{-Alfonse-}

Much to his mild disappointment, they didn't start moving until hours after sunrise; apparently Enn wasn't quite familiar with waking up early. Though he was pretty sure that she was awake the same time he was, she'd just rolled over and went back to sleep for a few hours.

"A little impatient?" Enn asked, stuffing everything she'd had out the night before back in her satchel. "It's not my fault women get cranky when we don't get enough beauty sleep! I bet you'd do wonders with a nap, too, Mister I-Was-Up-At-Five-In-The-Freaking-Morning."

"When you grow up to it it's really not that bad," Alfonse replied honestly. "I'm just eager to get this done and return to the others." Really, he was hoping he could find something that might help Zacharias. Something that would make it worth keeping him waiting for this long.

She pulled out the map and started walking, and he quickly followed. "Tomorrow we'll be where Dad gave up—the map leads a bit further than that, though. So, generally, if we're quick, you can be back with your people or whatever in about four days."

So, hopefully, he'd only be gone for a little over a week. That didn't sound like too long. Maybe it would be a slow week at the castle.

Though just like before, Enn didn't seem to want to take silence as an answer. "So, do you have something you want to talk about? Occasionally I like to be reminded I'm not talking to myself."

"I can't say I do. Truthfully, I don't mind the silence."

"Do you just get to know someone by standing by them, then?" Enn looked back at him, confused. "If we can both talk about something we share an interest in, then we can get to know each other better. I don't think feeling like you aren't even there would give us those good bonding moments."

Alfonse decided this wasn't the time to mention that, depending on who one was talking to, it was actually very debatable how much one could learn about a person through their outward appearance. "I told you yesterday, I'm not exactly the bonding type."

"Do you even have any friends? Not counting people related to you? Seriously I don't know how anyone likes you. Or do other people like silent guys..?"

"I do, in fact, have friends. I'm just not very talkative and my trust is gained with time." If Enn thought he was hard to bond with, then she'd be completely lost with Anna. Over six years together and the commander still seemed to have trouble seeing them as equals and opening up to them.

"Next question!" Enn declared. "How many women are you friends with and how can they tolerate you up so early? It's kind of hard to sleep when your traveling companion is shuffling around like a mouse waiting for me to wake up."

"They're normally awake around the time I am," he explained. "It's not really much of a problem." Enn clearly wanted the other part of the question answered, though. "Two, not counting Sharena."

"Compared to the amount of other guys you're friends with?"

He shrugged. "Just one—though it's been a while since we actually talked face-to-face." And that time had not been a happy one.

"Oh, wow, that's like…a really small friend circle." Enn pulled out a granola bar from her satchel and began eating it. "You really are a loner. I here thought my group consisting of a couple dozen people wasn't a lot."

There wasn't any way Alfonse would consider that not a lot. When he thought of small groups, he thought of anything below ten people.

She noticed his confusion quickly. "They're mainly Mom and Dad's friends," Enn said. "A good bit of them are really old but old people have the wildest stories to tell. The only bad thing is that I don't know how much of it I should believe; age screws up a person's memory, apparently."

"There's actually a reason behind that—"

"Right, and I'm here for a science lesson," Enn returned dully. "I've got a better thing for you to talk about. You wouldn't happen to have some money in those nonexistent pockets of yours, would you? I, uh, kinda don't have much on me and I didn't pack anything besides these." She waved her granola bar around.

He shook his head. "I wasn't exactly planning for a trip." Then again, he'd hoped Henriette would've been more helpful. But if he had been given the chance to properly prepare, he most likely would've had to explain to Anna and, really, it was best for everyone if she stayed in the dark about it—at least, that's what he told himself.

"So, that's a no, then?" She didn't really wait for a response. "Luckily for you I know a guy around here who'd be willing to help us out."

"You might want to go by yourself," Alfonse suggested. "There's a chance that someone might see the two of us and, well…"

Enn snorted. "Like I'd ever date a dude like you again!"

"Again?" he couldn't stop himself from asking. "I—I mean, it's not my place to know, really—"

"I'll, uh…tell you later." She shrugged. "It's a pretty long story. Suffice to say, the ending was supposed to be happy but it turned out not to be." Enn glanced over at him again. "Are you speaking by personal experience? About people thinking you're dating someone you're not?"

"Sadly," he sighed. "Honestly, assuming she was a servant would be more reasonable—being young, modest, and seemingly coming out of nowhere."

"How many books have you gotten off the shelf for her and how many times were you carrying her luggage around town while she went shopping?"

That was an odd question to ask, but like all her other questions, he knew she wanted an answer. "At least a dozen, but I don't think she's ever once gone shopping; she's not really materialistic."

"Age difference?"

"Five years—though the gap's only going to get bigger as time goes on."

Enn paused for a minute. "Is she a Hero?"

He nodded. Anna would not approve of this line of conversation, especially to a more-or-less stranger. "An important one." Alfonse left it off there and Enn didn't pry.

They soon fell into silence.

(A/N: Yes, Enn inturrupted Alfonse so then I wouldn't have to look up stuff.

Guys stop talking about Fauna.

Also, friendly reminder, as of chapter 2 of Book IV, there are only 6 male characters made for Heroes. For comparison, there are 15 female characters. I think. Assuming I didn't forget anyone. The Order of Heroes is slowly becoming a girl's group.)