"You need to lighten up, boo. It's the holidays." Original Cindy told Max as they walked along the snow covered streets. "How can I when the fate of the

world is resting on my shoulders? Not to mention the life of everyone like me." Max avoided using the word "transgenic" in public; knowing how the people felt

towards them. A lot of which was thanks to White and the way he painted them in the media.

Original Cindy couldn't deny her friend had a point. But still, there was no way she was going to let Max spend the whole holiday season moping. She just had

to think of a way to cheer her up, which was easier said than done.

"Hey, ladies." A familiar male voice called as he strode up to them. "Look who crawled out from under a rock." Original Cindy commented, with an eye roll.

"What are you doing here, Alec?" Max asked. "It's not safe out here."

"Yeah, well, I had to get out and stretch my legs. There's only so much a guy can take of sitting around listening to our fellow alumni argue over war stories." Alec shot back.

"Whatever. Just keep your head down." Max replied.

"Don't I always?" Alec asked back.

"Oh, yeah. Sure you do, "Monty Cora." Max returned in a hushed tone.

"You're never going to stop throwing that back at me, are ya?"

Max rolled her eyes. "It was reckless!"

"It was clever!" Alec insisted.

"Hey!" Original Cindy raised her voice over the two's bickering. "You." She pointed at Alec. "If you haven't noticed Max is already stressed out enough, and if

you keep on giving my boo a hard time Original Cindy's gonna have to-''

"Have to what?" Alec challenged back in his cocky tone, with an expression that matched. He knew there was virtually nothing she could do to him, given his

advanced DNA makeup.

Original Cindy thought a moment before making a ball out of the snow next to them and throwing it at Alec. He hadn't expected it, so the snowball hit him in

the face. "That." She said matter-of-factly, with sass in her voice.

Alec blinked and spat out the awful tasting snow, due to the pollution in post-pulse Seattle. Max high fived Cindy. Alec smirked, his tone not hiding his

smugness. "Really? You want to get into a snowball fight with me?" He made one himself and threw it her way. It was flying through the frosty air way faster

than Cindy would've been able to dodge it, but Max stuck her hand out and deflected it, causing the icy sphere to fall apart. "Who said she's taking you on

alone?" Max called back, a bit of playfulness in her voice, finally. "That's two against one. Not fair!" Alec whined.

Max shrugged. "All's fair in war, Alec." And she made one and launched it his way before he was able to fully dodge it. It ended up hitting him in the shoulder.

"Fine, I'll take both of you on." Alec accepted, as he stretched his arms, preparing to step up his game. He quickly made two more snowballs and threw them at

Max and Cindy; successfully hitting both of his targets. Soon, the three were throwing snowballs at each other and laughing. It was childish, carefree, and fun,

exactly what they needed.