Hi, name's Finn, and to recap my friends and I were going to see this cat-like shopkeeper in the middle of the forest.

Not very ideal, but we do what we need to do.

My friends includes a socially shy, light entity, and a copy of me, but with differences. Also a very weird group to be traveling together, quite like a DnD squad.

"Look!" Finnick, or rather me #2, waved at the man sitting on the fence, "Roche! Hiii"

The man had a hooded cloak, purple embroidered with orange, a black gauze was over where his eyes were, and you could just barely see a tail under the cloak.

"The prince," He cooed smoothly, "I was expecting you... And who are these fellow travelers with you?"

"These are my friends," Finnick said gesturing, "This is Finn, and this is..." He turned to look at her.

"My name is Gigi"

"Nice, nice, nice" Roche continues, "A prince, A spirit, and... and a normal person, welcome to my shop, allow me to introduce myself properly, My name is Roche, I'm the owner of this little place, come to me if you ever need a safe place to be, friends~"

With a swoosh of his cloak, he was on his feet, "I assume you will need a place to rest... And you've come to the perfect place"

 "Now, if you'll follow me..."

Roche led us into his shop, pointing at the stairs behind the counter, that led to a deeper level, "You can rest there, I already have a couple blankets down there... Alas, move on... Prince... May I borrow your dear friend for a moment?"

He grabbed my arm and led me away as Gigi and Finnick made their way down the stairs.

"Look at me, I know you are not any ordinary traveler, where did you come from?" Roche shook me, "Look, I know... that you didn't come from around here"

I opened my mouth and then closed it, "I don't know, I really don't, I don't remember anything up until a couple days ago, I think"

Roche sighed, "Just as I expected... I suppose I didn't want to believe it... Not again... No..."

I looked on puzzled as Roche started pacing, "I should tell you... But no... You're not ready to know... This wouldn't be fair, you're just recovering your memories..."

"Roche? Dude? You good?" I paused as I thought about my words, it felt natural maybe I used to say it a lot?

"Okay, Finn Hale," Roche turned to me, "Two people are going to walk into this shop tomorrow morning, I need you to run, run and don't look back"

"Wha-"

"No, listen to me, your friend is worried that I've done something to you, so I don't have much time, when you hear the door chime tomorrow, I need you to go down the trapdoor under the green blanket, do not stop, keep going, you will end up north of the castle once you come out... Don't look for me, I most likely won't make it"

I gaped at him, "So you're going to die?"

He chuckled, "At least someone cares, yes I most likely will, but do not let that burden you, you can do great things with those friends of yours, and most importantly, regain your memories"

"Now, hurry along, they are waiting for your return, both here, and back home"

Back home... "Where am I from?"

"It is not for me to say, in fact, I would be messing with destiny if I did, now off to rest, remember, the chime of the door"

Roche lightly pushed me along, until I regained a bit of my sanity, and moved by myself.

I stepped down the stairs, still processing what he said.

Roche smiled sadly from the top of the stairs before he blocked the entrance with a crate, "Remember the door chime"

"Finn" Gigi nodded sitting on the blue blanket, "Thought Roche might have done something to you"

"Finn," Finnick started gesturing to Gigi, "We worked things out, hopefully you won't feel as annoyed... Yeah, we could literally feel the annoyance seeping off you"

"Heheh," I shrugged as I settled down on the red blanket, "Yeah, I suppose"

Finnick walked to the torch on the wall that I haven't noticed yet, "Well, I suppose it's sleeping time then?"

He blew out the torch without another word.