A Nostalgic Breeze

So this is your hometown, eh? It's beautiful.

Yeah, welcome to Baruoki. Funny enough, this one looks pretty much the same as the one in my home world. What's your hometown like?

Arni is a seaside village. A nice, calm place where you can hear the crashing waves and catch the scent of the tide in the wind. Children often play around by jumping from the pier or swimming near the beach.

Sounds like my kind of town! If I lived by the seaside, you would catch me by the water all the time.

I bet you'd get real good at swimming then!

I sure hope so! If I could be as good a swimmer as Cyrus, seaside life would be way more fun.

Haha! I guess that's enough talk about my town though. What business brings us here?

No real reason, actually. It's just that in this world, everyone thinks I've disappeared. So I kinda wanna know how everyone is getting along without me.

So you're checking in, basically.

Hm?

Oh, wow! Aldo! We've been so worried about you since you disappeared! I'd heard you'd returned and I couldn't believe it. But I see it was true now!

What?! Someone told you I'd come back?

Yeah, May was talking about it. A few days ago she got your letter asking her to come meet you.

My...letter?!

Yeah, duh! The letter said to keep it a secret 'cause you wanted to surprise everybody. But I could see it in her face that she was hiding something, so I made her tell. ...Where is she, anyway?

Uh oh.

Did she mention where they were going to meet?

Hm... I think it was somewhere deep in the Moonlight Forest.

Thanks a lot. We've got it from here. Let's hurry, Aldo!

Aldo, after hearing that story, I've got a bad feeling about this.

You said it. Something fishy's going on. There's no way the me from this world wrote that letter.

I agree. So we should look into it.

We? You don't have to get involved in this if you don't want to, Serge. I mean, I appreciate your help of course.

And I appreciate you offering me a way out. But don't worry about me. I'm with you on this. Besides, this is much bigger than just you and May.

What do you mean?

Disappearing completely from the world is one thing. The people left behind, lonely and sorrowful, is another. I would never wish that on anyone. And if there are people like that waiting for your return, then I want to help you.

Serge? You not telling me something?

You tricked me! You all tricked me!

I can hear her!

She's this way! Follow me!

Hehe, have a heart! Just help us out a little... See, we can't overthrow the Beast King without some...deadly persuasion. But taking weapons from other beastfolk will blow our cover. That's why we need your help...

You're a smart girl, aren't ya? Then give us all the weapons your people have got, and no harm'll come to ya.

Who in their right mind would listen to you?!

Geh. Pretty stubborn for a little human. Guess we'll have to do this this hard way...

...Hey!

Hold it right there!

Aldo! You're here! Who's your friend?

The introductions can wait. You ready, Aldo?

Oh yeah! Let's teach them a lesson!

Grrr...! You won't get away with this next time!

Whew. Looks like we're in the clear for now.

Thank you so much! You two are some real lifesavers! So...what's going on here, exactly?

Uh, it's a long story, but...

Okay... So, you're Aldo. But not the Aldo I know. Have I got it?

......

Yeah... Sorry if I got you excited for nothing.

No, no! I'm actually really glad I got to see you!

If you're doing well, then it means that "our" Aldo is doing well, wherever he is. At least, that's what I want to believe!

Oh yeah? I guess you're right.

You were a big help, Serge. Thanks a lot.

No need to thank me. I'm just glad the two of you were finally reunited.

Although May doesn't resemble my childhood friend very much, I couldn't help but be reminded of her.

Oh yeah?

Yeah. They were very dear to me then, and dear to me still.