"...of course I would." (Alto)
Alara and Alyse both direct bewildered gazes at Alto, which she seems unfazed by. Alyse's voice is dripping with something that Alara could almost swear is anxiety.
"But...I thought your interest in Mizuki is purely platonic?" (Alyse)
Alto just nods.
"That's correct." (Alto)
Alara and Alyse exchange even more confused glances.
"Sooo..." (Alara)
She leaves the question unspoken, assuming that her confusion and the reason for it is obvious. However, Alto merely raises an eyebrow, cocking her head to the side quizzically. Alara stares at her in stunned silence for a moment, deciding how to elaborate, but she's cut off by the sound of a familiar voice...one that makes her heart skip a beat.
"Alto, Alara...what are you two doing?" (Zara)
Alara's head snaps towards the voice, her eyes wide as saucers. Sure enough, she spots a cute, teenage girl with a lean build, dark olive skin, grey eyes, dark brown hair, and a pair of grey, furry ears sticking out of her head - Zara.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for Alara, since heart is beating out of her chest from the unexpected meeting, Zara's gaze in now fixated completely on Alyse. Her eyes study the elf carefully, her expression curious yet calculating. Then, realization seems to dawn on her face, and her lips twist into one of her rare, wolfish grins. Her voice now carries an edge of excitement.
"I see now...you must be Cara's sister, Alyse Egris. The best swordsman in the Elven Kingdom, right?" (Zara)
Alyse, however, is still staring at Alto with wide eyes, her face slightly paled. Slowly, she realizes that someone is speaking to her, and manages to rip her gaze away from the completely placid Alto...her gaze falling on Zara.
Over the next couple seconds, as though she's processing Zara's words retroactively, her expression slowly transforms from anxious to surprised, then curious and amused, and finally...expectant. A light smirk tugs at her lips as she studies Zara in return.
"That's what they say. In terms of pure sword skills, though, my little brother Renard surpasses me. But he may not be in the kingdom right now, so they could technically be right. As for you...can I take those fluffy ears to mean you're the wolf-kin swordsman I've heard so much about - Zara? From what I know of the wolf-kin, you must be the best swordsman of your own people." (Alyse)
Hearing the part about Renard, even in her frazzled state, Alara registers the affectionate tone with which Alyse refers to him. There's a spark of recognition in her mind.
'Her brother...I've definitely heard about him. We're relatively close in age, I think, but he's never involved in the Egris house's affairs...why was that?'
Alara narrows her eyes, somehow sensing that there's an element to this that's important for getting back into Alyse's good graces, but she struggles to piece it together. Eventually, her eyes go wide.
'Right, of course! His family thought he was useless since he can't use magic, so now he just spends all his time traveling with his inheritance!'
Alyse's first hint of satisfaction in quite some time washes over her. To her vague recollection, Alyse's brother wasn't a no-classer like Mizuki pretends to be...he just couldn't find any dark class spells that worked for him. In that case...
'It can't be a coincidence that she decided to join us officially right after Mizuki revealed his ability to fix such a limitation. If I offer to put in a good word for her with him...'
A smile finds its way to her face.
Meanwhile, Zara is sporting an amused smirk at Alyse's subtle jest.
"Yes...I'm glad my reputation has grown. But as I'm sure you know, the wolf-kin aren't really known for their weapons skills, so mine is hardly a comparable title. It doesn't really tell you much about my prowess...you'd have to test that for yourself. Interested?" (Zara)
Zara's eyes become a bit...daring, as she stares at Alyse, an open challenge in her demeanor. This isn't lost on Alyse, and after sparing a brief, frustrated glance at Alto, she smiles at Zara in anticipation.
"Absolutely...I could use a distraction right about now. Where to?" (Alyse)
Zara's grin widens, her expression becoming a bit more wild as well.
"I was headed to the Park...follow me." (Zara)
Without another word, Zara takes off walking down the street. After a couple of seconds, Alyse smirks and moves to follow her. However, before she can take a full step, Alto clears her throat.
"Ehem...Alyse?" (Alto)
Alyse turns around, casting a surprised gaze at Alto. Her previous frustration evaporates, her eyes full of curiosity and excitement. Nearby, Zara pauses her steps as well, glancing over her shoulder curiously.
"Yes, Alto?" (Alyse)
Alto keeps a perfectly neutral expression, and doesn't respond. Instead, she just raises her hand to the side, summoning her item box. Under the now confused gaze of Alyse, and several startled passerby, she pulls a double scabbard with two swords out and presents it towards Alyse.
"I am not an expert on sword fights, but I believe that you'll require these." (Alto)
Alyse blinks, staring at her swords, then glancing at her empty hip, then resting on her gaze on her swords again. A deep blush creeps into her cheeks, and she quickly grabs the swords from Alto, unable to meet her gaze. Her voice is practically a whisper.
"R-Right...thanks..." (Alyse)
Alyse immediately turns around, swiftly walking in the direction of the park as if she's trying to escape something. Zara watches her with raised eyebrows, her eyes focused on the strange double scabbard.
"Two swords...interesting..." (Zara)
It's at this moment that Alara notices the travel pack slung over Zara's back, and her pupils constrict, her heart palpitating at the implications. She locks her gaze on Zara, fear clear in her eyes.
"Zara..." (Alara)
Zara's gaze lingers on Alyse for a moment more before shifting to Alara. She keeps her expression and voice neutral, seeming to study Alara thoughtfully for a couple seconds before responding.
"Yes?" (Zara)
Alara bites her lip nervously.
"Why do you have your pack?" (Alara)
Once again, Zara pauses for a few seconds before responding, her expression unreadable.
"I am...leaving, once Mizuki returns. I have packed all my belongings, and intend for him to send me back to my village until we meet tomorrow." (Zara)
Alara feels her heart constrict at the confirmation of what she feared. Her voice nearly breaks.
"Already?" (Alara)
Zara's expression remains stoic.
"There's no reason for me to stay longer, is there?" (Zara)
Though Zara didn't mean for them to, the words feel like a punch to the gut for Alara. To her, it's as if Zara is saying 'I no longer consider you worth my time'. Alara's lower lip trembles as she stares into Zara's calm, grey eyes. She opens her mouth, intending to say something, but no words come. After a moment, Zara nods subtly, then turns and walks after Alto and Alyse without another word.
However, the sight of Zara's departing back sends a shock through Alara's body, as though she's watching her friend leave forever, and her body reacts on instinct.
"Zara, wait!" (Alara)
Just as Zara takes her first step, she hears Alara's frantic voice and turns to face her again. However, just as she does so, she's knocked back a step by the force of Alara ramming into her chest...
And wrapping her in a hug.
Before Zara knows it, Alara is squeezing her with all of her natural strength, her chin resting on the back of Zara's shoulder. Zara raises her eyebrows in surprise, but before she can respond...
"I'm sorry, Zara. I'm so, so sorry..." (Alara)
Alara whispers directly into Zara's ear, her voice rife with emotion. She can hear her voice breaking, feel the beginnings of sobs as her chest heaves and vibrates against Zara, and she can see several nearby elven passerby gawking at her display.
But she doesn't care anymore.
Suddenly, she feels the firm pressure of Zara's hands on her back, lightly returning her hug.
"I know..." (Zara)
Alara winces at the response. She has no doubt that Zara knows what she's talking about, that they're on the same page about what her words were meant to convey. Yet, Zara's response holds no forgiveness, no progression, just...acknowledgement.
'Figures...saying I'm sorry doesn't erase my words from that night, or the vile sentiment behind them.'
She squeezes her fists behind Zara's back, gathering her resolve. Then, she pulls away from Zara slightly while maintaining the hug to look her in the eye. She has no doubt that at this point, the wateriness of her eyes is evident, but she has no room in her heart to feel embarrassed about that right now. She takes a steadying breath, meeting Zara's perplexed gaze. Her voice is soft but clear.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking since that night, and I realized...I was wrong, Zara. I know that now. Not just about what I said to you, but...the way I felt about your people at my core. The hateful bias I've held towards demi-humans and other races for as long as I can remember. None of them have ever done anything to me to justify my prejudice.
"I...I know that these are just words, that you have no reason to believe me, but...I swear that I can see how I need to change now, Zara. No, I want to change...I'm going to change. Just, please don't leave me before I can show you that, Zara. The truth is...you...I think...err, you might be the only real friend I've ever had. And I...well...I think it might break me if we part ways with things as they are." (Alara)
Every fiber of her being wants to quit speaking, to break eye contact with Zara, to flat out run away and pretend she never humiliated herself as publicly and thoroughly as she just has. But she doesn't do any of that. Instead, she keeps looking at Zara evenly, her lower lip trembling and eyes watering as she fights tooth and nail not to let her pride drive her as it has for so much of her life.
Zara's face shows its first traces of emotion. Something very...conflicted. Zara purses her lips thoughtfully for several moments before responding.
"Thank you for saying that, Alara. For what it's worth, I believe you had become my first real friend as well, and I think I forgive you. I also believe that you're sorry, and that you want to change as you say. But strangely, I find myself quite...affected, by what happened between us as well, and I'm not quite able to forget it. I just don't think people change this fast simply because they will themselves to do so. Regardless, I can't stay...my people need me. I'm sorry. Perhaps with time, we will have the opportunity to rebuild that friendship." (Zara)
Zara's voice is soft, uncharacteristically apologetic even, but it somehow manages to sound like a rejection being hammered directly into Alara's heart. Still, though, she doesn't break just yet. She knows what she's up against...
Even if her words were enough to convince Zara her intentions are true, just avoiding open slurs about demi-humans while she never interacts with them in her own country wouldn't inspire confidence about her actual change in character. It doesn't prove anything to Zara...it's not enough.
'Whatever it takes...'
She bites her cheek until she tastes blood, sharpening her mind against the mountain of anxiety that threatens to crush her. Underneath their glistening upper layer, her eyes steel with resolve, and she stares directly into Zara's eyes. Her voice is louder...clearer, now.
"If you can't stay, then I'll go. Let me help you while you help your people. Let me follow you to your village..." (Alara)