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Kyousuke opens, narrating - This is the story of a strange experience that Ayukawa
and I had the time we went to my Grandfather's house. -
Hikaru is singing "Dance in the Sweet Memories" to herself in the bath. She
tell Madoka to hurry up, which she does. It's really nice that Grandpa
has a hot spring bath right in his house. When Madoka gets in the tub,
Hikaru comments that she looks smaller with clothes on; she doesn't have
the body of a junior high student. They chase each other around the tub
for this comment. Grandpa is taking a look at the two beauties through
a crack in the door. When Hikaru wonders where the shampoo is, he hands
it to her. Kyousuke happens by and chases Grandpa off just as Hikaru realized
that someone handed her the shampoo. She's scared, but then realizes it's
Kyousuke. - If you wanted to take a bath with me, why didn't you just say
so. - She drags him into the bathhouse, embarrassing him and Madoka.
That evening, everyone is gathered around the fire. Grandpa and Hikaru are extolling
the virtues of the in-house-onsen, and she shows some of the clear smooth
skin it gave her. Komatsu and Hatta are overjoyed at this thought, and
suggest that Kurumi and Manami bathe next but are turned down. The talk
changes to skiing tomorrow. Even though there's only one lift, Grandpa
says there will be no problem because Kyousuke can use his power. Kyousuke
laughs this off as a joke, and does the same when Grandpa levitates him.
Grandpa then mentions that the ski slopes won't be crowded. In fact, few of the
locals ski there, especially the young people. - I have something to tell
you before going skiing. - He asks Kyousuke - Which of these is your girlfriend? -
Kyousuke, embarrassed, demands to know what that has to do with skiing.
- If one of them is your girlfriend, you mustn't ski with her.
Remember
the legend of nakedness? -
Grandma suggests they turn in and leads Kyousuke, Madoka and Hikaru off to their
room. There are only two futons in the room. Kyousuke's embarrassed, Hikaru's
overjoyed, and Madoka just frowns. Grandma pushes him and Madoka into the
room. When they hesitate, she pushes Hikaru at him and says - Then maybe
with her? - Finally, she ends up kidding him - Oh, then all three of you
together? You do take after your grandfather. -
The next day, the gang is on the ski slopes. Madoka comes down showing what a good
skier she is. Kyousuke is worried about the superstition. Couples that
ski together are found naked and dead later. They also have expressions
of terror on their face as if they'd seen a ghost. Yuusaku asks to ski
with Madoka, that way he won't endanger Hikaru. Hikaru counters and asks
Madoka to ski with Kyousuke for the same reason, and goes off with Yuusaku.
Komatsu and Hatta are worried about what to do about Kurumi and Manami,
but find that the twins have taken care of it themselves by skiing together
with Jingoro.
Finally, only Madoka and Kyousuke are left standing on the slope. She heads off
down the slope. Kyousuke follows, but is worried since he can barely ski
unless he uses his power. - Try to catch me -
cries Madoka over her shoulder, laughing. Kyousuke finally catches up with her, but snags her ski-pole,
and the two fall and roll into a ``Keep Out'' area. Kyousuke remembers
Grandpa's words about couples skiing together.
The reason for the "Keep Out" sign soon becomes evident as an avalanche starts down
the mountain toward them. Kyousuke finds a cave in which they can hide
safely. It passes them by; they are safe, except that the avalanche has
trapped them in the cave. The snow at the mouth is too deep to dig through.
Kyousuke also can't use his powers since Madoka is here and would see.
Madoka comments that there's something odd about this cave; it's hot. She starts
taking off her clothes. This makes Kyousuke remember the discussion of
the naked lovers. Madoka then asks him to take his clothes off too, and
begins to when he doesn't. He stops her and does it himself. The two are
sitting, naked, in front of each other, and then not just sitting.
He is awakened by a slap from a fully clothed Madoka. - What are you doing?! -
He stops undressing and explains that she was taking her clothes off and
making him do so too. - You were hallucinating. -
Kyousuke realizes - The ghosts gave me a vision. -
Back at the ski lodge, Komatsu and Hatta are trying to get Ushiko to ski with them.
They point out the legend and say that they'll take care of her. Ushiko
and Umao aren't too pleased with this idea. They do end up going off with
different people, just not Komatsu and Hatta.
Back in the cave, Kyousuke tells Madoka of an old village song village that his
Grandmother used to sing to him. His grandfather thinks that the song and
the nakedness legend are linked. The song says that, long ago, a the village
squire's daughter and a hunter's son fell in love, but their parents were
opposed to the marriage. The two escaped, ran off and hid in a cave. There,
they made a pact that, however they died, they would die together. Running
away, pursued by the angry villagers, they slipped and fell into a pit.
The boy managed to hold onto the edge with one hand, and the girl with
his other. However, his hand eventually cramped, and the girl slipped out
of his grip to fall to her death in the lava below. The boy, distraught
over her death, eventually killed himself. The girl died thinking that
he let go of her to save himself. It is said that her ghost, looking like
she burned to death, appears to couples on the mountain. The attacked couple
is then turned into a pair of naked corpses.
Madoka tells Kyousuke to stop scaring himself with such tales. He agrees, but
says there's something behind him. It's a skeleton. Madoka runs off only
to confront another. A great group of zombies appear and begin chasing
the two. They run down the cave until they come to a dead end. Kyousuke
turns to protect Madoka from them. Now he has to use his power, but it
seems to have no effect. They hold each other in fright, and the zombies
soon disappear.
Kyousuke tells Madoka that it was just a dream, that's the only thing that could
explain it. Then they both hear an old woman singing the song. The place
shakes, and the floor collapses beneath them. Kyousuke is left hanging
by one hand from the edge, and holding Madoka by the other as she dangles
over a lava pit. The ghost of the girl appears and tells him to let go
of her hand. - If you let go, you can save yourself just like the boy who
betrayed me. - Kyousuke explains that it wasn't that way.
The ghost knows, but that changes nothing; he let her go. She then shoots a beam at
Kyousuke and Madoka's clasped hands, demanding he let go. Madoka also begs him to
let go and save himself.
Kyousuke says he can't hold on any more. The ghost is glad he's finally changed
his mind. He says he hasn't, however, and doesn't let go of Madoka, but
rather of the ledge. The two fall, holding each other in their arms. The
ghost covers her face. When she uncovers it, she is the happy young girl
of the story, who says - Thank you! -
Kyousuke and Madoka wake up out on the mountainside, holding hands. They're both
ok. They see a sparkling pillar of sunlight through the clouds, and inside
this, see the couple from the song ascending together. Madoka looks at
Kyousuke and asks - How long are you going to keep holding my hand. -
The two laugh and run off chasing each other.
- And that was the strange experience Ayukawa and I had - narrates Kyousuke.
