So, with those shoes, they seem about the same height now! Which means Ash is even taller than before, which definitely mean he's grown since then.

"So, I've missed a year at least, possibly more. Not a very exciting stretch of time to travel, but it's better than being flung to an unfamiliar time with no way back..."

Trip mentally made a note to himself to get even higher shoes. Or hope for a growth spurt.

But these concerns were quickly replaced with another, more immediate one. After a long moment, he spoke, a bit slowly, as if testing unfamiliar words: