Megumi smiled at Arisu's response, finding her anger to be somewhat cute, and then they were up and walking towards the fair grounds. She stepped gingerly through the snow, listening with a blank face as Kuyu's voice became quieter, much different from before. Odd. Freezing cold water seeped into her sneakers, and she blew out another small sigh and shivered. While winter did have it's pristine beauty and calming nights, the cold was something Megumi hated more then men. When it's cold the body sweats less, but when you do it turns you into a human icicle. Breathing heavily is harder, and joints locked and jammed if they weren't used enough. Clothing became layered, adding an uncomfortable heaviness to the girl who always liked to stay light on her feet, animals came out less, and the dojo was always freezing during the colder months so students rarely came. How stupid.

"Ne, Kitabatake-chan..."

Megumi glanced up as the group finally finished their traverse over the mound of snow, listening intently to Kuyu's question. After a moment of thought and remembering that they had indeed taught Kiku at one time she responded quietly,

"Mother is doing... Well. We haven't been getting many students, which has made her somewhat..." Megumi trailed off as she tried to remember the word, "... Agitated. But she's not ill or anything, so there's that." Images of her mother burning food, training for days on end, and crying while visiting the shrine last night replayed over and over in her head, but she shook them away and instead focused on the festivals grounds. Shrines, most empty and still, lined the path that led to a set of stone stairs. Lanterns hung from trees, unlit, awaiting for night to fall so that they may once again light the walkway on last time for the last New Years celebration. Megumi had climbed the stairs in front of them last night, dressed in an ornate kimono, to draw fortunes with her mother and pray for a good new year. Nameless men were setting up a few stands at the moment, selling things like masks and kites and food. Megumi looked expectantly at the two in front of her, awaiting one of them to find something interesting to do.