Heart of the Veldt

1: The Introduction

  “But, Alice, I saw him!”

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

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

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

  Carol tucked a lock of hair--probably soft as silk--behind a delicate ear. For a split second, Alice wanted to pour mud over her. Instead, she forced her hands onto her slim hips, thumbs digging into the belt loops. “Carol, you know I go to the Veldt because of research for my class paper. I am not trekking out there because of some romantic fantasy of meeting the legendary Gau from the Kefka War. Please, give the fantasy a rest.”

  “But you have so much in common--”

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

  Carol sighed. “Oh all right.”

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

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

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

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

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

  “You always make sure of everything,” Carol sighed.

  “That's because I want to go to a good higher-level Academy.”

  “There's only one, Alice.”

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

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

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

  “Hi, Alice.”

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

  “Hey, Alice. How's it going?”

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

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

  “Yep.”

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

  “Eventually.”

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

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

  “You're never around the pub.”

  “Because I'm busy.” Was he actually . . . pouting?

  “I know.”

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

  Eric shrugged. “Fine. Catch you later.”

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

  “Oh well. No one's perfect.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

  Silence.

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

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

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

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

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

  The guy tilted his head. “Locke have luck. You no Locke.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  “For school?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  He nodded, teeth flashing in a full smile.

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

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

  “But you've never been to school before.”

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

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

  He grinned. “We go now.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

  She blinked. “What? Are you serious?”

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

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

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

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

  He grinned.