The next day, the middle brother would be adhering to those words as he headed into the village with Neko in a satchel.

  "How's this?" he asked, holding up a tomato to the cub's nose.

  Neko meowed.

  Zappary placed the tomato in a basket and grabbed another one.

  "This one?"

  Neko hissed.

  "Not that one."

  Zappary felt hairs stand on the back of his neck. He looked around, and his eyes landed on a girl with strawberry blonde hair braided into a ponytail. She walked towards the woods, same direction as the cottage. Zappary paid for the tomatoes and stalked her all the way to the river.

  "So that's Sunny," he thought, hiding behind a tree. "She is pretty. Is she... waiting for Phoenix?"

  He watched as she hung her head, trying to hold back tears.

  "Ah no," thought Zappary. "Don't. Don't start."

  Sunny fell to her knees and cried into her hands.

  "Don't get involved–tssst!–, don't get involved–tssst!–, don't get involved–tssst!–"

  Sunny whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"

  Neko jumped out of the satchel and ran towards Sunny.

  "No! Why do you hate me!?" Zappary whisper-yelled.

  Sunny felt the cub push against her leg, "Neko?"

  Zappary reluctantly stepped out, Sunny turned her head with a hopeful smile, but her expression fell to a confused frown.

  "Uh, hi," he said softly.

  She took a step back, but Zappary raised his hands in peace.

  "It's okay, I'm friendly!" he says, doing his best to hide his tick. "I just wanted to talk to you."

  "Who are you?" said Sunny. "Why do you have Neko?"

  "The name's Zappary, Zap for short."

  "You're Phoenix's brother!" She set the cub down. "The deaf one!"

  "Hey, I'm not deaf I just have trouble hearing–oh!"

  Sunny took a good look at his face, "Same ears... same chin... white bandana scarf. Please, you have to tell me, is Phoenix okay?"

  "Can you let go of my face first? That tickles."

  Sunny let go. "Sorry."

  "Are you... Sunny?" Zappary discreetly dug his toes into the dirt.

  "Yeah, how's Phoenix?"

  "He's not... the best."

  "Oh no!" Sunny sat on a rock and covered her face. Neko ran up and sat down on her lap.

  "He's been down lately," Zappary sat down next to her. "He's been getting better though."

  "Ugh, this is all because my brother was worried about me spending too much time with Phoenix. He sprung a surprise introduction on him. I tried to calm everyone down, but before I knew it, Phoenix ran away."

  "Oh... I see... Look, I don't wanna dump anything on you, but we've all been through a lot." He fixed the brace on his wrist. "Phoenix... maybe more... I dunno. I do know he's scared of getting close to people, I dunno why he made an exception for you, but I do know he really liked spending time with you."

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  "That's why I've been kicking myself for what happened, and why I've been waiting here every day hoping he'll come back! Even if I have to jump out of a window to do it!"

  "Every day?" Zappary noticed a scrape on Sunny's knee. "For what it's worth, I think it's good for him to have a friend like you."

  "I'm sorry," Sunny says, beginning to tear up again. "I didn't mean to make him feel so horrible!"

  "Hey, hey, it's okay," Zappary put a hand on Sunny's shoulder, Neko gave her licks on her hand. "It's not your fault."

  "I just want to make it up to him."

  "You will," Zappary gave her a smile. "But you have to be patient with him."

  "I get it." Sunny stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes.

  "The best thing you can do is wait."

  Sunny threw her arms around Zappary, the middle triplet was never one to deny a hug. Although he did have to pull away before stabbing his foot back into the ground.

  "I have to go," Zappary picked up Neko. "But it was nice to meet you."

  "Wait!" Sunny picked up a small cloth. "Here."

  "What are these?"

  "It's called friendship bread, I usually bring him something for the both of us, but you can have mine."

  "..."

  "Tell Phoenix I'm sorry.."

  "I will," he walked away. "Gee, you sure know how to pick 'em, don'tcha Fireball?" He broke off a piece of bread.

  Later that afternoon, Zappary returned to the cottage. "Hey –tssst!– guys –tssst!– , I'm –tssst!– back –tssst!–!" He let Neko out. "Sorry –tssst!– it –tssst!– took –tssst!– me –tssst!– so –tssst!– long –tssst!– ."

  "Is everything alright?" asked Shadow.

  Zappary twitched, "I –tssst!– kinda –tssst!– sorta –tssst!– met –tssst!– Sunny –tssst!– hold on –tssssssssst!– !" Zappary ran outside, stuck his fist into the sky, and shot a giant lightning bolt through the air. "Okay, so apparently that's what happens when I try to hide my ticks." He came back in. "Anyways, on my way back from the market. She was walking up into the woods, so I followed her, found her in that river spot Phoenix showed us, talked to her, hugged her, she gave me some bread for me and Phoenix, I ate it all, and came back here."

  Phoenix perked up from the couch, nearly dropping Koma from his lap. "You what? Did you talk to her?"

  "Course I did," said Zappary. "I mean, if I just stared at her sitting on a rock all day I'd just be a creep."

  "...Shaddup," snarled Phoenix.

  "You didn't tell her I've been depressed, have you?" asked Phoenix.

  "No...?" said Zappary.

  "Zap..." said Phoenix.

  "Yes..." said Zappary. "She told me that her brother gave her an ultimate tomato, either he meets you or she can't see you anymore."

  "Do you mean... ultimatum?" asked Shadow.

  "...Shaddup!" said Zappary

  "Wait, that's why he ambushed me?" asked Phoenix.

  "Ambushed!?" asked Shadow. "Another human ambushed you!?"

  "Yes, and she feels terrible about it!" said Zappary.

  Shadow was getting a migraine, "Zappary, you cannot just go around talking to any human." He turned away to cough.

  "Hey, Sunny's not just any human," defended Phoenix.

  "I know," said Zappary. "She's actually really sweet."

  "A human ambushed Phoenix," said Shadow, with a hack. "What if it was a trap?"

  "Hey," defended Phoenix. "Sunny is nothing like that!"

  "I was skeptical at first, but now I am sure," said Shadow, his coughs increasing in number. "I do not think it is smart for you to be spending time with a human, Phoenix."

  "Woah, what happened to welcoming her with open arms?" asked Zappary.

  "That was you," said Shadow. "Not me!"

  "Sunny is different," admitted Phoenix. "I trust her."

  "You do not know her," said Shadow.

  "Shadow, maybe we shouldn't shut ourselves off from everyone," said Phoenix.

  "Even when that is exactly what you were doing before we arrived?" hacked Shadow.

  "Hey, you were the ones who just decided to squat here out of nowhere," said Phoenix.

  "Squat? You don't even pay rent here!" said Zappary. "You said you found this cottage after an old lady died in here!"

  "Zappary, stay on track! We cannot risk exposure just because Phoenix wants a friend," defended Shadow with a cough. "Even if she is a good person, would you really want to take the chance of putting her in danger as well?"

  "I'm careful, you guys know that," claimed Phoenix. "Know this too, I'm gonna see her tomorrow."

  "Okay." agreed Shadow, finger to Phoenix's chest. "Anything happens, it is your fault."

  Phoenix glared.

  "What?" asked Shadow.

  "Just waiting for you to cough," said Phoenix.

  "..." Shadow coughed. "Shaddup!"

  "Okay, you know what? I think we're hangry." said Zappary. "Let's eat something, and then we'll revisit this."

  "There's nothing to revisit," Phoenix went to his room.

  Zappary turned to Shadow, "I feel like pancakes, do you feel like pancakes?"

  "It is the middle of the afternoon," Shadow coughed.

  "And I want pancakes," said Zappary. "I think I saw an old jack-in-the-box I can use to make a mixer."

  "Do me a favor," started Shadow in a low voice.

  "What?" asked Zappary.

  "I want to see if Sunny is really as good as he says."

  "Meaning?"

  "Can you stall Phoenix?"

  "Call' Phoenix? He just left!"

  "Stall."

  "Stall? Are you kidding me, Shadow?"

  "I am not saying we keep him from seeing her. I just want to meet her myself and make sure she is... trustworthy."

  "And if she's not?"

  "...I actually did not think that far ahead, but I will think of something."

  "I get you're worried, but we can't do this behind his back. He knows the truth now, and he can make his own decisions. He's a big boy."

  "I agree, but I am going to meet Sunny. Whether you help me or not. If she turns out to be a bad person, then I will do something about it."

  Zappary sighed, "You better be prepared to apologize to Phoenix once he finds out because I know he'll find out."

  "How?"

  "Because I suck at keeping secrets."

  "Does that mean you will help?"

  "Just to try and keep you and Fireball from killing each other."