It didn't take long for Chris to get everything in a bag, knowing where he was going and what he would need. Other Ashdown was sort of habit at this point, one that he wasn't fond of, but still one and therefore he knew what he needed. An umbrella, water bottle, some protein bars, a flash light, a towel, and a (very small) first aid kit were all the standard. The notebook however, was new, along with a handful of pens, a tin with a tea blend in it, and a couple of handkerchiefs that he hoped would be useful in the garden. He knew what had happened previously and this time, he wasn't going to go in unprepared. It didn't take him long to find an outfit either, just a thin shirt with a even thinner cardigan paired over it and some jeans, before he was lacing up his boots and out the door.

It wasn't hard to find his way back into Other Ashdown, not this time around. It had been getting easier lately, although Chris didn't know if it was because he had been getting stronger or if Ashdown wass and the thought was unsettling enough to get him moving back on the path, umbrella dug out and held against the steady drizzle.

Chris knew that the first time he found the garden was dumb luck and wandering. Not thinking where he was going and just following instinct were what brought him there and while it could happen a second time, Chris didn't really enjoy the idea of wandering around in Other Ashdown aimlessly. Even with his magic lessons from Jer, it was still an unwise idea. There was always something or someone stronger and Chris wasn't much of one to tempt fate. All he really knew though was that there was no path to the garden and that the last time he had been near it, he had been near the forest.

Figuring it was a good enough starting point of any, Chris decided to start near the forest. There wouldn't be a path, he was sure of it, but he could at least start where he had been the first time. It seemed like it was safer to stay in the forest too, less things there that would bother him (or he hoped, at least).

He let his feet guide him, destination in his mind vague as he worked forward, no real plan in mind. He was far more concerned about what to do when he was actually in the garden, what to figure out and who to talk to. Maybe talking to the ivy, and definitely keeping an eye out for that damn lizard. He knew better now than to trust that thing, no matter how vaguely friendly it looked.

Finally deciding to look up from his walk, Chris realized he hadn't been walking exactly straight to the forest. It was in the forest, sure, but it wasn't near the park and if anything, it looked almost vaguely familiar. On top of that, there was a faint smell, like the herbs he had used as a kid. Like the herbs he frequently worked with now, doraji and mint, basil and thyme. Following the smell like he had the first time, Chris didn't have much farther to walk. In minutes he was standing before the garden once again, gate looming above him.

With confidence he stepped forward, gently pushing the gate into the garden and stepping in.