After such a long day, Tarek sleep easily and deep. In his dreams, he saw lush woods, like the ones from his childhood dreams. The forest Holly resided in looked different, but a few notes of it colored his familiar fantasy, like the addition of ripe red berries next to the wild yellow flowers with white fluff underneath. Did such a flower really exist except in the stories of village elders? Tarek blinked the sleep out of his eyes with the question still echoing.

Morning light streamed into the quaint room that would be his home for hopefully only a little while. As always, he woke not long after the sun, no need for help in keeping this schedule. He enjoyed the first light of morning and often rose to watch it out of sheer joy. Now, he stretched and set about clothing himself in a spare set of clothes not roughened by traveling. They fit his same aesthetic, but with a more tailored edge.

It didn't take long to find the best place for information there--the inn where folks often went for their breakfast. He sat and talked until a few hours into the mornings, learning the names of those more likely to learned. Of course, he didn't share details of his mission just yet. As important as it was to him, he wouldn't let it get ruined easily. No, he spent his morning collecting information and talking. By the time noon came around, he knew nothing concrete except for a place to start.

"I suppose this counts as a good day." Tarek smiled as he stepped up to the front gate once again. He left his travel bag and his notes in the room, but carried his walking stick and the ocarina instead. With these, he set out for the woods just before the sun reached its zenith in the sky. He felt excited for his day and longed to tell Holly of his success. Maybe then she would see he must do things his way. And once it was over, maybe then they could play all day.