Its been 12 years since I came to this world and I don't like it

  Sure, I'm in Tokyo and its super safe. The people are polite and generally kind hearted, but I'm having a difficult time adjusting. I'm no longer human and that must have changed something about me.

  In the past, I loved to game. I could sit down for hours driving through virtual cities and blasting enemies to the moon with big weapons, but now, it doesn't feel the same. Gaming was everything to me and now it is so unsatisfying.

  "Sho, Kana, Marie!," shouted a middle aged woman, "Come help me bring the groceries inside."

  "Coming Mom!" I shouted back as I paused my game and stepped out of my room. Walking down the stairs I saw, my brother and sister already down stairs bringing bags from the mom's car. Unlike me, they are completely normal with black hair and eyes like mom and dad's. I must have been quite the surprise.

  "Hey, come help me with this" Kana says as she is practically dragging the bag across the ground. To stop her from tearing the bag open, I go up to her and take the bag.

  Its light.

  Just another way I have changed. Despite Kana being 4 years older than me, I am far stronger than her and a bit taller than her too.

  "Wow, umas really are strong huh," squealed Kana. She really loves uma musumes. She even has posters of famous umas like Symboli Rudolf and Narita Top Road hung up in her room. She even latches on to me and force me to watch the races with her. I just know she is going to be gambling in two years time.

  "Of course umas are strong. There is an umamusume in my class who can throw a baseball across three whole blocks. Crazy stuff." says Sho as he places the last of the grocery bags on the kitchen counter. This guy is a bit tamer than Kana and only really watches baseball.

  Kana perks up. "Three whole blocks!? Now I want to know how fast she can run. "

  An Uma Musume's running. This entire world seems obsessed with it and its easy to understand why. They look so similar to regular human girls yet can run up 71km/h and possess strength far beyond what their physique would make you believe. They captivate you with their running, lure you in with their beauty and power and the next thing you know, you are sitting in the stands with a betting ticket in your hands, praying that your parlay works out.

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  I never really bought in to the craze though. I watched some races but, its just like track and field to me. The only difference is the fancy outfits. Plus, I'm not a very active person and I prefer the cool of an AC rather than melting in the sun so, I never joined any clubs at school that did sports.

  "Since its your birthday, I'm making your favorite Marie. Curry with a whole lot of carrots." Mom says as she enters the room.

  "Wait! Really!" Carrots are the small parts of joy I get in this world. When I was human I dodged vegetables like carrots like the plague but now, its so good.

  "Yep and we got you a special gift for your birthday."

  ...

  I knew this was coming. Maybe it was the look in Mom's eyes but, somehow I knew.

  After dad came home early from work, we had a nice dinner together.

  Then a box was placed in front of me.

  This box was not in mom's car so dad must have brought it. It was a simple white gift wrapped box with a blue ribbon.

  "Open it." dad says with a light smile on his lips. Sho and Kana eyes were glued to me and mom had her phone out recording the moment.

  I know what's in the box. I guess the craze decided I was taking too long and came to me.

  I slowly unravel the ribbon, making sure that i keep a smile on my face even if it is a little forced. Inside is are a pair of snow white cleats with light blue lacing.

  ""Happy Birthday Marie!"" They all say together. Had they practiced that?

  Kana pops up onside of me. " Try them on!" Her eyes brimming with so much excitement that one would think that she was getting a present too. Looking over towards my parents, I saw the same look in their eyes as well. Personally, I'm not too interested in running but, I'm mature enough to know that this means a lot to my family. They all love watching races, love uma musumes. I guess that's why they spoiled me growing up. If this wasn't my second life, I would be super bratty and annoying. Its not like they are expecting me to run the Arima Kinen. Just putting on some shoes, I could do that for them.

  Slipping out of my slippers into my new cleats, a satisfying clunk resounded through the room as the metal horseshoe struck the floor. The cleats, they felt, felt good. They felt way better than on me than any other shoe i ever wore. It felt like a part of me now.

  "We got them a bit big so that you would grow into them, so how do you like it?"

  "I ... like them. I love them. Thank you mom and dad!" I said with a genuine smile this time. I truly did feel a connection with these cleats.

  Dad walked up to and placed his hand on my shoulder, " That's great but, that is only part of your gift."

  "There's more?"

  "Yep, I know a guy who knows a retired trainer from Tracen who is starting a boot camp for young umas to get their foot in the door. I signed you up."

  Huh?

  "They don't have a gymnasium, only a large field but, you need to go outdoors more anyway. You're starting to look like a vampire staying inside so much."

  WHAT?!?!

  I knew this was coming.

  Uma Musume are born to run after all