But why do you CARE? The driving question behind much of this conversation echoed in his mind, yet he didn't dare speak it. He thought he had known, thought that Chell desired his company because he mistakenly thought them kin, yet that didn't seem to be the case. But if not that then what? He wasn't especially pleasant or a good conversationalist. He wasn't ugly, but nor was he especially attractive, if such things even mattered to one of Chell's race. He had little in the way of unique skills to offer, unless Chell wished to learn the lance, and no more in goods or wealth than anyone else on the Isle.

So why did the strange tree man continue to seek him out? Why did it matter to Chell what became of him? "I felt the need to be certain you weren't spending time with me due to a simple case of mistaken identity," he said. "You seemed to believe me to be one of your kin, when I'm nothing of the sort; I dislike operating under false pretenses and prefer to speak plainly." A brief pause, then he added, "As do you it seems."