Ball of Nothing

As they didn't arrive with a solid plan, it was more or less a free and easy schedule. Zero would run off whenever he saw something that caught his attention and Truen can only thank his luck that they've not met a wild beast yet. The boy wasn't exactly discreet and made a lot of noise when he was excited.

After the initial scare with the fake Sky Tangerine, Truen became a lot more vigilant. His knowledge about this new Earth was still lacking but his common sense prevailed. Steering Zero clear from all the possible death flags, the bodyguard praised himself for being able to keep the boy entertained and satisfied. Zero even asked Truen about his opinion about certain matters.

Initially, the bodyguard was enthralled. However, after being asked about his opinion about a new leaf for the twentieth time, he found it challenging to maintain the same level of enthusiasm.

"Truen! Truen! Look at this leaf! Isn't this shade of green beautiful? Although I think it's slightly greener than the vines in Gaia's hair..."

The elf smiled. "Why, of course. It's a lovely find, Zero."

The young boy frowned. "Really? I'm still not too sure about it. It might be slightly greener but then I can't remember clearly. If only there was a way to know the exact shade so that I can pick the leaf that matches Gaia's hair."

Now that puzzled the guardian. "Why are you looking for a leaf that has the exact shade of Gaia's hair?"

The child stopped smiling and looked at the ground. The cheerful boy from earlier was now nowhere to be seen.

"I just want something that will remind me about everyone because I might not see them for a while."

That sentence touched the deepest parts in Truen's heart. Gently, he placed a hand on Zero's shoulder and kneeled down so he was at the boy's eye level.

"Zero, look at me."

Slowly, the child looked up with teary eyes. The elf gave him a gentle but reassuring squeeze on his shoulder.

"I understand that you miss them and I'm sure they miss you too. How about we try to find something together?"

Hearing those words, Zero felt reassured. He accepted Truen's outstretched hand and the elf smiled. It was hard to understand Zero's thinking and actions sometimes but there was one thing Truen was very sure about after spending time with the boy. He was a very kind existence and nothing could change that.

With that, the search for mementoes began. Of course, Zero wanted something to remind him about Jen, Jeremy and Grem too but due to the lack of time, they'd comprised to look for them one at a time.

In the next two hours, Truen and Zero looked high and low for a leaf with the exact shade of Gaia's hair. Even Gaia who was watching them from the reflecting orb was touched. However, the forest in Endow Hill was extremely vast and the sun began to set before they knew it. Zero was covered in grime from head to toe although his tracksuit remained cleaned thanks to the enchantments.

"Let's get you cleaned up, we can continue the search tomorrow."

With the sharp hearing of a wood elf, they found a nearby stream fairly easily. The water was cold but Zero didn't seem to mind. In fact, he was amazed at the many kinds of pebbles at the bottom of the stream and started to collect them while Truen was busy washing up.

As night was approaching quickly, Truen caught some fish from the river that the stream led and started a small campfire. He cautioned Zero about staying too close to the fire as he grilled the scaled fishes. It was slightly challenging to clean the fishes without a proper knife but Truen managed it somehow with the help of an arrow in his inventory. Despite being a pampered young master in his previous life, Truen learnt a lot about survival skills as a hungry ghost. His travels in search for a way to redeem himself taught him a lot.

Before they dug in, Truen taught Zero how to debone a fish. Zero picked it up quickly and they finished eating in record time. The young boy felt sleepy soon after but Truen had one more task for Zero before the boy could sleep.

"Zero, I know you're tired but this isn't a good place to sleep. Do you still remember how to use the lamp Zeus and Hades prepared for you?"

Rubbing his eyes sleepily, Zero nodded and pulled it out from his sling bag.

"Itty-bitty living space..." Zero mumbled and rubbed the lamp. It teleported them into a well-furnished room. Truen glanced at the connecting bathroom and swore silently. It would have been a lot easier to shower and clean here than in a stream. Then again, looking at the pebbles Zero collected from his bath time, the elf shrugged it off.

After helping Zero get into his pyjamas and tucking him in, Truen allowed himself to yawn. Before long, he'd fallen asleep too.