Leon matched the cat-eared man’s pace with ease, taking in his surroundings while the guide spoke. The road to Yonder was definitely longer than he would’ve liked but Cello made it much easier to bear with his lively chatter. Once or twice, Leon found himself mesmerized by his eccentric surroundings and looked on in wonder, his eyes taking in anything and everything at once.

Eventually he tore his gaze from a tall mushroom house that was leaning over at a precarious angle and turned back towards Cello, who’d started walking backwards. 

[b] "You see, we used to have another human named Elliot, so this makes it a lot easier."[/b]

“[i]Used[/i] to?” Leon’s knowing gaze fell upon the cat-eared man. “Is he one of the humans that went along on that mission with the star?” The details were few and far in-between but Leon had paid enough attention to come to know about their near-perilous mission. “I’m assuming he didn’t survive that encounter, hmm?” His tone was much lighter than expected, though it did not bother him much.

What was more surprising, however, was that the information he’d just received didn’t put off Leon one bit. Human losses were tragic in themselves but it hardly impacted the young man at all – who was to say he’d probably share their fate? It didn’t come as much of a surprise to him now that he was surely aware of possible risks – if anything, it heightened his curiosity more about Nowhere, the prospect of an adventure lighting up his face with a brilliant smile as Cello rambled on about the company awaiting them in Yonder.

“A mermaid? I’m liking them already,” Leon laughed. “Froggy did tell us about the ship – the Shakespearean? Yeah, apparently they lost a few humans while they were at it. I hope we do something like that… of course, I wouldn’t want any of us to die, though… did Froggy tell us something else, Ace-san?” Leon addressed the girl walking next to him, certain he was missing out a few details he couldn’t bother himself with.

[b]"And since we're getting to know each other and stuff, would you mind if I asked some questions."[/b]

Leon smiled. “Only if you let me ask you some too.” At that moment, the whispering of ancient trees filled his ears. He turned his head slightly, eyeing them with wonder as they were bombarded with question. Leon couldn’t even begin to process all those simultaneous questions, let alone answer them as Cello ushered them through the woods at a rapid pace. A slight breeze fluttered past, his feather earrings swaying along. The trees weren’t as ominous as any normal person would find them; Leon almost wanted to go back and chat with them a little bit longer – a couple of days couldn’t hurt, could they?

“What were those trees? Why do they speak? I wish we had trees like that in our world, it’d make life much more interesting,” Leon observed, turning to look back at the receding forest. Perhaps he’d come back one day and wile away his time conversing with the talkative trees. It made him realize exactly how much time had passed since they’d departed. How much longer till they reached Yonder? It was beginning to feel like an endless journey, nevermind the fact that time didn’t seem to flow properly in Nowhere. Nevertheless, it didn’t diminish Leon’s excitement whose pace still hadn’t slowed down.