Marionette's Calling

{5}

KATELYN POV

I awoke to the quiet sound of the front door being opened and gently closed, and knowing it was Aphmau, I rose soundlessly and snuck downstairs to find a cheery figure in the kitchen, humming quietly. What? I thought, completely befuddled. Only a day ago she was returning home from work skittish and panicky, but now she was as calm as the summer sea. What had happened last night?

After watching her brew her coffee for 5 minutes, I finally gathered the courage to enter to kitchen and speak to her. As soon as I took a step into the kitchen, her head shot up with slight panic before resting into a smile, and she said evenly "Morning Katelyn. How long have you been there?" I was stunned that she knew I had faltered in deciding to come in, but quickly recovered replying "M-morning Aph. You seem cheery this morning. Did work go well?" She balked slightly at the question, but gave a firm answer. "Yes, in fact, I think it was one of my best nights yet."

I left the kitchen slowly, as if Aphmau were a predator and I was her prey, and once I had left her vision of sight, I hurried up the stairs to my room. Her attitude was highly unnerving, and I found myself shuddering as I contemplated it. By then, my decision was firm: I was going to gather the boys and Kawaii~Chan, and we were going to ascertain what was going on with Aphmau.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ring, ring. A click sounded on the other end of the line and I sighed and relief. Third time lucky, I suppose.

Hello? The familiar, gravelly voice from last time asked though my phone.

Hey Garroth! It's me, Katelyn, again, heh... Well, you and the boys need to get here right now. Aph, is, uh- she's acting up again. But this time, in a completely different way. Invite Aaron as well, would you? Thanks.

O-oh, alright, well we're coming now, and for her sake only, I will invite Aaron. Distinct grumbling could be heard on the other line and I snickered, his reaction entertaining.

Anyway, I will elaborate when you arrive. Bye!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KATELYN POV (still)

It's now night, although I originally wanted them to come immediately, I figured it would be safer if Aph was at work when we spoke, in case she tried to eavesdrop. A slight knocking on the door alerted me of their presence, and I swung open to door to find all of them-excluding Kawaii~Chan of course- standing outside in warm clothing, mixed looks of concern and anxiety conveyed on their faces. Ushering them in, I followed their lead of sitting down in the circle of purple couches in the living room that Kawaii~Chan already occupied.

"So..." Travis began hesitantly, and I took charge of the dwindling conversation.

"Yeah, so, welcome I guess? Well, recently Aph has been acting weird. Like, not in the way she usually is with the crying and all, although that is weird, but she is really nonchalant, as if she was never even been sad like that. I mean, I have seen her old sadness in her eyes before, but I have never seen her physically show this. Ever." I rambled, my anxiety getting the better of me.

"Uh, Katelyn, are you sure you're not, maybe just, overreacting? I mean, maybe she got over it, or something..." Garroth countered tentatively. I glared at him and he shrank back, before Laurance interrupted, saying "Yeah, Lady Katelyn, you sure you're not overreacting?" I shot him a venomous look but he only smirked, and I sighed in frustration.