Garroth, Dante and Airis watched as Aaron tried to teach Aphmau how to swim. It has been a week since they found out that she couldn't swim, so Aaron has been teaching her how to swim in case the same situation would ever come up.

Airis was smiling at the progress she was making. After all, she seemed to be learning faster than Airis did. It took her months to learn how to float in the water. The little girl was afraid of water for the longest time, water just moves on its own and will pull you away from the shore without warning.

And things that happened unexpectedly never ended well with her life.

"All right, now, we've been training all week." Aaron said, "Let's see if its paid off. Just remember to kick." 

Aphmau nodded with determination, "I can do this! I can do this!"

"Swim like a dolphin."

"Swim like a dolphin!"

"Be fearless."

"FEARLESS!"

"You got this!"

"I GOT THIS!!" Aphmau ran into the ocean, determined to swim this time.

"Are you sure letting her go into the ocean so soon is a good idea?" Dante asked Aaron.

"Yes." He answered confidently, "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Sink or swim, huh?"

"She'll swim." Aaron said, "And, if she doesn't, I'm right here to get her."

Airis chuckled at his sweetness towards Aphmau. It reminded her so much of her Papa.

"Aww.... that's sweet!" Garroth gushed.

"Speaking of sweet, that cruise is coming up soon! I'M SO EXCITED!" Dante said excitedly, but Airis was confused and wrote a question in her notebook.

"What's a cruise?" Airis wrote.

"Oh! A cruise is just a big boat for people to relax on while sailing over the ocean. Think of it kind of like a hotel, but with a lot of activities, games and places to sleep." Aaron explained.

"That's right! I almost forgot!" Garroth said, "So, who are you planning on taking, Dante? Eh? Ehh?"

"Well, Erik and Sylvana actually gave me and Teony their cruise tickets!" Dante answered, "They wanted to apologize for the whole kissing thing."

"Well, that was... uh.. nice of them."

"AARON! AARON! LOOK! I'M DOING IT!" Aphmau shouted, but it was quickly revealed that she was only sitting in the shallow ends surrounded by a bunch of babies in their floaties.

"That's nice, babe, b-but you-you're still on the shore." Aaron said.

"B-But I'm in the ocean, right!?" 

"Uhhh.. Technically, but maybe uh- try doggy paddling a little deeper? Remember! You're got this!"

Aphmau reaffirmed her determination and kept trying to swim.

"In any case, I wanted to take you guys! Plus, you can bring a plus one!!" Dante said to take attention away from Aphmau for a moment.

"Really!? Thanks, man." Aaron thanked. Airis jumped to her feet and ran over to hug Dante, wrapping her arms around his neck and laughing in excitement.

"Wow, Dante! That's really-" Garroth interrupted his thanks when he heard an alarm going off from his phone. He looked panicked and stood up fast.

"Uh-- I-- Uh-- Thanks for the offer, but I'll have to back to you on that later... Uh- GOTTA GO."

"Where are you going?" Dante asked as Garroth ran off in a hurry.

"UH SORRY, I'M... LATE! UHH-BYE!" Garroth shouted disappearing across the beach.

"Has Uncle Garroth been acting weird lately?" Airis wrote.

"You're right, Airis." Aaron agreed, "He's been sneaking off a lot lately.."

"I KNOW!! What do you think he's been doing?" Dante wondered aloud.

Before they could wonder any further, Aphmau screamed from the water, her body submerged up to her chin and she was panicking. But she calmed down when she noticed that the babies were standing.

~~~~

After finishing their time at the beach, Aphmau, Airis,  Aaron and Dante snuck up to their beach house. Though the act confused Aphmau, she went along with it.

"Sooo.... What are we doing exactly?" She asked.

"We're going to find out where Garroth has been sneaking off to!" Dante explained whispering so they wouldn't be heard.

"Couldn't we just- I don't know... ask him?" Aphmau asked.

"Yeah, why can't we just Uncle Garroth about his secret plans?" Airis wrote.

"Ugh." Aaron groaned, "We've tried but every single time we ask..." 

He explained the times they tried to ask Garroth about where he was sneaking off to almost everyday, but every time they asked him, he made up an excuse about a cat needing to be fed. He even broke a door and a window. 

"Well... the door makes sense, but, breaking down a window is a whole 'nother level.." Aphmau said, now understanding the situation, "It must mean something's wrong! We should just ask him about it!"

"We've tried, he won't answer. Trust us." Dante sighed but Aphmau chuckled just as Garroth was walking out of the house.

"Let me handle this. I know how to deal with Garroth. And if all else fails..." Aphmau picked up Airis in her arms, "I'll just have Airis use her adorableness to get an answer out of him. he can't resist Airis' sweet face."

Aphmau and Airis came out of the bushes and caught Garroth staring at his phone.

"Hey, Garroth." 

"Aphmau! Airis! What do you two want?" Garroth asked after he jumped from seeing them so suddenly.

"Well, we've noticed you've been acting kind of strange since we got to the island." 

"You have?!"

"And I think I know what's going on."

Garroth jumped back, his face portraying complete and and utter shock, "You do?!"

"Yes. Now, be honest with me. Where have you been sneaking off to?" Aphmau asked.

"Nowhere. I'm here, aren't I?"

Airis wrote down in her notebook, "Please, Uncle Garroth. We promise we won't get mad."

Garroth looked down at Airis' smiling face, her innocent eyes and rosy cheeks. But he willed himself to look away from her. He was falling for her cuteness trap and was not ready to reveal his secret.

He tried to use the feed my cat excuse, but Aphmau wasn't having it. Eventually, he gave up after Airis took his hand and pouted.

"Okay, fine." Garroth groaned, "Maybe there is something. Wow, that's a weird place to bake a cupcake."

"A cupcake?! Where?" Aphmau shouted looking up to find no cupcakes. And when she looked back at Garroth, he was already running off somewhere else.

"See?" Dante said exiting the bushes, "That's why we have to follow him. We need to find out what he's been up to."

"You're right. He must be hiding something. he barely even reacted to Airis' adorable face, so something must be really wrong. Let's go!"

They began running, following Garroth all the way to the dock near the shoppe. When they got there, they stood outside looking through the window, watching Garroth talking to the cashier about something.

"What is he doing at the shoppe?" Aphmau wondered aloud.

"He comes here a lot, doesn't he?" Aaron asked.

"Quick, hide before he sees us." Dante said hiding with Airis and Aaron in the corner.

"Wait!" Aphmau shouted, "We need disguises. Here, put these on."

Aphmau took out a stack of fake mustaches for everyone, even Airis.

"Mustaches?" Dante questioned.

"You know he's going to recognize us with those things on, right?" Aaron asked.

"And why do you have fake mustaches in the first place?" Airis wrote.

"Because I can, Airis. And you all don't know Garroth very well. Do you?" 

All of them put on their mustaches and walked in behind Garroth in the shoppe.

"Ahem..." Aphmau said, lowering her voice to sound more like a man rather than herself, "Exuse me sir... Might I ask what's holding up the line?"

"I've been waiting for a new outfit!" Garroth answered, completely oblivious to the fact that it was Aphmau but just wearing a fake mustache.

"Ugh.. The nerve!" 

"I know! I ordered this outfit two weeks ago! And still nothing!" Garroth looked up at the clock and saw the time, "Oh, is that the time!? Oh... I'm gonna be late! Sorry for holding up the line, little man." Then, he just ran out of the shoppe. 

"Ngh... I'm not little!" Aphmau shouted trying to sound more manly, making everyone behind her laugh at her attempt, "I'm a handsome man!"

After she calmed down, they followed Garroth away from the docks and at a Hula Dancing School. It was shocking to see that this was what he was hiding this entire time.

"I'm so sorry... But classes have been cancelled." The instructor said sadly.

"What the... But why?" Garroth asked shocked.

"We just don't enough people participating." the instructor said, "Ever since that mei'fwa incident, we haven't been able to get any more students. We simply can't run a class with just one student. We'd need at least two more."

"But... You said you'd teach me." Garroth sniffed.

"I know, dear... and if it were up to me, I'd still run the class. But there just isn't enough interest."

"I see..."

"Garroth. You've been a great students. And some day You'll master the Hula dance. I'm sure of it. I'm just sorry I won't be there to see it happen."

"Oh ma... I was really looking forward to this..."

"Are you kidding me? He's been taking hula lessons!?" Dante shouted.

"I didn't see that coming." Airis wrote, before walking up to Garroth and pulling on the back of his shirt. He turned around and saw Airis smiling at him while she walked to the instructor and wrote down something.

The instructor looked happy and surprised.

"Of course you may join!" The instructor said. Eventually, Aphmau, Aaron and Dante joined in for the hula lessons.

Airis smiled happily, seeing everyone smiling and laughing. She was feeling even more comfortable with this group, as if she had a family again. Her life was getting much better since she lost her family before.

But she was still scared to tell them too much about her past. She didn't want to get hurt again. And more importantly, she didn't want them to get hurt. Airis didn't want them to be afraid of her. Just like They were....

But hopefully... hopefully, they'll understand. And they won't fear her like they did. Hopefully she can truly see Aphmau, Aaron, everyone as her family. Someone she could call Mama and Papa.