Kinana made it back into town without anymore strange encounters, although she did feel like multiple someones or somethings was watching her every move. But whenever she checked, no one was around within her line of sight. As soon as she stepped into the village town line though, she was bombarded with questions from random villagers.

"Did you remembered anything today?"

"Did she heal you?"

"Kinana, The Survivor of the Night, you must have remembered something useful by now. Possibly those blood stains?"

"Do you want us to die off? Tell us what you know!"

It was always the same questions or the likes of those, but every time she returned from Granny Porlyusica's house, she sadly shook her head. & that's what she did this time too. Her hood was off & she sadly shook her head.

Although she had remembered about the blue mist & learned about the fact that her memories are being blocked, this was of no use to the villagers. No one wants to her hear about blocked memories or blue mists. Except maybe for...

"Kinana!" Laki Olietta came running towards her, dressed in all white including her bow that tied her hair back. "Move outta the way! Kinana!"

Kinana opened her arms to let Laki hug her. She was on the verge of tears. "Let's go home." she whispered to her lavender hair colored friend.

Laki got the hint & the two walked hand-&-hand to Kinana's place, the crowd of villagers parting for them. Some murmurs & grunts were heard, but Kinana just wanted to get out of that situation before her tears fell.

When the girls got to the Amethyst's Bakery, they headed inside & to the second floor into her room.

"So um, Kinana, I need to tell you something." Laki started, the two sitting on Kinana's bed.

"So do I. But you first."

"So you that Max kid? He's like 21 years of age too like us. But you know, that guy?"

Kinana thought for a moment. "You mean from the Alors family? He's almost never seen without a broom in hand? Doesn't that family own the town's bar? They are very socializing people."

"Yes, that Max. Max Alors. Well... he's my boyfriend now." Laki quickly responded, the last of her words almost jumbled together. "I asked him out today. I know it's only for 15 more days, but he's agreed to be with me till the end."

Kinana tried to process this new information. "Max has been your crush this entire time?!" She thought she had seen Laki sided-eyed glanced or staring at someone, but Max was always with someone so she never thought it was him.

"Yeah... wait, you knew?"

"I knew you had a crush! But I didn't know it was Max Alors!"

"Well, he's agreed to be mine till my dying breath... It's almost dinner time in an hour though now, so it's really almost 14 more days now." Laki started to sniffle.

Kinana knew now was the moment to tell her. "Laki, I'm really working on it. I am hoping that with this new discovery, your dying breath won't be a fortnight away."

"New discovery? What do you mean? Did you remember something?"

"Well... yes & no?"

"What? Spill the beans! What you meeeeeeeean!" Laki was shaking Kinana by her shoulders.

"Ok, ok." Kinana placed her hands on Laki's shoulders to stop Laki from shaking her so much. "So, Granny Porlyusica thinks that my memories have been blocked. Which means someone forcefully is hiding my memories away in my own brain. Now she did ask what was the first thing that I remembered after that night, which I saw a blue mist & I was sitting on that straw bed. So I guess she thinks it's a spell? I don't know though, but she sent me home early so she could do some research?" Kinana let out a breath. It was a mouthful for her. & then she realized something she wanted to ask Granny Porlyusica before. She gasped, "WHAT IS A LYCAN?!"

"A WHAT?!" Laki played along with Kinana's hyperness.

"A LYCAN!"

"I DOn't know..." they sat on her bed some more, trying to process what Kinana had relayed to Laki. "A what?"

"A Lycan. I apparently met one on the way to Granny's & she had also mentioned that there was some that were bothering her. But I only just now got the chance to ask. What should we do?"

Laki dropped her hands from Kinana's shoulders. "Maybe we should ask Mrs. Amethyst? Maybe she'll know something about Lycans."

Kinana nodded, thinking about it. "Hm, yeah, that's a good idea. & then if she doesn't know either, I can ask Granny."

They nodded once in agreement. Kinana had dropped her hands from Laki's shoulders & they both got off her bed. Since the bakery was still open, they headed downstairs to locate Mrs. Amethyst.

They didn't see her in the back where the ovens & prepping counters & ingredients & a fridge were. They made their way to the front, pushing aside the curtain that hung in the doorway dividing the front & back. There she was, behind a register, totaling out a customer of their order.

"Hey girls, I'm alittle busy at the moment. Can you two work the front while I prepare more orders in the back? It's gotten busy." The line spoke for itself, & the store didn't have that big of a front.

Kinana & Laki got straight to work, deciding to ask about the Lycan question after the bakery closed for the evening. Kinana put on her cream colored apron over her green dress & pale blue trimmed in purple cloak & went to work behind the display part of the counter, boxing desserts & breads in boxes. Laki, not having an apron to put over her white outfit, took over the register & rang up customers. They were a power team.

After two hours of this routine, the bakery was due to close. Kinana flipped a sign over that did read "OPEN" to now being read "CLOSED". The girls then went into the back to help Mrs. Amethyst clean up.

"I'm so sorry about that girls, but I am very grateful that you could help me out on such short notice. After my husband's passing, you know I haven't been able to keep up with the shop on my own. Was there something that you needed of me, or was it just to honor me with your presence?" her mom responded after a good bit of cleaning done.

"Actually Mom, there was something that we were curious about. We were wondering what a certain creature was, but we weren't sure who to ask." Kinana wasn't sure how it would play out, so she decided to just be casual about it.

"Well, I only know of the creatures told by the stories in the library, but I can certainly try to answer best I can." Mrs. Amethyst had no idea what her daughter was saying, but she always strived to be there for Kinana & be the best mother she can be.

"Well, er, uh... How about a uh..." For some reason, Kinana was backing out now, thinking it wasn't a good idea anymore. Like a protective instinct almost.

"How hard is it to say Lycan, Kinana?" Laki interjected. Kinana had forgotten how blunt Laki can be.

"A what?" Mrs. Amethyst replied, very confused.

"A Lycan." Laki answered. "Read about it today, but it didn't give much details about them. Do you know what they are?"

Mrs. Amethyst went pale. She was already a pale woman like Kinana, but somehow managed to grow paler. "That is not a word at all. Where did you girls hear it at again?"

Kinana & Laki looked at each other. Kinana decided to answer this time, "Oh, it's nothing, Mom. We read it at the library, but mayb we pronounced it wrong. Don't stress yourself about it, please."

To this, Mrs. Amethyst seemed to get her color back in her face. "Alright then, Sweeties. Go ahead on upstairs & have dinner. Laki, you know that you are free to sleepover if you need to."

Kinana nodded, while Laki sheepishly said, "Oh, thanks, Mrs. Amethyst, but uh, I was planning to spend my evening with another, uh, friend." Kinana had known exactly whom she'd meant, so Laki just sorta side-shuffled out of the back room & they heard the front door close.

"Lock the front door, Kinana. I have a story to tell you. Meet me upstairs at the dining table. Immediately!"