 
~**~

Heart of the Veldt

The Terra Saga | Book Four

© 2002 By Nona Mae King

Inspired by the characters Gau, Relm, Edgar, Terra,

and other characters from

Final Fantasy VI © SquareEnix

Published by Mintfield Books at Smashwords

Discover other titles by Nona Mae King at Smashwords:

Fantasy:

To Save A Soul

Romance:

My Fair Princess

Searching for Sara

Fan-Fiction:

Bookworms and Booya (series)

Few Words

The Reluctant Knight

In Theory

A Rose By Any Other Name

Terra (series)

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the site and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

~**~
**Glossary of** Characters **:**

Alice\--a teenager and would-be botanist obsessed with discovering a cure to the pollution of the wilds known as The Veldt. After being rejected by her one great crush, Alice has focused solely on that of gaining acceptance into the Figaro Academy.

 Gau\--a feral boy who lives among the animals on the Veldt, having survived the harsh environment nearly his entire life. His powers of speech are poor, barely capable of communicating with others, and often frustrated with complex sentences. He is able to assume the powers and elemental resistances of any monster previously fought.

 Relm Arrowny\-- a spunky and sharp-tongued eleven-year-old artist from the village of Thamasa. She is the granddaughter of Strago, who has raised her since the death of her mother. Her father disappeared when she was a baby.

 Terra Branford-Figaro\-- the daughter of a human and a magic creature known as an "esper". Mentally enslaved by the Empire, they exploited her magic powers until she was rescued by rebels. She later vowed to make the world safe for children.

 Edgar Roni Figaro\--As King of Figaro, he maintains an alliance with the Empire, but secretly provided aid to a rebel group seeking the liberation of conquered city-states. He fancies himself a ladies' man, earning a reputation as a die-hard womanizer.

 Sabin Rene Figaro\-- the younger twin brother of King Edgar who trained under a world-famous martial arts master. He joined the cause against the Empire.

 Setzer Gabbiani\-- a gambler who owns the Blackjack, the only known airship in the world. He is tricked into kidnapping Celes Chere instead of Maria, the opera diva, who then coerces him into a losing bet, the result of which is his joining the rebels and committing his airship to their service.

 Cyan Garamonde\-- a retainer to the king of Doma, a nation at war with the Empire. He joins the rebels after the Empire poisons their water supply, killing everyone in the castle, including his wife and child.

 Strago Magus\--Relm's grandfather and (together with the other inhabitants of Thamasa) a descendant of the ancient Mage Warriors who fought in the War of the Magi.

 Locke Cole\-- a thief who prefers the title "treasure hunter". He bears a personal vendetta against the Empire for assaulting his hometown and killing his first love. He is the rebel who freed Terra from the Empire.

 Celes Chere\-- a former general of the Empire genetically enhanced into a Magitek Knight. Rescued by Locke before her impending execution over protesting the poisoning of Doma Castle. She and Locke are tentatively engaged.

 Shadow\-- a mysterious and cynical assassin/mercenary always accompanied by his faithful attack dog.

~**~
_Author_ _'s Note:_ _The following is a work of Fan-Fiction based on the world and characters from the video game_ Final Fantasy VI _by Square-Enix. Additional information about the game and characters can be found at_ Wikipedia _._

### Heart of the Veldt

TERRA SAGA, Book Four

### 1: The Introduction

"But, Alice, I _saw_ him!"

"Carol. Stop." Sixteen-year-old Alice halted her progress through the little town on the outskirts of the Veldt to turn toward her friend. Carol, as usual, dressed in such a way that she looked drop-dead gorgeous, with her large hazel eyes and gleaming auburn hair. Compared to Alice's black mess pulled back into a functional ponytail and her dungarees and comfortable tee, there could simply be no comparison. Sometimes, like today, it pushed Alice's temper button. Especially when Carol treated Alice with genuine affection.

"Carol, don't get me wrong, I think it's great you actually saw him, but it has nothing to do with me."

Her friend flushed--attractively, of course--and lowered her focus to her fashionable red boots. "I just thought you'd want to know. You always go onto the Veldt and everything."

Carol tucked a lock of hair--probably soft as silk--behind a delicate ear. For a split second, Alice wanted to pour mud over her. Instead, she forced her hands onto her slim hips, thumbs digging into the belt loops. "Carol, you _know_ I go to the Veldt because of research for my class paper. I am _not_ trekking out there because of some romantic fantasy of meeting the legendary Gau from the Kefka War. Please, give the fantasy a rest."

"But you have so much in common--"

Alice rolled her eyes trying, again, to not wish her mud-brown eyes were the gold-hazel of her friend. "Carol. _Please_."

Carol sighed. "Oh all right."

The pair continued on, passing the small private school the students fondly called _The Veldt Youth Academy_. The only school on the continent, it served kids ranging in ages from six to seventeen with two teachers who took shifts.

Carol continued to peek at Alice. "Are you going to the Veldt today?"

"Of course. The paper's due next month." There were still so many pieces to the puzzle, and she had a better chance for a stellar paper if she could gather more.

Nodding, Carol focused back to the greenish-brown roughage at her feet. "I know, but I figured you already had enough for your 'A' paper."

Alice shrugged, wishing her own shoulder-length black hair felt like silk rather than straw when she toyed with the end of the ponytail. "I guess I do. I just want to make sure."

"You always make sure of everything," Carol sighed.

"That's because I want to go to a _good_ higher-level Academy."

"There's only one, Alice."

"Yes, but I still want everything perfect." She couldn't leave any possibility of being rejected--she simply couldn't.

"Fine. I'm going to the pub to hang out with the girls. Later?"

Absently nodding, Alice adjusted the pack that cut into her shoulders. Carol and 'the girls' always hung out at 'the pub' instead of putting their full effort into their schoolwork. _Don't they want to be more than their parents?_ There would be plenty of time later for playing and fooling around.

"Hi, Alice."

Alice waved to the Innkeeper on her way out of town. Her parents had tried to get her to work there after school, but with her extra research on the Veldt she didn't have time. _I don't want a job here anyway. I want to help the planet heal._ The only way she could do that would be if she did as much research as possible for her entry-essay into the Figaro Academy for Higher Studies.

"Hey, Alice. How's it going?"

Smirking, Alice sent the son of the armory owner a wave. "Hey, Eric. Same old same old." He was easily the best looking guy in town. Tall for 17 and a little on the lanky side, his smile could melt butter, and his green eyes could set any girl's heart aflutter. Especially when they twinkled with mischief. Of course, he also a natural ability to charm the scales off a Baskervor.

He fell into step beside her as she made her way toward the boundary of the small town and the Veldt. "Doing more research for this paper everyone's whispering about?"

"Yep."

Eric scratched at his full head of sandy brown hair. "Are you _ever_ going to be finished with that thing?"

"Eventually."

Those eyes rose from their scrutiny of the sparse vegetation at his feet. "Eventually? What kind of screwy answer is that?"

"The only one I can give you." She stopped and gestured back to the little town. "Eric, go home. I know all this stuff about the environment drives you nuts. Give yourself a break and go hang out with the others. Carol and the girls are at the pub."

"You're never around the pub."

"Because I'm busy." Was he actually . . . pouting?

"I know."

Alice's lips quirked into a smile. "Go on, Eric. I'll be in class tomorrow. Tell the girls 'hi' for me."

Eric shrugged. "Fine. Catch you later."

Alice watched him go. Then she shook her head and turned back for the Veldt. Once upon a time she entertained a crush for Eric, but that was back when he didn't know she existed. For him, it was "Terra Branford this" and "Terra Branford that". Of course, then his beloved Terra Branford married the King of Figaro. It took Eric a week of moaning about how "King Edgar doesn't appreciate her" before the crush finally spluttered and died.

"Oh well. No one's perfect."

Finally reaching the area she wanted almost a half-mile outside the boundary, Alice knelt and set her pack on the ground in front of her. As she rummaged the contents she thought she heard a sound behind her, but a quick glance revealed nothing. She shrugged and continued pulling out the small containers reserved for those samples she took from different locations on the Veldt. Alice ignored a second sound and chastised herself for letting her imagination run away with her. The girls in class labeled her crazy for trekking out on the Veldt without protection. But the animals had never yet bothered her. _I'm sure they've got better things to worry about than little old me--_

A rumble and growl from behind her made her hands clutch her pack. She didn't move, not even when a loader growl reverberated through her chest and sent her heart into overdrive. Swallowing hard, Alice ever-so-slowly shifted her head to peek over her shoulder--she spun and fell back, her hands and arms pumping furiously to scurry backward from the Baskervor crouched and ready for the kill.

"Nice, kitty--doggy--" Alice swallowed hard. "Whatever you are."

Her eyes focused on the lionesque fangs peeking wickedly from the beast's mouth, blood-stained and terrifying. Baskervors were a common sighting on the Veldt. In fact, Alice thought them to be graceful, beautiful, with a melodic growl. But when the beast lowered its green-scaled head and opened its maw to growl at her, Alice changed her opinion while wishing she didn't do so from first-hand experience.

Scrambling backward yet again, Alice stammered, "Can you _please_ not eat me? I've got a paper to--"

It crouched, its hind legs tensing a fraction of a moment before it sprang. Alice screamed, throwing her arms up over her head as she waited for the pain-- _whoosh--_ to-- _hiss--_ come. . . ?

Silence.

Alice slowly lowered her arms and forced one eye to peek. She blinked. The Baskervor lay dead at her feet. She sat up. "What in the world?"

She turned her head and shrieked when her brown eyes focused on a guy about her age with wild golden-green hair, and blinked at her with animal-like eyes bright with intelligence. His muscular, bare chest showed a collection of fresh scratches and old scars, and he wore green and yellow cloth shorts.

Alice exhaled and brought a trembling hand up to her throbbing heart. "Don't sneak up on people like that."

He crouched, crossing his arms across his knees as he watched her with an unblinking gaze. "Why you here? This place no safe," he informed in a surprisingly soothing low-tenor voice.

"Gee. You think?" Alice brushed the grass and dust from her palms. "There's been no problem before. I guess I just pressed my luck too many times."

The guy tilted his head. "Locke have luck. You no Locke."

She gathered her scattered containers, only half-heartedly listening. "What on earth are you talking about?" She noticed he held a container out for her and accepted it with a quick glance toward his face. "Thank you."

He softly grunted a reply and then fell silent as he continued to watch her pick up the toppled contents of her pack. "You on Veldt much time. Why?" he finally asked.

Purposefully over-looking the fact he knew how often she trekked onto the Veldt in the first place, Alice buckled her pack closed and stood. He followed suit. "You wouldn't understand."

He stepped in front of her when she attempted to pass. "For school?"

Alice released a breath, calming her nerves as she adjusted the pack on her shoulders. "Yes. _Now_ can I go home?" Why did her heart simply refuse to settle down?

"You no friendly," he told her, handsome face tightening in a frown. "Me no help."

Alice blinked at him as he stalked passed her toward the deeper Veldt. "What do you mean? Help with what?"

Halting, he faced her. "School. It be lots work. Me help with show of Veldt. Me help . . . tell why things are."

Eagerness pushed her toward him. "You'd do that?"

His frown didn't lessen as he crossed his arms. "Why care? You no need help. You think me dumb."

"I--" Shame slapped her in the face, burning in her cheeks as she lowered her gaze. Alice cleared her throat. "I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I've been under a lot of stress lately."

"For school?"

Alice peeked at him. Confusion wrinkled his handsome face. "Well . . . yes and no."

He blinked at her for a moment before giving a shake of his head. "You say strange thing."

She laughed, holding his gold gaze. "Yes, I guess I do." The smile lingered as she adjusted her pack, watching his open expression of curiosity. She offered forward her hand. "I'm Alice."

He took her hand into a firm grasp to give it a single shake. She noticed that his gaze seemed to absorb and examine every curve and line of her face. She tried not to squirm. "Alice." He smiled, and the effect to his features would have made 'the girls' swoon. "Me Gau."

Alice blinked. "You're--" She cleared her face of the dumb-founded expression before she could make even more of an utter fool of herself and gave his hand a few additional shakes. "It is so nice to meet you, Gau." _Alice, let go_ , she scolded. She released her clutch of his hand and shifted her grip to the straps of her pack. "Would you mind showing me your Veldt?" Her breathing now matched the rapid pace of her heart.

Gau held her gaze a moment before scratching his scalp. "No. You show school first. Me learn. You learn. We trade."

Alice's eyes widened, and her heart paused for what seemed an entire second. "You want to go to school with me?"

He nodded, teeth flashing in a full smile.

"Well . . . ." But what would everyone do if she brought _the_ Gau to school? More to the point, once they had firm hold of him, would she get her tour of the Veldt? "I guess I could bring you a couple of days--"

He stepped close, his toes touching her boots. She stepped back. "No 'couple days'," he pressed. "All time. We trade: me learn, you learn."

"But you've never been to school before."

Gau lifted a single, sweat-shined shoulder in a simple shrug. "No care. Terra teach little. Edgar teach little. All friends teach what can. You teach now."

Alice tapped a rhythm on the strap of her pack, considering--she nodded. "Deal. I'll take you to school."

He grinned. "We go now."

"You certainly are eager, aren't you?" She laughed. "School's out for today, Gau. You'll have to wait until tomorrow."

"Me forget." Red dusted his cheeks, and his smile wavered. The Veldt drew a quick, serious focus before he once again met Alice's gaze. "Tomorrow fine. You go now."

"Oh, um, sure." Nothing like being dismissed. Alice shrugged it off and turned to go. "Wait--" She faced him. "How am I supposed to find you?"

Those gold eyes twinkled. "You no find. Me come. Me know when start. Me watch long time."

"Really? Huh. Then why didn't you come to class before?" The world had long since settled down, and she knew the risk of reaching their attendance limit was pretty slim.

His smile retreated to a troubled twisting of lips and brow. Alice vaguely noted that his emotions were rather clear to read. "Me not welcome."

She blinked. "What? Are you serious?"

"Teacher say me no come." He crouched, again resting arms upon knees as a single finger flicked a dried clump of dirt. "Say no place for Gau. So, me stay away."

Alice's jaw dropped. "They said--" She rubbed at her forehead, her braining thinking back to a previous teacher no one liked who King Edgar transferred somewhere else. How long ago was that? Two years? "Never mind." She tried to offer an encouraging smile. "Well, no one will tell you that now. I'll see you in class, but--" Her smile wavered as she took in his soiled hides and soil-dusted face. He wouldn't really show up looking like a wild child who would sooner eat them than learn, would he?

Gau watched her examination, his features relaxing into his full smile. "Alice, you no worry. Me no wear skin. Me wear clothes Celes pick. Me look boy, not beast." He gestured back the way she came. "Me watch for danger. You go."

"Oh. Thanks." She once again offered forward her hand. Gau stared at it a long, silent moment before accepting the clasp. Smiling, Alice gave his hand a grip and another single shake. "Thanks for saving my ungrateful butt, Gau."

He grinned.

### 2: First Days

Alice worried her lower lip as she peeked at the clock built into the side of the small brick Academy. Overgrowth nearly suffocated the poor thing, but she could still read the black hour and minute hands. _Fifteen minutes._ She changed her focus back to the Veldt.

"Hey, Alice."

Screeching, Alice's body whipped around.

Eric lurched back a step, eyes wide. " _What_?"

"Geez," she hissed. "Don't _do_ that!"

"Do what? I said 'hi'."

She shook her head, turning back to face the Veldt. "Oh never mind. Shouldn't you be heading to class? It'll be starting soon."

"Shouldn't you? You're always twenty minutes early." He stood beside her and attempted to follow her gaze onto the Veldt's brown-green wastes. "What's with you? You've been staring out there for, like, ten minutes already. What're you looking for?"

Alice scowled at him. "Now you're spying on me?"

He raised his hands. "Cool off, Alice. I didn't mean anything by it."

The frown shifted and she rubbed at her forehead. "Sorry, Eric. Nerves."

"For what? You'd think there was a test or something."

_You have no idea_. She took in a calming breath. _I guess he's not coming. Oh well._ She turned and grabbed hold of Eric's arm. "Come on. Let's get to class."

Eric smiled. "Good idea." He shot a glance over his shoulder toward the Veldt as they headed toward the school-house. "So, what were you looking for again?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"The way you're acting. . . . What did you do?"

"I told you not to worry about it."

Eric halted. So did Alice. He crossed his arms--they weren't as tone and muscular as Gau's, she noted--and didn't look away from her gaze. "You might as well tell me."

"Tell you what?" Today was not the day for him to be over-eager in his attentions. _Why couldn't this have happened when I would have sold my every possession for him to notice me?_

"The joke. Who's the victim? What should I expect?"

Alice blinked up at him. "A joke? Are you serious? You think I'm plotting a joke?" What in the world made him believe she ever had time for that?

"Why else would you be jumpier than a--"

"Gau!" Alice took a startled step backward.

Eric's face twisted moments before he shot a glance over his shoulder. He gave a strangled shout and turned, tripping over his own feet to fall onto his backside.

Dressed in a worn charcoal suit and tie, Gau looked like a prom-date. His golden-green hair was thoroughly cleaned and combed, his face washed, and his hands and nails spotless. He also wore scuffed black shoes. Tugging at the dark gray jacket, he smiled at Alice. "See? No skin. Look good."

Alice hid a smile. He looked better than his outfit, in all honesty. The suit had definitely seen better years, as it sported wrinkles and streaks of dirt where he hadn't given it enough of a rinse. But even though the cuffs of his pale shirt and the hem on his dark trousers looked a bit tattered, Alice could tell it had been a real nice suit once. _It's probably just the only one he has._

"Me ready. We go school and learn." Gau's golden eyes sparkled like the sun glinting off a fresh-water brook.

"We?" Eric struggled to his feet and brushed the dirt from his trousers. "What's it talking about, Alice?"

The feral-like smiling gaze shifted from Alice to Eric. "Me learn with them. With you. Alice and me trade knowledge. Veldt for school. Good trade."

Eric jabbed a thumb toward Gau as he shifted his incredulous green gaze to Alice. "It thinks it's going to school with us?"

Alice frowned. "Don't be a jerk-wad, Eric. He's just as old as you and me, and he has as much right to be in school as we do."

Eric's mouth dropped open, and Alice noted he continued to ignore Gau's presence. "What? It's too stup--"

She punched him in the arm with as much force as she could muster.

He yelped. "What'd you do that for?"

Alice stuck a finger in his face so fast he leaned back from her. "If you say 'it' or 'stupid' one more time, Eric. . . ."

"Look, I know your paper is really important, but this? Come on, be serious!"

"I am being serious, you idiot. Education is something I am completely serious about, or had you forgotten?" He frowned down at her, hands fisted at his sides. "If you can give me a single reason why he shouldn't attend school with the rest of us, I will take it under advisement."

Eric's jaw muscle twitched, and he pointedly ignored Gau's inquisitive scrutiny of the two. "There's a reason the teachers don't let it come to class."

Alice scoffed. "A reason which escapes you and me both, so I don't think it's worth anything. So, since you still haven't given me a good reason why Gau shouldn't be enrolled in class. . . ." She faced Gau with a sweet smile and took hold of his hand to lead him toward the brick building. "I'll introduce you to everyone."

"Wait." Gau freed his hand from her grasp and turned toward Eric. "Me Gau. What you called?"

Eric took in and held a deep breath before he risked an answer, and he intercepted Alice's warning glare before even doing that. "Eric."

"Eric." Gau performed the same intensive study of Eric's features that he'd done to Alice the day before. Then he smiled. "We be good friend. We do lots. Fish. Hunt. Me teach you Veldt. You teach me town. Good trade." Alice shot Eric a meaningful stare. Gau focused his innocent smile on her. "We be friend. You see. We go class now."

"Yes." Alice gave a firm tug on his arm to once more lead him toward the building. "Don't mind Eric, Gau. He takes a little getting used to."

Gau's smile remained firm. "Eric much like Rhinox. Grumpy when first meet, then become more happy. Take time."

Alice laughed. "You can say that again."

"Why? You no hear?"

"No. It's a figure of speech. It means that what you said is so true it's worth saying again, figuratively speaking, so not really . . . you're right. That doesn't make sense."

Gau's features twisted in concentration before relaxing into his usual smile. "Understand."

The two paused on the top step of the front porch to the Academy. Alice took in a deep breath and turned toward Gau, absently straightening his poorly knotted tie as he stared down at her with a quirky smile. "All right. Now. It's going to be rough in there, more than likely, so just be patient and take what they say with a grain of salt."

Gau's smile vanished. "Salt? Me not know bring. Me bad?"

Alice caught his gaze. "What? Oh." She reluctantly smiled. "No. It's another figure of speech. It means to--well, you know that a grain of salt is small. Right?" Gau nodded. "Right, so, that is all the attention you should give what they say."

"What if what them say be good for me learn?"

Alice opened her mouth for a reply, and then shook her head. "I've no idea. I guess you take it as it comes."

Gau's smile returned full-force. He nodded. "That Gau life."

She gave the lapels of his suit another straightening tug as she sent him a quick peek. "You ready?"

Gau vigorously nodded.

Her lips twitched upward as she turned to open the door. "Here we go," she breathed.

The door creaked open, sounding a slow and deep whine that invited every person's head to turn toward them in a wave of motion. Alice cleared her throat and kept her focus on the floor, hurrying toward her normal wooden desk at the head of the classroom. Every seat around her had an occupant, and she didn't know where the empty desks were stored. Why did she not think of this hiccup before?

Gau followed after her, though at a less harried gait, smiling and nodding to each wide-eyed and slack-jawed person as he introduced himself "Me Gau. What you called?" Then he would take in their descriptions with the same photographic gaze of earlier before moving to the next person. Pretty/plain, air-head/smart, tall/short, none of that mattered to Gau, because each person received the same amount of attention.

The wave of heads followed Gau's progress as if they belonged to one being until, finally, they focused on him as he stood beside Alice's position in the classroom, the first row. Then his attention shifted to her, those full seats surrounding her--and he crouched beside her desk with arms folded across his knees. His eyes focused on the teacher's empty desk, the smile never leaving his face.

Alice watched his expression with a slowly growing smile. _Talk about expectation and excitement!_ _He's so ready for this that he's liable to terrify the wits out of our teacher._ Alice shook her head, focusing on the notebook on her desk. She plucked at a tattered corner, her smile fading. She hated to think he hadn't come to school all these years because of something a bad teacher said. Everyone deserved a chance to learn, especially when they _wanted_ to learn.

She frowned, her twitch of finger causing a tear of her notebook corner. _I knew I didn't like that teacher, always looking down his nose at us and thinking we're stupid._ She scoffed, sending Gau an encouraging smile when he shot her a quizzical glance.

Then the door on the front right of the classroom opened. Alice straightened as the teacher entered, peeking at Gau as his detail-catching gaze zoomed in. In his late 40s, Mr. Schultz sported a rounding belly that was getting harder to fit into his dark brown pants. He also had a quick mind under his mop of peppered black hair, and a quicker wit behind his hazel-green eyes and leathery face. His white shirt showed numerous stains, but everyone knew he didn't have the money to buy new ones. They didn't really care, either. The kids liked him and his stories of life before Kefka. He made learning fun. _I wonder what Gau will think of him. After all, he's_ _lived_ _what Mr. Schultz only talks about._

"Good morning, people."

When there wasn't the expected chorus of voices in return, Mr. Schultz didn't take the time to set his scuffed brown briefcase onto the desk. Instead, he lifted his gaze to immediately notice the dozens of pairs of eyes focused on one specific point in the room. Mr. Schultz stood on tiptoes to peer over the desk. His jaw dropped.

Gau straightened his torso within his crouch, his mouth widening in his usual welcoming grin. "Morning, teacher. Me Gau. What you called?"

Mr. Schultz did more stuttering than speaking, so Alice leaned over toward Gau. "Mr. Schultz," she whispered.

Gau's eyes zeroed on hers with a speed that startled her back into her seat. "Mr. Shulz?"

Alice glanced around the room as she cleared her throat. "Almost. Schultz. There's a 't' before the 'z'."

Gau nodded brusquely before once again focusing on the teacher. "Hello, Mr. Shultz. Me called Gau."

Mr. Schultz composed himself in lieu of a fidgeting hand to his faded tie and a quick swipe of his full head of hair. "Good morning, Gau, but the proper way of introducing oneself would be 'my name is Gau.' We'll be working on pronouns today with the younger set, in fact." He gestured toward the younger members of the class. "Perhaps you should take your seat over there?"

Gau moved his sharp gaze to the variety of bright faces, standing in the same moment. "Okay."

A flutter of chatter broke out as the pairs of eyes turned in amongst friends and study-partners. When Gau moved to the group of middle graders, a large portion of the chatter faded as the eyes once again focused on the walking legend. He grinned as he sat in the absolute center of the kids. They continued to stare.

"Now." Mr. Schultz set his briefcase onto the table to begin pulling out reams of paper, tattered textbooks, and readers. None of the faces focused on him, so he cleared his throat and tapped on the desk with a corner of one of the books. A gasp echoed around the room, immediately followed by the creaks and groans of desks as the kids turned to face the teacher. "It seems we have a new student--" The door opened and Eric trudged in. "Nice of you to decide to join us. Take your seat."

Eric grumbled something unintelligible as he made his way to sit in the desk behind Carol, who happened to sit beside Alice, who happened to sit in front of two of 'the girls' from the pub, who all happened to stare at Gau. Eric slumped into the chair and crossed his arms.

Mr. Schultz turned to the chipped chalkboard. "All right, class. Let's get started."

Gau's eyes twinkled.

### 3: Heroes, Groupies, and Treks on the Veldt

Alice gathered her things as she caught sight of Gau raising his hand yet again. _Probably another mind-boggling question about something no one knows how to explain._ He had already done it so many times that Mr. Schultz hesitated before calling on him. Or didn't call on him at all. Gau never seemed to care. He would simply draw some silly little figures on his paper--they more than likely made sense to _him_ \--as he listened to the answer of the allowed question.

Mr. Schultz shook his head now with a smile. "You've exhausted my resources, young man. Come back tomorrow. I'm sure Ms. Aimes can help you."

Gau lowered his hand. "You teach many things, Mr. Shultz. Me--" His brows lowered in concentration. " _I_ thank you. Maybe I teach you?"

Mr. Schultz nodded. "Yes, you definitely have. But for now, I will see you day after tomorrow."

Grinning, Gau watched Mr. Schultz exit the building. Then he stood from where he had crouched on the floor nearly all day and gathered his newly acquired school supplies. To Alice's bemusement, almost every single person in her class shared something from their own meager supplies.

Alice shook her head before moving to stand beside Gau. 'The girls', Carol, and Eric hovered near the rear exit, so she desperately tried to reason some excuse to have Gau use the same exit as Mr. Schultz. Unfortunately, each idea sounded pretty lame. _I guess we face the mob and hope to live through the sickening euphoria._ There was always a chance. Of course, Eric would present a problem. She hadn't seen him so passive-aggressive since King Edgar stopped by with a donation of supplies soon after his marriage to Terra Branford nearly two years previous. _Now_ _that_ _was utterly pathetic._

"So? What did you think?" she asked Gau. If someone asked her to guess, she would say he thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the experience.

Gau thought intensely before speaking his answer. "I think school have little time to teach much."

Alice smiled. "Bingo."

Gau shifted his gaze down to the armload of odds and ends before once more catching her gaze. "I have much here. Need bag like you to carry."

She motioned to the side exit. He wouldn't just follow, would he? "We can stop at the store to get something."

He fell into step beside her. "When you ready for show of Veldt? I be having much work this night. Maybe tomorrow or next day?"

Alice cleared her throat. "Well, it's only that the paper is due pretty quick, otherwise I wouldn't have a problem with later in the week."

Gau nodded. "Tell what time. I come."

Alice cleared her throat again. "I could go now. I mean, after you get your bag."

"Now good. Many hours before dark."

"All right. Great." But Carol had left her group to rush upon the pair, her large hazel eyes twinkling like gems and her perfect teeth dazzling. Alice nearly groaned. "Hi," Carol greeted in her sing-song voice.

Gau returned her smile. "Hi, Carol. Alice and I go--"

"Carol," Alice interrupted, "we're going to the store to get him a bag. Did you want to come?" Gau focused those quick eyes on her. They mirrored a question. She tried to ignore him. _I won't get any work done with her tagging along._ She felt guilty for thinking it, sure, but the truth was the truth.

Carol's eyes widened. "Seriously? Of course I want to come!"

Alice focused on Eric, who still lurked in the background. "Eric, why don't you come, too?"

Eric gave a snort, of sorts, and a crooked smirk. "Sure. I love spending time at the store shopping. Maybe I'll get a new scarf?"

Alice shot him a glare, but he pointedly ignored her. Even as she followed Gau and Carol from the building, Eric simply moped along beside her. "Eric, geez, someone might think he stole your toy or something."

Eric submerged his hands deeper into his pockets. "Oh shut up."

She held him back from Gau's progress to the store with a soft grip on his arm. "Eric, for heaven sake, what's your problem?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you acting like some master pug who's had his lair stolen from under his nose?"

Instead of answering, Eric only stalked off toward his house--the armory--in the east part of town. Boys were difficult enough to understand on a regular basis, but this? Alice shook her head before continuing her march toward the store. On the furthest section north of town, rumor had it that Eric's father and the Item Shop owner suffered a falling out over something stupid when they first moved to town. So, Eric's father built his shop on one end of town while Dane, the Item Shop owner, built his on the other. Since then they mended their friendship.

Alice opened the door of the shop, but she could barely hear the ring of the bell over the chatter from 'the girls' surrounding Gau. While supposedly attempting to help him make the right fashion-conscious choice for a pack, all they succeeded in doing was confusing the poor guy. Before Alice could step up and stop the mayhem and brainless banter, Gau succeeded in getting himself backed against the cashier counter with an armful of alleged necessities he didn't need and probably didn't even know how to use.

Heaven knew Alice didn't know what most of them were.

Alice reached Ann first. Blonde and perky, Ann stood a little on the short side, but when you had perfect teeth, perfect bone structure, and skin as smooth as a baby's butt one didn't worry about height. Shooting Ann a meaningful--maybe threatening?--look, Alice noticed it didn't take the girl hardly any time at all to disappear to a far corner of the shop in search of scarves . . . or something. Who knew? Who cared?

Raquel was next in the bedlam. Dark-haired and dark-eyed like Alice, Raquel hadn't cultivated her mind. Instead, her gaze glittered with nothing but useless trivia about 'who's who' in school or on the Figaro home nation. Nice to look at according to Eric, a little 'empty upstairs' according to Alice.

Raquel faded from the store without argument.

Paytha and Lena wouldn't be so easy. Of the four, they were the most vain _and_ the surest of their own importance within the Academy's supposed social structure. Paytha stood tall and slim with violet eyes and pastel blue hair that was, of course, a perfect complement to her cream-like skin. Her good looks made Alice nauseous because Paytha never missed an opportunity to rub it in.

Lena wasn't as tall, but her thick curls of green hair and pale silver eyes always caught the attention of even the most monogamous boyfriend. In fact, it was Lena's tendency toward boyfriend-stealing that put her on Alice's 'ignore at all cost' list. Alice didn't know what Carol saw in her, and she wasn't willing to find out.

Alice came to stand beside Gau with a no-nonsense expression, her ponytail practically bristling. "Girls."

Paytha and Lena raised perfectly sculpted eyebrows as they delicately crossed thin arms. Paytha looked positively disgusted. Gau, who seemed to always want to make the best out of a bad situation, showed Alice the miscellaneous gobbledygook toppling from his arms with a smile. Aforementioned smile seemed a little uncertain Alice noted, and he didn't have _anything_ to say. After all, what _could_ he have said?

"Alice," Lena intoned, bored. "Haven't you come a little late for your new school wardrobe?"

Alice focused on keeping her tone civil. "Is that what you're calling it nowadays? I thought a wardrobe was actually supposed to have class and style." Lame, but who really cared?

Paytha gave Alice's usual sturdy Veldt-brown jeans, hiking boots, and dark green tee an arched eyebrow of disdain before casting Lena a 'she's just jealous' glance.

Rolling her eyes and muttering, "Whatever," Alice helped Gau purposefully dump all contents from arms to counter. Then she took his hand firmly in hers and led him to the display of bags similar to her own. He chose one--dark brown and forest green compared to her pale yellow and beige--under the close scrutiny of the two remaining fashion divas.

"Add it to my account, Dane. Thanks." Then Gau and Alice proceeded from the store. She didn't speak again until they headed down the east path toward home. "Those carnivores didn't hurt you, did they?"

Gau's expression danced between amusement and confusion. "They harmless. Not too much smart."

Alice halted, staring up at him slack-jawed. She laughed and pulled him forward once again. "I am _so_ glad you said that. I hoped I rescued you before they poisoned your mind, but you can never be too sure with those two. It must be a breath-weapon or something."

Confusion returned. "Poison mind? You talk in figures again?"

"Well . . . yes and no." Alice waved any questions aside. "You've got better things in life to worry about than those two--Hey. Where was Carol during all that anyway?"

"I not know. She not go into store. I no have time to ask."

"Ah yes. The mob." Gau grinned and Alice continued. "Well, anyway, now that we've got you a bag . . . say, where's your stuff?"

"Carol put in her bag on way to shop. Said would need all hands to look."

Alice's brow lowered. "And she didn't say anything before taking off?"

"Taking off?" Gau's face twisted up with concentration as he peered within for any possible meaning.

Alice smiled. "Leaving. Before leaving." Gau shook his head. Her brow furrowed. "Hm."

"You want me find?"

Alice raised an eyebrow. "You could do that?" She had a hard time not thinking of him as hound of some kind when he said things like that.

Gau made a face as if to say 'Of course' before stopping his progress toward Alice's house. Then he tilted his chin up to test the air and immediately crouched to examine the different tracks in the sandy soil. She watched the entire ritual with awed interest. Finally, he smiled and gestured toward the school.

"Carol and Eric go toward school together. Walk slow--like talking of something that take much thought."

Wrinkling her nose, Alice shifted her focus toward the school. "I wonder if it has anything to do with--" She glanced at Gau before self-consciously lowering her gaze to the ground. "Never mind."

Gau's smile didn't falter as he straightened. "You think they talk of me?"

Alice met his gaze. "What makes you say that?"

"I hear his words when he talk to you before school."

She flushed, lowering her gaze again. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry about that."

"No need for sorry. I prolly feel same if he come Veldt. This town his 'Veldt'. He protect. He good to do."

Alice shrugged. "I guess. He could try doing it without being such a jerk, though."

Gau chuckled. "He act on instinct. He no mean to be what you say. It happen. I not hurt or mad."

She glanced up at Gau with a hesitant smile. "You're amazing. Do you have _any_ enemies?"

Gau's smile melted this time, and his gaze drifted toward the school. "He dead now. No worry of him."

"Kefka?"

His gaze grabbed hers. "No speak evil," he said intensely. "Dead. Gone. No remember bad. Only see and hear good."

Alice nodded. "All right. Sure, Gau. I'm sorry."

He lifted his usual shoulder in a shrug before pointing toward the Academy. Carol and Eric made their way down the front steps, laughing. Alice watched them, lips in a thin line. When they made it to where Gau and her stood, he greeted them each with a smile.

Carol returned it with her most beguiling twinkle, presenting her bag. "Shall we separate your books and things from mine now?"

Gau looked down at his saggy, empty, and brand new pack with a laugh. "Yes. This bag too small and empty. It no look I go school."

She adjusted the bag within his hands so that the mouth hung open enough for her to deposit his things. "Don't worry. We'll fix that in a hurry." She then began separating his goodies from hers with an occasional laugh and smile when she nearly gave him something of hers. He would catch the mistake before the item could be deposited, however, and laugh along with her.

Alice watched the one-sided flirtation with an amused expression as she hid a smile behind her hand. Even Eric gave the two a smirk as he stuffed his hands into the back pockets of his brown trousers. _Carol's got her work cut out for her if she wants_ _this_ _one to notice her as anything more than a classmate. He's nice to_ _everyone_ _._ Alice couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend. What did a boy from the Veldt know about relationships?

Finally, their things were sorted and Carol was attractively devoted to what Gau said about the Veldt. Alice decided to stop the conversation before he unknowingly revealed their own planned escape from town. "Carol, Paytha and the others are waiting for you in the store. They said something about a new wardrobe."

"Really? I don't remember anything about a new fashion release. Hey, Eric. Want to come?"

He sighed before giving a shrug. "Sure. Why not."

Once the two headed toward the store, Alice released a sigh of relief and shifted her focus to Gau. "Well? Shall we go?"

He regarded her for a moment. "Why you no want Carol and Eric come?"

She flushed and cleared the guilt from her throat before turning to make her way out of town. "Well, I, uh . . . ." She sighed. "Because they would only be in the way." Alice met his gaze once he fell into step beside her. "I know it sounds horrible but, well, it's just I have so many questions for you about the Veldt." She looked away. "I didn't want any distractions."

His gaze continued to scrutinize her face. "Questions for school?" Alice nodded. "Much hard?" She nodded again. "Why go if hard?"

"I like learning. I like . . . ." Alice released a deep breath. "I don't want to just exist. I want to _live_ life. I want to help."

"'Help'?" Gau repeated. Then he examined her face for a longer moment before gesturing toward the Veldt. "That why you here much? You help Veldt?"

Alice smiled. "I'd like to. I noticed it wasn't recovering as fast as everywhere else. I'm trying to figure out why."

Gau's gaze switched their focus from her face to the Veldt. "Many times ask same question. Feel pain of home." He shook his head, lowering his sad expression to the browned grass at his feet. He stopped and crouched, picking up a loose bit of soil in a tender grip. Alice squatted down beside him as he continued. "I try much things to help. I bring fresh water. I bring new seed from forest. I bring plants from Terra's garden and try here." Gau shook his head, moving his gaze to hers. When Alice reached out her hand, he handed her the dried clump of soil and grass. "No help. Stay same."

"Hm." She brought the soil to her nose. _It smells wrong._ She wrinkled her nose as she brought her pack around and off her shoulders. Then she pulled out a container and put the soil sample into it, labeling it accordingly before putting it into the pack. Alice met his gaze. "Could you take me to one of these places?"

"Where I try help?"

Alice nodded. "I want to see it."

Gau shifted his gaze to the Veldt before regarding the sun as he adjusted his new pack on his shoulders. "Not much time for travel, Alice." He met her gaze. "You good to jog?"

She slung her pack onto her shoulders again while giving him a nod and a smile. "Lead the way."

It never failed to impress her how the Veldt was unlike any terrain Alice had ever seen before! But it didn't matter she had lived on the extreme outskirts of the Veldt for almost three years. Even the very boundary of the wildlands from her town appeared different than what she jogged through now. This was rough and wild, yet smooth and endless in its serenity--adventure waiting to happen. This was the true Veldt: Gau's home.

Alice's dark eyes couldn't take in the intensity of the expanse that was the Veldt. "It's . . . it's _gorgeous_." She met Gau's proud gaze and smiled. "I've never been out this far before. It's so different."

Gau shifted his gaze toward the horizon. "Yes. It different on inside, like me."

Alice gauged his profile. He seemed to be as profound as his homeland, simple and yet intense. A handsome, and sometimes terrifying, exterior hiding the depth and vastness of a gentle soul. Cheeks flushed, she shifted her focus to the opposite horizon. "So, where's this help you did?"

Gau motioned for her to follow two paces to the north. There he pointed at a wilted seedling with pale leaves and a hardened stem. Alice's heart fell at the sight of the poor thing. She knelt and gingerly touched a petal. It broke off accompanied by a horribly dry crackle. She winced and noticed Gau did the same.

"Like Veldt steal life from thing."

That was the best description someone could have offered. "Yes, it does look like that, doesn't it?" Alice peeked at him as he crouched beside her. His expression was pure and simple helplessness. _Poor guy. He wants to help and doesn't know what else to do._ She sighed, focusing her attention back to the plant. "Well, I better take it up."

"Take up?"

She nodded as she pulled off her bag to set it in front of her. Once she unbuckled the flap, she retrieved a little trowel and a large container and showed them to Gau. "Yeah. I want as much of the root system as possible, so that I can see if I can find out what it pulled out of the soil that killed it." His gaze shifted back to the plant. After a moment, she offered him the trowel. "You want to do it?"

Gau met her gaze. "Fine to do?"

She pushed the trowel toward him again. "Sure. Go ahead. I'll hold the container."

Taking the trowel from her, he absently bit his lip before digging around and under the plant, careful to not hit a single root. When he pulled the small plant from the ground, he used gentle movements and didn't break a single root. Alice was amazed at the tenderness and concern he showed for the plant, even though it was likely beyond saving. More than anyone she met before in her life, this "wild man" loved all life.

Gau turned toward her, gently holding out the plant as he waited for her to open the container. Then he carefully placed it inside, making sure it was properly balanced and centered. Alice measured a little water from her canteen into the container before screwing down the lid.

His feral-gold eyes met hers as he offered her a small, thankful smile.

Alice returned it as she stood. "Well, I guess that's all the time we have. Right?"

He looked up at the sky, the sun's position, and myriad other things before once again meeting her gaze. "We make good time here, so no have to jog back. Give time to answer questions."

"I appreciate that, Gau." They headed back toward Border once she carefully slipped the pack onto her back. "Is it like this everywhere?"

He gave a slow nod. "Different in Deep Veldt, but only little. Mostly same. No grow. Only slow death." Gau looked to the far horizon. "Slow death."

"I'm sure it's not that bad." She tried to offer him a reassuring smile when he glanced over at her. "Come on. You've got to try and keep your hopes up." Although she could understand how the death could weigh on him, seeing it day in and day out. How would she feel if her garden were the only place left in the world where Death seemed to vacation?

Gau's lips tilted upward in a smile. "Me grumpy like Rhinox."

"Just don't be a Baskervor," she said, laughing. "I've had enough of those to last a lifetime."

He chuckled, and to Alice it almost sounded like the purr of a large cat. "You only person from town to go so deep on Veldt. Why no feared of what be here?"

She gave a shrug. "I don't know. I've never been scared of the Veldt. It's been more like a place to have adventures." Even now she tried to recall even one moment when the terrifying stories told of the Veldt over campfires and under blankets gave her even a moment's pause. She shook her head. "I never thought of it as someplace where scary things happen. Well, at least, not to me."

"Baskervor very dangerous. Could hurt you much. You still think Veldt not full of much danger?"

"Now, don't misunderstand. I never said it wasn't dangerous. I'm just not scared of it. I guess I figured that if I left them alone, or didn't threaten their home, they'd let me be about my business." She smirked. "I must have stumbled into that particular Baskervor's territory on the worst day possible. Maybe I disrupted a tea-party or something. What do you think?"

Gau examined her face and eyes for a long moment before looking away. "Baskervor mad. Instincts twisted and dark."

"How do you know that?"

"I be tracking Baskervor long time."

Alice smiled. "Lucky for me." Gau's lips twitched upward, but this time he didn't meet her gaze. "So, are you up to coming to school tomorrow?"

This time his gaze met hers. "School no done. Right?"

"No, it's not, but, well, you suffered through quite the experience. Just wanted to make certain you didn't need to change your mind."

"You think I feared of school?"

Alice laughed. "Heavens, no! I thought the teachers might be scared of you."

"Why? Me ugly?"

Her smile vanished and she halted. So did he, and she could clearly read the seriousness in his stoic expression. "Oh my gosh, Gau. I didn't mean it like that. I was talking about all the questions you asked Mr. Schultz, or tried to anyway. That's all." His bright golden-green eyes released the confusion and twinkled. "Have people called you ugly?" How they could even believe a morsel of that description amazed her. Gau rivaled Eric in the realm of good looks.

Giving a one-shouldered shrug, Gau once again headed toward town. Alice fell into step beside him. "They say many thing, but me think it 'cause feared of what don't know."

"You're a teen who lives on the Veldt. What's to know?"

Gau's eyes shifted in a sidelong glance. "That no sound strange, Alice?"

"What?" She blinked at him. "That you live on the Veldt? Should it?" How many times did she wish that she lived on the Veldt? Too many to count. He shrugged. Alice examined his profile--a zing from her foot drew her attention. A field serpent slithered by, and she stopped to stare after it. "Oops. I think I scared it. Sorry, little fella." Gau hunkered down to look at her foot. Alice noticed and moved her focus to him. "What?"

"Lift foot."

"Huh?"

He tapped the toe of her boot. "Lift foot."

Alice gave a shrug as she did as directed, resting a hand on his shoulder for balance. So poised, Gau took her foot and rested it upon his knee before then untying her hiking boot and slipping it off.

Watching in amazement, Alice voiced "What in the world are you doing? Wouldn't I have felt it if it bit me?"

Gau didn't say anything. All he did was closely examine her shoe, touching it here and there for something. She could only guess that he looked for bite marks. Next, he took off her sock and examined her foot.

"I'm glad my feet don't stink."

Alice thought she heard the slight purr of his chuckle, but he didn't move his gaze to hers so she couldn't say for sure. Finally, he slipped her sock back onto her foot, put her shoe on, and tied it just as comfortably as before. Then he set her foot on the ground and straightened, setting out for her home as if nothing happened. Alice stared after him a moment before hurrying to catch up.

"What was that all about?"
"No feel bite of that snake."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "Just don't."

She examined his profile. "How would you know that . . . unless you were bitten by it before!"

Gau nodded. "Was much sick for days."

"Oh," she said in a quiet voice. Alice cast him another sidelong glance, but he still stared straight ahead. "Thanks."

"You welcome."

"Hey, Gau." She stopped. So did he. "Do you think you could take me out a little deeper tomorrow?" At his obvious reluctance, Alice altered her request to "Even if you just show me the other place where you've tried to help the Veldt."

Gau lowered his gaze to the ground at his feet as he mulled the idea over. "Bring others?"

Alice hesitated this time. "Um . . . well . . . ." Why would she want to bring anyone else? They wouldn't understand--nor care--about the Deep Veldt. At least, not like the two of them did. Could she even imagine Carol roughing it in the Deep Veldt? It nearly made her scoff simply thinking about the prospect!

Raising his gaze, Gau pressed "Better if go on Veldt with more than two. Safety in numbers. Always so."

"Not yet. After we get some more samples cataloguing the stuff you've done. All right?" He gave a nod, and Alice only just kept herself from releasing a relieved sigh.

"What you smell, Alice?"

She met his gaze. "I'm sorry, what?"

"The Veldt. Before. You make strange face when smell. Why?"

"Oh. That."

She stopped, slipping her pack off to unbuckle it and take out the small container. Once she set her pack on the ground, she unscrewed the lid so he could smell the soil within. His nostrils flared slightly before he raised inquisitive eyes to hers.

"Smells kind of stale, doesn't it? Almost has a bit of an acidic burn, yeah?" He gave a brief and slow nod as she sealed the soil back up again. "Healthy soil should have a definite smell of damp. Right? There should probably be somewhat of a moldy smell, too, because of the bacteria and nutrients that feed the plants."

Alice picked up her pack, putting the container back inside before slinging it back over her shoulders. When her eyes focused on his face, she noticed he intensely examined her. She smiled. "Oh please. I bet you already figured that out."

"Yes, but I no meet one other who do. You explain good what wrong."

Chuckling, Alice started again toward town. "Thanks. I try." Her stomach chose that time to growl. "Oh boy. I'm afraid that was me."

Gau grinned. "You make sound big enough to scare Doom Gaze away. Why you no bring food to eat?"

Alice laughed. "I forgot. All I could think about was getting out here."

"We be hour from town," Gau observed, smirking. "Wait that long? Or begin eating samples we take?" Her stomach grumbled again, so Gau didn't give her a chance to answer. "I get something. You wait here."

Alice sat as he loped off. She pulled out a little memo pad and pencil. She could hardly wait until tomorrow. _I hope he takes me where he took the water. I would so love to see the reaction. If there is a higher level of acid than there should be . . . I wonder what I'll find?_ She chewed the tip of her pencil. But what would be causing a high acid content? Some type of balance was completely askew, and she couldn't wrap her mind around it at the moment.

Gau suddenly squatted beside her, presenting her with a handful of jerked meat. She stared down at the strips and pieces, utterly flabbergasted. "How in the world could you have gotten these already?"

He sat, crossing his legs as he popped a smaller piece of jerky into his mouth. "I travel all Veldt. Never know when or where be. So bury food in many places."

"Oh. That makes sense." She bit off a piece and gasped. "Heavens! This is so yummy. You should sell it at the Item Shop." He shrugged, eyes twinkling as he gazed off at the distant horizon. "I'm serious, Gau," she pressed. "This is great stuff. _I'd_ buy it, and even pester you for the recipe."

He looked over at her. "No need buy. I give when want."

"But it must have taken you a long time to do." She swallowed her mouthful of the luscious jerky. "I can't just take it!"

"Why not? Have plenty. Make much all time. You need, you take."

"But--"

He stood with a slight smile. "We go. Time go fast, and me still have much work do before sleep."

"But--"

"Alice." Gau met her gaze, offering a hand to help her stand. He pulled her to her feet, his grip warm and firm. "Alice, giving food is least can do for pay of help with Veldt. You take."

And when he held her gaze with that intense expression, the seriousness set her back on her heels. How could she refuse when, seemingly, he believed his jerky was the only thing he had to give her as suitable payment. She nodded. "Sure, Gau. Of course."

He smiled, relief softening the expression in his eyes as he inclined his head in a single nod of thanks.

### 4: Thoughts of the Veldt

"So. Where'd you disappear to yesterday?"

Alice focused on Carol, finally noticing how she and Eric regarded Alice with suspicion. "Huh? Yesterday? I was on the Veldt." Alice changed her focus back to the task of loading her things into her pack, once in a while shooting Gau a glance as he spoke with the kids around him. "I always go to the Veldt after school. You know that."

"Yes, but this time you went with Gau and didn't invite _me_." Carol's melodic tone sounded heavy with hurt. In fact, her expression confessed that she felt actually insulted by the slight.

Alice sighed as she buckled her pack closed. "Nothing exciting happened, Carol. He's just answering some questions about the Veldt and showing me around a bit. Nothing major." Would Carol have been so eager to trek onto the Veldt if Alice had told her the story of the Baskervor?

Carol's arms dropped swiftly to her sides. "Are you serious? You're on the Veldt for who-knows-how-many hours with a hero who happens to be drop-dead gorgeous and that's 'nothing major'?"

Alice rolled her eyes as she slipped her pack onto her shoulders. She brought dinner this time. "Look," she began as she turned toward Carol, "I'm sorry you're insulted, but we're just doing research. It's boring. You know it is."

Before Carol could retort, Ms. Aimes called her over. So, instead, Carol shot Alice a look of death and daggers before making her way to the teacher's desk. Ms. Aimes was a pleasant enough sort. A little on the strict side, but it wasn't too bad.

Alice sighed and moved her gaze to meet Eric's. He didn't say anything. He only turned to leave the building. Alice sighed again. She hadn't meant to hurt their feelings.

"Alice?" Gau came to stand beside her. "You good?"

She faced him and forced a smile. "Yep. Ready to go?"

He nodded and followed her from the building to the main--and only--street out of town. "Carol and Eric no look happy, Alice."

"I know. They must think we're just playing around. I tried to tell them we're doing work." Alice shrugged. "They'll get over it."

"You sure we no bring with us?"

Alice glanced at him, but he continued to stare out toward the Veldt. "Tomorrow. Please? You don't know them like I do." How would she explain to someone like Gau how she felt more like herself when alone on the Veldt? Whenever Carol, Eric, or any of her other classmates ventured out with her, she felt like a door was shut. No one ever really understood what she did. They didn't seem to care, either. "I won't get a bit of work done if they're here."

"That no matter, Alice. They friend. You spend time with them. Like family."

She gripped the straps of her pack. Her mom had said the same thing on multiple occasions. "Tomorrow, Gau. If you can show me the places where you took the seeds and the water today, we can bring them tomorrow. Good enough?"

"Tomorrow last day of school for week. Right?"

"Yeah." Alice peeked over at him as they exited town. "Why?"

"No school next day."

"Yeah," she agreed again, slowly.

"Have camp out."

She halted, blinking at him. "What?"

Gau met her gaze. "Be much fun. Hike all 'round Veldt. Tell stories. Laugh. See sunset. Sunset best part of Veldt color. Look like Relm's paintbrush fall against sky."

A camp out on the Veldt. With the one person who understood all its secrets. She would be free to wander, ask questions, observe and enjoy the wildland from sundown to sunup. "Sure. That sounds like fun." It sounded absolutely glorious.

"Eric and me fish and hunt. Become friends."

Alice laughed. "Well, don't hold your breath on that one."

Gau's features twisted in confusion, but this time he didn't ask. He simply looked away again. "Alice, was plant too sick?"

"Plant? Oh. Plant. Right." She worried her lower lip and absently kicked at a stray pebble. "It's too soon to tell, Gau. My mom and I repotted it after I got a sample, so we'll have to wait and see."

"If get better . . . you think Veldt get better, too?"

Her throat tightened. "I certainly hope so, and I plan to do my best to make it happen." The desire dogged her every step onto the Veldt for the last three years.

"Me, too."

"Good." She peeked at him, her lips teased with a smile. "I could use the help--ah!" Alice fell forward with a frightened squeak, scuffing her palms and knees on a few pebbles before Gau could catch her under the arm. Turning to sit on her butt, she blinked at the ravaged prairie-rat hole and then examined her palms. There were a few scratches, but nothing bloody. She slapped her hands together a few times as Gau crouched near her right foot. "Well, now I feel about as graceful as an I-don't-know-what," she admitted with a reluctant smile.

Lowering his concerned gaze to her foot, Gau felt and probed her ankle with gentle motions of his fingertips, occasionally glancing to her face to watch her reaction. Then he picked up her foot and slowly rotated it, first one way and then the other.

Alice smiled. "It feels fine. Doesn't hurt at all."

Gau's features relaxed as he set her foot down and straightened to help her to her feet. She tested her right foot before completely standing on her own power.

Alice released a fast breath, relief making her laugh. "Thank goodness. It was such a tumble that I felt _sure_ I twisted something."

"Your boots do good in keeping foot way should be. No let get twisted."

Alice dropped her gaze to her well-worn boots. "Thank you, gents," she told them. "I knew there was a good reason I saved for three months to buy you guys."

Gau chuckled. "You much funny. Talk to shoes. Talk to Baskervor." He gave a slight shake of his head as he continued onto the Veldt.

"I'm sorry. You thought I was normal? Poor thing. I had you completely taken in." She noticed his odd glance and gave his arm a nudge with her elbow. "I'm giving you a hard time, Gau. Just joking?"

"Me know."

She arched an eyebrow. "Then what's with the funny face?"

He shrugged and looked away. "Not know."

"Oh." She regarded him a moment more before giving a shrug and asking "You're taking me to the water or the seeds today?"

"Place with water be too close to Deep Veldt. Not go. We go where me plant seeds."

"Oh. When did you plant them?"

"Many months ago."

"And you've kept them watered and protected?"

Gau nodded. "Protect with leaves and things from Veldt."

"How often did you water them?"

"When soil too dry. I keep damp."

"Hm. Sounds like everything should be perfect." She peeked at him. His features were taut, his brows furrowed. "But no sprouts came up?"

Gau shook his head, moving his gaze to the ground at their feet. "No life come."

Alice rested a hand on his arm. "Gau, I'm sure we'll find something to help."

"Me afraid may take too long."

A fear she could completely understand. One she had herself. "The Veldt's lasted this long. I'm sure it will hold on a little longer." And it was the same assurance she told herself every day, week, and month.

He smiled briefly before halting in front of a patch of mulch. Alice stared at it for a long moment, lowering her hand from his arm as she hoped and wished something positive would be found. Then she knelt and removed her pack from her shoulders, setting it aside before gently exploring the seeds' protective shield from heat and cold alike.

"That's so weird. It doesn't even seem like the stuff is decomposing," she mumbled. Gau knelt beside her, intensely watching her actions. "Do you remember where you planted them?"

He nodded and reached out to brush away the debris. Alice rifled through her pack and handed him the trowel. "Can you get me the seeds and the mulch that's on them?"

He nodded again, turning to perform the retraction with as much care as a surgeon. She carefully re-sealed the container. "Don't worry, little ones," she whispered to the seeds as she stood, "we'll get you grown. You just wait." Gau watched her without a word. "Right." She bent to grab her pack, set the seeds inside, and slung it onto her back as she straightened. She caught his gaze and offered him a reassuring smile. "Don't _you_ worry either. We'll figure it out."

He stood with a nod and smile and then escorted her back to town.

### 5: Beach Bunnies & Flower Fields

Alice packed up her things, all the while wishing she hadn't agreed to invite Carol and Eric to the Veldt. In all honesty, she had hoped to persuade Gau to take her deeper into the wildlands. _Oh well. Last time I asked he said it was best to go in a group. Besides, if I don't take them, they'll never speak to me again._

Gau came up beside her. "How much time need for ready?"

Alice felt Carol's icy glare. "I haven't asked them yet. A couple hours, maybe? Is that too late?"

Gau leaned to the side to catch Carol's gaze. "Hi, Carol. Alice and me go Veldt for camp. You come?"

Alice rolled her eyes and just restrained a moan. No turning back now.

"Are you serious?" Carol leapt to her feet. "Sure!"

Eric sauntered over to the group. "What's all the commotion?"

"We go to Veldt for camp out," Gau told him, smiling. "Have much fun. You come?"

Alice cast Eric a sidelong glance from under her lashes. He looked less than thrilled.

"Sure. Why not."

"We still need to ask our parents." Alice shot a meaningful look toward Carol.

When Gau sent her a concerned glance, Carol waved a graceful dismissal of Alice's reminder. "Oh, you don't need to worry about _that_. Alice and my parents are so used to us asking to go to the Veldt, they don't even know why we ask anymore."

Gau's gaze twinkled with relief. "Good. I meet at entrance to town. You go for change of clothes and bag to keep warm."

"What about food?" Alice knew beyond a shadow of a doubt Eric and Carol would sooner starve than eat the camping rations she would think to bring.

" _I_ get food for all, Alice. I and Eric. We fish. We hunt. No worry for what eat." The proud gleam to Gau's eyes made Alice smile. He was such a boy.

Carol clapped her hands. "Sounds fun!"

Alice grabbed Carol's arm and pulled her out of the school-house and toward home. "Carol, for heaven sake, throw yourself a little harder at him and he'll fall over."

"What 'throw myself at him'? I'm just being myself."

"That's the problem." Carol protested, which Alice ignored. "Let's just get our stuff and get out there before Eric and Gau kill each other."

Carol scoffed. "Oh, Eric's just having a little attitude problem. Gau can handle it. Besides, he's so sweet that Eric won't be able to hate him for long."

Alice examined her friend's profile. "Who's sweet? Gau or Eric?"

Carol's smile twitched slightly. "Both."

Alice arched an eyebrow.

~@~

Needless to say, the Veldt enraptured Carol. She "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed at the appropriate times, caressing Gau's ego--if he had one--with melodious laughter and gleaming glances at all his anecdotes. Now, much to Alice's surprise, Carol encircled Gau's arm with both of hers as she followed his gaze to the horizon of the Veldt, beautiful in her awed wonder.

"Thank you for bringing me, Gau," she cooed. "I wish I could see the sunset here every day."

Gau's ears tinged slightly pink, but his smile remained easy and proud. Alice cleared her throat as she sent Eric a quick glance. He watched Carol with a smirk. Alice frowned and looked away again. "So, are we almost to the center of the Veldt?"

He zeroed in on her face, serious expression returned. "No go Deep Veldt. Much danger for you--"

"But I need to go, for my paper."

Gau shifted his entire body to face her, as if the action would impress upon her the importance of what he said. "You need do as I say, Alice. Many beasts in center of Veldt. Many monsters I no can protect all from. I no bring you in danger. We be friends."

"But, Gau, I need to go to the deepest part of the Veldt or my research is only half done." Disappointment and panic made her heart thud and her chest tighten. How could he do this to her?

Gau set his jaw and shook his head. "This as far as I take. Research in center of Veldt too much dangerous to be worth trouble. This Veldt be good for what need."

Alice pressed her lips together to keep from arguing. She would simply try again later. She pushed out a fast breath. "All right."

Eric shook his head. "Geez, Alice. Not getting to the absolute center of the Veldt isn't going to keep that from happening. You've got a damn good paper written."

Alice blinked over at him.

Eric ran a hand through his hair. When his eyes met hers, his expression was honest and open. "This is your last year here. The last year you'll see all of us before moving to Figaro. Hell! The year's almost over and I've barely seen you outside the classroom. Don't you want to have _any_ fun?"

She looked away. "There'll be time for that later." How much longer would the Veldt be able to hold on? She couldn't risk "fun."

"Oh yeah? When? Over the summer you'll probably be moving, and then you'll want to be settled before school starts up again--" Eric sighed. "Fine. Do whatever you want."

Alice shot Eric a frown, noticing Gau's prolonged stare off into the distance. When had she ever noticed him so distracted? Carol and Alice exchanged quizzical glances.

"Gau?" Carol asked hesitantly.

Silence. They looked toward each other again, this time Eric joining them with a "What's wrong with him?" muttered under his breath.

"G--"

He gestured for quiet.

Alice tried to swallow the sudden knot of fear. Even Eric felt the sudden intensity. Jaw clenched, he stepped closer to her and Carol. When Gau took a cautious step backward, the trio did too.

"We no camp now. I take home." He turned, urging them back toward town with sweeping motions of his arms. "Now."

"Gau, what's the matter?" Alice whispered.

"No questions. Go." He hurried them along while casting occasional backward glances to an unknown danger.

"I'm scared." Carol's voice cracked.

Gau rested a hand briefly on her shoulder. "No be scared. I here to protect. You be safe. I promise."

But the fact he seemed even a little worried made Alice more than uneasy. In all honesty, and for the first time in her life, she was terrified. Eric held back, and Alice could hear him speaking with Gau in a low voice. When Eric hurried to walk beside the two girls once more, his features were tight and his cheeks pale. It must have been the first time Alice saw him more determined than anything, and she didn't know whether to take it as a bad sign or a good one.

Suddenly, Gau urged them to the south. "We no make town. We go safe place." He pointed far in the distance. "See black thing? Caves there. More safer."

The trio said nothing. They only quickened their step to a jog, all the while wishing the cave would get closer faster. As the cave began to look more life-scale, Alice believed she heard an unfamiliar animal-like sound behind her. When she would have turned to look, Gau uttered a sharp reprimand and urged them forward faster. Then they plunged into the dark depths of the cave and crouched together in the corner.

"Where's Gau?" Alice asked in a hushed whisper.

"Damn! He's still out there!" Eric moved to stand, but Carol grabbed his arm. He glared at her. "Carol, I can't just leave him out there by himself."

Carol shook her head, hazel eyes wide with terror. "If you go out there you'll die! Don't you leave us alone in here!"

Eric shot another look toward the dim entrance of the cave before huddling between the girls. He wrapped his arms around them and drew them close. "Fine. We wait."

The ear-shattering wail sounded again. Alice had never heard it before. She turned into Eric's shoulder to clutch his shirt, squeezing her eyes closed so tight that tears escaped the corners. Alice even felt Eric flinch. The shriek sounded again, and she recoiled. _I hope he's okay. Please let him be okay ._ . . . Eric rested his chin against the top of her head, and Alice heard Carol begin to softly cry.

~@~

Alice woke to the feel of an unfamiliar shoulder. She sat up, and her eyes focused on the welcome sight of Gau. She threw her arms around his neck with an exclamation of "You're all right!" as she hugged him tight.

"What?" Gau asked when she pulled back again. "You think me die? Me not done with school."

Cheeks flushed, Alice lowered her gaze to the duty of straightening her wrinkled shirt. "Sorry. I . . . I just . . . ." She cleared her throat and shot a glance toward Carol at her left. Carol shook her head, chuckling the entire time. "Oh shut up."

Gau stood. He'd changed from his school suit to a pair of simple hide trousers and was now both bare-chested and barefoot. "Almost mid-night. We stay here, or I take home. You choose. Beast no more bother, but I get if you no want camp."

Alice shifted her gaze to Eric, who intensely focused on stoking the fire. "Eric? What do you think?"

He didn't look up. "It's up to you."

She looked over at Carol, who examined her nails. "Carol?"

"Whatever you want to do."

While completely unprepared for their indifference, Alice couldn't help but feel relieved. "If you don't mind staying here, I could ask some questions about the deeper Veldt."

Gau nodded. "We stay." He gestured toward the front portion of the cave. "I take first watch. Carol and Eric, you eat and sleep while I talk with Alice."

They nodded, Carol gathering herself beside Eric by the fire. Alice followed Gau from the main cavern to the Veldt. The night sounds grew in volume until they were a chorus of animals she always heard and never saw. Gau copied several of the calls, speaking some form of answer to their inquiry, and then shifted those golden-green cat-like eyes to her.

She looked away. "So, what was it?"

"You no worry of that. Speak questions of Veldt." He scrambled up onto a large boulder, or rather he crouched, and rested his arms across his knees. "I tell all I know. More if can. You ask."

Alice cleared her throat. "Right." She looked around for a similar boulder but didn't find one. When Gau leaped off and offered her his spot, she flushed and quickly climbed up. "Exactly where on the Veldt _do_ you live? Do you have a house somewhere? A tent? Anything like that?"

"This important for paper?"

She shook her head. "No. Just curious."

Gau stared out onto the Veldt. "When rain or cold I seek shelter same as you or animals on Veldt. When sun shine, or if cold not so bad, I sleep under stars with no fear. Sometime friend keep company and we share warmth."

A million different possible pictures flared in Alice's mind. She flushed and frowned down at her nails. "A friend? Like Lena or Carol?" Gau laughed. Alice blinked over at him. "What?"

"You say very funny thing."

"Huh? Why?" She liked the look of his face and eyes when he smiled.

"No human from town be friend 'til you. I talk of Lobo or other with thick fur that give warmth."

"Oh. Yeah. I guess that's right." Alice cleared her throat and carefully tucked her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs, tilting her head back to stare up at the night sky and the stars that twinkled and laughed at their myriad of secrets. Alice sighed and closed her eyes.

"What be big trouble, Alice?"

She sighed again. "Oh, nothing. Your Veldt just makes me think of stuff other than school."

There was a faint rustle as he leaned against the boulder. "You no like think of these things?"

Alice's lips quirked in a smile, and she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. His eyes had widened, twinkling with curiosity and mild confusion. "Not particularly. My life's complicated enough as it is."

"Maybe your life be more easy if you think of these things. Then no can build and be like wildfire."

Her smile broadened, and she chuckled as she looked away. "Yeah. Wouldn't that be nice."

Gau remained silent for a long time before leaping up onto the boulder to sit beside her. Alice blinked at him, but he only grinned as he made himself comfortable. Once he shifted his focus to the stars above, Alice continued to examine his profile. It was a nice profile--Carol was right about the drop-dead-gorgeous part--with a nice and honest expression. He didn't put on an act like Eric and the other guys. _Gau is Gau. He doesn't act any other way than how he is._ The guys could learn a lot from his example.

She smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners before she followed his gaze. "I'm glad I met you, Gau."

"I glad I meet you, Alice. I be curious of life in town long time, but not know how ask. When you start come to Veldt I think maybe I come ask you help. I think long time."

"Then I needed your help and you couldn't wait any longer."

Gau nodded. "At least you no think I beast like others."

Alice chuckled. "Don't give me too much credit. I was a snot when we first met, remember?"

"Snot?"

She shook her head. "Never mind." He continued to regard her, the intensity of his examination giving her goosebumps. She met his gaze. "What?"

His feral gaze didn't shift away. "I curious."

"About what?"

"Why you no with Eric?"

Alice cheeks burned as her gaze retreated. "What are you talking about?"

"Eric like you much. Want protect and angry when no can. Angry, too, that I--"

"Don't be silly." She cleared her throat. "Eric just wants to be the only big shot in town. You're instantly popular because of who you are. He doesn't like that."

Gau watched her face. "Maybe is what you say, but not all."

"He likes Carol."

Gau nodded. "I see this. But different."

Alice blinked at him. "Different? What do you mean? What's different?"

"He different when with Carol. No try . . . no act big or strong."

"What?"

He smiled, and he actually seemed to laugh at her. "You like Terra and Edgar. No see what plain." He leaped from the boulder. "I go out a way and make safe. You go inside cave to sleep."

Alice watched his lithe form as he faded into the shadows. Then, when all she could see was a hint of the Veldt beyond, she lowered her focus to her knees. _He certainly has strange ideas about things, doesn't he? Eric and I are just friends. Sure, Carol thinks the same way, but . . . if he liked me he would say something. Besides, I'm moving to Figaro, and the last thing I need is a long-distance relationship._

"Get any work done?"

Alice gasped, a sharp glance over her shoulder revealing Eric leaning against the wall of the cave entrance. "Eric, geez! Find another hobby besides scaring me to death." He came to stand beside the boulder, staring out onto the blackened Veldt. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Needed a break from Carol?"

He crossed his arms and leaned a shoulder against the boulder. "She's asleep again. Poor girl. She's not used to this kind of excitement."

Nodding, Alice leaned back onto her elbows to stare up at the stars. "Yeah. She only wanted to impress Gau. She doesn't get it that he's clueless."

"He's not so clueless," Eric mumbled.

Alice turned her head. "What?"

"Nothing."

An eyebrow twitched, but she shrugged it aside and stared back up at the stars. "It's beautiful out here. I can see why he would rather sleep in the open than in a tent or hut. I'd stay here too, if I'd grown up on the Veldt."

"Maybe now you will."

She met Eric's gaze. "Why do you say that?"

He stared off into the night a moment before shaking his head with a muttered "Never mind," and straightening to go back inside. "You should think about coming in and getting some sleep."

"I think I'll sleep out here. Thanks anyway."

"Fine."

_Well what in the . . ._ but then the night sounds of the Veldt began their soft chorus, drawing her focus and her attention. So Alice closed her eyes, absorbing the peaceful music with a content sigh.

~@~

"Why you no inside with others?"

"Hm?" Alice sat up slowly, mind ever so gradually returning from the dream of riding a white dragon across the Veldt. She looked down at Gau with a sleepy expression, noticing his somewhat annoyed expression. "Oh I'm sorry. I guess I fell asleep."

"No safe here by self," he pressed, motioning toward the cave. "You to be in with others."

"But, Gau--"

"It's not so bad," Eric told Gau as he emerged from the shadows. "I kept my eye on her."

Gau's annoyed expression remained. "It good you watch, but I tell her thing to do for own good." His stern gaze returned and sent her heart thudding into her throat. "If you no follow order, then I no take to Veldt. Too dangerous. You decide. One more chance." Then Gau stepped past into the caves.

Alice carefully scrambled from the boulder. "Thanks for covering for me."

Eric watched her as she dusted little bits of boulder dust from her trousers. "Who said I was?"

Alice looked up. "What?"

"I said--"

"I heard what you said." Alice frowned, hands going to her hips. "What's going on, Eric?"

He sent her a glance. "Nothing."

"Right. We've been friends too long for me to believe that." She examined his face. "Did I do something to piss you off? Did I _not_ do something that I said I would? What? What do you want from me?"

Eric faced her and stepped closer. "Some attention would be great."

Alice's jaw gaped, arms dropping to her sides. "What?"

"First, it was the Veldt and your paper. Then it was the Veldt and your entry-essay into Figaro Academy. Now it's the Veldt, _Gau_ , and your entry-essay into the Figaro Academy." He moved closer. A frown tightened his face. "I hoped to have a shot at you before you left. Now--" Eric shrugged. "Oh well. I guess I can't fight the Veldt. It's not human. Neither is he. Not really. He's more legend than anything."

"What are you talking about?" Alice insisted. Eric's green eyes met her brown ones. "We're friends, Eric. You don't have to fight Gau or the Veldt for anything, especially not for my attention."

He snorted, or very nearly. "Yeah. Right."

"Don't you 'Yeah. Right' me Eric Trugate."

"Then what am I supposed to do, Alice?" Eric turned his entire body toward her. "Strip and live on the Veldt like him for 15 years?"

"Of course not! What's gotten into you?"

"I care about you, Alice, but all you ever think about are the damn plants and wildlife on the Veldt!" Alice's jaw dropped. Eric threw up his hands. "Oh this is great. You didn't even notice!" Alice's jaw worked. Turning away, Eric mumbled "Forget it. Move to Figaro and have a great life. I hope you finally find what you want."

Alice gaped after him until he disappeared into the dark recesses of the cave. Then she cleared her throat and turned from the entrance of the cave to stare out at the dark and silent Veldt.

~@~

Alice sat up as another melodious bout of laughter sounded from beyond the entrance of the cave. The recognized purr of Gau's chuckle immediately followed. Wrinkling her nose, Alice gave a stretch as she looked around the cave. Eric leaned against the cave entrance while staring out at something on the Veldt. She felt bad. Eric was a great guy and a real kick to be around, and the last thing she wanted was to hurt his feelings--again. _I just haven't thought much about him and me. It never really came up again. There was always something or someone else needing my attention._ Alice sighed, drawing Eric's gaze.

"We were wondering when you were going to wake up," he said simply. "Gau wants to take us swimming. Hurry up." Then he left the cave.

Guilt accosted Alice, making her bite her lower lip. "I'm sorry, Eric," she muttered. "I didn't mean to be dense." She pulled herself from her sleeping bag and grabbed her pack.

When another laugh sounded Carol, Alice winced and rolled her eyes. Slinging her pack over her shoulder, she headed out into the morning sunshine to find Gau and Carol perched on the same boulder from the night before. Eric leaned against it, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

"What in the world is so funny?"

Gau shot a glance over his shoulder and promptly leaped down from the boulder. He wore another pair of hide trousers and still no shirt. "Morning, Alice. Why you sleep so long?

"Oh, I don't know. Because I was tired? What with getting chased by man-eating monsters and things like that. It has a tendency of wearing a person out." _And Eric's not really talking to me, and I'll never be able to laugh like Carol . . . ._

Gau's handsome face twisted with uncertainty and confusion to amusement and then back again. "You joke with Gau? Or you angry?"

Alice's guilt bit her in the butt even harder than earlier. "Sorry. I'm not a morning person. A swim would probably perk me right up."

Gau gave a brief nod. Then he turned to gesture to Carol and Eric. "Come. Let's go swim. Eat fish and eggs for breakfast."

Carol squealed with delight, waving her hands for help down from the boulder. Gau and Eric, of course, were quick to oblige. Alice raised an eyebrow. _I never understood that whole helpless-female routine. She's got it down pat, though._

So, the group headed to the west, Alice noticing that Eric and Carol quickened their pace to head up the front. She submerged her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans. _He's not even giving me a chance to say 'I'm sorry'._ So the guilt for being dense quickly made way for irritation as she grumbled under her breath about stubborn boys and their infantile behaviors.

"Alice, why you grumble like grumpy Rhinox?"

She met Gau's concerned/amused expression and sheepishly smiled. "Sorry. I've got a lot on my mind."

"I see this. Tell so I help."

She flushed. "It's nothing. Forget it." It was embarrassing to admit Gau understood more about crushes and who liked who.

Gau chuckled. "I no can forget when plain on both faces."

Her gaze met his. "What?"

"I no tell. You know."

Alice shifted her gaze to Eric and Carol several paces ahead. "I really hurt his feelings last night, Gau."

"I see truth in face when he come back. Why you do this thing, Alice?"

"I didn't mean to." And she felt lower than forest slime.

"How you make better?"

Adjusting her fists in her pockets, Alice sighed. "I've no idea."

"If heart sorry, you tell him this thing. No think too long of what to say. Too many words make more trouble. Speak clear and little, but from heart."

But something told her Eric wasn't ready to hear anything from her just yet.

"Why so glum?"

Alice raised her gaze to Carol's. Gau now walked beside Eric. Alice blinked her focus back to the ground. "Nothing."

"Have anything to do with Eric?" Alice shrugged. "Didn't I tell you he liked you? Maybe next time you'll believe me."

Alice grimaced. "Maybe."

Carol giggled and gave her a little shove. "Don't worry about it, Alice. Eric will be fine. He's just got a case of hurt pride. Don't you remember what you felt when all he could see was Terra Branford?"

Alice remembered the misery all too well. "Yeah."

"Give him a couple hours and then try talking to him." Then she gave Alice another friendly nudge and hurried to walk beside Gau.

Alice sighed deep. _Man. I hate it when she's right_ \-- There sounded a sudden squeal, causing Alice to look up to see Carol and Gau standing together on a slight rise. Carol looked absolutely beside herself with joy. _I wonder what it is_ _this_ _time?_ It was the most beautiful beach Alice had seen.

"Oh, Gau," Carol cooed, "it's absolutely dreamy!"

Alice rolled her eyes. Eric snickered.

"Come here all time with friends before evil gone." Alice noticed he didn't say 'Kefka'. Gau peered over Carol's head to Alice and Eric. "Have many good memory here. Of friends. Make more, so have much more memory to make here."

Carol sniffled. Alice shifted her focus to the rocky beach. Eric dropped his pack and started stripping out of his shoes and down to his swimming trunks.

"Eric, you no swim."

Eric shot Gau a wide-eyed stare. "What? How come?"

Gau smirked. "We go for breakfast. Swim when they cook."

Eric glowered as he put his shoes and trousers back on. "Man, this bites." But he followed after Gau just the same.

Carol and Alice headed down to the beach. "Can you believe this? We're stepping on the same beach as Cyan of Doma. King Edgar of Figaro and his brother Sabin. Terra Branford. Locke Cole. General Celes Chere." Carol released a melodramatic sigh. "I think I've died and gone to heaven."

"Heavens, Carol." Alice handed her a towel to hold up while she changed into her one-piece black swimsuit. "You've been reading those short-story romances again, haven't you?"

Carol blushed and moved her gaze from Alice's accusing face to the water as it beat upon the shore. "I can't help it if I love happy endings and marriages between damsels and the heroes who rescue them."

Alice adjusted the straps of her swimsuit before holding the towel so Carol could change. "But you're setting yourself up for a fall, Carol. Girls like us never get the knight on the white horse. We get the Eric's and Dane's, and we live in small towns running Inns and Item Shops."

"What's wrong with that? Eric's a hero, of sorts. He just hasn't had an opportunity to show it yet."

Alice reluctantly conceded the point. "He won't, either. Not in our town. Nothing ever happens in Border."

Carol took the towel down to reveal her somewhat modest but all-revealing two-piece emerald green bikini. Alice wrinkled her nose as she looked away. _Nobody else fills out a swimsuit like Carol._

"Alice, don't be such a stick in the mud. There's plenty of opportunities for heroic deeds in our home town. Just not on a grand scale like in the books."

"Fine. Fine. Whatever. Let's set up the blanket and take a dip before the boys get back and demand we cook and clean."

Carol's expression showed concern as they cleared a beach section of driftwood and pointy pebbles. Once they finished, her expression had darkened to near panic. "They won't _really_ make us cook breakfast, will they?"

Alice groaned while handing Carol one end of the blanket. "Let me guess: you can't boil water."

"Oh, I can boil water and make toast, or simple things like that, but . . . ." Carol's eyes glistened with tears. "I don't want to make a fool of myself, Alice."

Alice sent her a reassuring smile, draping an arm around her shoulders as she led her toward the water's edge. "Don't worry, Carol. I'll do the difficult stuff. I've been on a million camp-outs with my folks. I'll have you do the easy stuff. All right?"

Carol beamed and her hazel eyes twinkled. "Oh Alice, thank you."

"Sure, sure. Now let's get soaked."

They ran for the water with squeals and laughter.

~@~

Carol looked toward shore. "They're back!" She grabbed Alice's hand and dragged her through the waist-high water toward the beach. "Come on, come on!"

Face flaming, Alice watched as Eric and Gau made their way down the hill to where the girls had set up the blanket. The boys waved, inviting Carol to wave back accompanied by a melody of laughter.

"How's the water?" Eric called as he set down what they'd rustled for breakfast. He made his way to the water's edge as Carol and Alice emerged. "Cold?"

Carol shook her head as she dragged Alice all the way up to Eric and then beyond, not even giving Alice the chance to take up her towel to cover herself. "No," Carol said with a gleaming smile, "it's perfect. Go on. We'll get started on breakfast." Then Carol dragged Alice toward Gau before Eric and her could even exchange greetings.

"Nice suit," Eric called after her quickly retreating form. Alice flushed a deeper shade of crimson. Eric laughed and turned away, stripping down to his trunks before jogging toward the water.

"Hello, Gau," Carol purred as the two finally came to a stop in front of him.

Alice peeked at him, noticing he kept his eyes carefully averted from the two, his ears dusted with red.

Carol finally released Alice's hand, who quickly retreated back a couple steps to retrieve their towels. _Has she no modesty at all?_ Alice asked herself as she wrapped one of the towels around her waist. Giving a shake of her head, Alice stepped back to Carol and Gau just as he stammered out an answer to a purely 'Carol' question.

"Here." Alice shoved the towel into Carol's hand. She didn't seem to notice. "Carol. Wrap up." Carol did so without shifting her gaze from Gau's face or even interrupting her conversation. Alice shook her head and focused her attention on Gau. "So, what'd you fellas bring?"

Gau's face returned to its natural color as he listed "Eggs. Jerky. Some vegetables to cook with eggs."

Alice smiled, her focus drawn to the bag of goodies resting in a lumpy mess in the center of their blanket. "Sounds yummy. We'll get started while you take a swim. Have a ball. We'll let you know when it's done."

Gau nodded and hurried to the water, stripping down to a loincloth before Alice and Carol could look away. Alice cleared her throat and turned, giving Carol an elbow in the ribs when she sounded a silly giggle.

Breakfast was a hit. Of course, Alice supposed anything dealing with a boy's stomach would go over well. Though she had to admit she'd done a darn good job. Now Gau and Alice tidied their picnic area--fully clothed, thank goodness--while Eric and Carol splashed each other to their heart's content. Finally, all refuse had been gathered, tucked safely into Eric's pack, and Gau and Alice laid back on the blanket staring up at the bright blue sky with their hands behind their heads.

"So, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?"

Gau chuckled. "Today not done, Alice. Still much hours before dark."

"You mean we're not going to lounge around here all day?" Alice feigned horror and dismay.

"Nope."

Alice sat up, pointing to a collection of rocks and caves on the beach to the north. "Then can we go there?"

"For school?" Gau asked, smiling over at her.

She gave a one-shoulder shrug. "Yes and no."

"You bring hat?"

"Huh?" Alice sent him a puzzled look. "Hat? What for?"

"Much bats and things. Never know when . . . ." he pointed to his head and made a **splut** sound.

Alice wrinkled her nose. "Ew. Gross."

Gau laughed--and suddenly sat up. "Alice! Me 'member."

"You remembered what?"

He blinked at her, eyes wide. "Saw flower!"

"Are you serious? That's fantastic!" She scrambled to her feet the same time he did. "Where? Where?"

He gestured the way he and Eric had ventured earlier. "That way. Little walk."

"Let's go!" She hurried after him. "Did'ja do anything there?"

"Don't remember."

They scrambled up a slight incline, and Alice gasped. It wasn't just one solitary flower. There was a patch of them easily as large as her room. "When was the last time you came here?"

Gau's brows furrowed. "Many moons." He met her gaze. "Year maybe?"

Alice hurried down the other side of the hill toward the white patch of flowers. Gau followed along behind her. "A year," she mumbled as she examined the browned grass that preceded the flowers. "What happened this year? Any weird seasonal things? No, I don't think so."

Once she came to the edge of the flowers, she knelt. The blossom was white, looking as if a ribbon had been worked carefully and delicately at one end of the stem. Alice leaned forward and breathed in, closing her eyes when the delicate scent soothed her spirit.

"Oh my goodness," she sighed. Alice smiled up at Gau, and she couldn't keep herself from clapping her hands. "You've got to smell these. It's divine!"

He crouched, reaching out to fondly touch the blossom and its healthy green leaves. "Much pretty," he said softly.

"Most definitely." She submerged her fingers into the grass and soil beneath the flower's base of leaves. "This soil is damp!" Alice pulled her hands back, bringing the dirty tips of her fingers to her nose. She grinned. "Gau! You've got to smell this. It smells _gloriously_ dirty."

Gently taking hold of her hand, he guided her fingers close to his nose. At his intake of breath, he returned her wide smile. "What fix, Alice? What fix?"

"I don't know." Alice gestured toward the flowers. "Can we come back when I have my stuff? I want to get some samples."

Gau nodded and stood. "Come, Alice. We be away too long."

"Right." She dusted the soil from her hands before accepting his help to stand. Then she fell into step beside him as they made their way back. "Can we stay here a little bit longer?" She couldn't stand the thought of leaving now, not when they finally found proof that the Veldt was doing more than holding on.

"Can if others want. Plenty fun here. Lots of food close." Gau cast her an intense look. "Alice, you want stay?"

"Actually, yes, I do. I want to explore the beach. Do some boulder jumping and stuff." She intercepted his gaze. "You don't think the others would mind, do you?"

Gau smiled as he shook his head. "Eric and Carol be much happy here. Didn't you see?"

Alice laughed. "A couple of regular beach bunnies, huh?"

Gau's smile blossomed to a laugh as they made their way down to the blanket. Eric came toward the two, completely dried--except for his hair--and fully dressed. Carol however, remained by the water's edge gesturing for Gau. He shot Alice another slight smile, which she returned, and then made his way toward her. Carol took hold of his hand and led him up the north beach with a very animated expression.

Alice watched them a moment before focusing on Eric with a slight sigh. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Hey, you. Want to do some boulder jumping?" She smiled and followed him toward the south beach. "It's fine, you know."

She scrambled up onto the boulders after him. "What is?"

"You not liking me that way. I had my chance and blew it. No problem."

Alice peeked at him. He seemed sincere enough. "You're awfully calm and understanding, especially considering it was just yesterday."

"I know." He gave a shrug and hopped to the next boulder. "What can I say? I'm easy."

She followed. "Uh-huh."

He looked over at her, expression serious. "Really, Alice. It's fine. I know that if I make a big deal about it I'll probably lose you as a friend. I don't want that to happen. You've got your priorities, and I'm fine with that. Honest."

Still suspicious, Alice decided against saying anything. Instead, she looked away. "It'd take a lot more than that to wreck our friendship, I guess."

He smiled. "Hey. If it can withstand my moaning over Terra Branford and Gau, it can survive a couple years of you at that Academy." He leapt to another boulder, got his balance, and turned to make sure she made it safely. She did.

Alice adjusted her footing. "There's no guarantee I'll get in."

He nudged her shoulder. "You'll get in. I know you will."

She smiled. "Thanks, Eric. I appreciate that."

He winked and turned for the next boulder. "No problem."

Alice followed after him. The jury was still out on whether the decision to not have a kissy-feely-touchy relationship with him was okay.

### 6: A Little Bit of Everything

Alice gave a languid stretch, squeezing her eyes shut tight as she smacked her lips together. Then she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and wriggled her toes before pushing herself up onto her elbows and looking around at the empty cave. "And I thought Carol was usually the last one up." Pushing herself to her feet, Alice mumbled "Maybe I'll have a little bit of time to explore on my own," as she grabbed her shoes and socks.

She hated to go behind Gau's back, especially with what happened that first day of their long weekend, but she wanted some really good samples. Of course, instead of going to the deep Veldt, she could go back to the beach with her stuff to get the samples she wanted.

Alice smiled when she remembered the look on Gau's face at the discovery. He deserved hope for his home, and that flower-patch definitely gave it to him. To them both, really. "If I could just figure out what did it," she mumbled, "I would be able to do that for his entire Veldt."

She padded groggily toward the mouth of the cave. The brightness of the late morning sun made her squint her eyes and raise her sock-burdened arm up to shield her face as she exited. She smiled and leaned against the outside wall near the cave mouth in order to put on her socks and shoes. "It's going to be another lovely day," she told her socks. Then she sighed. "Too bad we have to go home." Giving an absent shrug, Alice struggled with first one sock and then the other, occasionally having to brush a bit of fallen dirt from the cave wall off her shoulder. "First boot. Second boot. Laces all the way up. Pant legs adjusted . . . ahhh." Alice straightened with another stretch and moved a small step from the cave wall.

Normally Alice wasn't a morning person, but since spending the weekend on the Veldt she found out she wasn't a city person. Too much noise and civilization made her cranky. She pushed her hands deep into her pockets as she took in a deep breath of air. When she stayed alone in her room or in her backyard she usually felt better after a while. Pretty soon, people would be accusing her of being unsociable.

"Yeah, like that'll be a loss." Alice sniggered and moved forward--But her feet couldn't move, which caused her to topple forward. She caught herself with her hands and knees. "Ack!" Alice rotated to sit on her butt and stared in consternation at her laces--which were tied together! "What in the world?" She leaned forward to untie them. "There's no way I could have tied them together on accident." Alice hesitated, worrying her lower lip before quickly shaking her head with a muttered "nah" to tie them again. She even caught herself double checking to make sure they were very much separate. That done, Alice pushed herself to her feet, dusted off her butt and hands, and then turned toward—"Ack!" she yelped, stepping back.

Gau grinned, wearing nothing but his hide shorts. "Morning." His tone reeked of mischief.

Alice frowned, hands on hips. "Were you the one who tied my laces together?"

Gau's grin melted into a reproachful scowl. He crossed his arms. "Alice say going on Veldt by self. Not do without _me_."

She opened her mouth for a retort, thought better of it, and lowered her hands to her sides. "Who says I was going to do that?"

"You."

She flushed, clearing her throat as she lowered her gaze to the browned grass at her feet. She kicked at a tuft of dry grass. "Oh yeah. I guess I did. Whoops."

"What I say?" Alice didn't answer Gau's question, so he took a step closer. "Alice, _what I say_?"

"You said I shouldn't go onto the Veldt by myself because it's too dangerous," she repeated dutifully.

Gau lifted his chin in a curt nod. "Good."

_Drat_. Alice crossed her arms. "So where's Carol and Eric?" She kicked at a rock. Next time she would investigate silence when it came to being stealthy.

"Gone to beach for swimming and hiking. I took."

Alice met his gaze, slack-jawed. "Gee. Thanks. What about me? Didn't you think I'd want to go?"

Gau's lips drooped, and his ears reddened. "Sorry, Alice. I thought you want see Veldt."

Alice mouthed an 'oh' as she knee-kicked her sensitivity into action. "I didn't mean to bite your head off. Of _course_ I want to see the Veldt."

His expression still showed hesitance. "No angry me?"

Alice emphatically shook her head. "No angry," she said, smiling.

Gau's expression lightened, and he gestured over his shoulder. "Little walk do morning grump good."

"Hey," she said as she fell into step beside him, "if you think _this_ is grumpy, you should see me on the first day of a school week."

Gau shivered. "Too scary to think. Me stay home tomorrow."

Alice laughed. "And have Ms. Aimes classify you as a slacker? Better not. It's always best to be on her good side."

He nodded. "I try do this thing with all."

"Yeah, well, don't try so hard with Paytha and the others. They'll eat you alive." She peeked at him in time to meet his furrowed brows. "Figuratively speaking, of course. Although I have wondered . . . ."

Gau's chuckle purred in his chest as they made their way to the west. A cool breeze whipped along the ground, and Alice noticed the tang of the ocean. It also smelled fresher than the air over the dryer part of the Veldt. Her brow dipped as she clenched her hands behind her back. _Hm._ When she heard another chuckle, she shifted her gaze to Gau beside her.

He smiled, his eyes still focused off in the distance ahead of them. In fact, they almost seemed to be looking into the past.

"What's so funny?" she asked, smiling.

Gau briefly met her scrutiny before gesturing ahead of them. "This place. It remind me of day first see friends."

"Really? When? Who?"

"Four years in past. That when first met Sabin."

Alice shifted her gaze to the flat expanse ahead. "Sabin Figaro? Wow."

"Very scared first time see. Never seen big people like him in all 13 years of life on Veldt."

"What did you do?"

"I run very fast," he told her, his smile twinkling in his eyes.

She laughed. "I'm not the least bit surprised. In fact, I am reminded of the very first time I saw my grandparents. I ran very fast myself." Gau chuckled. Alice looked back to the Veldt. "You met up with him again though, right?"

"Yes. Meet Sabin and Cyan outside home of Mobliz before . . . before Veldt get hurt."

"What made you decide to go with them?" Alice asked, though she felt as if she pried into a secret stash of memories. Carol would have given her right ear to hear these stories.

Gau rubbed his bare stomach as he sent her a flash of white teeth. "When boy very hungry and people feed, boy get very nice."

Alice laughed. "I guess you would, wouldn't you?"

"Then I help Sabin and Cyan get from Veldt to . . . N . . . Nikeah," Gau struggled out. "With help of my shiny."

"Shiny?"

He halted and crouched, drawing a picture on the ground of something which resembled an upside down fishbowl. Then he made a motion like he placed it over his head and held his breath. Alice opened her mouth, tilting her head back with an "Ah. Shiny," before they once more walked toward the fresh air of the ocean.

"We went under water for long time," he continued. "Never see before. Lots fun. Lots monsters. Get strong."

"Not that you weren't strong before though, right? I mean, living on the Veldt for 13 years by yourself takes some talent, Gau."

His ears flushed pink, and he cleared his throat as his gaze examined the grass at his feet. "Do best."

Alice smirked, clenching her hands behind her back. "So, what was it like to travel with Sabin and Cyan? Must have been an adventure every second."

He nodded. "Feel good to not be by self. We talk. We laugh. We share many thing and become friends." He gestured to the two of them. "Like us."

She smiled. "Like us."

"Sabin almost not like me," he confessed.

"What?"

"When try show where shiny, Sabin go too close to edge and . . . I want be funny. So scare."

"Uh-oh." Alice snickered. "He got you back, didn't he?"

Gau shook his head. "I made Sabin lose all money. Dropped pouch when I scare."

"Oh, geez. That's awful."

"He also not like I call Mr. Thou." Gau shrugged. "I knew Cyan only one say, but liked Sabin's red face when call him Mr. Thou. He very funny."

Alice laughed. "I'm sure he got over it."

Gau nodded and cast a sidelong peek and smile toward Alice. "I still call Mr. Thou. He make like mad, but I know he laugh inside."

"Inside joke between friends? Those are always good to have. Makes the friendship special."

His eyes brightened with a question the same time both his eyebrows rose. "Special? How 'inside joke' make friendship more special?"

Alice noticed his usual intense expression of listening. This time, he actually watched her speak. "Well, anything that only two or three friends share makes their friendship special because of the fact they're the only ones that know about it. It . . . I don't know, it's almost like sharing a secret. You know?"

He thought about it long and hard, moving his gaze back to their scrutiny of the Veldt ahead of them. Finally, he nodded. "I understand how this work. Make sense."

"Whew," Alice teased. "I wouldn't want you to think I didn't know how to explain the deeper things of life."

He shot her a grin. "You do good in all 'splain, Alice."

She was about to thank him when he put an arm out to keep her back. "What?"

"Look first."

Arching an eyebrow, Alice did as asked, moving her gaze to the bare beach. The cool breeze felt great, and the ocean glimmered a somewhat normal shade of blue. Alice smiled. "This is awesome. Much nicer than the other one."

Gau smiled. "Let's walk and see if can find crab or shellfish."

Alice fell into step beside him. "That's right, we didn't find any on the other beach, did we? Hm. It's amazing what a couple miles will do to the eco-system."

The two traversed their way down the slight incline to the beach below. Alice sat on a rock to take off her shoes and socks and immediately discovered the sand to be warm and soft. She grinned, wriggling her toes into the sand. Gau smiled just as wide while immediately doing the same with his own toes. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, leading her to an outcropping of rocks to the south.

Alice eagerly followed, hoping she would find something unusual for her collection. She did, but it looked more like a fossil than a rock, so she carefully tucked it into her pocket and followed after Gau, who hopped from boulder to boulder like the native he was.

"Hey. Look at this." Alice steadied her footing before carefully kneeling. A bit of green grew from a deep crevice of the cracked boulder she had jumped onto. "There's a plant growing out of this. It doesn't look familiar to me at all."

Gau leaped back onto the boulder to crouch beside her. "This good, right?"

Alice nodded. "Very good. It takes a hearty little thing to grow out of a rock. But it also means that it found the nutrients it needed to get started. That and it somehow got dropped here in the first place. It could have been dropped by a bird, or even been blown into the crevice from the wind. I've noticed that the wind here seems to smell better than farther inland."

Gau rested an arm on his leg as he stared up at her. "Could more seeds be growing on these rocks?"

"Sure. If one can do it, others can."

He returned his intense scrutiny to the little puff of greenery and gave it an encouraging touch. "Grow strong," he said softly.

Alice smiled. _Now_ _that_ _is adorable._ When he looked up, she gestured up ahead. "You want to go some more, or did you want to start back?"

"More. Have plenty time to explore," he said as he straightened.

Gau led the way, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make certain she brought up the rear. "You do good," he commented.

Alice smirked, leaping to the boulder directly behind him. "Thanks. It's been a little while since I did things like this, but it's nice to know it hasn't been forgotten. I've already tripped and stumbled around Mr. Graceful enough in my life."

Gau leapt from one boulder to another, and then another. "Mr. Graceful? Who this man?"

Alice laughed, nearly toppling over. She grimaced and concentrated on her footing. "You, you knucklehead."

He laughed and gave a slight shake of his head before hopping to another boulder. "You be graceful too if practice."

"While it's tempting, Gau," she said as she hopped to the next boulder, "I'm going to pass. Studying always takes first place with me." Much as she would have loved to traipse around the Veldt from dusk to dawn.

He faced her, carefully watching as she moved to yet another boulder. "You already much smart, Alice. I know from how you talk of Veldt. What else you need to study?"

"Lots of things," she said absently. The rock was a little wobbly. "If I'm going to fix the Veldt I need to understand a lot of things about a lot of _different_ things. It's always been that way." She pressed her lips together and jumped. Once she landed and didn't fall, she shot Gau a smile of triumph. His thoughtful expression melted her smile. "What?"

He shook his head and then turned away to leap onto another boulder. "Almost there."

Alice arched an eyebrow. "Almost there? Almost where? I didn't know we were going someplace specific." Gau didn't respond, but the next time he leaped, he disappeared. Alice gasped, "Gau!" while hopping as fast as she dared without risking breaking her skull open. "Gau! Gau, are you all right?" With her last hop she nearly dove straight into a split in the rock into the cavern inside. "Omigosh! Gau? Are you down there?"

His smiling face appeared then, and he held out his arms. "Jump, Alice. I catch."

She released a quick breath as she sat on the edge of the boulder to dangle her feet into the crevice. "You nearly scared me to an early death!"

He wiggled his fingers at her. "Jump, Alice. Must see."

"Oh, all right. Keep your britches on." She adjusted her position, held her breath, and leaped down.

True to his word, Gau caught her at the waist and set her on her feet. He gestured around her. "See?"

Eyes wide in awed wonder, she blinked around her. The walls of the cave were a translucent blue and white that glittered with the little bit of sun from the outside. Alice released a slow whistle. "Now _this_ is gorgeous."

"Find very soon after breaking of world."

"Wow. That means this must have been underwater before. Awesome." She made her way to the wall to touch it. It was cold and smooth. "What do you call it?"

"Call?"

Alice looked over her shoulder at him. He still stood in the middle of the cave, brows knit together in puzzlement. "Yeah. What do you call these stones? You found it. That means you get to call it whatever you want."

Gau looked around him before focusing those eyes back on her. "I . . . I don't know."

"That's all right. You don't have to call it anything. I'm just glad you showed it to me. I'd love to come back once I graduate from the Academy. Maybe you'll have a name for it then?"

Gau turned away to scramble back up through the crevice. "Maybe," he said.

Alice stared back to the gem-like walls before making her way back to the crevice. She took careful hand and foot holds to propel herself up, accepting Gau's help the last couple feet. Once satisfied with her footing, she brushed some gem dust from her pants and met his gaze.

"Where to now?"

He gestured to the beach. "Not yet find shellfish."

"Ah. Right. Well? Last one to the beach is a yellow flan!" And she scurried by him with a hop and a "whoop!"

Gau was nice enough to let her stay ahead most of the way, but then he kept even with her clear to the beach. Alice laughed all the way down to the shore, squealing when it looked as if he would pass by, then laughing harder when he didn't. When they made it to the shore, she splashed up to her knees into the ocean.

Now soaked to the bone from the waist down, Alice sat on a flat stone several feet from the water and released a deep breath. Gau sat beside her, resting his arms and elbows onto the knees of his bent legs. She sent him a wide smile.

"That was fun," she confessed. "If Eric saw me he would have blackmailed me for years." She wriggled her toes into the sand and stared out toward the calming activity of the ocean. "But I don't care. It's good to get out and do stupid stuff every once and awhile. I guess life's too nuts to take serious all the time."

Gau didn't say a word.

She peeked at him, noticing he stared down at the sand between his bent legs. "You all right?" He nodded. "You sure?" Gau nodded again. She reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder. "Gau? What's the matter?"

He shrugged and picked at a little piece of shell. "Thinking of what you say before. About study more to help Veldt."

"Yeah?" She crossed her arms around her knees. "Are you thinking about going to the Academy, too?"

Gau raised his focus to hers. "You think I be good to do? No one knows Veldt more than me. 'Cept you. Veldt be more helped if we both learn. Right?"

"Well, sure, but are you sure it's such a great idea for you to be away from your home for so long? Wouldn't city life get on your nerves?"

He lowered his gaze again. "You leave home. You no think I can do?"

"I didn't mean that, I just know you've been living here a lot longer than I have. You've got more of a connection with it. I wouldn't want you to get homesick."

"I sick for home whether leave or stay," he said quietly. Gau lifted his gaze to the ocean waves and let out a slow, long breath. "Don't know what best. Better to think and stay home."

Alice nodded before changing her focus back to the scenery. "Yeah. That's always a good idea." She felt his eyes on her. "What?" she asked without looking.

"Where you live before here?"

She watched the sand squished beneath her heel. "A little place that doesn't exist anymore. Over by Doma castle."

"What life like?"

Alice shrugged. "It wasn't anything special. We had a farm. We raised animals. Sold them, too. My mom made clothes for the store near Doma. My dad built things with wood."

Gau remained quiet for a bit before asking "Had to leave when poison come?" The softness of the question belied his concern he asked the wrong one, but Alice had dealt with the issue a long time ago.

She picked up a little red pebble and rubbed it until it shone. "Seems like a thousand years ago."

"That why you want fix Veldt? So poison no kill new home?"

She nodded again, peeking at him and then surprised when the gaze held. "You're pretty smart for a country boy."

Gau's smile blossomed, and then he looked away. "You smart for city girl."

Alice laughed. "Hey, sticks and stones may break my bones, but if you ever call me a city girl again, I swear I will tickle you to death."

Gau's face puckered into a confused frown as he blinked at her. "Tickle? What this thing 'tickle'?"

Alice's jaw dropped. "You have got to be kidding."

"Never heard this word. What tickle?"

She smacked her forehead, shaking the temptation to show him from her the thoughts in her head. "I can't do that to you, Gau. It would be cruel."

"Tickle be bad thing?"

"No," Alice said, laughing, "nothing bad . . . just cruel if you happen to be very ticklish."

Gau wouldn't accept the answer, and his expression seemed to shout that he felt she intentionally kept a secret. "What tickle? Show."

"Oh man," Alice groaned, "why can't I keep my big mouth quiet?" She cast him a sidelong glance, noticed his expectant look, and raised her shoulders in a shrug. "Oh, why not. I'll never live it down, but who cares." She stood and motioned for him to do the same. "Come on, Mr. I've-Got-To-Know-Everything. On your feet."

He stood and faced her. "What I do?"

Alice restrained a smile. "Nothing. Just stand there." She rested a hand on her hip, the other rubbing the back of her neck as she regarded him. One never knew--She spied a likely weakness and gave another shake of her head as she met his expectant gaze. "Now, whatever I do, please don't hurt me." Gau raised an eyebrow. She took a slight step forward. Gau didn't move. "It's nothing painful," she told him, still trying to figure out how to do it.

Finally, she threw caution to the wind and pounced, fingers making contact with the sides of his chest to begin their instinctive wiggle. His muscles twitched and then, as she knew he would, he bent his shoulders inward and his stomach away while giving a true Gau laugh.

Though his hands went in search of her wrists, a person raised around multitudes of children who played tickle-wars on each other got good at keep-away. When Gau tried to step back, Alice moved forward with what must have sounded a maniacal laugh as the twitching and convulsing of his muscles picked up the pace.

"Stop," he howled. "Stop, stop, stop."

"See?" Alice said, laughing, "it's more of an obnoxious kind of touch that makes someone _laugh their butt off_!"

Gau laughed so hard his entire face flushed, tears trickling from his eyes as he continued to back away from her. Alice tenaciously followed after him. Then he tripped on his own feet and went down, grabbing hold of Alice's wrists to pull her down with him. She squealed, barely missing landing directly on top of him.

Then she sat up, her cheeks hurting with the force of her grin as she stared down at him. Gau still laughed, arms wrapped around his middle in protection from a possible second attack. "That, Gau, is a tickle."

Shaking his head from side to side with an ear-to-ear grin, Gau gasped "No more, Alice. No more tickle."

"Very well. I will take pity on you and leave you alone." She pointed at him. "Just don't ever ask me to show you something when I tell you that you'd be better not to know."

He nodded and took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly. Finally, he pushed himself up to his elbows to pinpoint her with his usual intense gaze. "You ticklish?"

The grin vanished. "Well, now, that's usually not a very nice question to ask someone."

"Why?"

"Because . . . because being ticklish is . . . well, it's a vulnerable spot that people could take advantage of." She pushed back a little, hoping he wouldn't take it as the confession that she was, in point of fact, extremely ticklish.

Gau nodded slowly and thoughtfully as he continued to watch her, seemingly thinking on and processing what she said. "I see why that be truth." Alice wasn't sure if she should relax or run away. Then Gau lay back, positioning his hands behind his head as he stared up at the sky. "Good thing we friends."

Releasing a quick breath of relief, Alice lay on the soft sand beside him. "Yep. Good thing." And she promised herself to never tickle him again. She already had a sneaking suspicion he could have easily gotten himself out of it, but that curiosity kept him vulnerable.

She stared up at the blue sky, an unexpected silence of awkwardness descending like a swarm of locusts. It successfully devoured the peace and pleasantness the two had shared the entire morning. Alice cleared her throat and watched a great winged something-or-other glide by, turning onto its back to tease the clouds with its feet. Alice worried her lip. Boundaries of things to be taught or not taught flitted in and out of her mind like those same previously mentioned locusts. She didn't much like the guilt that came with them. Gau hadn't really been around people his own age, so he didn't know anything about teasing and flirting and tickling and wrestling just for the fun of it. That was why Alice worried about his reaction to Carol's attention. Now she had done basically the same thing to him by—

"Alice? You well? Much quiet."

She twitched and peeked over to meet his golden-green eyes. "Hm?"

"You look . . . ." He pushed himself up onto his left elbow as he searched for the right word. "Troubled."

Alice flushed and looked away. "Oh, well, um . . . don't worry about it."

"Alice."

She cleared her throat. "What."

"You feel bad because tickle? You think you take . . . 'vantage?"

Alice released a deep breath as she brought her hands up to the sky. "Look. You caught me red handed."

Gau reached out, taking hold of one of her hands to bring it toward his face for an intense scrutiny. Then he released it with a shake of his head. "These . . . similes . . . ." He shook his head again.

Alice smiled, though it felt hard to hold it in place. "I guess I'm too eager to protect you from the not-so-nice things that can happen to us kids."

"Alice, I not need you do this. I want to _do_ life with friends. How do this if you not be self?"

"I know, I know." Alice sighed and cast him a glance. "Sorry."

He smiled. "Thank you, Alice, for thought of keeping me safe. But life is adventure I want to live."

"You certainly have had that, haven't you?"

Gau laid back again, knitting his hands behind his head as he watched the same bird-like thing dance across the sky. "Sometimes wish life not so busy all time. Those days I come here and watch ocean, listen to breeze, feel sand on toes." He gave a slight shrug.

"Helps you think?"

Gau nodded. "Helps do many things. Keeps mind at peace."

Alice stared up at the sky. "I wish I had a place to do that."

He turned his gaze to an examination of her profile. "You no place be away from thoughts and people?"

Alice lifted a shoulder. "I've got my backyard, which is nearly on the Veldt, and I've got my room. I just shut the door and pull out a book. It usually does the trick good enough."

"That why you go so much onto Veldt?"

She smiled. "Caught in the act."

He chuckled and looked away, adjusting his hands behind his head. "Veldt good at bringing peace to worried soul. You good to come for that. Keep coming, Alice."

Alice's smile remained. "Thanks. I will."

### 7: The Paper, the Academy, and the Veldt

"I didn't get _any_ of my homework done. They're going to know."

Eric shrugged. "So what? We went camping on the Veldt over the weekend. Big deal."

Before opening the door to the Academy, Alice took in a deep breath. _I could have really gone for an extra day--_

Ms. Aimes and the entire class looked up when the quartet slowly filed into the room. Ms. Aimes was taking roll, so they weren't late. At least, not technically.

"Hey, Ms. Aimes. We made it."

Alice could have clobbered Eric.

Ms. Aimes lowered her roll sheet to slip the delicate glasses from her face. "Eric. Gau. Carol. Alice. Take a seat." The group moved to their assigned places, Gau returning to his seat with the younger students, and Ms. Aimes resumed roll.

Carol leaned over to whisper in Alice's ear, "I didn't have a chance to ask before. Is everything fine now between you and Eric?"

Alice nodded. "Yes. We're still friends."

"Friends?" Carol received a warning glance from Ms. Aimes and apologized. She promptly pulled a small tablet of paper from her pack. _'Friends?'_ she wrote.

Alice accepted the paper and pencil. _'What did you expect? We've always been friends.'_ Well, mostly.

Carol pulled the tablet into the center of Alice's tilted wooden desk and took out a second pencil. _'Yeah, but you didn't always want to be friends. Remember?'_

Alice frowned and crossed her arms. Carol slammed down her pencil, again apologizing when Ms. Aimes pinned her with a second warning. Glancing over her left shoulder toward Gau, she intercepted his smile, returned it, and then continued to watch him and the kids as he refocused his attention on Ms. Aimes. After a while, so did Alice.

"Now." Ms. Aimes placed the roll sheet on her desk to again slip the glasses from her face. "I know that several of you older students are planning on sending entry essays to Figaro's Academy next month." Alice's attention perked. "There's a chance the King and Queen may be making an appearance here in the next few days." A cascade of murmurs and conversations crashed through the classroom. "I thought you should be warned ahead of time so that you could make preparations."

"Omigosh," raved Lena. "King Edgar? Here? I've got to go shopping!"

Alice rolled her eyes. Carol gave a shrug before leaning back to look over at Gau. He grinned.

Eric sat forward to place a hand on both Carol and Alice's shoulders. "You don't suppose he had anything to do with that, do you?"

Alice peeked at Gau before meeting Eric's gaze. "I don't know and, really, I don't care. All I know is I'm going to the library to finish that essay tonight." Thanks to their excursion around the Veldt over the weekend, and the day alone with Gau, she felt more than ready.

Eric looked at Carol. "What about you? Up to a jaunt around town after class?"

"Sure. Sounds like fun. Do you think we could bring Gau?"

He glanced over at him before giving a one-sided shrug. "Sure. Why not?"

Alice frowned as she picked up her pencil to tap it on the desk.

"All right then," Ms. Aimes continued. "Those of you whom are submitting an essay to the Figaro Academy are excused. All others, today we'll be working on fractions and common denominators."

Three quarters of the class groaned while digging out textbooks and paper. Alice, however, bid Carol farewell before gathering her things and hurrying down the aisle to the back exit. She sent Gau a smile before running outside to hurry home and take a shower.

~@~

Alice glanced up, grimacing before strategically placing her hand on her forehead in such a way that blocked the trio from her view. Carol, Eric, and Gau entered the library. Much to her displeasure, they looked happy and content. She, on the other hand, felt frustrated and grumpy because the thesis and closing argument weren't flowing. _If I have to listen to her melodious laugh . . . I_ _will_ _kill her._

Eric rested a hand on the table on either side of her as he leaned in to rest his chin on her shoulder. "So, how's it going?"

Alice flipped the page. "Fine."

He sniffed, sniffed again, and then straightened. "Nice. You took a shower."

Alice tried to ignore him. To her credit, Carol took hold of his arm to lead him toward a table on the opposite side of the small library. However, Gau continued to stand at the end of the table, ignoring Carol's attempts to get him to follow.

Holding her place in the encyclopedia with a finger, Alice looked up. "What's the matter, Gau?"

He crouched beside her, eyes studying the grain of the floorboards. "Why want this thing so bad?"

"What?"

He lifted his eyes to hold her gaze. "Why want go from home and friends? You say for help of Veldt, but is really?"

"Yes, Gau, it is." She couldn't remember wanting anything so much as healing the Veldt.

He looked away. "You help just as good here as away. Better if you study Veldt like you say you want. You go? Then you forget what learn here. You forget friends left behind. You forget the 'why'. Why you study." Gau shook his head. "This not good."

Alice blinked. "Are you asking me to stay?"

He didn't look up. "No. I want only make look inside. To see if what do is best. To see if be honest with self."

"Gau, I've wanted to study at the Figaro Academy ever since it was established two years ago." She rested a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and she smiled. "I want to do this. Really."

He examined her face before standing to move toward Eric and Carol without a word. Alice watched him go, pressing her lips together when Carol greeted him with her infamous siren smile. When Carol laughed, Alice cringed and focused back on the encyclopedia.

Dutifully, Alice attempted to write another closing statement. The only problem being her eyes kept drifting toward the table across the room where Carol, Gau, and Eric gathered over a tattered art history book. Both Gau and Eric smiled as Carol explained her take on art's evolution and how it affected mankind. All was done with a serious expression and anecdotes that only a fellow fashion-conscious young woman would understand. _Then why do they look genuinely interested? They never look like that when I explain about the Veldt._ Of course, she didn't talk to many others about the Veldt.

Alice lowered her gaze back to the encyclopedia when Carol smiled up at Gau. Apparently he had made a fascinating point. _A fascinating point? Gau is a fascinating point._ She glanced toward him out of the corner of her eye. _He's sweet, intelligent, and he understands a whole lot that no one gave him credit for. If it wasn't for his wild tendency to do crazy things, no one would know he'd been raised on the Veldt. By himself._ Alice tore her gaze away. _I guess Carol and he make a great couple--Oh, shut up and work on your paper!_

Risking one more glance toward the table, she quickly looked down when Eric peeked over at her. Then Carol giggled and Alice heavily sighed as she wrestled with her temper. _1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . ._

~@~

Alice closed the encyclopedia and the multitude of reference manuals and stretched. When her back popped, she smiled with an "ahhh" before standing and gathering her things, stuffing papers and whatnot into her bag.

All she had to do now was plan what she would say when she met with the King and Queen. She pulled out a report cover, carefully positioned her typed report inside, and then delicately slid it between two of her textbooks so it wouldn't get wrinkled. Then she slung the bag over her shoulder and made sure she had cleaned up her mess by the typewriter before sending a smile and a wave to the librarian as she made her way outside.

"Well, it's about time."

Alice halted outside the doors with a quick glance to her right. "What are you doing here, Eric?"

He approached with hands in pockets. "It was getting late, so I thought I'd walk you home."

Alice arched an eyebrow. "Thanks."

They made their way down the front steps.

"It'll be weird without you around," he said as he kicked a rock.

"Yeah. I know." Alice adjusted her grip on the strap of her bag. "You can visit, you know."

Eric shot her a glance. "And make you think I'm stuck on you?" He shook his head, his lips teased with a slight smile. "Nah."

Alice laughed. "You _would_ say that."

"Hey, it's all about me."

She shook her head, catching herself scanning the little town with a tightening throat. Home had always been where her family and friends were. Now she was trying to leave it as fast as she could. "What if I don't come back, Eric?" she asked quietly. "Gau says I might forget this place. But . . . ." She tucked some hair behind her ear and tightened her grip on the strap of her bag. She peeked at him. " _Will_ I forget the Veldt and what I want to do?"

"I don't think so. I just know you have to at least try to do this." He sent her an understanding look. "You can't be spooked of what _might_ happen. You know you'll always regret it if you don't do this. You'll be miserable."

She inclined her head as they arrived at her family's home. "Thanks, Eric." She looked up at him. "A lot. I'll see you in class tomorrow. Right?"

"Yeah." He pulled her into a hug. When he stepped back, he gave her a quirky smile and a wink. "Good night."

She blinked up at him, completely nonplussed. "Good night."

Then he turned and walked away, Alice staring after him. She shrugged it off and turned for her house, her pace slowing as she ascended the steps. She stared at the weathered door, her fingers curling tighter around the strap of her pack. Then she eased it off her shoulder to set it on the front porch and make her way toward her family's back yard: the Veldt. She lowered herself onto the hard ground, staring out at the dark earthy tones of the twilight sky as she tucked her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. She had fallen in love with the Veldt the first time she saw it. _How can I forget this?_ It had become a part of her a long time ago.

Alice lowered her gaze to the ground near her, retrieving a pebble as a stealthy figure sat down beside her. She glanced over with a start and immediately smiled. "Hey, Gau. Couldn't sleep?"

He shook his head. "Thoughts be heavy this night. More strong than Gau. Sleep run far."

For the first time since meeting him, his gaze never left the ground. More than that, though, was the tautness to his profile. It made her look at him a little different. "Hey. What's wrong?" Gau opened his mouth and immediately clicked it shut. He frowned. Alice had never seen him like this before. "Is it school?"

He shook his head again, more violently this time, and his frown deepened. He changed his focus to the Veldt with a deep breath, the anger and frown immediately fading.

Alice's expression lightened as she watched his profile in the moonlight. "You really love it here, don't you?"

Gau nodded, those feral eyes almost glowing as he glanced toward her. "Been here whole life. Even when go, Veldt here." He touched his chest.

Alice looked away, her throat tightening as she remembered all the whispers and rumors as to why he lived alone on the Veldt. "Do you mind me asking why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah. Why did your father . . . you know." She peeked at him only to catch him watching her. "Why did he make you grow up on the Veldt alone?"

Looking away, Gau retrieved the pebble from her fingers and rubbed at its surface. "Don't know. Sabin say 'cause mother die when Gau come. 'Cause pain too big for father when see baby Gau."

Alice watched the misery and loneliness flicker as shadows across his face. "Your dad blamed you for her death? He thought you--Oh, Gau. I'm so sorry." And she finished the tear-filled comment with an arm around his bare shoulders and a tender squeeze. "It seems both of us have painful histories, doesn't it? You and your father and me and not having a home. Well, not until I came here."

Gau didn't say anything, and there came a darkening to his eyes as he watched her face.

Alice gave his shoulders another squeeze. "You want to go for a walk? Out there?" She gestured to the Veldt with her other hand. "Just a short one? Maybe it will help?" He stood, helping her to her feet before walking silently beside her. Alice slipped her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the help you've given me, Gau. You've really brought my paper to life. And it's been fun, too." Her shoulder bumped against his arm as they walked. "The camp out, the swimming, the exploring of the cave, the stories. I'm glad you suggested the adventure. It has been a while since Eric, Carol, and me did something like that."

"Me glad could help."

Alice kicked a pebble. So many words tumbled in her mind that she didn't even know where to start.

"Alice sure go is right?"

She peeked at his profile. "For right now? Yes. I've always wanted to make something of myself, and now I have the chance. I'm going to miss this place, sure, but I have to try. I don't want to regret anything."

"Not be same when go."

She sighed and nodded. "I know. Eric said the same thing. But you can visit. You know where the Academy is probably better than Eric does."

"Veldt Gau home. Leave Veldt, no breathe. No live." He shook his head and pressed his lips together. "Veldt teach life. Teach Alice if stay."

Alice stared at the rough growth at her feet. The Veldt, still struggling to heal. "I know it can teach me a lot. It already has. So have you. But if anything, you've taught me to tough this out. To not let anything change me or change my mind. Gau . . . ." She faced him and her eyes widened. "Gau, look out!"

A black shadow leapt from a pile of boulders, ramming into Gau with a roar and hiss. Gau and the thing hit the ground with a loud thud, knocking Alice off her feet as they tumbled past. When Alice's eyes zoomed in on Gau's fallen form, she couldn't tell if he moved or not, especially when the evening clouds blocked any moonlight. Then the creature shifted its focus to Alice and she was all-too-certain Gau wasn't moving. Swallowing hard, her eyes flickered their focus from the thing's gaze to Gau's still form under its massive paws, and back to the beast. It licked the blood from its jaws and moved toward her.

"Gau?"

The thing rumbled and hissed, exposing jagged teeth as it cautiously moved toward her. The moon escaped from behind the clouds and shined on the creature, glistening off the purple scales of its neck and head and the massive lion-like body. Alice paled. _An Adamant!_ Of the Baskervor family, they were much, much, _much_ meaner.

Her gaze darted back to Gau as she shuffled herself backward. One of his shoulders sported a jagged wound which glistened with blood, but he had managed to push himself up onto one elbow. He shook his head once, twice. The moonlight faded again as the Adamant sounded another warning growl. Alice saw the silhouette of Gau's head rise and his eyes met hers.

"Gau?" Her voice cracked.

The Adamant crouched, shuffling its shoulders and settling onto its back legs for the spring.

Gau's eyes sparked with alarm. "No! Not Alice!"

It pounced, and Alice threw her hands out to protect herself, screaming at the explosion of pain in her shoulder and arm. A weight crushed down on her, forcing the air from her lungs as the pain grew to agony--a heavy chink sounded and the weight vanished, a small rock dropping beside her with a dull thud.

The Adamant's focus shifted to Gau, and the beast seemed to grin.

Scurrying backwards, Alice cried and whimpered in pain, her eyes not shifting from Gau as he again gave his head several shakes. Then his focus zeroed in on the Adamant, those feral eyes flaming with rage. Alice had never seem him so . . . terrifying. But the Adamant only hissed and hunkered down, again adjusting its back haunches.

"Gau, be careful," she choked out, holding her arm close.

The Adamant sprung and Gau caught it in the stomach with a fist, knocking it away. It landed on its feet, wheezing and growling before beginning a menacing circle around Gau, who followed its movements with those see-everything eyes.

The beast leapt again and Alice screamed, covering her face when the beast bit into Gau's arm. She heard one of his hits make contact, thought she heard a crack and liquid-filled growl, and lowered her hands to reveal Gau leaning over the Adamant's still body.

The moon peeked through some thinning clouds.

A red hue slowly faded from Gau's skin as he straightened, and when he turned to move toward her she noticed what looked to be bubbles popping over his head. They stopped appearing altogether by the time he knelt beside her.

"Alice?" Gau queried, voice taut with concern as he brushed some hair from her face. Then he cautiously reached out to gently examine the bite on her arm, cringing while voicing a hushed "Alice hurt," as his eyes darkened with actual fear.

When he moved his tender touch to an examination of the claw and bite marks on her shoulders, Alice hiccupped on her tears and pushed his hands away, pulling him into a tight hug of relief and terror while choking out his name.

His arms encircled her, drawing her close. "Gau sorry. Thoughts make blind. Make Alice hurt." His arms tightened their hold. "Gau sorry."

Sniffling, Alice couldn't voice anything but another tear-filled call of his name. She had never stepped that close to death--stared into its very eyes--and she had never felt so much terror for anyone in her entire life.

"Alice, we go. Blood bring more." Gau tried to push back, but her arms resisted. "Alice. Danger. Go." He tried again, but she couldn't force her mind or body to obey. Her arms simply would not loose their hold of his neck. He scooped her up into his arms and stood. "We go. Take Alice be safe," he told her, repeating "Gau promise. Gau promise," as he ran toward town.

### 8: The Label

"Hey, you."

Alice looked up from her book and gave Eric a smile. "Hey yourself." She carefully adjusted her position. "School out?"

"Sure," he said as he came to stand beside her bed.

Alice smirked. "Eric, you should be in class."

He sat down beside her and pulled a bunch of wildflowers from behind his back. "I'm on an _errand_ for the class."

"They're nice." Alice took them with a disinterested look. "Thanks."

Eric raised an eyebrow as he watched her set them beside her on the bed. "No problem." Then he gestured to her bandaged shoulder, arm and wrist. "How's it feel?"

"It throbs sometimes, but I'll live." Alice cleared her throat and stared at the flowers. "How's Gau?"

Eric shrugged. "Don't know. Haven't seen him since he brought you here."

Alice blinked at him. "What? He wasn't in class?"

"Nope."

She shifted her focus to the flowers once more. "I hope he's all right." She shuddered at the sudden flash of the Adamant in her memory.

"No kidding. What happened?"

Tears and embarrassment rushed to the surface. "We went for a walk. I guess we had so much on our minds we didn't notice the Adamant following us."

"Are you serious? _Gau_ didn't notice an _Adamant_?" Eric shook his head. "Man. He's got it worse than I thought."

"What?"

"Don't worry about it. You just get better. The Figaros are coming tomorrow."

Alice forced a half-smile. "Thanks, Eric. I'll sneak out and be in class before it starts. All right?"

He grinned and stood, giving her knee a pat. "Yeah. Right. I won't hold my breath."

Then he left the room and Alice's smile faded. She bit her lower lip-- she smacked the bed with the flowers and tossed them away, covering her face with trembling hands to hide the tears.

~@~

"Alice?"

Alice rolled over. "What, mom?"

"Gau's here to see you," she said through the door.

Alice sat up, quickly brushing the hair from her face and the tears from her cheeks before vainly trying to straighten the wrinkles in her heavyweight tee. She grimaced.

"Alice?"

"Yeah, mom. Come ahead."

Alice cleared her throat, pulling the covers up to the waist of her flannel pajamas as the door opened and Gau walked in. He wore his usual leather-like trousers, but this time he also wore an animal-skin shirt . . . and one arm in a sling.

Alice's heart fell, the guilt leaving a foul taste in her mouth. Her eyes retreated to stare at her laced fingers. "Hi."

Gau ducked his head in way of a greeting and moved to stand beside her bed. "You better?" he asked hesitantly. "No hurt?"

"I'm fine." She glanced up. "You?"

"Look worse than feel. Get better all time."

Nodding, she shifted her gaze back to her bandaged arm. "Good. Good." Silence.

"Alice, you angry . . . me?"

She met his eyes. They were almost brown with concern and a little fear. A fear that was her fault. A hurt that was her fault. "No. I'm just tired." She sniffled and let her gaze retreat. "Can we talk later?"

He nodded, backing away like a whipped dog. Alice winced when she heard the door close after him. Then she submerged deeper under the covers and rolled onto her side, ignoring her tears.

~@~

The door opened and Alice quickly sat up. Eric entered the room, a smile teasing his handsome face. "Hey, you."

Alice laid back into the pillows. "Hey yourself."

He raised an eyebrow and closed the door after him. "You sound miserable."

She looked up, frowning. "Do you blame me? Gau's arm is in a sling and I put it there with my idiotic notion for a midnight walk on the Veldt!"

"He could have said 'no', Alice." Eric sat on the edge of her bed. "He's a big boy, you know. Helped defeat a lunatic and everything, remember?"

Alice's frown didn't lighten. "Well, despite what he looks like, that 'boy' is a 'gentleman'. He could see that I was upset and needed to talk . . . Or maybe it was the other way around. Geez! It doesn't matter. I asked for a walk and he gave me one. Sure, he should've known better, but so should I!"

Eric crossed his arms. "Cut yourself some slack, will you?"

"Cut myself some slack?" Alice's mouth gaped. "You've got to be joking. You want me to give myself a break when I nearly got him killed!"

"Alice, give it a rest. I know for a fact that he's come to visit. Would he have done that if he blamed you for anything?" Alice looked away. He smirked. "See? You just want to feel sorry for yourself."

"Yeah. I'm really accomplishing a lot by doing that."

"Hey, everyone's got to be good at something."

Alice grumbled.

Eric shook his head and stood to make his way to the door of her room. He opened it. "I only stopped by to let you know the Figaros are here a little early. They're getting checked into the inn as we speak. Thought you'd want to know."

The door clicked shut as Alice sat up. She pursed her lips a moment--she slid out of bed and slipped into her jeans and a shirt, wincing as she did so. Then she turned and headed for her window, grabbing her essay as she went. She struggled with the lock, pushed open the window, and then carefully escaped from her room.

There was no one in sight on the way to the inn, much to her surprise, but what shocked her even more was that no one was in the lobby of the inn trying to strong-arm their way to the Figaros' room. There wasn't _anyone_. Not even the innkeeper. So, Alice made her way up the stairs without mishap or mayhem and headed toward the best room at the inn. Once she got to the door, she took in a deep breath for courage--and froze, eyes wide.

"Gau not know what feel. Not breathe when see smile. Not talk, too. What Gau feel, Terra? Gau sick? Gau dying?"

Alice heard the rustle of satin skirts.

"Gau, you're not dying," Queen Terra Figaro said, laughing softly. "It sounds like you have a crush on someone."

Crush? You're kidding . . . .

"Crush--? No! Gau _not_ want hurt."

The Queen laughed and a male voice spoke. "No, no, Gau. She means that you care for a very lucky young lady. Deeply, it would seem."

_Care_ _?_ Alice blinked. _He cares that much for Carol already?_ She frowned.

"Same as you for other?" Gau asked slowly.

"Maybe," Queen Terra said.

"Quite possibly," the King offered.

"How I tell other?"

Alice's mouth went dry. _O-other?_

"Does another girl like you?" the Queen asked.

"She no say, but I think is true. We have much fun. Talk long, but different than other."

'Different.' Alice felt sick. 'Different.'

"There is the challenge, Gau," King Edgar said. "You should tell her as delicately as possible, of course, but you must remember that no matter how tender you are in your choice of words, you will most likely hurt her feelings. Situations such as this always do."

Alice leaned against the wall outside the door and closed her eyes, balling her hands into fists. _'Different.'_

"She nice person, Edgar. I no want hurt. No other way?"

"I'm afraid not, Gau. Unfortunately, life and love have their conspiracies of agony."

"Alice? What are you doing here?"

Alice pushed from the wall without a word, looking into Carol's eyes with a blank stare. Then she moved past with a barely audible, "Leaving," and went back down the stairs, absently placing her essay on the innkeeper's counter before heading toward the door. She stepped out into the afternoon air and silently made her way home.

~@~

"Alice?"

Alice blinked. "Yeah?"

Her mom opened the door to her room, entered, and closed it again. "Alice, Gau's here again. He's brought you some samples from the Deep Veldt as well as something he said you wanted. Something about flowers?" Alice cringed and tucked her knees to her chin. "Are you _sure_ you don't want to see him?"

Alice's eyes clouded with tears, and she gripped the corner of her pillow but didn't roll over. "Yes," tone blank.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"But this is the third time he's tried to see you." Alice didn't say a word. "Well, I'll tell him you're sleeping, but next time I'm sending him in."

The door clicked shut as a tear fell onto her pillow. Alice rolled onto her back. _What's so great about Carol? She's a fluffy make-up head who doesn't do anything but hang out with giggling nothings with less on their minds than a Flan._ A pang of guilt made her throw off the blankets and sit up. She dangled her feet over the side of the bed. _Hey, I can do a Paytha! I can giggle like some well-trained monkey and flutter my eyelashes! I can doll myself up and look at math problems with an empty stare!_

Alice made a face and slipped out of bed, kicking at her slippers before leaning against the wall by her window to stare outside. When she saw Carol and Gau gathered underneath the tree ten feet outside her window, she grimaced and turned away, stubbing her toe on the leg of her rocking chair. She swore.

"Do you eat with that mouth?"

Alice shot Eric a glower. "Not today," she growled. "Believe me, you don't want _any_ of this."

Eric examined her expression as she limped to the bed and sat down. "Whoa."

"Considering the piss-factor in this room," she said as she glowered at the window, "I would suggest you leave. Fast."

Eric actually took a step backward. "Alice . . . ." He cleared his throat and tugged at the belt of his trousers before stepping forward again. "Alice, I might be taking my life into my hands, but . . . what's wrong?"

Her frown deepened. "Look out the window, if you can take the sugar-shock."

Raising an eyebrow, he made his way to the window to look out with a shrug. "Carol's sitting under the tree with Ga--Oh." He stepped from the window. "Got it."

"It's hard to miss She's been throwing herself at him from the day he got here You'd think she didn't already have nearly all the guys drooling their lives away No, she's got to have him too, just to prove she can do it!"

"Geez, Alice. Carol's not that bad."

Alice's eyes pinned him. " _'Not that bad'_? One more melodious laugh and I _will_ rip out her vocal chords!" Eric's eyes widened as he stared at her, speechless. Then there sounded the faint sound of laughter. Alice bolted to her feet. "Right. She's mine."

Eric straightened, dashing after her to grab her arm. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

Alice slapped Eric's hand from her arm. "Back off, Trugate."

"Or what? You'll scratch my eyes out?"

Alice clenched her jaw and strode to her window to glare outside.

Eric stared at her a moment longer before turning to leave. A few moments later, he strode up to Carol and grabbed her by the arm, lifting her to her feet as he pointed at Gau and then at Alice's window, his mouth moving quickly. Gau stood and turned, staring toward her window for a long moment before following after Eric and Carol. Alice turned away, slipping back into bed and rolling over onto her side. _Different? I'm not that different. I'm just . . . I'm just Alice._

### 9: Escapes and Farewells

Alice adjusted her crossed arms as she sighed deeply, leaning against the footboard of her bed. There sounded a slight knock. "Come ahead."

The door opened slowly, a beautiful woman with long green hair peeking her head around the door. Alice straightened as Queen Terra Branford-Figaro entered the room. She was dressed in a simple pair of burgundy leggings and matching top. Her hair was pulled back from her face and braided, secured at the bottom with a simple ivory ribbon.

The Queen smiled, and it made her look even lovelier. "Hello, Alice. I hope I haven't come at a bad time."

Alice gulped. "N-no, your highness." _Oh my gosh!_

Terra entered further into the room, bringing a report out from behind her back as she gestured to Alice's arm. "How's your arm? I know the doctor was worried about it when we spoke."

Alice smiled. "It's fine. Thank you, your majesty--Oh! Let me get you a chair!" She hurried to her desk to retrieve a chair, which Queen Terra accepted with a smile. Alice sat on the very edge of her bed.

The Queen offered up the report. "It's very good. Edgar and I gleaned a lot of ideas from this."

Alice flushed and picked at her robe, occasionally peeking up at the Queen's kind face. "Are you serious?"

The Queen nodded. "How long have you been doing research on the Veldt?"

"About a year or two, I guess."

"What made you start?"

"Don't know exactly," Alice admitted. "I hadn't had a home for so long that when we moved here, I guess . . . ." She shrugged and looked up. "It wasn't right that the Veldt wasn't as green as it used to be. I just wanted to understand why every place else was getting back to normal."

Queen Terra regarded Alice a moment before looking down at the paper. "I know you're submitting it as an entry-essay into the Academy, but I wondered if you wouldn't rather stay here and keep doing research on the Veldt."

Alice's heart fell. "It's not good enough for the Academy, is it?"

Queen Terra reached out and took Alice's hand. "It's not that at all. It's wonderful. You would fit right in . . . academically. It's just that I'm afraid your heart would be left here. The essay is well written and passionate because it's something you believe in. That's why I think studying at the Academy isn't as important to you as fixing your home."

"But I can't fix it until I know what the problem is. And I can't do that until I learn more. And I can't do that without going to the Academy."

The Queen examined her face again with honest and open eyes. "That's true."

"I appreciate your concern, your majesty, but I need to do this."

Queen Terra's eyes twinkled with her smile. "I know. That's why Edgar is enrolling you for the first year with a full scholarship."

"What? _Seriously_?" She enveloped the Queen in a hug. "Oh thank you, _thank you_!"

Queen Terra laughed as she returned her embrace. When she pulled back, her expression showed lovely seriousness. "Be sure to tell your family and friends exactly how you feel about them. The Academy is different than the school here. It's tough. You'll need their support."

Alice nodded. "Okay, your majesty. I will."

Then Queen Terra made her way to the door. "It was really nice to meet you, Alice, and you're welcome to visit us any time you like."

Alice nodded again, leaning against the door with a deep breath once it had clicked shut. _I'm going to the Academy! I made it!_

~@~

When Alice heard the footsteps approach her door, she tucked the blankets tighter over her lap. She sat in her favorite rocking chair staring out the window of her room. Staring at the tree outside her window. Staring at the main road that led to her house. She cleared her throat and rocked once, making her chair creak just as the door did. She heard two steps, and then they stopped. Alice heard him clear his throat, then another couple steps, and a second clearing of the throat.

_Come on, Alice. Geez._ She turned her head to face him, immediately noticing that Gau had dressed in a different suit than before. Alice remembered seeing it in the window of Dane's shop. Charcoal gray, like his other one, this one looked even better on him. He actually looked less legend and more seventeen-year-old guy ready to go to a dance. Especially since his arm wasn't in the sling anymore. He also held a bouquet of Veldt wildflowers. When he saw the wilted ones on the floor that Eric brought her the day before, his face yellowed and he looked around for a place to hide them.

Alice looked down to her hands. "Hi."

Staring at the flowers, Gau adjusted them within his fingers before saying, "Gau know Alice angry me. Eric say when take Carol." He finally lowered the blossoms and looked up, moving to stand in front of her chair to meet her gaze. "Why? What Gau do make angry?" he asked, voice lost and confused. "Alice no like Gau? Because Adamant? Because hurt? Why?"

Alice lowered her focus to the blanket across her lap and concentrated on adjusting its symmetry. "I'm not mad at you, Gau. I've just not been feeling good." _Seeing Carol with a guy like you does that to person. She's just hero-happy and will hurt you when she gets tired of it. She should be with a_ _normal_ _guy. One that 'gets' her._

"Then why see Eric and no Gau? Why see Terra and no Gau?" Gau crouched in front of Alice and looked her full in the face. "Why Alice do this thing? If no want be with Gau, say plain."

Alice's throat tightened with guilt. "I never said I didn't want to be your friend, Gau. I just thought . . . ." Alice's mouth went dry and her stomach crawled. "I just thought you'd want some more time with C-Carol."

Gau's golden-green eyes gleamed with confusion. "Gau no want what say. Gau come and Alice say no want see. Why think Gau want be with Carol all time?"

Alice clasped her hands together. "Don't worry about it, Gau."

Gau released a deep breath, confusion and frustration darkening his eyes. "Alice, I try think why you angry, but what Carol say and what you say much different."

Alice's temper redlined. "Of _course_ I'm different," she snapped. Gau pulled back with a blink. "I'm Alice and not Carol, the featherweight limp-brain who can't recognize long division from fractions. Gigglegus with her blasted melodious laughter that makes me _cringe_!" She glared into Gau's face. "Well, I hope you'll be happy with her--Miss Open Flirtation who's never happy without a guy as a bracelet! I _better_ be different because _I'm_ going to the Academy! _I'm_ going to make something of myself!"

Gau's eyes sparked and his brows lowered.

Alice blinked, immediately lowering her gaze and clearing her throat. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you." _Geez, Alice! You're mad at_ _Carol_ _for taking advantage, not Gau! He saved your butt--three times!--remember?_

"You say 'cause you think I no make big thing happen? I no good 'cause live on Veldt like animal and not go school 'til now?"

"No!" Alice blinked at him, eyes wide. "I didn't say that!"

Gau straightened from his crouch with a sharp motion, arms outstretched. " _Then what you say_?" He pressed a finger into his palm. "Carol say you like," and another, "Eric say you like." He pointed at her. "You say Carol like." He pointed at himself. "You no _ask_ who I like; you _say_ I like," he pointed outside, "and be good with Carol." Gau scooped the flowers up from the floor to drop them into her lap, causing a twitch. "Flowers from Veldt. From heart of both. You go, you lose heart. You lose self. Make sure do thing for Veldt and not for fear of life."

Then he turned and strode from the room like a dragon, not even shutting the door behind him. Alice stared down at the carefully picked flowers, now battered and wilted, and buried her face into the softness . . . and sniffled, "Dang it . . . ."

~@~

Alice sighed deep as she stowed the last of the things she'd need for her stay at the dormitories of the Academy. Gau hadn't visited the entire week. It was as if he had written the little town out of his life. Alice had gotten into the habit of walking around town on the extreme outer edges of the Veldt hoping he would show himself. But everything remained calm and quiet, with not even a peep from the animals of the Veldt. It was as if they accused her of something she hadn't meant to do.

Hurt Gau's feelings.

She kept replaying the scenario in her head, but it just made her feel even worse. And her guilt wouldn't let her give up the instant replay. She knew she had to sacrifice her pride to save their friendship.

There came a knock on her door. "Come ahead."

A creak sounded as the door opened and a male voice spoke. "There's some Setzer guy at the inn asking for you. I told him I'd get you."

"Thanks, Eric. Tell him I'm just about ready."

He didn't move, and Alice clenched her jaw as she buckled closed the straps of her side bag. _You know he's going to open his big mouth and ask about Gau. And if it's not him, it'll be Carol._ The two were like an interrogation squad of the Empire the way they kept asking her what happened at Gau and her last meeting.

"So, like, why don't you finish out the year at least?"

"I told you. I need to get settled before the new year starts."

"I know, but . . . geez, Alice, you're going to be gone for two years at _least_. You just got better from the Adamant mauling and you're leaving. It's not fair."

Alice slung the bag over her shoulder and faced Eric--Gau stood just behind him. Alice looked away, self-consciously grabbing her large duffel to sling it over her other shoulder. "Sorry, guys, but life's never fair. I've got this chance, so I'm running with it." Before she changed her mind. Before she let them persuade her differently.

She came up to them and met Eric's gaze. "See you around."

He gave her a careful hug, pulling away with a lopsided grin. "Not if I see you first." He touched her nose. "Keep it clean, Alice. We don't want no rebel coming from our town."

Alice smiled. "Thanks." She cleared her throat as she moved on to Gau. Same gray suit as a week before. Just as good in it. And just as welcome a sight as ever. "Thanks for everything, Gau," she voiced softly. "I'll never forget you, or your Veldt."

His face was tight and dark, and though his eyes looked like he wanted to say a million things, his lips were pressed into a thin mark of disapproval.

Alice cleared her throat again and lowered her eyes. "I'll write and keep you up on all that's happening. I'll try and come home whenever I can, too. All right?"

"Sure, Alice," Eric said.

Alice nodded, glanced toward Gau, and then moved ahead to her mom and dad. After the tearful good-byes and promises to visit, she made her way out onto the front porch. Carol sat on the front step.

Carol turned and stood. "I knew you'd make it."

Every snotty, snappy, back-stabbing word Alice had ever said hit her smack between the eyes, with Carol's innocent smile being the best voiced accusation of all. Alice's mouth went dry with her guilt, and she lowered her gaze to the floorboards of her porch as she stepped forward. "I know. Thanks for the vote of confidence." She cleared her throat. "Good luck with school. I'll try and come back for graduation."

Carol nodded with glimmering eyes, and then she pulled Alice into a hug. "It's not going to be the same without you looking down your nose at us girls and the pub."

Alice flushed and pulled back. "Hey, I never--"

Carol smiled wider. "Oh yes you did, Alice Camf. We all knew that. Why do you think Paytha and Lena hate you so much?"

"Because I've got style?"

Carol giggled. "Sure, Alice, sure." She stepped back. "Don't forget about us when you start making history. Promise? You're the one who got us together in the first place, what with all the emotional support I had to offer." Carol winked. "I'll let you know how it works out."

"Gee. Thanks." Alice gestured toward the exit of town. "I better scoot. Before he leaves me behind."

"Sure." Carol pulled her into another hug. "Bye."

Alice stepped back and turned to make her way down the porch steps, adjusting her grip on the bags as she saw the massive airship loom on the edge of town. Her throat tightened and she blinked as she swallowed hard. _Cut the apron strings, Alice._ She cleared her throat and swallowed again. _You're about to realize your dream, girl. Don't get weepy now. Suck it up._ She approached the inn, the last building in town before the exit, and gave the Innkeeper a nod and a smile. He waved back, causing Alice's eyes to mist as she looked away. _Don't do this, Alice. You're not leaving forever._ She jerked her head to toss some hair over her shoulder and cleared her throat yet again.

"Alice?"

Alice gave a start and halted, turning to her left to face Gau, who had come to walk beside her without a sound. She swallowed hard. "Yeah?"

He opened his mouth, immediately clicking it shut to press his lips into yet another thin line. Then he shifted his gaze to the airship . . . and then back to her. "Too many things to say. Not know where start." She lowered her gaze. Gau breathed deep. "I miss you when go. No one read Veldt like you. No one . . . see me like you." He pressed his lips together again. "I no happy you go, but I try see."

Looking up with a tremulous smile, Alice whispered "Thanks. I appreciate that."

To Alice's surprise, Gau stepped forward and embraced her, making Alice close her eyes as she relived all the fun times they shared and the things she learned. Then Gau pulled back and stared down at her, examining each and every line and curve to her face.

Alice flushed and lowered her eyes again, raising them quickly when he reached out to lightly touch a lock of her hair. He rolled it between thumb and forefinger as his eyes intensely watched the action. "Gau 'member you, Alice," he said softly. Then he focused those golden-green eyes on her. "All time. If you no come back, Veldt heart be much sad." A tear escaped her eyes, and he touched it away. " _Gau_ heart be much sad."

She swallowed again, sniffling several times before giving him another quivering smile and saying a choked "Bye" while turning toward the airship.

"No 'bye', Alice," he said after her, voice low. "No 'bye'."

Alice gnawed her lower lip and hurried into the airship. _Don't look back, Alice. It'll be easier if you don't look back._ But was leaving home _ever_ easy?

A man with pale hair and a scar across his left eye greeted her at the entry to the airship. He gave her a nod and a wink by way of greeting and eased her large duffel from her shoulder with an easy motion.

"Setzer Gabbiani. I'll be your pilot," he told her with a voice as smooth as velvet. Then he turned and proceeded up the plank and into the airship.

Alice bit her lip and looked over her shoulder toward her home. Gau still stood at the entrance staring after her, Carol approaching from behind. When she stood beside him, she placed a hand on his arm and looked up into his face when he turned. After a moment of quiet conversation, the pair turned and began a circumference of the town on his Veldt.

Alice's throat tightened. Then she turned to enter the airship. "Bye, Gau."

### 10: Another First Day

"Pretty rad, isn't it?"

Alice glanced to her right as she adjusted her arms leaning against the railing on deck. A cute and petite blonde with green eyes and a bright face stood beside her. She had an ink smudge on her forehead above her right eyebrow and ink stains on the scarf that covered most of the unruly curls of her hair.

Alice changed her focus back to the horizon, as did the girl beside her. "Yeah."

"I always have Setzer take me out so I can paint it. I usually don't do landscapes, but there's just something about the view from the airship. It inspires me." Alice absently nodded. "So, you're going to the Academy, huh? Excited?"

Alice turned with a sigh and leaned her back against the railing. "Yeah."

"Oh yeah. You really _sound_ excited, too." The girl wrinkled her nose. "You know, not just anybody gets into the Academy. You should be a little more enthused, don't you think?"

Alice narrowed her eyes as she looked up at the blue sky. "I am. It's just . . . it's just the first time I've been away from home." Alice looked again to the girl beside her. "What about you?"

"I've been at and away from home since I was ten. Not a new thing for me." The girl examined Alice's face. "I think I get it, though."

Alice looked away. "Great. I'm surpassed in worldly experience by a kid all of 15. Thrill of thrills."

The girl laughed. "Nah. 'Worldly experience' is over rated. And I'm _14_."

"Yeah. Right."

"Hey, I know a kid about your age who's had less 'worldly experience' than _you_ , believe it or not. _He_ was raised by animals on the Veldt. In fact, he's--"

Alice turned sharply. "You know Gau?"

The girl stopped mid-sentence, jaw still hanging. After a blink or two, she closed her mouth and examined Alice from head to toe. "Yep, but the question is how do _you_ know Gau? I don't think he's been off the Veldt since Terra, Edgar, Locke, and Celes' wedding."

Alice smacked her forehead. "You must be Relm Arrowny."

"Yep. How'd you know that?"

Alice smiled. "The fact that you know the saviors of our world by name maybe?"

Relm pointed a finger at Alice with a smirk. "Good point. I guess that's a 'duh'."

"I'm Alice. Alice Camf." They shook hands. "Nice to meet you."

"Do you have a problem with me arranging the dorms with Edgar so that we can share a room?"

"Nope."

"Rad." Relm tugged at Alice's arm. "So, tell me about yourself. Where're you from?"

They walked the deck and exchanged stories.

~@~

"Ladies?" Setzer opened the door to the cabin and entered. "We're approaching the Academy, if you care for an aerial view."

Relm squealed. "Darn right! I need to grab my palette and brushes."

Alice chuckled and stood as Relm rushed from the room.

"How was the trip, Miss Alice? Not too bumpy, I hope."

"No. It was wonderful," she assured as she made her way forward. _You're talking to_ _the_ _Setzer Gabbiani._ "Thank you."

He sent her a charming smile before she passed and made her way on deck. Relm scurried on deck a moment or two later and set up her easel and canvas.

Making her way to the--Alice gasped "It's huge!"

Relm looked over at Alice's large sparkling eyes and shocked face with a knowing look. "If you think that's big, you should see Figaro castle. Doma castle's even bigger . . . I think."

Alice stared in stupefaction at the sprawling mansion-turned-educational-facility. Located northwest of Figaro near Kohlingen, its three-story mass was a collection of architectural beauty and organizational genius. The third story was dedicated solely to the students' dorms. The second story held the library and research facility. The ground floor held multiple classrooms where the select few accepted students would have the benefit of specialized professors teaching what they loved. The professors' bungalows were behind, giving the teachers and students an opportunity to develop a bond.

"Another pass, Relm, and then I'll need to go in," Setzer told them from the helm.

"Right. I've almost got it."

Alice couldn't help but feel she would get lost in the sheer mass of the building. _You're definitely not on the Veldt anymore. Welcome to city life._

"You better hold on," Relm said with a laugh. "Setzer can get a little exuberant with his landings."

Alice moved from the railing and gripped a safety post. Relm did the same. But contrary to the girl's report, the landing was as smooth as the ride had been.

"I guess Terra and Edgar are going to give us a tour of the place, and then we'll head on over to the office to fill out paperwork and sign up for classes."

"Already? I thought the term didn't start until after the summer."

Relm waved the comment aside as she stowed her easel and paints in a safe place. "Oh that. There aren't very many students here, so the teachers can work on almost a one-to-one basis. Groups of three to five, most of the time. You can start whenever you feel like it, basically."

_Good. Maybe I can get home sooner._ "Sounds great." _Geez, Alice. Pull your head out and quit feeling sorry for yourself._

Relm made a motion with her head to the exit. "Come on. Let's go find Terra and Edgar. The chance to look around without them is going to give me hives."

Alice sent the girl a slight smile as she followed her. "I take it you like being on your own?"

Relm waited at the end of the ramp with a smirk. "Darn right. Most of the time it's more fun."

"So, then, what are you doing here?" Alice asked as the two headed for the Academy.

"You mean what am I going to be studying?"

"Yeah. It seems to me that helping save our world would have made it easy for you to be a world-class whatever."

Relm made a face. "What's the fun in that? I like adventure as much as the next teenager. Besides, if I took the easy road I think I'd disappoint my dad _and_ myself."

"Don't want to waste life on an easy ride, huh?"

"Nope. You never learn anything that way."

Alice absently nodded as she stowed her hands deep into the pockets of her denim shorts. "Yeah, well, sometimes adventure sucks," she mumbled. She felt Relm's gaze on her and shook her head. "Don't ask."

"Too bad. I am." Alice didn't answer and Relm pressed on. "I _know_ adventure can suck the crap right out of a chocobo, believe me. I almost got myself, my grandpa, and my friends and father killed because of it. But, that experience is part of my life now and I wouldn't trade it for anything." Relm moved her focus to an examination of the Academy. "Of course, I haven't had _nearly_ the adventure as Gau."

Alice looked over at her. "Why's that?"

"Didn't you know he was left on the Veldt by his dad--crazy bastard--when he was a baby?" Alice nodded. "He was left to die and turned out to be a really nice guy," Relm continued. "A little dense sometimes, but a nice guy just the same." The artist glanced toward Alice. "You said that you've actually met him, right?"

"You could say that."

She smirked. "I did. What'd you think?"

"He understands me like my friend Eric does." She gave a shrug. "He's fine, as guys go." _Too bad he's dense about girls._ Alice sighed. _Carol, why couldn't you have left him alone. He doesn't get about things like you do._

Relm examined Alice's expression, then she looked away. "Geez. And I thought Edgar was blind," she muttered.

Alice looked over at her sharply. "Wh--?"

"Relm! Alice! Welcome to the Figaro Academy for Higher Studies!"

King and Queen Figaro approached them with smiles and laughter, and all Alice could do was set aside the question for later.

~@~

The Academy's size and potential blew Alice away. State-of-the-art everything at their disposal, including books and research texts that had been saved from the Empire. In fact, when they made a supposed quick stop at the library, Alice was awed by the amount of research listed for the Veldt--taking place both before _and_ after the change to the environment. If it hadn't been for Relm tugging on her arm, Alice would have stayed behind to get her feet wet in the volumes of newly discovered knowledge.

Hours later, Alice was exhausted and massaging her sore feet as Relm laid back on the bed in their newly reassigned room. It measured twice the size of her room back home, but Alice knew it would take a little getting used to. _Yeah. No Eric barging in without knocking._ _No Gau bringing me flowers, or samples, or anything._ Alice sighed and moved to lie back on her bed, same as Relm. _No Gau asking ridiculously bright questions in class. No Carol bringing over the latest rage in scarves or boots. No Gau and his great sense of humor._ Alice covered her eyes with her arm. _Could I sound any more homesick?_

"Cool!"

Alice turned her face toward Relm, who stood by the window unwrapping a bit of paper pulled from a little tube. A carrier pigeon perched on the windowsill. "You got a letter? Here?"

"Yeah. Each room has its own pigeon. We have to send notes from the depot, but when they receive one, they find out who it's from, what room they're in, and then poof! Delivery." Relm unrolled her note and brightened. "It's from Dad!"

"Geez. A little tight on the reins, isn't he?"

Relm read the letter, eyes glistening. "I don't mind. I just found him about a year ago."

Alice spat the shoe out of her mouth--figuratively speaking of course--and sat up. "Sorry."

Relm shrugged and rolled the bit of paper up again. "Don't sweat it." She peeked at Alice, eyes twinkling with mischief. "He's Shadow, you know. So don't mess with me. He'll kill you."

Alice stared at Relm for a full minute before giving a shake of her head and laughing softly. "Hey, you won't have to worry about that. I'm weird, not insane."

Relm tossed a bit of paper at Alice with a grin. "We'll see. Anyway, why don't you let the fam know you got here safe. I'll jot a little ditty for my dad, and then we'll go find the pigeon depot. They're bound to have one for your town."

Alice shifted her gaze to the paper. "Don't bet on it."

"Why?"

"I don't think a lot of people even know it's there."

"Whatever. You have a school, don't you? You get supplies from Edgar, don't you?" Alice nodded to each statement as Relm grabbed a shawl from the back of a chair. "There. Don't you worry about fame and fortune with Eddie around. He'll make sure that the right people know about the right town." She gave Alice a nudge. "Come on. I'm bored."

Alice reached across her bed for the pencil on the desk between their beds and scribbled a brief note, then rolled it up and tucked it into the offered carrier. "There."

"Rad. Let's go."

Alice sighed, pushing herself to her feet and into her sandals before following after the girl. She gave a slight shake of her head. "Can't we take a break? My feet are killing me."

"Oh 'waa'," Relm told her. "You'll have time enough to give them a rest when you're sleeping."

Alice tucked her hands into her pockets and followed to the pigeon depot behind the Academy. _Right. I can handle this. If she keeps me this busy I won't have_ _time_ _to think about . . . home._ It never hurt to hope.

~@~

She descended onto the lush green loveliness of the Veldt like a great bird, soaring inches above the ground with a laugh as the wind caressed her face. A mountain of rocks with a cave within the deeper part of it appeared, so Alice made her way toward it. Warmth and happiness seemed to pull at her as she descended and touched ground with bare feet. When she looked down at herself, she noticed for the first time that she dressed in comfortable hand-stitched leather pants and a soft leather sleeveless shirt. She stroked the pants and shirt with a lingering smile, looking up when she heard her name.

"Alice!"

Walking toward the sound, Alice slowly approached a silhouette several yards from the cave. She narrowed her eyes but still couldn't tell who or what it was against the glare of the sun.

"Alice! Come see!"

Alice hurried her step until she found herself jogging toward the figure with a catch of expectancy in her throat. The silhouette sharpened and cleared--Alice stopped, eyes widening as her jaw dropped. Gau held a five-year-old-boy on his shoulders.

The boy glanced over at her and immediately squealed, giving a wide smile as he reached his hands out for her. Gau lowered the boy from his shoulders with a grin, laughing when the blond beauty launched himself into Alice's arms with so much force that she tumbled backwards--Alice sat up with a gasp.

She covered her eyes with a hand, taking in a deep breath to release it slowly. Then she laid back, moving her arm up to cover her eyes. _'You're the one who got us together in the first place, what with all the emotional support I had to offer. I'll let you know how it works out.'_ Alice cringed again at Carol's words, rolling onto her side to squeeze her eyes shut tight. _There'll be plenty of time for looking for heroes_ _after_ _school's over and done with._ She'd waited this long. What were a couple more years?

And hadn't Eric seemed eager enough to wait?

### 11: Letters, Dreams, and Introductions

"Now _why_ did you sign up for those classes again?" Relm peeked over Alice's shoulder at the list of classes and corresponding books she needed to get that day. "They look too boring for me. It's all about bugs, rocks, and dirt."

Alice chuckled. "Basically."

"Geez. I didn't think anyone but Gau was interested in stuff like that."

Alice's smile disappeared as she lowered her head closer to the paper. "What classes did _you_ sign up for?"

"Art history. Anatomy. Oils. Landscapes. And . . . uh . . . Literary Analysis? Hey. I didn't sign up for that." Relm looked up from her schedule with a frown. "I'm going to the office to get this straightened out."

"See you later." Relm hurried from the room with a barely perceptible wave, Alice staring after her with a slight smile before focusing back to the supplies list. "There. I think that about covers it." She heard a peck at the window and glanced over her shoulder. There was a pigeon. "Uh-oh. You missed Relm," she told the white bird as she stood and made her way to the window. "She's gone to hash out details with the office ladies." Alice opened the window and carefully enfolded the pigeon in her hand to pick it up. "But I guess I could take a message." She took the little tube from the pigeon's foot and set the bird back down again. Then she pulled the bit of paper from the tube and carefully unrolled it. "Oh. It's for me."

' _Alice, so glad you made it. Hope you're having fun. Eric.'_

"Not one for newsy notes, is he?" Alice smirked and turned for the desk to write a reply.

' _Eric, classes chosen. Books to be purchased soon. Roommate's a blast. How's life with Carol and Gau sucking face? Alice.'_

Alice grimaced as she rolled up the note and carefully placed it back into the tube. She sighed and turned away, grabbing her purse and her shopping list on her way out the door. She'd stop by the pigeon depot on her way to the bookstore.

~@~

Alice hadn't noticed in the small print of the scholarship papers signed in the superintendent's office, but all her books and supplies were part and parcel to her stay there at the Academy. In other words: she didn't need to pay. So, she put her money back in her purse and set up a budget for her newfound wealth. _If I'm really going to help the Veldt, I'm going to need supplies. And those don't grow on trees . . . well, not usually._

She smiled slightly and started wandering through the store looking for the supplies she classified as 'superfluous'; such as extra notebooks, extra notepaper, and extra pens and pencils. _Won't Gau be surprised when I show up with about a ton of seeds and fertilizer?_ _Carol wouldn't want to help. Too afraid to break a nail. It'd just be me, Gau, and Eric more than likely._ Although she wondered if King Edgar would be willing to lend her a newfangled piece of machinery to help out. The Veldt was a big place for three people to replant.

Alice set a box of pens into her basket, ignoring a tall gentleman in a nice suit watching her shop. _Geez, mister. You ever hear of manners?_ She moved on to the row for notepaper. A few moments later, he was there, too. When Alice glanced at him, he smiled. His blue eyes were kind, hair a pretty color of red, and his face was all right to look at, but he just didn't tweak her interest. She looked away.

He moved, right toward her. "Hey there."

She didn't look up. _Where's that darn narrow-ruled paper?_ "Hi." _I_ _hate_ _the wide-ruled kind._

"New arrival?"

"Yeah." _Oh. Here it is. Yeah. This looks about right._ She picked up a package of 200 pages and put it in her basket before giving him a very slight smile and moving a little ways down the aisle to the notebooks. He followed. _Great. Second day at school and I've got a stalker. Thrill._

"So, what classes you taking?"

"This and that. Nothing exciting." _One inch. I need one inch notebooks--Here they are._ She picked up a different colored notebook for each class.

"I'm a writing major. What about you?"

Alice cleared her throat. "Veldt."

"Huh?"

She looked over at him. "I'm an environmental major. I'm studying the Veldt."

"Why? There's nothing there."

Alice frowned. "Yeah, like there's nothing up there," she countered, pointing at his head. "Later." She turned and stalked toward the front. _The first time I'm hit on and it's by an idiot._ She placed the rest of her things on the counter and waited for the clerk to tally the cost.

"I didn't mean to tick you off."

Alice clenched her jaw. "Fine."

He touched her shoulder to get her to face him. She stepped away from him instead. "Come on. I'm sorry."

Alice shrugged and accepted the bags from the clerk. "It's fine." She headed out the door, the guy fast on her heels. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to meet a friend at the office."

"I'll walk you there."

"That's all right. I'll pass." She glanced over at him. His expression was fiercely determined. "Seriously. I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you would, but I'd like to do it just the same." He met her eyes and gave her a slight smile. "The name's Riley."

She looked away. "Alice."

"Nice to meet you, Alice."

"Charmed." She halted suddenly and turned to face him. "Look. I'm not interested in getting into any kind of kissy-touchy-feely relationship right now. Right? I've got two years of heavy classes, and then I'm off to the Veldt to put it into action."

Riley stared down at her with a slack jaw. Then he collected his brain off the sidewalk enough to rub the back of his neck and close his mouth. His ears went a bit pink. "Uh . . . yeah, sure. Right."

Alice turned and headed for the dorms again.

"How about dinner? Tonight," he called after her.

Alice kept walking. "Idiot," she muttered.

~@~

"You actually _said_ that to him?" Alice nodded and Relm roared with laughter. "Omigosh! I wish I could've been there to see it."

"The jerk kept on and asked me out to dinner. Tonight." Alice crossed her arms. "In his dreams."

"It's a harmless dinner, Alice. It might do you some good. You're pretty uptight, you know."

Alice threw herself onto her bed and covered her eyes with her arm. "Gee. You think?"

"Well, it _is_ kind of a 'duh'."

"My entire life is a 'duh'."

Relm came and sat on the bed next to Alice. "Tell me about it."

Alice peeked at her from under her arm. "Huh?"

"Your lovelife."

Alice sat up. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Relm actually paused before talking. "Now I'm not so sure. What were _you_ talking about?"

Alice shook her head. "No way. You go first."

Relm looked away. "Oh look. A pigeon." She stood and made her way to the window to carefully take the tube from the pigeon's foot. "It's for you. Cool."

Alice caught the tube Relm tossed and carefully pulled the paper free. She unrolled it and raised an eyebrow. _'Alice, we haven't seen Gau since you left. Carol's worried, thinking she said something bad. I'm sure he's fine. Keep your chin up. Eric.'_ "Hm."

"What? Bad news?" Relm came to sit on the bed beside her. "Tell me, tell me."

Alice lowered the paper. "Gau's not been around for a while."

"You've only been gone about two days. He disappears that long while holding his breath. Don't sweat it." There was a knock, and Relm waved Alice off. "I'll get it." She opened the door and looked the person up and down. "Riley, I presume." Alice moaned and fell back onto the bed. Relm opened the door wider and gave the guy a smile. "Come on in."

"Thanks." Riley stepped into the room like he owned it. "So, you ready for that dinner?"

"What part of 'no relationship' confused you?"

Riley came to stand beside her bed. "Look, I didn't mean to be a jerk, all right? I'm trying to make it up to you, if you'll give me the chance."

"I've got a headache."

Relm sniggered into her hand and moved to the far side of the room with a slight shake of her head.

"Yeah," Riley said. "Sure."

The pounding behind her eyes became a sharp pain and she winced as she brought a hand up. "No. I really do. You're making it worse. Go away."

"Only if you promise to have dinner with me tomorrow."

"Fine."

"Really? Great." He gave a brief wave to Relm. "Later, cutie."

Relm leaned against the windowsill. "Bye, Riley," she purred as she crossed her arms.

He shut the door behind him.

Alice rolled over onto her side. "You have any Remedy?"

"Sure." She chucked a bottle to Alice. "He's kind of cute, in a twisted way I guess."

Alice took the Remedy dry. "Yeah, but he's as dense as a guy ever is."

"Hey, they aren't _that_ bad. Gau's actually pretty sharp."

A knife seemed to go through Alice's brain. "Yeah."

Relm came to sit on Alice's bed. "I'm curious. How'd you meet him anyway? He steers clear of towns usually. People have a tendency of throwing rocks at him and screaming before running away."

Alice rolled onto her other side. "It was an accident."

"That's the best way to meet someone. Didn't you know that?" Relm nudged Alice in the back with an elbow. "Come on. Spill."

Alice sighed and closed her eyes. She could still see the whole humiliating thing. "I got caught unawares by a Baskervor as I tried to get samples from the Veldt. He saved my butt."

"Cool." Relm laid down on her back beside Alice. "What happened after that?"

Alice opened her eyes. "We did a trade, kind of. I wanted to learn more about the Veldt for my paper, and he wanted to go to school. I made it possible."

"Rad. I know he'd been wanting to go to school for a while. Terra and Celes taught him how to read and write, and a little about history and math, but he wanted to be taught like other kids his age." Relm nudged Alice again. "That was really nice, Alice. I bet he loved it."

Alice remembered his smile after the first day of class and adjusted her shoulders. The Remedy was starting to work. "He did." Her throat tightened. _And now he's missing out. But why?_ Alice clenched her jaw. _Carol, if you said_ _anything_ _to hurt his feelings, I'll pound you._

"Makes me wonder why he's vanished. Hm. Oh well. He's a big boy."

_Why does everyone keep saying that? He still needs help with things!_ Alice cleared her throat. "Yeah. I know."

~@~

"Alice. There's a pigeon pecking at the window," Relm snuffled into her pillow. She rolled over with a sleepy sigh. "Can you get it please?"

Alice yawned wide and stumbled out of bed, stubbing her toe on her desk's chair as she groped in the dark for the clearest way to the window. She opened it and fumbled for the pigeon, relieving it of its cargo and unrolling it as she sunk to the floor with another yawn.

' _Alice. Found Gau's books at the entrance to town. Note saying not coming back to school. Carol's going ballistic. Determined to find him. Don't worry. Eric.'_

Alice blinked, her brain wide awake. "Don't worry?" she mumbled. She crumpled up the paper and threw it across the room. The pigeon squawked and flew out the window and back toward home. _Not coming back to school? Why not? What in blazes did Carol say?_

~@~

"Well, if it isn't the best looking lady on campus."

Alice hunkered down in her seat at the library with a cringe. "Hi, Riley," she mumbled.

He leaned against the table and crossed his arms. "Cutie said you were here. I thought I'd drop by and say 'hello' and see if I could persuade you to come out for some food."

Realizing he wouldn't leave her alone until she actually went through with it, she sat up and grabbed her purse and jacket. "Fine. Let's go," she sighed. Alice made a face as he hurried to fall into step beside her. "So, where to?"

"I've got a table set up in the cafeteria."

"How romantic."

Riley chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Yep. Yep. Yep. I know. Girls go wild for it."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I hope you're joking."

"You know, you need to relax a little. I'm glad I came along when I did."

"Oh, yes. Will miracles never cease."

Riley shook his head. "Oh I love those woman with blatant hostility towards men."

She shot him a dark glare. "I _don't_ have hostility towards men."

"Oh. Then it's just me."

Alice looked away with a brief shrug. "Hey, if the shoe fits."

Riley laughed. "You know what, this is kind of fun."

"Yeah. A riot."

He opened the door for her leading from the stairwell into the second story hall and then motioned her to the left toward the cafeteria. "So, where're you from."

"A town called Border, believe it or not."

"What?"

"It's on the border of the Veldt, so that's what they called it."

"So _that's_ why you're studying Environment."

Alice shrugged as he opened the doors into the cafeteria for her. A corner table had a vase with a single flower and an unlit candle in the center. Her stomach fluttered and then dropped to her heels.

"I don't suppose you're taking any writing classes?"

"Nope. Well, there's the research paper class I'm taking."

"Bummer. I already took that class. Last semester." Riley snapped his fingers. "Oh well. I'll just have to keep popping in and kidnapping you to dinner."

"Oh _could_ you? Thank you _ever_ so much." She made her voice drip with sickening sweet damsel-in-distress-ism.

"For this witty repartee? Any day of the week."

Alice grumbled under her breath as he pulled the chair out for her. _Why am I being so hostile? You'd think he really_ _had_ _kidnapped me._

Riley rang a little bell on his side of the table, causing cafeteria workers to instantly appear bearing covered silver trays. "Ah. Dinner is served." One tray was set down in front of her and another in front of him. She stared down at it but didn't move. "Go ahead. Uncover it."

Alice took in a slow breath and reached out for the tray cover. When she pulled it away, there was a beautifully cooked slice of meat and a tantalizing array of vegetables and potatoes. Alice set the cover aside and stared at the steak.

When she didn't look up, Riley came to stand beside her. "What's the matter? You don't like Adamant steak?"

Alice stood, covering her mouth with her hand as she rushed from the room. Tears streamed down her face-- _Blood. Growls. Gau's still body--_ The images pelted her as she hurried back to her room. The dread she felt that he might be hurt. The guilt at realizing it had been her fault--Alice slammed into her room and collapsed against the door, sliding to the floor with a sob.

"Geez, Alice, what happened?" Relm hurried to her side. "What'd he do? I'll kill him!" Alice covered her face with her hands and gave a shake of her head. "Then what's wrong?"

"I wanna go home," she sobbed.

Relm wrapped her arms around Alice and gave her a squeeze. "Yeah. I know," she mumbled.

~@~

"Sending another letter home?"

Relm rolled up the bit of paper and sat beside Alice. "Yeah. Asking advice."

Alice flipped a few more pages of her geology book. "About what?"

"Love. Denial. Things like that."

Alice looked over at her with a blink of surprise. "That's pretty deep, Relm. Aren't you a little young for that?"

Relm gave a snort and looked away. "Apparently not." She shifted her gaze back to Alice. "Are you ever going to tell me what happened last night?"

Alice glanced back to the book. "I lost my appetite."

"And that's why you were bawling your eyes out? Right."

Alice gripped the page and turned it. It ripped slightly. "Hey, I can't help it if you don't believe me."

"Sheesh. I can't believe you believe yourself." There sounded a knock and Relm stood. "I mean, have you ever heard of ignoring the obvious? You've got a classic--" She pasted on a perfect plastic smile. "Hi, Riley."

Alice winced, but she didn't move or change her gaze from the book in her hands.

"Hey there, cutie. Where's Alice?"

"She's busy being in denial." She stepped back. "Come on in. Misery loves company."

He stepped in, after several odd looks at Relm, and then came to stand by Alice. "Hey there. Can we go for a walk?"

"No thanks."

"No meat. I promise."

Alice shook her head. "Really. I'm busy. Maybe later."

He took the book out of her hands. She glared at him. "Come on. A short little walk. I won't hurt you. I swear I don't bite."

Alice took the book back. "But _I_ do." She turned through the pages. "Go away."

"I mess up once and that's it? No more Riley? No second chance?"

"You barely had a first one. I'm not interested."

Riley's face showed shock. "But--"

" _Go away_."

Relm came over and wrapped her arms around Riley's. He looked down at her in surprise as she fluttered her eyelashes at him. " _I'm_ interested."

"What?"

Relm sidled closer, lowering her eyes to her finger as it ran up and down his bare arm to his shirt sleeve. "You don't just have eyes for Alice, do you? What about me?" She lifted her eyes to him.

"Uh . . . well, I, uh . . . ." He cleared his throat. "Sure, cutie. What'd you have in mind?" He sent Alice a 'see what you're missing' look, but she wasn't paying attention. He frowned and moved his focus back to Relm. "You up for a walk?"

"A walk? Oh no. I had something different in mind." She took hold of his hand and led him over to her side of the room with her paints and brushes. She picked up a brush and touched her chin with it as she gave him a coquettish smile. "How about I paint you?"

"Paint? Well, sure, I guess." He looked around for a stool as Relm dipped the brush in a bit of yellow paint. "Where'd you want me to sit?"

Relm approached with just enough sway to her walk to grasp Riley's attention. "Oh no, Riley. I wasn't talking about painting on canvas."

She touched his arm with the brush. He leaped back from her, nearly stumbling into her bed. She took a step toward him with a meaningful expression.

"Uh, I just remembered . . . I have an appointment." He cleared his throat and continued to back toward the door. Relm beat him to it and leaned against the door with her hands in the small of her back, her young curves positioned in just the right way to make him swallow hard, fighting to keep his eyes from sinking from hers. "Come on, cutie. Let's keep it civil."

"What's the fun in that?" she purred. She stepped forward and he stiffened, swallowing hard when she leaned into his chest. "Roar." She bit at him and he yelped, diving for the door and slamming it closed behind him. Relm straightened and sent Alice a 'you owe me big' look.

"That's disgusting," Alice mumbled.

Relm shrugged and came to sit on Alice's bed. "Hey, I do what I can to further our purpose."

"He definitely won't be back here anytime soon."

"Don't count on it. He's denser than any guy I've met."

Alice nodded with a reluctant smile as she looked over at Relm. "So I noticed."

Relm gestured to the bit of rolled up paper on Alice's desk. "You gonna write back and tell them you're sure he's fine?" She glanced over at the paper. "I know. You could write a note for Gau letting him know that you're fine and that everything's great. You could even let him know that you're planning on visiting home before classes get started."

"I am?"

Relm looked over at Alice with an innocent expression. "Oh. You weren't? Sorry. I thought you'd want one last night with the fam before the heavy stuff started."

Alice set the book aside. "Relm, what did you do?"

"Nothing. Honest." Relm smirked slightly. "Well, mostly. I just sent Setzer a note to have him come next weekend and take us back to Border for a day. I want to check it out and meet this Eric guy. Besides, I haven't seen Gau for a while and it'd be nice to say 'hi'."

"Relm," Alice complained.

"I know, but it's already done. You'll have to deal with it."

Alice sighed. "Fine. Whatever." Alice tossed aside the book and rolled over onto her side. "I'm going to take a nap."

"Chickenlip."

"I'm ignoring you," she said with a yawn. Alice heard Relm snigger as she drifted off to sleep.

Alice sat up with a yawn and a stretch, slowly opening her eyes as her mind worked through the morning fuzzies. The darkness of the cave made her tilt her head and frown in confusion. _Cave?_ She pushed herself to her feet, dusting the leaves and dirt from her hand-woven leather pants. She stared at them. _Um, Alice. What's going on? What's the matter with your memory? Are you going nuts?_

A ferocious growl sounded from outside the cave, and her head shot up as her eyes pinpointed the entry. A smaller, human shaped shadow grappled with a winged form. Alice's heart went to the soles of her feet as she hurried to the opening.

"Gau?" She stumbled on a rock and nearly fell to her knees, barely recovering in time as her hands met the cold and hard surface of the opening to the cave. Gau fought a dragon. "Gau!"

Her call distracted him, making it possible for the dragon to slice him across the chest. The blow sent him flying backward like a rag doll. Alice screeched and ran forward, sliding to a halt beside him and gathering his bloody form into her arms.

"Gau?" She shook him, but he didn't move. The ground around her trembled as the dragon approached her, but she just continued to stare down at his limp body, blood oozing from fresh cuts. "Gau--" Her voice broke, and she lowered her head as the tears fell. A hiss sounded just behind her.

Alice clenched her jaw and snapped her head around, eyes focusing on the dragon and its siren smile and hazel eyes--rage blinded Alice's mind, face and body burning red. Her mind popped, a ferocious scream curdling the air as she dove at the dragon, claws extended--

Alice sat up with a screech.

So did Relm. " _What_?" she asked, magazine dropping to the floor.

Alice puffed, dream slowly fading. Finally, she shook her head and laid back. "Nothing. Just a bad dream."

"Really? Gee. I would never have known."

Alice turned over onto her side. "Give me a break, will ya? I've had a bad couple of days."

"I know. That's why I think we should go out--" Relm brought a hand up to her mouth. "Crap! I forgot to tell you Terra and Edgar want to have dinner with you tonight."

Alice sat up sharply. "Geez! Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"

"I didn't have the chance!"

"What do you _mean_ you didn't have the chance? We've been here for hours!"

"No, you've either been on Self-Pity island or in Sleepsville. _I've_ been here."

Alice frowned and stalked to her section of the closet. "Great. I don't have a blasted thing to wear."

"Just wear anything. They don't care."

"They're royalty, Relm."

She shook her head. "No, they're Terra and Eddie. Humans. Nice people. They don't care what you wear."

"Well, I do."

"So I noticed." Relm stepped up to the closet and started pulling things out. "Let's see what we've got."

### 12: Realizations and Responses

There sounded a knock.

Alice straightened with a clearing of her throat and smoothed her silky, pastel lavender skirt and matching top. A floral scarf embraced her waist for a splash of color, and her dark hair had been thoroughly curled and coiffed to hang in a mass of ringlets from the crown of her head.

"Come ahead."

The door slowly opened. Setzer Gabbiani stepped in. He surveyed her wardrobe and sent her a velvety smirk as he leaned against the door jam. "Well, well, well. Doesn't someone look ravishing tonight?"

Alice flushed and looked down at her leather, thong-like sandals. "I feel like a dress-up doll."

Relm crossed her arms with a slight scowl. "Well, that's gratitude for you."

Setzer chuckled and presented his arm, giving a motion of his head toward the door. "Come, my lady. Your chariot awaits to take you to the castle."

Alice glanced up shyly and wrapped her arm around his. He led her from the room and headed for the stairwell. "Is Relm really going to make you take me to Border next weekend?"

"She is." He sent her an easy smile. "And it will be my pleasure. No need to feel guilty."

Alice sighed, pausing as he opened the door to the stairwell for her. "I can't help it. If I wasn't such a baby about going away to this Academy, she wouldn't have thought she needed to arrange my escape."

Setzer chuckled. "Relm has an uncanny knack of seeing what is less than obvious. No matter how brave you're trying to be, she would have seen straight through it."

Alice sighed again. "Maybe it's for the best. I have a tendency toward denial."

Setzer smirked and opened the bottom stairwell door for her. They stepped out onto the ground floor of the Academy. "Denial is a protection, Miss Alice. What do you feel you need protection from?"

"Myself." Alice blinked at him with a slight blush. "I can't believe I just said that aloud."

Setzer patted her hand as they continued toward the airship parked outside the field of buildings. "Saying that proves you're beginning to see yourself for what you are."

"And what's that?"

Setzer shook his head. "You'll have to find that out for yourself."

Alice sighed. "I guess so."

He ushered her on board and then made his way to the helm. A few minutes later they were on their way to the castle. _I can't believe this is happening. I'm studying at the school of my dreams. I've got access to almost all the Empire's scientific research on the Veldt. I've got enough money set aside to buy more than enough supplies for whatever I plan on doing. I'm about to have dinner with the King and Queen of Figaro_ _on their invitation_ _, and I'm still more on the miserable than happy side of life._ She leaned against the railing with a slight sigh.

They arrived at the desert just south of Kohlingen a few moments later, Setzer lowering the airship to the ground with hardly a jostle. Once he escorted her from the ship, Alice was surprised to find King Edgar at the entry of Figaro castle waiting to meet them.

He bowed in true royal fashion, to which she gave a surprisingly graceful curtsy, and then presented his arm. Alice transitioned from Setzer's right to Edgar's left with a shy smile, waving over her shoulder to Setzer as he watched them enter the castle.

"You are an entrancing vision of sophistication," King Edgar told her. "You remind me greatly of Terra."

Alice's face flamed red. "Thank you, your highness."

"I'm certain that the special one in your life would have a hard time recognizing you." Red reached her hairline. King Edgar chuckled and patted her hand. "I apologize, Alice."

"It's all right, your majesty. I need to loosen up anyway." She glanced toward the King, meeting his gaze. "Everyone says I take life too seriously."

"At times this is a wise policy, but not when you are 16 years of age with your entire future ahead of you."

She looked away. "I know."

"I suppose I should wait until dinner for conversation, but I would very much like to know what you have planned for your future."

Alice cleared her throat. "Well, I want to finish classes at the Academy and put what I learn to practice at the Veldt, and wherever else it's needed."

"A noble cause for a noble lady." King Edgar seemed to examine her expression. "But what of matters of the heart? Don't you wish to have a strong arm and shoulder to work alongside you?"

Alice cleared her throat again, fighting the queasy upset in her stomach. "I haven't really given it much thought. Too much other stuff going on."

"I understand that well. I was nigh past the years of the marrying age before I opened my eyes and realized my soul light had been there beside me for the greater part of two years." His lips raised in a slight smile. "That realization was pain and beauty in one. I cursed my stupidity for weeks, I believe. Denial had become a close companion, and it became a difficult chore to banish it without sacrificing my pride." King Edgar glanced over at her. "Love won in the end, and denial and pride were vanquished. Now I am the happiest man to breathe air."

Alice's mouth went dry and the queasiness worsened. "I can tell," she said softly.

"But I believe that's enough of me. I am quite curious to know how these first few days have found you."

"Life here will definitely be . . . different." Her nose almost wrinkled at the use of the sadistic word. "Always something new to see and learn. Always an adventure." _Kind of like Gau's Veldt. Sheesh. Kind of like Gau._

"Yes, but how are _you_? Acclimating can be difficult."

"It's not so bad. Relm helps."

King Edgar chuckled. "Acclimating to _Relm_ can be a challenge as well."

"Actually," Alice began slowly, "I've liked having her around. She doesn't hold back in anything. She says what she feels and gets me to do the same." She glanced toward the King. "It's been nice."

His smile remained. "Yes, she and Gau were both vessels of surprising wisdom and innocence. Many a time I found myself taken aback at the pearls of guidance they had to offer." They halted outside a set of double doors leading into the deeper part of the castle. He turned and took both her hands in his. "If either Relm or Gau have bestowed upon you such a gift of knowledge, I would suggest you listen carefully. I believe you will be amazed at what you discover about yourself and others."

She lowered her focus to the stone floor at her feet as each and every conversation she shared with Gau sped through her mind. "I'll keep that in mind, your majesty."

"Well now." He gave her hands a squeeze. "Enough seriousness. Let us eat, drink, and be merry. For tomorrow you study."

She smiled and turned, moving past him into the throne room beyond. Three tables were arranged in a 'U' shape and stacked high with plates of meats, fruits, breads and biscuits, vegetables, and desserts. Queen Terra finished arranging the silverware when they entered.

She straightened with a smile and came toward them. Dressed in a simple gown of pale mauve, her hair had been swept up off her shoulders in a mass of curls much like Alice's. Queen Terra took Alice's hands in hers. "You look lovely, Alice."

"Thank you, your highness," Alice said. She returned her smile. "So do you."

Queen Terra flushed. "Thank you." King Edgar came to stand beside his queen, wrapping his arm around her waist. She gestured to the plates and utensils at one end of the table. "I've set it up like a buffet, so you can help yourself. There are little tables by the walls where we can sit and talk. And don't worry about all the food. The children are having a party here later this evening. They'll finish what we can't."

Alice nodded and followed them to the plates and utensils. "It all looks wonderful. I don't know where to start."

Queen Terra smiled. "I don't know about you, but I'm planning on taking a little bit of everything."

True to her word, she placed a variety of meats, fruits, and vegetables on her tray. Alice's lips twitched in a smile as she placed a few of the lighter vegetables on her plate. She missed the simple meals her mom used to make, and camping trips and campfire roasted bits of meat floated in and out of her memory as she put a few slices of something brown and juicy on her plate. _Just don't let it be Adamant._

"Is that all you're eating, Alice?" the Queen asked with a concerned expression. "Aren't you feeling well?"

Alice shook her head. "I'm just not very hungry. I think it's all the excitement with the Academy and all."

Queen Terra and King Edgar exchanged a glance before urging Alice to follow them to a table on the left side of the room. Dread ate at the remainder of Alice's appetite, but she forced herself to nibble on a carrot or two once she sat down.

Queen Terra began arranging her napkin and utensils with deliberate movements. King Edgar stood and went back to the tables to get her and Alice some pudding. "Edgar and I were talking about your report while we waited for the airship. We wondered what Gau's reaction was."

Alice swallowed the last bit of carrot and nearly heaved it back up again.

Queen Terra noticed and raised a hand to her chest. "Oh no." The queen reached out to take Alice's hand. "You didn't ask him, did you?"

"I never even _thought_ about letting him read it." Alice brought a hand up to her forehead. "Oh man. I would have loved to know what he thought about my plan for the Veldt. After all, it's his home." She sighed and lowered her hand.

Giving Alice's hand a brief squeeze, Queen Terra watched her expression. "I'm sure you'll have another chance," she said as King Edgar returned with the promised pudding. He set a bowl in front of the queen and Alice. "Do you know _why_ you didn't have Gau read the paper before you turned it in?"

Alice cleared her throat as she took the offered bowl. Then she started adjusting her napkin on her lap. "Well, I, uh, didn't really get the chance . . . sort of." Alice took up a spoon and started swirling the whipped topping into the body of the pudding. "I got a little . . . distracted."

"Oh, yes. The Adamant," King Edgar commented.

Alice's grip on the spoon tightened. "Yeah." She took a small bite of pudding. Then she wrinkled her nose and set the spoon down to trace its handle's intricate design. "A lot of things changed that day."

"Brushes with death have a tendency of doing that." The Queen looked over at King Edgar and smiled as she reached across the table to take his hand. "Believe me. I know."

Alice's hand wrapped around the spoon as she kept her eyes averted. Her heart twisted. "I'll try and remember that when I go back to the Veldt," she mumbled. Alice immediately felt their gaze on her.

"You're going? When?" the queen asked.

"Next weekend. Relm thought it might be a good idea."

"Don't you?" Queen Terra asked in surprise. "It would give you a chance to show Gau your report."

Alice's throat tightened. "Yeah--I mean yes, your majesty." _But will I be welcome on the Veldt again? And he's been gone . . . ._ Alice cleared her throat as her mind tried to understand what it meant. Sounds blurred to a fuzzy murmur. _But why is he hiding in the first place? I thought things were going great between those two. Wasn't she all set and fired ready to set up curtains in his cave?_

Alice's heart twisted, and her thoughts delved deeper inside as she tried to soothe and solve her confusion. Her expression melted to one of wistful agony when she remembered the dream. "A little cutie of a boy," she mumbled to herself. "I always wanted a blond baby boy. But Carol has all the luck. In everything."

A voice tickled the edge of her pathetic misery. "Why?"

Alice moved a hand from a warm grasp to shade her eyes, tightening her grip on something in her other. It gave a little. "Because she's been flirting all her life. Because she knows how to make guys feel about a thousand feet tall." There was a rhythmic stepping sound and then a creak and a click. "I've never been able to do that. Maybe that's what he meant by different?"

"How were you supposed to know what he meant?" The voice sounded surprisingly kind.

Alice's grip tightened even more, and she barely recognized the twisting shape of the spoon. "I don't know. I didn't even think to ask until today, and now he's missing." She glowered and the spoon completely collapsed within her grip. "Of all the subjects to be slow in, did it have to be _this_ one? Geez! Last year I at least _tried_ to flirt with Eric. So he was lost on Terra Branford, at least I gave it a shot! Now I'm rolling over and dying like a leafer with barely a bite at her ankle as she runs after him! I'm not even _trying_ to get him!"

"Trying to get who, Alice?" The voice paused. "Gau?"

The word faded in like a swallow of curdled milk, tracing its way out of the denial of her heart to the expectancy of her soul as her eyes glazed over. Her skin became a sickly shade of yellowish green.

"Alice?" the voice asked gentler still, "trying to get who?"

Alice faded back into reality with a blink as she stood. "Gau," she answered absently. She dropped the spoon. It clattered to the floor. " _Gau_." The queen nodded and smiled, leaning back in her chair as she folded her hands in her lap. Alice focused her eyes on the queen as if she just realized she was there. "Your majesty--I'm really sorry--but if you'll excuse me, there's something I need to do."

"Of course, Alice. Go right ahead."

She gave a curtsy and turned to run for the door, slamming out of the throne room to sprint through the courtyard of the castle and burst into the enclosed hallway on the other end. She passed by King Edgar, barely noticing his knowing smirk as he waved and called out "Good luck and god speed." She only hurried across the flagstones and out the double doors of the exit, rushing down the steps to the desert outside Figaro.

The airship hovered right where she remembered.

She balled her hands into fists and ran, charging up the plank to the helm. She looked at the controls with a determined expression and then put her hands on the wheel. _Carol. Gau._ She clenched her jaw. "Right. He's mine." Alice pushed the throttle forward and turned the airship toward the Veldt.

"What in blazes--? Alice! What are you doing to my ship?" Setzer stumbled across the deck of the ship. "Keep it steady!" He tried to free her hands from the wheel.

She shot him a dark look, and he immediately backed off. "There is no way I'm going to let her have him without a fight. _We're_ the ones that have so much in common! _I'm_ the one who loves the Veldt as much as he does! Carol's more a groupie than girlfriend. Besides, what if _she's_ the one that's different and not me? It could happen, couldn't it?"

Setzer examined her face. "Of course, Alice."

She turned back to stare at the quickly passing scenery. They were coming on the Veldt faster than she thought possible. "But what am I going to say? What if I botched up our friendship because I was so dense?" She stomped her foot and gave a little sob. "No wonder he was so frustrated. I was being dumber than a doornail and he didn't know how to explain everything. I wasn't exactly giving him a chance either. I had myself convinced that he was head over heels for Carol just because he was being so nice. I'm such an idiot!" A tear traced a cold trail down her cheek and she blinked. "Now he has disappeared without even finishing school, and all because of me!"

Setzer placed a hand on her shoulder. "Gau probably needed time to think. Men do, especially when they have a heart as big as Gau."

Her throat tightened. "Yeah, and he might have thought himself straight into a relationship with Carol. Or Paytha. Or Raquel. Or any of the other hundreds of girls in town that I know would give their left eye for a night on the Veldt with him."

She blinked more tears out of her eyes. "Me and this blasted Academy! There's nothing wrong with living at Border with friends and family. There's nothing wrong with what my parents decided. But I was such a nincompoop, I didn't see it. Queen Terra was right, I would have been happier just staying at home and helping her and the King with replanting the Veldt. But I thought I had to do it all myself."

Her shoulders started to tremble with her tears, and she blinked several times to try and clear her vision. Finally, she released her grip on the wheel and tried to wipe the tears away. "Me and my damn pride!"

Setzer stepped up to the wheel. "It's all right, Alice. I'll have you to the Veldt before it's too late. I know where his cave is."

"He won't be there. He goes to the south beach when something's bugging him."

Setzer glanced toward her with a smile. "You know him really well, don't you?"

Alice lifted her arms in a helpless gesture. "I don't know. I thought I did." She sunk to her knees and covered her face with her hands. "What am I going to say?" _'If your heart sorry, then you tell him this thing. No think too long of what say. Too many words make more trouble. Speak clear and little, but from heart.'_ Gau's words. Alice's hands slowly lowered from her face.

"We're coming up on the southern beach. I'm going to get as close as I can to the Veldt floor. Get to the bow and keep your eyes out. There's a spyglass in a cabinet on the way."

Alice nodded and scrambled to her feet, hurrying toward the bow after she grabbed up the spyglass. She extended it and started the search. _'You help just as good here as away. Better if you study Veldt like say you want. You go? Then forget what learn. Forget friends left behind.'_ Alice blinked away some tears. _'Why Alice do this thing? Why think I want be with Carol? . . . Flowers from Veldt. From heart of both. You go, you lose heart. You lose self. Make sure do thing for Veldt and not for fear of life.'_

Alice wiped away her tears with the palm of her hand. "I was afraid of life, Gau, but not anymore. I wanted control of what was happening, but I'm over it. Please. Tell me where you are."

"We're getting toward the Deep Veldt, Alice," Setzer called. "Are you sure you don't see him yet? He doesn't like going this far."

Alice squinted into the glass, realizing it was getting closer to twilight. If she didn't find him soon, she wouldn't find him at all. She put the glass down with a clatter and hurried back to the helm. "We need to land. Do you have any torches, so that we can see where we're going when we get off?"

"Alice, I'm not going to land this ship in the middle of the Deep Veldt when it's getting so dark. It would be suicide without the others." He looked back to the horizon and changed their course back to the Academy. "I'm sorry, Alice, but the search will have to wait until tomorrow."

"We can't wait until tomorrow! It might be too late!"

"Alice," Setzer began as he shifted his gaze to her, "it would only be too late if you were hurt or killed on the Veldt. Would that be of any help to Gau? Or for yourself, for that matter? Trust me, Alice. Let's wait for tomorrow. Then we can have Terra and Edgar come with us."

Alice pressed her lips together and ran toward the bow of the ship, slipping out of her sandals before hurrying to the side of the ship and lowering the rope ladder. _I'm_ _going_ _to find him._

"Alice! Alice, what are you doing?"

Alice heard Setzer running across the deck toward her as she scrambled over the edge of the ship, gripping the rope ladder as a gust of wind tried to loosen her hold. She clenched her jaw and lowered herself one careful step at a time, barely conscious of the squeal of the propellers as Setzer pulled down hard on the throttle to slow the ship's speed. Her foot slipped, and she gripped the rope until she was able to get both feet under her again. Then she began stepping down rung by rung once more. When she reached the last, she studied the speed of the ground, the height from which she hung, and let go.

Alice rolled and then slid to a stop, spitting grass and dirt from her mouth as she rubbed the grime off her hands onto her now stained and torn pastel skirt. Her eyes had already acclimated themselves to the thickening darkness and, much to her surprise, the Deep Veldt was surprisingly quiet. _They're probably wondering what the devil I'm thinking, jumping out of a moving airship._ Alice pushed herself to her feet and slapped her hands together to loosen the more stubborn bits of dirt. Then she started trekking deeper into the Veldt.

"Gau!" Alice's voice sounded thin and choked. She cleared her throat. "Gau! It's Alice! I need to talk to you. Please!"

A rumble sounded in the distance, but Alice ignored it. Baskervors, Adamants, Dragons, and Doom Gaze himself could attack her and she'd _still_ hoof it as far as she needed in order to track him down.

Her hands began to sting, and when she looked down she noticed her palms had begun to bleed. So, she took the scarf from around her waist, tore it in two, and wrapped her palms with the material. _Sorry, Relm. I'll buy you a new one._

"Gau! Gau, please! I'm sorry I was an idiot! Can we talk?"

The roars and growls that accompanied her shouts seemed to edge closer, but they also sounded irritated and bothered by the urgency in her voice. She pressed her lips together. _I don't care about them. I just want to find Gau_ \--A faint glimmer of a fire about 100 feet to the northeast caught her attention. _Gau._ Setzer had said Gau didn't usually come this far deep, but Alice could tell she was as near to the center of the Veldt as a person could get.

It was oppressive, pressing at her so much so that she found it difficult to breathe. How did he survive within this darkness by himself? And for so many years?

She cleared her throat and slowed to a walk. "Right. Girl, listen up. You say exactly what you think. Exactly what you feel. And exactly what you mean. No beating around the bush. No hedging. No vagueness. You speak from the heart and make sure he gets it." Alice balled her fists and cringed when they throbbed in pain. But what was a little blood when she put him through hell and back again?

As she drew closer, she saw he crouched near the fire roasting some little thing on a bit of a piece of wood. It must have smelled delicious, but it only made her stomach turn and her mouth go dry. The last thing she could think of right then was foo--A twig snapped under her bruised and bloody feet, making Gau twirl and crouch in one motion. A veil of red dropped over him just before he made a quick movement with his hand and launched a rock. It hit her in the shoulder and sent her backward to lay flat on the ground. A moment later she heard a collection of soft thuds as Gau made three long jumps and crouched above her. His hands surrounded her throat--

Their eyes met and the red disappeared. He went white and then yellow. "Alice!" He gathered her into his arms and hurried to the fire. "Alice, why so quiet when co--" He broke off and examined her face, his feral eyes the dark of the roughest soil of the Veldt. "Why come to Deep Veldt? Danger here."

She squelched the surge of joy at the sight of his face. "I had to talk to you," she told him, arms draped around his neck. His warmth felt more wonderful than she could have imagined.

Gau set her down with gentle care and brushed aside the collar of her blouse. He winced, features tightening in a slight cringe. Then he noted the bits of scarf wrapped around bloodied hands and met her gaze again. "What you do, Alice? You fight Veldt to find Gau?"

Alice flushed but held his gaze. "I would have if it came to that, but I just dropped too far from the airship is all."

"Drop? Why you no wait 'til land? You crazed like--?" Gau shook his head and pulled the bits of scarf from her hands. "This no good. I go. Back soon. You stay."

"I will."

He disappeared into the darkness, still shaking his head. Alice sat up and peered down at herself: skirt was in tatters, blouse bloodstained and torn. Even Relm's scarf hung in bloodied ribbons. Her curls were full of grass and tumbled every-which-way. Her feet were a mess. She sighed and pushed the thought away. _It doesn't matter what I look like. I found him, and now I'm going to tell him how I feel._

Gau re-appeared beside her as quiet as ever. She smiled up at him, heart thudding in her chest at the memories. "I've missed that."

He didn't change his focus from her hands as he chewed up bits of herbs and then applied it to her hands. "You miss what?"

"The silence. The simple words that mean so much. The deep conversations that take place in just a few sentences." He glanced over at her with a gaze full of concentration, and her eyes were there to meet it. "I've missed you, Gau."

Gau's focus lowered again to her palms as he finished wrapping them up with the scarf pieces. "I miss you, too." He placed her hands out of the way and reached out to her shoulder, carefully pulling her blouse from the wound to begin applying the same mixture. "You come to Veldt to say this thing? You almost be killed to say you miss?"

"Yes."

The motion of Gau's hands stopped as he shifted his gaze to meet hers. "Why?"

"Because it's the least I could do to make it up to you. I've been a blind idiot . . . ." _His eyes are the most glorious shade of gold--_ She flushed and lowered her eyes. "No. I've just been in denial. I may be smart enough to get into the Academy, but I'm not smart enough to find a red mark in a field of green."

"You say strange thing--"

_Alice!_ She blinked up at him. "I'm sorry, I'm spouting off a bunch of nonsense, but, what I'm trying to say is--" She swallowed hard. "What I'm not saying very good is that I like you, Gau."

He shifted his focus back to his work on her shoulder. "I know this thing, Alice. Why you feel must say again?"

"Because I don't think you know how _much_ I like you." She covered his hands with one of hers and met his eyes. "I'm glad we met, sure, but only because I finally found someone who doesn't think I'm as odd as a melted button. I finally found someone interested in the same things I am."

He lowered his hands as he sat back on his heels, examining her face with a slightly confused expression. "What you say, Alice?"

"I want to get to know you better." She looked out at the Veldt and made a wide motion with her hand. "I know the Veldt pretty good," she changed her focus back to him, "and I guess I know you pretty good. But I want to get to know you both a _lot_ better. I . . . ." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Gau, I like you so much more than a friend, and I want to learn everything about you. Everything."

His eyes twinkled with a slight smile as he gave a couple shakes of his head. "You take long to say what easy, Alice. Why so hard to talk from heart?"

She flushed and changed her focus to her tattered skirt. "I don't know."

Gau moved with fluid grace until he hovered but a few inches from her face, not speaking until she raised her eyes to meet his. "Alice like Gau?"

"Very much." Her eyes misted. "Gau like Alice?"

The smile remained on his lips as he leaned in closer, gently rubbing the tip of her nose with his in the most wondrous caress she had ever felt.

"With all of heart," he told her, his voice as soft as his touch.

Alice sniffled and pulled him into an embrace, snuggling her face into his soft shoulder as his arms went around her. "Gau . . . I am so sorry."

"No be sorry, Alice. Just be here."

She nodded against him, relishing his warmth and safety and the soft sounds of the Veldt around them.

### Epilogue

Scene I

"Oh. My. Gosh." Carol's eyes opened wide, mouth gaping as Alice stepped out from behind her privacy screen in the bedroom of her home in Border. "Could you be _any_ more gorgeous?"

Alice smiled as she faced the full-length mirror. A woman in black slacks and a black velvet blouse with a scoop neckline and deep purple flowers stared back at her. Hair in a perfect mass of curls. A touch of makeup to smooth her complexion. Dark eyes sparkling with happiness.

Carol came to stand beside her. "Wow, Alice. I had no idea you were a winter."

Alice shook her head and turned to make her way to the door of her room. "I've _no_ idea what you're talking about, Carol. Tell me later."

As Alice left her room, Carol hurried to fall into step beside, following as she made her way through the living room of her parents' house. "So, where are you guys going?"

Alice shrugged and grabbed a fancy embroidered black shawl from the back of the couch. Relm had given it to her as a farewell gift when Alice had left the Academy to finish out the year at the school in Border. "I've no clue. Gau's going to meet me here."

"Your first date and you don't even know where he's taking you?"

Alice sent Carol a grin. "As long as he's taking _me_ , I don't care."

Carol frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Well, I like that. I help--"

Alice laughed and pulled Carol into a hug. "I know. I'm teasing." She pushed back and sent Carol a wink. "I'll be home later. Tell the fam not to worry."

She turned and exited the house, where she was promptly greeted by a whistle.

"Hubba-hubba, Alice." Eric straightened from where he leaned against the railing of her front porch. "You look great. Heck. You look better than great. Maybe I'll take you out on a date myself and let Gau find another girl."

"Thanks but no thanks." She looked around. "Have you _seen_ Gau?"

"Nature boy asked me to take you to the front entrance of town." He presented his arm. "Might as well do it in style, I guess."

Alice took his arm and fell into step beside him. "So, is it true what I hear from Carol that you guys are the latest item around here?"

"I guess," he said with a shrug. "We hang out and stuff, but she's too involved with fashion and art. I'm not into that. Bores me to death."

"That's too bad."

"Not really. I'd rather be her friend than have to put up with her ridiculous ideas of fashion just to get a kiss now and then."

Alice grimaced. "That was _way_ too much information."

Eric laughed. "You're such a prude."

"Thanks--Wow."

Dressed in the dark charcoal suit he had worn before, Gau moved toward her with as much languid grace as the many different types of cats seen on the Veldt. She smiled and hurried forward.

"Hey, handsome. You look great." She wrapped him up in a hug.

"Alice, you smell good. What you wear?"

Alice pulled back with a giggle. _I just had a melodious laugh! Carol, eat your heart out!_ "I picked some of those flowers we found on the Veldt and made a perfume. Carol and my mom helped, so it didn't take that long. You like it?"

Gau nodded, and his smile twinkled in his eyes. "I like _very_ much. You wear all time. Yes?"

She smiled and took hold of his arm. "For you? Anything." When she looked toward the Veldt, she noticed the airship as more than a passing detail. "Are we going for a trip or something?"

"Surprise. No ask questions."

Alice looked over at Gau. "A surprise?" She grinned. "Ooo. I love surprises."

Setzer met them at the top of the gangplank with a bow and that same silky smile. "Miss Alice. You look as radiant as ever."

"Thanks, Setzer, and I promise I won't be stealing your ship anymore."

He chuckled. "Hopefully you don't plan on jumping off rope ladders, either."

Alice smirked and followed Gau on board. "Promise." They stepped on deck and Alice noticed a faint glimmer coming from the aft portion. "Wow. Now I'm dying of curiosity."

Gau didn't say a word. He simply continued to lead her aft. Once they cleared the central cabin she saw the exquisitely set dinner table with a silver candelabra on each side, a crystal vase in the center with a single white rose, and two fine china place settings.

Alice's hands tightened around Gau's arm as she stared in teary wonder. "Oh, Gau. It's gorgeous." She looked over at him. "How--Who--What made you think of this?"

Gau's chest puffed up in pride. "I think of by self. Learn enough of romance by Locke and Egar to know what girls like."

The ship shifted slightly as Gau led her to her seat, pulling it out for her in true gentleman fashion. She looked around her. "Are we going someplace?"

Gau came to sit across from her. "We fly above Veldt while eat. Then--I no tell. Surprise."

Alice wiped away a tear and spread the napkin across her lap. "Another one? If it's as wonderful as this one, I don't think I'll survive."

Gau laughed. "I want first date be special. So, I want see surprise on face. Make heart happy when see."

Alice flushed. "I don't know what to say."

"Then say nothing. I see enough in eyes to know."

Looking up to catch his gaze, her expression softened. Gau flushed and moved his focus to the trays on the table.

Then Alice vaguely noticed the compelling sound of a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice coming from the bow of the ship. She leaned this way and that as she tried to see where it was coming from. "Gau?"

He looked up from the food trays on their left as he uncovered a couple of plates. "Hm?"

"Who's singing? She's got a lovely voice."

Gau smiled wide. "That Maria. She and Setzer very much in love. Been together many year now. She sings at Opera House."

Alice's eyes widened. "Maria from the Opera House is a friend of yours? Do you know _everyone_ that's worth knowing?"

Gau chuckled his infamous purr, which promptly tickled Alice's spine and covered her skin with goosebumps. "Don't know. You give list and I tell who I know."

Alice giggled and wrinkled her nose at him.

He motioned to the uncovered trays of food. "I hope Alice like--I mean, I hope you like fish. I fish for many hours to find perfect one for tonight."

"I don't think I've ever _hated_ fish. Did you cook it?"

He reached his hand out for her plate, which she handed to him. "Yes. I cook good. Always been so."

She smiled. "Then I'm sure I'll love it."

"It fine if no like. I could go to Veldt and kill Adamant." He glanced toward her with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Only take moment to do."

"Very funny."

He grinned and handed back her plate, now filled with fish, fresh vegetables she'd seen only on the Veldt, and some tubers that she had never seen anywhere. He started serving up his own dinner as she continued to examine her plate.

"Did you get _everything_ off the Veldt?" she asked.

"Why go different place when home have everything need?"

"That's true." She closed her eyes and took in a slow breath of the aroma of the dinner, filing the memory away. When she opened her eyes again, Gau watched her with an odd expression. "Don't worry, Gau. It smells absolutely glorious."

"No worry of that."

Alice's smile faded. "Then what's the matter?"

He gave a slight shake of his head as he reached his hand across the table to take hers. "Nothing wrong. Gau . . . I feel strange. Excited but scared at same time for tonight to start. Thoughts much strong, like before."

Alice's smile returned as she gripped his hand. "It sounds like you're as nervous as I am. It's natural for a first date, Gau. Just try and ignore it. It's harder than it sounds, but that's all we can do."

He continued to hold her hand as his eyes focused on the plate in front of him. "I not hungry."

Alice giggled. "That's a common side-effect, unfortunately." She pulled her hand out of his and gave it a pat. "Try and take a few bites, at least, and then we can go and do your other surprise. Right?"

Gau raised his eyes to hers and gave her a smile. "Right."

But they both weren't very hungry. Excitement had filled their stomachs hours before with the jitters. So, they covered their plates with the extra tray covers and took each other's hand as they walked around the deck, enjoying the mixture of coos and calls of the Veldt so few yards below them as well as the power and poignancy of Maria's voice.

Then the twilight sky began to darken to black and the pair stopped at the railing to lean against it, Alice standing so close to him that she felt his warmth through the velvet of her shirt. She gave a sigh and noticed he turned his face to watch her.

"Alice very pretty in star light."

Alice's cheeks flushed as she lowered her chin and eyes to stare at her fingers. "Thank you." She peeked at him. "You're not so bad yourself."

He smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You ready for other surprise?"

Alice sounded a self-conscious giggle. "I was having so much fun that I completely forgot about that."

"Then we go now to surprise. Yes?" She nodded, taking his offered hand as he whistled a unique call and then moved to the side of the ship near the entrance/exit. "Remember, Alice, no ask questions."

"It's going to drive me crazy, but I know."

"Just a little longer." He looked over at her. "Take off shoes, Alice. Much better that way."

She arched an eyebrow, but slipped out of her black heels just the same. He also stepped out of his black leather loafers. Then the ship seemed to pull toward the left, and Alice's hand tightened in Gau's. He smiled over at her and squeezed back.

When she thought she couldn't stand it anymore, the ship slowed and lowered to the ground. She sent Gau an uncertain look, but he gave her hand another squeeze before leading her toward the exit and down the plank to the beach below.

The moon reflected off the water like a fantasy spear of light, shimmering with each wave that pressed against the familiar velvety soft sands that seeped between Alice's toes. "Oh my gosh."

He pulled her forward with a gentle tug. "Come much when you left to Academy. Sound of water helped think better. Memories make not so alone."

Alice moved her gaze from the ocean to Gau. "You mean . . . ?"

Gau met her eyes. "Many thoughts of you here. Where we laughed and talked. Had much fun." He looked back out at the water. "This our place. I wanted you to know, so you could have it, too."

Alice's eyes glimmered as she stepped forward to wrap him up in a tight embrace. "I love it, Gau."

His arms surrounded her as he gave a soft sigh. "No secrets here. Just your heart and mine. Yes?"

Alice nodded against him, hugging him tighter when she thought she felt him press his lips against her hair.

Then he carefully pulled back, looking down into her face with a slight smile. "We go for walk. Listen to water. Listen to heart. Listen to Veldt."

She nodded again, taking his offered hand to pad along beside him in the soft sands as the sound of the water fell in the happy silence between them.

Scene II

Alice put a small white blossom into the center of the spiral of hair on the crown of her head. She smiled, smoothing the dark purple satin of her full-length evening gown before straightening the sleeves that came off her shoulders. The diploma framed and hanging on the wall opposite the mirror caught her attention.

She had graduated with high honors. So had Gau.

Alice blushed, lowering her eyes to the new shawl she received from Relm. The couple's best times together during the two months since their first date had been when they'd studied. Much as Alice suspected, he had a quick mind and a quicker intelligence behind those catlike eyes. His math and writing skills had caught up to hers in barely three weeks' time.

Though his composition skills had improved tremendously, he still wasn't at his age-level, and he still spoke in broken English, too. Alice had asked Ms. Aimes about it once, and the Anthropologist/Writing Specialist had told her that if a child wasn't taught how to speak properly in the first six years of their life, it was very difficult, if impossible, for them to perfect it later.

When Alice had told Gau, after he had voiced a frustration at not speaking as good as he wanted to, the pressure had lifted from his expression and he had grinned at her. Especially when she told him that she thought his broken English to be the cutest thing about him. He had turned three shades of red. Then, before she knew it, he led their study group in math while Alice led literature and writing. History and geography groups had been shared.

Studying him _and_ schoolwork was fun, only getting tense when they said goodnight outside her home. Gau had only kissed her on the forehead or cheek. Otherwise, he touched her nose with his.

She had asked him once if he knew how to kiss, and his ears had flamed red as he told her "yes."

"Then why won't you kiss me goodnight?" she asked.

He had cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as they walked toward her home. "Kiss a much feeling thing, Alice."

"Really personal, you mean?"

He had dipped his head and cleared his throat again. "I want make sure . . . No, I _know_ you special, Alice. I just want make sure we both ready for what means to _us_."

Alice had never given kissing that much thought, but now she really understood what he meant. Holding back made it a lot easier to get to know each other on a deeper level. If they started kissing already, they probably wouldn't have wanted to do anything else.

Now Alice smiled and turned away from the mirror. _Rubbing noses is pretty darn exciting sometimes._ A different kind of intimacy. One that she liked it. A _lot_.

"Alice?" Her mom opened the door to her room and stepped inside. She surveyed her only daughter with a teary smile. "You're growing up too fast." Sniffing, she came forward to turn Alice back to the mirror as she stood behind her. Mother and daughter stood in front of the mirror with teary smiles, looking so much alike that they could've been sisters. Alice's mom touched a loose ringlet on her daughter's neck. "Gau's here."

Alice turned to take hold of both her mom's hands. "Mom, what do you and dad think about Gau?"

"I think he's a sweet young man with an incredibly big heart."

"And dad?"

"Your dad appreciates Gau's determination and his willingness to help out. He's not afraid of a little hard work, and your dad respects that."

"So, you like him?" Alice pressed.

Alice's mom smiled. "Yes, dear. We like him."

Alice's face brightened with a smile, and she gave her mom's hands a squeeze. "Right. Good."

Accepting her mom's help to wrap the fringed black shawl 'just so' about her shoulders, she then gave herself one last survey before heading out of her room to the living room. Gau waited by the door while talking to her dad about setting up crops on a portion of the Veldt close to their house.

He had dressed in a charcoal tuxedo--he looked better in charcoal than in black--with a vest and no tie, a collarless shirt buttoned all the way to the top. His hair was thoroughly combed and tied back with a dark piece of leather, and in his hand he held a single white flower from the Veldt near their beach.

Alice's eyes twinkled. "Hey, handsome."

Gau sent a glance her direction and immediately stopped talking, mouth permanently fixed in the last stated syllable. Her dad coughed as he watched the reaction.

Alice's gaze retreated to her dress, trembling fingers smoothing the fabric here and there before adjusting her shawl. When she moved her gaze back to his, his mouth hadn't closed yet. Giggling, Alice made her way over to him. "I think I'll take that as a compliment," she said, standing on tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

Ears flushed, he shut his mouth with a click and wordlessly presented her the flower.

Alice accepted it, closing her eyes as she breathed in the delicate scent. It had become her all-time favorite. She looked over at her mom. "Do we have another vase to put this in?"

Her mom nodded and stepped forward to take the flower. "I'll put it in your room."

"Thanks, mom." She gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I won't be out too late, I hope."

"Have fun, you two."

Gau presented his arm, and Alice nestled her hand into the nook of his elbow. Then they headed out of her house and toward the outskirts of town. The graduation party was going to be on the airship while it took them all around the Veldt. Alice and Gau had made the suggestion, and it had been received with wild enthusiasm.

"Are you excited about the party?"

Gau finally changed his focus from her face. "Yes. I not go to a party since wedding."

"Queen Terra's?"

Gau nodded and then looked over at her with a serious expression. "Fine for me to give present?"

Alice smiled. "Of course. I love presents. You know that." She stopped and faced him. "I have one for you, too, but I'll need to give it to you later."

Gau shook his head. "No, Alice. Give gifts together."

"Well, it'll be kind of difficult, but . . . all right." She gave his hand a tug and led him to the tree outside the window of her room. She pointed at some pastel blossoms surrounding the tree. "There."

Gau knelt to very gently touch the flowers. "From our beach?"

Alice shook her head as she moved to stand behind him, leaning against him as she rested a hand on each of his shoulders. "Nope. Remember the dying plant and the seeds?"

Gau looked over his shoulder at her. "They survived?"

"They survived."

He stood and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Alice."

"I told you not to worry, didn't I?" She tightened her arms around him and then pushed back. "Now, where's _my_ present?"

He grinned and began diligently searching his pockets. After a moment, his smile warped to a perplexed frown. "Now where Gau put?" he mumbled.

Alice hid a giggle behind her hand.

Then he broke into a sudden smile and pulled his hand from his vest pocket to reveal a tightly braided leather cord. A gleaming bit of ivory and some colored beads weighed it down in the center.

Alice gasped and reached her hands out to cup it in her palms. "Oh my--Did you _make_ this?" She looked up and met his eyes. They twinkled with his smile. "It's _gorgeous_!"

He took it from her hands and stood behind her, draping it around her neck and sealing the handmade clasp. Alice looked down at the ivory and took it up in her fingers. The shape looked familiar. He came to stand in front of her again and gave a nod of approval.

Alice raised her eyes to meet his. "Gau, where did you get this?" She pointed at the ivory. "It looks like a tooth."

Gau's ears pinked as he lowered his gaze to the ground. "It is."

"It looks like a _dragon_ tooth."

He kicked at a pebble. "It is."

"Gau, please don't tell me you fought a dragon just to make me a necklace."

Gau lifted his gaze to meet hers, shaking his head as he said "From dragon fight night of camp out. I thought you want to 'member when first grow to like."

Alice stepped closer, taking his hands in hers. "Gau, I _do_ love it, I just don't want you to _ever_ put yourself in danger just to make me jewelry. Agreed?"

His eyes held hers as he squeezed her hands. "Won't, Alice. Gau sorry."

She shook her head and then embraced him. "Don't be. I know you can take care of yourself. I only would much rather have _you_ than a pretty bit of a thing." She pulled back. "Please?"

Gau reached up and lightly touched her cheek. Then he leaned down to touch her nose with his. "Yes."

She giggled and flushed, falling into step beside him once he again started toward the ship. "Do you still want to go to the beach this weekend with Carol, Eric, and Relm? She's really excited."

Gau chuckled, and the purr made Alice glow. "Weekend camp with friends be fun. Give time to check on flowers."

Alice nodded as she adjusted her arms around Gau's. "Didn't you say the patch has grown bigger?"

Gau nodded and sent her a happy smile. "Much as three times. Know why?"

Alice's brow furrowed in concentration as she worried her lower lip. "I'm not really sure. I've thought that there might be an underground freshwater spring from our beach, or maybe from one of the mountain ranges from the north, but I won't know anything for sure until King Edgar can bring the equipment."

"We do good to bring shovels and dig," he suggested.

Alice giggled and met Gau's serious gaze. "While it sounds fun, I think Relm and Carol would kill us."

Gau grinned. "Veldt their home, too."

"Yes, but Carol takes great care with her nails, you know."

Gau laughed just as the two boarded the airship to cheers and confetti.

"Congratulations on the high honors medal," Carol said as she wrapped both Alice and Gau in a hug. "What are you going to do with your newfound fame?"

"Fame? What are you talking about?" Alice looked over at Gau, but he only shrugged.

"You don't know?" Carol's mouth stood open. "Alice, the King and Queen are here to honor your achievement!"

"What?" Alice's eyes sparkled with excitement. Gau grinned at her. "Where are they?"

"I think they're with Captain Gabbiani, down below."

Gau took Alice's hand again. "Don't think of this big thing, Alice. At party now. Have much fun."

Alice took in a deep breath and released it slowly as she nodded her head. She sent him a smile. "Good idea."

He returned her smile before looking over at Carol. "We go dance, Carol. You come?"

She waved her hand at him. "No. I've been on the dance floor too much. My feet are killing me."

"Already?" Alice laughed with a shake of her head. "You're a lightweight, Carol."

"Oh yeah? Let's see how well _you_ do in three-inch heels."

Alice lifted her dress. She had on black leather moccasins. "Gau gave them to me on my 17th birthday."

"Wow. I bet they're comfortable."

"I'll be able to dance 'til dawn." She peeked over at Gau. "If you don't mind."

He held her gaze with a slight smile and actually put his arm around her waist. "Why think give?"

Alice laughed.

Carol watched the two with a smile. "You two are _so_ adorable."

Cuing Gau to lean down to caress Alice's nose a bit longer than usual. Alice felt her cheeks blush, but she smiled up at him anyway. When he pulled back, she held his gaze a moment before turning to give Carol a friendly smile. "We'll be on the dance floor, Carol."

She giggled, and Alice didn't cringe. Alice took hold of the hand still on her hip and kept her focus on the floor of the ship as she tried to scare the mammoth butterflies away.

"What wrong?" Gau asked.

The sounds of music and laughter eased her heart a little. "Nothing's _wrong_ , Gau." Alice gnawed her lower lip. "It's just . . . well . . . ." She risked a sidelong glance. "I'm not interested in seeing anyone else. If that's fine with you."

He intercepted one of her glances and stopped walking. He faced her. "Don't want stay at party?"

"No! I mean--" She flushed and cleared her throat. "That's not what I meant. I wanted to let you know that I'm not interested in being this close to anyone else." Alice lowered her gaze again. "I'm not saying 'marry me' or anything like that. I just wanted . . . well, I wanted to say that--Geez." Alice raised her eyes to his. His twinkled with his smile. "Don't laugh at me," she protested with a reluctant giggle.

"Alice, you funny." He smoothed some hair from her cheek and then enfolded her hand in his. "I like what you say," he told her, "and I want see just you, too. I like our special feelings, and I want make more."

Alice's smile softened. "Do you think we might be getting a little closer than just . . . 'dating'?"

Gau nodded as his thumb caressed her hand. "We keep like this. Yes?"

Alice sighed, loving to watch the emotions flicker in his gaze. "I've never been in love before, Gau, but . . . ." She lowered her eyes to watch his hand holding hers. "I think I am now."

"Gau, too," he said softly, hand tightening on hers.

Alice's throat tightened as she looked up. "Really?"

He nodded with a quick half smile that glowed in his eyes. "I like."

"So do I."

"Well, if it isn't the couple of the hour."

Alice looked away, eyes immediately focusing on Relm. She wore a rainbow of colors by way of the bold print scarf covering her blonde curls and a blood red skirt with matching shirt sporting embroidery around the cuffs and waist. There were multicolored beads around her waist and her neck, and she wore a splash of color in the shape of a flower painted on the front of her skirt.

Alice grinned. "Hey, Relm. You look as artistic as ever."

She smirked and tugged a tall, handsome, and muscular blond man in a gray suit behind her. "Hey, I do what I can for you poor deluded souls." She gestured to the man standing at ease beside her. "This is Sabin. Sabin, this is Alice."

"Mr. Thou," Gau said with a grin. He walked up and gave Sabin a tight bear hug.

"How many times do I have to tell you that _Cyan_ is Mr. Thou." Sabin clapped him on the back and pushed away, grinning as widely as Gau. "How've you been?"

"Good. Finish school. Get shiny medal."

Sabin grimaced. "Great. Another shiny." Gau laughed and Alice giggled. "Congratulations, Gau. I knew you could do it." Sabin changed his intense focus to Alice. "How are you?"

Alice smiled at the remembered stories from Gau and extended a hand. He clasped it gently. "I'm fine. It's nice to finally meet you."

Sabin raised an eyebrow. "Uh-oh. That makes me nervous." He raised his hands with an innocent expression. "Whatever Gau told you, I deny it."

Gau grinned, encouraging Alice's laugh. "We'll save that debate for another time." The smile sparkled in Sabin's crisp eyes. "Are you visiting your brother?"

"Later tonight. I needed a couple days off from school responsibilities. Running a training facility is harder than I thought it'd be." He motioned toward Relm. "And she needed someone to bring her."

Relm made a face. "I didn't want Riley thinking I was sweet on him, the odd fish. Besides, Sabin and I've gotten pretty good at chucking rocks together." She looked over at him, missing the grimaces that Alice and Gau shared at the mention of rocks. "Maybe we can get a little practice in before you take me home?"

"Sure."

"Great." Relm turned her eyes back to Alice. "I met that Carol person you talked about. She's a little on the empty side, but she's not too bad. Nice girl, really."

Alice smiled. "I know."

"But I haven't spotted this Eric guy. What's he look like? I figure I should meet him since we're going camping this weekend and all."

Alice looked around the sea of faces. "Gau, you're taller than me, do you see him?"

Gau sniffed as he looked. "By railing. Port side."

"Really?" Relm stood on tiptoes and tried to peer above all the people that were taller than her, which encompassed pretty much the entire ship. "I'll head on over." She glanced toward Sabin. "You fine by yourself?"

Sabin gave a slight smile. "I'll manage. You go have fun."

"Ta-ta." Relm waved her fingers and made her way toward Eric.

Alice tugged on Gau's sleeve. "I've _got_ to see this, Gau. Come on."

Gau chuckled and let himself be pulled along. "Talk later, Sabin?"

"All right. I think I'll find Edgar and Terra and say 'hi'."

Gau nodded just before disappearing into the crowd after Alice. "Why need see Relm and Eric so bad?"

"I've seen how Relm tries to get guys' attention, Gau. I want to see how Eric handles it. The other guy didn't do so hot."

Gau shook his head with another chuckle.

"Hey there," Relm greeted as she approached Eric at the railing.

Eric looked over at her, and it seemed to Alice that his green eyes perked with interest. _Oh, this'll be good._

"Hey yourself," he said with a smile. Eric straightened and leaned against the railing in his most cool posture possible. Alice nearly sniggered aloud.

Relm moved to stand beside him, leaning her arms against the railing to look out and over the ship's side. "What were you looking at all by yourself?" She sent him a coquettish glance. "You drop something?"

"Nope. Just wondering if the girl of my dreams is on the Veldt. Lots of other things are." He changed his focus from his brown loafers to her. "What's your name?"

Relm stared down at the Veldt for a moment or two before turning around and leaning against the railing like he was. "You can call me Em."

"Em? As in Emily?"

Relm wrinkled her nose. "You think a girl as high-class as me would have a name like that? No, as in Emerald."

Eric laughed. "Sorry, Em. Didn't mean to be dense."

"That's fine. It's been going around lately." She cast him a sidelong glance. "You know, you're quite a looker. Why don't you have a girl on your arm already?"

"They're not interested."

"Then they're brain-dead."

Eric laughed again. He shifted his focus to her once again. "Why don't _you_ have a guy following you around?"

Relm played innocent. "Why would I?"

"Blonde curls. Green eyes. Nice figure. Need you ask?"

Alice hid a laugh behind her hand. He was doing pretty good. Of course, Relm was taking it easy on him.

Relm smiled. "When you're right, you're right. But, if you must know, I'm too much for them to handle."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "You? You're joking."

She surveyed him for a moment or two before lowering her eyes to his arm. Alice's lips twitched. _Uh-oh. She's going to do it!_

"Joking? No, I'm quite serious." Her finger traced circles up his jacket sleeve all the way to his shoulder, her eyes following it until they focused on his. She stood on tiptoes, leaning against him in just the right way as she whispered in his ear. "I bite."

He turned his head to meet her eyes, half closed as they were, and gave a slight smirk. "Aren't you afraid they might bite back?"

She gave a very slight shrug, gaze holding his. "Haven't met one yet who has the mettle."

His lips quivered with a laugh for a moment, and then he took hold of her hand on his shoulder and twirled her so that her back was against him, their arms crossing her chest. He lowered his mouth to her ear. "Roar."

Relm twirled away with a laugh. "Hey, you're fun!"

Alice straightened from their hiding place near the bow of the ship and felt Gau enfold her hand in his. "Wow. They actually clicked. What a shock." She looked over at Gau in time to catch the slight snicker and the brief shake of his head. "What's so funny?"

"Relm not right for Eric. They be close, like friends, but no more. Not right."

"Hey, you never know."

He only gave her a slight smile as he led her to the dance floor. "Nope. I thought _you_ love Eric, 'member?"

She stepped into his arms and rested her cheek against his chest as they fell into step with the live orchestra. "Good thing I didn't listen to you, huh?"

He released a deep breath and rested his cheek on her hair. "Good thing we not listen each other."

Alice closed her eyes with a slight smile and snuggled in closer. _Now_ _this_ _is forever._

Scene III

Alice took in a deep breath of the early morning Autumn air on the Veldt as she walked, gathering samples for more of her research. The two-year scholarship to the Academy would have been great, and she'd been honored when they presented that to her at the graduation party almost six months before, but the opportunity of being close to the Veldt and doing even more studies on its eco-system was her real dream. They understood that, too. So, King and Queen Figaro had agreed to fully fund her research into finding a cure for the Veldt's hesitant recovery.

Alice noticed a bright patch of grass and stopped. _Well, that's interesting._ She knelt and lowered her face to the grass and ground, taking in a deep smell of the aromas of both. _That fertilizer worked!_ She opened her pack and retrieved a small container, untwisting the cap and setting it aside as she pulled out a miniature trowel. Taking a sample of the grass and the ground around it, she placed it into the container and sealed it back up again before putting it back into her pack. She slung it over her shoulder and stood--

rROwrr

Alice's grip tightened on the strap of her pack. _Oh geez. Not again._ She cleared her throat and cautiously moved her free hand to the dagger at her belt. Gau had been giving her lessons.

RROWrrr

Alice adjusted her grip on the dagger and slowly began pulling it out. _Not this time, kitty-kitty._ She made a move to turn and was tackled from the side, limbs enfolding her as the thing knocked her off balance and made her tumble and roll against the ground. She skidded to a halt a good 20 feet from where she originally stood--and blinked up into the grinning and handsome face of Gau.

He lowered his face to hers and rubbed noses. "Hi, Alice. Sleep good?"

"Gau, you gave me the shock of my life!"

She tried to get up while using some of the wrestling moves he taught her, but she again went tumbling with a shriek and some laughter. When she stopped, he still crouched on top of her wearing the same silly smile.

"Morning walk good?" he asked.

Alice fought a smile as she gave a shake of her head. "Gau, just let me up so I can talk to you like a normal human being."

He readied his stance, adjusting his position when it seemed like she was going to try and get loose again. Instead, she gave up gracefully, letting her head full of hair decorated with bits of dirt and grass relax against the Veldt's hard soil.

She smiled up at him and then giggled. "I slept wonderful and my morning walk was great. I found a bit of really green grass from the fertilizer I used last week and got a great sample. How are you?"

Gau changed his position so that she could sit up. "Gau much happy."

Alice brought a hand up to clear some of the debris from her hair, stopping when she saw her hand clutching a little wooden box. Her heart caught in her throat.

"Open, Alice. Open," he urged, voice hushed.

Alice moved her other hand to pull the lid off--Inside was an ancient golden band highlighted with a blue gem from the cave on their beach.

"Shiny, shiny, shiny," Gau told her in a happy voice barely above a whisper.

Alice dropped the lid and covered her mouth, tears brimming as she raised her eyes to his. "Oh my."

He moved closer and took the ring from the box. "Give hand." She dropped the box with an absent movement and put her right hand in his. "Marry?" Tears flowed as Alice gave a slight nod moments before throwing herself into his arms so hard he fell backwards, laughing. "This new Alice Rage? 'Gau ravage'?"

Alice giggled and pushed back so that she could see his face. His eyes sparkled with laughter and happiness. She rested her arms on his chest. "I love you, Gau."

He reached up and caressed her cheek, tucking some of her tousled hair behind her ear as he did so. "Gau love Alice so big heart burst."

"And that's one of the things I love about you, Gau."

He cupped her chin in his hand as he examined her face, eyes darkening a little with uncertainty. "Alice?"

She gave him a reassuring smile. "What, Gau?"

Gau rolled, taking her carefully along with him to a better position so that he could stand and help her to her feet. He held her gaze. "Kiss?"

Alice lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "Kiss."

The uncertainty melted with his smile and Gau lowered his head, lips gently caressing hers in a pure token of devotion and love.

The End
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**Other Books in the** _Terra_ **saga**

_Terra_ | Book One

_The Ace of Diamonds_ | Book Two

_Shadows of the Past_ | Book Three

The Adventures of Youth

_Heart of the Veldt_ | Book Four

**FanArt** can be found at Mintfield.net

About the Author | Nona Mae King

Writing has been my passion since I was a child when I began creating skits and songs. My life would be empty without this call. There would be no purpose. No ending to guide my daily struggle. No story toward which to strive. Each day something beckons, and that--I know--is the waiting tale. One last happy ending.

Connect with Me Online:

Twitter: <http://twitter.com/writersprite>

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My site: <http://angelbreathbooks.com/> | http://mintfield.net

My blog: http://wordobsession.net

