"Now why did you sign up for those classes again?" Relm looked over Alice's shoulder at the list of classes and corresponding books she'd need to get that day. "They look too boring for me. It's all about bugs, rocks, and dirt."
Alice chuckled. "Basically."
"Geez. I didn't think anyone but Gau was interested in stuff like that."
Alice's smile disappeared as she lowered her head closer to the paper. "What classes did you sign up for?"
"Art history. Anatomy. Oils. Landscapes. And... uhh... Literary Analysis? Hey. I didn't sign up for that." Relm looked up from her schedule with a frown. "I'm going to the office to get this straightened out."
"Okay. See you later." Relm hurried from the room with a barely perceptible wave, Alice staring after her with a slight smile before focusing back to the supplies list. "There. I think that about covers it."
She heard a peck at the window and glanced over her shoulder. There was a pigeon.
"Uh-oh. You missed Relm," she told the white bird as she stood and made her way to the window. "She's gone to hash out details with the office ladies." Alice opened the window and carefully enfolded the pigeon in her hand to pick it up. "But I guess I could take a message." She took the little tube from the pigeon's foot and set the bird back down again. Then she pulled the bit of paper from the tube and carefully unrolled it. "Oh. It's for me."
'Alice, so glad you made it. Hope you're having fun. Eric.'
"Not one for newsy notes, is he?" Alice smirked and turned for the desk to write a reply.
'Eric, classes chosen. Books to be purchased soon. Roommate's a blast. How's life with Carol and Gau sucking face? Alice.'
Alice made a face as she rolled up the note and carefully placed it back into the tube. She sighed and turned away, grabbing her purse and her shopping list on her way out the door. She'd stop by the pigeon depot on her way to the bookstore.
Alice hadn't noticed it in the small print of the scholarship papers signed in the superintendent's office, but all her books and supplies were part and parcel to her stay there at the Academy. In other words: she didn't have to pay. So, she put her money back in her purse and set up a budget for her newfound wealth. If I'm really going to help the Veldt, I'm going to need supplies. And those don't grow on trees... Well, not usually.
She smiled slightly and started wandering through the store looking for the supplies she'd classified as 'superfluous'; such as extra notebooks, extra notepaper, and extra pens and pencils. Won't Gau be surprised when I show up with about a ton of seeds and fertilizer? Carol wouldn't want to help. Too afraid to break a nail. It'd just be me, Gau, and Eric more than likely. Although she wondered if King Edgar would be willing to lend her a newfangled piece of machinery to help out. The Veldt was a big place for three people to replant.
Alice set a box of pens into her basket, ignoring a tall gentleman in a nice suit watching her shop. Geez, mister. You ever hear of manners? She moved on to the row for notepaper. A few moments later, he was there too. When Alice glanced at him, he smiled. His blue eyes were kind, hair a pretty color of red, and his face was alright to look at, but he just didn't tweak her interest. She looked away.
He moved; right toward her. "Hey there."
She didn't look up. Where's that darn narrow-ruled paper? "Hi." I hate the wide-ruled kind.
"New arrival?"
"Yeah." Oh. Here it is. Yeah. This looks about right. She picked up a package of 200 pages and put it in her basket before giving him a very slight smile and moving a little ways down the aisle to the notebooks. He followed. Great. Second day at school and I've got a stalker. Thrill.
"So, what classes you taking?"
"This and that. Nothing exciting." One inch. I need one inch notebooks-- Here they are. She picked up a different colored notebook for each class.
"I'm a writing major. What about you?"
Alice cleared her throat. "Veldt."
"Huh?"
She looked over at him. "I'm an environmental major. I'm studying the Veldt."
"Why? There's nothing there."
Alice frowned. "Yeah, like there's nothing up there," she countered, pointing at his head. "Later." She turned and stalked toward the front. The first time I'm hit on and it's by an idiot. She placed the rest of her things on the counter and waited for the clerk to tally the cost.
"I didn't mean to tick you off."
Alice clenched her jaw. "Fine."
He touched her shoulder to get her to face him. She stepped away from him instead. "Come on. I'm sorry."
Alice shrugged and accepted the bags from the clerk. "It's okay." She headed out the door, the guy fast on her heels. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to meet a friend at the office."
"I'll walk you there."
"That's alright." She glanced over at him. His expression was fiercely determined. "I'll be fine."
"I'm sure you would, but I'd like to do it just the same." He met her eyes and gave her a slight smile. "The name's Riley."
She looked away. "Alice."
"Nice to meet you, Alice."
"Charmed." She halted suddenly and turned to face him. "Look. I'm not interested in getting into any kind of kissy-touchy-feely relationship right now. Okay? I've got two years of heavy classes, and then I'm off to the Veldt to put it into action."
Riley stared down at her with a slack jaw. Then he collected his brain off the sidewalk enough to rub the back of his neck and close his mouth. His ears went a bit pink. "Uh... yeah, sure. Okay."
Alice turned and headed for the dorms again.
"How about dinner? Tonight," he called after her.
Alice kept walking. "Idiot," she muttered.
"You actually said that to him?" Alice nodded and Relm roared with laughter. "Omigosh! I wish I could've been there to see it."
"The jerk kept on and asked me out to dinner. Tonight." Alice crossed her arms. "In his dreams."
"It's a harmless dinner, Alice. It might do you some good. You're pretty uptight, you know."
Alice threw herself onto her bed and covered her eyes with her arm. "Gee. You think?"
"Well it is kind of a 'duh'."
"My entire life is a 'duh'."
Relm came and sat on the bed next to Alice. "Tell me about it."
Alice peeked at her from under her arm. "Huh?"
"Your lovelife."
Alice sat up. "What in the world are you talking about?"
Relm actually paused before talking. "Now I'm not so sure. What were you talking about?"
Alice shook her head. "No way. You go first."
Relm looked away. "Oh look. A pigeon." She stood and made her way to the window to carefully take the tube from the pigeon's foot. "It's for you. Cool."
Alice caught the tube that Relm tossed at her and carefully pulled the paper from it. She unrolled it and raised an eyebrow. 'Alice, we haven't seen Gau since you left. Carol's worried, thinking she said something bad. I'm sure he's fine. Keep your chin up. Eric.' "Hmm."
"What? Bad news?" Relm came to sit on the bed beside her. "Tell me, tell me."
Alice lowered the paper. "Gau's not been around for a while."
"You've only been gone about two days. He disappears that long while holding his breath. Don't sweat it." There was a knock, and Relm waved Alice off. "I'll get it." She opened the door and looked the person up and down. "Riley, I presume."
Alice moaned and fell back onto the bed.
Relm opened the door wider and gave the guy a smile. "Come on in."
"Thanks." Riley stepped into the room like he owned it. "So, you ready for that dinner?"
"What part of 'no relationship' confused you?"
Riley came to stand beside her bed. "Look, I didn't mean to be a jerk, okay? I'm trying to make it up to you, if you'll give me the chance."
"I've got a headache."
Relm sniggered into her hand and moved to the far side of the room with a slight shake of her head.
"Yeah," Riley said. "Sure."
The pounding behind her eyes became a sharp pain and she winced as she brought a hand up. "No. I really do. You're making it worse. Go away."
"Only if you promise to have dinner with me tomorrow."
"Fine."
"Okay. Great." He gave a brief wave to Relm. "Later, cutie."
Relm leaned against the windowsill. "Bye, Riley," she purred as she crossed her arms.
He shut the door behind him.
Alice rolled over onto her side. "You have any Remedy?"
"Sure." She chucked a bottle to Alice. "He's kind of cute, in a twisted way I guess."
Alice took the Remedy dry. "Yeah, but he's as dense as a guy ever is."
"Hey, they aren't that bad. Gau's actually pretty sharp."
A knife seemed to go through Alice's brain. "Yeah."
Relm came to sit on Alice's bed. "I'm curious. How'd you meet him anyway? He steers clear of towns usually. People have a tendency of throwing rocks at him and screaming before running away."
Alice rolled onto her other side. "It was an accident."
"That's the best way to meet someone. Didn't you know that?" Relm nudged Alice in the back with an elbow. "Come on. Spill."
Alice sighed and closed her eyes. She could still see the whole humiliating thing. "I got caught unawares by a Baskervor as I tried to get samples from the Veldt. He saved my butt."
"Cool." Relm laid down on her back beside Alice. "What happened after that?"
Alice opened her eyes. "We did a trade, kind of. I wanted to learn more about the Veldt for my paper, and he wanted to go to school. I made it possible."
"Rad. I know he'd been wanting to go to school for a while. Terra and Celes taught him how to read and write, and a little about history and math, but he wanted to be taught like other kids his age." Relm nudged Alice again. "That was really nice, Alice. I bet he loved it."
Alice remembered his smile after the first day of class and adjusted her shoulders. The Remedy was starting to work. "He did." Her throat tightened. And now he's missing out. But why? Alice clenched her jaw. Carol, if you said anything to hurt his feelings, I'll pound you.
"Makes me wonder why he's vanished. Hm. Oh well. He's a big boy."
Why does everyone keep saying that? He still needs help with things! Alice cleared her throat. "Yeah. I know."
"Alice. There's a pigeon pecking at the window," Relm snuffled into her pillow. She rolled over with a sleepy sigh. "Can you get it please?"
Alice yawned wide and stumbled out of bed, stubbing her toe on her desk's chair as she groped in the dark for the clearest way to the window. She opened it and groped for the pigeon, relieving it of its cargo and unrolling it as she sunk to the floor with another yawn.
'Alice. Found Gau's books at the entrance to town. Note saying not coming back to school. Carol's going ballistic. Determined to find him. Don't worry. Eric.'
Alice was wide awake. "Don't worry?" she mumbled. She crumpled up the paper and threw it across the room. The pigeon squawked and flew out the window and back toward home. Not coming back to school? Why not? What in blazes did Carol say?
"Well if it isn't the best looking lady on campus."
Alice hunkered down in her seat at the library with a cringe. "Hi, Riley," she mumbled.
He leaned against the table and crossed his arms. "Cutie said you were here. I thought I'd drop by and say 'hello' and see if I could persuade you to come out for some food."
Alice knew that he wouldn't leave her alone until she actually went through with it, so she sat up and grabbed her purse and jacket. "Fine. Let's go," she sighed. Alice made a face as he hurried to fall into step beside her. "So, where to?"
"I've got a table set up in the cafeteria."
"How romantic."
Riley chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Yep. Yep. Yep. I know. Girls go wild for it."
Alice rolled her eyes. "I hope you're joking."
"You know, you need to relax a little. I'm glad I came along when I did."
"Oh, yes. Will miracles never cease."
Riley shook his head. "Oh, I love those woman with blatant hostility towards men."
She sent him a dark glare. "I don't have hostility towards men."
"Oh. Then it's just me."
Alice looked away with a brief shrug. "Hey, if the shoe fits."
Riley laughed. "You know what, this is kind of fun."
"Yeah. A riot."
He opened the door for her that led from the stairwell into the second story hall and then motioned her to the left toward the cafeteria. "So, where're you from."
"A town called Border, believe it or not."
"What?"
"It's on the border of the Veldt, so that's what they called it."
"So that's why you're studying Environment."
Alice shrugged as he opened the doors into the cafeteria for her. A corner table had a vase with a single flower and an unlit candle in the center. Her stomach fluttered and then dropped to her heels.
"I don't suppose you're taking any writing classes?"
"Nope. Well, there's the research paper class I'm taking."
"Bummer. I already took that class. Last semester." Riley snapped his fingers. "Oh well. I'll just have to keep popping in and kidnapping you to dinner."
"Oh, could you? Thank you ever so much." She made her voice drip with sickening sweet damsel-in-distress-ism.
"For this witty repartee? Any day of the week."
Alice grumbled under her breath as he pulled the chair out for her. Why am I being so hostile? You'd think he really had kidnapped me.
Riley rang a little bell on his side of the table, causing cafeteria workers to instantly appear bearing covered silver trays. "Ah. Dinner is served." One tray was set down in front of her and another in front of him. She stared down at it but didn't move. "Go ahead. Uncover it."
Alice took in a slow breath and reached out for the tray cover. When she pulled it away, there was a beautifully cooked slice of meat and a tantalizing array of vegetables and potatoes. Alice set the cover aside and stared at the steak.
When she didn't look up, Riley came to stand beside her. "What's the matter? You don't like Adamant steak?"
Alice stood, covering her mouth with her hand as she rushed from the room. Tears streamed down her face. - Blood. Growls. Gau's still body. - The images pelted her as she hurried back to her room. The dread she'd felt that he might be hurt. The guilt at realizing it'd been her fault... Alice slammed into her room and collapsed against the door, sliding to the floor with a sob.
"Geez, Alice, what happened?" Relm hurried to her side. "What'd he do? I'll kill him!" Alice covered her face with her hands and gave a shake of her head. "Then what's wrong?"
"I wanna go home," she sobbed.
Relm wrapped her arms around Alice and gave her a squeeze. "Yeah. I know," she mumbled.
"Sending another letter home?"
Relm rolled up the bit of paper and sat beside Alice. "Yeah. Asking advice."
Alice flipped a few more pages of her geology book. "About what?"
"Love. Denial. Things like that."
Alice looked over at her with a blink of surprise. "That's pretty deep, Relm. Aren't you a little young for that?"
Relm gave a snort and looked away. "Apparently not." She shifted her gaze back to Alice. "Are you ever going to tell me what happened last night?"
Alice glanced back to the book. "I lost my appetite."
"And that's why you were bawling your eyes out? Right."
Alice gripped the page and turned it. It ripped slightly. "Hey, I can't help it if you don't believe me."
"Sheesh. I can't believe you believe yourself." There was a knock and Relm stood. "I mean, have you ever heard of ignoring the obvious? You've got a classic--" She pasted on a perfect plastic smile. "Hi, Riley."
Alice winced, but she didn't move or change her gaze from the book in her hands.
"Hey there, cutie. Where's Alice?"
"She's busy being in denial." She stepped back. "Come on in. Misery loves company."
He stepped in, after several odd looks at Relm, and then came to stand by Alice. "Hey there. Can we go for a walk?"
"No thanks."
"No meat. I promise."
Alice shook her head. "Really. I'm busy. Maybe later."
He took the book out of her hands. She glared at him. "Come on. A short little walk. I won't hurt you. I swear I don't bite."
Alice took the book back. "But I do." She turned through the pages. "Go away."
"I mess up once and that's it? No more Riley? No second chance?"
"You barely had a first one. I'm not interested."
Riley's face showed shock. "But--"
"Go away."
Relm came over and wrapped her arms around Riley's right one. He looked down at her in surprise as she fluttered her eyelashes at him. "I'm interested."
"What?"
Relm sidled closer, lowering her eyes to her finger as it ran up and down his bare arm to his shirt sleeve. "You don't just have eyes for Alice, do you? What about me?" She lifted her eyes to him.
"Uh... well... I, uh..." He cleared his throat. "S-Sure, cutie. What'd you have in mind?" He sent Alice a 'see what you're missing' look, but she wasn't paying attention. He frowned and moved his eyes back to Relm. "You up for a walk?"
"A walk? Oh no. I had something different in mind." She took hold of his hand and led him over to her side of the room where her paints and brushes were. She picked up a brush and touched her chin with it as she gave him a coquettish smile. "How about I paint you?"
"Paint? Well, sure, I guess." He looked around for a stool as Relm dipped the brush in a bit of yellow paint. "Where'd you want me to sit?"
Relm approached with just enough sway to her walk to grasp Riley's attention. "Oh no, Riley. I wasn't talking about painting on canvas."
She touched his arm with the brush. He leaped back from her, nearly stumbling into her bed. She took a step toward him with a meaningful expression.
"Uh, I just remembered... I have an appointment." He cleared his throat and continued to step back toward the door.
Relm beat him to it and leaned against the door with her hands in the small of her back, her young curves positioned in just the right way to make him swallow hard, fighting to keep his eyes from sinking from hers.
"Come on, cutie. Let's keep it civil."
"What's the fun in that?" she purred. She stepped forward and he stiffened, swallowing hard when she leaned into his chest. "RRowrr." She bit at him and he yelped, diving for the door and slamming it closed behind him. Relm straightened and sent Alice a 'you owe me big' look.
"That's disgusting," Alice mumbled.
Relm shrugged and came to sit on Alice's bed. "Hey, I do what I can to further our purpose."
"He definitely won't be back here anytime soon."
"Don't count on it. He's denser than any guy I've met."
Alice nodded with a reluctant smile as she looked over at Relm. "So I'd noticed."
Relm gestured to the bit of rolled up paper on Alice's desk. "You gonna write back and tell them you're sure he's fine?" Relm glanced over at the paper. "I know. You could write a note for Gau letting him know that you're okay and that everything's great. You could even let him know that you're planning on visiting home before classes get started."
"I am?"
Relm looked over at Alice with an innocent expression. "Oh. You weren't? Sorry. I thought you'd want one last night with the fam before the heavy stuff started."
Alice set the book aside. "Relm, what did you do?"
"Nothing. Honest." Relm smirked slightly. "Okay. I sent Setzer a note to have him come next weekend and take us back to Border for a day. I want to check it out and meet this Eric guy. Besides, I haven't seen Gau for a while and it'd be nice to say 'hi'."
"Relm," Alice complained.
"I know, but it's already done. You'll have to deal with it."
Alice sighed. "Fine. Whatever." Alice tossed aside the book and rolled over onto her side. "I'm going to take a nap."
"Chickenlip."
"I'm ignoring you," she said with a yawn. Alice heard Relm snigger as she drifted off to sleep...
Alice sat up with a yawn and a stretch, slowly opening her eyes as her mind worked through the morning fuzzies. The darkness of the cave made her tilt her head and frown in confusion. Cave? She pushed herself to her feet, dusting the leaves and dirt from her hand-woven leather pants. She stared at them. Okay, Alice. What's going on? What's the matter with your memory? Are you going nuts?
A ferocious growl came from outside the cave, and her head shot up as her eyes pinpointed the entry. A smaller, human shaped shadow grappled with a winged form. Alice's heart went to the soles of her feet as she hurried to the opening.
"Gau?" She stumbled on a rock and nearly fell to her knees, barely recovering in time as her hands met the cold and hard surface of the opening to the cave. Gau fought a dragon. "Gau!"
Her call distracted him, making it possible for the dragon to slice him across the chest. The blow sent him flying backward like a rag doll.
Alice screeched and ran forward, sliding to a halt beside him and gathering his bloody form into her arms. "Gau?" She shook him, but he didn't move.
The ground around her trembled as the dragon approached her, but she just continued to stare down at his limp body, blood oozing from fresh cuts.
"Gau..." Her voice broke, and she lowered her head as the tears fell.
A hiss sounded just behind her.
Alice clenched her jaw and snapped her head around, eyes focusing on the dragon and its siren smile and hazel eyes-- Rage blinded Alice's mind, face and body burning red. Her mind popped, and she let out a furious scream and dove at the dragon, claws extended--
Alice sat up with a screech.
So did Relm. "What?" she asked, magazine dropping to the floor.
Alice puffed, dream slowly fading. Finally, she shook her head and laid back. "Nothing. Just a bad dream."
"Really? Gee. I would never have known."
Alice turned over onto her side. "Give me a break, will ya? I've had a bad couple of days."
"I know. That's why I think we should go out--" Relm brought a hand up to her mouth. "Crap! I forgot to tell you Terra and Eddie want to have dinner with you tonight."
Alice sat up sharply. "Geez! Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"
"I didn't have the chance!"
"What do you mean you didn't have the chance? We've been here for hours!"
"No, you've either been on Self-Pity island or in Sleepsville. I've been here."
Alice frowned and stalked to her section of the closet. "Great. I don't have a blasted thing to wear."
"Just wear anything. They don't care."
"They're royalty, Relm."
Relm shook her head. "No, they're Terra and Eddie. Humans. Nice people."
"Well I do."
"So I noticed." Relm stepped up to the closet and started pulling things out. "Let's see what we've got."