4 Yesterday Foes, Today Friends

1st of September, 1989.

Somewhere in the Eastern Front, Henrik was rasping for air, sharply, with his knees on the marred and charred soil, blackened by the rains of bullets and bombs. Worn with pain and exhaustion, with him, amongst the blood-soaked earth, countless bodies—friends and foes—lying motionless across field, he hissed, feeling the twinges soaking into his bones and muscles, as if they were a thousand needles stabbing him all at once.

Granted that he was a successful experiment within the lab, one of the few epitomes of "a soldier of the future", Henrik was very close to reach his limits.

Before him, a fellow "soldier of the future". Yet she was on other side of the war. As equally reaching her limits, she exhaled a painful chuckle, before coughing violently, laying herself flat on the ground. Drawing his attention, as he looked to her with his half-blinded eyesight.

"Finish me, Henrik..." she pleaded, with her heavy Russian accent. "Release me from this endless nightmare. I beg you... please. Don't let them take me back alive..."

Henrik, following a moment of staring at his dying enemy, solemnly. As the desperation in her voice sunk in his mind, he finally answered, "I'll... try to make this as pain-free as I possibly could, Marie." And he began reaching for his gun, stumbling.

"Thank you..." Marie smiled softly. His heart ached. "Don't make that face... We both knew this would have to happen eventually. At the end of the day... you and I, we are from different worlds. So please... don't ever cry for me."

Henrik clenched his jaws, failed to hold back his tears, as they freely trailing across his face. "You are asking me not to cry for my childhood friend...? Laughable."

Marie weakly placed her bloody hand on his cheek, keeping her smile. "I know. If possible, find me in our next life, if there is one. Then perhaps we could be finally be together... again. Not as enemies, but as friends. Like the times we used to spend in that abandoned shack near the river when we were younger... when we were kids."

Henrik bit his lower lip, nodded his head. "I will, old friend. I definitely will."

And then, a deafening bang. Destroying the part which held him together throughout this war. Later, he was found, and brought back to his headquarter. Under his empty gaze, as the medics and surgeons worked around their hours to both fix his wounds and "upgrade" him, a monster was gradually coming to life.

A monster that the Soviet Union leaders would later call "The Butcher of Kaliningrad."

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Chapter IV: Yesterday Foes, Today Friends

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Present day — 3rd of April, 2017.

It is a peaceful day for the students in Tracen Academy. Having finished the entrance ceremony and met new friends, today marks the beginning for the new chapter in these horse-girls' journey towards their dreams and goals. Among them, the excellent individuals of class 10A were excited for their afternoon assessment, a way to see how far they have gone for the last 15 years of their training and efforts, before they all finally get a taste of competing other horse-girls in the highest stages in Japan; and for some, the world.

Well, were excited, anyway. Nobody in class 10A moves, nor stirs, as they all hold their breath, watching the standoff between their sensei, like something that came straight out of a movie. As Henrik presses his sword cane up against their homeroom teacher's throat, Marie trains her gun, a Glock 43X—which she pulled out from the holster fastened on her left inner thigh, hidden under her mini pencil skirt—between his eyes. Both seemingly staring each other down, with no side is willing to back down.

Up until Henrik deadpans, with Marie following suit soon after.

"Well, this certainly is awkward," he starts. "I almost forgot we no longer, well..."

"Fight to death?" Marie finishes for him, giggling. "Yes. PTSD is a complete bummer."

Henrik snorts. "You tell me. So, uh, did your reflexes kick in too, or was it only me?"

"You and I, big guy, we are on the same boat."

Relaxing his grip on the sword, Henrik retracts the blade, sheathing back into the cane, as Marie moves the Glock away from his face, puts it back to safety, and holsters the arm, lightly lifting up her skirt, and bending her knee in order to do so; smiling coyly when she catches his glimpse on her inner thigh. Henrik merely deflects his eyes to the side.

"Glad to see that part of you hasn't changed at all~," Marie notes teasingly, while Henrik rolls his eyes. Her gaze mellows, looks at him tenderly. "It is great to see you here. H-How are you doing these days?"

"I should be the one asking that," Henrik returns, breathing out. "Still, yeah, I'm fine. Better, now that I know you're also here. How about you? How is life finally treating you?"

"Good. I'm... doing pretty good, actually."

A silence soon fills the air between the two, only stare intently at each other's eyes, as if they don't know what to speak after all this time. Meanwhile, class 10A could finally breath a sigh of relief. Their initial fright is then replaced with a profound sense of curiosity. They do know each other? What kind of relationship do they have? And... why the prior sense of hostility? As those are the questions which are running through every mind of class 10A, the horse-girls all whisper among themselves while watching their sensei attentively.

For most high-schoolers, in situations like this, it smells thick of drama.

Though, mercifully, the lassies do not have to wait long for the new development. Taking Marie completely by surprise, Henrik suddenly wraps his arms around her, pulling her body close into his. Marie gasps, startled by the sudden gesture. Until she realizes both his hands trembling as he grips her shirt and rests on the back of her head. His shoulders shaking. He hugs her tighter. And at the corners of her eyes, Marie spots the heavy tears falling from his chin and listens to the faint sob, quietly, yet also seemingly resounding. She breathes out a small sigh, lowering her brows to an affection look, smiles, before wrapping her arms around him. She plants her face to his chest, enjoys the soothing warmth of the moment.

"I'm here, Henrik," Marie reassures softly. "This time, I'm not going anywhere. So please, don't cry—" her voice starts to crack, as she tears up with him "—or you're seriously going to make me shed my tears in front of my students. I'm supposed to be looking cool to them, y'know."

"Asking me not to cry for the childhood friend who I thought I've lost forever?" Henrik let out a laugh, sniffing. "Laughable...! Breaking news, we ain't robots. We have emotions. We laugh. And we cry. Bloody hell, we could cry as much as you ladies if we want too."

"Oh, Henrik..." Marie weeps quietly, damping his dress shirt with her tears. "N-Now look at what you've done, you big dummy." Yet she still beams, dazzling as the sun, despite all that.

Releasing his childhood friend from his hug, Henrik trails his fingers on her face, wipes away the tears that are tarnishing the subtle makeup on her alluring, and angelic face with his thumb. The man flashes a toothy grin, which in return makes her giggle between soft sobs, as she nudges her cheek to his palm, rubbing against him delightedly.

"Haven't aged a day," Henrik says. "Still look as beautiful and cheeky as the day I thought I lost you forever. Is this the Lord's blessing, or his curse, I do wonder?"

Marie puffs her cheek, pouting cutely. "Hmph! You should be happy that your sweet, endearing childhood friend is here, not asking that kind of question."

"Oh, don't you worry. I am happy, alright."

Which Henrik proves by inclining towards Marie, planting his lips on her forehead for a kiss. As Henrik straightens his posture again, looking at a flustered Marie, with her face turning red and pink, he smiles cheekily, wholeheartedly amused by her reaction.

"Now you get to have a taste of what I had to feel whenever you did that."

"...Well played," she mumbles. "Well played, Mister Kaiser."

Meanwhile, just a few meters from where they're standing, most of class 10A are either squealing, or blushing as they witness what just unfolded before them. Particularly, Mejiro McQueen, who gapes with a face slightly flushed pink, and Tokai Teio, who covers her face with both hands yet still leaves gaps between her fingers for her eyes.

Their tails shifting and wagging wildly, almost as though uncontrollable.

"Did that just happen?" the Mejiro horse-girl questions, dumbfounded. "H-How did they go from looking like they were about to fight to death t-to... this?! This is just unbelievable."

"I-It must be how adults talk," Tokai Teio stutters, "l-like those r-romantic movies."

"Well, and I personally believe that is not how it works."

Henrik brushes his tears off his face, settles down his emotions. He takes in his breath deeply and exhales through his nose, chuckling, before he reaches into his coat and takes out a handkerchief, gently rubs the few remaining tears around her red-rimmed blue eyes, and fixes the few strands that got stuck on her face.

"There you go. Lovely, once more." Henrik grins, putting away his handkerchief. "We still have an assessment to hold. Are you ready to face your students again?"

"I am. And I think we owe them some explanations, big guy," Marie says, giggling.

The pair of childhood friends then turn to their students, only to realize the entirety of class 10A already surrounding the two---which they anticipated would happen—and bombarding them with countless questions.

"You both are childhood friends?!"

"Aren't owning guns supposed to be outlawed in Japan?"

"When are you going to marry Leona-sensei, Kaiser-sensei?"

The last question almost catches Henrik and Marie off-guard. Henrik clears his throat.

"Now, now. Let us settle down, lassies. Rein it in with the gossips." Henrik says, chuckling as the girls groan at the puns while glancing at Marie. "Still, goodbye Marie, hello Leona, huh? That is new. Calling yourself a lion now?"

"You know, a new me must come with a new name," Marie replies, grinning proudly. "Besides, lion sounds kinda fitting, yes? Befitting for someone like me, after all~."

"Right. You usually act far from ladylike, so lion does sound quite fitting—"

Marie holds her arm Henrik's neck, bringing him down to her height, as her eyebrows twitching in annoyance. "Ha?! What the hell do you mean?! I always act ladylike, all the time!"

"S-See what... I... meant?" Henrik wheezes, grunting, feeling a certain soft mound being pressed into his face. Marie tightens her hold. "And those big-ass honkers of yours are in the way! L-Let me go, crazy woman!"

Which Marie frees Henrik, prompts him to rubs his neck and looks dryly at her, while the woman in question sticks her tongue out with a playful huff, hands on her hips, looking smug. He shakes his head, fixes his outfit and straightens his posture.

"Nonetheless, Leona, huh? It'll take some time to get used to. But it is what it is, I suppose."

Leona pouts. "You are sounding like you absolutely don't like my new name."

"I never said that. In any case, aren't you forgetting something important?"

Leona stares at Henrik strangely, until she makes a face of realization. "The assessment!" Leona recalls, as she turns to the class. "All right. Everyone goes to the field and gets warmed up. We'll be beginning our assessment in five. Make haste. Time is money~!"

Everyone in class 10A goes "aww", disappointed that the drama has to come to an end.

"I don't have time and strength for high-schoolers' gossip. If I do not see you in five—" Leona let out a dark smirk with her upper face darkened "—then consider 50 laps around the track—"

"W-We're moving!"

Which the terrified horse-girls instantly scramble, allowing Leona to release a sigh. Henrik glances to the blonde-haired beauty, more precisely her red hairband with a small red rope knotted into a bow of sort on the side, attached with a smooth, rounded aquamarine. As Leona spots the look, she tilts her head and faces the man, smiling softly.

"What's the matter, big guy?" Leona asks. "Something on my face? Is it my makeup?"

"...I haven't you seen wearing it, for a while." Henrik gestures to the red knot. "All the way since you and your family returned to Russia."

"It's a precious gift from my childhood friend—" Leona coddles the knot fondly "—so of course I would wear it proudly. And it looks fairly beautiful on me, so why not. Come on. We both ought to join the girls soon."

Henrik plops his head, follows Leona at her elbow. "Speaking of which, how long have you been staying here? Like, you know, after you woke up in this Earth?"

"Oh, that? Almost a year ago."

He raises an eyebrow. "A year?" he muses. "Huh. Interesting."

"Interesting? Why?"

"If I count from 'that' day," Henrik starts, frowning slightly, "it'd be almost 20 years."

"...You're not kidding?" Leona flutters her eyes several times, and notices the utmost seriousness on his face. "Oh, dear motherland Russia. You are serious. Th-That means...!"

"Yup!" Henrik ends with a "p" pop, this time grinning smugly. "It means you got demoted to a little sister. Additionally, I'd like to add I literally got here a month ago."

"So... does Leona have to call you onii-chan henceforth? Or you prefer... onii-sama?" Leona asks innocently—but not-so-innocently—tilting her head like a kitten.

Which Henrik purses his lips instantaneously, with his eyes grow flat, causing Leona to snort out loud, as she giggles with her mouth covered by her hand. "Please don't. In case the students want to call me like that, then sure, since I appear younger than I'm supposed to be. But for someone your age, that's the problem. Kind of grosses me out, frankly—"

Leona looks "dagger" at Henrik, smiling sweetly while pinching his side. In return, he gazes dryly at her, unfazed.

"Try something else if you want to get a reaction out of me, Ma—I mean, Leona."

"Hmm. Is that so?" Leona manages a smile. "I've been meaning to ask. Your right leg—"

"No. It's... not related to the war. A different matter," Henrik clarifies, "one which I'd rather not talk about; at least for now."

His gaze turns dark for a brief millisecond, before it returns normal.

"...Everything is all my fault, isn't it?" Leona mutters, curling fingers into fists. "I-If I were able to control myself back then, you w-wouldn't have to go through such pains to—"

"Hey, if anything, blame the cocksuckers who didn't try to de-escalate the goddamned situation," Henrik assures, grinning. "Not to mention, compared to what you went through, mine... is pretty tame and pale in comparison. A whole less messed-fucking-up as well."

"It doesn't make it any better, though."

Henrik breathes out lightly, chuckling. "Right! Now isn't the time to make that kind of face! You got to go out there with positivity. Show them the smile that charmed every gramps and granny in the neighborhood and get them horse-girls fired up! Show them the spirit!"

Leona, watching his dramatic way of talking, giggles. "Alright, alright. I get it," she says, beaming brightly. "I'll stop sulking and start to look forwards the future, if that's what you're trying to say, big guy. Still, thanks. I'm really glad that we manage to find each other, y'know."

"Same, old friend." Henrik nods. "Same. Now, let us rejoin the lassies, shall we?"

As the pair of childhood friends make their way to the field, the horse-girls of class 10 look at the both of them with great interest. Mejiro McQueen, who just finished stretching her legs, does not seem to show such interest, all the while turning to face them when they are nearing.

"Took you long enough," the lavender-haired horse-girl remarks, leering at Henrik with her half-lidded eyes. "Don't tell me you laid your hands on our sensei when we weren't around."

"Well, he did pat my head~."

"You're still salty that I accidently saw your underwear, lass?"

"That doesn't mean you had to say its color out loud, stupid sensei!" Mejiro McQueen fumes, as her eyebrows twitching non-stop, her face is red as a tomato.

"...Okay, that's a fault on my part."

"Oh, my. You peeked at your student's panties?" Leona asks teasingly.

"It isn't my fault that wind came out of nowhere and graced my with such purity of color—"

Henrik dodges a flying kick, laughing, at the expense of Mejiro McQueen's bright red face. The horse-girl starts throwing kicks, yet similar to earlier, her attacks only hit air. Prompting Henrik to catch her and carry her around his arm like she is some sort of a good.

"R-Release me at once! I won't stand for another h-humiliation!"

"Anyhow..." Henrik continues, ignores the horse-girls' tantrum, as everybody sweat-drops, "what do we exactly evaluate here in the assessment? I have an idea, or two, but you know better. It is my first day here, while you look like someone who's been working here for a while."

"Well, today marks my second year teaching here. But still, I stick around long enough to know how things work around in Tracen," Leona elaborates. "It is nothing special, really. Mostly we're here to get a look at our students' speed, how they run, and their stamina. And send that data to the school, should any future trainer wish to recruit or scout them out."

"Right. Got it." Henrik gently puts Mejiro McQueen down, much to the horse-girl's relief, on her feet, and places his head on top of her head, ruffling her hair and scratching the back of her ears, which got her to purr in delight, her tail wagging, albeit she doesn't appear to enjoy the sensation on the surface. "Are you going to pitch them against each other, or doing it individually?"

"Depends on them, really." Leona shrugs. "Some find themselves perform better when they are going to compete with another. Some just want a space of their own. At the end of the day, I am making sure they're going to give it their all, even if this is a simple assessment."

At the same time, Tokai Teio comes jogging towards them, flexibly moving her steps, with a big beam on her face. "Sensei! Are we going to run soon, Leona-sensei?"

"We will begin in two minutes," Leona replies, before she notices his stare on the field. "What is the matter, big guy?"

"You could say... I'm looking to spice up the assessment 'just' a little bit."

Mejiro McQueen widens her eyes at Henrik's grin.

Leona grins with him. "Spice it up, huh? What're you suggesting then...?"

"L-Leona-sensei," Mejiro McQueen calls out, looking at her sensei, pleadingly, "a-are you going to go along with this p-pervert's shenanigans—?!"

"Well, lass, like they always said told us in our younger days. "Henrik broadens his mischievous grin, ear to ear. "Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

As the sensei laugh concurrently, seemingly sounding downright "sinister", Mejiro McQueen has never felt more concerned and fearful for her sanity until today.

"Now then," Henrik continues, tilting his gaze to a terrified Mejiro McQueen, who he still has his hand atop her head, "let's begin your assessment, shall we?"

"Fret not, darling," Leona joins in, startling the poor girl while giggling sweetly. "We promise we will be gentle in your precious first time with us~."

"H-Help me, father..."

Tokai Teio could only chuckle nervously at the scene before her.

...

The afternoon assessment went off without a hitch. With each, and every, horse-girl in class 10 is evaluated, based on their speed and stamina, Henrik and Leona could see many friendships and rivalries are born from this moment; and soon the results came in. As the veteran had a look at it, he glanced at Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen, as they both too looked at their result before turning to each other. A hint of respect towards each other in their eyes, clear as day.

Out of every individual in class 10A, Tokai Teio came in first with the fastest speed, with the 2nd place belongs to the Mejiro horse-girl, albeit the time difference is merely 0.2 second. In Henrik's mind, this might be the remarkable beginning of one of the greatest rivalries in Japan's horse-girl racing history. Win or fail, it all depends on them from today onwards.

As the assessment finally came to an end with great results, the horse-girls are allowed to end the day, or welcomed to stay and train. Some chose the latter, including the duo of fastest horse-girls in the class. Which turns out to be one huge mistake for Mejiro McQueen.

"Come on, lass! Got to work on those soon-to-be-great thighs of yours! When you race, your fans will be also looking at how cute you are, and they will appreciate a good pair of thighs! Everyone appreciates great thighs, period!"

"If you can't woo them with your chest, for now, use your greatest asset: that butt! That is right! Men and women, no matter who is it, always love butt! Show them that your life doesn't have to revolve around the flatness in your front!"

"Gyaaaa! Will you two shut up for a moment?!" Mejiro McQueen cries, as her dignity as a proud horse-girl of the Mejiro is being slowly stripped away by her sensei. "Leona-sensei, I trusted you! You were supposed to protect your student, not joining the pervert and his antics!"

Running right behind her, Tokai Teio, watching her soon-to-be-rival's face cannot get any redder than it is, feels a little pity for her, smiling nervously.

"Tokai Teio, focus!" Henrik shouts from the sideline, with a megaphone in his hand. "You might be faster than Mejiro McQueen, but it was still a close one. In the long-distanced races, however, she will beat you. So work on that stamina! And shape those thighs as well! Go get some muscles in them, lass! Got to charm that audience like Symboli Rudolf!"

"Yes, Henrik-sensei!" Tokai Teio shouts back in a sing-song tone, melodiously. "President's great thick thighs, here I'm coming for you~!"

"Now that's the spirit! Learn from Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen!"

"Why is she getting appropriate feedback and instructions while I'm being harassed here?!"

"It's okay, darling!" Leona says, smiling. "Henrik and I are working on transforming you into the most beautiful horse-girl Tracen has to offer, befitting the name of the Mejiro. This is but a small price to pay in the long run~."

"That doesn't make any sense at all!"

"It doesn't have to!" Henrik adds. "Now move those legs! Great thighs don't come naturally! And either are the wins that you two are going to achieve! Your efforts are your result, so give it with everything you got, lassies! Talents mean nothing if you don't put any effort into it!"

As the training presses on, before they know it, the sun is already setting in the horizon as the sky slowly becomes a beautiful purplish-pink of the sunset, signalling the teachers the end to today's training. Somehow managing to make it through the embarrassment, Mejiro McQueen pants, as she lays her back flat on the grass, with her arms open, evening her breaths. Next to her, an also equally exhausted and out-of-breath Tokai Teio, who stares aimlessly at the sky.

"S-Sensei really made us... train for it," Tokai Teio mutters breathlessly. "Ah... I'm so spent~."

"So am I..." Mejiro McQueen exhales deeply. "Despite his... lecherous remarks, I do admit he... knows how to push us. The training, though. It was quite brutal to be honest."

"That's because I need to know your limits and how far you're willing to push your body," Henrik says, approaching the pair with cold water bottles in his hand before he crouches down in front them and ruffles their sweat-soaked hair; a dimpled grin on his face. "Great work, you two. I can wholeheartedly say that you both exceeded my expectations for horse-girls in your caliber. Well done, lassies. Well bloody done."

Tokai Teio puts on a face-wide smile, doing a V-shaped peace hand sign with a "Yay!" while the Mejiro horse-girl smiling smugly with gleaming eyes.

"Certainly. It is to be expected from a horse-girl in the proud Mejiro household."

Henrik messes Mejiro McQueen's hair, making the girl pout cutely. "Make sure to drink enough water to hydrate yourself. And do hit the bath straight away, all right? I'd hate to see you catch a cold after your training. Leona is preparing an ice bath for you both. She should be here in any moment now. Like..."

"Is someone expecting me?"

"...now. Speak of the Devil, and she shall come." Henrik tilts his head over his shoulder. "Leona, you already got their ice bath ready?"

"It's good to go," Leona affirms with a raised thumb. "You two are going to need to take a bath before you catch a cold. We wouldn't that now, would we?"

Soon, the darkness of the evening falls. Henrik sits on the bench with the street lamb next to him, which brightens his space and the journal which he is writing on, waiting for the horse-girls and Leona to finish their bath in the girls only' public bathhouse, located in the campus—which is the building in front of him. Putting a few strokes on the drawing of the running track, he looks on the final result and smiles while recalling the events of the day fondly.

"It may not be as excited as the old life," Henrik mutters under his breath, "but it sure is a pleasant and peaceful one. And I'm seeing great thighs everywhere, so that is a huge plus~."

"What is it about seeing great thighs everywhere, pervert-sensei?"

Mejiro McQueen pokes his cheek with her forefinger, half-shut unamused eyes glancing at him, grabbing his attention. Henrik quirks up a brow, glancing back at the horse-girl, who is standing next to him, dressing in her school uniform.

"Pervert?" Henrik snorts. "Lassie, I'm offended. I ain't no pervert. I am a SUPER pervert!"

In response, she merely rolls her eyes, seemingly got used to his antics. As Henrik grins, he turns his attention back to his journal, finishing the final lines for the afternoon's events, along with the unexpected reunion with his childhood. Mejiro McQueen blinks, slightly tilting her head, as she perceives the detailed pen-drawing of the school's running track.

"I didn't know you could draw so well," Mejiro McQueen remarks, astonished.

"You should've seen him drawing the school, McQueen," Tokai Teio, emerging from the public bathhouse, adds. Skipping towards them. "You're waiting for Leona-sensei, Kaiser-sensei?"

"Well, I haven't seen for awhile, so I'm intending to invite her to dinner, catch things up," Henrik replies, looking at the horse-girls. "You know, you both could join us, if you like. I'm acquainted to the owner of a small hot-pot restaurant just down the road. It is my treat."

"I'm coming~!" Tokai Teio instantly agrees, wagging her tail excitedly.

"Even if I agree to join, the dormitory's curfew is nearing," Mejiro McQueen says.

"Oh, that is taken care of. I just messaged your dorm manager," Leona chimes in, walking to the trio with a light smile. "You girls are allowed to go outside of the campus, with at least a teacher, or your trainer. That being said, we do have to return before 9:00 PM."

"We?" Henrik, Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen wonders simultaneously.

"Did I forget to mention I live in the teacher's dorm?"

"Well, now we know." Henrik closes and puts his journal into his bag, as he stands up, cracking his neck, and stretching his shoulder blades. "Alright, then. Would you like to come with us, my dear Mejiro McQueen, lass? Your spot is still open."

Mejiro McQueen looks at Henrik intently. To which the horse-girl sighs, before she allows a small smile on my face. "Despite you being a big... pervert, I can tell you genuinely care about us, and conceivably the best teacher I've seen so far. I, Mejiro McQueen, humbly accept your invitation, Kaiser-sensei."

"Such an honor," he says, dramatically, with a mock bow. "In any case, we should go. The place tends to get busy around this hour. So, best to get there soon, before the good spots start to run out. Trust me, you don't ever want to sit near the bloody kitchen."

As Henrik and Leona start taking their first step, they stop in their track, sense neither Tokai Teio nor Mejiro McQueen follow them. Henrik turns around, only to see the slight uncomfortableness on their face, as Tokai Teio kneads her thighs and Mejiro McQueen rubs her side.

"...I forgot I'm no longer in the army," Henrik notes apologetically. "Guess I pushed you perhaps a little bit too much, didn't I?"

"I-It's all right, Henrik-sensei. This is nothing~."

"Teio is right. Something like this wouldn't hinder a horse-girl of the Mejiro house."

Havin said that, their words fail to convince him. Henrik hums, thoughtfully, before he turns with his back facing them and crouches down. "Come, Mejiro McQueen. Leona, you can take Tokai Teio," Henrik suddenly issues.

"Are we giving them piggy ride, big guy?" Leona asks, smiling. "That could work."

"I'm thinking of a shoulder ride, but why the hell not?"

"Oh, oh no." Mejiro McQueen shakes her head, realizing what is going on. "I'm going nowhere near those shoulders, sensei. You are a tall man, and the act alone is just childish for me—"

In the end, Leona "forces" the Mejiro to get on Henrik's shoulders—much to her dismay. Whilst Tokai Teio seems to enjoy the shoulder ride on Leona, Mejiro McQueen resolves to hiding her face with both hands, drooping her ears and her tail. As the pair of students and teachers walking along the sidewalk, drawing lots of attention from other pedestrians on their path.

"This is even worse than having my legs ogled by a pervert of a teacher..."

"In my defense, I never ogled any horse-girl, let alone one's thighs."

"C'mon, McQueen. It's not that bad!" Tokai Teio says. "Look! We're up so high now! I can see a lot of people from Leona-sensei's shoulders too~!"

"And mine is way too high!" Mejiro McQueen grabs Henrik's head, as though holding onto her dear life. "K-Kaiser-sensei, whatever you do, please don't drop me! I've never known I'm scared of height, until I ride on your shoulders!"

Henrik laughs wholeheartedly, while Leona giggles.

"Good Lord. This does bring back a lot of memories," Henrik says fondly.

"True," Leona agrees along him. "You always gave me shoulder rides when we were kids. Going along the river, back and forth. Good memories."

"More like you always made me give you shoulder rides," Henrik retorts, deadpan. "You know how exhausted I was after every damned walk? I swear to Lord... sometimes I thought my arms popped off my shoulders. Bloody hell, you were heavy back then."

Which Leona's face instantly flushes red. "I-I was not!" she denies.

"You were!" Henrik gives her a pointed glance. "For a six years old kid, you were hella heavy. I wonder how I managed to get through it every time. Perhaps, because you were my only friend back them, that I was afraid of losing you?"

"You didn't have many friends, Henrik-sensei?"

"Nah. Not really," Henrik replies, looking to Tokai Teio. "I had friends. Well, mostly the gramps and the grannies in the neighborhood. But friends my age back then, there was only your sensei."

"So, you two really are childhood friends," Mejiro McQueen says, intrigued.

"Regardless," Leona interjects, "are you planning to become a trainer?"

"A horse-girl trainer? Hmm. It did cross my mind before. For now, I simply wish to focus more on my students," Henrik muses, rubbing his chin. "Why are you asking?"

"I'm taking a test to get a license this weekend~," Leona reveals, puts up a peace hand-sign. "And I want you to be my assistant. Well, unofficially. And you can't get paid since you're not licensed. Still, do you want to help me out?"

"Hmm. If that's the case, I might. Which horse-girl do you already have in your mind to recruit? Not to mention, do you even have a name for your team yet?"

"We're walking to your spot for dinner with them—"

"Uh-nah! No way!" Mejiro McQueen strongly protests. "There's no way I am going to join your team if pervert-sensei is in! I don't want to be near somebody like him—"

Henrik stops all of a sudden, taking Mejiro McQueen by her surprise. His shoulders shaking, up and down, as he places his hand over his face. "I see. You don't like me, huh?"

Mejiro McQueen blinks. "E-Eh...?"

"I get that you're still angry at me because I looked at your color. That's why I've been trying to make up with you and bond with you for the whole day. But it seems my way of befriending you backfires, doesn't it? Huh. I'm quite pathetic as a teacher."

"W-Wait a minute. I—"

"It's alright, lass. You don't have to say anything." Henrik sighs deeply. "I'm already used to it. I never had many friends back then, so why does it matter now? In the end, nothing changes."

In reply, Mejiro McQueen, even though reluctantly, breathes out a defeated sigh, softening her face. "I-I was only joking, sensei. There's nothing wrong with training with you, so... don't get sad anymore, okay?"

No answer from Henrik, only an eerie silence.

"I-I mean..." Mejiro McQueen sighs once more. "I-If it makes you happy, I will be gladly to join Leona-sensei team and having you as her assistant."

"Well, that settles it." Henrik's demeanor changes 180 degrees. "Leona, we got our 1st member!"

"E-EEEEEEH?! Weren't you supposed to be super depressed just a second ago?!"

As Mejiro McQueen cries in disbelief, both Tokai Teio and Leona have a same thought in their mind. 'Poor McQueen/girl played straight into his hand.'

"How about you, Teio?" Henrik turns to Tokai Teio, ignores a fuming Mejiro McQueen on his shoulders, who is pulling his hair in frustration. "Would you like to join Leona's team?"

"I-I mean, I'd love to. But I am intending to join Team Rigil, where the president is," Tokai Teio replies quietly.

"We understand. I am not forcing you," Leona assures understandingly. "If you think Rigil is the best option for your talents, go for it. It's better to be in the team you think will give you the most out of it. Moreover, one always goes for the best team in the business, huh?"

"H-However," Tokai Teio continues, coughing into her hand, looking straight into Henrik's eyes with hers, "if Henrik-sensei joins you as your assistant, or co-trainer... then I might reconsider my option and accept about your offer, Leona-sensei."

"Oh, only if Henrik is in, huh?" Leona grins. "May I ask why?"

"Like McQueen said, Henrik-sensei genuinely care about us, care about McQueen, and me," the horse-girl says softly. "Sensei didn't have to stay behind and help us, with our training, after the assessment. But he still did anyway. And you as well. I think that part makes me glad that we're lucky to have thoughtful sensei like you and Henrik-sensei."

Henrik, after a moment of silence, clearly touched by Tokai Teio's words, smiles. "You really do know how to make a man feel happy, you know that?" he mutters under his breath, breathing in deeply, exhaling. "Well, in that case, I suppose I should look more into this trainer thingy."

"Then I'm in~!"

"In any case," Henrik resumes, "now that we're a team, unofficially, what should we call ourselves then? You already have a name, Leona?"

"I'm never that good with naming things," Leona hums, lifting her gaze to the dark sky, until her eyes seem to gleam, as she turns her gaze back to them. "I have one!"

"Which is?"

"Polaris," Leona replies, grinning. "We call ourselves Polaris, which means the North Star or Pole Star, the brightest star of the constellation Ursa Minor. How does that sound?"

"That sounds... not bad," Henrik comments, nodding. "Better than your old pet gold fish."

"H-Hey!"

"Well then, today will mark the unofficial beginning of Team Polaris, the soon-to-be number one horse-girl team of Tracen and all across Japan!" Henrik claims, grinning ear to ear. "Team Rigil, here we come! For Symboli Rudolf's thighs!"

"Hear, hear!"

"For president's thighs!"

"For Symboli Rudolf's thighs—wait, what?!"

Back in Tracen's dormitories for the students, inside the room which Symboli Rudolf shares with her vice president, the undefeated horse-girl herself, sitting before her desk, sneezing lightly. She fixes her glasses, then takes out a small wooden box from the drawer.

Opening the box, her face softens, with her brows lowering—as she gazes longingly at the contents within it: a zippo-style lighter, a comb and a set of photos. She undoes the silver earring with thin jade on her right ear, holding it carefully in her palms and placing it gently in the box. Her ears shifting slightly, and she sighs.

As she is about to close the box, her eyes land on the set of photos. Which something begins to stir up in her mind. Following her guts, she begins to take the photos, and look through each of them thoroughly, most are shown a slightly younger Symboli Rudolf smiling at the camera with a woman besides her, mostly in funny and casual gestures. Before long, she stops at a particular photo, an old black-and-white one, with the same woman... and a man looks like Henrik, as both of them don in black combat gear without their helmet.

"...Lily used to tell me stories... about a man in her old unit," Symboli Rudolf recalls, tracing her fingers on the photo. "Fought and struck fear into his enemies like a demon. So much that they... gave him a nickname. The Butcher. And he was quite open about his fetish. His fetish for thighs, to the point it became almost hilariously comical."

Symboli Rudolf looks to the window, stares at the new moon. "I wonder if they're the same man, or it is simply a mere coincidence."

Symboli Rudolf stares at the photo for another moment, before she puts the photo back into the box, and places the box in the drawer. For now, she has duties as the student council's president and homework to sort out, so no distraction is allowed. That being said, somewhere in her mind, the question still lingers. For the moment, however, he is simply a teacher of Tracen Academy—and that is more than enough.

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