Author's Note: I am not an editor or a professional writer. I will write this and edit it to the best of my ability. I also do not own Uma Musume, which is owned by Cygames. Watch the animes and read the mangas, for they are pretty good. Finally, please enjoy.
Black Diamond POV
Creating music for the team while also handling all of my athletic responsibilities has been difficult so far. The time I have is never enough. The moment I start working on one thing, something else demands my attention. Now I have to multitask whenever I am not in physical training.
That was already bad enough, but then we were summoned for staff introductions.
Great. Another distraction.
I had already assigned GW, Rose, and Gray the task of replicating songs from our original world. After that, I had to divide more responsibilities among the rest of the team just to give myself additional time. Now I had to manage them while also creating music because, somehow, they were all still incompetent.
The lack of sleep was starting to catch up with me. These days, I either barely slept or passed out from exhaustion.
Eventually, I cleaned myself up and headed toward the meeting.
Everyone was already waiting when I arrived. As expected, I brought my laptop filled with my unfinished work with me. If I had to sit through another meeting, I might as well use the time productively.
The introductions began shortly after we arrived. After Mina's speech, I saw a very handsome man step onto the stage. Apparently, he was our new coach, and judging by the reactions from certain members of our group, he was very popular among those attracted to men.
Naturally, chaos followed.
Pretty impressive, but honestly, at this point, it was nothing new.
The introductions continued while I half-listened and focused on my work. Then something caught my attention.
Music.
Not music I had heard from my old world.
Not music from this world.
Something completely new.
My attention immediately shifted away from my laptop.
Standing there was a woman named Ana Miyamoyo. She resembled Matikanetannhauser, but with a much more elegant presence.
She was preparing to show a video, but before that, she had already commented on my work while I was multitasking. Her words irritated me enough that I finally responded.
"Really? Are you just going to talk, or are you going to put your money where your mouth is?"
She simply smiled and answered.
"Why tell you when I can show you? You showed everyone what you can do through a video. I'll show you what I can do through one as well."
She then clapped her hands.
"Gentlemen, please play the video."
The room went dark, clearly prepared for the presentation.
Then the video began.
A musical performance appeared on the screen, combining music and dance in a way I had never seen before.
I was immediately captivated.
I couldn't believe it.
I never thought something from this world could challenge the music I had heard on Earth.
The dance was elegant. Every movement was precise and purposeful. The song itself was built around sounds and arrangements I never could have imagined.
It opened my eyes to an entirely new style of music.
Yes, I still loved rock and roll.
That would never change.
But this?
This was revolutionary.
Soon, the performance ended.
I looked around the room and noticed something surprising.
Everyone was moved.
Even the staff members on stage.
She was that good.
Ana stepped forward and spoke again.
"I hope you enjoyed my performance. If you want to see more, like and subscribe to my Umatube channel ___. I hope to see you again next time."
The room erupted into applause.
Even I joined in.
Because I knew I had two things to do afterward.
First, I needed to follow and research that channel.
Second, I needed to speak with her.
Juna's performance had been impressive, but I had barely been paying attention after seeing Ana's work.
Ana had my full attention now.
She left the podium, and I continued thinking about what I had just witnessed.
Later, after the introductions ended and everyone separated, I immediately tried to find her.
She was the head of the music and dance department, and honestly, after seeing that performance, she deserved the position.
I had questions.
I had ideas.
I wanted to understand her perspective.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find her anywhere.
I searched her office.
Her room.
Her usual locations.
Nothing.
Then my phone received a message.
"Yo, guess whose girl just got her agency hired as the organization's primary agency?"
It was Spice.
That fucking dumbass really never learns, even after everything that happened earlier.
Immediately, everyone sent congratulations to Ayana while also sending hate messages toward Spice.
Then another message appeared.
"Calm down. Here's some information you're gonna love, and maybe it'll make you forgive me. Ayana told me the staff are having a meeting tonight. If you want to meet up with your new interest afterward, this is your chance."
I smiled.
Looks like we were even.
Without that message, I probably would have wasted hours searching for Ana.
I quickly replied, thanking Spice and telling her we were even.
Then I headed toward where the meeting would take place and waited while catching up on my work.
After a few hours, I finally saw Ana leave the meeting.
The moment I finished putting away my work, I followed after her.
"Miss Miyamoyo, may I speak with you?"
She stopped and turned around, looking at me with curiosity.
"Oh, what a surprise, Black Diamond. Though I can't say I'm completely unexpected. What is it that you require from me?"
I answered immediately.
"I would like your expertise in assisting me with my work. I enjoyed your performance video earlier and believe there is great potential for us to collaborate in the future."
She nodded, immediately understanding what I was suggesting.
"I see. So you enjoyed my work. However, Mr. Black Diamond, I know what I bring to the table. Do you have anything that matches it?"
She looked at me calmly.
"I know all of you work together to create your music. So what makes you worthy of working together with me?"
I smiled.
Then I took out my phone and opened one of the compositions I had created.
"Proof is better than words. Please listen to my work."
She accepted the phone and placed the headphones over her ears.
Then she pressed play.
I watched her expression carefully.
At first, she remained calm.
Then something changed.
A smile slowly appeared on her face.
After a few moments, she paused the song and removed the headphones before handing everything back to me.
"Impressive, Mr. Black Diamond. Now, with such talent, why do you need someone like me?"
I answered honestly.
"Because I'm already spread too thin. Even though I share most of the workload with my teammates, they still require my assistance. My schedule doesn't improve if I have to constantly help them with their work as well."
I continued.
"That's why I need someone like you. Someone who can help reduce my workload and free up my schedule. I also need your team to help those idiots with advice."
She listened quietly as I continued.
"Then there is your expertise and vision. Your ability to improve my work and enhance my ideas is something I welcome. I saw what you can do, and I liked what I saw."
I looked directly at her.
"Now that you've seen what I can do, will you join me and help create songs and dances together?"
A smile appeared on her face.
"Of course. That is what I'm being paid for, after all."
She continued.
"Now that we want to work together, we can actively pursue our goals without unnecessary obstacles. Also, now that we have shown each other what we can do, we can trust each other with our work."
She adjusted her posture.
"I do not expect perfection. However, I do expect logic. If there is a way we can improve our product, then we pursue it."
She smiled.
"Now, shall we get to work?"
I smiled back.
"Of course."
Sometimes you really do have to speak in a more formal way when dealing with people you want on your side.
Now that this was settled, it was time to work.
We headed toward my workplace and immediately began sharing our knowledge.
Her understanding of music theory and sound was astonishing.
Then I felt something strange.
A pain in my chest.
Not physical pain.
Emotional pain.
As we talked, Ana shared discoveries and knowledge she had spent years researching. She combined her own findings with everything this world had to offer.
Meanwhile, I was relying mostly on knowledge from my previous world.
Knowledge I had learned.
Knowledge I had memorized.
But knowledge I had never truly expanded upon myself.
I always thought I was great at music.
But she made me realize something.
I was standing on the shoulders of giants.
I had been using information that countless people before me had created. Information that even computers from my old world could provide instantly.
I had mistaken knowing something for truly understanding it.
Still, whether I liked it or not, I needed her genius.
At least for now.
So I pushed those thoughts aside.
Because my goal remained the same.
Create great music.
Create unforgettable performances.
Together, we focused on combining our knowledge to make something greater than either of us could create alone.
I convinced her to include her team and staff in our future projects as well. Their experience would be valuable, and together we could create something even better.
Still…
One day, I wanted to become a giant myself.
Not someone standing on the shoulders of others.
Someone others would look up to.
But for tonight?
It seemed like another all-nighter was waiting for me.
⸻
Ana Miyamoyo POV
The meeting had ended, and learning that I had caught the attention of our team's brilliant composer and musician was amusing.
However, I could also see how hard she worked.
Reports showed that she regularly worked through the night. She had even distributed some of her workload among her teammates.
Which made me wonder…
Why not simply ask the music staff for assistance?
Did she not trust us?
Or did she simply not respect our abilities?
I wanted to see more of her work.
From the first moment I saw it, I had become interested.
Unfortunately, the team was incredibly secretive with their creations. They held full creative control and refused outside assistance.
That was why I created the video presentation earlier.
I needed them to want me.
More specifically, I needed Black Diamond to ask for me.
We had already tried approaching them directly, but every attempt had been rejected.
Now?
It seemed I had succeeded.
This time, I would make her want to work with my team and me.
The moment I left the room, I began planning my strategy.
Then, unexpectedly, I passed her in the hallway.
I saw her sitting there, working.
Laptop open.
Phone in hand.
Writing sheet music.
Creating compositions.
She was working exactly as the reports described.
For a moment, I considered approaching her.
Then I remembered my plan.
I wanted her to come to me.
Not the other way around.
So I politely walked away.
That was when I heard her voice.
"Miss Miyamoyo, may I speak with you?"
I stopped.
That was much faster than expected.
And she was already speaking politely.
How adorable.
I turned around and answered.
"Oh, what a surprise, Black Diamond. Though not completely unexpected. What is it that you require from me?"
I wasn't lying.
I had planned for this.
But I hadn't expected her to approach me this quickly.
She soon asked me,
"I would like your expertise in assisting me with my work. I enjoyed your performance video earlier and see great potential in us collaborating in the future."
Oh, sweet goddesses of victory.
You have blessed me.
Of course, I kept my expression calm and professional.
Inside, however?
I was celebrating.
I had finally gotten the response I wanted.
I answered,
"I see you enjoyed my work. However, Mr. Black Diamond, I know what I bring to the table. Do you have anything that matches?"
This was the moment.
It was time to make her prove why she wanted me.
"I know all of you work together amongst yourselves to create your music, so what makes you worthy of working together with me?"
She would ask for my help.
She would understand my value.
At least, that was what I expected.
But then something unexpected happened.
Black Diamond calmly stepped closer and pulled out her phone.
"Proof is better than words, so please listen to my work."
She placed the headphones in my hands.
I put them on and pressed play.
At first, the song was soft.
Almost gentle.
Then it began to evolve.
The layers built upon each other.
The rhythm changed.
The emotion grew.
And before I realized it, I was completely absorbed.
I had never heard anything like it.
Every sound had a purpose.
Every transition carried meaning.
It wasn't simply a song.
It was a story told through music.
I found myself unable to hide my reaction.
The calm expression I had carefully maintained broke.
I smiled.
After the song ended, I removed the headphones and handed them back.
"Impressive, Mr. Black Diamond. Now, with such talent, why do you need someone like me?"
She answered honestly.
"Because I'm already spread too thin. Even though I share most of the workload with my teammates, they still need my assistance. It doesn't help my schedule if I constantly have to help them as well."
She continued.
"That's why I need someone like you. Not only to help reduce my workload and free my schedule, but also because I need your team to help those idiots with advice."
I blinked.
Interesting.
She trusted me.
Not just enough to collaborate, but enough to admit her own weaknesses.
Either that…
Or her teammates truly were that bad without her guidance.
I hoped it was the former.
But knowing this team?
It was probably both.
Which meant my staff would have to work hard to make sure these girls didn't completely ignore everyone except Black Diamond whenever they needed help.
I would have to get them to trust my team.
Quickly.
She continued.
"Then there is your expertise and vision. Your ability to help me improve my work and enhance my ideas is always welcome. I saw what you can do, and I liked what I saw."
She looked directly at me.
"Now that you've seen what I can do, will you join me and help me create songs and dances?"
I couldn't help but feel pleased.
After everything, she genuinely respected my abilities.
So I smiled.
"Of course. That is what I'm being paid for, after all."
I continued.
"Now that we want to work together, we can actively pursue our goals without unnecessary problems. Also, now that we have shown each other what we can do, we can trust each other with our work."
I paused.
"I do not expect perfection. However, I expect logic. If there is a way we can improve our product, then we pursue that improvement."
I smiled.
"Now, shall we get to work?"
She answered immediately.
"Of course."
A sense of relief washed over me.
The agreement was official.
⸻
Soon, we went to her music studio inside the building.
The moment I entered, I froze.
The place was a disaster.
Music sheets were everywhere.
Equipment was scattered around.
Half-finished ideas covered every surface.
I stared at the chaos.
"Yeah, we need to clean this place up."
I pulled out my phone.
"I'll call the night staff. Then we can continue working."
After the staff arrived and cleaned the studio, we finally began.
We shared music theories.
Knowledge.
Ideas.
Experiences.
And the more we talked, the more fascinated I became.
Black Diamond spoke like a scholar who had spent years studying her craft.
The passion behind her words was undeniable.
I shared my own discoveries and research as well.
I probably sounded like what the street people would call a nerdy geek, explaining every detail I had discovered.
Meanwhile, she spoke with the confidence and precision of a professor.
Soon, we began experimenting.
I showed her some of my recorded performances from Umatube and explained my reasons behind each movement and choice.
She listened carefully.
Then she began dancing.
Watching her move with the music she created was inspiring.
Her understanding of rhythm was incredible.
And that was what scared me.
Because as I watched her…
A question entered my mind.
Was I truly worthy of standing beside her?
The feeling only grew worse as we continued.
Every idea I presented, every piece of knowledge I shared, she somehow found a way to expand upon it.
It felt like a genius scholar had stepped forward to teach a beginner who only possessed ambition.
But this was what I had fought for.
This was why I had pushed myself.
I couldn't allow myself to become weak.
I couldn't allow myself or my team to be creatively blocked out again.
So I continued.
I learned.
I adapted.
And I absorbed everything I could.
Together, we worked.
We finished songs.
Created choreography.
Gathered ideas from her teammates.
Polished existing work.
And built performances around them.
We became so focused that we didn't notice the passing hours.
Until suddenly…
Morning arrived.
We both looked at the time and realized we had worked through the entire night.
Then the door opened.
A butler entered.
"Lady Mina has heard that the two of you have been working all night, Miss Black Diamond and Miss Miyamoyo."
He looked between us.
"She has ordered both of you to eat breakfast, shower, and go to sleep immediately."
He adjusted his glasses.
"You have both violated company policy and are forbidden from working for the next two days."
Both of us froze.
"Now, clean up and rest. Your workstations will be shut down during that time."
I sighed.
Well…
That was fair.
I looked over at Black Diamond.
She looked back at me.
Neither of us said anything.
But we both understood.
This was only the beginning.
Our partnership had just started.