"So. Where'd you disappear to yesterday?"
Alice looked over at Carol as she and Eric watched Alice, arms crossed. "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, expression showing 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."
When Carol was about to speak again, Ms. Aimes called her over. So Carol simply sent Alice a look of death and daggers before making her way to the teacher's desk. Ms. Aimes was a pleasant enough sort. A little on the strict side, but it wasn't too bad.
Alice sighed and moved her eyes to meet Eric's. He didn't say anything. He only turned to leave the building. Alice sighed again. She hadn't meant to hurt their feelings.
"Alice?" Gau came to stand beside her. "You okay?"
She faced him, looking up at 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 no matter, Alice. They friend. You spend time with them. Like family."
She gripped the straps of her pack. Her mom had said the same thing. "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 only 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... 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-- aiee!"
Alice fell forward with a frightened squeak, scuffing her palms and knees on a few pebbles before Gau could catch her under the arm. Turning to sit on her butt, she first looked at the ravaged prairie rat hole she'd stepped in and then examined 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.
Lowering his focus to her foot, Gau carefully felt her ankle with his fingertips, occasionally glancing to her face to watch her reaction. Then he picked up her foot and slowly rotated it, first one way and then the other.
Alice smiled. "It feels fine. Doesn't hurt at all."
Gau's expression relaxed as he set her foot down and straightened to help her to her feet. She tested her right foot before completely standing on her own power.
Alice released a 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." Then 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."
"Oh." She watched him a moment more before giving a shrug and asking "You're taking me to the water or the seeds today?"
"Place with water be too close to Deep Veldt. Not go. We go where me plant seeds."
"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 removed 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 doctor. 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 escorted her back to town.