A/N: Thank you for the comments on the last chapter, Lilybud and Mellowth! Unfortunately, this next chapter is a very short one as well... and I mean very short. But hey, that was kinda what I was aiming for when I wrote this story in the first place - just ten fluffy snippets of Rio and Sanjay's relationship progressing during the winter. Nothing all that deep here, haha.

-CCM

005. Travel Plans

Rio and Sanjay sat on a park bench on the edge of town, side by side, enjoying the sight of the clear winter sky in the evening. The farmer girl sighed as she leaned against the wooden back rest, taking in as much of the sunset as she could, as bright pink and orange hues faded into the deep indigo night sky up above.

"This sunset reminds me of the time I visited the Southern Island over the summer... though it was probably about fifty degrees warmer there, mind you," Rio laughed.

"It is quite pretty," Sanjay observed the sky thoughtfully, and Rio nodded in agreement.

"I love sunsets. And a sunset on the beach might just be the most beautiful kind of all." She smiled contentedly. "I really love traveling; exploring interesting new places and discovering new and unusual things."

Though it's rather expensive," she added with a small sigh, "so I can't really do it as much as I'd like to. Especially when so much of my time and resources goes into the farm and Dunhill's town renovation plans."

Sanjay smiled to himself, grateful for the sunset that hid his blush. Rio was such a hard worker, greatly respected by everyone in town... if anyone deserved an extensive vacation, it was her.

Taking a look at the expression on the young man's face, Rio asked him, "Do you ever travel?"

Sanjay nodded somewhat wistfully as he gazed off in the direction of the setting sun. "Yes… Amir and I traveled far and wide after leaving our home country, before finally settling down here in Echo Village."

He sighed. "I would really love to travel more, as well… But then again, Echo Village is such a lovely small town, I'm not sure I could ever leave just yet."

Glancing back at Rio, he smiled openly at her. "Since we moved here, I've had much more time to spend with the people I care about. It's nice."

Rio nodded vaguely, a fantastic plan forming in her mind. "You know, you could always come visit the Ancient Ruins with me sometime, if it interests you any. I discovered a lot of interesting stuff there the last time I went- strange monuments of stone, and little clay figurines..."

Sanjay shyly rested a hand over her own. "That would be wonderful… I'd love to join you the next time you travel."

"Well then… it's a date!"

They sat quietly on the bench to watch the sun set below the horizon, her head resting on his shoulder, dreaming of the places they could discover as they huddled together against the chill in the wintry breeze.