In Iselia, Raine was hosting a short seminar on defending oneself against the dangers of winter. Attending the class were Lloyd, Genis, Presea, Colette, Zelos, Regal, Sheena, Chocolat, and a few others. Raine went over thin ice, avalanches, winter predators, frost bite and keeping warm, as well as a few other minor risks. Lloyd had fallen asleep during the first twenty minutes of the seminar, so he was forced to demonstrate the dangers of extreme cold, with a little help from Genis. After Lloyd was healed, and the seminar was over, everyone left the class, except for Colette who walked directly to the wall and stood there. Raine approached her.

"Colette, what are you doing?" Raine asked curiously, as Colette was just staring blankly at a calendar.

"Oh, hi, Professor Sage," Colette started with a smile, "I'm just looking at the calendar."

"Hm, yes, I remember now. Christmas is coming up in a couple of weeks isn't it?" Raine said inquisitively.

Colette turned with a gasp, "What! Oh my goodness, you're right! I forgot. Oh I'm so stupid!"

Raine sighed, "If you didn't know, then why on earth were you staring at the calendar?"

"I was looking at the doggy on the picture. I wonder what his name was?"

Raine just walked away sulking, "Such potential, yet such a bubble head."

"I still need to pick out gifts for everybody. Oh, why did I forget?" Colette mumbled to herself sadly and left the class room sulking.

Colette started walking towards her house, sulking all the way. She never forgot about Christmas before, so why did she this year? Maybe it was because before now, she had to live her life to the fullest, since she expected to have to be a sacrifice. As Colette pondered this, she didn't notice the sign post slowly approaching her and she proceeded to walk into it, falling to the snow afterwards.

"Ow, ow!" Colette whined. Looking up, she realized the sign post had fallen over, "Oh, oh no! I hope it isn't broken!"

Colette got to her feet and brushed the snow off of herself. She then proceeded to try and pick up the sign and place it back where it belonged. She managed to get back in place nicely, and smiled at herself. It felt good to be responsible for her actions. Just as she was walking away, something on the sign caught her eye. The sign read: 'Christmas Sale! Your pocket will thank you for shopping at Flanoir!'

"Oh that's right!" Colette smiled, sticking her tongue out herself. "I should go Christmas shopping soon. It's so convenient that the worlds have been reunited. It makes it easier to get to the other towns for people without rheiards."

"Hey, Colette, what are you doing?" Said a voice from behind her.

"AHH!" Colette jumped, turning around, "Genis you scared me!"

Genis laughed, "I'm sorry, Colette, but anyway, what are you up to?"

"N-nothing. I was just thinking how pretty the snow is," Colette replied nervously with a giggle.

"Colette, sometimes I just don't understand you," Genis said with a sigh, shaking his head.

Colette giggled, "Well I should be going. I'm off to Flanoir," she started to walk away but paused, "Say Genis, Can I borrow your rheiard?"

"Why? Don't you still have yours? Why do you need mine?" Genis asked suspiciously.

"No real reason. I just misplaced mine. My room is a mess lately," Colette lied nervously. She felt she may need the extra rheiard to carry some of her presents in.

"Well, all right, Colette, just be careful not to crash it," Genis said, handing her his rheiard.

"Oh, thanks, but I won't need it until tomorrow. You can hold on to it until then," Colette handed it back smiling.

"That won't work for me, Colette, I'm sorry. I promised to help Presea rebuild Ozette a little tomorrow," Genis frowned, taking the rheiard back, "If you hurry, maybe you can catch Sheena before she leaves for Mizuho. I heard she won't need hers for a few days."

"Okay! Thank you, Genis. Goodbye," Colette smiled, and ran for the Iselia exit to catch up to Sheena.

After a little bit of running, Colette saw Sheena taking out her rheiard. She quickened her pace to catch her before she took off.

"Sheena, wait!" Colette shouted, and then she slipped in the snow and fell on her face, "Oops! Ow..."

Sheena dismounted her rheiard and shook her head, "Colette are you okay?" She helped her up.

Colette brushed the snow off of herself for the second time, "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

"So what do you need?" Sheena asked with a grin.

"Sheena, I need to borrow your rheiard, tomorrow. May I please? I'll take extra good care of it."

Sheena smiled, "Sure, Colette. Just ride with me to Mizuho, and I'll let you ride it back here to Iselia. Then just make sure to get it back to me by the twentieth."

"Oh, of course, thank you! I promise, I'll get it back to you by then. I'll get it back to you much sooner than that even," Colette smiled.

"Alright. Hop on, We'll head off to Mizuho, but shouldn't you be wearing something a little warmer? Did you already forget about Raine's lecture?"

"Oh, you're right, I'm sorry. I'll be right back, okay?" Colette then ran off. She returned a few minutes later dressed in a winter coat, "Ready."

Sheena and Colette then got on Sheena's rheiard and took off for Mizuho. All along the way Colette admired the sky and the snowfall, while wondering what to get for everyone for Christmas. She sighed, she only had ten days until Christmas and still had to shop for everybody. Hopefully she could get all of her shopping done tomorrow at Flanoir's big Christmas sale.

"Say Sheena, did you finish your Christmas shopping yet?" Colette asked sweetly.

"Sure did. Finished it last week," Sheena smiled, "How about you?"

"Oh... I have a little bit of shopping left," Colette giggled.

"Didn't shop at all yet, did you?" Sheena asked, dodging a hawk that jetted past them.

"N-No.. I got some done, really!"

"Colette, it's written all over your face. Don't worry, it's no big deal. I won't tell anyone," Sheena said nicely.

"Thank you so much, Sheena," Colette let out a sigh of relief. It felt good to know that Sheena knew and didn't care.

"No problem. Just get me something good," Sheena laughed.

"Okay!"

They were approaching Mizuho, and very soon it would be in view. A few minutes passed and Mizuho was in sight, but something was wrong. The village seemed smaller and emptier than usual. There would usually be at least one person walking around, even in the cold weather. As they got closer, they noticed something. Half of Mizuho was burred in snow. There was an avalanche.