A.N.: So, this chapter turned out a little longer than the previous ones, which is something I was expecting. I'm not sure how long they'll get, but I am intentionally keeping them short-ish. I think it works better with the immediate style that it has, and it also means that I can write them a lot faster. I want to get this story written, because I have it (mostly) all planned out already, and I am aware that right now, not everything makes sense. Answers are coming though, I promise!

And of course, feedback is very welcome! I am super grateful to reviewers, because they really are very motivational.

Takeru is slow to wake. Poyomon is calling, but he's tired. The burning dream came again last night and his mind hasn't quite let go of the numb darkness which clings to him, shrouding the world in fog. Everything has been foggy since the boy left. It's all wrong, and slow, and…different. Takeru doesn't think he likes different any more.

He brightens a little once he's out of bed though. Poyomon is hopping up and down in that excited way which can only mean a friend has come to visit. Maybe the boy has come back? He grabs his hat and rubs the last of the sleep from his eyes, scooping his small friend into his arms so they can move faster. Excited as he seems, Poyomon is only little, after all.

But no one is waiting outside for him, that he can see. The wall outside the cottage's front door is empty, and the mists curl around it, half hiding it from sight.

"Poyomon, I thought you'd brought a friend," Takeru says, his shoulders sagging. "But there's no one here."

The watery sunlight peeks through the mist. It's later in the morning than Takeru usually wakes up, and he's hungry. In his excitement, he realises, he's forgotten to have breakfast. Sighing, he turns around.

"Come on Poyomon. Let's go find something to eat."

Poyomon seems to be interested in something that Takeru can't see. All through their late breakfast he keeps looking out through the windows, or over at the door. It even brings a smile to Takeru's quiet face to see his friend hopping up and down with obvious frustration and impatience. He catches himself wishing Poyomon could say something other than "poyo poyo" and explain what's made him so excited.

At last they make their way outside again. Despite the mist, Takeru doesn't like playing inside any more. It's just not the same without his new friend there. The maze of rooms and obstacles was tamed as a trio, and with just a boy and his Poyomon, the rooms are too big and quiet.

Rather than visit the garden of walls and swings, Takeru wanders over to the pond. The fish swim quietly in the water, darting to the surface now and then to swallow the tiny scraps he throws for them. He doesn't feed the fish often - for some reason it always makes him feel like something is missing. But today, something is missing, so in a sort of backwards way it feels appropriate.

Seated cross-legged by the pond, he doesn't really think about the sun as it moves across the sky. It's a slow day, with just the shrinking pile of crumbs and food scraps in a bowl, and the fish darting in and out of sight. Poyomon sits in his lap, poyoing softly now and then. He's not sure how long he sits there, but it's enough for his legs to go stiff. For when Poyomon suddenly hops out of his lap and bounds away, he almost falls over trying to get to his feet.

"Poyomon, wait!" he cries, as his friend disappears into the mist. "Don't leave me as well!"

"Poyo poyo!" comes the reply from somewhere up ahead. Takeru chases after him, almost tripping over his own toes. Poyomon has never run off into the mist like this. What's going on?

He almost crashes into his companion in the end, for Poyomon has stopped right in the middle of the path, staring out into the mists surrounding the gardens. Takeru crouches down beside his friend and holds his hands out for Poyomon to hop onto.

"Here you are," he says. "Why did you run off like that?"

Poyomon doesn't move. He's still staring out into the mists. Watching something. Takeru turns to see what has captured his friend's interest, and gapes.

There's a girl out there, walking slowly towards the cottage and looking around at everything. She's the same age as him, too, with straight brown hair and brown eyes. A new friend? Takeru wonders what she's doing here. He's never had a friend arrive so late in the day. Come to think of it, aside from the man, he's never seen anyone arrive at all. They're always here already when he wakes up. Where did she come from?

She doesn't seem to see him at first, crouched low on the ground waiting for Poyomon to hop onto his waiting hands. Eventually, he picks his friend up and stands once more. The movement seems to draw her attention and she looks his way.

He blinks. He's sure that the girl is a new friend - he certainly doesn't remember playing with her before - but there's something very familiar about her, too. He frowns, trying to think. For some reason, his mind returns to the boy - didn't he feel the same way on that morning when his now absent friend first appeared? Maybe. He's not sure any more.

"Takeru!"

His jaw drops, and he takes a step backward. The girl talks? None of the friends who visit have ever talked before. It's yet another thing that's strange and new. Takeru feels his legs going all wobbly. Who is this girl, and why is she so different? He takes another step back, and is about to run when Poyomon leaps from his hands and bounds towards her, saying "Poyo poyo poyo!" excitedly.

"Poyomon, come back!" he cries. What if this strange girl leaves, and takes Poyomon with her? He can't risk that. Without thinking, he chases after his friend, snatching him up before he can reach the girl.

"Poyo! Poyo poyo!"

"Don't scare me like that," he tells his friend. "You could get lost out here. It's too misty."

"Takeru?" the girl says, taking a step closer. He looks up, holding his partner tightly.

Right. He's forgetting his manners. Maybe that's what Poyomon was trying to say?

"Hello," he says, bowing. "My name's Takeru. Only I guess you already know that. That's really strange. I never had a friend who talked before."

The girl just stares at him. Poyomon doesn't say anything either, which is odd because Poyomon normally leads the introductions.

"Well, did you want to come and play?" he asks after a moment. "I was feeding the fish with Poyomon but we can do something else if you like. Come on, I'll show you around!"

He takes a step back, towards the house, then stops and frowns when the girl doesn't follow.

"What's the matter? Don't you want to play? Or did you forget how to talk again? That's okay. None of the others talk, so I don't really mind."

Normally, this much talking at a friend would be enough for them to smile and follow him, but the girl just stands there, looking at him in the strangest way. Why did she even come to visit if she's not going to do anything? Nothing about this girl fits with how the world works, and it makes Takeru's head hurt trying to understand it all. Part of him wants to run over and grab her hand, and show her all his favourite places, but a larger part just wants to know who she is, and why she has appeared to make things different again, when all he wants is for everything to go back to normal.

"Takeru, do you know who I am?" she says at last.

She really can talk, just like the man does! Takeru is so excited that he doesn't even listen to her question.

"Come on!" he calls. "I'll show you the place with the walls and the swings - that's the best bit of the gardens. It's a shame it's too misty to go exploring, really. Or did you want to have a look in the barns? I haven't been in there in a long time and I can't remember what's inside, so that could be exciting. Or there's always the woody bit, if you don't mind getting kinda muddy. Come on! It's almost lunchtime already, and then the day will be over and you'll have to go and we won't have done everything."

"Takeru, wait!" the girl calls. "What are you talking about?"

He feels his excitement draining away. "Didn't you come to play, like the others?" he asks. Something occurs to him. "Oh. Wait. You can talk… so you're like the man. Not one of my friends. You're just here to ask me questions, aren't you."

Poyomon fidgets. He looks down at his faithful companion, who poyos softly at him. When he looks up, he suddenly realises that the girl is upset about something. Her eyes are turning all red and watery, and her shoulders have slumped.

"Are you sad?" he asks, before remembering that the girl can do more than nod or shake her head. He doesn't have to stick to simple questions. "I mean… why are you sad?"

The girl takes a breath, as though she's about to say something, and then sighs. "It's nothing," she says. "I'm okay." As though to prove this, she wipes her eyes and smiles at him.

It's not the most convincing of smiles, but she's talking, and she told him she's okay, so that has to mean she is, right? Why would she say words that aren't true?

"So, are you here to be my friend?" he asks.

"Of course I'm your friend!" she says. "Don't you… Takeru, do you recognise me at all?"

He frowns, thinking hard. There is something familiar about her, after all.

"I don't think so," he says at last, and shrugs. "Why, have I met you before? What's your name?" This is an exciting question. He's never been able to find out the names of his friends. It's something of a disappointment when the girl gets that sad look in her eyes again, and looks away instead of answering.

"Yes," she says at last. "We have met before. We… we met a long time ago. I guess you don't remember."