A few days had passed and Airis' fever had passed, much to Aphmau and Aaron's relief, but something changed within Airis just a little bit. She seemed to be a little bit more... open. She talked more about herself, nothing too major, but more about her interests, favorite color and things like that. 

Aaron and Aphmau were surprised by this sudden change, but they didn't complain. Airis seemed to be happier than before, and that was all that mattered.

"Wow... you've done a great job fixing this place up." Aaron said as he looked around their finished bedroom.

"I've done a great job?" Aphmau said, "Give yourself some credit."

"Yeah, you helped fix up the house, too." Airis pointed out.

"All I did was lift things from one spot to another." Aaron stated.

"That still helped." Aphmau said.

"You just don't know how you decorated." Airis chuckled.

Aaron thought back to when they were decorating the house, him being the one changing things up a little in one way or another. They had even gotten into an argument about where the pet's food bowls would go in the kitchen. Airis remembered that well, how the food spilled all over the floor and how she had to keep Celestia from eating the food off of the floor.

"Oh... I... uh... didn't even realize I was doing that..." Aaron chuckled sheepishly.

Aphmau laughed, "It's okay!"

"Uuhhhh.... not really. This is the first time I've lived with anyone else... in a very long time.. I guess I'm still getting used to the idea of... things being out of place. I'm sorry."

"Well... if it makes you feel better... it's the first time I've ever... uh... actually decorated any place outside of my room..."

"Really?" Airis and Aaron asked.

"Yeah. Katelyn and Kawaii~Chan pretty decorated our old place. My apartment before that was barely furnished. So.. it's like something to get use to. You know?"

Airis smiled and nodded, "Yep! Mama and Papa said that new things always take time to get used to."

Aaron and Aphmau looked down at the little girl. Since her fever broke, she spoke a little more about her parents. Not much, but threw a few words from her parents here and there. 

"They said that?" Aaron asked.

"Uh-huh! They said "Change is like a diamond made from stone. It starts off as something strange, but can turn into something beautiful." All we have to do is get used to the stone becoming something different."

"Your parents were wise people." Aphmau commented.

"Speaking of getting used to." Aaron started, "Aph, are you used to me kissing you yet?"

Aphmau's face turned bright red at the mention of Aaron kissing her. Upon instinct, Airis covered her eyes to shield herself from them kissing. 

But just as Aaron and Aphmau were about to kiss, Eli the cat clawed at the curtain, making it go up and showing off their small hug before the kiss--

"Aphmau!" A voice shouted from across the alley. The three looked over out the window and saw the fiery fury of a woman gone mad.

Aphmau's mother, Sylvanna, glared at them with so much anger that if it was flame, it would burn down the entire neighborhood and them some. And when she saw Airis watching the two about to kiss, it made her even more furious.

"WHAT THE-?!" Aphmau shouted, "MOM?!"

"I-I CAN EXPLAIN--" Aaron tried to say.

"AAAAAARRRRRRROOOOOOONNNNN!!!!!!!" Sylvanna screamed as she raced down the stairs in Katelyn and Kawaii~Chan's house to run over to their house.

As Aphmau panicked with Aaron, Airis sighed and walked over to the bed to grab Aphmau's phone which lay on the fresh clean sheets.

She opened up the phone punched in a number.

"911, what's the emergency?" The operator said.

"Could ou have a few paramedics be here in about twenty minutes or so? My Abuela's gonna faint here soon." Airis said casually then hung up the phone after giving them her address. 

She followed Aaron and Aphmau down the stairs were Aphmau in her panic broke the down the door in a single punch.

"OUR DOOR!" Aaron shouted in shock, "W-What did you do that for?"

"BECAUSE MY MOM IS COMING HERE RIGHT NOW AFTER SEEING US IN THE HOUSE TOGETHER HOLDING EACH OTHER! AND WITH AIRIS HERE, TOO, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY BAD!"

"So you have to break the door?!" Airis shouted, but casual, as if she expected this to happen.

"I WILL NOT FALL VICTIM TO THE BREAKING DOWN DOORS TROPE! NOT THIS SEASON!" 

"It's just your mom, Aphmau." Airis said as they ran to the kitchen.

"Airis, you're young, and I know you haven't seen my mother too much so I don't want you to get the wrong idea." Aphmau picked Airis up in her arms and looked deep into her mismatched eyes, "BUT MY MOTHER IS LIKE A T-REX WHEN SHE'S MAD!"

The three quickly ducked down behind the kitchen counter.

"Aph, I don't think this is necessary." Aaron said as Aphmau shushed him to be quiet.

Almost immediately after they hid, the three could hear the snarling growls of an angry creature. The creature snuck around kitchen island, watching and waiting for her prey to reveal themselves from their hiding place. Airis sighed as Sylvanna seemed to have walked away.

"Phew! I think she's gone..." Aphmau said in rel-

"I KNEW IT!" Sylvanna shouted from behind them.

"MOTHER OF IRENE!"

"MOM!"

"Hi Abuela." Airis greeted happily.

"I knew it was you, Mija! IKNEW IT!" Sylvanna shouted, "What you doing here with the Devil?!"

"Mom! He's my boyfriend!" Aphmau shouted back.

"Same thing!"

"It's great to see you again, Mrs.--" Aaron stuttered.

"Wipe that smile off your face, I know what you're thinking! You're trying to get my daughter's-"

"Abuela! Look!" Airis shouted, pointing towards Eli.

"Oh! A kitty!" Sylvanna said getting distracted for a moment.

"Great job, Airis. She took the bait, now run!" Aphmau said picking up Airis again, but Sylvanna stopped them before they could run too far.

"Not so fast!" She shouted, "I'm not that easily distracted, like your friend Kawaii~Chan. Now, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL?! YOU HAD EVEN DRAGGED MY SWEET LITTLE NIETA INTO THIS HOUSE!"

"BOYFRIEND, Mom!" Aphmau corrected and sighed, "Geez. Also, A-Aaron, Airis and I... we uh... w-we're... living... together now... heh..."

Sylvanna was silent for a moment before falling into hysterical, maniacal laughter, "OH, GOOD ONE, MIJA! For a second there, I though you said-"

"Aaron, Airis and I ARE living together." Aphmau said again.

"W-What...? Why?!"

"Why not?"

"HE'S A BOY!"

"Man..." Aaron groaned under his breath.

Just then, Erick came running into the house, "ALRIGHT, WHAT'S GOING IN HERE?! I-" He gasped seeing something in the corner.

"That's just how I felt, Erick! Breathless." Sylvanna said.

"Sylvanna... look... A h-h-highchair."

Sylvanna looked around and saw a high chair sitting in the corner from back when Zane was turned into a baby for a while.

"Mom! I-I... c-can explain! We had a baby." Aphmau tried to say, but it wasn't the best choice of words. Sylvanna's face turned completely white and she fell to the floor unconscious.

"Mom!" Aphmau shouted. At the same time just as Sylvanna fell to the floor, voice shouted from the doorway.

"Hello? Someone called about someone fainting?" Two paramedics rushed into the kitchen and saw Sylvanna on the ground.

"How did they know?" Aaron wondered aloud.

"I thought something would happen. So I called earlier." Airis said so casually.

Everyone was surprised, but they followed the paramedics to the hospital. 

~~~~

It didn't take too long after they arrived at the hospital before Sylvanna woke up, speaking gibberish in her half conscious state.

"Eric?" She said, "Oh, thank Irene... I had a horrible nightmare, where we went to visit Aphmau Katelyn, and found out that Aphmau and Airis were living that monster--"

"Sshh. Get some rest, Sylvanna. You're out of it."

"Thank you, Eric. I--"

"It wasn't a dream, mam." Aphmau sighed, Aaron waving behind her. Sylvanna quickly sat up in full attention.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She screamed, "MIJA! YOU MEAN- YOU. AND HE. HAD A BABY, AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!"

"It wasn't OUR baby! It was our friend and a potion mix-up." Aphmau explained.

"Oh! Good. So you two living together was a huge mix-up too, right?"

Aphmau sighed and walked over to her mother's side, "Mom, I am a mature woman. Who is far more than capable to make my own life choices. Living with Aaron and taking Airis with me to live with him too happens to be one of those choices I made."

"Mija! You can't be serious! I mean-"

"Mom. What did Aaron ever do to you?"

"HE MET YOU, THAT'S A START!"

"MAM!"

"Seriously, Mija! W-What about that other boy? The one you dated in High School? Isn't he still around?"

Airis' interest peaked a little. She heard a little about what Aphmau and Aaron were like when they were still kids, but this was a new one. Aphmau told her that she never had a boyfriend other than Aaron. So who was this boy her Abuela was talking about?

"You didn't even know anything about Aph during high school!" Aaron shouted, "That guy was a-"

"Mam! Don't... even... bring... ugh, HIM UP!" Aphmau growled angrily, "I was young, and STUPID back then! I don't even consider him a real boyfriend."

"Ah! But I remember you being his girlfriend." Sylvanna said.

"Sugar Bear, that's kinda rude." Eric said, "If she didn't consider him a boyfriend, then there must be a reason."

"Well, I thought he was nice." 

"Of course you did." Aphmau muttered under her breath, "And not like Aaron who actually cares about me."

"What was that?"

"Ugh, Mom! Look, what I'm getting at is, I've moved in with Aaron. My first REAL boyfriend. I've known him for a long time, and he means a lot to me and Airis. And Aaron is the perfect person to help me raise Airis. And if you don't like it.. well... DEAL WITH IT!" 

Aphmau stomped away, Aaron picking up Airis and walking away with the two while leaving Sylvanna and Eric alone in the hospital. The entire car ride home, Airis could sense that Aphmau was upset, but didn't push any farther on the subject. She could tell just by looking at the woman that this 'boyfriend' she had in high school hurt her a lot.

She should know more than anyone how it felt to be hurt by bad people.

~~~~

A couple of weeks passed, and the visit from Aphmau's mother faded with the time. But not for long.

"Aphmau!" Airis shouted, looking out the window and seeing a large moving truck pass by the house, "I think we have new neighbors."

"Really?" Aphmau walked over to the window and watched the truck pass by, "Wow! We do. Wanna go and greet them?"

Airis happily nodded and after getting Aaron, they walked down the street to greet the new neighbors, but the shock was almost too much to bear.

"MOM?" Aphmau shouted, seeing her mom, Eric and Katelyn surrounded by boxes in front of a new house with the sign saying it was sold.

"Hey there, new neighbor!" Sylvanna smiled and waved.

"Mom! You... bought... HOUSE?! THIS ONE?!" Aphmau shouted in her continued shock.

"Yes we did! And now I can keep an eye on you... and you.... roommate." Sylvanna said glaring at Aaron.

"BOYFRIEND! UGH!" Aphmau groaned.

"Boyfriend, huh? No one told me about this." A voice said from the moving truck. 

Everyone turned around and saw someone else standing in the truck. It was a man, a few years younger than Aphmau, Aaron and Katelyn. He had blue hair a few shades darker than Katelyn's, he wore a pair of brown pants, black sneakers, and a green jacket over an orange shirt. He smiled down at the group sweetly.

"Kasey?" Katelyn exclaimed happily, "OH MY IRENE, KASEY!"

She ran up to the boy and hugged him tightly with a bright smile on her face. Airis smiled seeing Katelyn so happy. She had never seen a smile that big on her face.

"Kasey! I didn't know you were in town!" 

"Yeah, sis. I'm here to help Dad and Sylvanna move in." The boy, Kasey, looked over at Aphmau as she walked over with Airis in tow.

"H-hey, Aphmau.... It's great to see ya." He stuttered a little.

"Kasey! Wow, I haven't seen you since... forever!" Aphmau said.

"Yeah, i-it's been a while."

"Hehe, oh! Let me introduce you to Aaron. I-I don't think you two have ever met." Aphmau said gesturing to Aaron behind her. E-Eh, Kasey, this is Aaron. Aaron, Kasey."

"Hey, nice to meet you!" Aaron greeted.

"Same."

"Kasey is one of Katelyn's three brothers. he was a good friend of mine in high school."

"Yup!" Katelyn said, "And from what I remember, you had a little crush on Aphmau, didn't you squeakers?"

Kasey's face blushed bright red, "Hey! Don't call me that! Not in front of Aph!"

"Hehehe. But, that was a cute nickname for ya." Aphmau said.

"Yeah, when I was little." Kasey groaned, then noticed Airis hiding Aphmau, "Hey, Aph, who's the little kid hiding behind you?"

Aphmau looked down and smiled at Airis hiding behind her leg, "It's okay, Airis, no need to be shy." She assured as Airis slowly came out from behind Aphmau.

"Kasey, this is my foster daughter, Airis." Aphmau introduced, "Airis, this is an old friend from high school, Kasey, Katelyn's little brother."

Airis looked up at Kasey and smiled, "Hi, nice to meet you." She greeted politely.

"Nice to meet you, too, Airis." Kasey said.

Airis turned around to face Aphmau and Aaron, "Can I help Abuela and Eric move in?" She asked, "I wanna hang out with Auntie Katelyn for a while."

"If that's okay with--"

"Of course my Nieta can spend some time here!" Sylvanna quickly agreed.

Aphmau and Aaron nodded and said their goodbyes before they left to go home. For a while, Airis helped move the boxes using levitation magic and talked with Katelyn, Kasey, Eric and Sylvanna. The entire time, Airis could feel something from Kasey.

While they were winding down their work for the day, Airis walked over to Kasey and tugged on his sleeve.

"Hmm? What's up, Airis?" He asked, but could never expect what she would ask.

"Do you want to lose that scar?" She asked so innocently.

Kasey's eyes widened, never expecting to hear a child ask him that.

"What are you talking about?" He asked as he knelt down in front of her.

She lifted her hand and pressed it against his collar bone, a sad look in her eyes, "You have a scar right here. You got it from a very bad person, didn't you? Do you want me to get rid of it?"

Kasey didn't know what to say. He knew what scar she was talking about, a reminder of a terrible moment back in high school. Not knowing what to say, Kasey nodded. Airis smiled and reached up to pull down his shirt a little. There she could see it clearly. It was the start of a larger scar that began to fade with the passage of time, but it was still dark enough to see clearly.

Airis closed her eyes and gently placed her fingers on the scar. She took in a deep breath and a barely visible glow erupted from her fingertips. Aris could feel it, the scar fading away like the ripples in the water. When she opened her eyes again, Airis could see tears pricking at the corner of Kasey's eyes.

She smiled, "There you go! All better!" Airis then skipped away to talk with Sylvanna and Eric.

"Hey, lil bro! You wanna--" Katelyn started to say, but when she say a tear run down his cheek, she grew concerned.

"Kasey, what's the matter?" She asked.

Katelyn looked down at Kasey's collar bone, noticing that the scar he got when he was a kid was now gone. Vanished as if it was never there in the first place. 

"Kasey, what happened to your scar?" She asked.

Kasey looked over at Airis and Katelyn's eyes followed, "She did it." He said looking straight at Airis, smiling so kindly and freely, "She got rid of it. I feel.... lighter now."

Katelyn stared at Airis as she smiled with Sylvanna and Eric. She didn't know much about the little girl, but now she owed her so much for helping her little brother. But how did she do it? And why?

~~~~~

Airis stood there, watching the scene play out, helpless to stop it for it had already happened long in the past.

A boy crying as he begged others to stop hurting him while he tried to fight back.

A group of boys surrounding their leader as he beat the crying boy.

And the leader of the group, beating the crying boy as he smiled with such malice and darkness in his eyes. 

The boy being beaten as he cried.... was Kasey. And as he lay on the floor crying, his uniform stained red with his blood, Airis cried terribly.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, "I'm sorry that I can't take this away forever. But even though scars fade from the body, they can not always fade from the mind."

"Wise words, Airis." A voice said behind her as her body was embraced in warmth and the scene faded to that same field of flowers as her dreams always gave her.

"I wish I could take all of his pain away, but people must overcome their own pain to become stronger." Airis said as her tears dried and she smiled, "I know that he'll be okay."

"Yes. You are very wise, Airis. I do hope that one day, your pain will fade with the passage of time. And that you will be stronger in the future. Your destiny is greater than most, and you will need to be stronger in order to take it in your hands."