Yuki was almost inclined to side with the weather report, but one incident from her past kept coming to mind: the weather report said the day would be cloudy at the worst with low temperatures well above freezing, five minutes after it started snowing. A mountain forecast seemed more accurate, but that was just in her mind. Until experience affirmed the notion, she'd say weather reports can't be trusted, even in climates that have essentially the same weather every day.
Right now, the sky looked to be clear for a few hours and the shadows were still a brilliant blue. If the weather forecasts are still dubious, then this could be her only chance to soak in the nature around her. It would be a crime to stay indoors today, and possibly the biggest mistake of her life. Now to figure out who was joining her.
Back in the living room, Yuki first noticed the one thing that hadn't changed: Lily was hunched forward in a chair and had a game console in her hand. The moment the gang entered the cabin, the brunette made a mad dash for the television, knowing it would lead to a power outlet for her machines. The long ride and the mishap with the front desk ate up time and battery power, and she was driven to keep the system from dying before she could save her progress. Of course, the downside was Lily's suitcase also hadn't moved into a room and unpacked.
Unlike their friend who may need an intervention, Miki and Jessica made finding their rooms and unpacking their second priority - right after finding the bathroom - and were presently ready to seize the day. If not for Yuki's timing, the duo would have been out the door already.
Yuki asked, "You two headin' off without us?"
"Just drivin' to the village," Miki answered.
Jessica continued, "Since we got a fridge now, we can stock up on the good stuff. We've covered the obvious, and I know Lily wants string cheese and root beer. You need anything, or want to come with?"
"Nah," Yuki said after a thought. "I should have enough. But if you're down there, look at the restaurants, see what we can do for real food."
"Can do," Miki said. "We could prolly find some stuff to do that ain't in the ads while we're snoopin'."
"You two have fun," Jessica called. "We'll do somethin' together tomorrow, 'kay?"
Yuki nodded as she donned her simple coat and mittens, allowing her friends to take Jessica's car back down the mountain. She had a strong suspicion Lily wasn't going to move until her bladder was ready to burst, but after that she'd look for her friends and find the cabin empty...probably. Yuki left her a note before leaving, urging her to at least hit the lodge's game room, before she.
The mountain wasn't getting any warmer, and the sky seemed perfectly still. It was still a perfect temperature and setting for anything imaginable. The low cloud cover and fresh powder meant the paths would be a picturesque winter wonderland, perfect for a visually stimulating hike, but only so long as the weather held. The low temperature and modest sunlight were perfect for thick ice on the lakes, ideal for ice skating in this calm hour of no wind, or for ice fishing in a shanty if the wind picked up. The thought alone of trying these for the first time made Yuki's heart flutter.
It would probably be a great time to hit the hot springs, but that Japan nut would probably kill Yuki for going without her. And while she definitely wanted to try snowmobiling, Jessica claimed she had a coupon for it that was only valid for four, and Yuki alone couldn't afford the rental fee or down payment herself. Then there was skiing, which would force her to double back to the cabin. For all the monitors on the slopes trying to keep the guests safe, Yuki would still feel safer on her first real run with a more active observer, like friends. A ski instructor also fit the description, but she already had a few lessons before the trip. She wasn't about to blow more money for lessons she didn't need, especially when she was hoping to pinch her pennies...
"Any empty slots?" a rumbling bass asked.
Following the voice out of curiosity and boredom, Yuki found two men almost ready to ski - only "almost" because each only had one arm in their jackets, fortunately for Yuki. The tension in their arms, while masked by the sweaters, remained visible and prominent, giving Yuki a solid outline of hunky figures underneath. As they got closer, Yuki saw them head and shoulders above her, creating fantasies of them effortlessly carrying Yuki while gently massaging her weak legs back to vitality. Their eyes were hidden behind ski goggles, but the chiseled faces could shame the great sculptors, in Yuki's opinion anyway. She didn't know if she liked the shorter one's black hair flowing around his neck, or the taller one's short and tamed blonde. Either way, her heart was racing for new reasons now, even as they walked away.
"Just one," the blonde says in a gentle tenor. "I kept tellin' them our classes usually fill, but they all said they'll get in later, after they unpack and whatnot."
"And when they don't, they'll blame us," his friend says. "Well, there's still a little time left. Hopefully someone'll show up."
"Why wouldn't they? We're the cheapest class on the mountain."
Once their tight behinds were too far away to admire, Yuki put her tongue back in her mouth.
Then again, she reasoned, the lessons before the trip weren't on a real mountain, and there's no such thing as too much practice. The whole reason she's here is to ski, and it is the one thing that's here today and might not be here tomorrow or the day after. And what's a little money? She just skimps on dinner until she evens out.
Of course, Yuki does have a rational part of her brain, the part that works even when her lady parts don't get excited. Perhaps it could work now and remind her of all the reasons ski lessons are unnecessary, the ones she listed before those ski instructors passed her.
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