"Kimber..."

"Hey," I turned when I heard my name whispered; smiled when I saw her. Stormer. Long wavy hair in midnight blue, eyes to match, outrageous looking from head to toe even in a parka that made her about as wide as a blimp and hid her pretty face. I looked about as good in my own parka and ski goggles-- anything to keep the crazy Tibetan cold out.

My smile faded when I really got a look at her, you know, at her expression that had been partially hidden by the giant hood on her coat. "Stormer? Stormer what's wrong?" I felt like an idiot for even asking. I knew the answer. Roxy and Pizazz were laying sick three tents over. Poisoned. Dying, if you listened to the old lady who ran things around here. Stormer hadn't left their sides since they'd gotten back to the camp, neither had Jetta.

Suddenly it worried me; why had she left them? Was something wrong? "Oh my god, they're not..." Dead. Oh man, I hated the Misfits for a lot of different reasons, but they had better not be dead! Still, then Stormer could join the Holograms for real and-- no. No, it wouldn't be right. Pizazz and Roxy would be ok, they had to be!

Stormer sniffled and shook her head. "They're sleeping. I'm really worried about them, Kimber. The old woman says they'll die. They don't look good, and I'm scared," She sniffled again, touching one gloved finger to her eyes. "I'm really scared they're not gonna make it, Kimber."

"Oh... oh, Stormer," I shook my head and hugged her. Kinda felt like hugging through a mountain of blankets and pillows. She melted into my arms, laid her head on my shoulder. I could hear her crying. "Hey... sweetie, don't do that. Out here in this cold your eyes'll freeze shut," I tried to laugh, lighten the situation. "Come on, the other Holograms are still in the village talking with that old bat. Let's go back to the tent and talk." At least we'd be out of the cold.

I took her by one gloved hand and led her out of the wind and snow. "Ugh, much better!" I said, shutting the tent flaps. Stormer shuddered and brushed the snow off her shoulders. "Take off your parka, stay a while," I smiled at her, shedding my own thick coat and taking a seat on my sleeping bag.

Stormer took off her heavy coat and sat down next to me, staring down at her hands.

"Has that old woman said anything new?" I asked her.

"Mor Wen? No," She sniffled. "She just says the same thing over and over when I try and talk to her, that there's no cure for the poison other than the music of Shangri-La and..." Stormer glanced up at me, tears clinging to her eyelashes. "And honestly, if we couldn't find it before, what chance do we have now?"

"That's ridiculous!" I huffed, instantly mad at that loony old bat for telling Stormer such a thing. "These people have lived her for ages, they've got to have SOME way of curing that poison! A REAL way, and not just some stupid myth!"

"Why wouldn't she tell us, then? I don't like her, but I don't think she'd intentionally..." Stormer's voice wavered and she looked away from me. "Would she lie about a cure just because she doesn't like us?"

I gnawed my lower lip. "I don't know..."

"Pizazz and Roxy are gonna die if I don't figure something out and--" She shook her head, her resolve faltering. Stormer broke down into tears and covered her face with both hands.

"Stormer," My heart ACHED for her. I scooted closer to her and wrapped her in my arms. I was scared, too. Holding her, hearing her cry, the fact that she may very well be right and Pizazz and Roxy really might die, it terrified me. "There has to be something we can do. Jem's talking to Mor Wen, there's gotta be another cure." I told her softly. "We'll save them, Stormer. Pizazz and Roxy aren't gonna die. I promise we'll find a way to get through this!"

"I hope so," Stormer sobbed. "I can't even think what might happen if--"

"It won't," I cut her off. "They're gonna make it through this even if I have to wring that old cow's neck to find out how to do it!"

Stormer looked up at me with a shocked little expression. She blinked once, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. "You sound like Roxy when you talk all tough like that," She sniffled. "Oh god, poor Roxy!"

"Aw, hun! Come here!" I grabbed her and hugged her, but it didn't slow down her tears. "Sweetie, shh, its ok. Come on, its ok..." I said, running on auto-pilot. Her shoulders shook and I stroked her hair, tears welling up in my own eyes. I'm a big softie, I hate seeing others in so much pain. She was scared and feeling helpless and there I was trying to cheer her up when I didn't have any better idea how to fix the problem than she did. All I could do was hold her tight and pray for the best.

Hours later I woke up shivering and cold. Stormer was next to me, sleeping peacefully under a mountain of blankets. I scrunched up next to her and tugged some of those blankets my way, trying to warm up.

"Hey... don't hog the blankets!" Stormer mumbled, only half awake.

"Me?!" I giggled. "You're the blanket hog!"

Stormer rolled over and smiled at me, eyelids heavy. "Its payback," She wiggled close and put an arm around my waist.

"Payback!" I laughed. "For what?!"

"For calling me fat," She yawned, eyes closing. She was breathing softly and looked like she was drifting off to sleep again.

I giggled and shook her. "I didn't call you fat!"

'You said somethin' about... The other day climbing up the cliff..." She mumbled, drifting off to dreamland.

I snorted. "Please, I was crashing from 12 hours of no iced mocha lattes, who wouldn't be a little on edge? Hauling a ton of gear up a mountain when your having caffeine withdrawls would make anyone cranky!" I said, defending my good name. All in vain it turned out, Stormer was sound asleep. Good. She'd needed the rest. I snuggled up next to her and tried to relax. It was still dark in the tent, but it seemed lighter. The sun would probably be up soon, and that meant Jem would be by all too soon to tell me to 'rise and shine, lazybones'.

"I really missed you," I whispered and squeezed my blue-haired friend. I drifted off to sleep vowing that when we got back to L.A.-- when ALL of us got back-- that I would make a point of hanging out with Stormer more. No matter what happened in Tibet.

Sometime later I woke up. Bright light was streaming through the red nylon canopy of my tent. Warm and well rested, I yawned and sat up. Stormer was gone, I noted with a heart-heavy sigh. I don't know what I'd been expecting... I'd hoped she'd still be here, I guess. I got my stuff together, ran a brush through my hair and bundled up for the day.

"Hey there, sleepy head," Aja clapped my on the shoulder with one gloved hand as I joined the Holograms around the campfire. "Jem's in talking to Mor Wen now," She told me.

"If things work out, we're going to take off as soon as she gets back," Shana said.

"To find Shangri La?" I asked, rubbing my mittened hands together in an attempt to warm them up quicker. "Ugh, is there any coffee?"

"Sorry Kimber," Raya smiled at me, chipper and sweet as always. "It's bad for you anyway. One of the girls from the village brought us some tea, though. Try it, you'll like it." She handed me a little blue tin cup full of steaming liquid.

I sniffed at it suspiciously.

"Trust her, kid, the stuff's more caffeinated than a triple espresso," Aja grinned.

My heart skipped a beat. "Oooh, thank god!" I gulped at it greedily-- and ended up spitting it out instantly. "HOT!"

"Well duh, you watched Raya take the pot off the fire! Of course its hot!" Aja laughed at my expense.

"Try sipping it slowly, you'll have better luck," Shana said, "Or, stick some snow in it. That oughta cool it down."

I nodded. "Good idea!" I said, scooping up a small ball of virgin-white snow. I dropped it into my tea and watched it melt away. Cautiously, I took a sip. "Much better!" I smiled. "And yummy! Whatever they put in this stuff is outrageous!"

My bandmates all giggled at me. They all seemed bright and chipper for so early in the morning. "Remind us to get the recipe, you can beg Mrs. Bailey to brew you a pot when we get home." Aja smirked at me.

"Are you trying to imply that I can't even boil water?" I blinked the blink of the outraged at her. "I'll have you know--"

"Ok, Holograms, listen up!" Jem trotted over to our circle, all business. "Mor Wen agreed to help us find Shangri La. We've got twenty minutes to get ready. Pack a lunch, water, your hiking gear, and meet back here in fifteen, got it?"

"Sure, you got it, ok," We all nodded, speaking at the same time. I gulped down the last of my now-luke-warm tea and stood up.

"Here, Jem, take a minute to warm up before we leave! Have some of this tea!" Raya beamed up at my sister. Raya was always so sweet.

I almost stuck around to talk to my sis for a minute, but a sudden rush of urgency hit me. I had to go find Stormer. While rest of the Holograms headed back to their respective tents, I jogged across the village.

"Stormer!" I burst into the large tent that had been serving as make-shift hospital for Pizazz and Roxy, knowing that's where I'd find Stormer.

"Bloody hell, keep it down, yank!" Jetta snapped at me, glaring.

"Kimber, what's wrong?" Stormer stood up, but didn't leave Roxy's side.

"I've got great news!" I hopped over to her, ecstatic. "Mor Wen is going to show us the way to Shangri La! We're going to bring back the cure!"

"Oh my god, I hope thats true!" Stormer smiled at me, her blue eyes welling up with tears.

"It's true! We're going to find it, and when we do we're going to bring it back and Pizazz and Roxy are gonna be just fine! You'll see!" I reassured her, grabbing her and hugging her. I was so happy I felt like I was bubbling over. Its weird, because the day before I'd basically written off Mor Wen and the 'legend of Shangri La', bunch of nonsense, you know? Today, my faith that we'd find it was inexhaustible. I felt so positive and excited about it, I could hardly contain myself! Everything would be A-Ok!

"I know the Misfits and Holograms haven't always gotten along, but... but we need you guys! You're all so beautiful and talented and... and we shouldn't fight! You know? Life's too short and we'd have so much fun if we could all be friends!" I told Stormer, sincerity oozing from every pore.

"Um... Well... You're right," Stormer said. She was staring at me wide eyed. She looked worried, but who could blame her! I knew it would all work out, though, now that Mor Wen was on our side. I hated to see Stormer cry, she was so pretty. The light in the tent must have been flickering, but I'd have sworn she was almost glowing. I glanced at Jetta and she was kind of glowing too!

The sax player stood up and walked over to us. "Bring back that cure, Hologram," She told me in her pretty British accent. She sounded stern and upset. "Much as I hate to say this, we're counting on you,"

I let go of Stormer for a moment so that I could grab Jetta. I hugged her fiercely, hoping to reassure her and cheer her up. "We will! Don't you worry! We'll find it! Everything will be OK!" I dropped her and hugged Stormer again.

"I love you!" I told Stormer, meaning it from the very depths of my heart. "I have to go," My fifteen minutes were surely up, I had to meet the other Holograms back at the camp fire. I dashed out of the Misfit's tent and ran across the village, feeling full of energy and hope.

"Was she on something?"

"She was totally on something!"

Jetta and Stormer looked at each other, worry mirrored in each other's eyes. They both glanced down at where Pizazz and Roxy lay, deathly ill and fading fast.

"We are bloody well screwed."

Stormer sank back down next to Roxy's sleeping bag. Jetta sat down next to her and held her hand.

All they could do was wait and see.