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Snow Glow (15) : On especially cold nights, strange puffs of light rise from the snow like warm steam--only this 'steam' glows in soft, sparkling colors and moves in slow, liquid shapes, like wax escaped a lava lamp and is rising towards the sky. Scientists insist it’s an unusual, but natural, phenomenon caused by pressure and temperature changes, but that doesn’t explain how the lights react when you reach for them--swirling around your fingers like playful, weightless ribbons. Sometimes, around these strange pockets, the snow beneath your feet glimmers when you step near the lights, and coming into contact with the glow results in it clinging to your skin or clothes in faint, shimmering patches. The luminescent residue fades after a few hours and has no lasting effects.
Ainsley was sitting in the backyard holding Gabi and making silly faces to make her giggle. It was chilly out, but still nice enough to sit outside with her niblings and future sister-in-law. She loved making the babies giggle, their chubby cheeks looked so cute all bunched up with their smiles. “Hey, Noa, look! There’s steam coming from the snow, isn’t that weird?” she asked and turned Gabi around to look as well, holding one arm around her niece’s tummy. Wait… were the steam puffs colorful, too? So cool! “It’s pretty!”
Noa loved being outside, didn't matter what time of the year it was. But now that she was a mother, she was a bit more cautious. It's why the twins were bundled up comfortably while they were outside in the backyard. She carried Haji in a baby sling that she learned how to do herself, kissing the top of his head while he slept comfortably. “Ains make sure to keep Gabi covered okay? She's only 3 months.” Her little girl was much more rowdy than her older brother [by three minutes] so she wasn't too worried that she wasn't in a sling. Her nose wrinkled at the ‘steam’ coming from the snow.
Call her a bit paranoid, but she looked at EVERY strange phenomenon differently.
But, since the steam looked and appeared harmless, she decided to let it be, smiling at the pretty colors that generated from it all. “Oh wow that is pretty! Think you can take a picture so we can show Idri when he gets home?”
Ainsley smiled at Noa's worry for her babies. Her future sister was a first time mom with twins, she was bound to be a little bit more paranoid than she used to be. “I know, she's all covered up,” she said and double checked to make sure Gabi hadn't pulled a glove off or something. Which of course, she had, and fussed when Ainsley tugged it back on her little hand. “Stop fussing, Gabi, it's cold outside and you have to wear your gloves,” she scolded gently. Once she had her niece situated in her lap again, she took her phone out and took a picture of the colorful ‘steam’ for her brother to see later.
After taking the picture, she slid her phone back in her pocket before bringindg Gabi down closer to see it better. “Look how pretty, Gabi!” she cooed and reached out to run her fingers through the mist. A delighted gasp left the young teenager as the steam swirled around her fingers and left colorful, shimmering residue on her hand. “Noa, look!” She giggled and showed Noa her purple fingers from the steam.
As soon as Gabi started fussing, Haji was instantly awake and looking up at Noa with curiosity in his orange eyes. Oh the joys of twins… “Gabi is fine Haji~” She swore he didn't look convinced, but she knew he wasn't capable of things like that at just three months old. She figured he could see the pretty colors as well, and worked to turn him around in the sling she had. “See? Pretty colors right Haji?” she walked up to where Ains was, fascinated by the color she had on her fingers. “Oh wow!” She reached out, marveling at the pinkish color that made it onto her hand. “This is so ******** awesome!”
She wished Idri was here so she could attempt to see if his fingers would be pink as well.
Ainsley giggled as Gabi tried to reach for a puff of orange steam and held her closer. The three month old squealed happily and flailed her arms in the steam, getting the color all over her gloves and coat. “Oops… I hope this stuff doesn’t stain,” she said. As soon as her mom and brother were in her sight she was making noises and reaching for her twin.
“Ugh, they’re so stinking adorable,” Ainsley said with a giggle. She shifted Gabi to her other side so she was closer to her brother and reached out to twine her fingers through a puff of blue steam. “This is so cool! Man, I wonder if it would show up on Idri,” she said and laughed. Once her fingers were stained blue, she pulled her phone out again and took a video of Noa playing in the steam and the twins being adorable. “He's gonna be sorry he missed this, I think.”
Haji started reaching for his twin as well, flailing his arms around happily and making small baby babble noises towards his twin in return. Noa nodded in agreement, “They really are! I hope they stay this close as they get older~” She was a couple years older than her younger brother but they were still quite close…When he wasn't being a little s**t. Noa laughed, “I think it would if it was light enough. Obviously nothing dark would show~” She kept intertwinning her fingers in the steam, giggling at the yellow that came out. “Think I'll get pink if I put my hands in enough?”
“Maybe, yeah!” Ainsley said enthusiastically as Gabi continued to babble to her twin. “And I think they will. Twins have that weird connection thing, it's like being born with your best friend.” She smiled as she watched the twins. Gabi leaned over Ainsley's arm and flailed into a steam puff, getting green all over her gloves and coat sleeves. With a grin, Ainsley took a chance that this stuff wouldn't stain forever and stuck her face in an orange puff of steam then made funny faces at the twins.
“Wonder twin powers~” As much as she hoped, something told her that she would have to watch the twins very carefully once they hit the age to become powered, or at least make sure Alexi was with them to prevent any cats from trying to talk to them. She had enough to worry about with Ains and hell on earth would happen if either one of her babies entered this war. God, she could imagine the sheer destruction Idri would cause…
Yeah, best to monitor them heavily as they got older.
Noa watched as her daughter moved to touch the steam, moving closer so Haji could do the same. When Ains put her entire face in, Noa had to keep from laughing too hard, while the twins looked at her like she was some sort of alien. They were used to seeing weirdness when it came to their family so they weren't scared, just a little confused. “Ains I don't think they recognize you with all the colors on your face~”
Ainsley giggled when the twins just looked confused. “Dang, you think so?” She tried to rub the orange off her cheek but it didn't seem to budge. “Here's hoping this stuff comes off in the shower later,” she said. Or at least she hoped it came off before morning. She had plans for the next day, like going to that new café everyone had been talking about.
