[ToxicShadow]

Up until that very moment, Yukia had only ever been told how much she looked like her mother. Her pale eyes, pale complexion, and pale hair color were all seemingly directly inherited from her mother. It was true that she was very much her father's child, and shared half of her genetics with him, but she didn't seem to take after him at all, in appearances.

The elderly man nodded his head again. "Yeah. While you look different from your father, more like your mother, I suppose, you definitely have the same feel about you. There's no denying that you're his kid."

[ToxicShadow]

Although she wasn't entirely sure how to voice it in a proper way, Yukia was very pleased to hear the man's words, since she was proud to be both her mother and her father's daughter. Before she could figure out how to thank him for such words, without it sounding strange, though, he man spoke up again.

"Oh! I haven't actually introduced myself, have I? Shame on me," he chuckled a bit. "My name is Dunhill. I'm the mayor of Echo Village!"

[ToxicShadow]

With his introduction, he held his hand out, in an obvious gesture to shake hands with Yukia. She obliged, after transferring the water bottle she was still holding to the opposite hand, giving a firm handshake.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person," she told him. "Thank you for all of your help." She was certain that she would be needing his guidance, as well as that of the other remaining townsfolk, if she wanted to manage things out here.

[ToxicShadow]

Once they had made their official greetings, and released one another's hands, the young woman set about returning the water bottle that the elderly man had borrowed safely back in her bag.

The man watched her do this and, once she was done, he spoke again, "Well, why don't we head back to the village now, if you're all set? Although you may not need me to show you the way," with the path their being so direct, "I'll keep you company."

[ToxicShadow]

Yukia nodded her head in agreement, as she lifted and replaced her bag back onto her shoulder. "Yes, let's." Although the village mayor's walking pace was slower than her own, she didn't seem to mind it at all, slowing down and keeping pace with him. Since she wanted to stick with him, in case something more serious did happen, it was actually preferred. Of course, she didn't want something bad to happen to him, but it was still a factor that she considered.

[ToxicShadow]

In the end, it was not all that long of a hike, and the path wasn't in that bad of a condition. It was just a dirt trail, at best, so of course it was bumpy and had the occasional pothole caused by the weather, but it was smooth walking still. It was certainly easier than a hike in the hills or mountains, at the very least.

"So you wanted to get away from the city, hm?" The elderly man brought the topic up as a means of conversation while they walked.

[ToxicShadow]

"Yeah." Yukia had relayed that much before, when she was making the arrangements to come all the way out here, but she hadn't gone into many details, nor had she been asked of them, at the time.

"Any particular reason?" The man was honestly asking more out of curiosity and to past the time, than anything else. If she didn't want to talk about it, by no means did he actually expect her to. All in all, he was simply glad that she wanted to come see the village at all.

[ToxicShadow]

"Not so much," Yukia admitted, as she began to give her answer. "I guess... I just feel like maybe the city isn't the right place for me. Somewhere out here, a smaller town, closer to nature, without the hustle and bustle the city, just seemed more interesting to me." She hadn't even actually been to Echo Village yet, and she was already feeling more at home than she did before. Out here, even the air was clean, and there were all sorts of  natural sights to behold, just walking along the path.

[ToxicShadow]

The elderly mayor chuckled upon hearing Yukia's response. "What a marvelous answer!" He exclaimed, once he'd stopped. "That sounds a lot like what your father said, when he left this place. Just the opposite." Back than, the young woman's father, when he was a similar age that she was now, found the appeal of the city more interesting than that of the small village. Rather than enjoying the simple life close to nature, he desired the hustle and bustle of the city, among other things.

[ToxicShadow]

"You really are quite like him," the elderly man said.

Even Yukia laughed a bit upon hearing that. "I guess you're right. It sounds like, at the very least, we both have an idea of what we want." Even if what they wanted were opposite things, they were still taking similar paths, by going out on their own and following their dreams. Her father did it first and, now, it was her turn.

"I hope you'll have a wonderful stay in our village," the mayor then said.

[Wild Pet Found]