Uma Musume: Pretty Derby story · Character stories
Yamanin Zephyr's story
7 scenes, 395 lines
1. The Gentle Wind
53 linesOne afternoon, I spot an Umamusume by the school gate, seemingly looking around for something.
Everything okay? Did you lose something?
Oh... Thank you for asking. Your words ride upon such a gentle breeze. By chance, would you know where to find a healing wind?
Uh... What?
A healing wind. There was a rather violent gust, you see, and poor little Daruma got shaken about like a petal in a spring shower.
Rrrright. So, um...
So that's why I've been trying to find a lighter, refreshing current, but I'm afraid I've not been having much luck.
...I'm so sorry. I'm not following at all.
Ah, I suppose that's only to be expected, inevitable as the monsoons of early summer. I'm quite sorry to have taken up your time, then.
I'm afraid my search is somewhat pressing, so I must be away. Thank you again for your concern, stranger of the soft breeze.
...What on earth was that?
Hey, um, you don't have to think too hard about it. Yamanin Zephyr is kinda always like that.
She's a bit weird, but she probably wasn't trying to confuse you. It's more like she just doesn't try to make sense...
Yeah, she does her own thing, so don't waste too much energy trying to figure her out, or you'll just fry your brain.
With a sympathetic look, the onlooking pair continue on their way, leaving me to wonder what I could have done. There's at least one thing I understood...
...How are you doing, Daruma? Just hang in there a little longer for me, okay?
...Oh. I finally found you.
Huh?
You're... the one with the gentle breeze from before. Don't tell me you whooshed along after me?
Yeah, I was a little worried.
My... To think that such a soft breath of wind was enough to fill your sails. I appreciate your kindness.
She bends down, looking at the base of a tree. Following her gaze, I spot a thrush.
While it looks like a regular old bird, maybe this is the "poor little Daruma" she was talking about? It looks a bit battered...
So back at the school gate, you were looking for a way to help this bird?
Yes, that I was. I had hoped to find a calm wind for the poor thing to rest its weary wings, but there aren't any around right now. I've been torn between looking east or south for some fresher air.
I'm still not sure how much of the wind talk is literal, but I'm getting the gist: she's trying to find shelter for the shaken thrush.
For now, let's take Daruma in where it's safe.
We bring the battered bird inside and give it a look-over. Fortunately, nothing seems broken, it's just a little rattled from the strong winds.
I really can't thank you enough. Although...
This room... It looks like we've taken over some trainer's office. Do you think they'll mind that we've borrowed it?
I mean... no? It's my office, so we're good.
Oh! I didn't realize.
Do I... not look the part? I've got my trainer badge on and all...
Trainer badge? Ah, is that what those are? I suppose that would explain why I've been seeing them around.
I simply thought it was some trend in circulation. It's not uncommon for fashion currents to sweep through the city.
But that aside, I'd like to share something with you as thanks for all you've done for little Daruma. Would you accompany me a spell?
She takes my hand in hers and walks me out into the hall and beyond...
Whew... What a lovely evening breeze.
This rooftop is the best place on campus to enjoy the winds. It's especially nice at dusk this time of year, so cool and refreshing.
The hot, still air is swept out by the light chill of night... like nature's offering us refreshments. What do you think?
It's perfect. Thank you for bringing me up here!
Well, that's like wind chimes to my ears. I'm glad to hear you enjoy it as much as I do.
I like to come up here when air pressure weighs my mind down. It never fails to get me feeling like a leaf, dancing happily in the breeze.
The air pressure? You mean literally, or figuratively? Sorry, I'm not understanding a word...
...Hmm? But you've been responding to me normally this whole time.
You came and helped after I told you about Daruma, didn't you?
A guilty twinge hits me. With the cryptic way she described the situation, I didn't know about the bird until I saw it.
I just...
All I knew was that you needed help.
Oh, my! So you weren't following a word of my rambling, and yet you still came out to aid me?
Hehehe... You're quite the peculiar character. But it seems my senses were right about you being a gentle breeze at heart.
I am so very grateful for what you did for Daruma today. And I would be most delighted to demonstrate my running, if you would come to see it sometime. But for now, farewell.
This Yamanin Zephyr was like a breeze of wind herself: a gentle and airy free spirit, meandering through the conversation as she pleased.
2. The Stirring Wind
48 linesThere's just a few days to go until the tryouts, where racers will showcase their abilities to potential trainers.
Wow, look at her go!
Panting...
That burst of acceleration was breathtaking! I know I should wait for the tryouts, but I'm tempted to scout her here and now.
Yamanin Zephyr, huh? Her speed shows the makings of a great sprinter, but I wouldn't get too hasty if I were you.
From what I've heard, she doesn't have much passion or ambition for racing. It's hard to get runners like that to push themselves.
Oh, Zephyr! Nice to see you!
Why hello, Flower. As ever, your voice has the lilt of petals in the breeze.
It, um, it does? But thank you for the... compliment?
Oh, look who's here! That's Nishino Flower. She's a great runner too.
She really is. It's always nice seeing a student with so much motivation. Side by side, you can see how passive Yamanin Zephyr is by comparison.
...Um! You, you don't need to listen to that gossip. You only took a break to take care of your injury.
I appreciate the reassurance. Personally, though, it's only fair, given that I haven't run the tryouts yet.
There's no use hoisting the sails if the clouds are still. The trainers are still judging whether I'll bring a weak breath of wind or a powerful blast. I can't fault them for that.
Gosh, I don't know how you always keep such a level head! I guess it gave those trainers the wrong idea about you, but...
I have so much respect for the way you're able to keep calm in any situation!
Hehe. Sweet as the scent of blossoms on a spring breeze. Rest assured, I am not bothered by the trainers' assessment.
Oh, Teio's here to run. I'll bet she's doing some final checks before the big day.
Ah! Pardon me, the tailwind urges me toward the current. I'm terribly sorry to cut this short, but I must be away.
Wait, Zephyr?!
Hah, hah, hah! Sweet, I'm in top form!
I can feel the wind kicking up with your every step, crisp and clear as a gale through the hills. Please, allow me to join the current.
Not gonna lie, that made zero sense, but... you're basically asking to run with me. Rrright?
Right. I will engulf your gale and direct the winds as my own grander zephyr!
Now you're talkin' my language! I always like a little competition. Now, think you can keep up with this?!
The two surge forward, overtaking one another back and forth as they push faster and faster ahead.
However, with no clear finish line, it's hard to call a victor. The pair eventually slow to a stop together.
Panting... Whew. Guess that's a tie, huh?
Panting... It seems so.
And I'm sorry to have barged in on your practice run. I got swept away when I saw you, and couldn't help but challenge you.
Nah, it's all good. Why me, though?
Just as you aspire to the Emperor's grandeur, I too follow a great slipstream... to become a wind strong enough to reach the sky's highest heavens.
When I saw how high your spirit soared, I felt the need to overcome it.
Uhhh... 'kay? So like, you're aiming to be the top runner and don't want to lose to anyone else?
I didn't really get all the metaphorical stuff, but I totally get what you mean! But watch out, 'cause you're not beating the one-and-only Tokai Teio!
There's determination written all over Yamanin Zephyr's face. Then, our eyes meet.
Looks like you found a good rival.
A rival? That's like saying you saw a tropical storm in the dead of winter. I don't think that Teio and I are comparable, let alone rivals.
Soon enough, she'll take on the Classic Triple Crown and fulfill the grand expectations of her. And then there's me, who hasn't even debuted yet.
Not to mention that I'm a miler, so you're about as likely to catch the wind as see us in a proper race together. As a trainer, don't you see that?
It's true that the two will likely compete in different races, without much overlap, if any. But that's not to say they can't be rivals. After all...
You challenged her just now, regardless. Didn't you?
...You really aren't like the other trainers.
You and Flower both. You're willing to wait for the wind to pick back up. I'm no weather vane to tell you when that may be, but... I don't anticipate bad weather ahead.
I cannot think how to repay the gratitude I feel for your support, but if you would be so kind as to watch my tryout race, I think I can show you who I am.
I will run fast, faster than anyone else. Fast enough that my heart and spirit will be the wind itself!
Days later, the tryouts commence, without Yamanin Zephyr.
3. The Hidden Wind
70 linesYamanin Zephyr's withdrawal from the tryouts hit me just the day before the race.
Ah, nngh, my leg... Why? Why do I... keep doing this?
Goodness... why were you doing such high-stress training? Of course you'd get hurt, running like that. Races are off the table until you recover.
No, I've got to run in the tryouts. Mortal hands cannot stop the rising wind.
I'll not hear any of that nonsense. Listen. If you try to run now, there's a good chance you'll never run again.
But the wind cannot stop moving, for in stillness, it dies away. What am I, if not the wind coursing over the track?!
Zephyr... Let's calm down and breathe. Okay?
There's sparks of something dangerous in her stormy resolve. For her sake, I suggest spending her recovery off-campus, well away from Tracen.
When I first met her, she told me that feeling the wind eased her heart when she was stressed. There's a good sports rehab center in the countryside that might be just what she needs.
It must be starting, the other runners are taking off down the track, fighting to become the wind... And then there's me. What am I doing?
Shhh... Just focus on the scenery. It's beautiful here.
She's here to recover. It'd be a waste to let this soothing breeze pass her by while her heart's somewhere else.
Chee-cheep, chee-cheep, chee-cheep.
See? The birds are singing for you.
...That sounded like a little Necktie bird.
A little... Necktie?
Yes. And look, he's sitting right up there.
Perched on a nearby branch, there's a tit with a big stripe pattern down its neck. At the very least, the name is... apt? Compared to Daruma the thrush.
...I didn't even notice all the birds until just now. The bitter, wintry howl in my heart must have drowned them out.
She gazes at the bird, eyes finally focused on the world in front of her. If I can find more things to keep her attention here, maybe it'd lift the weight on her heart.
Ah... the breeze here is so lovely. It feels like it's sweeping away all my worries.
You feeling a little better?
Yes... I think I am. I'm sorry for the trouble, Trainer. To think I let my mind get batted around by hailstorms in summer... Oh, it's so embarrassing...
The scenery here takes me back, though. I wasn't in the soundest of health as a child, you see, so I spent a lot of time out in the countryside's fresh air.
I was friends with all the little birds and woodland creatures. I'd spend each day listening to them sing, enjoying the idyllic life.
And yet, there was a thought in the back of my mind: that I was weaker than even the softest breeze. Too slow to cause so much as ripples in my wake.
I would wish with all my heart... that one day, I'd become the wind.
I'd be lighthearted and free, yet strong. And like the wind... no one would be able to hold me back.
The wind was everything my body wasn't, and... oh, how I dreamed of being able to run the way it did.
But that's all it was back then, a bunch of daydreams. I never thought it remotely possible until one day...
Wooooo!
I just happened to watch a race, and... I saw the wind incarnate. I saw her soar across the track.
Is this the runner you look up to?
Yes. Her strides rose a gale, a current rushing over the land. All the shapeless fantasies I'd held suddenly took shape into a solid goal.
Then, a thought hit me. That perhaps the runner's transformation was exclusive to the track. That only in races could one truly become the wind.
But what am I saying? I've never shared that story with anyone, but... for some reason, it feels like I could tell you anything.
I guess that means we've built up some trust together. If she's comfortable with me, then...
Then... would you let me help with your rehabilitation training?
I don't know what I've done to earn this much of your time, but the winds do work in mysterious ways. A ship can't begrudge that which fills its sails.
I would be most grateful, Trainer. Your words really do coast upon the gentlest breeze.
And with that, our path to her recovery begins!
For the best shot at a smooth return to racing, we want to keep up with her training without stressing her injury. I'm going to start by strengthening her core.
Focus on my positioning... Keep my movements precise. Control even the tips of my fingers and toes... and harness the storm with my inner muscles.
Pool training is the perfect way to apply pressure evenly to her body without straining her joints.
Glide like the wind over the shoreline, sharp and quiet as an assassin...
Meals are an important aspect of physical therapy too. She needs protein to counteract the injury. I've got her on a meal plan that's light on carbs and includes a healthy balance of vitamins.
Mmm... The filling taste of the sea breeze on my tongue.
And of course, the most important thing is rest. I make sure to schedule plenty of de-stress time.
Oh my, there's a whole line of Matcha mochis here. The way you're snuggled up as little borbs, it's like a breeze could roll you all away. Hehe...
Trainer, I finished the routine.
Great! That's a wrap for today then.
Her recovery's been going smoothly. It shouldn't be long before we've got her back on the track.
I, um... I have to thank you.
Huh? For what?
I'm no trainer, but even I can tell that my recovery's going wonderfully. It's worlds better than what I was doing about injuries before...
That's my job, after all.
The wind isn't laden down with heavy thoughts, no worries, fears, or greed... So I don't want them weighing me down on the track either.
When I run, the only thing on my mind should be... the wind.
And yet, with every injury, I left my heart exposed to gusts of bitter cold. Battered into the ground, unable to join the slipstream...
I think... that probably explains the rumors of her being "passive."
She's been putting a lot of willpower into maintaining a light outlook, in spite of her injury and withdrawal from the tryouts.
Her calm demeanor isn't from a lack of ambition. It's from her resolve to run unshackled like the wind.
But now, you're here, sheltering me from the ominous chills in the air. I cannot express my gratitude enough.
Behind all the wind analogies, Yamanin Zephyr is actually pretty straightforward. With passion like hers, I'm sure she really will become the wind in a big race someday.
That said, her determination is a double-edged sword. The more power she gains, the more likely she is to inadvertently hurt herself with it. She needs guidance.
Yamanin Zephyr... Would you be my trainee?!
What a sudden gust. But... not an unpleasant one.
I certainly did hope that if I ever got scouted, it'd be by someone like you.
Great! So we're...
However... I'm afraid I'll have to decline.
4. The Natural Wind
59 linesThe tryouts finally roll around again. This is going to be the last scout chance of the year, so the runners are all fired up.
How're you feeling, Zephyr?
Good, no problems here. My legs are warmed up and moving just fine.
This is her first time running in the tryouts, so I was a little worried that she'd get nervous, but she seems relaxed and focused.
To reduce the strain on her legs, I did have her switch to dirt for just this race, but she doesn't look put off in the slightest. Her mental strength goes above and beyond what any trainer could hope for.
Hehe... You don't need to worry anymore, okay? I promise I'll win this. And then, I'll be ready to accept your offer.
However... I'm afraid I'll have to decline.
I truly am flattered by your scout offer, but the wind dances too high, too far. I do not believe I have reached a level befitting you yet.
Instead, allow me to first run in the next tryout. This time, I will run, and I will win.
If you still wish to raise the wind with me then, I will gladly become your trainee.
Just as I said, I'll make every effort to display skill worth training, so please look forward to my run.
(Wait... Something feels off...)
She's still her usual laid-back, smiling self, but... something feels different about her today. I look her over, trying to discern what.
What's wrong, Trainer? Did I say something strange?
The way you're staring at me is, well... somewhat embarrassing. Hehe.
(Oh, I've got it!)
She hasn't mentioned the wind a single time this whole conversation. I've gotten so used to it, it's kind of weird not hearing her metaphors.
Zephyr!
Ah! Goodness, that surprised me. What's got you so flustered?
...Still no wind analogies? Maybe she is nervous and is just bottling it up.
Are you sure there's nothing worrying you?
Huh? Of, of course there isn't. I really am... completely fine, so...
I knew it. She's not one to let her emotions control her, but even she gets butterflies.
I can do this. I know that I can. I did all that wonderful training with your guidance, after all...
She says it with almost desperate insistence, like she's trying to convince herself. I rack my brain for what the specific issue could be.
While we didn't have the most time to practice for this, she should still be in really good shape. I know it's her first time, but she's got this, even if it is a dirt track.
Something tells me, though, that none of that is what's eating at her. I need to reassure her about something deeper.
I've been watching over her for some time now. Maybe, the best thing I can say for her as a trainer is...
Just be free, Zephyr.
...Huh?
The way she's focused right now, she's not going to be able to run wild like the wind.
If she wants to live up to her dream, she has to let herself be free and flexible, not box herself into concrete goals and deals.
The wind doesn't take just one shape or form. It doesn't follow one singular path to its goal.
You think I'm... weighing down... the wind?
The wind runs however it wants, right?
Oh!
Yes... Yes, it does. You're absolutely right. Soft or vicious, straightforward or unpredictable, it's all wind.
It was wrong of me to set ultimatums for what my zephyr should be. I should have realized this sooner...
Thank you for opening my eyes, Trainer. I see clearly at last. Yesterday's wind blew yesterday. Today, I need think of nothing but the here and now.
Hehe... Here and now, my heart is the calm before the storm, an easterly wind rising... I'm starting to get excited.
And with that, Yamanin Zephyr takes to the track for her first tryout!
They're rounding the third corner, passing the 600-meter mark. Yamanin Zephyr is still hanging towards the back. Will she be able to make up the gap?
(The wind has been a gentle zephyr...)
And they're rounding the fourth corner to the final straight. Yamanin Zephyr still hasn't made a move! Can she catch up in time?!
(The eye of the storm has passed... and now the winds rage!)
The front of the pack is fighting for the lead! Who's going to be the one to break free?! Oh, but wait! There's another runner coming round the outside!
(Now, my soul, a tempest!)
It's Yamanin Zephyr! She's charging up from the outside, reaching third, now second! She's going for the lead in one sudden swoop!
And she does it! What crazy speed! Yamanin Zephyr doubles her length-long lead aaand crosses the finish!
Trainer! Did you see that? The way I ran!
You surged ahead with the force of a gale!
Heh... Why, thank you. I've got a way to go, though. The wind only just started blowing, a small zephyr.
To raise this small current into a grand gale... I need you.
Zephyr, let me be your tailwind.
You really aren't like other trainers.
Still... the tailwind carries new life across the plains. When I think of what pushes me forth, the answer can be only you.
Allow me to make the offer: please... would you become my official trainer?
Of course! I'd love to!
Wonderful! I'll be in your care, then. Please watch over me as I pursue the path of the wind.
5. The Capricious Wind
44 linesA fresh, green scent wafts over on the breeze. I idly turn towards it, only to spot Zephyr drifting in with the early-summer air.
Oh? Were you called here by the dry breeze too? It's a refreshing change from all the humidity.
Yep, I guess. What about you? Any plans?
No, I'm afraid... the wind makes no promises. I'm not sure where best to enjoy this breeze, so I'm still searching.
Ahh, off it goes again. Pardon me, Trainer, I must be away.
"The wind makes no promises"... So basically, she doesn't really have any plans, I guess? She must be wandering around campus on another one of her strolls.
But before long...
Zephyyyr! Zephyr, do you hear meee? ...Oooh, where on earth could she be?
Zephyr was just here a moment ago, actually.
Really?! Oh, hang on... You're her trainer, aren't you?
Would you mind helping me find her? I'm taking RSVPs for a class get-together, but I haven't been able to pin Zephyr down.
Considering the direction Zephyr headed off in, I suggest that she might have gone to the cafeteria.
Zephyr? Yeah, she was just here. But then she wandered off to "feel the evening air" or something.
The evening air, huh? That means...
Whew... What a lovely evening breeze.
This rooftop is the best place on campus to enjoy the winds. It's especially nice at dusk this time of year, so cool and refreshing.
If she's out enjoying the evening air, I bet she's at the place she showed me, way back when!
Oh, yup, Zephyr's just over...
Wait, where'd she go?! I swear, she was here just a second ago!
Aaaagh, come ooon! How do we keep missing her?!
Yamanin Zephyr drifts around campus, elusive as the wind through our fingers. Buuut, while we're up high, I might as well scan around for...
Zephyr! She's over there!
We finally found you! We've been looking everywhere, Zephyr!
My, you look like you've been swept around by a summer squall. What did you need me for?
Well, I'm quite sorry to have troubled you both. I thought I'd already communicated that the wind makes no promises...
I cannot say where it will lead, so I did not wish to brew storms in clear skies, you see.
...What?
Zephyr being cryptic is nothing new, but it slowly dawns on me that she said the whole "wind makes no promises" thing when I asked about her plans...
So it wasn't literally about the wind! She meant that she herself couldn't make any promises about her schedule.
So you're not sure you'll make it to the class party?
Correct. I cannot say which way the wind will blow.
Which way... the wind will blow? Oh! So you're saying, your schedule's not locked in yet?
Fair enough, you've got your training to consider too. No problem! Thanks for letting me know, and thank you too, Trainer, for the help!
Whoosh...
Are you sure about skipping the party? I can totally work our training plans around it.
...It's fine. I don't particularly like weighing myself down, so to speak.
Naturally, I find the time I share with others to be quite refreshing... but so too do I enjoy time alone, catching my breath in the quiet summer airstreams.
The wind is ever shifting, never the same as last you felt it. I wish to leave some flexibility, just as a weather vane can pivot on the wind's whim.
...More simply put, I want to do what feels natural in the moment. I cannot know what tomorrow will bring, blustering chills, or sunny lulls.
So you didn't want to commit to a future plan.
Exactly. I just... want to spend time my own way.
Just like the wind... free to change my course...
Avoiding promises to live loose like the wind... It's a unique philosophy, but it really fits her.
Although... I wonder what exactly she means by "free" and "natural." As her trainer, I feel like I should know...
6. The Wandering Wind
53 linesMy, it's so lush here... Hehe. I'm looking forward to feeling the sunny breeze.
On a day off, I bring Yamanin Zephyr to the zoo in hopes of fulfilling an odd request.
Siiigh... Sigh... It's as though a storm of petals clouds my way.
Is something the matter?
Oh, Trainer. Hello there. The thing is... I've been craving a good breeze through the open sky, like out in nature.
Except... here in the city, the wind just howls dryly around the buildings.
You need a little escape from the city, huh? I might know the perfect place!
It really is quite lively, like the coastal wind stirring up the waves. Just look at everyone, shaking with excitement as though stirred by the first gust of spring.
She loves animals, so I figured the zoo would catch her interest. She already looks curious about all the unusual critters around, so I'm sure she'll have a blast.
For starters, do you want... to...
...
Wait, where'd she go?!
Hehe, the spring current leads down into this corner, huh?
I swivel around, half-panicked, then spot her over in the corner of a rest area.
You don't want to look at the animals?
Hm? I am looking at them. See? Look at little Plip-Plop here.
I follow her gaze to a damp patch of shade, where a little frog is sleeping.
And if you look that way, there's a whole Stripey family. They're having a little picnic by the trees.
Zephyr watches chipmunks dart around the trees with acorns, a soft smile on her face.
I guess frogs and chipmunks aren't something you see every day in the city, but they're not that uncommon either.
Hehe. Look how they wander with the wind, like adventurers playing a game.
Seeing her smile, I realize that these little wild creatures are what Zephyr missed. This is nature.
I get the feeling... if I follow her lead here, I'll get a clearer picture of who she is and what she holds dear.
Chirp, chirp. Chirp, chirp.
Oh, my, if it isn't the Chubby Cheeks. Are you little birdies playing tag?
A couple of polka-dot-cheeked tree sparrows whoosh by, and Zephyr drifts along after them. We follow the birds all the way out to a quiet trail around the edge of the zoo.
There's something magical about the scenery, something special about the everyday sparrows and starlings flitting around Zephyr.
Lu la laaa, la laaa lun... ♪
Hehe, hello to you too, Orangey. Would you care to dance in the wind with us?
By Orangey, you mean the starling?
Yes. A good name is like a floral breeze, it picks up only the sweetest of scents.
The starling does have a distinctly orange beak and feet. I can kinda see where she got the nickname.
Hmm... If I had to think of a name, I guess I'd call him Mr. Snazzy.
I want to try experiencing the natural world like she does, so I come up with a nickname for the bird myself.
Mr. Snazzy... Mr. Snazzy, huh? Hehe...
How kind of you! The name definitely shows a lot of your personality. Sweet, like a gentle wind of spring.
I like the way he sings. It's like listening to the homeward wind, calling me back to a warm place I've always known.
It's such a pleasant surprise, finding a wind in the city reminiscent of the nature I grew up with.
...
Zephyr?
...Oh. I... I almost let the wind sweep me away for a second there.
I could have sworn... I heard the flow of the wind itself in the song. A meandering melody, soaring freely, tirelessly through the woods.
But how could that be?
I'd always thought one could only hear the wind's song when their heart was still, listening so quietly, carefully.
And yet... listen.
The beautiful music is here playing with us, clear as the easterlies through a cloudless sky.
There's nothing in the way, so the wind can go any which way it pleases. I never thought I'd be so lucky as to feel it like this.
...The wind does strange things when you're around. Or at least, that's how it sometimes feels.
Thank you ever so much for today. You whooshed the rain clouds away and cleared up my heart.
I had a lot of fun too. Let's go out somewhere again sometime!
Oh... "Again"... If ever there's an opportunity, when our winds once more align...
She skirts around my question, giving a vague, noncommittal answer again, but... this time, it makes sense. It feels so natural.
The winds make no promises, but it'd be nice if they crossed again somewhere... And when they do, I think I'll be even closer to her world than I am now.
7. The Gentle Zephyr
68 linesThere's a breeze of heat wafting by one morning at summer camp. It's still pretty early, but Zephyr's nowhere to be found at the lodge.
Maybe she went out to follow the wind again.
Oh... I knew I felt a southerly wind brewing.
Morning, Zephyr. Were you out on a walk?
Yes. I sensed a refreshing new wind about to rise with the sun, so I got curious where it might start.
Then just now, the sea breeze finally started moving inland. Almost as though it had come from... from you?
...
No, that'd make about as much sense as a summer snowstorm. Putting that silliness aside, let's have another wonderful training session today.
(And now... like a thunderous gale!)
Panting...
Nice run! That was a pretty good time.
Thank you. I must continue to ride this current, taking it up to soar the high heav...ens...
...The cool breeze is here again.
...
Um, Trainer? If I may, could I make a request?
If there's no breeze to carry you away this evening, would you accompany me to wait for the wind?
There's something... something I'd like to verify.
If it's worth scheduling a commitment, the wind brewing has to be something big. If I could feel it, I'm sure it would push me closer to understanding Zephyr.
I'd be glad to join!
Well, that's a relief, like the early autumn breeze in late summer. I'll see you again tonight, then.
Zephyr leads me from the lodge, down a nearby street.
It seems the wind has settled down for the evening... but the quiet lull here is a nice change of pace.
She has a content look on her face, despite the distinct lack of wind. With how cloudy it is, we can't even see the stars.
So much for wind watching, huh? You don't mind just walking around together?
I'm fine. We're waiting for the wind, after all. It'll take some time for the evening lull to pass and the night breeze to come in.
But I don't imagine it will be too long. Soon enough, we'll be greeted by the same wind we felt this morning.
This morning...
Morning, Zephyr. Were you out on a walk?
Yes. I sensed a refreshing new wind about to rise with the sun, so I got curious where it might start.
Then just now, the sea breeze finally started moving inland. Almost as though it had come from... from you?
The sea breeze flows from the shore by day, then stops when the air cools at night. If we wait here, it should flow back.
So the wind blows from the sea by day, and to the sea by night? And if we wait here now, the current from this morning will pass us on its way back to the waves...
I want to see it to be sure... I need to know where the clear breeze I felt came from.
She sounds so determined... so I perk up my senses and strain for the slightest hint of...
Rustle...
The wind?!
Huh? Hehe, there goes Hankey. What a coincidence to see you gliding by.
A... a flying squirrel? Here?
Oh, Trainer!
What?! Is the wind here?!
No, but I've just spotted Sir Spectacles. This area must have some gentle, welcoming winds to attract a bird like him.
She smiles, casting her gaze to "Sir Spectacles." I look around the dark foliage blindly until a low hoot leads me to an owl.
If you look that way, Flitter is flapping along on her leathery wings. Hehe, it's like everyone's out flying around in a waltz.
Mmm! Hahh...
This is a lovely patch of woods... It reminds me of the sun-driven winds back home. Relaxing into calm, clear air... cool and pleasant.
Once the wind gets here, it'll be perfect.
Hm?
The wind... Now you mention it, the air is still... And yet...
It's so comfortable, like the gentle breeze I felt before...
...Ah. I think I finally understand.
I'd been thinking it peculiar, wondering why it always felt like... like there was a gentle breeze encouraging me on.
And I finally figured out why this morning. The air was suffocatingly still when I woke, no fresh wind to clear the chill in my heart. But then...
The wind came running for me. A gentle current sailing along the morning tide, stirred by your voice.
And I realized... maybe the gentle breeze I keep feeling is following you. It was just an idle thought, but now...
Even though there's no wind, I still feel that soft breeze in my heart. You are the breeze.
You are the breath of fresh air, the comforting wind at my back... They're all you.
Zephyr...
She's always dreamed of being free as the wind, and generally prefers not to tie herself down with other people... So hearing that she enjoys my presence... I just...
...I'll do my best to keep sending good winds your way!
I'm determined. I'll be the wind in her sails, the gentle gust of encouragement she believes I am!
Whoooosh!
How kind of you, Trainer. Now, let us soar!
We rush ahead with the wind, riding it all the way to the sea. The gust must have cleared out the clouds, because the waves are glittering with starlight.
How gently the wind danced... I felt its comforting embrace closer than ever.
...Do you think I'll be able to feel it again someday?
Together... with you?
Yeah, we will. I know it.
She nods softly, and we spend some time stargazing, silently enjoying the tranquil sea breeze.