And there he was again.

The sun began to settle behind the mountains, dying the normally blue skies with an orange hue. This was definitely a tell-tale sign that night would fall, and the amusement park would finally reach its closing time. But what he didn't understand was how the crowds of people manage to actually grow nearing the closing time. Now that was a predicament.

Make sure that no human sees you move. But if they do, treat them nicely. If he could right then, he could've sighed. After the blonde, he'd rather give himself a breather from humans from there on in.

After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally thirty minutes to closing time. The crowds of people seemed to lessen, and the pier was finally cleared of those annoying humans. Moving from the irksome pedestal he was positioned on, he began to move around freely; perfectly sure there was no one in sight.

"Finally," he spoke, the smile increasing. Looking at his side, he started speaking again. "Say Arma, what do you...?"

Trailing off, his face briefly turned into one of disbelief before it regained that smile once more. "Of course," he muttered. "How wrong of me to forget." Looking back at the horizon, he closed his eyes to remind himself once more. She's not with you anymore.

"Ooh!"

The voice was so sudden that he didn't even have time to think about  where it could've come from. Looking down, he was albeit surprised to see a small girl; poofy dress and eyes filled with surprised. So much for being unnoticed.

"Well hello there!" he spoke, trying to hide his irritation. To say the least, he was very, very good at that.

The little girl gasped, which wasn't very uncommon to him. He deduced that in a few seconds she'd be running for her mommy, until she began to speak again. Surprisingly, she didn't run... but instead, she clapped her hands until her hands tingled. Hmm.

"A living statooh! Yay!" she spoke excitedly. He cringed. Mistake number one.

"You're mistaken, little girl!" he spoke as politely as possible. The Castle was really being cruel to him this time. He could've just knocked her out and threw the corpse into the water and would've made good time doing it. "I'm no statue. I'm just a robot that looks like a statue." he spoke, hiding the obvious sarcasm.

"Den wai wewe'nt you moving awiwle ago, Mistewr?" she spoke, raising her eyebrow. Poking him, she felt the cold resin. "An' you feewl like a statooh."

He had a feeling that this wasn't going to be easy. Strike two.

"Look, little girl," he spoke with his perpetual smile, trying to sound as polite as ever. "Why don't you go run to you mommy? I'm sure she's looking for you."

Crossing her arms, the little girl gave a little pout. "But living statoohs aw coowl an' mommy doesn't like me to touch coowl stuff!" she whined, looking at him. He twitched, knowing his defeat.

Strike three, youuuu're out!

"Little girl," he spoke, deciding to be straightforward this time. The smile remained on his face. "To say the least, my patience is running very, very short. Now if you don't mind, I'd want you to walk away before I..." Before he could finish his sentence, the little girl held up something in plain view.

"Mommy towld me not to take it," she spoke innocently, holding up a pearl necklace. "But I tawt it looked too awgly, so I took it an' ran away. I tawt the shewls on da beach were more pwetty, so I wuz twying to make a necklace awt of dem." she confessed, with no remorse on her face. He felt slightly stunned at this. Was this the innocence the human girl told him before?

"Well, I can't help you with that one." he spoke, folding his arms. "I'm not one to pick up seashells."

"Mommy's birtdey's comin' up soon," she spoke, ignoring his last comment. "The oder neckwace looked too sad, so I wuz hoping to make anoder one befow she finds me." she then looked at him, a slightly pleading look in her eyes. "Wiw you, Mistewr?"

He thought for a while. This was crazy, he told himself. "I really can't, deary. You see, I..."

"Pwease?" There was so much trust in her eyes that he couldn't look. The feeling, to say the least, was... overwhelming.

"Jodie! JODIE! Where are you, you little brat!" came a more mature voice. The little girl gasped once more, but this time, it was a gasp of shock. "Gotta go," she whispered, hugging him. For a brief moment, he was stunned. "Bye-bye, Mistewr Statooh-man!" she spoke, waving at him. In the horizon, he could make out the silhouette of a tall woman. THe little girl ran to her, instantly getting a tug on the ear.

"You stole my pearls!" she screeched, dragging the girl to the exit. The girl seemed dismayed.

"B-But mommy, I just wanted to..."

"LIAR!" the woman shouted, and the two disappeared.

The smile of his nearly broke at the sight. Although he still found all humans annoying, he never had much preference for the old hags. But right then and there, the image of the little girl looking up to him; trusting him with her little heart although she didn't know him well...

He paused for a moment. If this kept on happening, his grasp on all he knew would cease to be.