"My natural state of thought is obsessively circular," Ashiko carefully stood up, then blinked and blushed when she realized what she had just said. Usually, it made people uncomfortable to hear that she was aware that her fixation was considered unhealthy by most standards and maintained it anyways. She sidestepped the issue by making her way to the door as quickly and steadily as she could managed, slipping out into the cool evening air.

There was a suitable pond not terribly far away, a decoration for some establishment near the inn that had since been abandoned and left to itself. She trusted that her friend would follow, and moved forward.