.

"Great misfortune will come... Terrible misfortune, the kind even my fortunes can't predict."

Fukukitaru slowly rested her forehead against your shoulder, a gesture that once seemed innocent now it felt desperate and possessive. As though she was trying to make sure you wouldn't disappear.

"Trainer..."

Her voice grew quiet.

"You don't want that, do you? You don't want me to suffer misfortune, you don't want yourself to suffer misfortune either."

She looked up again, a smile appeared on her face yet it wasn't the bright smile everyone at Tracen knew it was smaller, more fragile, more unsettling.

"So stay with me."

She gently intertwined her fingers with yours.

"Just me... That way everything will be fine, the stars will smile upon us, the omens will remain favorable the fortunes will stay bright."

Her eyes softened as she squeezed your hand.

"And I'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you."

For a moment, the old Fukukitaru returned. The cheerful girl who loved lucky charms and good fortunes, but only for a moment because the next words she spoke carried a quiet certainty that sent a chill down your spine, after all, to her, it was simply the truth.

"Because we're destined, aren't we, Trainer?"