Ib tugged on Garry's shirt, scrunching her little eyebrows together. "What is it, Ib?" Garry asked, looking down at her. "Is there something you want?" She stepped in front of him, puffing out her cheeks and placing her hands on her hips. "Kyaaaa, Ib, you're so cute!" Garry swooned. But that wasn't what Ib was trying to do. She wanted to see if she could get him to say more about that paper he had seen in his dream. Maybe it was the same one she saw! But this was going to be hard because Garry was clueless, and Ib just couldn't ever bring herself to speak around Garry.

She took her two index fingers and drew a square shape on the floor. If she could remind him about at least the paper, he might be reminded about what he was talking to her about before. "Oh.." Garry said, kneeling down next to her. Ib felt a jump in her stomach. This was it! He remembers! A silence came between them. The only sound they could hear was the slight hiss of the scary creatures lurking in the shadows. The hideous, vile monsters, disguised as beautiful art. "Are you trying to draw a heart, dear? Ohoho! You're so cute! But no, Ib, you drew a square!" But no cigar. He was still pretty oblivious to what she was trying to explain. Ib was on the edge. As she was about stand up and give him a good slap in the face, he grabbed her hand. He smiled as her eyes widened. "Extend your pointer finger, Ib." Ib did as he said, following her 9 year old girl instincts. He brought her hand to the floor, guiding her finger so it traced the shape of a heart. "See? A heart! For you and me." He cocked his head to the side, flashing her a charming smile. His long, slender fingers comforting her little hand. They seemed to have their own rythm in them; their own pulse. It sent a signal through her, telling her it was alright.

Ib blushed, pulling her hand away. Garry nodded his head like he understood (which he really didn't... at all), and got up. He started to walk again, with Ib by his side; her eyes watching the ground. She started to think. She wanted to try one last thing. She tried remembering one of the parts of that riddle, or poem of some sorts. She just needed one little key part to refresh his memory. 'What were those parts he had tried show me? The device part, right? And the gate thingy?' As they walked on by, Ib stopped in front of him again. He looked down at her, forming an awkward smile on his face; scrunching his eyebrows together. "Ib, you've stopped me a numerous amount of times now.. is there something you need?"

Ib put her two hads in front of her, trying to imitate a gate opening and closing. "A bird? Ib, I hate to break it to you, but I doubt there are any cute birds here... only.. really scary ones..." Ib shook her head. She tried something else. Maybe she could remind him about that painting about those newlyweds. Ib walked away a little bit, cupping her hands together like she was holding a bouquet. She walked towards Garry slowly. Taking time with ever step. She looked like a real bride walking down the aisle. Garry's eyes sparkled and shined. She was the cutest, and most beautiful thing he had ever laid his eyes on. "Ib... You're too... adorable.." he felt his heart wrench. "Aaaaah, I can't take it, kyahahahaha!"

'Is this a game to him!?' Ib thought. Then she remembered. That pose. He would surely remember that. Ib suddenly jumped into Garry's arms, getting into the position she was in before. When she was trying to match the painting.

"Waah! Ib, what- Oh! I remember! The painting!" He brought his face close to hers, smiling at her. "That was such a lovely painting, wasn't it? But it's the reason we're in this mess right now, isn't it?" He sighed an awkward sigh with a smile still on his face. Ib got back down from Garry's grasp, and stayed still. Completely still. She turned her head at him, showing him her big, beautiful eyes. Her pleading eyes, seemed to trigger something in his mind. Her prayers had been answered. "Earlier.. were you trying to ask me about the riddle I saw in my dream?" Ib smiled, and nodded vicously. She pointed to herself, and nodded more. For some reason, Garry was able to read her correctly. At least, just for this moment. "What? Did you see the same thing I did when you were asleep?"

'Yes!' Ib thought to herself. Her heart was bursting with this indescribable emotion she couldn't yet express. She smiled brightly, nodding even more.

"Oh, okay, okay, I get it! You want me to tell you more about my dream? And what was in it?" Ib felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. All her efforts in trying to play charades with this idiot had payed off. She felt like she was going to pass out from happiness. She grabbed Garry's hands; bringing them down to her face. She smiled, pressing them against her face. Without realizing it, she let out a silent, 'Yes!' But it wasn't that silent, that Garry didn't hear it. He blushed, smiling; bringing her into a hug; letting his purple coat sway in the calm breeze created by running and crawling beasts, that just didn't seem to have the strength or capability to come face this duo. Ib was so close to something, she could feel it. She just didn't know what. Neither of them do.

Far away, in a distant world, that painting that had started it all, started to change. The gold frame that surrounded the painting began to sprout little words and the couple in the painting started to become disorted. They looked like they had been carved in. And in that distant world, a little girl, with blonde hair and a green dress walked passed as she was finishing up her daily walk around the drawn "park". She placed her hand on the word, tracing it with her fingers. "'Connection', huh?" She looked up at the painting. Seeing that it's formed had changed just slightly. She raised an eyebrow. She brought her palette knife up to her mouth, nibbling on it a little. She pondered for a bit, then she just sighed reluctantly. Practically, not giving a single damn. "Ah, well, I have no control over the art, here. No matter how hideous it is." She walked off, leaving the readers on the edge of their seats, wondering if she will be a key part of this story.

I hope you liked this extra-long chapter! And let me answer that question for you, no, Mary will not play a part in this story! Sadly, she does not fit in anywhere! But perhaps, I will create some side chapters, or filler chapters, in which she does appear! Anyways, see you soon, and keep on reading and reviewing!