Silence was so dense and eerie that she suddenly woke up. The air was still. She could hardly perceive her neighbour's breath in the small room. She gathered it was just the break of dawn. Then she remembered the uneasy evening spent eating at the old table, without uttering a word.

As she thrust an arm outside her healing blanket, the freezing cold instantly bit her. Through the little window, a very pale light was seeking the contours of their shelter, stroking the walls and caressing her friends' bodies, deepening the lingering shadows of the night. Everything was immobile and she didn't dare say a word, lest she should disturb this moment of stillness. After the Stardust storm and the seismic event on B24, after the flight, the crash in the Sulphur Lands, their days spent in the desert, revelations about Starling's past, Jay bleeding almost to death, after being chased by GloCo's agents, watching Arende die and disappear into thin air, after travelling through space and time and landing on a foreigh land... There was finally a moment of intense quiet. Every sound seemed muffled. No noise filtered from the outside. Neither the mountains or the forests seemed to exist anymore... She felt suspended in a white moment, appreciating the pale flowing light that kept creeping in.

Slowly, very slowly, Kizuna sat on her couch and looked carefully around her. They were all deeply asleep, except Starling, prodded against the wall near the entrance. He was gazing at something through the window, and he didn't move or react as Kizuna walked toward him. When she reached him and put her hand on his shoulder, he turned around swifltly and put his finger on his lips. He then pointed at the window, bidding her to look in the same direction. Kizuna noticed the sparkle in his eyes and how he feverishly gestured her to look outside. Puzzled and apprehensive, she steadily turned her eyes in that direction...

Suddenly the air left her lungs, and her legs grew weaker. Outside, the most amazing thing had happened. The place she had walked through the night before was unrecognizable. A beautiful soft-looking substance was covering the trees and the ground, and Kizuna understood why no noise could be heard. It was as if this thick immaculate mantle absorbed the sounds. She stood gaping at the view, wondering what it was and what had created this. Finally, she looked at Starling again.

Her companion smiled, and they both watched the scene together, at loss for words and afraid it would vanish. They were in the midst of a vast, white landscape where no sharp angle, no trace and no movement existed anymore. Intoxicated with the sight, they carefully pushed the door and stepped outside. Kizuna kneeled down and delicately stroked with her index finger the surface of the thick, surreal substance that covered the doorstep.

Her laugh cascaded suddenly around them as she, delighted and relieved, touched the substance more bravely, this time digging her hand through it and exclaiming:

"Oh, it's as soft as it looks. Look!"

Taking a handful of white material, she threw it in the air. Starling joined her and took some in his cupped hands.

"Quite right! Hey look! It's melting!"

"Oh my, it's incredible. Oh, it's so cold!"

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Entranced, Kizuna had started walking in the wilderness, almost knee-deep in the unknown material. Then she started running, falling, laughing and throwing more of that magic substance in the air, finally reaching Starling who instantly retaliated. In a matter of minutes, the two friends were attacking against each other.  Peels of laughter and screams of delight were more than what was needed to awake the whole team. Soon everyone was outside, in the shy morning light.

"What are they doing?"

"I don't know Ananda. But it looks fun."

"What shall we do, Jay? I mean, I don't know...Is it really safe? Star and Kiz have lost their minds, haven't they? This might be dangerous."

"She's right," said Osée who seemed to feel much better, "it's weird. Maybe it's toxic or something."

Jay bent and touched the immaculate powder, seizing a lump of it and considering it strangely. He contemplated it for a while, watching it melt slowly until it turned into water dripping through his hand. His vision blurred and images came bubbling to the surface of his mind. Pictures from another time...again. Moments from another life. Different scenes. Different ages. Memories...

Shaking his head, he did his best to chase them away. This wasn't the time for introspection. But at least, he knew there was no immediate danger.

"It's okay, guys. This is...snow."

"Snow?"

"It's quite harmless. Welcome to Earth..." said Jay, looking wistfully at Kizuna and Starling. "Oh, and it's very cold of course," he added, smiling.

"Are you sure? I mean... How would you know?"

Jay couldn't resist it anymore. It looked so appealing to break the silence and wreak havoc in this amazing beautiful place. The sun was beginning to shine, turning the scene into a heavenly playground of shimmering crystals. Surely reason could wait. Just once...

"What are you doing? No, not you too?"

"Aaah....I'll beat the shit out of you!" shouted Osée as he rushed ahead, pushing his friends and falling headward in the snow.

"Mmmh...that's the spirit!" said Jay, following suit.

Seconds later, the whole team had seemingly lost their minds, frolicking in the snow, intoxicated with the discovery of this new meteorological condition.

Epos was the only one who didn't join the party. Staying on the doorstep, he looked on, waiting until the cold brought them all back to reason. He kept watching as Jay helped Kizuna out of the snow pit they had made. He watched as Kizuna held Jay's strong arm tight against her, pretending she needed help. These two were in need for each other, and he knew why. But it was obviously more fun to let them getting more and more tangled in their own instincts and contradictory feelings. So much for this moment of carelessness: they were just pitiful flies drowning in a glass of water... Epos smiled discretely, an evil expression painted on his face as they all ran inside, exhilarated and frozen.

Shivering under their healing blankets, they all caught their breath and looked at each other. Icy droplets were caught in their hair, their cheeks were red, and their suits were busy identifying and drying the chemical traces on their skin. The deadly fear that had crept over them the night before was gone. A simple massive snow fall had brought them closer and dissipated their nervousness for a moment.

"What are you doing, Jay?"

"Are you sure you checked everything yesterday?"

"I think so, why?"

"In these shelters, in the Old Days they would sometime hide food and drink for the travellers..."

"Jay, I know you're from Earth, and I know your memory's coming back bits by bits. But really, how would you remember things from the Old Days?"

"It's past my understanding. Maybe it's just imagination..." answered Jay as he kept rummaging. "Hey, what did I say? Look!"

Jay triumphantly held a bootle full of a transparent liquid.

"What is it?"

"Not sure...I think it's plum brandy," said Jay, smelling the bottle he had just opened.

"Can we drink it?"

"I think so...Anyway we don't have much choice. We're running out of supplies, we're cold and exhausted."

"If it's...what do you call it, drum mandy, is it good?"

"Plum brandy," said Jay, smiling, "yes, very healthy."

"No side effects?"

"I remember...being warm and happy after drinking it. I think we must take the risk."

"Warm and healthy...come on mate, pass it around, I'm freezing."

"Mhh, I don't know," said Kizuna, frowning, "might not be a good idea."

"Oh come on," retorted Osée, "I'm still freezing. Fuck it! Kizuna, we need a pick-me-up, right? We might be dead tomorrow anyway!"

Before they had time to answer, Osée had taken a huge gulp of the liquid. After remaining still for a few seconds, he started spitting and coughing.

"Raaaaaahh, burns like hell," he said, holding his head in his hands.

"Oh my god, are you ok? Osée?"

"I'll say, never felt better. You were right, Jay, this stuff's good! Now, just a little bit more!"

"Hey, we all want some," said Starling, snatching the bottle from Osée's hands. The bottle was swiftly passed around. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Woaw," sighed Starling, "this is powerful. Right, guys? "

Ananda didn't answer, but looked straight at him and threw herself into his arms, sobbing. Resigned and embarassed, Starling didn't move and let Ananda cry herself to sleep, nestled in his arms. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and wondered whether he still felt anything anymore. Discovering that he was a second-born and that his father had lied to him: all this had changed him. His head was spinning, and he felt exhausted.

Poor Ananda... Is she right? Have I begun to look like Epos? I don't know who I love anymore... Never been the kind to take the Vows, anyway... But still, she needs me. I can protect her. Works for me.

"Oh shit! Can't believe I'm gonna be sick again!" Osée doubled up on his couch as he started coughing ominously.

Epos, who had refused to drink, stood up and left the room, wrapped in a dignified air of contempt.

But two people hadn't spoken much, leaving the giggling and joking to their friends. The more they drank, the more Kizuna and Jay got lost in each other's eyes. All she could still be aware of was how intensely he looked at her, and the way his warm side leaned against hers, as they were sitting next to each other.

"Only a few drops left...shall we finish them?" she said, setting the example and passing the bottle to Jay. He finished it, and dropped it down, letting it roll to the other side of the room. Kizuna's presence was more than he could bear. He could feel her soft and supple body touching his. Everything about her was the ultimate journey he wanted to make. Her little hands, her slim waist, the strength emanating from her little frame. The fierce determination that transcended the shyness. Her warmth was so intoxicating, and images were flashing through his mind. His head was spinning and sweat was trickling down his neck, which was precisely where Kizuna rested her delicate hand. Feeling her fingers pressing into his flesh was more than he could take, and Jay lost all sense of reason. Running his hands over her body, he spread his wings, flying over his domain like a wild eagle. Out of nowehere came the voices that told him which part of her was screaming for a part of him. The rest was a whirlwind of mad emotions, where Kizuna's lips finally met his, slowly relenting to his will.

I will never let her down. Oh Hera, what am I doing?

I am worse than scum.