"HAUNTED HOUSE DAY!" Melissa says, her eyes shining.

I'm sure my eyes are just as sparkly when I join her and yell "HAUNTED HOUSE DAAAY!" Much like Garroth's Mall Day chant, I repeat it over and over and over. Except this is SO MUCH better than Mall Day, because if there's any time Zane~Chan could prevail, it's today! I already shared my ship-suspicions with Melissa, and she doesn't believe me. Although she hasn't gotten to know my teddy-bear brother, so she just thinks KC is a sweetheart I'm shipping with Oscar the Grouch.

"Huh? What?" Blaze says.

"Today is the day we all go to the Haunted House in the theme park!" Melissa explains.

"BEST DAY OF THIS TRIP!" I whoop.

"You're really excited for the Haunted House." Maria observes. "Must like spooky things, huh?"

"Well, that aaaand... Take it away, Guy!" Melissa says happily.

"The Haunted House is Starlight's prize Haunted House!" Guy says. "Full of mystery and spooks! But on top of that, Starlight's Haunted House is known for its ROMANCE!"

"W-what?" Garroth demands. "What's so romantic about a Haunted House??"

"It's just an urban legend going around on social media." Guy explains.

"Well, I don't have social media!" I glare at Garroth, who convinced Mummy and Dad I was too young. And, since I don't have a job, they still pay for my phone's data, so I can't get it. "So, I DON'T BELIEVE NOTHIN' THEY SAY! I READ IT ON A STARLIGHT WONDERLAND WEBSITE!"

"Buuut..." Guy continues, as if I've said nothing. "People say that they have had...intimate experience with their loved ones in there. Either a confession, or something of the sort."

I sneak a glance at Melissa, who beams back at me.

"Which means taking Aphmau and Aaron in there is perfect for romance-y things!" Melissa squeals.

"Oh, I see." Maria says, not sounding at all happy.

"Wow, Melissa, you sure are a supportive sister!" Blaze tells her.

"I try." She says humbly.

"But this kind of stuff doesn't always happen in the Haunted House." Guy reminds us. "Just giving you a heads-up, darlings."

"I NEED IT TO HAPPEN FOR MY SHIP!" I squeal. Melissa laughs.

"I do, too. Which is why, if something doesn't happen, a little Melissa-intervention will help fix that up right away!"

And a little Violet-intervention for a certain brother of mine...

"Heeeheehee! Now! We're going to be heading to the Haunted House around 6 PM, right when the sun starts setting." Melissa says. "So we can get that mood lighting in."

"So no one be late, or we're leaving your butts here!" I break in, looping my arm through Melissa's. She grins, pulling me back to our room and giggling all the way.

"I can't wait for tonight!" I gush when we're back in my part of our conjoining rooms. "ZANE~CHAN AND AARMAU WILL PREVAIL!"

"Sshhh!" Melissa says, putting her hand over my mouth. "You don't want your brother to hear you, do you?"

I laugh, it somewhat muffled. "Nwp!"

Melissa giggles. Then her mood dies a bit. "Hey, um, can I talk to you?"

"Mm-hm!" I say, gesturing to her hand on my mouth. She nods and removes her hand.

"Aaron has... run into some problems." Melissa starts slowly. "He and the other werewolves were turned away at a restaurant because they were werewolves."

A hot, angry feeling creeps into my stomach. "They WHAT!?"

"Yeah. And Aaron's been kind of down ever since. I figure... you've been closer to your brothers than I have. Do you know what I should do?"

I notice she keeps fiddling with her fingers nervously. She really needs to know. She needs to know if she's doing the right thing.

I grin. "Well, first off, go beat up the restaurant owners!"

Melissa lets out a reluctant giggle.

"And, second, let Aaron know you're there for him. I can't say I've been the best sister..." I think back to Zane's slip-up the other day. "But Aaron's been through so much. I think he, and the rest of us, just want things to feel normal again, even though they never will be. I mean, Aaron's the freaking Ultima. Not that that changes how I see him in the slightest, it just..."

"It feels different being aware of it." Melissa finishes. "It's okay, when Dad first told me, I didn't talk to Aaron for weeks. You guys were there for him."

"Well, now you need to be." I say, taking her hands and smiling. "And don't worry. Aaron will be fine. It's Starlight Wonderland! By the end of the summer, you'll see. Everything is going to be all right."

___________________

"OOO! It's almost time! This is going to be SUPER FUN!" Ghost says excitedly to Zane, ignoring everyone else and thwarting my attempts to inch between her and Zane.

"Okay Kim, what's the deal?" Kawaii~Chan demands. "Why are you suddenly all over Zane?"

"Ooohoohoohoo! Wouldn't you like to know?" Ghost snaps.

"Kawaii~Chan, it's not me!" Kim says.

"HUH?" Kawaii~Chan looks confused.

"Kim, you don't have to tell her---" I start nervously.

"I need to, Violet!" Kim interrupts. "Kawaii~Chan, I have a ghost inside of me that loves Zane, and it's driving me crazy!"

"HUH?"

"Believe her, Kawaii~Chan." Zane says grimly. "Remember I told you 'other things' happened when we were at the lodge years ago? This is one of those things."

"Technically only a year." I mutter.

"Violet, technicalities don't matter!" Zane complains.

"So, don't think I like Zane, because he's a stupid butt-face." Kim says. "You wouldn't catch me with him in a million years!"

"That's right, I---wh-h-hey!" Zane yells.

"Kim!" I scold.

"Sorry." She says, actually sounding a bit embarrassed.

"So, sweetheart, you and me in the Haunted House?" Ghost demands.

"Mmmm, now I can see it." Kawaii~Chan says, squinting at Kim/Ghost.

"Which reminds me, aren't you the girl who likes to ship things?" Ghost asks sweetly.

"Hey, I ship people too---" I argue.

"Yup!" Kawaii~Chan interrupts.

Ghost giggles. "Why don't you just ship me and Zane, then?"

"WHAT!?" All three of us yell.

"I mean, you seem to have a thing for shipping things." Ghost says. "Give Zane to me! That way he isn't sailing the relationship sea all alone."

"That is NOT how you ship people!" I yell.

"SHIPPING ISN'T ABOUT JUST PUTTING SOMEONE WITH NO CHEMISTRY TOGETHER!" Kawaii~Chan explodes, downright glaring at someone for the first time I've ever seen. "THAT'S CRACK-SHIPPING! THE KIND I LIKE IS---"

"All right everyone, it's time to get going!" Melissa says in the nick of time. "So just let me go get Aphmau and Aaron, and we're set to go!" She runs inside and we start to follow her. I tag back with Lucinda.

"Come on, Kim, let's go." Lucinda sings urgently.

"Oh, hurry, before things get even more awkward!" Kim groans, letting Lucinda and I pull her along.

"NOO!" Ghost yells, resisting our attempts to push her along. We make her go to the docks where Melissa is waiting by the gate, looking crestfallen.

"Melissa? Where's Aphmau and Aaron?" I ask, letting go of Kim.

"Aphmau and Aaron are going back to the house for a bit, to cool down." Melissa says, sniffling. "So we're going without them."

"Aww..." I wrap my arm around her. "Don't worry! There's one more ship, remember?" I whisper.

Her face lights up. "Aha! You're right! I HAVE SOMETHING TO CARE ABOUT! LET'S GO, PEOPLE!" She whoops at the top of her lungs and runs for the gate, dragging me with her, laughing. But she stops and drags her feet sadly again when we get there. "Here we are, at the Haunted House."

"Hehehehe! Where did your spunk go, Melissa?" Garroth teases.

"My plans... all gone..." She mourns. "But I am a good big sister, so. Meh."

"Well, this is place is super cool!" Lucinda says. "Let's not waste this night."

"Ready to be spooked?" I yell happily.

"Oh, yes we are!" Ghost cheers. "Right, Zaaane?"

"Ehehehehe..." Zane laughs nervously. Kawaii~Chan and I both inch for him simultaneously.

"Let's go!" Lucinda squeals.

I grab Melissa again and pull her inside. We split up halfway, having the werewolves and Lucinda go one way, and Kim/Ghost, Zane, Kawaii~Chan, Garroth and I another.

Tell me what happens. Melissa mouths. I grin and give her a thumbs-up. We walk for a while through the halls, looking for things to do. Finally Garroth stops us and opens a door.

"ACK!" I jump backward into Garroth. "ZOMBIE!"

"AAH!" Garroth screams, giving a high-pitched girly squeal. I snicker until I hear Ghost yell and Zane make a 'mmph' sound.

"H-hey!" Kawaii~Chan says angrily. She pulls Zane away from Ghost.

"Hey!" Ghost complains.

"This way, Zane!" Kawaii~Chan says, grabbing Zane's hand and running.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Ghost yells, running after them.

I look at Garroth, who shrugs and grabs my hand. "Let's keep going! I want to see how they show a ghost so we can rub it into Ghost's face! Huehuehue!"

"Hueuehe!" I giggle, trying to mimic him and failing. But he doesn't scold me. He just laughs.

"You need to make the 'hue' nice a long. Like so. HUEHUEHUEHUE! Now you try!"

I giggle and try again. "Hueeehuehuehue!"

"Close. Let me show you---" he pulls open a door and a weird pig-monkey-vampire thing pops out. "EEEEEK!" Garroth squeals, abandoning me and running as if his life depended on it.

I shake my head. Brothers. Hopeless.

Then I follow him out of the hallway and leave the Haunted House. 

__________________________

Full disclosure: Zane~Chan is my FAVORITE ship on this series. Even more so than Aarmau and Travlyn. The only one I MIGHT like more is if Kim and Garroth ever became an item. I think they'd be super cute together.