"Are you alright?"
Alto reached for her wrist in order to check for a pulse. He was worried.
The girl slowly turned her eyes to look at him. She continued to stare at him with dull eyes.
This wasn't at all good. Alto doubted that he could have even survived in the cold if he didn't use internal flame. She must have been here for days.
"Food."
"Sure, I'll get you some food."
Alto picked up the small girl and carried her in his arms. Then entered the guild hall. He got a few strange glances. He put her on a bench right next to the table then ordered food. He talked to the receptionist.
"Yeah.. I found a dying girl in the middle of the street."
The receptionist turned to the young girl.
"I have never seen her before. Wait until after she eats then we can ask about her parents."
Alto nodded in approval.
Once the hot soup came out. Alto was sitting across from her. At first she ate slowly, then she became a glutton.
She still seemed weak and tired. Alto ended up ordering another bowl. This time however, she couldn't eat all of it.
Eventually Alto waved at the receptionist she came over.
"What's your name?"
The young girl stared at her with dull bagged eyes.
"What's your favorite color?"
The young girl continued staring.
"Where are your parents?"
The girl remained silent.
The receptionist turned to Alto.
"She is probably tired. I'll give her a room on the house."
Alto nodded. Then the receptionist picked up the young girl and carried her to a room. The young girl stared at Alto with her dull eyes.
Then she was taken upstairs.
Alto sighed then prepared to turn in his crystals. Officially completing his first quest.
He had to wait until the receptionist returned. She seemed to be awaiting his questions about the girl.
She said she seemed fine and was lying in bed.
Alto turned in his crystals. Retrieving the three copper coins. Because he took on a quest, he received an extra copper coin on top. Granted, it wasn't much but it was still a bonus.
Alto then returned to his room and tried to fall asleep. It was rather hard. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was strangely concerned for the young girl.
'She'll be fine.'
It was a rather long while before Alto woke up. In fact he didn't even feel like he woke up. The sun was suddenly shining and it was no longer night.
Alto stared out the window with a perplexed expression.
'Nights always pass like that, why can't you remember it? Always been that way.'
He didn't feel tired, meaning he must have fallen asleep at some point. With a reluctant sigh he got up and headed to the hall. He looked over their menu and found bacon and eggs. It was strange seeing that in another world so he wanted to give it a try.
After walking out of the room. The world seemed just a bit brighter than usual. The details on the walls seemed to stick out more too.
Alto didn't really give it a second thought. Instead, he walked downstairs and ordered the bacon and eggs from the receptionist.
He patiently sat on a bench near a table. Looking around while thinking to himself. He turned to look at other adventures. There were a lot more now. Most of them looked experienced with good armor and weapons.
With yet another reluctant sigh he looked down at his white garments. He stood out like a sore thumb. If anything, people probably think he's some kind of healer or priest.
'What kind of priest wears white?'
The pope.
Then Alto quickly noticed something that he hadn't seen before. In his paraurethral vision.
Alto quickly turned. A shocked expression registered itself on his face. There was a creepy doll staring at him. Its dull black eyes seemed to be staring into his very soul. Alto panicked and readily began to summon his sword.
Then the doll tilted its head.
It was no doll, it was the little girl that Alto found on the street. He took a deep breath and put the hilt of the sword that was taken halfway out back in the imaginary box.
"How did you do that?"
The girl seemed much better by now. She now had porcelain skin and her voice had some emotion in it. Her hair was still a mess however.
'How did she sneak up on me?'
Alto stared at the girl.
"Magic."
She continued to stare at Alto, her expression was unreadable.
"So, you're both up now?"
The receptionist was holding a place of eggs and bacon.
"Guess so."
She put the plate near Alto. Alto hesitated as he looked at the girl. Then moved the plate in front of her.
She began to stare at it with wide eyes.
She continued staring.
Then she continued staring even more.
Alto turned to the receptionist. He gave a slight nod. Turning his head back to see the young girl. She was eating the bacon and eggs. Alto quickly turned back and shook his head.
After she was done. The interrogation began.
"What's your name?"
The girl stared at her with dull black beads.
'Well, she can definitely talk. She said "food" when we first met.'
Alto looked at the girl.
"My name's Alto, what's yours?"
"Alto?"
'Finally, we're getting somewhere.'
"Yes, I'm Alto."
"And I'm Christen."
They both stared at the young girl.
"Maya."
It was barely audible. The receptionist continued.
"Well Maya? Where do you live?"
The girl was once again silent for a moment. She looked down at the ground.
"Live…"
Both Alto and Christen stared at the young girl in silence.
"Mama."
"Yes, your mama. Do you know where she is?"
The young girl shifted a little at the question. She seemed scared. After another brief silence she answered.
"Home."