Alina's Day Out

Aphmau's POV:

The rest of yesterday went as it should always. It was relaxing, more in a peaceful sense than anything else. I could tell Katelyn was really trying to warm up to Ein, but she looked uncomfortable. I don't want to hide anymore secrets, but I also don't want Katelyn to be so overwhelmed with surprises she doesn't really enjoy. I can still tell she's uncomfortable with me being a werewolf. Maybe she would've been better off knowing sooner, or maybe not at all. She'd be better off that way. I know how serious she takes these kinds of things. I mean, it's kinda the same way she acted towards Aaron when she found out too, but a little worse. Probably because she thought she could trust me with these kinds of things.

But the past is in the past, and there's nothing we could do to change it. Y'know, with every single chaotic thing that's happening right now, we probably could change the past, but that's not the point.

I know Katelyn cares, and I know she's trying. We all just need time, for everything. Hopefully soon enough we won't need time, once I fix everything. Anyways, I woke up this morning finding Alina sleeping next to me. She was holding Woof tightly in her arms. That's odd. I didn't even think she knew where Woof was. She probably saw me with her once or twice, or maybe in Aaron's room. I quietly got out of bed, trying not to wake up Alina. She was still snoring sound asleep when I got out. I was sneaking out of the room when I could hear Woof speaking.

"Hey. Psst, HEY!" She whisper-screamed. "GET ME OUT OF HERE!!"

"Nah, She looks comfy. You should stay there for a bit." I closed the door and could hear Woof's defeated long, 'noooooooooo'. I giggled in response and went on my way. When I reached the stairs, I had realized I didn't have my cane with me. I remembered leaving it downstairs last night. The reason behind it I can't remember. I cautiously went down the stairs, holding onto the railing. I knew to be slow, but now it was crucial to take my time going down. One step after another, a creak from the floor was heard. I was as slow as a tortoise, making its way across the street.

As I reached the last step, I felt something different from the floor under my foot. Before I could even look down to see what I had stepped on, I began to fly backwards as if I was in a cartoon.

"I'm coming!" I heard a voice cry out beside me as the person grabbed me at the last second. I opened my closed-shut eyes to see what had caught me from my fall, and it was none other than Aaron. For a reason I couldn't describe in a form of words, I turned a light shade of red.

"Uhm..L-Let me put you down now." Aaron said, with his face the color of a peach. I've seen Aaron blush, but none ever like this. It was quite light toned, but it was somehow able to spread all over his face, as if it was beet red. I hoped my face wasn't like that.

"Thanks." I said a little quiet.

"N-No problem." We stood there awkwardly until I began to wobble ever so slightly. Aaron walked over to the couch and grabbed my resting cane. Then he walked back over to me and gave me my cane. I thanked him once more and leaned on it once the surface of the cane was aquatinted with the floor.

I felt more energetic than usual today. I didn't want to have another stay-home day where all I do is watch some T.V and think. Y'know, out of all the times we've went out, I don't believe we ever took Alina. That gave me a brilliant idea.

"Hey Aaron, wanna hang out with Alina at the park?" I asked. His eyes slightly lit up with a small sparkle, and looked more lively. I hadn't realized how sad his eyes had looked until now. I was about to ask if he was okay, but instead he answered my first question.

"Sure. Is Alina up?" He asked me.

"No, not yet. We can leave when she's ready. For now, wanna make some breakfast?" I questioned.

"Okay. I like cooking anyways. Wanna make some pancakes?"

"YES!!" I squealed. Aaron chuckled lightly and we walked into the kitchen, where we then made some delicious batches of pancakes for everyone in the house to enjoy. Afterwards, we ate, and watched some TV together. I told Aaron we could watch one of his old favorites, and I put on a scary movie. Luckily, I wasn't as scared to watch it as I have been before. We got through halfway the movie before we heard footsteps upstairs, coming downwards. We looked to the stairs, and there she was. Alina was finally up.

"Good morning Mama!" Alina ran up to me and jumped on my lap. Aaron turned off the movie, because we didn't want her watching something like that.

"Good morning, sweet heart! How was your sleep?" I asked sweetly.

"It was okay." She said, squeezing the plushie she had in her hands tighter. I hadn't even realized that she had one in her hands, and best of all, it was still none other than Woof. I giggled a little bit to myself, but tried to ignore her.

"Did you have a bad dream?" I asked.

"Yeah..I was thinking about my real mama. She was very scared. That made me scared." She said, twiddling her thumbs.

"It's okay. Your mama is gonna be okay. I promise." I eased her. She calmed and relaxed in my arms. Then I decided to give her the pleasant news.

"Hey, guess what? We're gonna go out to the park today!" I said with glee. Her face lit up with joy.

"We're gonna go play outside? YAY THIS IS THE BEST DAY!!!" She screamed in my ears, causing me to not only cover them immediately, but let my ears and tail pop out. She stared at them for a long second before she reached her hand up to my head and touched my very puffy ears. It felt weird, with me never really touching them, and with no one ever touching them, except for Aaron when he dyed them purple. I wanted to pull her hand away, but I didn't. I let her continue, leaving me feeling very uncomfortable.

"THEY'RE SO FLUFFY!!" She said. I looked over to Aaron, who was barely holding in a laugh, making little noises and giggles. I rolled my eyes at him with a playful smile, and let Alina have her fun until we decided to leave.

Time passes by, and Alina is finally ready to out to the playground. Melissa said she was gonna go out for a walk instead, so we all left the house and went our separate ways. Alina skipped all the way there, and me and Aaron talked along the way, making some small talk in the moment.

"Do you think that she'll be able to get back home?" Aaron asked me.

"I need to." I responded.

"But how? Didn't you say she came out of your mind? How are you supposed to get her back to her world?" Aaron said puzzled. This question put my brain to work, but I got nothing out of it. I had no answer, but I knew I'd find a way, eventually that is. We had finally made it to the park, and Alina turned into a rocket. She exploded with excitement. She saw so many kids, and got straight to business. She ran up to the other kids in the playground and joined their fun. Me and Aaron sat down on a nearby bench and rested our feet. We talked a bit more, until we heard a strange noise in the bushes.

It didn't sound like the wind hitting the bush. I think something was inside. I tell Aaron to keep and eye on Alina, and I approached the bush. I pulled two ends of the bush aways so I could see what was inside, and it was nothing I had expected. At first, I thought it had to be a small animal. Maybe it got its leg caught in some branches.

It was a small child, sitting in the bush, eating a slightly old-looking sandwich. She had dirty-blonde hair, and dark blue eyes. She wore a tarnish shirt, along with ripped jeans covered in patches. She looked up to me in a panic, seeing she had been discovered. She shot up and tried to get out of the bush in the other direction, but I caught her just in time.

"Wait! Don't leave! I didn't mean to frighten you." I said calm. She stared at me with small eyes filled with fear.

"Don't be scared, I won't hurt you." I said. The fear in her eyes went calm but docile, expecting something to happen.

"I-I can leave if you want." I said, kinda awkwardly.

"No! Don't go, I want you to stay!" She held my arm. First, she wants to run away. Now, she wants to stay. Now I'm more confused than I was before. I heard some footsteps behind me.

"What did you find?" I heard Aaron say behind me. I got up and subconsciously revealed the girl, who was very clearly trying to hide behind me. She made a little squeal and hid behind my leg.

"Aaron, I thought I told you to watch Alina." I said.

"You were taking too long, and I got worried." It was then when I realized that Alina was next to Aaron, trying to see the little one behind me.

"It's okay, they won't hurt you, I promise." I turned to the small girl. She looked up to me shyly, but calmed down slightly. She slowly revealed herself, coming out from behind my leg. Alina's eyes sparkled and glistened which made her eyes light up with excitment. The little girl crawled away from me and approached Alina slowly.

"Uh, H-Hello.." She slowly waved. Alina went crazy with happiness.

"YAY!! ANOTHER NEW FRIEND!!" She ran around the little girl, which startled her.

"Alina, settle down. I think you're scaring her." Aaron pointed out bluntly. Alina moved out of the way and Aaron came towards her, leaning down to talk face to face.

"Hey, what's your name?" He asked.

"I-I don't have one." She replied. Aaron looked to me, and I wished we could take her home. It was as if my thoughts were written on. My face, because Aaron nodded to me. I approached the girl.

"Do you wanna come with us?" I asked, reaching out my hand to her. Her face lit up with a new smile, and she took my hand.

"Yes, please." She said shyly. Alina was excited the whole way home, making small talk with the girl. Me and Aaron had our own private conversation, mostly thinking of names to give this new child.

"What name would fit her?" Aaron asked, talking to me but looking towards the girl.

"Maybe Lily?" I asked. Aaron looked at me, and back to the girl.

"Hmmm, I don't really like that name." Aaron responded. I looked back to the girl, and an Idea popped into my head.

"What about Lilith?" I asked another question. Aaron looked back to her and then nodded his head.

"That sounds nice. It suits her." He said. "Do you think she should have a middle name?"

"Sure, why not. Since I picked the first name, you can pick her middle name." I said. I saw Aaron intensely stare at Lilith, thinking hard for a name.

"I like Garnet. It means a bright ruby to light up the sea. What do you think?" He asked me.

"I think it's perfect. So it's decided then, her name is Lilith Garnet...Wait, whose last name is she gonna have?" I asked.

"Well, you are the one who found her. I think she should take your last name." Aaron said. I almost just spat out, 'But by technicality we both have the same last name.' It made me sad for a moment, but I ignored my sadness and carried on.

"Lilith Garnet Shalashaka."

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