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Author's Note: Another long one, and not told from Gau's POV. Instead, I've told the story of the Veldt from the perspective of a created character who lives in a new town on the border of the Veldt. You could say she's a botanist. A teen. The main plot of the story would be the fact that the main character - Alice - seems to always run away from her life there at Border rather than facing it and making it better. It's all about school and grades and getting ahead so that she can leave her home and get to the Academy so that she can return to Border and cure the Veldt. She wants to be more than what she is. She doesn't want the simple life. Gau, on the other hand, has had his excitement and adventure and relishes the simple life. Because he sees her as a friend, he's trying to make sure that she's propelling herself forward for the right reasons. He learns a lot about himself and Alice learns just as much about what she really wants and what she's afraid of.

I: The Introduction

"Carol. Stop." Alice halted her progress through the little town on the outskirts of the Veldt to turn toward her red-haired, wide-eyed, and overly excited friend. "Don’t get me wrong. I think it's great you actually saw him, but it has nothing to do with me."

Carol flushed attractively as her large hazel eyes lowered to the bright red boots she wore. "I just thought you'd want to know. You always go onto the Veldt."

Alice sighed and placed her hands on her slim hips as she rolled her brown eyes. "You know I go to the Veldt because I'm doing research for my class paper. I'm not going because of some 'romantic fantasy' of meeting the 'legendary' Gau from the Kefka War. Give it a rest."

"But you have so much in common--"

"Carol. Please."

"Okay, okay."

The pair continued walking, passing the small private school the students fondly called The Veldt Youth Academy. It was the only school on the continent and served kids ranging in ages from 6 to 17 with two teachers that took shifts.

Carol continued to send Alice sidelong glances. "You going to the Veldt today?"

"Of course. The paper's due next month."

Carol nodded as she looked back to the greenish-brown ground at her feet. "I know, but I just figured you already had enough for an 'A' paper."

Alice shrugged and tucked some of her thick black hair behind an ear. "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 to be perfect."

Carol shook her head. "Fine. I'm going to the pub to hang out with the girls. I'll talk to you later."

Alice nodded absently as she adjusted the pack on her shoulders. Carol and 'the girls' were always hanging out at the pub instead of putting their full effort into their schoolwork. Don't they want to be more than their parents? They can play later. At least, that's what Alice believed. There'd be plenty of time afterward 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 all her extra research on the Veldt she didn't have the time. I don't want a job in this town anyway. I want to help the planet heal. The only way she could do that would be if she did as much research possible for her entry-essay into the Figaro Academy for Higher Studies.

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

Alice smirked as she sent the son of the armory owner a wave. According to Carol and 'the girls', Eric was the best looking guy in town. He was tall for 17 and a little on the lanky side, but his smile could melt butter. His green eyes could also set any girl's heart aflutter when they twinkled with mischief, and he had a natural ability to charm the scales off a dragon.

"Hey, Eric. Same old same old."

He fell into step beside her as she made her way toward the outskirts of the Veldt. "Doing more research for this paper everyone's talking about?"

"Yep."

Eric scratched at his sandy brown hair as his green eyes focused on the ground at his feet. "Are you ever going to be done?"

"Eventually."

He looked at her. "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."

"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 looked up from his feet and gave a sigh. "Fine. Catch you later."

Alice watched him go. Then she shook her head as she turned back for the Veldt. She'd had a thing for Eric once upon a time, but he hadn't even realized she was on the planet. It had all been about Terra Branford. Of course, when she'd married King Edgar of Figaro the crush had ended with a week of moaning about how King Edgar didn't appreciate her.

"Oh well. No one's perfect."

Alice found the spot she wanted and knelt down. She took the pack from her back and set it on the ground in front of her. As she rummaged through the contents, she heard a slight sound behind her. A quick glance revealed nothing, so she shrugged and went back to pulling out the small containers reserved for the samples taken from different locations on the Veldt. Another sound was heard, but Alice ignored it. The girls in class thought she was crazy for going out on the Veldt without protection, but the animals never bothered her. I'm sure they've got better things to worry about than little old me.

Rrrrrr

Alice’s hands tightened on her pack. Uh-oh.

RrrROWRRrrr

She swallowed hard and ever so slowly looked over her shoulder. Her face paled. She spun the rest of the way around, falling on her backside as she did so. She pushed and scurried backward. It was a Baskervor.

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

It lowered its green-scaled head and opened its mouth for another more forceful growl as it took another step toward her.

Alice scrambled backward yet again. "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 sprung. Alice screamed and closed her eyes as she brought her hands up to cover her head.

Whoosh…. rrRRROWRrrr…. Hisss

Silence.

Alice slowly lowered her arms and then opened first one eye and then the other. The Baskervor lay dead at her feet. Alice sat up. What? She looked around, giving a startled shriek when her eyes focused on a young man about her age. He was dressed in hides and had long, wild golden hair and yellowish, animal-like eyes.

Alice brought a hand up to her forehead and released a slow breath. "Geez. Don't sneak up on people like that."

He crouched and crossed his arms across his knees as he looked at her. "Why you here? This place no safe."

"Gee. You think?" Alice brushed the grass and dust from her palms. "I hadn't had a problem before. I guess I pressed my luck."

The young man tilted his head. "Locke have luck. You no Locke."

Alice began gathering her scattered containers, only half-heartedly listening to what he said. "What on earth are you talking about?" She noticed he held a container out for her. She took it with a quick glance toward his face. "Thank you."

"You welcome." He remained silent for several moments as he continued to watch her pick up the toppled contents of her pack. "You on Veldt much time. Why?"

Alice buckled her pack closed and stood to her feet. He followed suit. "You wouldn't understand."

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

Alice released a breath, adjusting the pack on her shoulders. "Yes. Now can I go home?"

He didn't move. "You no friendly. Me no help." He turned to go.

She watched him as he passed her toward the deeper Veldt. "What do you mean? Help with what?"

He halted and faced her. "School. It be lots work. Me could help with show of Veldt. Me could help… tell why things are."

Alice stepped up beside him. "You'd do that?"

He crossed his arms with a somewhat annoyed expression. "Why care? You no need help. You think me dumb."

"I…" Alice flushed as she lowered her gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I've been under a lot of stress lately."

"For school?"

Alice sent him a glance. His brow was wrinkled. "Well… yes and no."

He shook his head. "You say strange thing."

She reluctantly laughed as she met his eyes. "Yes, I guess I do." The smile lingered, adjusting her pack as she watched his open expression of curiosity. "My name's Alice."

"Alice." He intensely examined her face for several moments. Then he smiled. "Me Gau."

Alice blinked. Then she produced her hand. He took it in a firm and careful grasp to give it a slight shake. "Nice to meet you." Alice cleared her throat and released his hand to tighten her grip on the pack. "Could you… could you show me your Veldt? Please?"

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

Alice's eyes widened. "You want to go to school with me?" He nodded as his teeth flashed in a full smile. Alice chewed her lower lip. "Well… I guess I could bring you a couple of days--"

He stepped closer. She backed up. "No 'couple'. All time. Me learn. You learn."

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

He shrugged. "No care. Terra teach little. Edgar teach little. All friends teach what can. You teach now."

Alice took in a slow breath and finally nodded. "Okay then. I'll take you to school."

He grinned. "We go now."

She laughed. "You're eager, aren't you? But school's out for today. You'll have to wait until tomorrow."

Gau gave a sheepish smile. "Me forget." He looked briefly toward the Veldt before again looking to Alice. "Fine. You go now."

Alice turned to go. "Oh. Wait." She faced him again. "Well… how am I supposed to find you?"

His gaze twinkled with a smile. "You no find. Me come. Me know when start. Me watch long time."

"Really? Well then why didn't you come to class?"

The smile retreated to leave an almost troubled expression. "Me not welcome."

"What?"

"Teacher say me no come. So, me stay away."

"Then…" Alice shook her head. "Never mind. Okay then. I'll see you in class."

She gnawed her lower lip as she took in his hides and scrubby face.

He watched her expression and smiled again. "You no worry. Me no wear skin. Me wear clothes Celes pick. Me look boy, not beast." Alice chuckled. Gau gestured toward. "Me watch for danger. You go."

"Oh." She offered her hand again. He stared at it a moment before accepting it. Alice gave his hand a squeeze and shake. "Thank you for saving my ungrateful butt, Gau."

Gau grinned. "You welcome."

2: First Days

"Hey, Alice."

Alice screeched and turned.

Eric took a step backward with a shocked expression. "What's with you?"

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

"Do what? I said 'hi'."

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

"Shouldn't you? You're always 20 minutes early." He stood beside her to stare out onto the Veldt too, trying to follow her gaze. "What's with you? You've been staring out there for 10 minutes already. What're you looking for?"

Alice turned with a scowl. "Now you're spying on me?"

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

Alice took in a deep breath as the frown slowly disappeared. She wiped at her forehead. "Sorry, Eric. Nerves."

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

You have no idea, she thought to herself. She took in another breath. I guess he's not coming. Oh well. She turned, taking hold of Eric's arm. "Come on. Let's get to class."

Eric smiled. "Good idea." He looked over his shoulder toward the Veldt as they headed toward the school. "So, what were you looking for?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

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

"I told you. Don't worry about it."

Eric stopped. So did Alice. He crossed his arms. "You might as well tell me."

She faced him. "Tell you what?"

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

Alice's face showed disbelief. "A joke? You think I'm planning a joke?"

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

"Gau!" Alice exclaimed as she took a startled step backward.

Eric's face twisted with confusion before absently glancing over his shoulder. He gave a strangled shout and turned, tripping over his own feet to fall onto his backside.

Gau had dressed in a charcoal suit and tie and wore scuffed black shoes. His golden hair had been carefully pulled back out of his face and tied with a new piece of leather string, his face washed, and his hands and nails spotless.

He tugged at the dark gray jacket as he smiled at Alice. "See? No skin. Look good."

Alice hid a smile behind her hand. He looked better than the suit, which had definitely seen better years. It had multitudes of 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 were 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 told her. His gaze sparkled with excitement.

"We?" Eric struggled to his feet and brushed the dirt off his trousers. "We?" he asked between glances. "What's it talking about, Alice?"

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

Eric pointed at Gau as he changed his incredulous gaze to Alice. "It thinks it's going to school with us? Are you nuts?"

Alice frowned at Eric. "Don't be a jerk. 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 as he continued to ignore Gau's smiling face. "What? There's a reason the teachers don't let it come to class. It's too stupid--"

Alice punched Eric in the arm.

"Ow!" he yelped. He brought a hand up to his arm as he glared at her. "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…"

Eric pressed his lips together. "Alice, I know your paper is really important, but this? Come on."

Alice continued to glare at him. "Since you still haven't given me a good reason why Gau shouldn't be enrolled in class…." She turned to Gau to give him a sweet smile. She took hold of his hand to lead him toward the brick building. "Come on, Gau. I'll introduce you to everyone."

"Wait." Gau pulled his hand from her grasp to turn toward Eric. "Me Gau. What you called?"

Eric took in a deep breath as he adjusted his crossed arms. "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 gave Eric a meaningful look. "Eric…" she warned.

Gau changed his innocent smile to Alice. "We be friend. You see. We go class now."

"Yes." Alice gave a firm tug on his arm to 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 chuckled. "You can say that again."

"Why? You no hear?"

She laughed outright. "No. It's a figure of speech. It means that what you said is so true it's worth saying again."

Gau's face twisted in concentration before he smiled. "Understand."

They paused on the top step of the landing to the Academy. Alice took in a deep breath and turned toward Gau. She absently straightened his poorly knotted tie as he looked down at her with a quirky smile. "Okay. Now. It's going to be rough in there, Gau. Just be patient and take what they say with a grain of salt."

Gau's smile disappeared. "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. "Okay, well, that's 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, but then she 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."

"Alright." She gave the lapels of his suit a tug to straighten them as she sent him a quick peek. "You ready?" Gau vigorously nodded. Her lips quirked in a smile as she turned to open the door. "Here we go," she breathed.

The door creaked open, giving a slow and deep whine that made every pair of eyes and every child's head turn. That turn of heads seemed a wave of motion, giving Alice the distinct impression that everything was being performed super slow. She cleared her throat and lowered her gaze to the floor, hurrying toward her normal wooden desk with the right-handed table positioned at the head of the classroom.

Gau followed, smiling and nodding to each wide-eyed, slack-jawed gaze as he introduced himself as "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, smart, tall, short, it didn't matter to Gau. Each person got the same amount of attention.

The wave of faces followed Gau as if they were one being, focusing on him as he stood in the center of the classroom. He looked from where Alice sat, to the full seats that surrounded her, and then crouched on the floor beside her desk with his arms folded across his knees. His eyes focused on the teacher's empty desk; the smile never left his face. Alice watched his expression. Talk about expectation and excitement. He's so ready for learning that he's liable to terrify the teacher. Alice smirked.

The door on the front right of the classroom opened. The teacher entered. Alice straightened, sending a quick glance toward Gau as his picture-catching gaze zoomed in. Mr. Schultz was in his late 40s with a rounding belly that got harder to fit into his dark brown pants. He had a quick mind under his mop of peppered black hair, and a quicker wit behind the green eyes and leathery face. His white shirt had several stains on the front, 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."

The expected chorus of voices wasn't there, so Mr. Schultz didn't take the time to set his tattered brown briefcase onto the table. He looked up, immediately noticing the dozens of pairs of eyes focused on one point in the room. Mr. Schultz stood on tiptoes to peer over the desk. His jaw dropped.

Gau straightened within his crouch. His mouth opened in a 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 in on hers with a speed that startled her back in 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 and faced the teacher again. "Hello, Mr. Shultz. Me called Gau."

Mr. Schultz composed himself with 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 is '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 changed 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 the 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, Eric. Take your seat."

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

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

Gau's eyes twinkled.

3: Heroes, Groupies, and a Trek on the Veldt

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. "Okay. You teach many things, Mr. Shultz. Me--" Gau's gaze registered concentration. "I thank you. Maybe I teach you?"

Mr. Schultz nodded. "Yes, you definitely have. I'll see you day after tomorrow."

Gau grinned as he watched Mr. Schultz leave the building. Then, he stood from where he'd crouched on the floor nearly all day and gathered his newly acquired school supplies. Almost everyone had shared something with him.

Alice shook her head before moving to stand beside him. 'The girls', Carol, and Eric hovered near the back exit. Alice desperately tried to figure out some excuse to have him go out after Mr. Schultz. Unfortunately, each idea sounded pretty lame. I guess we face the mob and hope to live through it. There was always a chance. Of course, Eric would present a problem. She hadn't seen him so passive-aggressive since King Edgar had stopped by with a donation of supplies soon after his marriage to Terra Branford nearly two years previous. Now that was pathetic.

"So? What'd you think?" she asked Gau.

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

Alice smiled. "Bingo."

Gau looked down at his armload of things before catching her gaze. "I have much here. Need bag like you to carry."

Alice motioned to the side exit. "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…"

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

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

"Okay. Now good. Many hours before dark."

"Alright. Great."

Carol left her group to rush upon the pair with a twinkling gaze and wide smile. "Hi."

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

"Carol," Alice interrupted quickly, "we're going to the store to get him a bag. Did you want to come?" Gau turned his quick eyes on her. They mirrored a question. She tried to ignore him. I won't get any work done with her tagging along.

Carol's eyes widened. "Really? Sure!"

Alice focused on Eric, who was still lurking 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 sent him a glare, but he ignored her. She followed Gau and Carol from the building as Eric moped along beside her. "Eric, geez, you'd think he'd stolen your toy or something."

Eric submerged his hands deeper into his pockets. "Oh be quiet."

She held him back from Gau's progress to the store. "Eric, what's your problem?"

"Nothing."

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

Eric stalked off toward his house/armory in the east part of town. 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 had a falling out over something stupid when they'd first moved to town. So Eric's father had built his shop on one end of town while Dane, the Item Shop owner, had built his on the other. They'd long since mended their friendship, but their shops remained where they were.

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. They supposedly attempted to help make the right fashion-conscious choice for a pack. But all they succeeded in doing was confusing him. Before Alice had a chance to step up and stop the mayhem and brainless banter, Gau had backed against the cashier counter with an armful of 'necessities' that he didn't need and probably didn't even know how to use.

Alice reached Ann first. She was blonde and perky. 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. Alice gave Ann a meaningful look. She immediately disappeared to a far corner of the shop in search of scarves or something.

Raquel was next. A dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty like Alice, but where Alice had cultivated her mind, Raquel hadn't. Her gaze glittered with nothing but useless trivia about 'who's who' in school or on the Figaro home nation. She was nice to look at according to Eric, but 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 was tall and slim with violet eyes and pastel blue hair that was, of course, a perfect compliment 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 had 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. "Girls."

Paytha and Lena raised eyebrows as they delicately crossed their 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 in his arms. He smiled, a little uncertain Alice noted, but said nothing. After all, what could he have said?

"Alice," Lena intoned with a bored expression. "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 match."

Paytha looked Alice up and down with an arched eyebrow, sending Lena a 'she's just jealous' look. Alice rolled her eyes and faced Gau, purposefully dumping all the contents from his arms to the counter. Then she took his hand to lead 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. Then Gau and Alice proceeded from the store after Alice told Dane to add Gau’s bag to her account.

Alice didn't speak again until they headed down the east path toward her 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 Gau with a slack-jawed expression. Then she laughed and pulled him forward again. "I am so glad you said that. I hoped I rescued you before they'd poisoned your mind, but you can never be too sure with those two."

The 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 looked within for the possible meaning.

Alice smiled. "Leaving. Before leaving." Gau shook his head. Alice's brow lowered. "Hmm."

"You want me find?"

Alice raised an eyebrow. "You could do that?"

Gau made a face as if to say 'Of course.' before stopping his progress toward Alice's house. He tilted his chin up to test the air a moment before crouching to examine the different marks on the ground. Alice watched the entire ritual with awed interest. Finally, he smiled and gestured toward the school.

"Carol and Eric go toward school together. They walk slow, like talking of something that take much thought."

Alice looked toward the school with a wrinkled nose. "I wonder if it has anything to do with--" She looked over at Gau before self-consciously changing her gaze to the ground. "Never mind."

Gau's smile didn't change 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 without me okay. 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."

Alice glanced up at Gau with a hesitant smile. "You're amazing, Gau. Do you have any enemies?"

Gau's smile disappeared. His gaze drifted toward the school. "He dead now. No worry of him."

"Kefka?"

Gau's gaze grabbed hers. "No speak of evil. Dead. Gone. No remember bad. Only see and hear good."

Alice examined his serious expression. "Alright. I'm sorry."

Gau shrugged, then he pointed toward the Academy. Carol and Eric made their way down the front steps, laughing. Alice watched them and pressed her lips together. When they made it to where Gau and her stood, Gau greeted them each with a smile. Carol returned it with her most beguiling twinkle.

She presented 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 like I go school."

Carol adjusted the bag within his hands so that the mouth was open enough for her to deposit his things. "Don't worry. We'll fix that in a hurry."

She 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. She shook her head. 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. 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, the things were sorted and Carol was attractively devoted to what Gau said about the Veldt. Alice decided to stop the conversation before Gau unknowingly revealed her 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." Carol looked over at Eric. "Hey, Eric. Want to come?"

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

Once they'd started heading toward the store, Alice released a sigh of relief and changed her focus to Gau. "Well? Shall we go?"

He examined her face. "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'd just be in the way." Alice quickly met his eyes once he'd fallen into step beside her. "I know it sounds horrible, but... it's just that I have so many questions for you about the Veldt." She looked away. "I didn't want any distractions."

His gaze continued to intensely scrutinize her face. "Questions for school?"

Alice nodded with a sigh. "Yes. School."

"Much hard?"

She nodded again.

"Why go if hard?"

"I like learning. I like…" Alice sighed. "I don't want to just exist. I want to live life. I want to help."

"Help?" Gau examined her face for a long moment before gesturing toward the Veldt. "That why you here much? You help Veldt?"

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

Gau's eyes switched from her face to the Veldt. "Many times ask self 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." He shook his head, changing his eyes to her. He handed her the dried clump of soil and grass when she reached her hand out for it. "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. 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 moved his gaze to the Veldt. Then he looked up at the sun as he adjusted his pack on his shoulders. "Not much time for travel, Alice." He looked back over at her. "You okay to jog?"

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

The Veldt was unlike any terrain Alice had ever seen. It didn't matter that she'd lived on the extreme outskirts of the Veldt for almost 3 years. Even the Veldt on the very boundary of her town was different than what she jogged through now. It was rough and wild. It was smooth and endless in its serenity. It was adventure waiting to happen. It was the Veldt: Gau's home.

Alice's dark brown eyes took in the expanse of 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 changed his gaze toward the horizon. "Yes. It different on inside, like me."

Alice watched his expression for a long moment before turning to look at the opposite horizon. "So, where's this help you did?"

Gau motioned for her to follow him 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 with a horribly dry sound. She winced.

"Like Veldt steal life from thing."

That was the best description someone could have given. "Yes, it does look like that, doesn't it?" Alice sent him a sidelong glance as he knelt 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, changing her expression 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. She unbuckled the flap and pulled out a little trowel and a large container. She 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 moved back to the plant. After a moment, she offered him the trowel. "You want to do it?"

Gau changed his eyes to hers. "Okay to do?"

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

He took the trowel from her to carefully dig around as well as under the plant, being very careful not to hit a single root. When he pulled it out of the ground, he used gentle movements and didn't break a single root. It was almost as if the plant were a child. Alice was amazed at the tenderness and concern he showed for the plant, even though it was more than likely beyond saving. He turned to her, gently holding out the plant as he waited for her to open the container. When she did, he carefully set it inside, making sure it was properly balanced and centered. Alice put a little water from her canteen into the container before screwing on the lid.

Gau's eyes met hers, as if to thank her for understanding.

She smiled 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 a myriad of other things before meeting her eyes again. "We make good time here, so no have to jog back. Give time to answer questions."

"I appreciate it." They headed back the way they'd come once she'd carefully placed the pack on 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 changed his gaze to the far horizon. "Slow death."

Her throat tightened. "I'm sure it's not that bad, Gau." She gave him a reassuring smile when he looked over at her. "Come on. Try and keep your hopes up."

He reluctantly returned her smile. "Me be grumpy like Rhinox."

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

He chuckled. It was almost 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. I never thought of it as someplace where scary things happened."

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

"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 sent Gau a smirk. "I must have stumbled into that particular Baskervor's territory. What do you think?"

Gau examined her face and eyes for a long moment. He finally looked away. "Baskervor mad. Instincts twisted and dark."

"How do you know that?"

"I be tracking Baskervor for long time."

Alice smiled. "Lucky for me."

He also smiled, but he didn't look over at her.

"So, are you up to coming to school tomorrow?" she asked.

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

"Okay, okay. Just asking."

"Why? You think I feared of school?"

Alice laughed. "No, I thought the teachers might be scared of you."

"Why? Me ugly?"

Alice's smile vanished, and she stopped. So did he. "Oh my gosh, Gau. I didn't mean it like that. I was talking about all the questions you'd asked Mr. Schultz, or tried to anyway. That's all." His bright eyes released the confusion and twinkled. "Have people called you ugly?" she asked.

He gave a one-shouldered shrug as he started toward town again. Alice fell into step beside him. "They say many thing, but me think is cuz feared of what don't understand."

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

Gau sent her a sidelong glance. "That no sound strange, Alice?"

"What? That you live on the Veldt? Should it?" He shrugged. Alice examined his profile, looking down at her foot when something touched it. A field serpent slithered by. 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, so she changed her gaze to him. "What?"

"Lift foot."

"Huh?"

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

Alice gave a shrug as she did what he'd told her, resting a hand on his shoulder for balance. He took her foot and rested it on his knee. Then he untied her hiking boot and slipped it off. Alice watched in amazement. "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 a slight purr of a chuckle, but he didn't move his gaze to hers. Finally, he slipped her sock back onto her foot, put her shoe on, and tied it just as comfortably as it had been tied before. He set her foot on the ground and straightened, setting out for her home as if nothing had 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'd been bitten by it before."

He nodded. "Was much sick for days."

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

"You welcome."

Alice had a sudden idea. "Hey, Gau." She stopped. So did he. "Do you think you could take me out a little deeper tomorrow?" His gaze showed reluctance, so she changed her request. "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..."

Gau raised his gaze. "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 that you've done. Okay?" He gave a nod. Alice only just kept herself from releasing a relieved sigh.

"What you smell, Alice?"

Alice moved her gaze to meet his. "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. She set her pack on the ground and unscrewed the lid so that he could smell. His nostrils flared very slightly, and then he raised those inquisitive gaze to hers.

"Smells kind of stale, doesn't it? Almost has a bit of an acidic burn, huh?" He gave a brief and slow nod as she sealed the dirt 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 went to his face, she noticed he intensely examined her. She smiled. "Come on. I bet you'd already figured that out."

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

She chuckled as she 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."

Gau shook his head. "We be hour from town. 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, making herself comfortable as he loped off. She pulled out a little memo pad and a pencil to start making a few notes. I can hardly wait until tomorrow! I hope he takes me to where he took the water. I'd love to see the reaction. If there is a higher level of acid then there should be... I wonder what I'll find? She chewed the tip of her pencil. But what in the world would be causing a high acid content? Hm.

Gau suddenly squatted beside her, presenting her with a handful of jerked meat. She stared down at them in surprise before meeting his eyes. "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 over Veldt. Never know when or where be. So put food in places all over."

"Oh. That makes sense." She tugged apart a piece with her molars and immediately sent him a wide-eyed look. "This is really good. You should sell it at the Item Shop." He shrugged with a twinkle as he looked off at the distant horizon. She pressed her point. "I'm serious, Gau. This is great stuff. I'd buy it."

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

She swallowed her mouthful of the luscious jerky. "But it must have taken you a long time to do. 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 eyes, offering a hand to help her stand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet. "Alice, giving food is least can do for pay of help with Veldt. You take. Okay?"

She nodded, releasing his hand before lowering her gaze to their feet as they began toward town again.

4: Thoughts of the Veldt

Alice looked over at Carol as she and Eric watched Alice with crossed arms. "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 sending 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 sounded absolutely insulted.

Alice sighed as she buckled her pack closed. "Nothing exciting happened, Carol. Geez. He's just answering some questions about the Veldt and showing me around a bit. Nothing major."

Carol's arms went to her sides, and her face showed disbelief. "Nothing major? 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 while slipping her pack onto her back. She'd brought dinner this time. "Look," she began as she turned toward Carol, "I'm sorry you're insulted, but we're just doing boring research."

Carol was about to speak again when Ms. Aimes called her over. She was a pleasant enough sort. A little on the strict side, but it wasn't too bad. Carol sent Alice a look of death and daggers before making her way to the teacher's desk. Alice sighed and moved her eyes to Eric. 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 okay?"

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

He nodded and followed her from the building to the main '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 looked over at him. "Tomorrow. Please? You don't know them like I do. I won't get a lick of work done if they're here."

"That should no matter, Alice. They friend. You should want spend time with them."

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

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

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

"No school next day."

"Yeah," she agreed again slowly.

"Have camp out."

"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."

"Sure. That sounds like fun."

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

Alice chuckled. "Well, don't hold your breath."

Gau sent her a confused look but didn't ask. He looked away again. "Alice, was plant too sick?"

"Plant? Oh. Plant." She gnawed her lower lip as she kicked at a 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... do you think Veldt get better, too?"

Her throat tightened. "I certainly hope so. And I plan to do my best to make it happen."

"Me too."

"Good." She looked over at him with a smile. "I could use the help--"

Her foot plunged into a hole. She fell forward with a frightened squeak, scuffing her palms and knees on a few pebbles before Gau could catch her under the arm. She turned to sit on her butt and looked at her palms. There were a few scratches, but nothing bloody. She slapped her hands together a few times as Gau went to her right foot.

She looked up from her hands to catch his concerned gaze. "Well now I feel about as graceful as an I-don't-know-what," she told him with a reluctant smile.

Gau changed his focus to her foot and carefully felt her ankle, occasionally glancing to her face to watch her reaction. Then he picked up her foot and slowly rotated it.

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

Gau’s expression relaxed, and he set her foot down before he stood and helped her to her feet. She tested her right foot before completely standing on her own power.

Alice released a relieved breath and sent him a smile as he stepped away from her. "Thank goodness. It was such a tumble that I felt sure I'd twisted something."

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

Alice looked down at her 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 led the way onto the Veldt.

"I'm sorry. You thought I was normal?" Alice teased. "Poor thing. I had you completely taken in." Alice noticed his odd glance. "I'm giving you a hard time, Gau. Just joking. Okay?"

"Me know."

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

He shrugged and looked away. "Not know."

Alice decided to change the subject. "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."

"Okay. 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 sent him a glance. "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."

"The Veldt's lasted this long. I'm sure it'll hold on a little longer."

He smiled briefly before stopping in front of a patch of mulch. Alice looked down, lowering her hand from his arm as she knelt and took off her pack. She set it aside before gently exploring the seeds' protective shield from heat and cold alike. That's weird. It doesn't even seem like the stuff is decomposing. Gau knelt beside her, intensely watching what she did.

"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. Then she carefully 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.

"Okay." She bent to grab her pack, set the seeds inside, and slung it onto her back as she straightened. She caught his gaze and sent him a reassuring smile. "Don't you worry either. We'll figure it out."

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

5: Beach Bunnies & Flower Fields

Gau came up beside her. "How much time need to get 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?"

Carol's gaze brightened as she leapt to her feet. "Really? Sure!"

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

Gau smiled. "We go to Veldt for camp out. Have much fun. You come?"

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

"Sure. Why not."

"We still have to ask our parents," Alice said with a meaningful look toward Carol.

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

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

"What about food?" Alice asked.

Gau looked amused. "I get food for all. I and Eric. We fish. We hunt. No worry for what eat."

Carol clapped her hands. "Sounds fun!"

Alice shook her head before grabbing Carol's arm to pull her out of the school and toward her home. "Carol, geez, throw yourself a little harder at him and he'll fall over."

Carol looked at Alice, innocent. "What 'throw myself at him'? I'm just being myself."

"That's the problem." Carol protested, but Alice ignored her. "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 tweaked slightly. "Both."

Alice arched an eyebrow.

Needless to say, Carol was enraptured by the Veldt. She "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed at the appropriate times, caressing Gau's ego - if he had one - with melodious laughs or twinkling glances at all his anecdotes. Now, much to Alice's surprise, Carol had 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."

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?" she asked.

Gau zeroed in on her face. His serious expression returned. "No go Deep Veldt. Much dangerous for you--"

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

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

Alice stretched her hands out in front of her. "But, Gau, I need to go to the deepest part of the Veldt or my research is only half done."

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 released a deep breath. “Alright.”

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 looked over at him in surprise.

Eric ran a hand through his hair. When his eyes met hers, his expression was honest and open. "Geez, Alice. 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."

"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 sent Eric a frown. Then she looked over at Gau. He stared off into the distance, distracted. Carol and Alice exchanged a glance.

"Gau?" Carol asked hesitantly.

Silence. They looked toward each other again, this time Eric coming to join them with a ‘what’s wrong with him?’ expression.

"G--"

He gestured for quiet.

Alice felt a knot of fear as she looked toward Eric. He clenched his jaw and 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. "Now."

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

"No questions. Just go." He hurried them along while giving 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 that he seemed even a little worried made Alice more than uneasy. She was scared too. Eric held back a bit. Then Alice could hear him speaking to Gau in a low voice. When Eric hurried to walk beside the two girls again, his face looked a little pale but more determined than anything. Alice 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 some place safe." 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. Alice believed she heard an unfamiliar animal-like sound behind her as the cave began to look more life-scale. When she would have turned to look, Gau gave her 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. Her hazel eyes were wide with terror. "If you go out there you'll die! Don't you leave us alone in here!"

Eric sent another look toward the dim entrance of the cave before huddling between the girls again. 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 suddenly sounded again. She flinched. I hope he's okay. Please let him be okay.

Eric rested his chin against the top of her head. Alice heard Carol begin to softly cry.

Alice didn't know she'd fallen asleep until she woke up with her head on 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 okay!”

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

Alice flushed, lowering her gaze to the duty of straightening her wrinkled shirt. "Sorry… I… I just…" She cleared her throat and sent a glance toward Carol at her left. Carol shook her head, chuckling the entire time. "Oh, be quiet."

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

Alice changed her gaze to Eric. He 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."

Alice refocused her gaze on Gau. "If you don't mind staying here, I could ask some questions about the deeper Veldt."

Gau nodded. "Okay. 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, and Carol gathered herself beside Eric by the fire. Alice followed Gau from the main cavern to the front that led onto the Veldt. The night sounds grew in volume until they were a chorus of animals she'd always heard and never seen. Gau copied several of the calls, speaking some form of answer to their inquiry, and then he moved those yellow cat-like eyes to her.

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

"You no worry of that. Speak questions of Veldt." He sat on a large boulder, or rather he crouched, and rested his arms across his knees. "I tell you all I know. More. You ask."

Alice cleared her throat. "Okay." She looked around for a similar boulder. There wasn't one. Gau moved and offered her his spot. She flushed slightly and quickly moved to sit down. "Exactly where on the Veldt do you live? Do you have a house somewhere? A tent? Anything like that?"

"This important for paper?"

Alice shook her head while staring down at her nails. "No. Just curious."

Gau looked 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. Some time friend keep company and we share warmth."

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

"You say very funny thing."

"Huh? Why?"

"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 chin. She wrapped her arms around her legs, tilting her head back to stare up at the night sky. The stars twinkled and laughed at their myriad of secrets. Alice sighed and closed her eyes.

"What be big trouble, Alice?"

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

There was a faint rustle as he moved closer. "You no like think of these things?"

Alice's lips quirked in a smile, and she opened her eyes to look over at him. His eyes were wide, 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. 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 beside Alice. She gave a start and looked over at him. He grinned and made himself comfortable. Alice examined his face after he'd changed his gaze to the stars above. She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

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?"

Alice shook her head. "Never mind." Gau continued to examine her, and she turned her face to catch his gaze. "What?"

"I curious."

"About what?"

"Why you no with Eric?"

Alice flushed deep and looked away. "What are you talking about?"

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

"Don't be silly," Alice interrupted. 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 looked over at him. "Different? What do you mean? What's different?"

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

"What?"

Gau smiled and seemed to laugh at her. "You like Terra and Edgar. No see what plain." He leaped off 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'd 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. She looked over her shoulder to see 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." Eric cleared his throat as he stared down at the ground at his feet. "Poor girl. She's not used to this kind of excitement."

Alice nodded. She leaned back onto her elbows and stared 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."

She looked back to the stars. "It's beautiful out here. I can see why he'd 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 changed her gaze to Eric. "Why do you say that?"

He stared off into the night a moment, but then he just shook his head. "Never mind." He straightened and turned to go back inside. "You should think about coming in and getting some sleep."

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

Eric examined her before making his way toward the cave. "Fine," he muttered.

Alice wondered about his attitude, but it was forgotten when the night sounds of the Veldt began their soft chorus. She closed her eyes, absorbing the peaceful music with an exhalation of breath.

"Why you no inside with others?"

"Hmm?" Alice sat up slowly. Her mind ever so gradually returned from the dream of riding a white dragon across the Veldt. She looked down at Gau with a sleepy expression. He looked a little annoyed. "Oh. I must've fallen asleep."

"No safe here by self. You should be in with others."

Alice opened her mouth to defend herself.

"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." He changed his stern gaze to her. "If you no follow order, then I no take to Veldt. Too dangerous. You decide. One more chance."

Gau stepped past into the caves. Alice carefully dropped 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, and her hands went to her hips. "What's going on, Eric?"

He sent her a glance. “Nothing.”

"Whatever, Eric. 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 and her arms dropped 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 looked away with a shrug. "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 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 are you talking about?"

"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 examined her reaction. He threw his hands up into the air. "Oh this is great. You didn't even notice."

Alice's jaw silently worked.

Eric turned away. "Forget it. Move to Figaro and have a great life. I hope you finally find what you want."

Alice stared after him as she again attempted to speak. Eric had already disappeared into the dark recesses of the cave. Alice cleared her throat and turned from the entrance of the cave to stare out at the dark and silent Veldt.

Alice sat up. There was another melodious bout of laughter coming from beyond the cave. Alice recognized the purr of Gau's chuckle. Alice wrinkled her nose and gave a stretch before looking around the cave. Eric leaned against the cave entrance staring out at something on the Veldt. Alice felt bad. Eric was a great guy and a real kick to be around. The last thing she'd wanted to do was hurt his feelings. 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 heavily.

Eric looked over at her. "We were wondering when you were going to wake up. Gau wants to take us swimming. Hurry up."

And then he left the cave. Guilt accosted Alice, making her bite her lower lip. I’m sorry, Eric. I didn’t mean to be dense. Alice sighed again and pulled herself from her sleeping bag. Then she reached over for her pack and stood.

Alice winced when she heard another laugh from Carol. Then she rolled her eyes, slung the pack over her shoulder, and headed out into the morning sunshine. Gau and Carol were perched on the same boulder Alice had been on last night. Eric leaned against it.

"What in the world is so funny?"

Gau looked over his shoulder toward her and promptly leaped down from the boulder. He wore another pair of hide trousers but still no shirt. He came over to her. "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 expression drifted from confusion to amusement and 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 and waved her hands for help down from the boulder. Gau and Eric 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 instantly noticed that Eric and Carol quickened their step to the front. Alice submerged her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans. He's not even giving me a chance to say I'm sorry. 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?"

Alice looked over at Gau 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."

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

Her gaze met his. "What?"

Gau shook his head. "I no tell. You know."

Alice moved her gaze to Eric and Carol. "I really hurt his feelings last night, Gau."

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

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

"How you make better?"

She adjusted 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."

Something told her Eric wasn't ready to hear anything from her.

"Why so glum?"

Alice raised her eyes to Carol's. She looked around for Gau only to find him walking beside Eric. Alice changed her gaze back to the ground moving under her feet. "Nothing."

"Have anything to do with Eric?"

Alice shrugged again.

"Didn't I tell you he liked you? Maybe next time you'll believe me."

Alice grimaced. "Maybe."

Carol chuckled 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," Carol suggested. 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 was a sudden squeal. Alice looked 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 crooned, "it's absolutely dreamy!"

Alice rolled her eyes. Eric snickered behind a quickly raised hand.

"Come here all time with friends before evil gone."

Alice noticed he didn't say 'Kefka'.

Gau looked 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 moved 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 sent 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." He followed after Gau.

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."

"Geez, 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 changed her gaze from Alice's accusing face to the water as it beat on the shore. "I can't help it if I love happy endings and marriages between damsels and the heroes that 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."

Alice reluctantly conceded the point. "And he won't, either. Not in our town."

Carol took the towel down to reveal her somewhat modest but all-revealing two-piece emerald green swimsuit. 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 changed to near panic. "They won't really make us cook breakfast, will they?"

Alice groaned while handing Carol half 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 expression looked positively morose. "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. Okay?"

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 the shore. "They're back!" She grabbed Alice's hand and dragged her toward the beach. "Come on. Come on."

Alice's face flamed as she watched Eric and Gau make their way down the hill to where the girls had set up the blanket. They waved. Carol waved back with a chorus 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, 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."

Carol started dragging 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 sent him a glance, noticing he kept his eyes carefully averted from the two. His ears were slightly pink. Carol finally released Alice's hand, who quickly retreated back to the shore to retrieve their towels. Has she no modesty at all? Alice asked as she wrapped one of the towels around her waist. Alice gave a shake of her head and made her way back to Carol and Gau. He stammered out an answer to a purely 'Carol' question.

"Here." Alice shoved the towel into Carol's hand. Carol didn't seem to notice. "Carol. Wrap up."

Carol did so without changing her gaze from Gau's face or even stopping her conversation with him. Alice shook her head and focused her attention on Gau.

"So, what'd you fellas bring?" she interrupted.

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

Alice smiled as she moved her eyes to the bag of goodies in the center of their blanket. "Okay. Well, we'll get started while you take a swim." She looked back up. "Have fun. 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 gave a silly laugh.

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

"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 with a smile as he looked 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. "Eww," she whined. "Gross."

Gau laughed, and then he suddenly sat up. "Alice. Me remember."

"What? What?"

He looked over at her. "Saw flower."

Her eyes widened. "Really?" She scrambled to her feet, and so did he. "Where? Where?"

He gestured the way he and Eric had gone before. "That way. Little walk."

"Take me, take me!" She hurried after him. "Did’ja do anything there?"

"Don't remember."

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

Gau's eyes and face registered concentration. "Many, many months." He met her gaze. "Year maybe?"

Alice looked back at the flowers, and then she started down the other side of the hill. 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."

She came to the edge of the flowers and knelt. The blossom was white, looking as if a ribbon had been wrapped carefully around the stem. She leaned forward and breathed in, closing her eyes when the delicate scent soothed her spirit.

"Oh my goodness," she sighed. Alice looked up at Gau with a wide smile. Her eyes twinkled. "You've got to smell these! It's divine!"

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

"Most definitely." She looked back to the small field of flowers, reaching her hands into the grass and soil beneath the flowers' base of leaves. This soil is damp. Alice pulled her hands back, bringing the dirty tips of her fingers up to her nose. It smelled gloriously dirty. She sent Gau a delighted grin. "You've got to smell this."

He took hold of her hand to bring it close to his nose. He returned her wide smile. "What fix, Alice? What fix?"

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

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

"Okay," she sighed. She accepted his help to stand and followed as he slowly made his way back. She fell into step beside him. "Can we stay here a little bit longer?"

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

"Actually, yeah. 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, was by the water's edge gesturing for Gau. Gau sent Alice another slight smile, which she returned, and then headed over. She took hold of his hand, and with a very animated expression, started leading him up the north beach. Alice watched them a moment before focusing on Eric with a slight sigh.

"Hey, you. Want to do some boulder jumping?"

Alice smiled and followed him toward the south beach.

"It's okay, you know."

Alice followed Eric up onto one of the first boulders. "What is?"

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

Alice gave him a sidelong glance. 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 with a serious expression. "Really, Alice. It's okay. I know that if I make a big deal about it I'll probably lose your friendship. I don't want that to happen. You've got your priorities, and I'm fine with that. Honest."

Alice was still suspicious, but decided not to say 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 leaped 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 it."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks, Eric. I appreciate it."

He winked at her, and then he turned for the next boulder. "No problem."

Alice followed after him. She didn't know, but she was pretty sure the jury was still out on whether the decision to not have a kissy-feely-touchy relationship with him was okay.

6: A Little Walking, a Little Sharing, a Little Bonding

Alice pushed herself to her feet. "Maybe I’ll have a little bit of time to explore on my own," she said absently as she grabbed her shoes and socks.

She hated to go behind Gau’s back, especially with what had happened that first day of their long weekend, but she wanted some really good samples. Of course, she could always go back to the beach with her stuff to get those samples she’d wanted. Alice smiled when she remembered the look on Gau’s face at the discovery. He deserved hope for his home, and that had definitely given it to him. If I could just figure out what had done it, I’d be able to do that for his entire Veldt.

Alice padded a little 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 eyes as she left the cave. She smiled and leaned against the outside wall near the cave mouth in order to put on her socks and shoes. It was going to be another lovely day. Too bad they had to go home.

She gave an absent shrug as she struggled with first one sock and 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 away from the cave wall.

Normally, Alice wasn’t a morning person, but since spending the weekend on the Veldt she’d found out she wasn’t a city person. Too much noise and civilization made her cranky. Alice halted, submerging her hands deep in 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, she’d be accused of being unsociable. Yeah, like that’ll be a loss. Alice sniggered and moved forward-

Her feet wouldn’t move, causing 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. They were tied together! "What in the world?"

She leaned forward to untie them. There was no way she could have accidentally tied them together… Alice hesitated, gnawing 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 as she stepped back.

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

Alice put her hands on her hips. "Were you the one that 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."

Alice 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 with a clearing of her throat as she lowered her gaze to the browned grass at her feet. "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 on the Veldt by myself because it was too dangerous," she repeated dutifully.

Gau gave a curt nod. "Good."

Alice heaved a deep sigh as she crossed her arms. "So where’s Carol and Eric?" she asked as she kicked at a rock.

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

Alice looked up with a slack-jawed expression. "What about me? Didn’t you think I’d want to go?"

Gau’s face looked abashed. "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 with a smile.

Gau’s face lightened. He gestured over his shoulder. "Little walk do morning grump good," he teased.

"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 gave a shiver. "Too scary think of. 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."

Gau nodded. "I try to do this thing with all."

"Yeah, well, don’t try so hard with Paytha and the others. They’ll eat you alive." She sent him a glance. "Figuratively speaking, of course. Although I have wondered…"

Gau’s chuckle purred in his throat as they began to make their way to the west. A cool breeze whipped along the ground. Alice noticed it smelled of the ocean. It smelled fresher than the air had over the dryer part of the Veldt. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she clenched her hands behind her back. Hmm. When she heard another chuckle, she changed her gaze to him. He smiled while his eyes looked a far distance ahead of him. In fact, they almost seemed to be looking into the past.

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

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

"Really? Who?"

"Sabin."

Alice moved her gaze to the flat expanse ahead. "Wow."

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

She looked back over at him. "What did you do?"

"I run very fast," he told her with a smile that laughed in his eyes.

Alice’s smile widened. "I’m not the least bit surprised. In fact, I’m reminded of the very first time I saw my grandparents. I ran very fast myself." Gau laughed. 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."

Alice’s throat tightened. "What made you decide to go with them?"

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?"

Gau halted and crouched, drawing a picture on the ground of something that looked like 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 walked toward the fresh air of the ocean again.

"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 kind of 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."

Alice’s eyes smiled. "Like us," she agreed.

"Sabin almost not like me," he confessed.

"What?"

Gau looked embarrassed. "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."

"Whoops."

Gau nodded. "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 again with a sidelong glance and smile at Alice. "I still call Mr. Thou."

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

Gau’s eyes brightened with a question as he raised an eyebrow. He examined her face. "Special? How inside joke make friendship more special?"

Alice noticed his intense facial expression as he watched her speak. "Well." She cleared her throat. "Anything that only two or three friends share makes their friendship special because of the fact they’re they 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, changing his eyes back to the Veldt ahead of them as he did. 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 sent her a smile. "You do good in all explainings, Alice," he told her simply.

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

"Look first."

She arched an eyebrow but did what he asked, changing her eyes to the bare beach. The cool breeze felt great, and the ocean was a somewhat normal shade of blue. Alice smiled. "This is awesome. Much nicer than the other one."

Gau smiled. "Come, Alice. 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 ecosystem."

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

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

"Hey. Look at this." Alice steadied her footing before carefully kneeling. There was a bit of green deep within a crevice of the cracked boulder she’d jumped onto. "There’s a plant growing out of this."

Gau leaped back onto the boulder to crouch. "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 further 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."

Gau changed his intense eyes to the little puff of greenery to give 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 looking over his shoulder to make sure she was just behind. "You do good," he commented.

Alice smirked and leaped 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 leaped from one boulder to another, and to another. "Mr. Graceful? Who this man?"

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

He laughed with a slight shake of his head. He hopped 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 have to pass. Studying always takes first place with me."

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. She landed and sent him a smile. His expression was thoughtful. "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 took in a gasp, hopping as fast as she dared without risking breaking her skull open. "Gau! Gau, are you okay?" With her last hop she nearly went straight into a split in the rock into the cavern inside. "Omigosh! Gau? Are you down there?"

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

Alice released a deep 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!" she scolded.

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

She sighed again. "Oh, alright. Keep your britches on." She adjusted her position, held her breath, and leaped down.

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

Alice’s eyes widened as she looked 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 with a puzzled expression. "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 alright," she said with a reassuring smile. "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 looked back to the gem-like walls and slowly lowered her hand to her side. Then she turned and made 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 gemdust from her pants and then met his eyes.

"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 passed by him with a hop and a "whoop!"

Gau was nice enough to let her stay ahead for 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’d 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.

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 had seen me he’d have blackmailed me for years." She wriggled her toes into the sand and looked 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 anything.

She sent him a glance, noticing he stared down at the sand between his bent legs. "You alright?"

He nodded.

"You sure?"

He 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 needing to 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 eyes to meet hers. "You think I should? 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," she said carefully, "I just know that 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 eyes to the ocean. He sighed. "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?"

Alice moved her gaze to the sand being 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."

He was quiet for a moment. "Had to leave when poison come?"

Alice nodded her head and then picked up a little red pebble. She rubbed it until it shone. "Seems like a thousand years ago," she said quietly.

"That why you want fix Veldt? So poison don’t kill new home?"

She nodded again, sending him a sidelong glance. He held her gaze. "You’re pretty smart for a country boy," she said with a slight smile.

Gau’s smile blossomed like a flower would, and then he looked away. "You smart for city girl."

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

Gau’s face puckered in a confused frown as he looked over at her again. "Tickle? What this thing ‘tickle’?"

Alice’s expression showed shock. "You’ve got to be kidding."

He shook his head. "Never heard this word. What tickle?"

Alice smacked her forehead as she shook 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 say 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 sent him a sidelong glance, noticed his expectant look, and raised her arms and shoulders in a shrug. "Oh, why not. I’ll never live it down, but who cares."

She stood, motioning for him to do the same. "Come on, Mr. I’ve-Got-To-Know-Everything. On your feet."

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

Alice restrained a smile. "Nothing. Just stand there." She put a hand on her hip as the other rubbed the back of her neck. She thought she spied a likely weakness and gave another shake of her head as she met his eyes again. "Now whatever I do, please don’t hurt me."

Gau raised an eyebrow.

Alice 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. Her fingers made contact with the sides of his chest, beginning their instinctive ‘tickle’ movements. She felt his muscles twitch and then, as she knew he would, he bent his shoulders inward and his stomach away while giving a true Gau laugh. His hands went in search of her wrists, but when a person is raised around multitudes of children who played tickle-wars on each other, a person got good at keep-away. He tried to step back, but she moved forward with what must have sounded a maniacal laugh as she felt the twitching and convulsing of his muscles pick up pace.

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

"See?" Alice said in a laughing tone of voice as she kept on, "it’s more of an obnoxious kind of touch that makes someone laugh their butt off!"

Gau’s face reddened as he laughed so hard tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. He backed up a few more paces, Alice tenaciously following after him, and tripped on his own feet. He went down, finally grabbing hold of Alice’s wrists to accidentally pull her down too. She squawked and just barely missed landing on him.

Alice sat up with a grin on her face as she stared down at him. He still laughed, his arms wrapped around his middle to try to protect himself. "That, Gau, is a tickle."

Gau shook his head from side to side with an ear-to-ear grin. "N-No more, Alice," he gasped. "No more t-tickle."

Alice laughed. "Alright. I’ll have pity on you and leave you alone. Just don’t ever ask me to show you something again 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 intense eyes. "You ticklish?"

The grin vanished. "Well, now, that’s usually not a very nice question to ask someone," she said with a clearing of her throat.

"Why?"

"B-Because… because being ticklish is… well, it’s a vulnerable spot that people could take advantage of," she said as she pushed back a little ways from him.

He nodded slowly as he continued to watch her, and he seemed to be thinking on and processing what she’d said. "I see why that be truth."

Alice wasn’t sure if she should relax or run away.

Gau lay back again, positioning his hands behind his head as he stared up at the sky. "Good thing we friends."

Alice released a breath and rolled her eyes before moving very carefully to lay on the soft sand beside him. "Yep." Then she promised herself to never tickle him again.

Awkwardness descended like a swarm of locusts, devouring 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, turned turning onto its back to tease the clouds with its feet. Alice gnawed her lip, absently scratching her scalp. Boundaries of things to be taught or not taught flitted in and out of her mind like those same previously mentioned locusts. Alice didn’t much like the guilt that came with them. He hadn’t really been around people his own age, so he didn’t know anything about teasing and flirting and tickling and wrestling for the fun of it. That was why Alice worried about his reaction to Carol’s attention. Now she’d done basically the same thing to him by-

"Alice? You okay? Much quiet."

She twitched and looked over at him. "Huh?"

"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."

Alice cleared her throat. "What."

"You feel bad because tickle? You think you take… advantage?"

Alice released a deep breath as she brought her hands out from behind her to look at them. "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 slightly smiled, looking back to the sky. "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 I do this if you not be self?"

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

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

"You certainly have had that, haven’t you?" she asked him with a smile.

Gau laid back again, putting his hands behind his back as he watched the same bird-like thing dance across the sky. "Some times 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 changed his gaze to an examination of her profile. "You have no place to be away from thoughts and people?"

Alice gave a shrug. "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 or something. 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

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

Alice took in a deep breath before opening the door to the Academy. 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. Instead, she sent him a 'what do you think you're doing' look. To which his expression responded, 'what?' with a slight outstretch of his arms.

Alice turned her focus back to Ms. Aimes.

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 and whispered in Alice's ear, "I didn't have a chance to ask before. Is everything okay between you and Eric now?"

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 took the paper and pencil. 'What did you expect? We've always been friends.'

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. Alice glanced over her left shoulder toward Gau. He sent her a smile, which she returned, and then refocused his attention on Ms. Aimes. After awhile, 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 of Figaro 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 leaned 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 turned her eyes toward Gau before catching Eric's gaze. "I don't know and I don't care. All I do know is I'm going to the library to finish that essay tonight."

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

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

Eric 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.

"Aright 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, giving a grimace before strategically placing her hand on her forehead in such a way that blocked the trio from her view. Carol, Eric, and Gau had just entered the library. Much to her displeasure, they looked happy and content. She on the other hand was 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 placed 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 turned 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. Gau continued to stand at the end of the table, ignoring Carol's attempts to get him to follow.

Alice held her place in the encyclopedia with a finger before looking up. "What’s the matter, Gau?"

He crouched beside her as his eyes studied the grain of the floorboards. "Why you want this thing so bad?"

"What?"

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

"Yes, Gau, it is."

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 you look inside. To see if what you do is best. To see if you be honest with self."

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

Gau examined her expression 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. Alice gave an inward groan before rolling her eyes and focusing back on the encyclopedia. Carol laughed. Alice cringed.

Alice dutifully 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'd 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 looked away. I guess Carol and he make a great couple-- Oh, shut up and work on your paper!

She risked one more glance toward the table, looking down as Eric peeked over at her. She sighed while shading her eyes with her hand. Carol giggled and Alice sighed again. 1... 2... 3...

Alice closed the encyclopedia and the multitude of reference manuals and stretched. Her back popped and she smiled with an "ahhh". She stood and began 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 them. She pulled out a report cover, carefully placed her typed report into it, 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'd cleaned up her mess by the typewriter. She sent a smile and a wave to the librarian as she made her way outside.

"Well it's about time."

Alice stopped outside the doors and looked 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 sent her a glance. "And make you think I’m stuck on you?" He shook his head with a slight chuckle. "Nah."

Alice reluctantly smiled. "You would say that."

"Hey, it’s all about me."

Alice 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…" Alice tucked some hair behind her ear and tightened her grip on the strap of her bag. She sent him a glance. "Will I forget the Veldt and what I wanted to do?"

"You have to try, Alice." 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 nodded slightly as they arrived at her family's home. She looked up at Eric. "Thanks, Eric. A lot. I'll see you in class tomorrow. Okay?"

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

She blinked up at him. "Good night."

He turned and walked away. Alice stared after him for a bit before releasing a deep breath and turning for her house. She took her bag off her shoulder and set it on the front porch. Then she made her way toward her family's back yard: the Veldt. She sat on the hard ground and stared out at the dark earthy tones of the twilight sky as she tucked her knees to her chin. She wrapped her arms around her legs. It was beautiful. She'd fallen in love with it the first time she'd seen it. I won’t be able to forget it. It had become a part of her a long time ago.

Alice changed her gaze to the ground near her and picked up a pebble. Just then a stealthy figure sat down beside her. She glanced over with a start. She smiled. "Hey, Gau. Couldn't sleep?"

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

Alice noticed his grammar wasn't as good as it usually was and sent him a concerned expression. He stared at the ground at his feet. "What's wrong?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but then he shut it again with a click and frowned. Alice had never seen him like that before.

"Is it school?" she pressed.

He shook his head again, more violently this time, and his frown deepened. He changed his eyes to the Veldt with a deep breath, and then the anger and frown slowly faded.

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

Gau nodded and glanced toward her. "Been here all life."

Alice looked away. She cleared her throat and lowered her gaze to the ground. "Do you mind me asking why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah. Why’d your father… you know. Why’d he make you grow up on the Veldt?"

Gau took the pebble from her fingers and rubbed at it. "Don’t know. Sabin say ‘cuz mother die when I come. ‘Cuz pain too big for father when see baby."

Alice looked over at him and her throat tightened. "Your dad blamed you for her death, didn’t he? He thought you… Oh, Gau. I’m sorry." And she finished the tear-filled comment with an arm around his bare shoulders and a friendly squeeze. "It looks like both of us have painful histories, huh? You and your father and me and not having a home. Well, not until I came here."

Gau didn't say anything, and there seemed to be a type of confusion in his eyes.

Alice gave his shoulders another squeeze. "You want to go for a walk?" she asked. "Out there?" She gestured to the Veldt with her other hand. "Just a short one? Maybe it'll help."

He stood and helped her to her feet before walking silently beside her.

"I really 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 it. It'd been a while since Eric, Carol, and me did something like that."

"Me glad could help."

Alice kicked a pebble. There were so many things she wanted to say that she didn't even know where to go next.

"Alice sure go is right?"

Alice changed her gaze to 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 with a nod. "I know. Eric said the same thing. But you can visit. You know where it 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 sighed and lowered her eyes to the ground. "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 leaped from a pile of boulders, charging into Gau with a roar and a hiss. Gau and the thing hit the ground with a loud thud, knocking Alice off her feet as they tumbled past. Alice's eyes zoomed in on Gau's fallen form. She couldn't tell if he moved or not because the evening clouds blocked any moonlight. When the creature changed its focus to Alice, she was all-too-certain Gau wasn’t moving. She swallowed hard as her eyes flickered from the thing’s eyes, 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! Her eyes darted back to Gau as she shuffled herself backward. One of his shoulders had a nasty bite, but he’d managed to push himself up onto one elbow.

The moonlight faded again as the Adamant gave another warning growl. Alice saw the silhouette of Gau's head rise. His eyes met hers.

"Gau?" Her voice cracked.

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

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

It pounced. Alice threw her hands out and screamed. There was a shooting pain in her wrist and shoulders as all the air left her lungs. She heard a heavy chink and then the weight was off. A small rock dropped beside her and the Adamant's focus changed to Gau.

Alice scurried backwards, crying and wincing in pain as s