———

Leafy carried Bow in her arms in silence. She didn't bother attempt to talk. Those attempts would be futile. She knew that much. Bow was relatively silent. Her small form propped up to sit in Leafy's arms. It had been comforting. But... She wished her older sister or Marshmallow was here. And she also felt bad for running away from Apple. But... What Apple said had really hurt... She frowned.

Leafy looked down at Bow, "Is something wrong, kiddo?" Leafy asked softly as she walked. The birds sang mother nature's song sweetly above the tree canopy.

Bow shook her head. "No..." She spoke quietly... She felt bad that Leafy even had to ask. And she didn't really want to talk about it. She wouldn't be able to make it any better that way. She'd only get comforting from a stranger she really shouldn't even be talking to. So she didn't bother.

Leafy dropped the topic. Her gaze shifted to the ground. She may have been a god, but she didn't know how to address that sort of thing. Even if she could tell if something had been wrong. Leafy instead looked up at Looseleaf and seemed concerned for him. But still wary.

Looseleaf felt the eyes on themself and stared back at Leafy. His eyes sparked red and she did not stop her staring. If anything it intensified.

"What?!" He spat. He narrowed his gaze harshly as he stared at Leafy. Leafy finally tore her eyes away.

"You should be dead." Leafy murmured. "Those injuries aren't ones people come back from." Leafy huffed and she held Bow firmly in her arms.

Looseleaf rolled his eyes, "I am dead. I'm a demon." Looseleaf replied. He clutched the fur of the beast bellow. It chuffed and continued through the thicket ahead.

Leafy flinched and her head snapped up to him warily, "Demon?! Arch-Demon?!" She growled defensively.

"What? What the hell are you on about?" He asked, confused. "I'm just a—Demon. I don't know!" Looseleaf shot a glare at Leafy. And Leafy returned it.

"What exactly does being a "Demon" mean to you?" Leafy interrogated as she walked. Bow was quite confused as to why they were talking like that. She had still thought Looseleaf was just Paper! Though he looked a little funny.

Looseleaf scoffed and turned his head away from the ghost. "None of your business." He growled, he'd not be bothered to explain.

Leafy narrowed her gaze as she glared up at Looseleaf. "Is that the title you grant yourself? Or one you've been gifted?" She pushed, which made Looseleaf growl stubbornly. The Raccursi followed with the same aggressive attitude. Leafy paid no sign of being threatened.

"If you're asking if I'm with that goopy monstrosity, no." Looseleaf finally replied. Annoyed the Leafy was being so pestering. Leafy opened her mouth to speak, But Looseleaf cut in. "Don't bother with me. Try being a problem to that depressed kid." They grumbled.

Leafy furrowed her brows, and looked back at Gelatin. He'd been silent. Completely. His tail dragged in the leaves as he walked in the back. She sighed and turned her head away. He'd just lost his best friend—She figured she'd better leave him be until he'd be ready to talk himself.

Looseleaf watched the awkward glance exchange and rolled his eyes. He knew what it was like to lose a friend. But he'd be damned if anyone here found out. That secret was for the ears of his host and his host alone. He looked down at the beast beneath him, and pondered. "Dyn." he muttered as he rested atop it's head.

Leafy raised a brow. "'Dine?'" She echoed.

"No. Not like eating. "Dyn" D-y-n." He repeated. And looked down at the beast, "You think it care if I called it that?" He asked.

Leafy looked down at the Raccursi. "You like that name?" She muttered. The beast shot her a look and made a sound that sounded like a guttural chatter. Leafy narrowed her eyes, "It said it likes it." Leafy replied.

Bow looked up at Leafy for a moment. "N—...No...? It didn't, like, say that...! I-It said; 'I don't care what the damned Object calls me. As long as he doesn't try to kill himself like an idiot again, I'll go with whatever.'" She scowled, in childishly butchered attempt at mimicking how'd she'd thought the beast to sound.

Gelatin snorted and chuckled slightly in the back. He may have been sad, but that was funny.

Looseleaf seemed taken aback. Dumbfounded completely. His eyes were wide and he pondered hitting his fist on the massive beast's head. But—then decided it be morally wrong—and he also didn't want to get bit.

"Oh. And it didn't say "Object" uh... It said something else. Which Id rather not repeat." Bow frowned.

Leafy grumbled, she didn't really want to say what the beast had actually said... But... "Thanks... Little one..." She huffed sarcastically.

Bow smiled, "It was, like, no problem." Her voice exclaimed. A grin now firmly on her face with triumph. As if she'd actually don't a good job. Stupid child.

Leafy couldn't bothered to correct her.

Gelatin slowly slumped up nearer. His eyes ahead, but still his head hung low. Leafy took notice as his stride stretched to her side. She wouldn't ask a stupid question, like; 'how are you holding up?' Or 'Are you okay?' She knew the answer. There was no point. "Wanna talk?" She instead asked, watching his face scrunch up with sorrow.

Gelatin shook his head. "I'd better not..." He spoke lowly. Which made Leafy frown at his dismay.

"You say that. But you want to." Leafy slowly thought of her next words. "It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to talk." Leafy tried to reassure. But knew her attempts had been futile. She wanted to help, she really did.

"I wouldn't be talking." Gelatin replied. "I'd be crying."

Leafy sighed and turned her head forward. "It's okay to cry too." Leafy reminded, "It's human. Natural. You don't need to be worried about that." She kept her eyes ahead.

"Mh..." He hummed, and kept his eyes forwards similarly. "No. No it's different... You're god. And there's a kid here—I don't wanna freak her out more than she is already." Gelatin responded, "I'm supposed to be the fun one." He murmured.

"You're a kid too, kid." Looseleaf chimed in, he held his stomach as he sat up straight. Wincing slightly as he turned his attention to Gelatin rather than Dyn. "You can't shove yourself into a box. Not yet. Wait until you're older. You'll get plenty shoved in a box when you're behind a desk working some office job." Looseleaf chuckled.

"You aren't helping." Leafy grumbled, her fist clenched as she glared up at the Demon. He rolled his eyes and then looked aside.

Gelatin fidgeted silently, "It's kind of weird..." He muttered looking off to the side.

Leafy flinched at his sudden words and looked over, she raised a brow. "What? What's weird?" She asked.

"I... I dunno. I guess after Taco..." He trailed... Pausing for a moment. "...After she died...—," he tilted his head aside as he searched for words, "—I don't feel scared anymore." He frowned... "In fact, I don't... I don't feel much of anything right now. Just anxious. I feel heartless... I want to cry, but that's only when I remember her when she was alive. Not the fact that she's now... Dead..." He grimaced slightly. "I feel soulless..."

Leafy hummed in acknowledgment, "That's called disassociation." She responded, "you aren't soulless. That's normal." She nodded firmly. "I used to disassociate all the time back when I was fighting. Killing people isn't easy... Knowing you're taking someone's life for good. It made it easier. The sense of anxiety was unavoidable, however. The trade off for feeling empty. It's a... Trauma response." Leafy turned back to look at Gelatin.

"I just wish... I just wish I could've done something... Maybe then I wouldn't feel so empty now." Gelatin hugged himself. "I feel like I'll never feel anything again..."

Leafy blinked, then thought for a moment.  She then stopped for a beat and stomped on his tail harshly. Gelatin yipped and pulled it away, tearing up a bit and scowling.

"HEY! What was that for?!" He cried, glaring at Leafy angrily.

She chuckled and smiled at him, "Never feel again?" She echoed in a question. Which made his scowl fade and he rubbed his sore fern-like tail as it twitched.

"Oh..." He furrowed his brows.

"See? Everything is normal, kid. It's okay. Everyone processes grief differently. There's no need to be ashamed in the things we can't control." She explained, continuing forward.

"But...—!"

"We can't change the past." Leafy reminded, "We can't change the future either. Despite that cheesy saying tends to let on." She chuckled bitterly, and shook her head. "But what we can do, is be prepared for it."

"What? But what we do effects our future. How does that not mean changing it?" Gelatin asked, confused by her words.

"If you wake up earlier, do the apples ripen faster?" Leafy questioned.

"No. But I can pick them faster." He responded.

"Yes, but, that didn't change how ready they were to be picked, right?" She held an arm out to convert her thought, holding bow in her other ghostly arm.

"I guess not..."

"Well, what about when you studied for a forestry test with Book? Did the test not come to be? Because you no longer need it?" She asked with a curious grin.

"No! But I passed it!" He crossed his arms.

"But the test still happened." Leafy argued. "You passed it because you were prepared, not because you changed the future. The test was going to happen whether you had studied or not." She raised her eyebrows looking at Gelatin fondly as he pondered what she'd said.

"I mean... I guess you have a point." He huffed sadly. He thought if there was anything he could've done to be more prepared in the moment when the village had been attached. If there was something he could've done. He didn't know... Maybe if he'd not skipped out on his chores. And did right by doing them and getting the muscle... Maybe he could've been strong enough... Maybe if the tourniquet was tighter... Maybe—...

"Gelatin." Leafy had put a hand on his shoulder. It had made him jump, he'd nearly fallen.

Gelatin looked up at her.

"You did right by her. You shouldn't blame yourself." She softened her gaze, almost protectively. She wished she could provide him the closure. The goodbye she knew he'd wanted back in that moment. "Become someone she would be proud of. I know you have it in you."

Gelatin looked into Leafy's kind eyes for a moment. And then his gaze sharpened. He gave a nod.

Leafy smiled, and patted his head. "You're a good kid, Gelatin. You've still got fight in you. Don't lose that..." She said solemnly.

Gelatin stared a moment longer, then elbowed her hand and grinned, "I mean, who would I be if I did?" He chuckled and his footfall no longer seemed as empty. "Those Creatures of the dark better start runnin before I get there..." He boasted.

"Don't hurt yourself." Looseleaf jabbed, making a teasing face. "She wants you to be smart with your life, not dumber. Stupid." He laughed.

Gelatin shot him a confused and slightly upset glare.

Bow hummed in thought, "Yeah, I l-like, don't know why Paper is actin so funny either." She shrugged.

"Who's Paper?" Gelatin asked, Bow perked and turned to him, pointing at Looseleaf, she still firmly within Leafy's grasp.

"I'm not Paper." Looseleaf grumbled, "He's my host. I live—er... Lived in his body." Looseleaf explained, his hands rotated in a rolling motion as he explained.

"So that's what you meant by you were a demon..." Leafy's eyes widened. Looseleaf didn't answer. "That's not the whole truth though, is it?" She muttered. Looseleaf growled.

"Dyn, you should eat her. It be real funny to watch her die. I wish I didn't miss it the first time..." He seethed. Dyn chuffed and glared at Leafy. Which made Gelatin feel slightly unsettled. Leafy was unbothered. Bow wasn't bothered either.

Gelatin looked back, and then forward again. His bandages rubbed against the rough dry grass and leaves. "Uh, Leafy... Leafster... The God of the whole nature shebang—? Why did you have to make our town so far away from everyone else...?" He asked, nervous finger guns along with it, wincing and rubbing his shoulder slightly. It had still been painful.

Leafy crossed her arms, "It was where I met Firey." She replied. "His dragon form. It had been injured there. I found him and healed his wounds. I thought he was just a regular dragon at the time." She trailed... Thinking, "I was wrong." She chuckled.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." Gelatin gazed into the thicket with concern. "You talk about him in a bad light."

"It's not... Him.. It was never his fault. I was just a fool." She frowned with sorrow, and grief. Her gaze rested in her ghostly palms. "I trusted an illusion. And lost my life because of it."

Gelatin felt bad for Leafy. "Why cant you come back anymore?" He questioned, as if it was a simple action for her.

"My body. I can no longer sustain a physical form with the power I have left. Only linger. My time here is dwindling." She spoke with genuine concern for herself. "But I'll stay until the bitter end."

"Does it hurt? To... To stay, I mean." He raised a brow with curiosity.

"No. I don't have the nerves to feel pain." She narrowed her eyes deep in thought. Her life... The pain she'd felt. Even if pain was to come, she didn't fear it. For her, pain was an everyday occurrence. It gave her no stress. It may be unpleasant, but that had been a given.

"Are you scared?" Gelatin added.

"No." She replied with certainty. "I once was... Scared to die. I was outcasted by my peers for thinking differently. Magic... Wanting to use it... I was hunted like sheep in a field of wolves." She spoke. "When the Divine gifted me my position, she told me death isn't something to be afraid of. It is to change into something new and more beautiful. Even if you aren't alive to feel it."

"The afterlife?" He asked, reminiscent in stories he'd been told.

"Not quite." She muttered. "Your soul goes to the afterlife. Where the god of death's domain is. Your body dies and becomes a part of the universe again." She smiled, almost happy.

"What's the difference? Body, soul... Isn't it the same just—one is physical and one isn't?" He asked in a near whisper. The answer was unclear. He wanted to know more.

Leafy tried to put it into words to which he'd understand, "Death is bodily. Spirit is whole. You do not die in spirit. It's only the bodies which feel death." She thought of an example. "Just because Taco was dead, doesn't mean she is gone. Sometimes souls linger a little longer. Because they, too need closure before departing to the realm parallel to ours." She said.

Looseleaf watched in silent. A snarky look dissipated to one of thought.

"Is she with us now?" Gelatin asked.

"I didn't mean like that." Leafy sighed, "Walking among us? No. She would've been standing by her deceased form. The direction in opposition would've lead her to the realm parallel."

"How will she know where to go if the Crowned of Death is dead?" He asked worriedly. The crunch of the leaves beneath him reminded Gelatin of the times when Taco and himself would have played in the town. He tried not to think about it.

"The Divine fills his role in his absence. She will find her own way home. Don't worry." Leafy trusted The Divine. Not because she'd proven herself to be one of good morale, but because she never spoke dishonestly.

"What's the afterlife like?" He asked, worried.

"That's not something I can explain." Leafy replied firmly. Not as if it was a dumb question, but, because Gelatin was not yet ready to know.

"Is it like... Good, and bad?" He murmured, "would I go to the bad place?" He asked with worry. A whine very clear in his voice.

"No. There's no good and no bad. There is healed and healing." She huffed. That was all she could say. "The afterlife isn't meant to be Devine Judgment. It is meant to be a resting place. A new journey." She comforted. "After all, Good, and bad? They aren't real. They are terms constructed by collective morales. To judge if someone is good or bad, would be like asking a singular person if they preferred oranges, or apples." Leafy chuckled, shaking her head, "It would depend on that person's preference."

"I guess that makes sense..." Gelatin nodded. "How does the Crowned of Death tell where they need to go?"

"He judges by how much they have yet to grow from mistakes they know they've made. If a person knows what they've done is wrong to their morale compass, and does it anyway... They have more to learn. About themselves, people, and the world around them. They are sent to a place to help them find those answers."

"What about... People who can't... or won't learn?" Gelatin asked with clear concern.

"Do you want to know?" She asked in a nearly threatening tone. Her voice nearly a low growl. As if he was testing the boundaries of something dangerous. Gelatin recoiled as if he'd felt intimidated by the simple piece of knowledge. The personification of which made him shiver. He didn't want to know.

It would hurt more than not knowing.

Leafy had made that much clear.

"No..." He turned his head away fearfully. He gripped his forearms and rubbed them cautiously. His gaze now averted. He was in dangerous territory and he wanted to leave them as fast as possible.

"You know a lot." Looseleaf spoke up through the thick silence. Leafy's gaze softened, and she turned her attention to the Demon. Or... Perhaps not.

"You know a lot when you come to be as old as me." Leafy boasted teasingly. Looseleaf scowled as if challenging that statement.

"I bet I'm older..." He said stubbornly.

Both Leafy and Gelatin snorted and laughed in response. Looseleaf was taken aback by which. Bow just seemed confused, "What? What's so funny?" She asked softly.

Leafy giggled as she calmed herself, her composure planted in her gaze as she spoke, "While I have no doubts the Zombie is older than they seem, I guarantee I outlive them by a millennia." She responded with a smile.

"Oh yeah? How old are ya' lady?!" He seethed, clutching the fur of Dyn. Dyn did not appreciate which and snarled. Which made Looseleaf growl back. Almost to prove he wasn't scared.

"Its rude to ask a lady her age, y'know." Leafy challenged. She then smugly turned her head forwards as Looseleaf opened his mouth to supposedly scream at her, and she spoke before he could. "But if you must know, I've lost count. My apologies." She laughed to herself. But showed no sign of falsehoods.

Looseleaf didn't respond after that. He just thought in silence. Bow raised a brow. "Just, like, count again! S-m-h." She huffed.

Leafy simply smiled in response to her childish foolishness.

"That's not how it works." Gelatin replied, speaking for Leafy. Who did not need his defence, but spoke anyway. Bow looked to him instead of Looseleaf. "She means she doesn't remember! It's been that long!" Gelatin conveyed.

Bow was in shock after that, her jaw fell open, "Woah, like, really?! That's crazy! Why'd you stop counting though?" Bow asked.

"Well, I saw no point after a while." Leafy shrugged, "There will come a time where... You realize that numbers become meaningless." She felt sad saying that. As if she missed counting. Or... Being excited to count.

"Nuh uh! Im gonna, like, be allowed to drive in, like, a year!" She grinned with a cheeky smile, "That isn't meaningless!" Bow giggled.

"Maybe not." Leafy laughed softly alongside Bow.

"She's so dumb!" Gelatin furrowed his brows with slight annoyance, "How come she's a Crowned?!"

"Gelatin, Idiocy and being naive are two very different things. You will come to learn that." Leafy sang, her voice still soft.

"Maybe she's both." Gelatin grumbled, not wanting to be wrong. As most stubborn fifteen year old children are. He rolled his eyes to accompany his tone.

"Maybe so, but how is that for you to decide? If you can declare what she is, then does that not mean she can do the same thing to you?" Leafy teased, which made Gelatin 'hmph!' And turn his head away.

"Teenagers... I remember being one. I didn't know I was that much of a prick." Looseleaf huffed, disappointed in himself.

"We all were at one point. Cut yourselves some slack. Your bodies were chemically changing as much as they were physically." Leafy said dismissively.

Gelatin grumbled as he looked down at his legs which had grown out in the past year. He was atleast three inches taller than he was the year prior. Book used to say he was growing like a weed. She also used to say a 'very annoying weed'. That was his fault though. He was being a damn fool. And kind of deserved it.

They continued to walk in silence for a while. They admired the colourful vegetation. And animals that seemed dangerous were shooed off by Leafy with ease. She was really good at her job. Bow tried to mimic her a few times with birds. She only got a bunch of them to land on her. Bow tried to them shoo them away, but, they didn't listen. Her claw like ribbons clenched harder than her actual fists had! Though imperfections also occurred. A Raccursi, female, eating its young. Looseleaf grimaced, and Dyn growled. Leafy just got them to steer clear of the animal. Let nature run it's course.

Looseleaf pondered a few thoughts. After that he questioned a lot. He wished he'd asked this sooner, maybe it would explain why he'd died. "If you're gods. Why do you let bad things exist?" Looseleaf questioned out of the blue. He thought about why that Raccursi was..........

Leafy flinched, and stopped in her tracks. Gelatin and Bow wondered the same. Leafy was hesitant. "Everything... Bad..." She whispered. Then thought herself... "I'm not sure..." She muttered... "It's always been our jobs to fix the fluctuating abnormality... Paradoxical things. The anomalies are corrected and we continue our lives. I'm not sure why "bad" things exist..." She replied with a more serious tone.

"That's not an answer." Looseleaf  commented causticly.

"It's not one I can give." Leafy replied. Leafy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You all should prepare. We're close to the city." She opened her eyes once more.

Gelatin rubbed his eyes, "Finally... My feet are getting sore..." He vocalized with a grouchy look upon his young face. Leafy didn't bother entertain his complaint. She instead turned her gaze to the rising steam fat in the distance. She knew it had been steam because of it's colour. And the way she could see the sun through it without it becoming darkened. She blinked and tore her eyes away from the stinging light above. "I've never been to the big city before." Gelatin commented. He could begin to hear the sounds which emitted from the mass of buildings and people. Forest dwellers had better hearing than any other type of object.

"It's not the biggest, but, it sure is lively. It may be the third biggest city in all of Centra-Omnia." She grinned as the trees began to lesson and her eyes fell upon the lower buildings of Goiky City.

"What are the other two?" Looseleaf questioned, leaning on one of his fists as he laid on his stomach.

"Likely Dream Island, and the Capital." Leafy replied. She then stopped for a moment and looked at the Raccursi. "You're going to need a saddle if you want to bring that into the city. They have laws about untamed animals." She pointed to Dyn. Who bore teeth for a moment.

Looseleaf sighed, "How do I get one?" He asked, looking down at Dyn. Who didn't seem happy about this.

Leafy lifted a finger and placed Bow down. The grass beneath her hooves bloomed into flowers and buds. She stumbled—or at least—almost stumbled. She fell back onto Gelatin, who caught her tiny body with one hand. He chuckled and helped her upright. Leafy gave a thumbs up, and jogged into the city. Gelatin watched this happen, and then looked down at Bow.

"So, you're the new Nature Crowned?" Gelatin raised a skeptical brow. Real sassy once Leafy had left. "You got powers?" He narrowed his gaze harshly.

Bow felt intimidated, and backed up slightly. Nervously glancing from both directions back to Gelatin. "I—I—uh... G-guess? Heh..." She shrugged with a nervous toothy grin on her little face. Her claw like ribbons did similar.

Gelatin towered over her, arms crossed. "Like what?" He asked bitterly... Threateningly?

"M-make flowers? A-and vines—a-nnnddd... like... Uhm... leaf hair?" She stammered keeping her head down.

He crouched down to look Bow in the eyes. His face darkened. Prolonging a threatening glare. As he studied her face for any signs of falsification.

...

"You like pranks?" He asked in a similar tone.

Bow nodded unsurely. She did, in fact, like pranking people. It was fun! She used to mess with Apple all the time back at the hotel, and the powers made it a breeze.

Gelatin smirked, his face shifting to a more smug look. "Yeah, I can already tell we're gonna get along." His fake threatening voice disappeared instantly. And he chuckled, punching her shoulder playfully. "You should've seen your face!" He giggled.

Bow was shocked for a moment, then giggled alongside him. Maybe they would get along. Bow laughed so hard she nearly stumbled over—Gelatin lifted Bow onto his head. He glanced up at her with his hands planted on his waist. As if mocking her for nearly falling. Bow rolled her eyes with a smirk on.

Looseleaf thought this exchange was kind of adorable. Kinda reminded him of how he and Dynamite used to play with each other. Dynamite used to be small compared to him after all. Looseleaf flinched as Leafy came into view, dragging a saddle. She dragged it over beside Dyn. "Let's get this saddle on it, yeah?" She whispered.

Looseleaf sighed, and staggered of the large animal. Dyn chuffed and complied with clear reluctance. It didn't want to be 'tamed' but the animal felt indebted to the Demon... So it tolerated their actions. Looseleaf leaned against it's dusty fur. It felt rough, almost. Like a dirty dog. He held his stomach with one hand, and patted the beast's fur with the other. A puff of dirt and sand flew off in a small cloud. He choked and waved it away. The muscles beneath the Raccursi's skin rolled to face him with a scowl. Looseleaf glared back.

"What? It's not my fault you're filthy!" He seethed. He then rolled his eyes to face the other way. Dyn huffed and stood up abruptly when Leafy had finished. It caused Looseleaf to fall flat on his face. Dyn then picked him up by where an animal's scruff would be. Looseleaf yelped and thrashed as Dyn began its way to the city.

Leafy was surprised, but giggled to herself, turning back to the other two kids. "We'd better go! We need to find a place to stay. And then, we need to find an old friend of mine." She waved for Gelatin and Bow to follow.

Gelatin jogged to catch up to the other two, and Bow promptly sat atop his head as they travelled.

———