Back in the Guard House, people couldn't help but gather around at a distance, watching the new half-orc sit hanging around the Guard Station.
Instead of going to his dorms, Baku insisted on waiting there for news of Gochi. So now there was a 2-meter bulky half-animal sitting by the door of the Guard Station.
He was sitting crossed-legged and crossed arms, eyes closed and very still, the only thing moving was his white silky fur as the wind blew on it.
There were some civilians who needed to go inside to report something. But seeing him there, they shivered and almost ran away.
After some thought though, they didn't. They knew of Alterra's very strict rules and regulations. After all, nothing dangerous would've been allowed to roam and make camp.
Still, when they slowly headed to the door, they were comically walking sideways so they were facing the half-orc with raised arms at all times, just in case.
Just then, he opened his eyes and revealed his cat-like pupils, darting to stare straight at them. The civilians squealed and ran to the interior of the guard house, amusing the bystanders.
Other than them, there were also plenty of bystanders who gathered around and watched in interest.
So they had a new half-orc? White Tiger model? So cool?
If Baku knew what a zoo was, he'd think people were looking at him as if he was a part of them.
It was for a couple more minutes until his nose and ears moved at a familiar sound. He lifted his head and saw his old friend approaching him quickly.
Gochi's eyes were wide as he rushed to him, shiny with tears. "BAKU?!"
"GOCHI!" he yelled, standing up. The bigger half-orc walked forward with wide steps and the two raised their arms simultaneously, their forearms meeting with such force that it created a small wind around them.
"It's so good that you're okay!" Gochi said, voice a bit shaky. Baku's smile was wide, his sharp teeth showing off.
Baku couldn't help but look at his friend's healthy state and his uniform no different from the other guards.
Was Gochi… a citizen?
"Come on," Gochi said, guiding his old friend elsewhere. "Let's talk while I walk you around."
At this point, all hostility around Baku had dispersed, left with some confusion. Before actually seeing Gochi, he had maintained a high level of cynicism. Seeing him all fine and much better than expected imbalanced him and frankly he wasn't sure what to make of it.
For now, he just followed his friend as he personally guided him around the territory. Gochi was quite proud, Baku could tell, and he couldn't help but look at him and his bright demeanor.
This made Gochi pause and look at him, golden-green eyes sparkling with honesty.
"Very," Gochi said, patting his shoulder which was a few feet above his own. "I know you will, too."
Baku heaved a deep breath and looked at Gochi. "What happened so far? How'd you find this place?"
Before Gochi could answer him though, the laughter of children sprinkled nearby. They turned to look at the kids running around with smiles. However, when the kids saw the two of them, they brightened even more and they all rushed in their direction.
Baku flinched at the group of children fast approaching them. Instinctively, he turned away and put on a slightly defensive position.
Back in Hoskel, not only were they thrown stuff by people and children, but when he was young, he accidentally injured a human boy who was bullying the other half-orcs. He was forced to get beaten up more often by other kids then, and he couldn't do anything about it.
He had been beaten badly by children and adults then and it seemed that some of the instincts remained.
However, they stopped a meter away, looking curiously at both of them. "Wow! Gochi! Gochi!"
"So big! Who is this?"
This was Mimi, Lily, Honda, and Horus. The Mauin kids were working (gathering resources) so it was only them running around the territory at this time.
Gochi smiled at them. "This is my brother, Baku."
The kids looked at the bigger half-orc with their pure eyes. "Wowwww. Hello Baku!" Lily said, though Mimi couldn't help but ask.
"Brother? Can interspecies marry here?" Mimi asked, though it earned her a tiny pinch from Lily.
"Ow!" Mimi yelled, pouting at her friend who asked possibly insensitive questions. However, she just smiled at the half-orcs in the end. "Hello, Baku! Welcome!"
Baku was taken aback by the pure welcome, and how they were genuinely glad to meet him.
He… had no idea how to handle this.
Couldn't they be more violent? At least he'd deal with familiarity…
It didn't help that he was surrounded by most of them, some even holding his calf. "Come on," Mimi said, opening her arms. "Please carry me."
Baku's eyes twitched while Gochi chuckled next to him. "Just do it," he said. "It'd help with your integration."
Baku felt uncomfortable but when he looked at the large innocent eyes looking at him with expectations, he couldn't say no in the end.
Heaving a deep breath that'd terrify adults, Baku leaned down and took Mimi's collar as he carried her to his shoulder.
"WOW SO TALL!" Mimi said, her rounded eyes wide from the new perspective. "I wish I was tall! That way I can see everyone's heads!"
Lily could not lose, gently pulling Baku's hand—which was twice as big as her face by the way. "Mee tooo! Me toooo!!"
Just , a handful of children had climbed up. The contrast of a large half-breed with little kids hanging on him was a hilarious image.
The only one left on the ground was Honda.
He gaped at the sight. He had grown up with a bias against other races and it was slowly being changed in Alterra. However, he still had ways to go before he could completely adjust to it. He was still on the process with Gochi, in fact.
So, unlike everyone else having fun, Honda could only stare for a bit. Gochi saw this and understood, not expecting a fast integration from a child who grew up in a City.
The bias in Cities was even higher because the humans were generally much stronger there and weaker village-level half-orcs like them were less of a threat, and more of a novelty among nobles.
Kids didn't know such subtleties though, even the 'wise' Mimi, who looked at her friend from above. "Honda! You're so small over here!"
Honda pursed his lips, looking at the half-orcs and unsure of what to do.
He kinda wanted to join them… but at the same time he couldn't bear to ask.
Mimi obviously had no such reservations. She tapped on the half-orcs mass of hair. "Baku… Baku… can you take Honda too? I wanna show him this view!"
Baku's eyebrows rose and his eyes drifted to the remaining kid. After a thought, he slowly leaned down and extended his arms to get the kid, who could not react in time before he got lifted up.
"Ah!" he gasped, though the next thing he knew he was on the half-orc's abnormally wide shoulder with his friends.
Little Honda lifted his head and his hazel eyes looked at the view. Baku was a few meters taller than he was, and it was definitely the first time he had been held up so high.
Suffice to say, new perspectives were developed that day.