Avalanche of Love Ep. 13

Jasmine shuddered at the statement, feeling the old memories wash over her. Madeline had been doing what she did then, she wasn't being nice on purpose. She was treating her like a competitor, a rival. That little teenage rabbit that was always just finishing a fraction of a point back, but always there, making her have to push more to win than any other girl did.

"You little bitch..." Jasmine snarled and shoved her mouth guard in, dropped her own goggles, then kicked off.

Madeline treated the run as if a championship were on the line as if all her fans and loved ones were watching. They'd been doing these training sessions multiple times a week, for hours at a time, all while juggling competitions and work.

She cut through the air, biting down on her mouthguard, flipping, twisting, and putting it out there as if a gold medal were hanging in the balance. She had a head start, so she finished the run just as Jasmine was coming in behind her for the first pass. Even some of the techs that worked at the facility were hooting and cheering from the display, the hardened veterans that had seen it all impressed by her.

The rabbit just folded her arms, standing there watching, her chest rising and falling in a pant, sweat dripping through her fur while she watched the mouse as a judge would. Jasmine perfectly matched the first and second passes, then bringing nearly two decades of experience to bear. The small mouse used her momentum to add a full corkscrew and even an extra end-over-end flip before immaculately sticking the landing.

Jasmine felt her legs wobble like gelatin, barely getting the board to slow before flopping over back first into the snow, panting up at the overcast sky, flakes of snow drifting down. Her heart was pounding in her ears, and everything on her throbbed, but she'd matched, maybe even managed to keep that rabbit off her heels one more time.

Madeline came into her view, standing over her. The mouse blinked as she saw the bunny point at her, again making a finger gun, as if aimed right at her heart. She held that for a moment, then her gaze softened ever so slightly as she fully opened her palm. "Get up."

With a small grunt of effort, Jasmine took her grip and lifted herself from the snow, still panting and feeling weak in the knees, she'd quite literally dumped everything in her tank into that run, all to stave that rabbit off. She felt Madeline squeeze her paw, then jerk her forward.

Jasmine squeaked out at the pull as she suddenly crashed into the rabbit's chest. Madeline slapped her on the back in a quick hug, patting it a few times. "Good job, Glitter, remember that feeling, remember to just leave it all out there like that... like you used to do."

She pulled back, both girls staring at one another as Jasmine just gave a nod, still panting as if she'd just run an entire marathon, but her heart started to ease. Madeline offered her a haughty smirk as she stood before her. "Kai and Kayla will be here next session to go over finer points with you again, but I think we've managed to tear through that wall of four years, what do you think?"

Glitter blinked at her before looking down at her paws, squeezing them a few times. She was aching everywhere, her joints were screaming, her muscles were groaning, and even her head was throbbing. It didn't matter, this was that feeling, even if it would be harder to muster up, this was that feeling from back then.

She closed her brown eyes and clenched her right fist, opening them a few moments later with a glint of fire in them as she looked at the smirking rabbit. "C'mon kid, one more time, let the techs over there be the judges, loser buys the drinks."

The Snow Bunny showed her own teeth in a grin, slapping Glitter on the shoulder. "You're on!"

"I'd say that's not too bad for our first season, what do you think?" Kai stood off to the side with Hiroshi after the festivities, the buck still wearing the bronze medal around his neck.

"I feel we would be at the top if we'd started a little sooner in the season, but we've made our case for the next one." Hiroshi frowned as he spoke, then pulled the medal off and just shoved it in his jacket pocket.

Kai smirked and shifted a paw to his hip. "Technically you were at the top in third, I just ended up falling back a few points to fourth, but I'm still beating your tail in the half-pipe, so..."

"No surprise as it's been a wild year for me. Losing my sponsor, signing with you guys, the injury, and not to mention the whole player league drama." Hiroshi scoffed as he folded his arms.

"That excuses I hear, Roshi? Not like you to lean on the details." Kai gave a playful grin.

"Hmph, call it what you want, at least I got a medal." The buck shoved his nose up in the air as Kai gave a laugh at the display.

"Damn man, you're spending too much time with Charles and Madeline, gonna develop one of those haughty better-than-thou attitudes at this rate!" Kai playfully shoved the smaller boy by the shoulder. Hiroshi took a step back from the light push and smirked up at Kai.

"Did I hear my name?" A voice bellowed out as Hiroshi just rolled his eyes to see Charles sauntering over to them with Ellery in tow.

"Coming over to assert your dominance, Charles?" Hiroshi drolled out with an already irritable look.

The largest boy of the group smirked as he showed his sharp teeth, still wearing his gold medal, the buck next to him with a silver one on. "Maybe I should, yeah? Light a fire under your two's tails so you'll-" He cut himself off and folded his arms. "Nah, I came to say good job this season, congratulate you and all that supportive stuff, you know?"

"Really now? No blustering and bravado, Mr. Dynamite?" Kai cocked a brow skeptically.

Charles clicked his tongue and looked away, his demeanor looking uncharacteristically passive. Ellery smiled and gave him a shoulder bump before speaking, "Charlie knows what you mates did, he-"

"Ellery, I can speak for myself!" The lion snarled and clenched his gloved paws.

"Then spit it out ya big goof!" Ellery gave him another bump with his shoulder, making the lion stumble back a pace.

Charles rolled his eyes and sighed before finally speaking rapidly, "Look, I know I'd not even have finished the season if you guys hadn't intervened, and... I know you missed an entire competition to go take care of business with the players league. I guess I'm saying... Thanks."

Hiroshi tilted his muzzle up towards the big cat and nodded. "You're welcome, and this is your only free pass. I and Kai will be taking both of you down next season."

"That's right, you two better watch your tails next season!" Kai declared with a playful mew as he threw an arm around Hiroshi's shoulders, the buck looking more irritated by the second at the gesture.

"Oi! You guys focus on your rivalry with Charlie then, I'll just mind my own and quietly take the points lead while you three fuss about with one another!" Ellery gave a laugh and put a paw on his hip.

"I don't think so, Ellery, your tail is invested in this as much as theirs. You have to help me show these two up, here and in the big games coming up!" Charles showed the smaller buck a toothy grin.

"Ey, we mates now, Charlie? I've been tending your crybaby ass for the last few years, I guess it's about time you saw me as such." Ellery waved a paw and grinned.

"Oh go make out somewhere else," Hiroshi grumbled and ducked out from under Kai's arm.

Kai smiled and shook his head. "Heh... the big game huh? Well, you guys are guaranteed to win against me then, as I'm going to be just focusing on halfpipe and qualif-"

"Like hell you are!" Hiroshi snarled out and shoved the snow leopard's shoulder, Kai stumbling back looking surprised at the smaller boy who glared at him through his dark bangs of hair. "Your tail dragged me into this, you're running the damn course with me!"

Kai bit his lower lip as the buck glared at him with hard fierce eyes, giving a nod of understanding before running his paw through his own hair. "Ha... uh, like I was saying... Yeah, we'll see if you guys can back that up in qualifying next week!"

"Oi, if anyone should be accused of a boy romance, it's these two, eh Charlie?" Ellery cat-called out playfully.

"You can say that again, Ellery." The lion snorted and grinned at Kai and Hiroshi who were glaring daggers at them.

"Hmph... guess that's how it is, we'll see how you two handle the games with us, that'll give you an idea of how next season will be," Hiroshi said matter-of-factly.

"I'm eager for it, but uh... Isn't it awkward for you mates? Having to have that big gap in between the half-pipe final?" The smaller buck of the two tilted his head curiously.

"It's just how it lined up, the Olympics sure as shit wouldn't delay for a single sports finale, happens all the time I'd imagine," Charles added.

"You're right there, the league just has to schedule around it, but it's fine with me!" Kai mewed out and grinned down a Hiroshi, the buck glaring at him, already looking ready to shove him as Kai continued, "Just means I'll get two halfpipe golds back to back!"

"You shut up!" Hiroshi snarled and shoved the big cat hard enough that he fell right over onto his rear in the snow with a laugh. "You're only three points ahead of me Kai! All I need is a win at the next meet to tie your tail, then I'll beat you in a ride-off!"

"Heh... think so Roshi? Jarome is only four points back and Raul is tied with him. Everyone is gunning for me, you think I'm not going to put it all out there?" Kai purred with a haughty smile, looking eerily similar to Madeline as his tail smacked the snow behind him, the rabbit obviously wearing off on him.

"You're so annoying," Hiroshi grumbled as he glared down at the big cat.

"Ey, I think they should just fuck and get it over with, what do you think, Charlie?" Ellery cat-called once again.

"Seems the logical conclusion, maybe the loser is the one that takes it in the tailhole." The big cat gave them both a laugh as he turned on his heel and threw a gloved paw up.

"Oh go off somewhere and make out already!" Hiroshi snarled at the other two riders.

"Heh... see you next week at qualifying, guys, try not to come into the staging area smelling of boy love, eh?" Ellery gave them both double-finger guns as he quickly hopped back a few paces.

Hiroshi snorted as they walked away, then glared down at Kai who was still just lounging in the snow with a smirk on his muzzle. "What?" The buck grumbled.

"I think if this were a boy love dating game, this is the part where you confess and we have our first kiss in the snow, Roshi." Kai batted his eyes up at the buck with a loud forced purr.

The smaller boy twitched an ear at that, the first time he'd heard Kai purr in such a way, then proceeded to kick his boot forward, digging up a nice big cluster of snow that scattered all over the leopard on the ground before he spun on his heel and started off.

"Oh, so you're that type of bachelor huh? Is your special dating event the one where I have to beat you at the Olympics to max out your heart levels?!" He called out with a laugh as he stood and brushed snow off himself.

"What kind of games are you playing in your free time, Kai?! That sounds ridiculous," Hirosh grumbled as he kept walking.

Kai caught up to him with a laugh. "Ah, you wanna talk about video games now? Is that going to be one of our bonding scenes where I explain dating sims to you and you get a bonus on your aff- mew!" He found himself shoved right back into the snow again with a well-positioned trip and shove.

"Knock it off already, you need to get your head out of the clouds, we've got qualifying to worry about next week, both for slalom and halfpipe!" The buck glared down at the big cat with his paws on his hips.

"Yeah yeah... I hear you, Roshi. I've got too much of a sister complex to want boys anyway!" Kai laughed as he slowly climbed from the snow.

"Isn't that the truth," Hiroshi rolled his brown eyes and started walking off again. Kai frowned at that, was it getting obvious? Had he and Kayla gotten too lax in their affection in public?

Kai picked himself up and gave chase. "Eh? I was kidding, I don't really-"

"Yeah, yeah, I was just fucking with you, and I really don't care who you fuck as long as it's not me!" Hiroshi snarled out.

"Ah... So you're the plutonic bachelor that wants to avoid sex and just cuddle, I get it!" Kai mewed out playfully.

"I'm, going to, kill you, Kai." Hiroshi jabbed his gloved paw into the big cat's chest with each pause as he spoke.

"Guess that's one way to ensure you win the championship, huh, Roshi?" He gave a smile to the buck who just glared at him for a long moment, their eyes locking before Hiroshi rolled his own and turned away.

"Thanks..." He whispered as he walked.

"What'd I do other than pick on you?" Kai caught up to him once more, snow crunching under their boots.

"Just being a ... friend to me, keeping me from stressing about stuff for too long. You annoy me, but, I'm glad to have you in my life, this last year has been nice with your constant support. I feel like I've got more to ride for than just one-upping my mother now." Hiroshi just spat the words out in an almost whisper as Kai kept his ears up to hear them.

The buck grunted as Kai threw an arm around his shoulder as they walked. "We're friends, Roshi! I'll keep pushing you, and you keep pushing me, no matter where the road ends, we'll make sure to get there together!"

Hiroshi grunted but then gave a small nod as he looked ahead. "Sounds good."

"Welcome to beautiful Peachwood Snow Resort on picturesque Mt Elwart! I hope all of you at home are ready to be on the edge of your seats!" Jaron spoke excitedly as the camera showed a panoramic sweep of the hills and trees in the area before the drone pulled in towards the halfpipe area.

"I know I am, Jaron! We've got the best in the country here today, all competing for a chance to represent in the upcoming Winter Olympics!" The camera shifted to a shot of the blonde rabbit grinning as she continued, "Hello, I'm three-time Olympic medalist, Harley Andrews, sitting in today for Jasmine Sayotame."

"And I'm two-time medalist, Jaron Randolf! It's great to have you here today, Harley!" He barked out with a wag of his tail, both his aforementioned medals showing that he wore for the occasion.

"I'm thrilled to be here, Jaron! Especially given the situation, but I guess the viewers at home are not aware of that little nugget of wisdom yet," Harley nodded to the greyhound.

"For those of you wondering where Jas is, you may have seen her social media post yesterday," as the sportscaster spoke, the screen shifted to an image of the post.

"I hope everyone is well, I have an announcement to make during tomorrow's broadcast," was all the post said, with no picture.

Harley put a paw to her ear. "Are we ready? Okay! Let's go to Jasmine now who's waiting at the top of the halfpipe!"

The familiar-looking sports caster appeared on camera with a mic in her paw, but given she was in full boarding gear with goggles on top of her helmet the 'announcement' was obvious. If all that wasn't enough, she had glittery blush in the brown fur on her cheeks letting long-time fans know without a doubt what was up.

"Thanks, Harley, if you can't tell from my outfit, my announcement is, I'm officially coming out of retirement for this qualifying and if I don't embarrass myself, the subsequent games to come!" The mouse showed the camera a smirking grin full of bravado.

"You're gonna do great, Jas! I'm rooting for you!" Jaron barked out eagerly.

"Ha! You're not supposed to show favoritism, Jaron, but thanks!" Jasmine grinned and then looked back to the prep area. "Oh, looks like they're getting ready, I better not delay things. Wish me luck, everyone!" Jasmine passed the mic off and gave a wink as the camera watched her moving back towards the prep area.

As the mouse pushed into the staging area Kayla was right there waiting on her, "Jasmine you were so cool during all that!"

"My job is having a camera shoved in my face, Kayla, trust me I feel like I'm going to throw up!" Jasmine squeaked a laugh as she rubbed at the back of her head, her brown hair pulled back behind the helmet.

"Yeah, it'll be like that sometimes," Madeline joined the two girls, her look much more serious as the mouse met her eyes.

Kayla frowned as she watched the two staring one another down for several moments before speaking out, "Hey, uh... shouldn't we try to have fun today?"

"There's a time and a place for fun, baby. This is not one of them, not for this mouse," Madeline didn't look back at Kayla as she spoke, then to the leopard's shock, the bunny even pushed a paw to Jasmine's shoulder and pushed her back a step. "You remember what I said?"

"Maddy!" Kayla hissed and then perked her ears as Jasmine gripped her arm.

"It's fine, Kayla." Jasmine nodded to the big cat and locked her gaze with Madeline again. "You remember what I said, kid."

The mouse stood before the bunny and even raised up on her boots to make sure they were at eye level. "I'll thank you for all the help, by kicking your ass in the qualifying."

"Hmph... that's some wishful thinking there, just try to get fifth or better and we'll call it even," Madeline scoffed out and spun on her heel, trotting off. Leaving Jasmine standing there looking neutral and cool.

"Madeline! What the heck? I'm used to you trash-talking but you never put paws on the other girls like that!" Kayla was already next to her as they walked away.

"It was needed to center her, we all have different triggers and motivations, love." Madeline looked back to her lover and sharpened her gaze. "How are you feeling?"

"Me? I'm nervous as fuck!" She mewed out with a laugh and rubbed her own arm with a grin.

"Yeah, but you're fine, huh? Don't need me to push you around, too?" Madeline smiled and shoved playfully at the leopard's shoulder, the larger girl not even budging.

"Hgn... only if you want me to shove you to the floor, and we miss the qualifying because I'm too busy ravaging you!" Kayla purred and moved nice and close, nuzzling the rabbit's jaw.

"Heh... so instead of the Olympics, we go to jail? Tempting, but I think we better focus!" Madeline gave a giggle at the nuzzles, then looked over to see Jasmine frowning at them before she patted her lover's head. "Okay, Okay... let's rein it in, baby."

"Do I have to? You know it's yours and our brother's love that fuels me to do my best..." Kayla purred the words right in the droop of her ears, only loud enough for Madeline to hear as she felt a shiver roll up her spine.

"D-Damn it..." She gripped Kayla's jacket and gave her muzzle a quick kiss before huffing into her ears, "Yeah, but I need to dial my super bitch vibe to eleven for Jasmine, okay? She needs that push or she'll waver."

Kayla cut her eyes back to the mouse who already looked a little more unsure and then nodded to Madeline. "Oooh okay, I can help too!"

Madeline frowned and felt her pull away. "Kayla, uh-"

"Sup, Jasmine? You never seen two girls make out before? Or you crushing on my bunny after all the time training?" Kayla fluffed her tail out as she addressed the mouse.

Jasmine slacked her jaw for a moment, as if shocked the leopardess who'd always been so nice was now shit-talking at her. "Uh..." Her eyes hardened and she put a paw on her hip. "Kayla, you should un-bunch your panties, I only like cock, okay?"

"Uh huh? So you just have a problem with girls loving one another, that it?" Kayla hissed out and shifted a paw to her hip.

Jasmine looked aghast at the accusation as she stammered out, "K-Kayla, what the fuck? I'm not some bigot that has any issue with-" She was cut off by the leopardess giggling.