Crowned

Arc 3, Chapter 62: Deja Vu.

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"Why...?"

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The leaves swayed calmly in the branches overhead. The wind was light and cool on Paper's copper skin. Paper sighed softly and glared ahead, the trees now beginning to get less thick and lead out of the forest. Fries was chatting with tree, but soon fell behind to keep watch from the back. Tree kept moving forwards keeping an eye on his surroundings. His cape swayed in the wind.

Balloon fidgeted, his hands lay beneath the cloak keeping a firm grip on his wings that were tired from being held in such a position for a prolonged duration of time. Balloon walked next to Paper, leaning on him to hide the markings on his face.

Paper let him do so and kept walking forwards. The silence was making him crazy... He cleared his throat and stepped closer to Tree. "Excuse me?" Paper called.

Tree perked and turned his head. "Yes?" He asked in a casual tone. Glaring back at Paper as he continued walking.

"So uh, what were you guys doing down here if the city is so far away?" Paper pointed in the direction they were headed in.

Tree chickened and turned back to face ahead with a smile. "We have business down south, trading and such. We gotta make money somehow!" He laughed.

Paper nodded, "Oh! Trading..." He muttered that last part. The object's attire and general behaviours seemed like that of the old times. Medieval times at that. Strange...

"I could ask the same about you, however. What are you doing so far south?" Tree questioned, crossing his arms as he strolled through now taller grass.

"Ah... Uh..." Paper struggled to come up with some sort of excuse that didn't involve falling from the sky through a strange gateway.

"Camping." Balloon cut in, which made Paper flinch, "We came here to camp is all." He echoed, "We got a bit lost on our way back..." He frowned, a lie, but a necessary one. At least for now.

Paper nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we went camping, and lost our way." Paper chuckled, and slowed down to better match Balloon's pace. He gave Balloon a thankful look, and turned back to Tree.

Tree gave a slight nod, "Camping, eh? Bold of you to go here of all places..." He crossed his arms and thought for a moment.

He sighed, and just remained silent for a moment.

Balloon looked at the surroundings and thought they were quite calming. The blades of grass were swept down by the wind like little waves. He smiled to himself and continued forwards, a nice distraction from what happened earlier.

"So, What's your occupation?" Tree asked, adjusting his cloak. He was attempting to make small talk to pass the time, it was less awkward that way.

Paper flinched and quickly came up with a lie, "Ah! I'm a journalist...! Heh..." He rubbed the back of where his neck would be if he had one.

Tree gave a nod and looked back at Fries for a moment. Before turning back forwards. "The canyon is about an hour ahead, when we get there the trip may be a bit rough from that point on." Tree informed to the other two.