"Hi, Lucinda!" I say happily, joining her at the table with Kim.

"Hi, Violet. Wow, you look happy today." Lucinda observes.

"I am! Garroth took me to Starlight Adventure Park last night, and we had so much fun I'm still giggly about it!" I say.

To my surprise, Kim and Lucinda look shocked. "Really? Why'd you agree?" Kim asks.

"Huh?"

"I mean, lately, you've been kinda down about everything." Kim says.

"Yeah, you've been a real bum!" Ghost says.

"GHOST!" Kim squeals. "No, she hasn't!"

"What Kim means is---" Lucinda interrupts, seeing my crestfallen face. "You've been happy lately, Violet, but it's been kinda... forced."

"Oh."

"Ohhh, I didn't mean to get you down!" Kim says sadly. "I'm sorry!"

"I'm not down." I assure her. In fact, if anything, I suddenly feel better. "I just realized---you guys are right. I just... I've been..."

"I know you blamed yourself for everything at the lodge." Kim says tentatively. "So... you've gotten over it?"

"Sort of. I've been poking holes in the blame." I say. "Like, how could I have stopped it? E---Ei----He kidnapped me!"

"Who, Ei---?" Ghost asks.

"GHOST, SHUT UP!" Kim shrieks.

"It's---f-fine." I squeak. Lucinda puts an arm around me and then stops and squints behind me.

"Violet... why is there a double of you over there?" Lucinda asks.

I turn and look behind me. Sure enough, there's someone talking to what looks like Zane and Kawaii~Chan, and she has my hair color and my facial features. I squint and feel my heart drop when I hear a loud squeal and see her teal eyes.

"Oh my Irene." I breathe. "Mummy!" I throw Lucinda off of me and tear for the dock. Mummy's squeal issues far beyond the dock, and by the time I've reached Kawaii~Chan and a very pink Zane, Mummy's squeal is so loud I have to have my hands over my ears.

"Sylvanna---" Mummy gasps. "Pinch me, I must be dreeamiing!"

Sylvanna pinches her.

"HARDER, I COULDN'T FEEL THAT!"

WHAM.

"Owww! Yeaah, this is reeeeal!" Mummy sings.

"Mummy! What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Vivi!" She says happily. "Hello!!"

"MOM, I CAN EXPLAIN!" Zane yells. "You see, she's my friend, and Garroth---"

"Oh, don't you dare lie to me, Zuzu-honey-bear-sugar-cupcake!" Mummy scolds happily. Kawaii~Chan giggles.

"MOM!" Zane complains.

"WAIT. You two are dating?" Sylvanna asks, surprised.

"How didn't you know this?" Mummy demands.

"Um, HELLO? My mija is here, too, and I've been paying attention to her!" Sylvanna looks around. "Speaking of which, where is she."

"Ooooh, come here, you!" Mummy runs forward and hugs Kawaii~Chan. "Look at you! All cute, and fluff, and--" Mummy gasps. "You're a Meif'wa! I've heard Meif'wa are so easy-going!"

Kawaii~Chan just giggles at Mummy's excitement.

"No wonder you two hit it off!" Mummy continues. "The perfect match for my cranky little Zuzu! I'm so glad you're his girlfriend!"

"Mom!!" Zane protests. "We aren't official yet! We're just---dating to see if we like each other!!"

"Nuh-uh!" Sylvanna says, coming down from the ledge. "You guys were holding hands!"

"EEEEE, you were??" I squeal, then fall under Zane's gaze. "I mean, uhhhh...yeah, they're not official or anything yet! It's not like I have a ship name already and everything and I'm so geeked out because you were holding hands!"

"THAT MEANS NOTHING!"

"Whaaa?" Kawaii~Chan exclaims, sounding hurt.

"NO! That's not what I meant!! It means everything!" Zane tries.

"So you guys are---" Mummy starts slyly.

"KAWAII~CHAN, RUN!" Zane shouts.

"Where?" Kawaii~Chan screams.

"FOLLOW ME!" And he runs right off the boat, into the water! And Kawaii~Chan follows him!

"Oh how romantic, going for a morning swim!" Mummy says dreamily.

Sylvanna laughs. "You sure know how to tease your son, Zianna."

"Well I can't help it! For the longest time, I thought Zuzu was just going to be alone all his life. Which is fine if that's what he wanted! But I really never could've imagined!"

"Gonna chase him?" Sylvanna asks.

I cough and Mummy seems to realize I'm still there. "Nah, let's leave them be." Mummy says quickly. "I don't want to ruin a good thing. Just give them a hard time!"

"Mummy, why are you here?" I ask. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Ohhhh, I'm so happy to see you, too, Vivi!" She squeals, hugging me tight. (pronounce viveeee) "I'm here because Derek invited me!"
I pull back, confused. "Really? Why?"

"Oh, because---"

Sylvanna pinches Mummy.

"---because I'm here for you, Zuzu and Gargar!" Mummy changes at top speed. I look at her suspiciously.

"Really."

"Really!"

"Zianna! Why don't we go with Rachel, Derek and Garte? Hmm?" Sylvanna suggests quickly, pulling Mummy away. "See you later, Violet!"

"Bye, Vivi!" Mummy says happily, following Sylvanna away. I tap my foot on the dock.

Something is going on. And it must involve us, because Mummy normally tells me everything, as I'm her only daughter.

What could be so bad that Mummy won't tell me?

I turn on heel and run back to my friends. "Garroth! Zane! Lucinda! Kim!" I burst into the back deck with them. "Oh! Hi, Kawaii~Chan!"

"Nya!"

"What's up, baby sister?" Garroth asks, setting his cards down and not noticing Lucinda peeking over at them.

"Mummy is here! And Dad! And they're not---"

"Mummy is here?" Garroth asks, looking around excitedly. "Ooooo, where??"

"Garroth, that's not important right now!" I say. "Mummy is hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is!"

"Huh?" Zane asks. "She can't be. She tells you everything."

"Exactly my point!" I shriek. "She was going to tell me why she was here, and then Sylvanna pinched her and she changed what she was saying!"

Garroth's face scrunches up. "That doesn't sound like her."

"SEE??"

"Violet, calm down." Kim says. "M-maybe you're just misunderstanding something!"

"No! Mummy is keeping something from me, and it's probably something to do with Ei---with E---With him!"

"He's dead, good riddance!" Ghost says snarkily.

"But... they never found a body." Zane says, his voice hushed.

The blood drains from all our faces. Even Ghost looks paler through Kim. "But he's dead." She insists. "He has to be."

"There's no proof." Lucinda whispers.

Garroth closes his eyes. "No. We can't sink down like this. Baby sister, if Mummy kept something from you, it must've been a surprise---or something. She---they would tell us if E---if h-he was still alive."

"They might not." Lucinda murmurs.

"Guys, stop it!" Kim squeaks. "We're supposed to be here to---t-to recover! To let go of what happened!"

"Violet~Sama..." Kawaii~Chan says. "if Ei---" everyone draws in breath quickly, like a hiss. "Sorry, he, is back, he can't come here." She points out. "He'd need a ticket, and since he's supposedly dead, he can't exactly buy one, can he? Besides, he can't come to us. I heard Aaron's dad talking about all these huge security systems set in place."

"That's the thing, Kawaii~Chan." I say. "Security system or not, all he'd have to do is get Aaron to see him."

Everyone goes, if possible, paler. "His eyes..." Lucinda breathes.

"It's already happened once." Ghost says worriedly. "But nobody got hurt. So, if it happens again, we're prepared, right?"

For some reason, this convinces no one.

I turn to leave, and I hear Garroth mutter under his breath, "And she was doing so well."

"If anyone deserves to not know about this, it's Violet." Lucinda agrees quietly.

I shake my head and walk back to my room. 

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Mwahahaaaaaa... here's where we START to get closer to drama and danger... heeheeeheeeeeeeee...