Aaron sat down on his bed. "Melissa," he grunted. "Why can't I listen to what's going on?"
She just smiled. "Don't worry. I'll tell you after we're done. For now, you should sleep." In her mind, she was counting on the fact that he will sleep. "You must be very tired."
He yawned. "How—how about you?"
"I have to talk with. . ." She cringed. "Toby. I'll be back in a jiffy. If you need anything, just tell Rowan. I'll call him up here."
"Alright." He lay down on his bed, which was beside the empty one. Melissa looked at that bed, where Aphmau will be staying for a while. Melissa hoped that they could both exchange a few words, at least.
She walked to the door and turned off the lights. Then she left the room.
•
Melissa settled in with Katelyn, Lucinda, Garroth, Zane, and Kawaii~Chan in the living room. Everyone found a place to sit in the couch. She inconspicuously saw Kawaii~Chan lean on Zane's shoulder. He patted her head.
Despite the somber mood, she couldn't help but feel a bit more giddy, but not too much that her werewolf ears and tail would show. Another group of love birds to cheer on.
Toby stood in front of them. He took a deep breath. "How are you guys doing?"
"Fine," Melissa answered.
"It's been quite a long time since I last visited." He managed a small smile. "But why are you still in the lodge? I thought you guys already moved back."
"Not everyone's ready to face what's going to happen." She leaned back on the soft backrest of the couch. "I figured it would be best to stay on one of our lodges for a few months or so. And there's still Travis and Aphmau."
Katelyn snorted. She locked eyes with Toby. "Where's Travis? And Aphmau? Are—are they alright?"
"That reminds me." The GF captain sighed. "They've been doing well in the hospital during the past few months. However. . ."
Melissa tensed.
". . .Aphmau came down with nightmares, I guess. She was crying a lot and the next day, we found her hugging the wolf plush. The doctors were very concerned."
Figures, Melissa thought to herself, trying to maintain being professional. But the others had different reactions.
"Aphmau having nightmares?" Kawaii~Chan asked.
"So that means she's going to be staying longer in that place?" Katelyn exclaimed. "All the more she needs to get out of there! Where's the good news in that? She's been in that place for too long and—"
"Katelyn." Lucinda soothed her calmly. "Calm down. Let him speak."
Toby closed his eyes for a brief moment. Then he opened them again. "The doctors didn't give us any word. If everything's alright, then Aphmau will be here by next week."
Despite the—somehow—good news, the place hadn't changed it's mood. Melissa guessed that it would be this tense until everyone was safe and alright and to be honest, she felt the same way.
"What about Travis?" Katelyn asked him.
"He's going to be here by next week. We'll be doing some final checkups and questioning while we finalize everything else," Toby said. "I can assure you they're been doing well."
"They better," Melissa heard Katelyn mutter to herself.
"Anyway, that's all. I'm going to head out now. They need me."
•
Unlike what Melissa thought, Aaron did not sleep. He lay awake, staring at darkness. He couldn't make out anything, but he guessed it was the ceiling.
Then all of a sudden, the darkness disappeared, a spot turned warm yellow. Aaron sat up and saw a blue blur coming closer to him. He recognized the cautious footsteps.
"Rowan?" he asked, bringing the blue spot to the center of his vision.
"Aaron," Rowan answered. Aaron felt someone touch his hand. He felt his rough features on his palm. "Are you doing alright?"
"I'm fine, I guess."
"You're supposed to be asleep." Aaron heard some shuffling close to him and saw that the blue blur had moved. Rowan sat down on the bed beside Aaron's.
"I can't sleep."
"Nightmares?"
"No." He felt the thick blanket on his hands. Aaron pushed it aside. "I—I was just. . .thinking about. . .things." Aaron could feel his face becoming warm.
"You're blushing," he remarked. His scratchy voice sent more waves of heat on his face.
Aaron then realized he didn't know where Shu was. Maybe she didn't play the game anymore. Maybe she moved on. Maybe—
"You're sad all of a sudden. Tell me, Aaron. What's with you lately?"
"I—I—" He stuttered. "It's just. . .I—I have a friend named Shu."
"Shu? As in Shoe?"
"No, Shu. My friend from a game I played." Aaron scratched his head. "I—I don't know if she's still playing."
"A friend? Why, you should try talking to her!"
"I can't!" he wailed. "I don't know if she's online."
"You can only talk to her online?"
"Yeah." His throat went dry. "I—I need some water."
Aaron heard more shuffling. Then footsteps receding. "I'll get you some," Rowan said. "Then we should talk about the girl. . .Shu."
Before he could reply, he heard the door close gently.
•
Toby walked to the docks not far from the resort. He saw the GF ship at the distance, ready to cross the dark sea back to the headquarters.
He was a bit sad himself, like the sky with no stars or moon. When Aphmau and Travis return, the Guardian Forces would go back to their main headquarters; they merely established a post in Starlight when the rumors of the Ultima leaked out.
But the mythical creature was no threat. The Ultima died and its body was never retrieved, because it never did die. To put simply: it's only died with Aaron's memory.
His past self would never believe all of this had happened. But now, it was seared into his memory, never to be forgotten.
As he walked on the wooden dock, someone, a woman's voice, yelled, "Stop, please!"
He turned and saw a girl with dark green eyes. Toby knew her by name. "Zianna?"
She looked pleadingly at her. "Have you seen Garte?"
Toby took a deep breath. He remembered the name appearing on the missing persons list after the Celestial Cannon collapsed onto the sea. "I'm—I'm sorry, but we tried searching many times over and over again, but he wasn't there. He might as well be dead by that time."
Zianna choked back a sob.
"Zianna!" came a new cheery voice. Sylvana caught up to her. "There you are, gurl. I've been looking for you—" She saw her face. "Zianna! What's wrong?"
Toby realized what he had done. "I'm—I'm sorry. I have to go now and—"
"YOU!" Sylvana screamed at him. "What did you do to my girlfriend, yo?"
He would had cringed if he had the chance. The way she said it horrified him. "I—I just make a mistake and said something wrong and—"
"Garte is dead!" Zianna wailed.
Sylvana gasped almost exaggeratedly and hugged her. "Come on, gurl. Cheer up! I'll make you some strawberry puffs!"
Toby sighed and watched them turn their backs on him and began walking away. After a few steps, Sylvana looked at Toby and gave him the stink eye as if to say, I will come back for you and I will murder you in your sleep.
He shuddered. Then he turned away and walked to the GF boat. A few seconds later, the boat took off from the dock, wandering aimlessly under the dark sky.