A/N: Thus begins my long-awaited Megumi project! This is a Megumi-centric story that I have wanted to do for a while now! I can't promise romance and pairings but if you love Megumi as much (or more) than I do, then hop along this wild ride with me. I used an OC for this chapter (sadly, the next time she'd appear would probs be the epilogue) which was based on a fic I recently made entitled Her Wish for the HM fandom.

Anyway, enjoy the story and please leave a review if you like this! :D

Chocolat Carnaval

Prologue

"Welcome back to the town, Megumi!"

Megumi rubbed her hands together as she stepped down from the ship she was riding on. She stood on a beach blanketed with nothing but white, powdery snow, making it look like a scene straight out of a fairytale. The sky was filled with grey clouds that continued to shower trails of ice upon the village. She looked above, noticing the contrast between the dreary colors above and the magical wonderland below.

There at the pier waiting for her was her childhood friend, a mature yet feisty girl that had long blonde hair that flowed down her back and bright, blue eyes that never seemed to run out of energy. She had tanned skin that showed the fruits of her labor in working at her farm and muscles on her limbs to prove. But one look at the farmer's cheerful face and the chef knew she had nothing to worry about. Megumi smiled at the fact that her friend hadn't changed one bit.

"I'm sorry if I couldn't arrive any sooner. School has been busier than ever, lately," the bluenette began to apologize but the blonde just shook her head.

"That doesn't matter right now," Claire approached Megumi and wrapped her scarf around her friend's neck, "Let's get you warmed up before it really starts freezing around here."

The two girls linked hands as they made their way to the farm house.

"I've missed you, Megumi," the farmer sighed. She tilted her head to see that Megumi was smiling at her as well.

"And I missed you, too, Claire."

When Megumi entered the farmhouse, only one expression was shown clearly on her face: confusion.

First of all, the last time she visited the town, Claire's farmhouse was hardly bigger than her room in Polar Star. Now, it was at least thrice that size since it included her own kitchen, a shower and a bunch of closets and dressers to store her equipment. Secondly, Megumi noticed as she laid her luggage near the large bed placed in the corner, signs of getting married were starting to become more evident due to the house's expansion and the obvious presence of a blue feather placed neatly on her desk.

Those two things didn't bother Megumi much. Claire was five years her senior, after all, and, in the short time she had taken over the farm, she made the town flourish more than ever. Of course she'd want to settle down after having accomplished that goal.

No, those prospects were not what confused the bluenette.

Megumi sat on the nearest chair in the dining table as she looked questioningly at her friend, "Um, I thought that we were going to work on the field?"

Claire stared at the girl then laughed out loud. She was tying a ribbon from what looked like an apron on her back. "Work on the field…during Winter? You know I'd love to do THAT more than anything right now but I don't have a place where I can grow crops during this season. Well, not yet, anyway." A mischievous glint suddenly appeared in Claire's eyes.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you noticed it when you entered the farmhouse, right? My field's covered in nothing but snow and to try to plant anything there would just be a waste of money," Claire explained as she began tying her hair, prankster face gone without a trace.

"Huh? Huh?" Dread began to pool in Megumi's stomach.

"Well, it's not like I'm a lazy bum during this season. I still go to the mines to get ore and forage some herbs on the mountains. The animals are easily taken care of, too, thanks to my, uh, little friends so you don't need to worry about anything," Claire turned to face the bluenette when she saw that she was wearing an expression of worry on her face.

No. Not worry. More like pure utter shock. And dread. Definitely dread.

"Then… what am I here for?" Megumi asked with careful eyes. There was an edge of anxiety in her voice.

Claire sighed. "If you're thinking that I'm hooking you up with someone, think again. What happened last time was a disaster and I'd rather not repeat that."

The shy girl relaxed a little. "If not that, then… what are we going to do?"

The blonde smiled at that and pointed to the dresser beside the table. "I've got a spare apron in there. I want you to wear it and come to the kitchen when you're done."

"We're cooking?" Megumi asked as she rushed over to where the dresser was. She was quick to note that, aside from the occasional sundress and shorts, Claire had nothing but overalls to wear. It hardly resembled the wardrobe of a person who used to teach in restaurants back in the city.

And those were 5-star restaurants, too, Megumi added to herself.

"Of course we are! Why else would I need your help for?"

"HUH?!" The bluenette scrambled towards the kitchen as she finished tying the "I LOVE MT" apron on her back. The sight before her surprised her as the spotless counters she observed just a while ago were filled to the brim with baking ingredients. There were eggs and flour and milk and yeast and nuts and fruits and different kinds of syrups.

And, most of all, it was piled with large amounts of chocolate. Chocolate powder in bags on the shelf, chocolate bars stacked on one corner, there was even chocolate already brewing in the pot Claire was attending to.

The blonde tilted her head with a wicked smile. "It's Winter Thanksgiving tomorrow, you know. And, if anything, it's the most special day for girls around here so you better not mess this up for me."

"Why do you have so many bowls prepared, Claire?" Megumi was stirring one of the said bowls while her partner was buttering up the last set of cookie dough to be placed in the oven.

"Because I have a lot to give away, silly!" Claire replied as she placed the batch of cookies inside to be baked, "Going off my list, all that's left are pretty much the chocolate you're mixing and slicing the chocolate cake we stored in the fridge."

Megumi was silent as she focused on mixing the chocolate bowl on her hand. They've been in the kitchen for a good solid four hours and she was starting to feel the strain in her arms and legs. She was sure she had never worked this long in the kitchen before, not even when she entered the academy. The thought why Claire made so much for such a small event never left her mind.

"You must be wondering why I'm making so much stuff for Winter Thanksgiving."

Megumi looked up at her friend in awe. Claire was always good at reading her face, but it was something that never failed to surprise her every time.

"Listen, Megumi," as Claire closed the oven, she faced the bluenette with warm eyes, "A purple bandana-donning friend of mine once met a chef that told him a dish should encompass who you are on the plate," as if to emphasize her point she held out her hand like she was holding a tray.

Hearing those words, Megumi felt a wave of nostalgia course through her. It was almost the same thing Soma told her back in the training camp! Then, the chef that Claire's friend was talking about must be…

"But I disagree on that mindset," Claire puffed out as she took the bowl from Megumi's hands and poured them onto the metal molds in front of her, "Well, not completely, anyway."

"Why… do you disagree?" Megumi asked as she began cleaning up the dishes, thinking that maybe the cold water would help her arms relax.

Satisfied in pouring the melted chocolate, Claire picked up the molds and went to the fridge to let them freeze for a while. "Well, let's be honest. I don't think you can cram all the things you've learned into just one specific dish, right? A more accurate description for you guys would be a full-course meal. Maybe even a buffet.

"But, you see, what I do get is that you have to put your whole heart in making your food. In other words, our homegrown style focuses more on adapting towards the people who are going to eat our food rather than the technical aspects of cooking, right?"

"Yes," Megumi nodded, " My seniors in the academy… told me that my cooking's hospitality aspect is my greatest strength."

"But, despite that, I don't believe that we have to limit ourselves to one form."

"I… don't understand."

"It's simple, really," Claire leaned on a nearby counter as she began to carve a shape on to the chocolate bar they made just a while ago, "Winter Thanksgiving here is more known as Valentine's Day outside of the border. And, on that day, girls traditionally give chocolates to boys they have feelings for, whether it be platonic, romantic or out of obligation, correct?" Megumi gave a small nod.

"In this village, Winter Thanksgiving is exactly what is says: you show your gratitude to people during the Winter. It's not limited to just showing your feelings to the boys that you like. It's a celebration where all types of love are embraced.

"That's why I want each person I give this chocolate to be special. I want to give chocolate shaped like animals to the kids who help out, chocolate mousse for my sweet-toothed best friend at the poultry farm and a giant cake for the guy I'm planning on proposing to next year. It's a daunting task, but to give everyone a taste of what I'm feeling for them is an opportunity I just can't let go off."

"I see," Megumi clapped her hands together, "That's very nice of you to consider everyone's feelings, Claire." She then mentally gave herself a pat on the head for correctly guessing Claire's marriage plans.

"Hmmm," the farmer stopped for a bit before continuing with her words, "More like it's finally time I started giving back to them. These chocolates are just a small tokens of appreciation towards the people who've helped me grow around here.

"In other words, Megumi" Claire held up the chocolate rose she was carving which glittered under the harsh kitchen light, "I believe that your dish, your chocolate, should be able to send your feelings to whoever's eating it. Like a piece of music, feelings from the heart should come out in a way where words couldn't express."

The bluenette was silent at her friend's last words.

Feelings… should come out loud and clear, Megumi thought as she dried her hands at the towel, staring at them for a good while after.

Evening was falling when the girls finished their not-so-short cooking session. After a quick meal and trip to the shower, the pair was warming themselves up by the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa after a long day. They had blankets draped on their backs as they took in the warmth coming from the hearth.

"You guys will be celebrating your own Chocolate Carnival on the 14th next month, am I wrong?" Claire sat cross-legged beside Megumi who had her knees pressed close to her chest.

Megumi nodded. She curled her toes closer to her as she sipped more of the hot drink her friend prepared. "I… think I wanna try doing it, Claire."

This time it was the blonde's turn to tilt her head questioningly. "You wanna try what exactly?"

They stared at each other's eyes for a while, deep amber on baby blue. "I want to try showing my feelings towards the people I care about." The younger girl turned redder at her words and it was not because of the heat coming from the fire.

Claire giggled but then smiled understandingly. "How many people do you have in mind?"

Megumi thought for a while. " Seven, I guess."

"Seven? That's quite a lot you have in mind for someone's first try," Claire wondered but then stared at the girl skeptically, "Don't tell me those are all boys?"

"What?!" Megumi flailed, "You've got it all wrong! It's not just about Soma-kun, I swe-"

"Soma, huh?" Claire smirked at the young girl, "I thought you told me you were single?"

"No-it's not- I can explain!"

"I'm joking, okay," Claire chuckled once more, "I'm telling you now, though. There's enough leftover chocolate for more than seven people back in the kitchen. Take it with you when you go back to that academy of yours.

"In only one condition, that is."

"And that is?" Megumi hoped that her request would not involve anymore teasing. She stared at her mug then reluctantly looked up to her friend's eyes, expecting some sort of wild prank to come at her.

But what Megumi saw were stern yet warm orbs that made Claire look more like a mother in front of her. Right then, the Claire in front of her was not the blonde farmer nor the friend she had grown close to thanks to the research society.

No. The Claire in front of her was the expert on pastries and sweets that ran away from the bustle of the city. It was that of a person who mastered the art of projecting a person's inner thoughts on to the dish she was preparing. A person who was not afraid in pushing the boundaries when it comes to intermingling the joy of eating food and exploring feelings.

"I want to take part in deciding what you'll make. You still have a long way to go when it comes to sweets, my dear kumquat," Claire finished her sentence with a pat on Megumi's head as she finished her cocoa and laid herself to bed. Megumi soon followed after and the two held hands in their sleep, like they always did back then, as if they were never letting each other go.

The only time they let those hands separate longer than a minute was when Claire had to see Megumi off with a bittersweet smile.

Megumi opened her eyes as she took a deep breath. She instinctively touched the charm her mother gave her and breathed a sigh of relief as she began to recall what day it was.

Today was Valentine's Day. Or, as her friend liked to call it, the Chocolate Carnival of Tohtsuki.

"Remember Megumi," Claire's words echoed in her ear, "your chocolate should contain all the feelings you want to convey. It's like giving your heart to someone, unconditionally."

Today was her turn to put her heart into her dish.

Today was her day to give chocolate.

Today, she was not running away.

End Prologue