Mitakihara Winter Story Arc

Prologue

A/N:

Shades 0f Dawn – Welcome to the Mitakihara Winter Story Arc! Since I already decided to write a Midsummer-themed Collab last winter, I figured it wouldn't hurt to write a Winter-themed Collab with summer approaching. (Actually, the real reason we're starting this now is because we want to finish this Collab by the time Christmas rolls around). This Winter Story Arc isn't really a continuation of the Midsummer Collab, but it certainly helps explain Homura's and Kyouko's reaction to Mami in this prologue. ;)

This Collab is brought to you by myself, Foxtrot0220, and XP Flipside (Together, we're the Foxborough Trifecta!). They're both awesome writers and each of us is going to write 2-3 chapters over the course of the next several months. If you liked the Midsummer Collab, I really think this is going to be just as awesome, so I hope you enjoy!

Foxtrot0220 – Hello, and welcome to the MWSA as well. What started as an idea over lunch last December soon became a reality, and now here we are. This turned into a big project, which I'm excited about participating in. We'd greatly appreciate it if you let us know how we're doing. We hope you enjoy!

XP Flipside – Hey, welcome everyone! This is my first time posting something I've written online, so hopefully it goes well. I'm looking forward to it though. All three of us are competitive about everything, so writing's no exception. I might not be as good as the two above me, but hopefully I can make you guys laugh (props to anyone who correctly guesses which segment I wrote in this prologue). But yeah... this is a thing. I mean, the guy above me is pretty hyped about this (and he NEVER gets excited about anything). I took a look at his draft for one of the chapters, and it's almost 21,000 words! Twenty-one thousand! So, here's to hoping you're excited about it as well! Also, I'm not really supposed to tell you guys this, but this collaboration started off as a bet: whoever gets the least amount of reviews for their chapters has to take the other two out to dinner. I'm broke as crap right now, so if you can help me out, I promise we'll be great friends. :) Peace!

Lying down on the riverbank during a sluggish Saturday morning had to be among one of the best moments in life, Homura decided as she watched the clouds roll across the wintery cerulean sky. A jet soared overhead in a wispy streak - so far above her that she might have mistook it for an askew strand of hair. Her fingers gently brushed the swaying meadow grass, and as it playfully tickled her hands, her mind drifted.

It was almost a shame to think about how she had let all the other weekends pass by without the slightest urge to enjoy the moment. Homura had never been one to engross herself in her studies for pleasure, but she needed school to distract her mind with routine. School and studying were safe, clearly defined within expected boundaries. Yet there was an enchanting aspect to the carefree philosophy. Homura found herself intrigued by the idea of simply not caring.

It was Kyouko who had suggested she relax like this on a whim. Homura made a mental note to buy her taiyaki the next time they met - it certainly felt nice. Relaxing was one thing she hadn't done much of recently, and now, she felt the urge to indulge herself fully. A fresh, icy breeze swept across the riverbank, making Homura shiver. She considered getting up, but the soothing warmth of the sun gently pushed her back down.

Moments like this should not be missed, Homura thought as a small, content smile crept across her lips. She raised one hand above her, observing the sunlight filtering through her fingers.

The end of the second semester had crept up suddenly, and with it a feeling of restlessness. For days, Homura had worried if Madoka was planning to leave on a vacation with her family, constantly keeping a close watch on her house for any indication. Luckily, the pink-haired girl had apologetically told her that she was only leaving for two days to meet some relative. Today was the day she was supposed to come back. Homura's actions had earned her a few odd stares and misunderstandings, but she could care less. The only thing on her mind was the regret on Madoka's face when she had waved goodbye, and the welcoming smile that was to come soon. Homura frowned. How should she welcome Madoka back? Smile? Would hugging her be too forward?

"But as long as you're here Madoka..." Homura whispered, halfheartedly making an effort to keep her eyes open. She nestled her face against the cool winter grass, imagining it to be Madoka's hair tickling her cheek. "...I'll stay by your side forever."

The instant Homura's phone vibrated, she pounced on it. Flipping it open, she checked to see if she had gotten any new messages from Madoka.

- Mami here! ^_^ Hope you're enjoying your break so far! :) Want to stop by my place tonight for dinner? :O Text back soon! xoxoxo

Homura stared at the message, blinking to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. "When did I... give her my number?"

"Sayaka wait for me!"

Kyouko ran after the fleeting girl, wondering how she could run so fast. The instant they had left the house, Sayaka had taken off like a bullet. Kyouko pushed and shoved her way through the bustling crowds of downtown Mitakihara City, trying to keep pace with her antsy companion to little avail. "Wait up, I said!" Kyouko shouted again, ignoring the stares from mildly annoyed pass-byers.

"We're late, Kyouko!" Sayaka shouted back, desperately trying to cling onto the slice of bread in her mouth. Her large school bag precariously bounced and swung around with each step, barely missing nearby pedestrians. Alarmed at the odd sight, they wisely stepped away. "It's all your fault!"

"Like hell it is! I wasn't the only one that overslept!" Kyouko grumbled, sour that her peaceful morning nap had been rudely interrupted by a desperate Sayaka. She cursed her bad luck for being forced into coming to school on a Saturday. She would've skipped, if Sayaka hadn't been so insistent. But then came all the annoying statements about how she was lazy, and should do something with her time, and that skipping school would only be the beginning of a wasted life... In the end, Kyouko decided it was less trouble to come to school, though it still didn't make her feel any better about the journey.

The walk-light up ahead turned red, which sent Sayaka into another nervous breakdown. "Seriously?!" She complained, fitfully running in place as if it would make the light change faster. By the time Kyouko reached the corner of the intersection, she was practically hopping up and down. "We're so late. I can't believe it."

"I can." Kyouko put her hands on her knees, looking slightly winded. She tried to shake out the last of her drowsiness before her expression was enveloped in a mixture of bewilderment and awe. "Jesus Christ, how do you run so fast?" Kyouko casually took the opportunity to eye Sayaka's bare legs. Today, she was wearing black knee-highs. Kyouko nodded approvingly. "I've never seen you run like this in gym before. It's like your entire purpose in life is to be late to school so you can run there. Like, if there was a marathon about running to school late, then you'd completely crush everyone-"

"It's all your fault, Kyouko." Sayaka repeated, ignoring Kyouko as her gaze locked onto the red stoplight.

An indignant Kyouko frowned at the accusation. "How? How is it my fault?"

"I told you to set the alarm to seven, didn't I-?!"

"I did! You probably hit 'snooze' when the alarm went off-!"

"-all you do everyday is just uselessly laze around. But even then, I thought I could count on you to do that one simple task. But I was wrong-"

"-you're just stupid, so you probably didn't realize it-"

"All because of you, we're both stuck in Saturday school. And over Winter break! And now we're late! This sucks!"

"Listen to me!"

The blaring of a passing truck drowned out whatever Kyouko and Sayaka had left to say. Running out of steam, they both sheepishly looked away, feeling more uncomfortable than the other.

"I might've..." Kyouko looked down at the ground, trying to dislodge a wad of gum that had found its way onto the sole of her shoe. "...well, it's possible that I forgot to set the alarm. I'm not saying it happened, but it could've. It's just stupid to argue about such useless things, y'know?"

"Yeah..." Sayaka nervously fiddled with her hands, inspecting a chipped fingernail. "And I might've remembered seeing you set the alarm, rechecking to make sure it was the right time, but hit the 'snooze' button in the morning after it went off. And then I blamed you because I was too embarrassed to admit I was wrong."

"Yeah... wait what?"

"But you're right," Sayaka quickly said before the gears in Kyouko's brain could continue turning towards a conclusion. "It's pointless to argue. But still," she added, putting her hands on her hips and pouting. "It's your fault that we got sent to Saturday school in the first place."

An unapologetic Kyouko smirked, shooting Sayaka a coy look. "But you enjoyed ditching, didn't you? You're just as guilty as I am."

"You're a terrible influence."

"But you can't resist me, can you?" Was the teasing remark.

Sayaka playfully pushed a laughing Kyouko away, frowning to hide her embarrassment. "We're so late." She repeated, sighing. But the words had just left her mouth when she felt Kyouko firmly grab her hand. Confused, she looked to her for an explanation.

"I know a shortcut." Kyouko's daring grin beckoned. "Follow me."

Sayaka didn't try to resist as Kyouko led her back down the street, entering a nearby office building. Trying to stay unnoticed, they subtly made their way to the access stairs and began climbing up the spiraling staircase. It was at least twenty floors high, but all Sayaka could think about the entire time was how amazingly soft Kyouko's hand was.

The door at the top opened out onto a rooftop high above the rest of Mitakihara City. The cool winter air rushed down into the dingy stairwell, making Sayaka involuntarily shiver.

"Are you sure we're allowed to be up here?" Sayaka asked, squeezing Kyouko's hand tightly as she stepped onto the metal platform. Her voice trembled with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. "It's freezing..." She whimpered, leaning into Kyouko's frame.

"Here," Kyouko took off her jacket and wrapped it around Sayaka's shoulders, clinging to her body. She quickly glanced around for any unwanted observers, but they were alone. "Luckily they forgot to lock the access door." She said, grinning at her own accomplishment.

"Aren't we going to get in trouble?" Sayaka asked, reluctantly letting the comforting feeling of holding hands with Kyouko subside as the latter walked over to the edge.

Kyouko laughed, haphazardly leaning over the balcony much to Sayaka's concern. It was like she was a completely different person from the sour, grumbling girl from a few minutes before. "Relax. They'll never find out if we're quick. Look," Kyouko pointed at the dizzying display of city lights down below, obviously expecting Sayaka to share her exhilarating sentiment. It was still morning, so a light mist unravelled across the cityscape, alighting on their skin with a shimmering glow. "I've never shown anyone else this before, besides you. Isn't it great?"

"Oh, uh, sure." Sayaka briefly noted. She began walking to the access door on the opposite side when she realized Kyouko wasn't following suit. Sayaka whirled around in confusion. "Are you coming? What's wrong?"

Kyouko scowled, looking away. "Nothing." She muttered under her breath.

"Nothing? What, are you upset over what I said? Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't amaaaaazed!" Sayaka stopped and thought for a moment. "No wait, Kyouko. Let me try again." She rushed over to the balcony, leaning over. "Oh my god, we're so high up!" Sayaka excitedly exclaimed. "I can't believe it! It's incredible! Look, Kyouko, it's the park! Look, there're some trees!" Look, some houses! Look, Kyouko! Kyouko, look! Look-!"

"Alright, I get it!" Kyouko exasperatedly sighed. "Just forget it, would ya?"

Sayaka giggled at the sulking redhead. She never ceased to find this side of her overwhelmingly cute and endearing. "I'm kidding, Kyouko. Thanks." Sayaka smiled, clasping her hands together behind her back and hoping that her 'innocent-girl' act would be enough to sway Kyouko. "It was uncharacteristically sweet of you to take me here."

"Yeah, sure." Kyouko mumbled, but Sayaka didn't miss the faint smile that crept across her lips.

Sayaka continued to stare down at the sight, feeling slightly more entranced the longer she lingered. "Do you think anyone'll notice we're missing if we stay up here forever?" She asked, sighing.

Kyouko rolled her eyes. "Of course they will, moron. I just wish we had some food or something to enjoy eating up here while- Woah! What the hell?" She jumped back as Sayaka leaned closer, gazing at her face with her alluring blue eyes. "Whaddya think you're doing?" Kyouko demanded, using all of her willpower to keep from stuttering in embarrassment.

To Kyouko, the light mist that fell from the sky made Sayaka's skin sparkle like diamonds. The breeze blew ever so slightly, tossing the loose fabric of Sayaka's skirt up around her bare thighs. As she cuddled into Kyouko's embrace, all Kyouko could think about was how warm her body was and how she smelled like a flowery meadow on a warm summer day. Behind Sayaka, the lights of downtown Mitakihara City twinkled with dizzying perspective.

Sayaka looked up at Kyouko, realizing that she was being stared at. Her delicate shoulder blades trembled as she blushed at the thought of being the center of someone else's attention. "What do you think you're doing, mister?" Sayaka whispered, shyly tilting her head down. She was wearing big, innocent puppy eyes and a playful pout – bait that they both knew Kyouko would take.

The blood rushed through Kyouko's head, heart, and cheeks. She gulped, leaning in, when-

"Who's up here?!" A shout echoed across the rooftop. Kyouko only caught a glimpse of men in black suits before she quickly grabbed Sayaka and dashed into the exit, running down the stairs.

Once they had reached the safety of the train station below, Kyouko let out a sigh of relief. She had used that shortcut on many occasions, but that was the first time she had been close to being seen. She was too smart to get caught, of course. But the thrill of the moment was still making her heart pound with rivers of adrenaline.

"That was close..." Kyouko muttered to herself, silently laughing at her daring antics. She was about to see how Sayaka was faring, but noticed her suddenly walking away. "Sayaka? What's wrong?" Kyouko tried to catch up to her blue-haired companion, barely managing to slip onto the train before the doors closed. She reached out to grab her arm, but Sayaka quickly shook it off. "Sayaka-!"

Sayaka quickly stopped, spun on a dime, and glared daggers into Kyouko's face. "Why did you have to do something like that?!" She demanded, jabbing a finger into Kyouko's chest.

"Like what? What did I do?" Kyouko wondered out loud, bewildered at the accusation.

Sayaka narrowed her eyes. "Don't play dumb."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kyouko insisted.

"Forget it then."

The sudden tension thrummed in the atmosphere. Kyouko remained silent as she struggled to get ahold of her current situation, ignoring the looks of annoyance and intrigue at the two girls from the other passengers. "What's your problem?" She finally demanded when she couldn't figure out the cause of Sayaka's irritation.

It was clear Sayaka didn't approve of that answer. Briskly turning about, she let out a dignified 'hmph!' and began walking down the aisle. The door linking the train cars together closed after her receding back with a 'hiss'.

"Sayaka! Hey, wait!" Kyouko began to grow angry at the idea of being ignored. It wasn't like she wanted to fight, but her pride wouldn't let her back down and apologize, especially when she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. So she remained standing in place, silently stewing and wondering where things had gone wrong between them.

"You're really going to let her get away?" A nearby elderly woman asked with a smile, interrupting Kyouko from her thoughts. Kyouko merely stared at her, dumbfounded. "You should go after her. Life is too short to have regrets." She added, looking pleased with her own advice and kind intentions.

"What? Wait, no… i-it's not like that," Kyouko stuttered, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. But it soon became clear that the old woman was deaf to her explanations. Kyouko let out a groan as she face-palmed, realizing that the situation was lost upon the poor old woman. "The things I put up with…" She muttered under her breath.

But Kyouko still went after Sayaka, internally convincing herself that it wasn't because she was wrong. Two train cars later, she found Sayaka sitting on the train bench. "Why are you mad?" Kyouko asked, standing in front of Sayaka's way so she had nowhere else to go.

"I'm not mad..." Sayaka muttered, noticeably mellowed. But she still refused to look Kyouko in the eye, instead watching her legs swing back and forth.

"Is that so?!" Kyouko crossed her arms. "Well, I'm sorry!"

Sayaka almost doubled over. "Are you mad now?!"

Kyouko opened her mouth to say something, before closing it and sighing. "Look," she began. "I didn't know that there were gonna be people-"

"You always do such embarrassing things, you know. But it's not like I care anyways." Sayaka mumbled, blushing. "...Stupid Kyouko." She added after some thought.

It was all Kyouko could do to stop gawking at the cute sight. Feeling embarrassed herself, she sat down next to Sayaka, making sure that there was some breathing room between them. "I'm just trying to enjoy my break." She muttered under her breath, as if to justify her forwardness. "It's not like we're going anywhere or anything..."

A strange feeling roused Homura from her drowsiness. She slowly opened her eyes, looking for the source of the disturbance.

I just had a bad feeling, like some idiot triggered an unwanted event flag somewhere...

A shadow fell across the riverbank, prompting Homura to look up at the sky. There was a hue of reddish-orange near the edge of the horizon, and she realized that the sun had begun its slow descent back down.

It's getting dark… Homura frowned, her thoughts drifting to her other companions. I wonder if Saturday school is over?

"Winner! We have a winner!"

The ringing of the bell at the lottery stand made Mami jump. She dropped her shopping bags and turned around to look at the other mildly surprised shoppers nearby.

"No, it's not-" She began to frantically explain, hoping that the amused onlookers would realize that she was just shopping. But all she got in return was a few smiles and a chorus of applause. She blushed wildly at the unexpected attention, hoping that a larger crowd wouldn't begin to gather. "I didn't-... I just-... I wasn't expecting to win, but-"

"You won five tickets to an all-expense paid trip to a winter retreat!" The lady at the counter beamed at an awed Mami. "Congratulations!"

Homura's train of thought was broken by a flurry of movement in her peripherals. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mami scurrying across the bank on the far side of the sidewalk. The golden-haired senpai usually kept a dignified demeanor, so it was unusual to see her so worked up and in a hurry.

Curious, Homura rose to her feet and began to stalk her target with a casual stride. She paced her steps, just far enough behind to be out of immediate sight but close enough to avoid losing her.

What is she doing..? Homura wondered, her mind parsing through the viable options. She couldn't quite place a finger on it, but there was a raw feeling of anxiety building up in her stomach. It's like she's running to... tell someone something?

As if sensing that someone had begun to track her, Mami chanced a quick look back, but Homura had already used a nearby mailbox to conceal her figure. Homura waited until she was convinced that she was still undetected before continuing onwards.

Pressing onwards, Mami made a straight line across an intersection, jogging as fast as she could without losing control of the momentum of her chests. From a distance, Homura could still see that she was panting heavily, running with the typical 'school-girl' gait.

For her to be moving so quickly, it must be something important. What is important to her? Friends? ...Is she trying to tell us something?

Finally, Mami stopped at the bottom of her apartment, catching her breath as she waited for the elevator. Homura was only seconds behind her. As the metal doors slid open, Mami took a deep breath and entered.

Homura stopped. She had seen enough to piece together the clues. She had seen the flyer in Mami's hands. Homura took out her phone and began dialing quickly with renewed urgency.

"Kyouko? Yes, it's me, Homura. Don't be surprised. Don't act like I've never used a cellphone before. Are you coming back from school? Is Miki-san with you? I want both of you to come to my place now. Yes, I'm being serious."

Homura narrowed her eyes. "It's happened."

Kyouko closed the front door to Homura's flat behind her and folded her arms. She looked at Homura, frowning in obvious annoyance. "What did you call us out here for?"

The instant Homura locked gazes with Kyouko, an inkling of recognition flashed in the latter's eyes. Kyouko gulped, silently cursing under her breath. Homura didn't waste a moment. She strode over to the window, stood to the side, and pulled away the curtains, glancing out into the street. "Were you followed?" She asked.

Kyouko shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Good." Homura withdrew back into the dim room. She checked the clock, turned off the television, rechecked the clock, and began pacing back and forth.

Sayaka looked at Kyouko, then to Homura. Both of them seemed on edge for some reason. "What's going on?" She asked, feeling an indescribable sense of apprehension bubbling up inside her. Homura was a different story, but Kyouko had never acted so serious before.

"You didn't tell her?" Homura asked Kyouko, who shook her head.

Taking the initiative, Kyouko hesitantly began. "It's... hard to explain." Was all she ended up saying.

"Oh..." Sayaka crossed her arms, looking away as if satisfied with that answer. "...I see."

"It's-" Homura paused, looking at both Kyouko and Sayaka standing awkwardly away from each other. Granted, they seemed to constantly fight, but this tension seemed different somehow. She glanced at Kyouko, as if to say 'What's with her?'

Kyouko could only shrug.

Homura knew she couldn't directly tell Sayaka, so she went with the next best answer: "Tomoe-san is... capable, it seems, of procuring... or rather, initiating troublesome events by some unexplainable power..." Homura trailed off, troubled by the fact that Mami hadn't bothered to call any of them. Once she realized Kyouko and Sayaka weren't at home, she would undoubtedly try to contact them by phone. Homura looked at the clock again - thirty minutes had elapsed since she had last seen the golden-haired senpai. "At any rate, we must try to avoid meeting her-"

The doorbell rung. Everyone in the room froze. Homura and Kyouko exchanged anxious glances.

"Well, shouldn't you answer?" Kyouko finally broke the silence, guiltily nudging Homura. "It's your house after all."

Prodded into action, Homura muttered a few choice words, reluctantly plodding over to the front door. But the instant she saw the pink hair through the eyehole, she flung open the door. "Mado-!" Homura was about to say before her voice caught in her throat. Standing behind the unknowing girl was Mami, holding the five tickets and wearing a delighted smile.

A/N: Below is a tentative schedule for this Collab's chapters as well as who the main writer will be… Hopefully it'll keep us accountable to be on time.

May – Prologue (Shades 0f Dawn)

June – Battle to the Onsen (XP Flipside)

July – The Skiers' Story Part 1: The Beginning of the End (Foxtrot0220)

August – The Skiers' Story Part 2: Stranded! (Foxtrot0220)

September – The Locked Room Murder Mystery: A Case for Detective Sayaka (Shades 0f Dawn)

October – Manhunt (XP Flipside)

November – Flash Flood! (Foxtrot0220)

December – A Christmas Carol (Shades 0f Dawn)