[The part of him that still remembers doing this business the normal way- no magic nonsense, no hopping through other worlds, just traveling along dirt roads and taking plain money for tickets- is actually pleased that the kid seems to have had such a good time. That was the part of circus life that Joker had loved the most: letting people enjoy themselves.]

[Pity they’re short on employees. He knows that’s likely why the forest is acting like it is.]

[For now, however, he grins back to Mika.]

Yeah, the forest is tricky like that, ha, ya would’t be the first! I could… probably figure it out for ya, ha ha, but… [He makes a show of looking thoughtful, his hand coming up to his chin thoughtfully.] What if I said ya could be here for as long as ya like, and still make it back ta yer mentor on time?