[Fluff]

Snow. Slowly but surely hovering down onto the ground. The moon hanging up above, with the stars shining bright. And two young ladies currently walking down the street, hand in hand and smiles shared between them.

"I'm really glad you're alright, Mikai. I... I did so much to try and help you, but in the end I still allowed all of that to happen. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Yumeko. We're back together. So don't start crying because you couldn't help me. Because as long as we stay together, there's nothing that'll be able to tear us apart. Ever again."

Though there was a significant gap in height between the two girls, they could easily gaze into each others' eyes. All while warmly smiling at one another. They had been through so much, and yet that had only served to reinforce their love.

The shorter of the two girls was Mikai Fushimi, the Hero that had protected Mimoto. And though she had been forced through troubling situation after troubling situation, she kept on getting right back up on her feet and continued to defend the city that she cared so much about. Even after her heart had been shattered, and she shut herself away inside of her despair, that smile of hers was able to return. And now it seemed even stronger than ever. Would it ever shatter? Who knew at this point.

Her partner smiled down at her. Yumeko Watanabe, her very first friend. In several measures, as it turned out. Because she had been watching over her since the very beginning. It was no coincidence that Mikai was the one to save her. But even though she had a much greater history than it seemed at first glance, she was just happy to be at her dear Mikai's side. Nothing else mattered to her.

"You're right." Yumeko said, gently grabbing the scarf that kept the two connected. And warm too, because it wasn't exactly warm outside with all of this snow drizzling down. "Still. I just hope that we can make it through everything else. And I'm sorry that it had to happen on Christmas of all nights."

Mikai nodded. It did kinda suck. But she didn't seem too hurt. "I mean... I think I got the best gift I ever could've gotten. You and Saeko!" She chimed, her bright and cheery smile was brimming with love for the two that had helped her. Despite how hard it had been.

"Mmhm. Though you shouldn't tell her that. She might just melt." Yumeko giggled, and Mikai joined her. As much as feelings for the girl had started to properly take form inside her heart, thanks to how hard Saeko had pushed herself, she couldn't help but tease her a bit. Especially when she wasn't there to hear them.

The shorter of the two girls leaned up against her partner, nuzzling into her and sighing sweetly. All while looking up at the beautiful stars above, their shine serving to guide them home to her Mom's house. "You think she'll enjoy the gift I got her? I just tried to think of something good, I'm not really sure it's what she'd like." Since Saeko had secretly been Spider the entire time, it was hard for her to really think of a good gift. Especially considering the last 'gift' she got from her. But she tried. Because she gave her a chance.

"She'll enjoy it. Whether it's good or not, it's the fact that you gave her a gift that matters." Yumeko said, tightening her grip on Mikai's hand. Just to make sure that she understood that she wanted her to not worry too much. "Besides. I'm sure she's knit a very nice gift for you. You just wait and see."

If Yumeko thought so, then Mikai had no need to worry. Sure, she might be depending on her a little too much... But she was her girlfriend. And as far as she knew, as far as she thought based on how her heart felt, she had to trust her. It's not like Yumeko would ever betray her trust... Not like Kimiko had.

As they drew closer to her Mom's house, she couldn't help but wonder how that girl was feeling. As she looked into the sky once more, and watched as some of the stars gently faded into the deep darkness of the night... How was she doing? She was made from her emotions, so it was only natural that she'd feel something for her. But more importantly...

She just seemed so lonely. Maybe, if she came back...

"Mikai? I want you to do me a tiny favor."

Mikai blinked as she looked at Yumeko, tilting her head slightly as she let the thought dwell on her mind. "What kind of favor?" She asked, her body shaking a little. Excitement was building. She was planning something. She knew she was. And she couldn't wait to find out just what kind of plan it was.

"Close your eyes. And I'll guide you inside. Your Mom wanted to make the reveal of all the presents she got you a very special treat. So just seeing it when you walk in would ruin the moment." Yumeko explained as much as she could, before stepping in front of Mikai so she could hide anything in case she decided to accidently open her eyes. "Is that alright?"

Mikai quickly nodded, and one hand went up in front of her eyes. Guaranteeing that she wouldn't be able to see anything... Especially since she pressed that hand up against her face, just to make sure that she didn't get any funny ideas.

She trusted Yumeko. From the bottom of her heart. Even as they slowly wandered into her Mom's house, she didn't feel worried at all. It didn't matter that she couldn't see. Because Yumeko was there to guide her. And she would keep her safe.

Though, it was a little quiet. Maybe a lot quiet. Wouldn't Mom be cooking around this time? She had told her that she was going to cook a duck and a bunch of browned potatoes, because she knew that she would love such a sugary treat. And yet, she couldn't hear the stove or the oven or anything. What was going on?

Then, Mikai felt Yumeko's hand leave hers. And she felt the slightest tinge of pure worry wash over her. And yet.... No. She had to trust her. She hadn't led her into a trap. She hadn't led her into a deeply troubling situation. And... And now she probably had to open her eyes, and see what was waiting for her..!

The short girl pulled her hand away from her face, and opened up those bright eyes..!

"Merry Christmas!"

As soon as Mikai opened her eyes, all the lights in the house turned on. And the first thing that caught her attention was the brightly decorated Christmas Tree. So many pretty balls and stars attached, even a few tiny origami figures that were supposed to represent Mikai's forms had been hung up.

What she noticed after that wasn't the decor, but rather all the people that had been part of helping. Because Her Mom, Saeko and Yumeko weren't the only ones that had gathered at her old home to enjoy a late Christmas. No, there were a couple more familiar faces that were more than happy to spend time with her...

The first was obviously her fellow heroine and partner, Hiro Fukano. Though her hair had turned chalk white thanks to the measures that were taken to restrain her arm and prevent it from corroding her any further, and though her emotions were nowhere near as expressive as before... Of course she wasn't about to miss out on a lovely night with the girl that had brought smiles back to her heart.

Alongside her, with their arms tightly wrapped around a shivering but happy Saeko, were the rest of the Student Council. Yuuki Shimo and Saki Himitsu. Though the latter had gone through a stint as a pure enemy due to her rage against Mikai, she had seen the light. And to see all three of them together like this again... Ah, Mikai couldn't help but feel happy as her heart bounced all around.

Joining them were two women that were meant to be her enemies. And yet at the same time, they were... allies, in a sense. Against the greater enemies that lurked beyond, and whatever else might threaten their plan. Baroness Bat and Lady D'Or... Or rather, Principal Rose and Dr. Charlotta. Even though their identity was mostly revealed to the group currently present in the house, it wouldn't hurt to keep secrets from the likes of Mikai's mom still.

Speaking of enemies that were also allies, a single boy was sitting at the nearby dinner table, currently taking a sip from what looked like a common soda. Hayato Koizumi. Part of the JõtaiKillers, who were an aggressive ally that ultimately wanted to protect the world as well... Even at the cost of part of its inhabitants. Not only that, but he had a storied past with Mikai. One that meant that he couldn't stop himself from showing up on this special night, especially since Mikai had helped him open up his eyes a little more.

Finally, she couldn't ignore her Mom. If she ignored her Mom, then she was going to get an earful. And it wasn't like she had any chance of avoiding her Mom either, because her Mom immediately wrapped her arms around her once the lights had turned on, and Mikai had taken in her surroundings and the presence of all her loving friends.

"Ahaha! It's a bit tight, Mom!" Mikai giggled, trembling a little in her Mom's strong grip. Despite Kaoru's own shorter size, she was as strong as an ox... Or maybe even a mommy bear. That was probably why her hug was so tight, come to think of it!

"Never letting go of you again, sweetheart. There's no way that I'm letting you sink into despair, just because you think you're not loved." As her Mom, Kaoru, spoke... She swore that she could hear her voice threatening to crack from the sadness hidden within. Aw. On this holy night, of course emotions started to pour out.

Rose smiled as she watched the love that a parent had for her child, taking a single glance towards Charlotta. "Say, dear. Once all of this is over, should we try for another daughter?" She said, giggling a little as she put her hand over her stomach. "I'm sure that Saeko would adore a little sister."

Saeko could hear one of her adoptive moms saying very embarrassing things. And she could feel Charlotta's eyes peer toward her too. "Make that two, Rose. Once all of this is over, I want to bring bright life into the world... Bright life that we can bless our family with."

"I knew I shouldn't have let them come..." Saeko muttered as she did her best to hide in between her two Senpais. Anything to avoid hearing both Rose and Charlotta talk about the future that was to come. "How do they expect me to handle little sisters?"

"Eventually, you just gotta accept that responsibility." Yuuki chimed, as she wrapped her arms around her shorter kouhai. Grinning as she looked up at her, with a bright blush covering the shorter girl's cheeks. "I didn't really wanna be a big sister either. But y'know? If anything happened to Yuuka, I would make sure they wish that they never were born." She sounded so proud of her little sister. All while she cast a gaze towards Saki. "What about you, Saki?"

"I wish I still had siblings." Saki said in a sobering tone. Before shaking her head and wrapping her arms around Saeko as well. "Even so. I would love to help you take care of them, should you need some help. No matter what happens, I would do anything to see you two happy. That's why I did everything that I did. To protect you."

That earned her a glare, courtesy of both of her fellow Student Council members. And she just smiled. "I know. I shouldn't let that get the better of me. As long as you're happy, I shouldn't worry." She said, hugging both of them tighter than she ever had before. "Thank you. Both of you."

Gentle laughter was shared between the Student Council, all while Hiro quietly watched as she took a seat in a cushy chair. She couldn't really feel any positive or negative emotion by being here. And yet, as she looked towards Mikai. As she gazed towards the partner that had stuck with her through thick and thin, despite how dangerous it was. Despite how much she just tossed herself at the problem...

She couldn't help but crack the tiniest smile. Mikai's warmth was the only thing that could make her emote. And as long as she could keep that smile safe, anything was worth it. Which was why she had gone through the trouble of getting Qilin to help her pick out a gift for the girl. Something that could make her feel as happy as she deserved to.

Hayato took a long sip from his glass, a bit of a blush on his cheeks as he watched all this merriment around him. That, and he noticed that Mikai was looking towards him. He just glared for a moment, before looking elsewhere with a blush on his cheeks. That damn girl... At least she was okay. That was definitely the only reason why he showed up. Despite the tensions between the various factions...

"Thank you, Mikai." Finally, it was Yumeko's turn again. And she smiled as she sat down in front of the Christmas Tree, looking up at her girlfriend. "I went through a lot of trouble to arrange this. Everyone was more than tired after the Near-Luna Descent. So I'm very glad that they all decided to come together. For you. You've done a lot to touch all of our hearts, after all." She chimed and smiled so brightly. Because she truly believed that this was well worth the effort. Because it meant that Mikai would be happy.

And Mikai's response? Simple. One by one. She hugged all of her friends. All of the people she held near and dear to her heart. Whether it was her Mom. Whether it was Hiro. Whether it was the Student Council, the Principal, Doctor Charlotta, Hayato, or Yumeko. All of them got a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. Because she loved them all. Lots and lots, straight from that all-loving heart of hers.

The ones that reacted most to this kiss had to be Hayato and Saeko, who both turned several different shades of red in the span of a few seconds, to the point where Yuuki had to laugh. It was strange seeing those two so alike, yet it only reinforced that she had done a little good by making them work together...

Once Mikai had hugged them all, she sat down by Yumeko and eyed all the various presents that were pushed underneath the tree. There were some hidden inside the tree too, given the very particular way that they had been stacked. "Are all of those for me?" She asked, a little pang of worry in her heart. "I know this is all supposed to be for me, but... You all deserve gifts too!"

"Don't worry." Kaoru said, patting her dear daughter on the head. "When Yumeko asked if we could try out Christmas here, I made sure that everyone that was invited brought gifts for those they held dear as well. This is a celebration of you... And the bonds that extend from you as well. So don't you worry your big butt off about that stuff. Just think about your friends as you open your gifts."

Mikai nodded, while quickly noticing that there were a couple more gifts than she probably would've expected. But since she had plenty of gifts to go through, she didn't really think too much about the number. More about what would be inside. And she started by picking out one of the boxes.

"From Hayato, to my... Best friend?" Mikai said, as she gazed towards the soda-slurping edgy boy, who refused to look at her as she read off the label. "Aw. Thanks, Hayato!" She chimed, carefully tearing the wrapping to pieces...

Underneath... Was a model kit. He had gotten her a model of the main mech from some robot show that she vaguely remembered. Great Cygnus..? If she remembered correctly, because her memories of her childhood were still really foggy due to losing Kimiko... It was about this young man that tried to help out an archeologist with a dig site, only to fall into the cockpit of an ancient mech and getting wrapped up in a planetary succession crisis due to what the Cygnus represented...

Well. She'd have to ask him more about it later, and maybe catch a few episodes with him. Maybe Tsubasa had a couple recorded? Hiro probably did as well, but... Oh, actually, all four of them could watch it together! That'd probably make Hiro slowly return to normal! Yeah, that was a great idea!

Mikai giggled to herself as she picked out another gift, this time it was more rectangular in shape. Almost like a cheap figure. But when she shook it, it didn't sound too cheap.

"From Hiro. To Mikai." Mikai read off the label, frowning slightly. Usually, Hiro added a little star to the end of her sentences when she was being friendly. It was something that she was supposed to keep quiet about, but... "Come on, Hiro! Where's the star!?" She shouted, huffing and puffing.

All eyes turned on Hiro. And the white-haired woman blinked for a second. Did her cheeks get redder? It was hard to tell, because her skin was so pale. "I'm sorry." She said. She couldn't muster up more of an apology due to her current condition, so she hoped it would be enough.

Mikai just sighed. Well, she didn't sound like she didn't care. So she enthusiastically opened up the gift, and..!

It was a figurine. Tiny chibified figurine... Of Mimoto! The Jõtaider, not the city. Awww! Was that how she was supposed to look if she was tiny? Cute! Really, really cute!

"It's an early production sample." Hiro added. "I was going to get you something edible, because I knew Seiryu was on the verge of a breakthrough. However, she insisted that it would be best to give you something more long lasting. Her tests hadn't yet been finalized, and she didn't want to bring you into it. Yet." She explained. Remarkably restrained, considering Seiryu's usual lack of morals.

Mikai nodded as she picked up the next gift. This one was a lot smaller. Like... A box for... Oh. Ohhhh. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized what it was meant for, with her eyes gazing towards D'Or and Bat... Rather, Dr. Charlotta and Rose...

"From Rose and Charlotta. To the Hero who's touched us all." Mikai blushed a bit more. Was she getting weak to compliments, or was it just because of what was meant to be in this box? Either way, she quietly deliberated on whether she should open it or not. "...I'll save this for later. Okay?"

"Of course." Charlotta said, gently bowing her head. "Consider it a keepsake. You never know when you might need it. And it's hard to tell when might be the right time." She mused, all while lifting up her dear wife's hand. "It took quite some time before Rose was willing either. But I'm sure that time will come for you sooner rather than later, Mikai."

Rose joined Mikai in blushing really deeply. Something about how her wife reminded her that she had been really hesitant to tie the knot and make them wives... Oh, gosh, she could feel the sweat running down her cheeks as well.

Soft snickering echoed out across the entire house, as Mikai picked out yet another gift. This one was from Yuuki and Saki, and it was a lot like a box. Huh. What had they cooked up?

"From your Senpais, Saki and Yuuki. Ehe. Thanks, Yuuki-senpai! Saki-senpai!" Mikai cried out, as she tore open the box to see what was inside. Only to blink a little.

Because it was... It was just a bronze bowl. A bronze bowl that had a bunch of candy inside, but it was clear that the bowl was custom made. Which, considering the two that had gifted it to her, honestly made sense.

"I was thinking of something special for you, Mikai." Saki said, before clearing her throat a little. "However, Yuuki decided that it would be best to join forces and craft something that you could use for a long time. So... I hope a bowl is good. Even if it might not be as exciting as the other gifts."

Mikai stared a bit at it. Then a little bit longer. Before chuckling and nodding. "Yeah, I can use it. Not sure how much I'll use it, but I definitely can." She chimed as she smiled from ear to ear again. "Thanks, Senpai!"

Finally, there was just one gift that remained. "To Mikai. From Mom, Yumeko and Saeko." Mikai read it off, and it was instantly obvious what she had gotten from the three of them. Because the gift itself was a lot softer than all the others. It had to be something she could wear. But what exactly was it? There was only one real way to find out.

She opened it up. And inside... Inside was a comfortable sweater. A green, lovable Christmas sweater. But it wasn't just a sweater. No, it was also a piece of art. Because every important friend of hers was woven into the back, some more prominent than others. With Hayato barely represented by an angry face, which caused the boy to silently grit his teeth from the indirect tease.

The ones that were most obvious were the five on the front. Mikai, sitting on Hiro's lap, being hugged by the older woman. And behind her, Kaoru watched over both of them. At her sides, Saeko and Yumeko. Both leaning up against the Jõtaiders. Both with a heart above them, showing the love that they held close to their hearts.

It made Mikai tear up a little. She didn't even hesitate. Immediately putting it on and hugging herself really tight. It was one of the very best gifts she ever could've gotten. She knew that Saeko was behind most of it, since she was the one that was actually skilled at knitting, but she was sure that the others had some creative input.

And once the tears had started rolling, they just couldn't stop. "Thank you... Thank you all so much!" She cried out in pure joy, as the tears streamed down her cheeks. Tears of pure, unabated happiness. She was the luckiest little girl in the whole world. She was blessed to have such loving friends, such a loving family... Ah.. Ahh..!

Of course everyone cheered for her. Even Hiro, who could barely emote, and Hayato, who was as cranky as ever, raised a glass to cheer for the crying girl that had touched all their hearts. This Christmas was for her. And the gift she now wore, that showed all of them off, served to represent that.

Though Mikai's actual Christmas had been ruined by the efforts of her runaway emotions in the form of Kimiko, her friends made sure to make up for it. And as she held her hands close to her heart as that sweater filled her with the warmth of their love... She just couldn't be happier.

She was happy that she had become a hero. And she would keep fighting. For the sake of making this warmth last. For all her friends..!