After having lunch, Ophelia and Hector were settling in their room. Holden was in the bathroom, while the Soulpadres were in the lobby sitting together discussing something crucial. "Hey, Peachy," Vance called up to her.

"Yeah?" Perfida turned to him.

"I kinda remember that Holden doesn't know about... you, and what you can do."

"Okay, what about it?"

"And he's going to be staying with me, March, and Leyo."

The psychic lifted a brow at him. "Your point?" she asked.

"Ugh... Stepbrother," Perdita scoffed at the side.

"I'm just wondering, what if we encounter another g-h-o-s-t while he's closeby?" Vance told her.

Perfida saw her friend's concern. "Oh... Well, let's just hope nothing like that happens then."

"Yeah, but what if...?"

"Then we'll figure it out, or work around it, so he won't find out," the girl said. All of a sudden, she got a text from her parents so she stood up from her seat. "My Mom needs me to help her unpack. I'll see you guys later."

Once Perfida left her friends for a while to be with her folks, Vance let out a heavy sigh. "What's wrong?" Leyo asked, as he noticed his friend's frustrated expression.

"Nothing, I'm just worried."

"About what? Ghosts?" March questioned.

"Yeah," Vance sighed. "Holden will be staying with us, and what if we have to deal with one?"

"Unclench, Dude, it's not like we're gonna come across with one."

"That's what Perfida said before coming here until we meet..." Vance flinched over to Gussie who was still clueless about his dead girlfriend as he waited for him to finish the part of he was about to say. "... The wagans."

"I get it. Just, you know, go with the flow," March advised.

"But..."

"Uhmm... Guys, he's coming," Gussie warned them when he saw Holden coming out from the restroom.

Later, Perfida got back to her friends. She and the guys lead her stepbrother to their room where he was staying for the time being, even helping him carrying his bags inside. "Thanks," he said to them. "So which one is my bed?"

"Oh, the upper bed above mine," March said. "Is that okay?"

"Stellar."

"So what's it like in base camp?" Leyo asked.

"It's awesome," Holden answered with such enthusiasm as he sat down with them on the floor. "The training was brutal, but it's worth it."

Gussie cringed since he was the only one who could not relate to the space military life. "Like how brutal?" 

"Twenty laps after waking up and getting dressed, Five hundred reps of workout, three-thousand reps of burpees for losing a sparing match, adding five-thousand reps of burpees if you lose a sparing match the next round and if you didn't do well in shooting range, and many more."

"Damn. You guys really do all that?"

"Not me," Perfida scoffed. "Maybe I could do thousand burpees, but not running twenty laps."

"In my family, we call it 'walk in the park'," March remarked. He even shrugged his shoulder like what Holden went through was baby steps.

"That's what Hale calls it too," Holden replied.

"My Dad and I call it, 'just do it for planet Earth'," Vance added.

"That's what I call it too. Good thing it's over. For now."

Gussie looked at him in a weird way. "For now?"

"He still have to do that in AIU," Perfida clarified.

"Yikes."

"Sucks to be you, stepbrother," the twin ghost mocked, knowing that Holden could not hear her.

"Well, I guess I have to enjoy my little time of summer break then," Holden sighed, feeling exhausted from the bootcamp training he had to go through as a space cadet. "I just want to relax and have fun, and learn some skirring."

"You got it," Gussie said to him. "You can start in couple of days along with these guys."

"Stellar. By the way, where's Hale going to sleep tomorrow?"

"Hale?"

"Oh, he's our cousin. From his side of the family," Perfida answered.

The owner's son's eyes widened. "I'm not sure. Mr. Sweeney didn't tell me that he's coming. Hmm... I think a guest will be leaving tomorrow morning, he can have that one." 

"Why not he stay here?" Holden suggested.

All of Perfida's friends shook their heads to Gussie due to their concerns ealier without Holden not knowing about they were doing. "Uhm... It's gonna get too crowded here if we're going to put one more single bed. Sorry."

"Oh, it's cool."

"I didn't know Hale is coming. I haven't seen him in ages," March interjected with a grin in his face. "He's one of my idol."

"How is he your idol?" Vance asked.

"I forgot, you live under earth rocks. Hale Rudero is the number one exploration pilot. Every cadet wants to be like him."

Gussie even looked impressed. "Wow," he blurted.

"Yup, I'm one of them. Anyway, he's assigned to meet with the Akuatos," Holden confirmed.

"Stellar," Perfida said.

All of sudden, the owner's son received a message from his phone so he checked on it for a second. "Bad news, skirring lesson is cancelled," he told them relucatantly.

Everyone did not react well with that. "Nooo," Holden whimpered. "Why?"

"Family emergency. Sorry, man. Though, it's just three days."

"It's okay. It's just few days of waiting. Plus, I need to chill anyway. By the way, enough about my intense bootcamp summer, what have you guys been doing before going here?"

The younger kids looked at each other again and became quiet. "Uhm... You know, we..." Perfida stuttered.

"We played at that new VR park," Vance answered quickly. "And spend most of our time hanging out in TocaTokyo."

"There's a new VR park?" Holden gasped with excitement.

"Yup," the stepsister responded.

"No way, I will try that out once we go back to Ares city."

"It's totally stellar. You will love it."

"Sounds like you guys had a great summer."

The Soulpadres plastered a smile on their faces to hide that one little secret that they had to keep from him about what was truly going on while Holden was away.

----

Later at night, everyone was getting ready to bed. Perfida went back to the room where she shared with granfather and little brother. She was combing her hair before sleeping on the couch while Bryce was already fast asleep. "Today is a good day. Except for that number three thing," she said. "I'm just happy to have mom, dad, and Holden here."

"Not me. But of course, I missed mom too," Perdita replied.

"Well, at least you are feeling better because I don't have to see your mother's death stare at me," Archie reminded while shaving his beard. "Also, don't let them find out what you've been doing this summer."

"Pfft, of course not," Perfida scoffed. "Besides, they wouldn't believe me anyway."

"I suppose you're right."

"They'd believe you dragged Bryce to the casino, than us able to see ghosts."

"They have no proof!" the old man snapped.

The twins looked at each other, giggling at their grandfather's defensive response. "Even if they know, so what?" Perdita snickered. "It's none of their business."

"What do you mean?" Perfida asked.

"It's none of their concern because Bryce is not their kid, so they should stop acting as though they care about him."

"I guess you have a point there."

Archie was not liking what he was hearing. "Okay, enough of that before your brother wakes up and hears you two."

"You're right." Perfida started to yawn, then lied down. "I am beat. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Peachy," Perdita replied. Afterwards, she happened to look at her grandfather's way and saw him giving this disappoving look. "What?"

"Nothing," Archie huffed.

The next morning, the French family was nice enough to tour the Rudero and Sweeneys in a few tourist attraction spot, along with the three boys with them. The first stop was in a public market with a view of the blue and purple mountain, Diopera and Ceon.

The Ruderos took a family photo with the scenery behind them. Afterwards, they admired the beautiful colors of the plants where the Phorions flying around helping human farmers picking fruits. "Wow! This is incredible. I forgot how beautiful these mountains are," Ophelia said. "I could look at this view forever."

"Me too," Hector replied.

"Yeah, this place is way more different than Ares city," Perfida added. "Can we stay here forever?"

"I wish. But, I'll figure something out."

A foodcart of guri-guri fish seller came and offered them one. "Oh! Yay! You guys have to try this," Perfida persuaded, as she bought a cup. "This is so good. I hope we have this in Ares city."

The parents and Holden did not find the street food appealling because it was moving inside a paper cup and that her friends were also buying them "That looks... Interesting," her stepfather gulped, pretending to look interested.

"Seriously?" Holden whispered to his father's comment.

They became even more disturbed when Perfida and the other people eating a live tiny fish. Furthermore, enjoying it as well. "Hmm... So good. I just wished that they don't have to slap my tongue." She then put out the cup to her family. "Come on, try it."

"Ugh... Uhmm..." Hector reacted in discuss along with Ophelia and his son yet still acted that he was not. "Maybe next time."

"What about you, mom?"

"I'm... not that hungry," her mother stammered.

"Holden?"

"I'll pass," her stepbrother replied.

"Okay, more for me." Perfida continued eating.

Bryce ran up to his older sister which surprised the Ruderos that he liked that kind of food. "I want some."

"Here you go."

Archie approached his granddaughter's family. "I don't like them too," he whispered to them.

"How is she eating those stuff? Last time I check, I give her food that never move," Ophelia responded, watching how her daughter and her little half-brother munching it down like it was chips. "And I can't believe Bryce likes them too. Is that even good for him?"

"You know how adventurous Perfida and Bryce are," Archie reminded, then glanced at his granddaughter picking up a tiny fish that escaped from her mouth, and crawling on her chest that sent chills on his spine. "Or... perhaps daring."

"Yes, very daring," Hector mumbled.

"Anyway, there's a foodcart selling pae tentacle. They don't move. Do you want to give that a try?"

The Ruderos seemed to not mind with that. "Is it good?" Ophelia asked.

"Better than eating guri guri."

"Good enough for me," Holden said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, come on." Archie guided them to the other foodstall that suited their taste.