"Erm...L-Liya?" Yoshi ventured. Liya toed the dirt, frowning, and then looked up sharply.

"Why is the dirt all full of ash?" she asked. Yoshi blinked.

"Eh?"

"Wh-what are these?" Liya went on, pointing at one of the elephant creatures that was hovering near the fence quietly. Yoshi followed her gaze.

"Er...those are called--"

"What's with the dragon statues?" Liya demanded, pointing up the steep terraces at the main palace, where the huge snakelike dragon sat curled by the doors.

"Well--"

"For that matter, why are there so many statues?" Before she knew it all the questions she'd been biting back all morning came surging to the surface. "A-and what're the circles everywhere for?"

"Circ--"

"What's that bird phone thing made of?"

"It's--"

"Why are your eyes two different colors?"

"Uh--"

"Is it bad to ask someone what species they are?"

"N-not--"

"Is that a hair tie?" Yoshi was holding his hands up placatingly, and Liya had only just noticed the red band around one of his wrists.

"Y-yes," he said feebly.

"Can I borrow it?"

"S-sure," Yoshi mumbled. Liya subsided as he pulled the band off his wrist and handed it to her.

"Thanks," she said, "Can I heal your eye?"

Yoshi looked up, seeming startled. "Huh?"