Author's notes: I do know that in the comics Jubilee is Chinese American, butthen in the comics she also has blue eyes. I'm pretty sure in the show it doesn't specifically mention where she's from so I'm using that to my advantage. I also wasn't able to find any mention of her parents' real names so I made them up. This came about when I was searching on thenet for X-Men Evo chibis and stumbled across a site about the CLAMP manga Shirahime Shou. Reading about that started giving me ideas that eventually evolved into this. Enjoy! >.

Disclaimer: The character Shirahime belongs to CLAMP, I'm just borrowing her and the wolves for a little guest appearance here. I also don't own the X-Men, Bobby, or Jubilee, however I do own Jubilee's family mentioned here. Hey you think the WB would trade?

The things I do for love Bobby Drake thought with a sigh as his girlfriend Jubilee dragged him into what felt like the fiftieth temple that day. They had graduated from Xavier's after convincing Jubilee's parents she would be safe there despite the mansion getting blown up and were spending some time at Christmas together. Her parents had wanted to take a trip to Japan to see relatives and Jubilee had invited him along to keep her company and from being bored out of her skull. So now, it was Bobby being bored and feeling like his arms were about to fall off from carrying all of the souvenirs and presents she just "had to buy" as well. The Danger Room was supposed to be about helping to hone our powers and being prepared for any eventuality, but we never covered stuff like this. He suddenly couldn't help sniggering as he imagined Wolverine or Storm giving them a training session on carrying their girlfriends' shopping or being patient and tactful while the girls tried things on and asked the inevitable, dreaded question: "Does my butt look big in this?" Unfortunately Jubilee heard his quiet laugh.

'Bobby!' She hissed, shooting him a look of anger. 'This is a temple! You're supposed to be respectful!'

'Aw come on Jubes we've been to at least ten of these things already! My respect is getting spread a little thin. Why've you suddenly become interested in all this historical stuff anyway? You never used to be.'

Her voice lost its anger and she looked a little embarrassed, taking a moment to answer. 'It's just – I want to be more interested in my heritage. Just 'cause I never seemed to care before doesn't mean I don't. It's important to me. I remember my grandpa used to tell me stories when I was little and I really loved them, then we moved to the U.S and I became a California girl and pretty much lost touch with all that stuff. I guess I just want to get back in touch with it and learn all those old stories again so that maybe . . . someday I can tell them to my grandkids.'

He looked at her, her face was shaded light pink and he couldn't help smiling. She could be really sweet sometimes, when she wasn't trying to put one of her fireworks in his drink or make the water run hot when he was in the shower. (Bobby doesn't do hot water, remember? ;-p)

'Alright but this is the last one! And then we're going somewhere to sit down and eat! And no more souvenirs!' She grinned and gave him a peck on the cheek before spinning around to see the temple again. He spluttered as her hair hit him in the face and sighed in defeat. I'm such a sap. Then he suddenly grinned. But at least I'm a sap with an amazing, beautiful girlfriend. He hefted up the shopping bags in his hands and followed Jubilee.

Jubilee finally decided she had seen enough and they drove up the twisting, narrow mountain roads to the cabin her uncle and aunt had about halfway up one of Japan's snow covered peaks. It was colder so high up but Bobby didn't really mind, and when they got inside (Bobby struggling with the mountain of bags, of course) there was a warm fire in the hearth and Jubilee's mother had made some cocoa. Her father smiled at seeing all the bags.

'Has my daughter been bankrupting me again?' He and her uncle chuckled.

'Daaa – ddy! They're presents! They're not for me!' She paused, looking at the bags. 'Well, not all of them anyway.'

The men laughed again as her mother and aunt just smiled and handed around the hot drinks. Jubilee helped Bobby put the presents in her room and after dinner they spent a pleasant evening in front of the fire. Jubilee's uncle was trying to teach them origami, folding paper to make shapes, but without much success. Jubilee had just about managed to make a crane but Bobby was still hopeless. Finally he gave up and formed an ice crane with his hands to look like the paper one and handed it to Jubilee.

'I guess I'm just better with ice than paper. Now mine looks better than yours.' He grinned triumphantly at her.

'Yeah but at least mine won't melt.' She placed Bobby's ice crane and her lopsided one side by side, near her uncle's perfect flock on the floor.

'Don't worry,' her uncle reassured him. 'Like anything, it can take practice. I'm sure it took you a while to learn to form your ice creations as well.'

Bobby smiled. It was nice to be able to use his powers in front of people without them freaking out. He'd been nervous about it at first but they'd acted as if it was nothing out of the ordinary and now it just felt so natural. But then, he supposed, they had had to get used to Jubilee first.

'So, how come you say these birds are cranes?' he asked. I mean how do you know they're not swans or ducks or ostriches? Okay maybe not ostriches . . .'

The older man laughed. 'The crane is an important bird in Japanese folklore. It's a symbol of happiness, longevity and fidelity as cranes mate for life. Many people believed cranes lived for a thousand years, and folding paper cranes was said to please the gods so that wishes would be granted.'

Jubilee's aunt looked up from her book. 'There is also the belief that a thousand cranes are supposed to bring good luck and restore health to the ill. Some people will spend hours, even days making these origami cranes to give to a sick friend or relative.'

Bobby and Jubilee just stared at her open mouthed. 'One thousand?' Jubilee asked in awe. 'One thousand of these things? Wow. You'd have to really seriously care about the person to do something like that. And be really good at making cranes.'

Her aunt smiled, looking fondly at her husband. 'Yes, yes you would. And that is why, when I was ill and Kenji came and brought me a thousand cranes, I made up my mind then that I would marry him.'

'Whether I liked it or not!' He laughed. 'So you see, Bobby, what I mean about making cranes just taking practice? After making all those cranes for Hoshi I was a master at it!' He laughed again and Bobby and Jubilee grinned but then Jubilee's mother came out of her parent's bedroom.

'Are you two still up? You should be in bed! You'll need to get up early tomorrow, there have been forecasts of snow later in the afternoon.'

'Are you going to go sightseeing again?' her aunt asked them.

'No!' Bobby looked almost scared at the very idea of all those temples and museums and shops again. He calmed down and tried again. 'Um, no, we thought we'd take some food and go for a hike in the mountains.'

Hoshi smiled mysteriously. 'Ah, if you're lucky, you might see Shirahime.'

The two younger ones looked puzzled. 'Shirahime?' Jubilee asked, 'I think I remember grandpa telling me something about that . . . It's a woman right? Who makes snow or something.'

Her aunt beamed at her. 'Close. Shirahime is the snow princess - 'shira' literally means 'white' and 'hime', 'princess'. The story goes that in the depths of winter, when the ground is snow-laden, the air crisp and cold, the snow-goddess, or Shirahime, roams. It is said that when it snows, Shirahime is crying. Japanese folklore tells of her having wolves as companions, and that she appears to those who are pure of heart. If they are lost, she will help them and show them the way home. They then leave her a gift as thanks.'

Kenji nodded. 'Though Gina's right, you will need to get up early, you don't want to be caught out there in a snowstorm. We don't want you to have to rely on Shirahime to help you!' he added with a laugh.

'I'd be all right in a snowstorm.' Bobby shrugged but Jubilee punched his arm, glaring at him.

'Yeah, how nice for you, but I wouldn't!'

Hoshi interrupted them. 'You will also need to be careful of the wolves.'

'Wolves?' Bobby gulped.

'Don't worry,' she continued. 'You'll be fine as long as you don't go too far from the house but it's very important to make sure you are back before nightfall.'

'It's cool aunt Hoshi we'll be fine. We're not exactly defenceless ya know and we'll remember.'

'The three grownups stood up and her mother looked at them sternly. 'Be sure that you do. I know you're not defenceless but that's no reason to not be careful. Now up you get and get to bed!'

They both jumped up, Jubilee hugged them good night and then took a last look at all the cranes. She grabbed Bobby's arm and pointed to a small puddle of water on the floor. Apparently the heat of the fire had taken its toll on his poor hapless crane.

'Ha!' Her face shone with glee. 'See? Told you it would melt.'

Bobby just shrugged, not caring. 'So? I can make another. When we're out tomorrow I'll make a really big one that won't melt for ages.'

The adults had gone to their rooms and he started walking towards his, Jubilee followed.

'Bet you can't make one bigger than me' she challenged.

'Bet I can.'

'Bet you can't.'

They stopped outside her door and he turned to face her. 'Tomorrow I'll make you an ice crane big enough for you to sit in, if you don't mind getting your butt cold and wet.' He smiled at her and she grinned back. She flung her arms round his neck and gave him a soft, lingering kiss on the lips. Finally they broke apart and she opened her door.

'Cool' she whispered, smiling before going into her room.

Bobby proceeded the short distance down the hall to his own bedroom mentally kicking himself. He had just said he would make a large and slightly difficult sculpture, which was, of course, what she had wanted him to say he would do all along. Oh well, he told himself; it'll be worth it. You sap.