"Aaaaah... this is nice." I coo, sitting on the sand on my blanket with Garroth and Aphmau.

"I know, right?" Aphmau says. "I'm glad you guys wanted to hang out!"

"Of course!" Garroth says brightly. "We've just been... really busy hanging out with Zane and Kaw---"

I subtly reach over and pinch his arm.

"OW! Oh, uhhhh----Kim! Zane, Kim, and Lucinda!" Garroth says.

"Same." Aphmau admits. "I've been with Aaron just as much."

"Understandable." Garroth says quietly. "Especially after...y'know." A cold, crawly monster winds up my spine and my smile drops.

"Everything." I finish when he doesn't.

"Y-yeah." Aphmau says.

She looks so sad, Garroth forces a grin. "Uhhh--h-hey! Uhh---look at this!" He runs towards the ocean and starts doing jumping jacks.

Aphmau gives a small chuckle. "Garroth, you don't have to do anything silly to cheer me up. I've been doing better. And, having Aaron back has really helped." She looks between me and Garroth. "How've you guys been doing?"

"What do you mean?" Garroth and I say at the same time.

"I mean, back then... you almost lost Zane. And Violet." She glances at me and I duck my head down, ashamed. At what I did then. "Is... everything back to normal?" Aphmau continues.

"N-no." Garroth admits. "Not really."

"I still have nightmares." Garroth says quietly. "Maybe not as crazy as you, but... the thought of what everyone went through... Even Zane... because of me... still makes me shudder to this day."

"Me too." I say, looking down. "I just... can't stop thinking about all of it. I feel like it was partly my fault."

"Violet, Garroth, how many times do people have to repeat it? You didn't do anything." Aphmau says gently. "Would you guys... like to... talk about it?"

Garroth and I exchange a glance. We've really only talked about it to each other, and Zane.

"I just feel like... I could've been smarter about it." Garroth says, his face pained.

"And I could have tried harder. I broke free, in the end. I just..." I stop, choking on my own thoughts. "There were so many opportunities I had to stop what happened if... if I'd just stopped myself."

"And I had a lot of opportunities, too. If I had just paid attention." Garroth says.

"You did a lot, Garroth." Aphmau assures him. "You were there when everyone needed you."

"I wasn't." I whisper, feeling tears fall down my cheeks.

"Yes, you were, Violet." Aphmau says. "You were there afterward. You could've run. You could've run and never looked back. But you stayed."

"Well... you're my friends." I look up, determined. "And I never abandon my friends when they need me. After what happened, I never would've left."

"And we recovered." Aph insists.

"Yeah, but... everyone is still dealing with what happened. Even to this day." Garroth says.

"In their own ways." I add. "I mean, being here, seeing Aaron again, seeing everyone back to close-normal... it's helped."

"But I... may need to think about this alone for a bit longer." Garroth says slowly.

"Me too." I add. "It's just... going back makes everything worse sometimes."

"I understand." Aphmau says. "You guys can always talk to me, if you want."

I smile weakly. "Thanks."

"T-thanks Aphmau." Garroth says. "We'll keep that in mind."

"For sure!" I add.

"Hey, guys...? Wanna build a sand castle!?" Aphmau challenges. Garroth laughs, although a bit subdued.

"Heh. Sure, why not?"
"I'm down." I say.

"Awesome!" Aphmau says. She gets up, then pulls me to my feet, and we search until we find a good spot away from the ocean but by our stuff. We build in silence for a while, until Aphmau dusts her hands off.

"Let me construct the door, though." She giggles. "I don't trust you!"

I snicker.

Garroth giggles as well. "Huehuehue! Probably wise."

"Oooo, can I help with the drawbridge?" I plead.

"Sure!" Aph says happily, digging a moat and handing me a bucket. "Get the water so we can pack the bridge down, too."

"Awwwesome!" I cheer, running for the waves.

I grab a bunch of water and come pack, pouring it into the moat and helping Aphmau pack sand to make a bridge. We've just put a flag on top when Aphmau looks away, over towards the entrance to the beaches.

"I feel like someone was watching us." Aphmau says worriedly.

SPLAT.

I look over to see that Garroth has indeed broken the door.

"GARROTH!" Aphmau and I complain.

"Huehuehuehuehuehahahuh...."

__________________

"Kawaii~Chan! Aaron's back!"

I sit bolt upright, bonking into Kawaii~Chan's head as she sits up the same time as me. "Ow!" I complain, rubbing my forehead. "Sorry, KC!"

"It's all right, Violet~Sama, Kawaii~Chan fell asleep too." Kawaii~Chan says.

Zane points out the door. "But it was only Aaron."

"Awww..." KC and I say together. I want them to see Kawaii~Chan as much as she wants to see them.

"Don't worry, I'll let you know when Aphmau comes around." Zane says.

"Okay, Zane~Kuhn!" Kawaii~Chan says, and sits back on the bed. I sit back with her, tugging on the hair out of my headband and braiding bits of it while we sit in silence and Zane peers out of the door. Suddenly, he yelps.

"She's here!" He says happily, pulling Kawaii~Chan off the bed and her grabbing me. All of us are grinning madly for some reason, even Zane. I tie my headband over Kawaii~Chan's eyes as Zane pulls us across the hall and knocks on Aphmau and Aaron's door. He waits just one second then goes inside without them answering.

"Zane!" I hiss, but he doesn't listen.

"Uhhh... h-hey there!" He says.

"Huh? Zane?" Aphmau's surprised voice says. I peek around the doorframe and walk in beside Zane.

"We wanted to see---" I start.

"If you two---" Zane says.

"Were busy?" We say together.

"Heh. No, not really." Aaron says.

"Perfect! Then, uhhh..." Zane stutters. "I would like you two to see someone!" He moves out of the way and I pull a blindfolded Kawaii~Chan into the room.

"HUH?" Aphmau says. Zane and I both reach around Kawaii~Chan's head and untie my headband. Kawaii~Chan looks up at them, an adoring expression on her face, and she squeals like there's no tomorrow.

"Kawaii~Chan??" Aphmau and Aaron say at the same time.

"What is she doing here?" Aphmau asks.

"She was invited here by Mr. Lycan." Zane explains. "Oh---and before you freak out, she knows about the werewolf thing, Aaron."

"Mr. Softie told her." I snicker.

"Vi!" Zane complains.

"What?"

Zane sighs. "Aaron, she already pledged not to tell a soul. To your father, no less."

"She just has to make pancakes!" I say brightly.

"Wow, uhh, this is kinda, uhhhh..." Aaron says.

"I, uhhh... Just wasn't expecting to see you here." Aphmau says.

"I mean, how the heck does everyone keep popping up here?" Aaron asks, looking at Aphmau. She opens her mouth to answer, probably with a pun, when a strangled voice reaches us.

"You two should kiiiiiiss." Kawaii~Chan whispers creepily.

"WHAT!?"

"Kawaii~Chan, we talked about this." Zane warns.

"No going into Za-----I mean, Aarmau mode!" I scold.

"WHAT WAS THAT ONE??" Zane yells, but Kawaii~Chan is chanting "Kiss, kiss, kiss" under her breath and I really think we should leave.

"Is she okay?" Aphmau asks. "She's..."

"Uhh, Violet?" Aaron asks, backing away from KC.

I grab Kawaii~Chan and pull her away from the door. Zane grabs onto her too. "QUICK, RUN!"

Aaron and Aphmau both scream and tear from the room. Kawaii~Chan breaks from us and chases after them, leaving Zane and I to try and track her down.

We have unleashed the full fury of Kawaii~Chan on Starlight Wonderland. And it ain't pretty.