A cold wind swept past, and the vast lake surface had frozen into a sheet of sky-blue ice.
'Even so, I shouldn't try to skate on it. There is no guarantee that a section won't crack, sending me plunging below...'
Seiun Sky, wearing anti-slip boots, tightened her scarf.
She pulled back her hood and began to observe her surroundings, using a walking stick to constantly tap the ice to test its strength.
"This spot feels pretty good. Let's mark it..."
Taking out her prepared trolley, Seiun Sky positioned and secured it.
She then began walking slowly toward an RV parked on the distant shore.
At that moment, sitting in the driver's seat, Kiryuu Inami was drinking hot coffee, gazing at the vast white snowy landscape and reflecting on the passage of time.
"Spe-chan, your hometown is plenty cold~"
Wrapped in a thermal sleeping bag, Divine Starlight commented as she checked the temperature on her phone.
"Ahahaha... Starlight-chan, today's temperature is actually quite warm! Do you want to come out and have a snowball fight?"
"Pass. I'll wait for Seiun Sky and Rice Shower to set up the tent and turn on the heater, then I'm shrinking right back into that tent."
Next to Starlight, Nishino Flower, dressed in a padded cotton jacket, was flipping through a book in her hands.
"Special Week-san became so lively once she got here."
"I guess it's the scent of home... Alright, I'm going down to join the snowball fight too!"
"Spe-chan, take this!"
An restless figure finished changing and rushed outside to start a snowball fight with Special Week.
Indeed, the whole group had traveled here to Hokkaido.
"Starlight-chan... wait for Rice. Rice will have the tent set up in no time."
The petite, dark-haired Uma Musume was dragging a massive suitcase.
Rice Shower leaned against the window frame and spoke to Starlight with a look of grim determination.
"Mhm, Rice-chan, I believe in you."
Silence Suzuka sat down next to Starlight, picking up a hot water bottle and saying with a smile, "Let me help warm you up, Starlight-chan."
"Thanks, Suzuka."
Seeing this, Starlight unzipped her sleeping bag slightly and pulled her jacket down, revealing a portion of snow-white skin and her undergarments.
"It's okay, Starlight-chan. It might be a bit stimulating at first, so please bear with it."
Narrowing her eyes, Suzuka curled her lips into a smile, her thoughts unreadable.
She smilingly slid the hot water bottle inside.
"Hiss— hoo... Wait, Suzuka-chan, your hands are freezing! Wait, not that spot..."
Starlight's face flushed. A chilly sensation instantly swept through her body, followed closely by the warmth of the hot water bottle.
"Sorry, Starlight-chan, I didn't do it on purpose..."
In the front, on a seat to the right of the restroom:
A brown Uma Musume wearing a small hat was spacing out. The lock of hair on her head, otherwise known as her ahoge, was twitching up and down.
Her eyes were full of "wisdom" as she stared unblinkingly at the spider-patterned phone case on the table.
A large snot bubble grew from her nose.
It seemed to finally interfere with her breathing, as she gave a sudden, violent sniff, popping it.
"Matikane Tannhauser... Aren't you going outside to join the others?"
"Ah, ah! Ehehe, never mind. I think I'll just stay obediently in the car. I feel like I'd just be a hindrance."
Grass Wonder looked at the Uma Musume in front of her and chuckled behind her hand.
"Since we're out on a trip, you should move around a bit. It's okay, Tannhauser."
"Okay then! I'll go outside right now and help them!"
Clenching her fists, Matikane Tannhauser nodded earnestly and stood up to head outside.
However, as she turned, her left foot accidentally stepped on her right shoelace.
With a stumble, she began flying uncontrollably toward Starlight.
"Ah, ya, ah, oh! AHH—!!"
Starlight watched blankly as the light-brown Uma Musume came tumbling and flying toward her.
Then...
Thud!
"Eh, it doesn't seem to hurt~ Strange, what did I hit? Why is it so soft..."
Rubbing her dizzy head, Matikane Tannhauser asked in confusion.
"Ahahaha, little Tannhauser, of course it doesn't hurt you— after all, you crashed right into my arms," Starlight said with a forced smile and a gentle tone.
'This kid... that hit actually hurt quite a bit!'
"Ah, sorry, Starlight-senpai! I'll get up right now."
After standing up in a panic, Tannhauser prepared to turn around, only for her right foot to step on her left foot again.
With a backward tilt, she fell right back into Starlight's embrace.
Fortunately, she didn't have a running start this time, so the impact wasn't as strong.
Relying on the "strength" of her chest, Starlight managed to withstand it easily.
Reaching out to straighten the other's hat, Starlight used a tissue to help wipe the snot from Tannhauser's nose.
"No rush, take your time getting up. You aren't hurt, are you~"
Feeling the attentive care, Tannhauser dazed out for a moment, staring up blankly at Divine Starlight.
"Hehe, I'm fine, Starlight-senpai. I just bumped into something bouncy and soft."
With her face flushing slightly, Starlight helped her up and zipped her sleeping bag back up.
"Then hurry along. Be careful out there."
"Okay! Bye-bye, Starlight-senpai!"
Turning around, Tannhauser squinted her eyes with a smile and waved.
After getting off the RV, she tightened her jacket.
Recalling the experience just now, her pale gold eyes filled with joy.
"Starlight-senpai really is as gentle as the rumors say. Sigh, it's all my fault for being so clumsy. I hope things go more smoothly from here on out."
Walking over slowly with brewed black tea, Grass Wonder handed a cup to Starlight.
"Tannhauser-san is a bit reckless, but she's a very good girl."
"Mhm, true... Before we came here, I even had afternoon tea with the Chairwoman. When she heard we were coming here to play, she asked me to bring Tannhauser along."
"It feels like she and the Chairwoman have a good relationship."
It had to be said that Rice Shower's camping skills were exceptionally high.
With the help of Seiun Sky, the two of them quickly set up a large tent on the thick ice.
After laying down a temperature-insulating carpet, they began pumping heat into the tent.
Seiun Sky soon carved a hole in a corner for fishing.
After calling out to the people outside, she made herself at home. Taking a small lounge chair to sit by the hole, she picked up her rod to begin fishing.
The moment Starlight entered the tent, she stopped feeling cold.
After stretching a bit, she moved her sleeping bag onto a cot.
"Starlight-chan, how is it? Rice finished the tent!"
Just then, Rice Shower, having finished setting up all the outdoor equipment, lifted the door flap and walked in.
Her sparkling eyes were fixed on Starlight.
"Mhm, it's great, Rice-chan! Let's start prepping the ingredients for the barbecue."
"Okay! Rice will do whatever Starlight-chan says."
After finishing her coffee, Kiryuu Inami got off the RV and followed them inside.
As their Trainer and guardian, she naturally had to keep a close eye on these youngsters.
Especially with Tannhauser around, she had to be extra vigilant.
Standing to one side, she watched the three Uma Musume having a snowball fight. The energetic scene was quite heartwarming.
El Condor Pasa picked up a snowball and locked onto Tannhauser.
Whoosh—!
Just as the snowball was about to hit, Tannhauser slipped and fell flat, successfully dodging the attack.
"Are you okay, Tannhauser-san!?" Special Week, seeing this from not far away, hurriedly called out in concern.
"Ahahaha, I'm fine..."
Puff—!
The moment she finished speaking, a snowball smacked her right in the face.
"Ah—!!"
A spray of bright red erupted from her nose.
Despite this, Tannhauser maintained a look of serene peacefulness.