Mitakihara Winter Story Arc

by Shades 0f Dawn

The Mitakihara magical girls find themselves in a winter retreat cabin during Winter break. Isolated from the rest of society, how will they deal with their new situation? Will Madoka learn how to ski? Can Sayaka put her problem solving skills to use? Will romance thrive as Christmas arrives? - Multi-chapter Collab with Foxtrot0220 and XP Flipside.

4. The Skiers' Story: Part I

Mitakihara Winter Story Arc

The Skiers' Story Part I: The Beginning of the End

By: Shades 0f Dawn

---

Homura had always been an early riser.

Perhaps it had come from her time spent in a hospital, weak and frail before she transferred to Mitakihara City, but nothing soothed the ravenette more than watching the soft amber sunrise glow gently against her bedroom window. Sitting in the tranquil morning silence, she would pull out a book to read, letting the dusty smell of well-worn bindings and the texture of crinkled pages fill her senses.

Picking up the pastime of reading had come easily. Faced with questions about how her life would progress through her heart condition, Homura had found herself appealed by the quiet solitude of hovering her nose over open ink-filled pages and letting her imagination run free through wondrously fabricated worlds.

Real life was full of questions, hardship, and pain. But these fantasy realms stowed away within book bindings were brimming with mystery, adventure, and wonder.

As time passed, Homura had grown to prefer indoor activities over the sports of the outdoors. Gym class was manageable every now and then, but she wasn't in a condition to try out for any sports teams. While her peers loved running around on fields to kick a soccer ball or catch a baseball, Homura took solace spending time in the library or relaxing during a vacation like this one.

Letting her mind grow and explore left her intimidated at the prospect of physical exertion. And perhaps she would still be an evening bookworm in a small school library, afraid of the world outside the windows, if it hadn't been for...

Wait... sunlight?

What time is it?

Slowly, Homura pulled herself up from the embrace of her bed as the last of the dawn's rays shone through a crack in the window blinds, spilling onto the bedsheets in an amber and gold pool. A quick glance outside gifted her the sight of a sea of pine trees gently sloping down the mountainside. The morning light glistened through the mist as it rose between the mountains, covering the landscape with a translucent cloak. Squinting her eyes against the shimmering light, Homura sat in awe of the morning beauty.

But even that couldn't compare to the one right beside her.

If it hadn't been for her...

Currently, Madoka was cuddled into Homura's side like a small cat, curled up against the warmth of her body as she softly snored. Lying in the golden glow of the sunlight, she looked for all the world like an innocently sleeping goddess.

Tenderly, Homura reached out and stroked the pinkette's soft cheeks and hair, smiling as she did so. As if sensing the situational change and Homura's nearby warmth, a sleeping Madoka shifted and nuzzled closer to Homura's body with content smile of her own.

So... cute...

Homura thought with a faint blush, unable to keep herself from staring at Madoka's sleeping expression. A sudden feeling swelled within her chest - making her feel as if she could sit here all day and protectively watch over Madoka.

Homura's gaze fell to Madoka's slightly parted lips, when an idea emerged from the back of her mind. Swallowing back her nervousness, Homura tucked her hair behind an ear and hesitantly leaned in closer to brush her lips with ones as soft as butter.

Normally, she wouldn't have dared to try such a forward move. But after the whirlwind events of yesterday that brought them so much closer together, and with Madoka sleeping, Homura felt slightly emboldened to give the swelling love in her chest an outlet. Besides, it wasn't like Madoka wouldn't have liked it either...

Right?

Just this once... I can indulge myself... can't I?

The kiss only lasted for a brief moment - leaving the unfulfilled promise of another one lingering upon Homura lips.

But it was still more than enough to make her blush furiously.

"Sleep well, Madoka," Homura whispered as she drew back, tenderly stroking Madoka's cheek one last time before reluctantly tearing herself away from the bed and the warmth of the blankets.

As soon as her feet hit the cold hardwood floor, Homura fought back a shiver and wrapped her arms around herself. The thin pajamas she was wearing hardly protected her against the brisk chill of the early winter morning - especially in the mountains. In an effort to keep warm, she threw on a thick coat, zipping it up before heading downstairs to fix herself a quick cup of coffee. Her feet padded softly as she ambled down the upstairs hallway.

The calmness of the cabin was a pleasant change from the recent events. Homura found herself wishing this moment could last for a while longer.

So she had not expected to find the other girls waiting expectantly for her.

Homura had specifically woken up this early to enjoy the dawning moments of the day alone in peace. Yet now here she was, descending the stairs as Kyouko and Sayaka waited on the living room couch. A steaming cup of coffee on the kitchen's marble counter announced that Mami was also awake and present somewhere else in the cabin.

"What are you doing here?" Homura asked them as she reached the bottom, lingering by the foot of the stairs.

Kyouko and Sayaka had been busy quietly mumbling to each other before, but once they noticed Homura, they fell silent and snapped their attention to her. In the silence that followed, neither of them said a word.

Feeling slightly uneasy, Homura wondered if she would have been better off staying in bed with Madoka.

"Good morning, Akemi-san."

Homura didn't have to turn around to recognize the golden-haired girl hovering behind her. But she still did so, letting Mami's warm smile fill her view. Before Homura could react, she found a cup of coffee being pressed into her hands.

"Here, I made some for you," Mami offered Homura the warm beverage as the latter wordlessly accepted it.

"Thank you..."

Homura trailed off as she took a small sip of her coffee. There was just enough milk and sugar to create the taste just the way she liked it, but the coffee was the least of her thoughts right now.

It wasn't as big of a surprise seeing Mami awake at this early hour as it was to see Kyouko and Sayaka, but it was strange nonetheless. Homura frowned, trying to clear her thoughts. Was something going on among these three?

Homura wasn't at suspicion yet, but there was plenty of caution and wariness in her posture as she watched Mami grab her own cup of coffee. Mami idly leaned against the living room wall, taking small sips of her warm beverage as she glanced out at the dawning landscape in appreciative silence, leaving a confused Homura to decipher the unusual atmosphere.

"Kaname-san isn't up yet, is she?" Mami suddenly asked, humming in contemplation as Homura shook her head. "I see. Well, we can wait. In the meantime, feel free to pack anything you may need. I've already taken care of our lunch-"

"Pack?" Homura echoed, interrupting Mami before she could lose her completely. Only now did she notice the bag slung over Mami's shoulder. Why hadn't she seen that earlier? "What exactly are we packing for?"

Mami tilted her head as a perplexed expression stole over her features - as if she couldn't understand why Homura had no idea what she was talking about. "Oh, I didn't tell you? We're going skiing today."

A beat of silence.

Wait, what?

"We're going skiing?" Homura deadpanned, trying to process the weight of those words. "As in, the sport that involves navigating down a snow-covered slope with two narrow plastic sticks?"

"Yeah, Homura..." Kyouko slowly nodded, arching an eyebrow in amusement. "That's what skiing is..."

Homura cast a sideways glance at Kyouko and Sayaka, but neither of them seemed fazed by the announcement. Was she really the only one that didn't know? Homura opened her mouth to protest: "But-"

"Of course we're going skiing, Akemi-san!" Mami said, enthusiasm peppered into her tone despite the half-bewildered, half-gloomy look Homura was currently giving her.

Mami glided over to the living room window and threw open the curtains, letting the morning sunlight fully stream through, lighting up the dim interior of the cabin. Unlike her delighted companion, Homura just winced, shielding her eyes from the sudden change.

"But-" Homura opened her mouth to voice her objections again. "Skiing... involves... strenuous physical activity..."

"We're staying in the mountains during winter break. It's only natural that we go skiing with such a well-renowned resort in the area." Mami cheerfully added, oblivious to Homura's complaints.

"Apparently it's really famous," Sayaka piped up from her position on the couch. With her backpack slung over her shoulders, she looked like she was already itching to go, impatient that Homura was slow to catch on. "That's why we're going."

"Unless you're not up to it, of course," Kyouko added, tossing a smirk in Homura's direction. Homura just ignored the obvious bait, trying to digest her new situation.

As an indoors-type of person, Homura didn't particularly like sports. But it wasn't like she had never tried to get better at physical activities.

Homura remembered when she had recently tried to train herself after school on the school track. The first time, she had only managed to run a lap before breathlessly collapsing into a tired heap on the grassy field. A nearby Kyouko had then teased her about not being a physically adapt person, adding that she would have never thought that someone as confident as Homura could have their weak spots.

Homura had then proceeded to explain why she wasn't able to participate in any physically strenuous activities in her early life due to her heart condition. But Kyouko had only laughed, before pointing out that not only did Homura have a weak point, but she had a soft heart as well.

The shade of red Homura had turned as she stormed away was pure comedy gold to the rest of the girls.

But Homura was back the next day per usual, pushing the boundaries of her physical limits just a little further each time. Running every day for a month was a daunting task for someone like her, but she wasn't about to give up and embarrass herself in front of the rest - especially not in front of Madoka.

And before Homura knew it, she could keep up with a physically prodigal specimen like Kyouko for the most part, making up for the lack of raw energy and brute force with calculated efficiency and stamina.

Still, Homura wasn't keen on going skiing. Especially when she had thought that this vacation was supposed to be a time to relax.

"I'd rather not go," Homura said, giving Mami a solemn look that meant she was being serious. She weakly brought a hand to her forehead for further dramatic effect. "I don't feel particularly well this morning…"

"More like she just wants to spend all day with Madoka alone," Sayaka muttered, sticking out her tongue as Homura shot her a cold glare.

"You really should come, Akemi-san," Mami said lightly, her eyes shining with understanding even if she was trying to convince Homura otherwise. "It will be a fun new experience if you've never skied before! And it'll only be for a day."

"But-" Homura began when Madoka suddenly trotted into the living room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she yawned.

"Hm? What's everyone doing here?" Madoka sleepily asked, stopping in her tracks when she became aware of her interruption. She blinked and looked at Homura, shyly ambling over to stand by the ravenette's side.

Seeing Madoka fresh out of sleep, shaken up by an early morning, stole the words from Homura's mouth. The pinkette was beautiful without even trying. The way her ruffled hair brushed her shoulders, with odd strands sticking out at cute angles, and her soft face caught the gentle morning light was just so mesmerizing to Homura.

Needless to say, it took a lot of effort on Homura's part to try to focus on the matter at hand.

"Madoka," Homura began, trying her best to explain the situation. "You probably don't know this, but they want to-"

"Oh!" Madoka's eyes suddenly lit up in excitement. "Today's the day we're going skiing, right?"

So Homura really was the only person that didn't know beforehand. She internally sighed, wondering why she had even bothered to wake up this morning.

But when Homura made a move to leave, Mami called out to her again, suggesting that she should come along because what was she going to do anyways? Sleep all day in the cabin? Madoka was going, so wasn't that a good enough reason to tag along as well?

Noticing Madoka's shy, encouraging smile from the corner of her eyes, Homura eventually gave in and mumbled her reluctant agreement. It wasn't like she hated the outdoors and participating in sports. And the fact that Homura could show off the results of her recent physical training to Madoka, along with the enticing prospect of spending time together by helping her ski, was just icing on the cake.

And Homura did like icing.

Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

---

In contrast to Madoka, if there was a single word to describe Sayaka right now, it would be "insufferable."

Homura would've been hard-pressed to pinpoint a precise time when the blunette's annoying antics began, but any of her six bathroom breaks along the way to the ski resort would have probably sufficed. And if forcing the rest of the girls to constantly switch buses wasn't enough, she made it a point to buy the messiest bag of chips at each stop, which she loudly crunched on right next to Homura's ear for the duration of the ride.

With crumbs constantly spilling into her lap in addition to the loud crunching noises, Homura was beginning to feel a dull pain growing in the back of her head.

But as bad as everything else was, the worst part had to be the continuous complaints.

"It's almost ten o'clock," Sayaka abruptly pointed out, and Homura felt her patience shrivel up even further. It had to be at least the tenth time Sayaka had said those aggravating words during this ride, within the span of half an hour.

"Yes," Homura briskly agreed, her hands tightening around the straps of her backpack. With the remaining fraction of her composure, she didn't bother to point out that it was Sayaka's fault that they were running late. "I realize that."

"We're still driving," Sayaka said slowly, as if Homura couldn't tell. Homura simply breathed in through her nose, trying to settle her nerves.

"Good observation."

Somewhere a few seats towards the front, Mami and Madoka were too absorbed in reading over the resort brochure together to hear the argument behind them. On the other side of Sayaka, Kyouko was trying to sleep to little avail on the bumpy bus. Homura sighed, trying her best to ignore her growing headache and shift into a more comfortable position on the hard bus seat.

But just as Homura tried to lean back into her seat and close her eyes, an annoyingly wide-eyed blue stare eclipsed her view.

"We're not there yet?"

Sayaka's breath smelled faintly vinegary from a few inches away, much to Homura's chagrin. The crowded bus atmosphere was bad. The bathroom breaks were even worse. The spilling crumbs and loud crunching sounds were downright horrible. So the fact that someone insufferable like Miki Sayaka would choose a terrible flavor like Salt and Vinegar just put everything over the top.

"Miki Sayaka, does it look like we're there yet?" Homura snapped back, gesturing outside to the snow-covered pine trees lining the narrow road. "All we have seen so far are trees and snow. There's no buildings for another hour."

Sayaka just blankly stared out the window. "Ohhh... Right."

Finished with her answer, Homura slouched back and rubbed her aching temples. The bright sunlight was making her vision sear with painful stars. She was just about to close her eyes when Sayaka impatiently huffed, crossing her arms and inadvertently elbowing Homura in the process. Kyouko's grunt of pain was heard from the other side of Sayaka, and Homura knew that she'd been rudely jabbed in the ribs as well.

"But it's almost ten, and we're gonna be late," Sayaka complained, a distinct whine growing in her tone. "The lines are gonna be so loooooong-"

Quickly losing patience for such an irritating complaint, Homura didn't hesitate to roughly shove Sayaka away from her, probably squishing Kyouko in the process, but feeling no remorse anyways. "Shut up." Homura snapped, aiming a withering glare in the blunette's direction.

"Ouch!" Sayaka yelped, clutching her ribs as she shot Homura an indignant glare of her own. "What's wrong with you? You've been in a bad mood ever since we left."

"Are you physically incapable of shutting your mouth, or does it make you feel better to make others feel miserable?" Homura growled as Sayaka immediately quieted. She paused in the middle of her tirade to rub her sore eyes, wishing they were already there so she didn't have to be stuck with this insufferable individual. Why weren't they there yet?

God, she was beginning to act like Sayaka now.

"Calm down, Homura," Sayaka quietly hissed, returning to her original position, albeit a bit cautiously. "You're being a real prick today."

Homura didn't reply, partly because she lacked the energy to and mostly because she knew it was true. While she hadn't exactly left the cabin in a bad mood, the stifling atmosphere in the bus and the ridiculous length of time it was taking to arrive was giving her a splitting headache. Sensing this, the other girls - save for Sayaka - wisely left her alone.

It went to show that even someone like Homura could be painfully transparent with her emotions.

When Sayaka finally decided to shut her mouth and instead occupied herself by glumly folding her arms and watching the trees pass by, Homura mentally heaved a sigh of relief. But her headache still persisted, much to her irritation. With every passing minute or each bump in the road, her mood worsened as she silently stewed in her seat.

It was like she was beginning to feel the effects of a hangover from the recent events, all coming back down on her from that adrenaline-filled experience with Madoka. It was like she had been on an emotional and romantic high, and was now feeling the backlash…

Homura glanced out of the window at the icy blue skies - anything to distract her mind from her current reality. She didn't understand why they were going skiing in the first place. Skiing was immensely tiring and painful. It was not how she wanted to spend her vacation.

Homura had to repeatedly remind herself that she was going for Madoka's sake. It was only for six or seven hours – and really, Homura had nothing to complain about. At least she would have Madoka by her side.

But with Sayaka whining the entire way there however, Homura had trouble focusing on that one bright aspect.

---

Reaching the ski resort was like breathing in a gulp of fresh air.

As soon as the bus pulled up to a stop in front of the ski resort, Homura somehow managed to weave past the other passengers and stumble her way out into the slush-covered parking lot. Snow crunched underfoot as she walked away from the crowded bus, shakily inhaling the fresh mountain air and feeling like she was drinking a sip of ice-cold water after running a marathon in a desert.

The crisp atmosphere of the outdoors was already working wonders to relieve her headache. Squinting, Homura could see that her vision was slowly steadying back to normal. In a matter of minutes, the powdery white stretch of landscape of the ski resort slowly swam into view.

I should have brought some aspirin, Homura regretfully reflected as she tried not to stare at the sunlight glinting off of the snowy surface. Can I really make it through today?

"Homura-chan, over here!"

Homura perked up to the sound of Madoka's voice, turning to see the pinkette waving at her from across the parking lot. The other girls were beginning to lug their belongings towards the ski resort. While Mami and Sayaka struggled to heft their large bags over their backs, Kyouko looked incredibly smug for packing light.

"Hey, Homura-chan, don't go wandering around and get lost already!" Kyouko teased once Homura was within earshot, offering a cheeky smile. "Who's gonna help Madoka ski if you're not around?" she added with a sly wink.

"Speak for yourself," Homura defensively muttered back, shoving her hands into her pockets to ward off the cold. "Don't forget the time we all had to look for you on that school field trip."

"Oh, lighten up, will ya?" Kyouko held her arms out, lifting her gaze skywards to gather a full view of the wintry sky. Exhaling a plume of steam into Homura's face, she flashed another fanged grin. "We're actually doing something for once on this vacation! Believe it or not, but some of us don't enjoy sitting around in the cabin and reading all day while sipping tea like some gloomy bookworm."

"Who's a gloomy bookworm?" Homura grumbled as she halfheartedly tossed a snowball in Kyouko's direction, which was easily dodged. Kyouko just laughed at the pitiful attempt and strode on ahead of her.

"Last one inside's a rotten egg!"

Watching a laughing Kyouko race through the snowbanks, Homura just sighed, wondering how some people could always have so much boundless energy. The thought of having to chaperone the redhead while simultaneously skiing made her immensely grateful for Mami's presence.

It wasn't like Homura disliked spending time in everyone's company. But as someone who preferred peace and quiet, there were times when she needed to be alone.

Still, she had to at least attempt to participate in these social activities, even if she didn't plan on doing much. Though, it probably wouldn't look very good if she simply read inside the lodge for the entire day. Kyouko and Sayaka would think she was strange.

As if they didn't think she was unusual enough. Homura sighed again, watching the plume of steam escape from her lips into the frigid air.

Just seven more hours.

I can do this, can't I?

With her mood considerably lightened after the bus ride, Homura rejoined the rest of the girls as they entered the interior of the wooden lodge.

True to its fame, the ski resort had an enormous, two-storied lodge that nearly spanned the entire width of the mountain base. Walking through the various common rooms and gift shops, Homura almost felt like she was in some sort of large shopping mall. The most distinguishing feature of the lodge's architecture was the oaken and spruce logs that formed the walls and ceiling beams - similar to the structure of a log cabin. Skiers were walking around everywhere in crowds of brightly-colored winter jackets, and Homura had to squeeze her way through in order to avoid being separated from everyone else.

Once they had chosen a table by the far, more secluded corner of the lodge and placed their stuff on top, they went about renting boots, skis, and poles. It was a hassle trying to shove on the incredibly tight and uncomfortable ski boots, along with filling out various safety forms for renting the skis, but Homura patiently assisted Madoka at each process - if nothing but for the bright, thankful smile she received in return.

And when they chose a matching pair of pink and black skis, it made everything up until that point worth it. As Madoka held up her skis and shyly beamed at her, Homura couldn't help but smile in return.

"Seriously, you two are a silly pair of lovers," Kyouko remarked as she watched Homura and Madoka attempt to help each other put on their boots, falling over several times in an embarrassed heap. The redhead shook her head at their clumsiness as an easygoing grin spread across her features. "You're even making someone like Sayaka look like she's coordinated."

"Hey!" Sayaka indignantly called out from the next aisle over, obviously having heard Kyouko's jab. There was a second of silence before a loud noise indicated that she had also fallen over for the umpteenth time.

"At least we don't have childish tastes," Homura countered as she pointed at Kyouko's carefully handpicked pair of skis: bright red with orange flames running up and down the edges. The redhead had taken the most time of the group to choose her skis, and when she had finally emerged from the rental store, no one else had been the slightest bit impressed with her choice.

Kyouko just stuck her tongue out. "Laugh all you want now, but this baby's gonna smoke you on the slopes!"

"I wouldn't be too sure," was Homura's only answer, deciding to let her actions speak for herself rather than continue the aimless trash talk.

Once Homura helped Madoka regain her balance on the ski boots, they tentatively walked towards the snow outside, skis tucked under their arms. Other skiers were beginning to gather around the doors of the lodge, eager to set off onto the mountain slopes.

"C'mon, let's go already!" Kyouko urged as Sayaka stumbled after her, pushing their way towards the front.

"Yeah, I'm coming! Wait up!"

Outside, the world was a blinding landscape of pure whiteness as the glaring sunlight overhead glinted off of the hills of snow. People were crowded around the large gate as ski attendants waited until they had formed a semi-organized line.

No sooner had the ski attendants opened the gate when Kyouko rushed off into the crowd of other skiers and towards the promised land of pure white snow, cheering loudly as she did so.

"Don't go wandering around and get lost already," Homura called after the redhead, tucking her hands into the pockets of her winter jacket. The brisk chill of the mountain was already settling in, and not for the first time, she was grateful that she remembered to bring gloves. Homura patiently waited as the crowd of skiers rushed past into the infinite whiteness, making sure to stick close to Madoka's side.

She glanced at Madoka. "Shall we go as well?"

"A-Ah, okay!" Madoka enthusiastically nodded, dropping her skis onto the ground. She raised one foot, and gently placed it in the latch with a 'click'. As Madoka attempted to do the same with the other foot, she immediately tried to take a step forward and almost lost her balance. Her skis shot forward as the pinkette lurched backwards, free-falling until-

"Madoka-!" Homura caught the flailing pinkette just in time, steadying her by firmly wrapping an arm around her back. That had been close. She mentally breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes, s-sorry!" Madoka exclaimed, looking just as surprised as Homura. She blinked her wide-open pink eyes, shyly glancing away to avoid staring directly into Homura's face. "I-I didn't expect it to be so difficult. T-Thank you for that…"

Madoka trailed off, before she suddenly noticed that she was still clinging onto Homyura's sleeve. "Ah, I'm sorry!" A blushing Madoka exclaimed, quickly releasing her tight grip before almost losing her balance again, much to Homura's worry and slight amusement.

"You girls should be careful today," Mami warned as she expertly skied up beside the duo in a spray of snow. Even as amateurs, Homura and Madoka could tell that her form was impeccable.

"There are a lot of things that can go wrong when skiing," Mami continued. "You can sprain your ankle, get lost in the mountains, or even start an avalanche-"

"Please don't say that." Homura hurriedly cut in. "Let's not raise any death flags before we've even begun."

"Will you two be fine?" Mami asked with a concerned tilt of her head. Her gaze switched back and forth from Homura to Madoka, as if sizing up the two girls. "Neither of you have skied before, have you?"

"No, and it seems pretty difficult…" Madoka trailed off with apprehension evident in her tone. She glanced hopefully at Homura. "Have you?"

Ruefully, Homura shook her head. "No, I haven't. But I imagine the basics aren't hard to learn. From what I can tell, the trick to skiing is maintaining good posture and using sound techniques. I think I should be fine..."

Mami knowingly smiled at that. "So I take it you'll be fine alone with Kaname-san?"

Homura felt her cheeks redden. "A-Ah n-no, that's not what I meant-"

But Mami just winked and waved goodbye as she skied away to the various ski lifts dotting the bottom of the mountainside, leaving Homura and Madoka very much alone. As the silence hung over the two for the following several seconds, Homura shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure out what to say next.

Luckily for her, Madoka broke the silence. "Could you teach me how to ski?" she asked with a shy smile, giving Homura a hopeful look.

Of course, with a look like that, Homura couldn't say no.

"I-If you're fine with me, then I'll try my best..." Homura quietly said, internally praying that she'd be able to teach herself the basics of skiing fast enough to be useful to Madoka. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah," Madoka agreed, trailing behind her like an innocent little kitten.

Even with noon approaching, the air was still chilly and the sun was fully hidden behind the slew of gray clouds, leaving behind a subdued shadow across the winterscape. The two girls walked in silence, translucent vapors of breaths lingering before their lips, before arriving in a secluded location where they were free to practice alone.

"It's so... peaceful," Madoka said, lost in admiration of their own private stretch of snow.

"Yeah..." Homura nodded, simply thankful that the other crowds of skiers were too preoccupied skiing on the slopes to be aimlessly milling around the mountain base. Skiing wasn't quite like watching the sunrise together from a romantic balcony view, but with Madoka, it was a rare opportunity nonetheless.

A rare opportunity, albeit challenging.

It was a learning experience for Homura and Madoka as they practiced slowly gliding back and forth across the bottom of the mountain, away from the crowds.

True to Homura's word, the art of skiing was a mastery of balance. As long as she kept a steady posture and distributed her body weight by conforming to the nuances in the snow, she found that she could ski at a moderate pace. It was tough on her leg muscles, but the skis made her feel like she was effortlessly flying through the snowbanks faster and easier than she could have ran.

"Wow, look at me, Homura-chan!" Madoka tentatively raised her arms over her head as she skied down a slight bump. "I'm going so fast! And I'm not even doing anything- woah-!"

"Ah-" Homura turned around just in time to see Madoka face-plant into the snowbank in a pink heap. "...Are you okay, Madoka?"

Madoka's beaming face emerged from the snow before Homura could ski over to check on her. "I'm fine! The snow is really fluffy, so it doesn't hurt. See?"

Madoka gathered an armful of snow and flung it up into the air, giggling as the cold flakes fell back down all around her like a pure white shower.

Homura simply sighed, unable to hide a small smile at Madoka's innocent antics. "Good grief..."

Skiing was all about balance. Yet it was still easier said than done. Homura had to brush snow off of her jacket on multiple occasions after falling over, or help Madoka when the pinkette inevitably tripped over the smallest bump.

But the experience was rewarding, if nothing but for the heartwarming smiles Homura and Madoka shared together over the next hour. By the end, while they hadn't quite mastered the sport, they were good enough to soon want to try to ski down a basic slope.

And if learning how to ski wasn't rewarding enough, the number of times Homura found herself so close to Madoka could have satisfied her for a lifetime. More than once, Homura felt her cheeks grow hot as Madoka's small body pressed against her own body while she helped stabilize the pinkette's posture.

"You stand like this..." Homura stood right behind Madoka, her chest gently brushing Madoka's back as she laid both of her hands on the pinkette's arms. "Just bend forward a little bit-"

Homura felt completely rooted to the spot as she continued to softly talk into Madoka's ear, with the occasional "Mhmm" or "Oh, I see..." from the pinkette. The temperature was well below freezing, but the warmth from Madoka's body flowing into Homura's own body couldn't have made her feel anymore dizzy with heat.

A-Aren't I basically just hugging her from behind now? Homura thought to herself at one point, so close that Madoka's hair was tickling her nose. I-Isn't this position... a little bit... perverted?

An innocent Madoka didn't notice, but Homura was very much aware of the lack of distance between herself and Madoka. Homura tried to concentrate on teaching Madoka how to ski, and not how much she wanted to turn Madoka's head and kiss the pinkette who made her feel some indescribable way. Even now, she was undeniably falling for her further and further.

By the time they were done with their private lessons, Homura had to sit down to rest her dizzy mind - and to stop reminiscing how many times their fingers had brushed while learning how to use the ski poles or the smell of the pinkette's hair up close.

"Homura-chan, do you want to try skiing with everyone else?" Madoka asked as she gently took a seat next to Homura, offering the ravenette a bottle of water.

Snapping back into reality, Homura gratefully accepted the cool drink, quenching her thirst with a few sips. She raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you're ready for it?"

"Well... I'm still a little nervous, honestly. But I won't get better if I don't at least try!" Madoka enthusiastically said, standing up and helping Homura to her feet as well. "I don't want to hold you back here either. So let's go, Homura-chan!"

"Alright, but I don't know if I can help you up if you fall down mid-slope. Your momentum might carry you down the rest of the way anyways."

"Jeez, don't tease me... You're becoming just like Kyouko-chan!" Madoka playfully pouted, eyes shining with pure happiness as she led Homura across the mountain base.

"Hm..." Homura paused, putting a hand to her chin as she contemplatively glanced off into the distance. "Well, even if you do end up face-planting down the ski slope, I'll still make sure to catch you before it's too late."

"I won't do something that embarrassing!" A blushing Madoka exclaimed, lightly punching Homura's arm. "Don't jinx me!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Really?"

"...Well..."

"Jeez! I don't need your help anymore anyways! Hmph!"

"Ah, I'm sorry, it's just easy to tease you sometimes. Please forgive me?"

"..."

"Madoka?"

"A-Ah! W-Why did you just poke my cheek?"

"You looked like you were spacing out. I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention..."

"I was paying attention! Y-You surprised me..."

"I did?"

"Well, you don't normally touch me like that... or at all..."

"..."

"W-Why are you blushing t-too, Homura-chan?!"

"I-I'm not blushing! The ski lift is right there, so let's get in line..."

"O-Okay..."

Already, Homura was beginning to see the value in her decision to come here, having had the pleasure of teaching Madoka and learning together.

But while learning how to ski had been fun, the best part had to be the ski lifts, which allowed Homura to sit right beside Madoka for the duration of a precious minute as they gazed out into the picturesque wintry mountainside in companionable silence.

A gentle hush cloaked the landscape like newly fallen snow as the ski lift carried them away from the crowd noise from the lodge. Homura pulled off her glove, dusting off the powdery snow that had gotten stuck in the fabric.

I didn't even realize how much snow had accumulated here until now... Am I... having fun?

"Look at all the snow, Homura-chan!" Madoka exclaimed as the lift swung high over the slope. While she gazed in awe at the entirety of the mountain face, Homura couldn't help but glance at her excited expression, brimming with childish innocence.

Staring at those wondrously shining pink eyes, slightly flushed cheeks, and endearing smile captivated the ravenette, rendering her speechless for a brief moment. Madoka's nose was reddening due to the cold, which Homura thought only made her look even more adorable.

For a moment, Homura didn't want to say anything to break their warm silence. Feeling heat beginning to rise to her face, Homura quickly averted her gaze before Madoka could notice her staring.

"This isn't real snow," Homura finally said, squinting at the ground below. From her vantage point, all of the other skiers looked like tiny specks darting through the whiteness. Even the advanced slopes looked deceivingly shallow from here.

"Really?"

"Most of it is artificially produced. See?" Homura pointed at the large snow-blowers dotting the sides of the mountain, as the bulky machines noisily hummed underneath their swinging legs.

"So this whole mountain is made out of fake snow?" Madoka wondered out loud.

"Not entirely. It supplements the natural snow that already exists, making it deep enough to be safe for skiing." Homura explained.

"Oh, I get it. You really are smart, Homura-chan," Madoka added with a smile, tossing Homura an ebullient look. Homura just blushed at the complement, turning away to avoid meeting her gaze and not for the first time mentally cursing her inability to control the color of her cheeks. "You know about a lot of things!"

"There are many things I don't know about… But, thank you."

"You're welcome," Madoka whispered, lacing Homura's fingers in her own and holding her hand close to her own chest. "You mean so much to me, Homura-chan."

Homura didn't have to turn to hear the smile in Madoka's words. Nor did she tense, by now used to Madoka's affectionate gestures. But just listening to Madoka's quiet giggle had the tips of her ears turning bright red. Feeling the pinkette's soft heartbeat thrum against her hand was beginning to make her own heart beat faster.

"Y-You mean so much to me too, Madoka..."

Being so close to Madoka right now felt like such a happy dream. And yet...

Homura wished she could do so much more with her. She wanted to hold her hands in public, but her uncertainty and lack of courage to be seen by everyone else was still keeping her at bay. She wanted to do so much, yet...

"Homura-chan..."

Homura turned at the slight pressure on her shoulder, realizing that Madoka was leaning her head against her shoulder.

A soft blissful sigh escaped Madoka's lips. "Homura-chan…" she whispered again with a faint smile.

"Mm, what is it?" Homura whispered back, not daring to speak any louder lest she scare off this precious moment. Madoka's breath was warm against her cheek, but it felt so comforting that she didn't want to move.

"You're so cute, Homura-chan," Madoka said, tilting her head so that her hair was tickling Homura's nose.

"N-No, I'm not…"

"You're so pretty and mature-looking too…" Madoka said with a dreamy sigh, whispering into Homura's ear.

"I-I'm really not…"

"Is it… okay?" Madoka whispered, shyly peeking at Homura with wide puppy eyes.

The memory of their kiss from this morning lingered in the forefront of Homura's mind, causing her to blush even deeper.

"I-I'm not sure if it's a good idea. Other people might be able to see us." Homura stuttered, trying to keep a placid front to avoid making an embarrassing expression in front of Madoka.

As if she hadn't already done so a million times in the past minute.

Madoka smiled shyly. "I don't mind at all."

And before they knew it, they were only a few inches apart - close enough to feel the warmth and steam from each other's breaths on their cheeks. At this point, Homura - no longer in control of her own body - wasn't able to stop herself from being drawn towards Madoka. As if sensing this, Madoka absentmindedly leaned closer with her lips slightly parted.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. Nothing else mattered and froze in place, with only the two of them able to move and enjoy this moment together, when-

"Ah, we're about to get off!" Madoka exclaimed as she quickly drew away, snapping her gaze straight ahead and scooting back into her original position.

Homura blinked dumbly, remaining in place for a few seconds before logic and reason took control of her thoughts. Even with the end of the ski lift approaching, she didn't register it in her haze. After all, they had just... almost... in public...

"A-Ah, right," Homura finally muttered, still fazed by the lingering warmth on her face. She brought a hand up to her lips, wondering if they had actually done it. They had been so close, she still wasn't sure. The heat from Madoka's breath still felt fresh upon her lips. Maybe... just for the slightest nanosecond... they had-

The whole time, Homura wasn't able to tear her gaze away from Madoka, still entranced by the brilliant pink orbs.

Luckily or not for Homura, Madoka caught her staring this time. Lips curving into a semi-coy smile, Madoka quickly leaned in and pecked a still-entranced Homura on the cheek before the ravenette could recover.

"Hehe um, I hope that makes up for it." Madoka shyly whispered, glancing away with a slightly flushed expression.

"A-Ah..." Homura's blush deepened as she struggled to come up with a response, fully aware that her cheeks must be bright red - indicated by how much Madoka was still giggling. "W-We should focus on getting off n-now, I suppose..."

"Y-Yeah..." Madoka nodded. "I always get a little worried about exiting the ski lift," she said as she warily eyed the quickly approaching landing. "Sometimes the ski lift moves too fast, and I fall when I try to jump off too quickly or if the landing slope is too steep."

"W-Well... I'll hold your hand, Madoka," Homura quietly offered, holding out her own hand towards the pinkette. As Madoka curiously eyed the gesture, Homura blinked and averted her gaze. "I-If you want to, that is..."

Madoka giggled. "I don't think holding hands makes it easier to ski, Homura-chan..."

But she complied nonetheless, affectionately squeezing Homura's gloved hand with her own.

Luckily for them, the ski lift slowed considerably when they neared the ending. They were able to brace their skis against the snow before standing up, using their momentum to carry them downwards. Madoka wobbled slightly, but Homura held Madoka's body securely in her grasp, gradually slowing their descent until they reached a stop.

"T-Thanks..." Madoka said once they glided to a standstill. She beamed, clapping her hands together. "We did it, didn't we?"

"Yeah..." Homura returned her smile with a warm one of her own. "That wasn't so bad."

Just then, Homura turned at the sound of Kyouko laughing, only to see that Sayaka had managed to face-plant into the snow in a comical pose, with her skis protruding from the ground at weird angles.

"Ahaha, how clumsy are you?!" Kyouko exclaimed, doubling over in laughter as she clutched her sides. "The lift was moving at like an inch per hour! How did you still manage to fall?!"

"Oh shut up!" A blushing Sayaka tried to lunge at the redhead, until she realized that her movements were restricted by her skis. As she stumbled past a dodging Kyouko and face-planted into the snow again, Kyouko's laughter only increased in volume.

"S-Sayaka-chan, are you okay?" A concerned Madoka hesitantly walked over to check on the defeated blunette, kneeling by her side.

"Were you right behind us on the lift?" Homura asked, glancing at Kyouko as the redhead nodded.

"A couple of chairs back, yeah. We saw you heading up after it took forever to get Sayaka into her skis, so we decided to tag along."

"So this is your first run on the slopes too?"

"Yeah," Kyouko grinned. "I'm impressed you figured that out. Did Sayaka-chan's grand entrance onto the mountaintop give it away?"

"...gggh-" Sayaka slowly emerged from the snow, prying her face out and spitting out a mouthful of the frozen slush, much to Madoka's relief. "These stupid skis!"

"Are you sure you should be skiing on this slope already?" Homura asked, trying to keep enough concern in her voice to blot out the obvious amusement she was experiencing at Sayaka's antics.

"I'm fine. I've done much worse before," Sayaka huffed as she stood up, quickly brushing the snow from her jacket.

"You have?" Homura couldn't help but ask, idly tilting her head.

It wasn't like she doubted Sayaka's athleticism. But her coordination, on the other hand...

The subtle doubt in her tone caught Sayaka's attention, and she frowned. "Yeah, I have. This is a cake walk compared to those other ones. Are you going to be fine?" Sayaka asked with a cocksure smirk of her own, resting her hands on her hips and leaning over Homura with her slight height advantage.

"I'd imagine I'm a much better skier than you," Homura nonchalantly replied.

"You?!" This time it was Sayaka's turn to laugh. "Skiing isn't like reading a book, you know. I could beat you in sports any day," she added with a dead-set determination shining in her azure eyes.

But Homura wasn't about to back down either, especially with Madoka watching. "On the contrary, I'm confident I could ski down to the bottom of the slope faster than you."

The comment didn't phase Sayaka as she laughed and incredulously stared at the determined ravenette.

"Bring it, Akemi."

"Very well, Miki-san. Don't blame me for what happens afterwards."

Cheeks furiously burning, Sayaka turned away with a "hmph" and tentatively plodded to the beginning of the slope. As Homura watched her go, Madoka approached closer with a worried look.

"W-Was that really a good idea, Homura-chan?" she asked, shooting furtive glances at the fired-up Sayaka stretching before the showdown.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything reckless." Homura assured her, inwardly smiling at the pinkette's innocent concern for her well-being.

Just watch, Madoka. I've been waiting to show off and amaze you.

Madoka gently squeezed Homura's arm. "Be safe."

"I'll try," Homura reassured her.

With Madoka quietly watching and Kyouko cheering on the competitors, Homura skied up to the beginning of the slope, gazing down the edge of the mountainside. She balked slightly at the steep descent, trying not to let her surprise show in her expression.

In hindsight, she probably should have picked a more basic slope. Homura felt like she was staring down the edge of a cliff. Had it always been this steep? It didn't look like it when she was riding the ski lift. The fact that very few skiers were navigating the hills directly below wasn't very reassuring either...

Homura glanced at the faded blue square marking the sign for the slope. Perhaps it was rash of her to assume she could ski so quickly without much previous experience...

"Scared?"

Homura blinked at the voice. She turned to see Sayaka staring at her with a confident smirk. "Pardon?"

"You can still turn back if you want," Sayaka graciously offered.

Homura shook her head, pushing aside her doubts. She had promised herself that she'd do this - that those arduous days spent pushing her physical endurance to her limits was not in vain. "I'll be fine."

My apologies, Miki-san, but it seems that you will be my first victim to showcase my new physical capacity.

Sayaka simply shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"...good luck."

"Yeah," Sayaka grinned. "Good luck to you too, Akemi."

Homura glanced down the slope again, mentally parsing through the quickest route. She cradled the poles in her hands, trying to estimate their weight and length to determine how to effectively use them. A sudden feeling bubbled up within Homura as she braced her legs like a sprinter setting up for a race, adrenaline rushing through her veins like fire. What was this feeling? Anxiety? Excitement?

When had she let herself become so competitively psyched to ski?

"Ready?!" Kyouko raised a hand over her head, glancing between the two competitors before letting it drop. "Go!"

The instant the word left Kyouko's mouth, Homura had already pushed herself forward with her poles. The wind screamed in her ears as she leaned forwards and - one heart-stopping second of hovering over the edge of the slope later - she was hurtling down the mountainside at an unimaginable speed.

The scattered bumps on the slope felt like a rhythmic beating against Homura's feet. The air was whooshing by even faster. Never in her life had she felt so exhilarated.

Blocking out the sounds of the outside world, Homura focused on trying to maintain her balance and speed by zigzagging across the slope. She didn't dare turn around to see how close Sayaka was, for fear of losing her attention for a fraction of a second - enough to send her skidding into the snow and wipe out completely.

As much as Homura wasn't fond of sports, skiing was easier for her since it didn't require as much continual active energy as "running" sports like soccer or baseball. Most of skiing relied on balance and technique, which Homura quickly found she was fairly adept at.

Homura didn't stop until she slowed down midway and looked back, amazed at how far she had come.

"Wow, you're really good, Homura-chan!" Madoka said in awe as she skied next to Homura several seconds later.

"You guys are so slow! Try and catch up!" Kyouko called out as she whizzed by in a red blur, taking the fastest and most direct path down the rest of the slope.

Homura just rolled her eyes and followed suit right behind her. Despite her usual sharp retorts muted by the lingering effects of sleepiness, she easily weaved down the rest of the slope - finishing in a solid second place right behind a slightly impressed Kyouko.

"Second place is nice and all, but you know..." the redhead quipped. "Aside from me, it's not like you have very tough competition."

"I finished barely ten seconds behind you, though," Homura quickly pointed out.

"Eh," Kyouko carelessly waved it off with her free hand. "I wasn't trying my hardest. I wasn't the one you were racing in the first place. Which reminds me... where is Sayaka?"

Both of them peered up the mountainside as other skiers gradually came down in scattered groups.

"I see Madoka..." Homura paused, squinting at the pinkette in the distance. It looked like she had stopped for some reason. "...but what's that lump right next to her? Did someone fall down?"

Kyouko followed her gaze and frowned. "Isn't that Sayaka?"

"...Ah. You're right."

It was another five minutes before Madoka was able to help Sayaka down to the bottom of the slope, red-faced and breathless from the extra effort. Upon reaching the end, both girls plopped down onto the snowbanks to catch their breaths.

From what Homura gathered next, when Sayaka had started the race, it had been with a yelp followed by a string of curses - mostly aimed at Kyouko for convincing her to skip the beginner's slope and start on the more intermediate trails. The blunette had lasted a full eight seconds before succumbing to the steepness of the slope. Homura could fill in the rest of what happened afterwards with her imagination.

Of course, Sayaka had no choice but to accept defeat.

Homura didn't know if she was more surprised at Sayaka's pitiful performance - which was somehow worse than her already-low expectations - or the blunette's complete embarrassment after such a confident attitude at the beginning.

But she wasn't about to let her pity stain her well-deserved, long-awaited moment of victory.

Homura stood over the slumped Sayaka and folded her arms. "I appear to have completed the slope faster than you, Miki-san," she quietly observed.

"Ahh, alright! I get it!" Sayaka closed her eyes and waved her arms over her head. "You win! I was wrong! I-"

Sayaka stopped when she felt a hand gently pat her on the head. Opening her eyes, she slowly lifted her gaze to meet Homura's gentle expression. "H-Homura-?"

"-but it isn't about winning or losing," Homura softly said, ruffling the blunette's hair as Sayaka sat quietly in submission. "Rather, if everyone is enjoying themselves and having fun, your worth should not be determined by how coordinated you are or how well you can ski."

Blinking back tears, Sayaka managed a hopeful smile. "H-Homura... you- ah!"

Homura gently squeezed Sayaka's head a little bit harder, which had the latter squirming in discomfort. She leaned in closer as her smile took a darker turn. "Which is why, if you don't want Tomoe-san knowing about your absolutely pathetic performance in our competition, you should respect my abilities and think twice about challenging me again."

Sayaka whimpered in fear. "A-Ah... I understand..."

Kyouko snorted. "Eight seconds..." she repeated, slowly shaking her head in utter disbelief. "You might as well just roll down the slope after tripping off the ski lift next time. Or you could walk downhill. Why even bother with the skis?"

"Ahh, you're so mean!" Sayaka exclaimed, swiping at Kyouko to no avail. "I really tried my best!"

While definitely not unwanted, it had been to everyone's surprise when Homura suddenly suggested that they ski some more.

"More?" Kyouko shrugged. An easygoing grin formed on her lips. "Why, you wanna race me now?"

"Ah! First I want to avenge my loss!" Sayaka jumped up from the snow, dangerously wobbling before she regained her balance on the skis. "I'll race you again, Akemi!"

Homura couldn't tell if the blunette was being serious or not. She raised an eyebrow. "Racing again, is kind of... Perhaps I should teach you how to ski instead? Madoka seems to be better than you with only an hour of learning, after all."

Madoka nervously smiled. "W-Well, I wouldn't say I'm good at skiing, or anything..."

"Forget about teaching and learning!" Kyouko snuck up between Madoka and Sayaka, wrapping her arms around their shoulder to pull them closer. "You learn better when you jump headfirst into something anyways."

"That's what you told me before we started this slope! But it didn't work, now did it?!"

An aggravated Sayaka chased after Kyouko, throwing snowballs in her wake as Homura and Madoka tried to avoid being caught in the collateral damage.

The rest of the early afternoon was filled with more snow, more shouting and laughter from Kyouko and Sayaka, and more of Homura realizing that, despite her initial concerns, she was actually having a really good time with everyone else...

---

Where was everyone?

It was an hour later when Homura took refuge back inside the lodge.

Having walked into the lodge and finding their table oddly deserted, Homura took the initiative to buy some drinks from the nearby cafeteria. One way or another, the girls had managed to get separated during their time on the slopes. They had agreed to meet up here in a situation like this, but...

To Homura's surprise, Mami, Kyouko, and Madoka were nowhere to be seen. However, she caught a glimpse of familiar blue hair in the sparse crowd of skiers near the front entrance of the lodge.

"Do you need assistance, Miki-san?"

Sayaka, so caught up in untying her shoelaces, almost fell over when Homura shocked the life out of her by approaching from behind. "Where the hell did you come from?!" the blunette demanded.

"Outside," Homura replied, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"What's it to you?" Sayaka stuck out her lower lip in protest, which turned out to be a pretty difficult task when trying to pull off a tight boot.

After a few minutes of awkwardly watching Sayaka trying to unsuccessfully remove her feet from the ski boots, Homura rolled her eyes at the pitiful sight. "Here, I'll help," she offered.

"I don't need your help." Sayaka stubbornly insisted.

"I said I would help. You can thank me later."

With infinite patience, Homura expertly untied the knots that Sayaka's earlier frustration had tangled. She then held onto the boots as Sayaka pried her feet loose, the latter gently holding onto the ravenette's shoulder for balance.

With that done, the furious red began to disappear from Sayaka's cheeks, replaced with a softer shade of crimson.

"Thanks..." Sayaka mumbled almost inaudibly, but Homura didn't miss it with her keen sense of hearing. Sayaka looked down at her fingers, which she realized were red and raw from her attempts at taking off the boots. "Fantastic," she muttered, shaking her head at her inability and lightly kicking the offending boots for good measure.

And the fact that Homura didn't even have to be here, and was actually helping her didn't look like it was making Sayaka feel any better either.

"Are you alright?" Homura quietly asked.

Sayaka nodded and let out a sigh. "Yeah..."

A few months ago, Homura might have inwardly laughed at the blunette's stupidity. But the realization that she needed to get on Sayaka's good side if she was ever going to make progress with Madoka without any interference was beginning to take a toll on her sense of humor.

Homura watched Sayaka closely as the latter changed into her regular shoes. If she was making any attempt to act hostile, then Homura would've left. But she wasn't. Instead, there was some other sort of sharp glint shining in her blue eyes.

At least Sayaka wasn't being openly hostile and distrustful like usual.

And thankfully, Homura was in a better mood to deal with Sayaka as opposed to earlier in the day, so she didn't try to come up with an excuse to leave. She could handle whatever Sayaka had to say.

Probably.

"I think I've got the basics of skiing now, thanks to you," Sayaka mumbled, idly kicking the ground to occupy her gaze. "So... um, thank you for that too."

Homura slowly nodded, slightly taken aback at her sudden change of personality. She wasn't used to seeing the blunette act so reserved and shy. "I see... There are still more techniques to master if you want to ski on the advanced slopes. But I'm glad I could help."

Sayaka laughed, trailing off into an awkward pause before sighing. "...You know, I feel like I've had to thank you a lot today. Or recently, for that matter..."

As the two girls slowly walked through the lodge, side-by-side, Homura was starting to wonder if there was something seriously wrong with Sayaka. She curiously glanced at the blunette walking beside her.

Did she hit her head too hard on one of those falls?

"I realize that you help me out pretty often, even though we both know you'd rather be doing something else than wasting time on a klutz like me," Sayaka continued, shaking her head. "It kind of makes me wonder... why did I dislike you in the first place?"

Homura frowned and squinted at Sayaka. Yes, there's no doubt she hit her head. Or rather... could this be one of 'those' moments?!

"I know you're not a bad person..."

Homura deliberately slowed her pace, lagging a few steps behind the oblivious blunette.

This atmosphere doesn't seem right... Where is she going with this?

"-and you've got plenty of good qualities. It's just, we haven't spent much time together at all..." Sayaka suddenly stopped as Homura barely avoided bumping into her from behind. She placed a hand on her chin, gazing into Homura's eyes. "But you know, I think there's a reason why I feel the way I currently feel about you."

...Miki Sayaka... Could you be headed where I think going you're with this? I... I'm not ready for this though!

Gulping, Homura opened her mouth. "M-Miki-san... I-I-"

"I'm just not keen of the way you hang around Madoka all the time."

Homura blinked. ...What?

Still staring at Homura, Sayaka sighed and folded her arms. "I don't like the way you're so attached to Madoka. Ever since the beginning, it's been kind of creepy. Besides," she added with a proud grin. "Madoka's my best friend and my wife."

"Oh?" Homura matched Sayaka's stern look with a cold one of her own. "But I believe she likes me better."

"Oh, are we starting this now?" Sayaka asked, taking another step closer as a look that was all sorts of belligerent and hardened, yet oddly playful, was leveled at Homura. "Going to act like a little girl and bring out the cheap shots?"

"I'd argue with you, but I prefer to pick on individuals of similar intelligence." Homura took another step closer towards Sayaka, their chests brushing, eyes locked, and faint smirks playing across their lips.

"Intelligence isn't the issue in this case though," Sayaka retorted, breaking eye contact as she suddenly became self-aware of what she was saying. "I mean, this is you we're talking about. You're smart, but you're not the most... straightforward of people when you want to make a point."

Homura just sighed in exasperation, shaking her head. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means... I'm worried. You're always so close to Madoka, but... I don't want her to get hurt. I just don't like it, okay?" Sayaka admitted. "But I won't get in your way. I've never seen Madoka so happy ever since she met you. As her best friend, it makes me jealous. But I just want the best for her. So... take care of her for me, okay?"

And just like that, Sayaka was gone, leaving behind a very stunned Homura in her wake.

Homura found the rest of the girls a few minutes later, sitting at their usual table. Sayaka was there as well, all traces of their earlier conversation gone from her expression as she cheerfully waved and pulled out a chair for Homura to sit down on.

But Homura didn't have the time to contemplate Sayaka's words in lieu of the spirited conversation currently going on at the table. Kyouko had come into the lodge and snatched a sandwich from Mami's bag, muttering about how certain parts of the ski slope were being shut down.

Homura, ever the silent observer, asked what the matter was all about.

Kyouko shrugged. "Beats me. But they're telling skiers to avoid certain parts of the mountain."

"Perhaps they're worried about the snow turning into ice." Mami suggested. "Now that it's late afternoon, the temperatures are even colder than before."

"Skiing on ice sounds really dangerous..." Madoka worriedly said.

"And really annoying," Kyouko added with a grimace, now that she'd have to stick to the beginner slopes. "You can't get any traction to turn or stop."

"Skiing's just so hard in general!" Sayaka complained, leaning back in her seat. "And the boots are making my feet hurt a lot! Who ever thought of such a stupid sport?"

She slumped down in her seat, silently fuming - which changed surprisingly quickly when Mami placed one of her sandwiches in front of her.

As Mami distributed the lunches to the grateful girls, Kyouko yawned, placing her head on the wooden table with a 'thunk'. "I'm pretty damn cold and hungry right now. So I'm dying for a bite and some hot chocolate..." she trailed off, sounding a bit tired - her usual upbeat tone subdued.

"There should be hot chocolate in the cafeteria," Mami said. "Would you like to borrow some money to buy some?"

Even if Mami hadn't suggested the idea, a pageant of smells was wafting from the nearby cafeteria, which had a sniffing Kyouko promptly heading over there to investigate anyways.

When she returned with hot chocolate, Homura grabbed her mug and took a long sip. The warmth of the hot chocolate was a sweet substitute for the balmy weather of summer. The lambent light from the fireplace flickered against its bricks, and Homura found her eyelids slowly growing heavy in the middle of friendly company and good, warm food.

"So did you enjoy today?" Mami asked, giving Homura a warm smile. "I hope you did, after your initial reluctance to come here..."

"Today was enjoyable..." Homura sleepily answered. So much had happened in the past few hours. She felt the activities of the day catching up to her, and could almost fall asleep right here in her arms.

"Knowing you, you probably just flirted with Madoka all day, didn't you?" Kyouko slyly winked.

That had Homura wide awake in an instant.

"N-No..." Homura started, fidgeting with her fingers under the table. She could see Sayaka smirking at her from the corner of her eyes. Across the table, Madoka looked just as uncomfortable as her. "T-That's not true at all. I just helped her learn how to ski..."

"Uh-huh. Sure ya did." Kyouko grinned and rested her head on her hands. "Don't let us stop you lovebirds though."

"I-It's really not like that..."

"How long are you gonna say that? Come on-" Kyouko impatiently sighed. "Just go out with each other already."

This time it was Madoka's turn to stutter in embarrassment. "G-Go out?!" she blushed furiously. "Y-You mean like... date?!"

"Yeah, date." Kyouko slyly slid up next to Madoka and placed an arm around her shoulder. "C'mon, admit it. You like Homura-chan, don't ya?"

Madoka glanced down at her hands, nervously fiddling with her fingers. The way her face was red, Homura half-expected steam to be rising from the top of her head. "W-Well... B-But, I-I... I l-l-like her, but I'm not sure... i-if-"

"Oh, you," Kyouko playfully ruffled Madoka's hair. "Tell me more!"

"W-Wait K-Kyouko-chan..!"

Homura was just about to intervene on Kyouko's teasing, when she noticed Sayaka from the corner of her eyes. Instead of paying attention to the commotion, Sayaka had her head turned to stare out the window in silence.

"...Miki-san?"

---

It was almost an hour when they headed out again.

The sound of winter, numb and muted in the chilling breeze, was all around Homura as she reattached her boots to her skies.

Unfortunately, Mami was right about the temperatures dropping in the late afternoon.

Homura exhaled, watching her breath dissipate into an icy vapor right before her eyes. As the late afternoon sun continued its descent towards the amber-hued horizon, the temperatures on the mountainside were gradually dropping. Homura felt a shiver run down her spine, but she quickly shrugged it off. The cold wasn't on the forefront of her mind.

As eager as Madoka had been to ski some more, she wasn't quite ready. Neither was Mami nor Kyouko, the latter helping herself to a generous portion of apple pie from the cafeteria.

So one thing had led to another, and that was how Homura found herself sitting on a ski lift next to Sayaka.

They watched the scenery in utter silence. Even Sayaka was quiet, which was pretty rare for her. It was an interesting situation, to say the least. A minute later, and Homura was starting to wonder why Sayaka was acting so contemplative.

For a moment, Homura was tempted to ask if everything was alright, but the thought quickly died upon her lips. If it meant bringing up their earlier conversation, Homura wasn't sure how she was going to respond.

"You got something to say?"

"..?" Homura turned to see Sayaka staring at her. It wasn't a threatening look, but there was definitely a sharp edge in her eyes.

"You've been looking at me from the corner of your eyes for the past few minutes."

"Just because I was looking doesn't necessarily mean I have anything to say."

"Never mind..." Sayaka sighed, burying her face in her gloved hands and huffing impatiently. "Hey, by the way," she lightly elbowed Homura. "You still have our passes, right?"

"The lift passes?" Homura had kept them in her pocket ever since Sayaka had told her to hold onto them before they headed out. Apparently Sayaka didn't trust the reliability of her own pockets to keep things in.

"Yeah. I swear, if you lost those-"

"No, I still have them." Homura leaned over to pull them out of her jacket pocket a bit, just enough for Sayaka to see a corner of the papers. Sayaka nodded and relaxed again.

"At least you're reliable..."

Homura wasn't sure what to say to that, or if it was even designed to be a whole-hearted complement, so she kept silent.

"How's it going with Madoka?" Sayaka asked after a moment's pause, not even bothering to disguise her grin. "Anything interesting happen yet between you two?"

Homura suddenly became interested in a tree passing underneath their dangling legs. "It's nothing you should be concerned about." she curtly replied through grit teeth.

"Wha-at? But I'm her best friend!" Sayaka protested, as if that was enough reason to make Homura spill her secrets and feelings. "I have the right to know what kind of person she's interested in! Ooh, actually wait, no, don't tell me. Let me guess," Sayaka rubbed her chin and thoughtfully stared at the sky. "Have you… held hands?"

"Not telling."

"Shared a drink?"

"Not saying."

"Had a romantic moment?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Kissed?"

"…"

"Come on, aren't you going to tell me anything? I promise I won't tell anyone else." Sayaka assured a stoically silent Homura, smiling brightly. It wasn't long until her laughter at Homura's blushing expression started up again. "Don't tell me..." she gasped in mock surprise. "You haven't done any of those things?"

Homura pressed her lips tightly together. "No comment."

Sayaka glanced at the ravenette incredulously. Upon realizing that her suspicions might be correct, she shook her head. "But now that we're on this vacation, shouldn't you be planning more ways to spend time with her?" she muttered through smirking lips.

"...I-I suppose..."

Sayaka looked down at the mountainside, her mouth forming into a gentle frown. "Hey, Homura... Do you... love her?"

Keeping her eyes downcast, Homura tried her hardest not to blush. "U-Um… y-yes… I d-do…"

Sayaka nodded, letting the breeze pick up the ends of her hair as she sighed and smiled. "I see. You're lucky to have her, y'know."

"I-I know…"

"A-ah-" Sayaka leaned back in the ski lift and stretched her arms over her head. "What an anti-climatic confession. And here I thought there was going to be more impact. Turns out embarrassing you isn't very fun."

"Miki-san..."

"What?"

Homura found a pair of blue eyes staring intently at her again. She gathered her courage and continued: "A-About what you mentioned earlier, that we don't really know each other too well, which has led to troublesome misconceptions... Would it be possible to change that?"

Sayaka let out a laugh. "So what, you want to introduce yourself to me again?"

"It could help us start on a better note..." Homura quietly offered.

Sayaka mulled it over. Then, she shrugged. "Yeah, alright. I already know your name, though. How about something I don't know about you? Hmm... like, what's your favorite color?"

Homura's answer was automatic: "My favorite color is amethyst."

"Amethyst?" Sayaka repeated, laughing again. "What's that?"

"It's a shade of purple," Homura answered, unable to understand why there was amusement riddled in Sayaka's tone. "It's a deeper shade, and it reminds me of the city horizon on a midsummer sunset."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Sayaka said, shaking her head. "Why can't you just say 'purple'?"

Despite being insulted, Homura didn't take Sayaka's reply offensively. She knew from her voice that the blunette was just being friendly, but in her own manner. "Because it isn't just purple," Homura continued. "It's more specific. For instance... what is your favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Do you know how many shades of blue there are?"

"Blue is just blue." Sayaka blankly said.

"There's azure, navy blue, cerulean, teal-"

"Teal?" Sayaka stated plainly, looking Homura in the eyes. "Isn't that just green?"

Homura simply sighed. "Forget it..." she muttered, giving up on the conversation...

...until she noticed the glimmer in Sayaka's eyes that signified she was actually enjoying teasing her. Her suspicions were confirmed when Sayaka gave her a devilish grin.

Trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling bubbling within herself, Homura instead busied herself with getting her skis into place for the landing - into which Sayaka promptly face-planted and slowly slid down the rest of the way of the ramp.

When Homura couldn't suppress a snicker, Sayaka bolted up and tossed a snowball in her direction, even if she was laughing with her all the same.

Conversation fell into line again as Homura helped Sayaka steady herself at the top of the slope. They had time to spare until the ski resort closing, and what better way to finish the day than engaging in some more friendly competition?

With a lot of the nearby ski slopes closed, the duo had to opt for the trails that led through the opposite side of the mountain.

A dopey grin crossed Sayaka's face as she watched Homura silently analyze the slope below. Noticing this, Homura rolled her eyes, her attention quickly returning to the slope in front of her. However, Sayaka was not one to be ignored, so she crept closer, grinning cheekily.

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"..."

Homura was clearly trying to concentrate, but the way her lips threatened to twitch into a small smile showed that the blunette's quips weren't entirely unwanted. Homura was just concerned about how close Sayaka was to her. There was something coquettish about the blunette. But it felt pleasant, and since they were clearly enjoying themselves, couldn't she indulge herself for just a little bit?

"See ya," Sayaka said as she pushed off and began racing down the trail. Homura was a millisecond behind her, quickly closing the gap in a matter of seconds.

The familiar sound of blades quietly rushing through soft snow was music to Homura's ears. She turned, quickly changing directions, before accelerating down the next stretch of trail in a dark blur.

...

Homura's ears suddenly perked up to the sound of... nothing? With her senses heightened from the adrenaline of skiing, it was like the whole world had gone silent. There was no chorus of nearby skiers, no mechanical thrum from the ski lift overhead, nor an avian orchestra from curious snowbirds fluttering across the ghost-gray skies. Even her own breathing and plodding of skies sounded strangely muted in her ears.

Deciding that the sudden quietness was odd, Homura slowed to a stop along the trail in a spray of snow. Sayaka stopped right beside her, frowning at the ravenette's decision to suddenly cut their competition short.

"What's wrong?" Sayaka asked, wrinkling her nose in confusion.

"Shh-" Homura brought a finger to her lips, eyes searching skyward.

The sky was turning gray, hemmed in the horizon with a frost-white and deep-orange and purple tinge. Snowflakes occasionally fluttered around the duo, landing onto the snow and glinting like pure diamond dust, turning the immediate landscape into a sparkling winterscape of white and silver.

But... snowflakes from where? Homura glanced up, but there wasn't a cloud to be seen in the sky.

As Homura glanced over her shoulder, she could see some sort of commotion taking place back up the mountainside.

"What's going on up there?" Homura wondered out loud, pausing to squint at the summit.

"Probably nothing," Sayaka waved off the comment. "I can't hear anything-"

"Shh-" Homura motioned for Sayaka to fall silent again. She glanced back down the mountainside at the sea of trees.

...

The sound of a slow rumbling caught Homura's attention.

"What's..?"

More rumbling, growing louder with each second.

Sayaka frowned. "Do you hear that, Homura?"

Small drifts of snow skidding down around them.

"Is... that?"

She wasn't even turned around all the way when it started. For a moment, she could only move her lips soundlessly.

"Miki-san!" Homura shouted.

It seemed to snap Sayaka out of her daze, just enough for her to reach out and grab Homura's outstretched arm.

They both took a short breath, and then the mountain swallowed them whole.

---

Madoka.

Homura opened her eyes to a world of infinite whiteness. Struggling to breathe, she momentarily panicked and flailed her arms, clawing away at the thin layer of snow covering her face to expose the late afternoon sunlight.

Where am I?

Homura gingerly crawled out along the sunset-stained snowbanks, forcing herself to suck in air and remember what had just occurred.

Skiing.

Sayaka.

Shouting.

Avalanche.

Is Madoka okay?

Homura immediately froze, eyes widening. She clenched the snow with her fists.

Was the resort buried under the avalanche? How far did it go down? Were there any survivors?

Homura groaned, forcing herself to stand up despite her aching joints. She desperately whipped out her cellphone, pushing buttons until she realized that there was no signal.

It's okay... breathe. Calm down. Tomoe-san is with Madoka. She should be fine.

"-gh!" Homura wobbled as she tried to walk, immediately collapsing into the ground as pain sprung from her right ankle, shooting all throughout her leg. She grabbed it, tenderly rubbing the spot.

Sprained... it must be sprained. I can still walk.

The skis had to go, and Homura had no idea where her poles had ended up during the avalanche. After a moment's rest, Homura stood up again and began limping through the woods. Because they had opted to ski down the other side of the mountain, none of the scenery looked the least bit familiar. Trees stretched out in a seemingly infinite expanse, creating a dense winter foliage. In the setting sun, the gnarled trees caught the elongating shadows like silent guardians of a wintry expanse. Peeling her gaze away from the eerie sights, Homura glanced back up the mountain, before quickly realizing that she'd never be able to climb back up.

Her only other option was to circle back around the mountain base. It shouldn't be more than a few miles at the most. But the heavy snow was beginning to violently aggravate her ankle. At one point, Homura had to sit down and take off her boot, running a delicate finger over her swollen ankle.

Homura bit her lip, trying to block out the pain. If anything, the worrisome thoughts of something bad having happened to Madoka pushed her onwards.

It was definitely colder. Homura could feel the winter chill beginning to creep into her bones. Sniffling, she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering as she slowly trekked through the forest.

She'd been walking for barely a minute when she caught sight of a peculiar sight. Several yards away, in the middle of a snowbank, some blue grass was sticking out of the snow.

Curious, Homura walked over and poked it.

"Ow." The blue grass moved.

Homura jumped back, startled by the muffled voice, only to realize that it was Sayaka buried in the snow. She helped the blunette out of the snowbank, who thankfully didn't seem to be injured.

"W-W-Where are we?!" Sayaka managed to spit out before being wracked by a series of coughs, curling up on the snowy ground.

"There appeared to have been an avalanche. I'm not sure how major it was. But we're at the bottom of the mountain. We need to get around to the other side." Homura said, trying her best to talk calmly and clearly to the agitated blunette. "Can you walk?"

Sayaka nodded, gathering herself into a sitting position. "...Yeah."

"Good. I'd like to get back before it gets completely dark."

"Is your foot okay?" Sayaka asked when she noticed Homura favoring her leg as they stood up. She offered a hand. "Here, I'll help you walk."

"It's fine."

"I said I'd help you. You can thank me later."

Homura gave her a look. "My apologies, but I don't trust your balance when you're simply walking, much less when you have to support someone else."

"Oh, you're such a pain! Give me your arm already!"

Reluctantly, Homura raised her arm and wrapped it around Sayaka's shoulder, leaning her weight against the blunette as they tentatively began walking.

"Better?"

Homura sighed. "I suppose."

"And?"

Homura sighed again. "...thank you."

Sayaka smirked. "Who would've thought the infamously cold Akemi Homura could act weak too?"

But Sayaka's comments were on the least of Homura's thoughts right now, as another thought dawned upon the ravenette.

They were on the other side of the mountain, but... it was just one of an entire range of mountains. Was there a way to easily get back? Or did they have to walk around the entire base? How long was that going to take?

Homura stopped dead in her tracks.

She and Sayaka were stranded.

This is, Homura slowly realized with dread.

The beginning of the end.

---

A/N: Many apologies for the extremely late update, and many thanks to those of you that continue to be patient with me.

Between Foxtrot0220 having to leave for being too busy, and the added burdens of the new school year, this chapter (which should have come out much sooner) took way too long to finish.

Because of that, we'll unfortunately have to cut out most of the planned chapters for this Collab.

Below is an updated schedule of the Mitakihara Winter Story Arc:

November - The Skiers' Story Part 2: Stranded! (XP Flipside)

December- A Christmas Carol (Shades 0f Dawn)

Comments are greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading! :)