Alto stares at the small house before her, humble but well kept, with a nervous expression on her face.
'Is this it? After all this time...'
It's been ten years since she ultimately left the Academy, beginning her search for Belle. Of course, she started in Tsige at the public garden where they first met, since Belle's parents were groundskeepers there. However, not only did she learn they were no longer employed there, but the garden's management had changed hands as well, and the current manager had no idea who Belle or her parents were.
So first, she had to track down the original manager, who oversaw Belle's parents' departure from the gardens. That took some time. Even after she found the old manager, he struggled to remember Belle's parents' departure from almost two decades prior. He only recalled that "they might have moved somewhere in Helena Isthil's territory". No further details, no other leads...nothing.
But then, after years of travel through Isthil territory cities and asking around about Belle's family, searching places with gardener and/or groundskeeper jobs, she finally tracked them down.
Or...so she thought.
She managed to find Belle's parents – claiming to be a brief, childhood friend 'Altera' – but it turned out Belle herself had grown up and left home over a decade prior, and she only returned home for a visit every few years thereafter. According to her parents, she'd left with some guy she'd fallen in love with to travel the Kingdom, and hadn't even stayed in Isthil territory.
However, Alto didn't give up. Starting from the most recent location that Belle's parents had, she moved from city to city, asking around about Belle. In each city, she'd spend a few months there, working as a magic tutor to make ends meet. For years, she had no success – after all, who's going to remember a random peasant girl like Belle?
At some points, she even considered just giving up and trying to move on with her life. Belle probably wouldn't even remember her. They weren't even that close when they were young. She was probably just romanticizing a childhood friendship. Belle might have changed and they might not even get along anymore. Her decision to look for Belle in the first place may even be...insane. All of these thoughts crossed her mind many times.
Unfortunately, she had no idea what moving on with her life would even look like, and it's not like she truly had her life on hold to begin with. More than ever, actually, she was socializing with people in taverns and around cities – trying to get information about Belle. It's just...while there are people she liked as people, there was nobody she truly connected with on an emotional level.
It came to the point that she even wondered if the problem wasn't the people, but her. Maybe her childhood friendship with Belle wasn't really as special as she thought, but...it was Alto who had since been damaged in some way. Maybe she...just wasn't capable of building meaningful relationships anymore. The possibility troubled her, almost more deeply than she could handle.
And yet, she continued looking...because she didn't know what else to do with herself.
Eventually, just a few weeks ago, she finally got a lead. In one of the cities she arrived at, she heard tavern chatter about a small group of young elves – seemingly led by an elven couple matching Belle and her boyfriend's descriptions – who were passing through. The group was asking about struggling villages or small cities that might benefit from cheap labor and expertise in carpentry, blacksmithing, and...horticulture.
Now, after following the group's trail to this humble abode before her, nestled in the minor city of Kanela in Abel territory, she might be about to see Belle again for the first time in 45 years.
Pulling the hood of her cloak more tightly over her face, Alto slips into a nearby alley, unsure how exactly to proceed now that the opportunity is in front of her. She stares out of the alley, across the street, at the door of the small wooden house, a conflicted expression on her face.
'How do I engage with her? What do I even say?'
On one hand, she wants to know if Belle remembers "Alto"...if the meaningfulness of their history isn't completely one-sided. On the other hand, she recognizes that it's unlike their history will have a strong bearing on any future relationship. Introducing herself genuinely could even backfire – remind Belle of that unpleasantness that Setti Silver arranged, or alert Alto's family to her whereabouts.
'I...think it's best to continue as Altera. Between the changes in my appearance, and the passed decades, she's unlikely to recognize me.'
However, that creates another issue. If she's to masquerade as Altera, how exactly does she introduce herself to Belle without appearing suspicious? She can't use the same cover story about meeting in childhood as she did with Belle's parents. But what reason would a stranger have to just show up like she's about to?
She hums thoughtfully.
'I guess...a half-truth will suffice.'
Taking a steadying breath, she gathers her courage and walks over to the house's door.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
She knocks on the door firmly, and soon hears muffled shouts inside, followed by heavy, irregular footsteps. A moment later, the door swings open suddenly, revealing a young elven man with a puzzled expression. He's about two meters tall, with disheveled brown hair and tan skin covered in black smudges, and he's wearing a tattered shirt and trousers that do little to hide his bulging muscles.
Seeing Alto, face obscured beneath her hood, his eyes narrow warily. He crosses his massive arms and speaks, his voice deep and rumbling.
"Who are you?"
Picking up on his attitude, she calmly pulls her hood down and gives a polite smile.
"Hello...my name is Altera. I've heard about your group during my travels and wanted to meet you all. I take it you are a blacksmith of some kind? I heard that was an area your group offered expertise in." (Alto)
The guy's eyes widen in surprise, momentarily stunned, before his face twists into a crooked grin. He leans against the door frame, his eyes scanning Alto playfully.
"Sorry...didn't mean to scare you, beautiful. Name's Traz...and yeah, I'm the blacksmith of the group. Didn't realize our reputation had grown so much that I had fangirls!" (Traz)
She cocks her eyebrow at the comment, staring at his cocky grin in silence for a few moments before responding.
"Right...so, are you going to invite me in to meet the others in your group?" (Alto)
Traz blinks, thrown by her unfazed attitude. Seemingly registering her question, he hums thoughtfully as he studies her. His voice turns teasing.
"Maybe, maybe...you going to smile more if I do?" (Traz)
She gives him a deadpan look.
"Probably not." (Alto)
He clicks his tongue and sighs, then steps aside in the doorway invitingly.
"Shame...come in, I guess. You don't look too dangerous. But just so you know, there's not much of a 'group' right now. A couple of our people recently left to help out their families – there's only three of us left." (Traz)
She nods and steps past him, her eyes scanning the interior of the house. They're in a short, doorless hallway leading towards a den. Traz closes the door, then brushes past her with an unwelcome pat on her shoulder.
"This way." (Traz)
He walks off down the hallway, oblivious to the disapproving glare she's giving him. She frowns, then follows him into the den.
There, she hears the sounds of a door opening and closing hurriedly nearby, then rushed steps. Almost as soon as her and Traz arrive in the den, a shirtless young man bursts in from an adjacent room. He's paler and shorter than Traz, less muscular too, but his body is still visibly toned by years of hard labor, and his face is less rugged and more handsome. His eyes are wide, his expression one of bewilderment as he glances between Traz and her.
He blinks.
"Uhm..."
Before he can say much more, the sound of lighter – but no less hurried – footsteps echo from the same direction the new guy emerged, right before a young woman bursts into the room in a disheveled state. Her brown hair is an absolute mess, her chocolate eyes wide in shock, and she's wearing a shirt backwards that's far too large for her, covering halfway down her pale, exposed thighs. At the girl's appearance, satisfaction blooms in Alto's chest, warm and persistent.
'She's really here...'
Seeing Alto, the girl – who she's now recognized as Belle – freezes, then squeaks in surprise.
"Gyah!?" (Belle)
Alto raises her eyebrows at the stunned couple's reactions, her mind just now putting together what must have just been happening. However, it doesn't faze her – two decades at the Academy with a bunch of young, arrogant elves thoroughly desensitized her to such spectacles. She remains tactfully silent.
Traz, however, clearly shares none of her principles on the matter. His amused voice booms from behind her.
"Damn Kenan...I leave you alone for two minutes and you go off disappointing poor Belle again?" (Traz)
The smaller guy – presumably Kenan – just gives Traz a silent, disapproving look. Meanwhile, Belle's face reddens, and she casts an indignant glare at Traz.
"T-Traz! Shut up! That's not true!" (Belle)
Alto purses her lips thoughtfully over Belle's flustered response, but Traz's grin just widens, raising his eyebrows at Belle teasingly.
"Oh? So you weren't disappointed? How scandalous...bragging about how satisfied you are." (Traz)
Belle's face turns even redder, her expression mortified by Traz's twisting of her words. She steps behind Kenan as she tries to pull the shirt's hem down over her legs more. Kenan just sighs in exasperation, as though uncaring for his own topless state, and doesn't look away from Traz.
"Alright. Cut it out, Traz..." (Kenan)
After that reprimand, Kenan turns to Alto, giving her a tired but polite smile while his eyes study her.
"Hi there...sorry for the, uhm...display. We weren't expecting visitors. I'm Kenan, the leader of this group, this is my girlfriend, Belle, and that boorish creature behind you is Traz. Who might you be?" (Kenan)
She nods at him respectfully, glancing at Belle as well, who's peeking out from behind Kenan with a mix of lingering embarrassment and newfound curiosity.
"My name is Altera...pleased to meet you both." (Alto)
Kenan nods absentmindedly at her, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Likewise, Altera. So...may I ask what brings you here?" (Kenan)
She gives a small smile, preparing to respond, but Traz's voice interrupts.
"She heard about our little group a while back and decided to come find us! Seems she's a fangirl of mine!" (Traz)
Kenan blinks, slowly turning an incredulous, questioning gaze to her. She returns a pained expression, shaking her head.
"So far, he is my least favorite. The rest is correct." (Alto)
Out of the corner of her eye, she catches Traz making a dramatic stabbing motion at his own heart, his expression contorting in faux-pain. Meanwhile, Kenan's lips twitch at her comment, and he nods.
"Very well. Then...how about Belle and I go make ourselves more presentable, and we can all have a chat?" (Kenan)
She nods, sneaking another glance at Belle, who is studying her with a furrowed brow.
"I'd...like that." (Alto)