"NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" cries Gau as he awakes, sweating and shivering uncontrollably despite the relative warmth of the cave.

"KEFKA back! Gau must tell friends!"

Then, a soft voice entered the room.

"The same dream?"

The speaker padded into the room, wrapped in a hastily knotted fur and carrying a lighted taper, eyes shining with concern. She sat down beside Gau, and took him into her arms, same as always when the dream returns. Gently smoothing his hair back, she begins to rock him gently, waiting until Gau's breathing slows, and looks at him expectantly.

"Gau saw Kefka! No, wait, not Kefka, but like him! Kefka have brother?"

<Poor thing, he is so shook up he has reverted to his old self> Dee thought.

"I could not tell you. The history books never mentioned Kefka's lineage. He may have, although some say he had no father or mother, that he was created, and that was the cause of his insanity. It is possible. So you finally saw the mysterious man at last?"

"Gau saw..."

With a slight effort, Gau finally regained control.

"I mean, I did see the man in the second part of the dream. He looked like Kefka, even laughed like him! He didn't have quite the presence Kefka had, but still..."

"What about the first part of the dream? Still the same?", Dee asked.

Gau thought for a moment, then shuddered.

"Yes. As before, a, a... hand, of sorts, that lays waste to the Veldt with just it's shadow."

"So what are you going to do about it?", Dee asked, dreading the answer but needing to hear it anyway.

"I guess I have no choice. I'll have to find the others, and see if they know anything."

Gau sighed, and looked at Dee, marveling at the luminous depths of her eyes, as he had every time he looked at her since the day he found her. Seeing the sorrow there matching his own, he pressed on with the inevitable.

"I'll have to go it alone. I can travel faster and farther on my own. Besides, if anything were to happen to you, I'd...I'd...I'd..."

His words trailed off as he turned away, cursing the wetness around his eyes.

"And what makes you think I can not take care of myself?"

"Nothing!" Gau exclaimed, memories of her teaching him how well she could fight against a human opponent stirring up old bruises.

"It's just I'd be able to think better knowing you were safe here. Besides, I AM one of the Heroes of the Balance!"

Gau was unable to resist that one little bit of bragging, teenage pride taking over at last.

"I do have a *little* more experience at it, I'd like to think!"

Dee snickered at the puffed-up expression on Gau's youthful face. <Oh well...>

"Alright. Go back to sleep, and we will get you ready tomorrow."

With that, she arose and began to leave. Looking back at Gau, the expression on his face was so pitiable that she finally sighed and said "Do you want me to stay tonight?"

"Gau like that! Gau like that very... oops, sorry. If you would?", his face lighting up a little at the realization that she wouldn't be going after all.

As Gau watched, Dee padded back to the rough pile of furs that passed for a bed, and lay down beside him. Blowing out the taper, she leaned over and took his hand between her own, feeling the calluses and tendons there against her own skin. As his breathing slowed and he slipped back into sleep, a familar rasping noise filled the room. Smirking at the sound of Gau snoring, she reached over and lightly rapped his head.

"Whaa.. sorry, Gau try not snore again."

And in a flash, Gau passed out again. <So young, but yet...> Dee thought to herself, as the same twinges went through her as they always did when she was this close to him. That he loved her, there was no doubt. The only problem was, was it "puppy love", as the people in her old village called it, or something more? Only time would tell, and until then, she couldn't say anything. <Maybe this trip of his will help>, she thought. He had come a long way since the day he rescued her from being eaten by a Behemoth, all clad in smelly furs and looking like a scarecrow. <Amazing what a few good meals and regular baths will do for a person. If I ever meet these "Heroes", I will have to have a talk with them about why they did not bother to at least get him some new clothes.> she thought, not knowing about the incident with Gau's father, when Sabin tried to make Gau "presentable". As sleep finally overtook her, she noticed Gau had rolled over into her arms. <Oh well, since we may not see each other for a while...>, Dee decided just to accept the embrace, as unconscious as it was.

THE NEXT DAY. SCENE: OUTSIDE THE VELDT CAVE

Dee and Gau stood on a hilly knoll at the foot of the remains of Crescent Mountain.

"Well, I wish you knew how to use a weapon, but I guess your Rages will do in place of one. But at least take this."

Dee handed him a Genji Shield, one of the treasures Gau had brought back from his last adventure. She absently fondled the hilt of the Scimitar she wore, another of the treasures. She viewed Gau with a critical eye. <His friends are in for a BIG shock> Dee thought, looking at the sleek figure Gau now cut. Wearing breeches, thigh-length boots, and a Zephyr cloak, Gau was indeed a splendid figure. Long hair blowing in the wind, he looked more like a hero than when he actually was one.

"I guess this is it."

"Afraid so."

Gau turned away and faced the Veldt plain itself, preparing to summon a rage to carry him off.

"Gau?"

Turning around, Gau was suddenly met by a pair of lips on his own. "MMPH!", he exclaimed, then instinct took over and he melted into the embrace. Minutes passed, and finally they broke off. Gau rubbed his now-tingling lips, and eyed Dee expectantly, unable to think of anything to say.

"That was for luck. You take good care of yourself, and come back to me. Understand?" Dee smiled sweetly at him, hoping he would turn around before he noticed the growing dampness in her own eyes this time. Gau indeed turned around, so she wouldn't see the look on his own face.

"I will. Take care."

"Goodbye."

With that, Gau concentrated, and his eyes suddenly flared red. He leapt into the air, borne aloft on flickering wings and screaming a cry of release as his form shimmered within that of an Aquila. Soaring high into the morning sky, Gau oriented himself and headed southeast, a small voice in the back of his head suggesting Jidoor may be a good start...

[Insert wavy flashback effect here]

Scene: The Veldt, around noon.

A bellow of rage. Human screams and chocobo whistles of terror cut through the afternoon air. Gau charged up over the low hill in time to see a Behemoth demolishing a caravan. The towering monster had apparently slaughtered all except two fleeing chocobos and one woman, who was transfixed by fear as the creature approached. Bravely but futilely, she raised a sword, apparently in hopes of lopping off at least one paw before the Behemoth devoured her.

Without hesitation, Gau vaulted the top of the hill and ran like the wind towards the scene. As he did, his eyes flared red and a low THUMP began to resound with each step. With every new step, Gau rose off the ground by a foot, as three-toed reptilian footprints took the place of his own. The shimmering form of a massive Tyrannosaurus surrounded him, and suddenly he looked out from eyes that were not his own. <KILL BEHEMOTH!> began to filter through his now clouded mind, and he as opened his lips, so did the shimmering form encasing him. Gau released an earsplitting bellow, causing the Behemoth to forget it's original prey and spin around to face the interloper. The small part of Gau's consciousness that remained rational noted the woman fainting. As he trod towards the Behemoth, the hulking creature spread taloned arms wide and leapt towards Gau/Tyrannosaurus. Gau sidestepped, and lashed out with his tail, catching the beast in the gut. As the Behemoth crashed to the ground with an earthshaking WHUMP, Gau closed in and stepped on the monster's back, pinning the brute firmly to the ground. The Gau/Tyrannosaurus opened it's mouth, and with terrible speed closed massive jaws around the struggling Behemoth's neck. A second later, the Behemoth ceased struggling as the head lost connection with the body that it controlled. The shimmering monster image surrounding Gau roared in triumph once, then faded away.

With a heavy heart, he surveyed the carnage, noting the near total loss of life. <But Gau saw one...>, he thought as he strode towards the rear of the wrecked caravan where the woman had made her stand. At last, Gau found her still form lying upon the ground, still tightly clutching a rapier with whitened knuckles. Leaning over her, Gau gently prodded the woman until at last she opened her eyes. With a gasp of alarm, and the resultant gag from Gau's "natural" aroma, she backpedaled with surprising speed from the feral figure crouched over her.

"Who..Who..WHAT are you?"

"UWAOO! Me Gau! Me save you!"

"Saved? But there were two monsters, how could you have driven them both off?"

She eyed the figure with more rational eyes, noting the furs that had given the impression of a wrinkled hide. Studying the face, she was startled by the eyes, piercing blue and blazing with life and... intelligence? Suddenly, words she had read only days before trailed across her mind. <Draped in monster hides, eyes shining with intelligence. A youth surviving against all odds...>

"Gau! One of the Heroes of the Balance!" <Funny, I thought he was younger,> she thought, noting his size and build.

"Uwaooh! That's me!" <Thought I already said so...> Gau thought.

"Who you?" asked Gau, after a moment's pause.

"I'm Dee, from Veldtanta, north of here. We were traveling back there with books and...and..."

Dee finally looked around taking in the situation. As she saw the true extent of the slaughter, the blood smell thick on the air, her vision began to gray. <All gone! Mother, Father, dead...> The last thing Dee saw before passing out completely was Gau reaching out for her, just as the blackness overtook Dee completely.

<insert FLASHBACK!(tm) special effect here>

Scene: Veldt Cave

Gau gently lay the unconscious woman down on a pile of furs, smoothing her hair and checking her for injuries. <But what Gau do if she hurt?> Gau remembered the days of magic, when even he could cast curative magic. But those days had passed with Kefka's destruction, and what little Gau had learned from the magicite shards was quickly forgotten. Being the type of fellow he was, Gau's only form of treatment for his own injuries was to lick the affected part, or just grin and bear it if unreachable. Gau thought about it for a moment, then quickly discarded the idea of treating the woman's wounds the same way, realizing that most people don't take a friendly licking the way animals do. <What Gau to do? Ah-ha! Gau have potions left!>[insert light bulb effect here] Racing to a pile of mementos and treasures left over from his adventures, he dug through the mess, until at last he held up a small bottle that sparkled with iridescent fluid contained within. "Uwaooh! Elixer work!" Gau cried. Unfortunately, as he turned to go back, he tripped over a "lucky rock" he had brought from the ruins of Kefka's tower and dropped the elixer. <Oops. Gau need to be more careful.> he thought sadly. Digging through the pile once more, he found two potions, not as good as the elixer, but still workable despite the low magic levels left. Dodging the "lucky rock" this time, he returned to the young woman and gently poured the first one into her mouth...

"AAAH! Bleah! What's going on? Where am I?"

Dee sputtered and gagged on the potion. Sitting in a dank cave for a few weeks had not done any wonders for the potion's taste.

"Do not touch me! I am fine, really."<Besides, if I taste another potion I will be even sicker> Dee thought. Then she sat up, and looked around. <What happened? I remember a Behemoth, and then a Tyrannosaurus...> Dee gasped as her memory returned, flooding her mind with images of carnage, a strange figure helping her up, and seeing her parents and brothers... dead?

"NO!" She screamed. Tears began to pour down her cheeks as she sobbed, shoulders hitching as she curled up into herself. Gau jumped back as she screamed, then remembering a few lessons from the others in how to deal with upset people, started to reach for her, intent on giving the young woman a comforting hug. Dee noticed a scent that got stronger by the second, looked up and saw the approaching figure.

"Touch me and I will break your arms!"

"But Gau thought people liked hugs! What wrong?"

"Aside from the fact I just lost my family, I do not like to be held unless I ask for it. If I want some comfort, you will know. For now, leave me alone."<Besides, if I can smell him from here, how bad would it be if he were right beside me?>

Gau noticed that the woman had shaken off the grief somewhat with her outburst, but decided now would not be the best time to ask her about it.

"Gau sorry! Gau leave you alone now."

As he turned to walk off, he heard her start to cry again, softly talking to herself in between sobs. With a long face, he stepped out of the cave, wishing he knew what to do to comfort someone who didn't want to be touched. Hopping up on a nearby boulder, he stood up and screamed, a long resounding "UWAOOH!" that echoed across the Veldt. Gau screamed for the woman, and screamed for his own frustration and inability to help when it was apparently needed the most. He heard a snickering, and looked down to see the woman looking up at him, a smile on her tear-streaked face.

"WHAT was that about?"

"Gau not know what to do! You no want anything, but Gau not like to do nothing."

"Well, come down here. I have not introduced myself yet, and I would like to fix that."

Gau jumped down, and stood in front of the young woman. <What did she say her name was?>

Gathering herself, the woman straightened up and held out her hand. Gau reached out and took it, noting her very firm grip.

"My name is Dee. I thank you for saving me, although I wish you had arrived sooner. Maybe then, my family would be...be..."

Dee broke down into sobs again, and pulled Gau to her. This time she did not resist when he put his arms around her, although he did notice she started to shake a little more when she inhaled. But she held on, and after a few minutes, pushed him away. Gau broke off reluctantly, unused to the experience of having a woman so close to him, especially a woman that was as attractive as Dee was. <Terra and Celes never did this> he thought. Feeling a little guilty at the thought, he let her go, and decided to try and divert her a little.

"Gau get Dee something to eat? Have lots dried meat!"

"I suppose." <And I was looking forward to a hot meal tomorrow> Dee thought, sorrow temporarily diluted by the realization of a empty stomach.

Later that evening, as Dee and Gau shared a small meal of dried meat and water taken from a spring in the cave, Dee looked around and sized up the situation. She looked at Gau, happily chewing on a strip of meat, apparently thrilled to have company for the first time ever that wasn't trying to get him to fight and trek over the world. <I have no family, and no one at the village close enough that they would take me in.> True to her scholar's heart, Dee started to think of what she could learn from Gau, a first-hand account of the events of the past few months straight from one of the Heroes of the Balance. <Besides, he could REALLY use some pointers on hygiene and grammar.> she thought as another whiff of Gau's natural "aroma" passed by her. Coming to a quick decision, Dee stood up and walked over to sit beside Gau. Taking his hand in hers, she spoke to him.

"Gau, I would like to thank you for saving me. I know you did what you could, and it is appreciated. I now have no family, and I do not think I could return to the village in my current state, so I have a favor to ask of you, and a proposal."

Gau puzzled over the words a moment, and then nodded.

"If you are willing, I would like to stay with you a while, at least until I am fully healed up. I wish to hear your story of what happened to the world in the past few months, and in exchange I will teach you, if you are willing to learn. As a scholar, it would be an honor to write down your account of the battles with Kefka. So, are you interested?"

Gau thought a moment, then a puzzled look crossed his face.

"Gau like telling story, but what Dee teach Gau?"

"Well, you've lived your whole life like this, with no one to show you how to read, or write, or interact with others, am I correct?"

"Dee right, but..."

"I would be happy to try and show you a little more about dealing with others, and how to read and write. I noticed that in your treasures, you have several books. Would you not like to know what the books are about? Plus, there are other things that I think I could show you that would be very helpful."

"Ok, Dee teach Gau! But what you mean "other things"?"

"Well, have you ever heard of a bath..."

* - * - *

[Archivist's note: The author asked that the following excerpt

from his notes about the chapter be included in the archives.

His close friend Stephanie was murdered shortly before he wrote

this chapter.]

I want to dedicate this story to Stephanie. I got the inspiration for the character of Dee from her, or at least her appearance and attitude, as well as the motivation to try and use romance after all. Just for the record, Stephanie did not speak like Dee, I just wanted to introduce a distinctive style of speech for the character. But her heart and appearance are exactly like Stephanie's, and I hope to honor her memory through these stories.

In Memoriam,

Stephanie Michelle Dupee

April 19th, 1970 to August 8th, 1995

You will never be forgotten, and I will always love you.

"Uwaooh! What Gau do for..." <Wait, remember what Dee said. No need to use my name for this.> "So what *am I* going to do now?"

Gau pondered, then decided that he needed sleep more than he needed decisions right now. This realization came from the sensation of something cold and hard on his back, namely the ground. Soon, a loud rasping noise echoed across the small island...

* * *

Gau stood overlooking the hot pool he had discovered deep in the cave. As steam rose from the dark water, he looked upon it with a sense of dread and inevitability. Wishing he could melt into the craggy basalt that made up the cave walls, Gau moaned.

"Well, you *have* heard of the concept of a bath before, right?"

This came from the amused figure standing behind him. Dee looked at the trembling figure before her, and wondered if maybe she wasn't pushing him too hard. Then another whiff of his aroma crossed under her nose, and the decision was made. A casual step closer, a foot placed in the right spot, and Gau suddenly found the dark water approaching him at high velocity.

SPLASH!

"UWAAOOOHHH! Gau hate water! Bleh!"

Dee's laughter echoed off the basalt walls, and carried up and down the cave passages.

"This is the mighty Gau, who stood and faced Kefka? Afraid of a little water?"

Gau looked at her, feelings of betrayal suddenly turning to feelings of embarrassment. He thought, and realized that it wasn't that bad. He began to move around, testing the depth of the water, which fortunately wasn't past his chest in the immediate area. Suddenly, something bounced off his head, and fell into the water. Gau reached down and picked up a squarish object.

"What this?"

More laughter, as Dee climbed down to stand on the side of the rocky pool. Tossing him a scrap of cloth, she watched as he looked in confusion at the strange artifacts.

"It is called soap. You use it with the rag. It makes you clean."

"What?" Gau looked extremely confused. <How a little bar do that?>

Dee sighed in exasperation, and prepared to explain the concept of scrubbing behind the ears, when suddenly, she too found the water coming up to meet her.

SPLASH!

"AH! What! You, you bastard! How dare you!" Dee paused, and looked at the amused expression on Gau's face. <How did he reach me so fast? I didn't even see him!> Fortunately her clothing was more than sufficient to retain her modesty, despite the uncomfortable excess weight it now bore. <Oh well, I guess I will have to do this the hard way.>

Plucking the soap and rag from Gau, Dee proceeded to show Gau how to wash himself, including behind the ears. Once he was started on his torso, Dee climbed back out, and stalked down the passageway to find some dry clothes.

"That little bastard! How dare he! Oooh, I am going to..."

Dee paused, and considered how it would look to an outsider. Then she thought of the look on his face when he first popped up. Slowly, she started to grin, then smile. Finally, a small chuckle passed her lips, soon followed by more. Continuing down the passage, Dee soon forgot all about her indignation at being doused herself.

* * *

After yet another meal of dried meat, Dee and Gau went outside for a demonstration of the "Rage" that Gau was reputed to have, that allowed him to fight like anything that lived on the Veldt. As they stood in the afternoon sun, Dee looked Gau over, amazed at the change a simple bath had made. Gone was the shock of hair that looked like a Bolt spell had hit him, and no longer did she fear being downwind of him. Clad in breeches and a tunic taken from the caravan, he looked much like any teenager found in the world today. Watching his blond hair blow in the breeze, Dee began to imagine what a year or two would do to figure in front of her.

"The boy has got promise..." she murmured to herself.

"Dee say something?"

"Ah, no. First, will I be in any danger from this demonstration? From the way you describe it, it causes you to lose control."

"Uwaooh! Gau no harm innocents! Only enemies!"

Dee listened intently for the next ten minutes as Gau tried to explain how he focused on an opponent, or group of opponents, and then unleashed it. Apparently Gau was only able to perform one specific action or command that he set for himself, and then snapped out of the "Rage". Finally, he was ready to demonstrate.

"But I need opponent! Take while to find."

"Could you not just target something like that boulder over there?"

Gau thought, and realized he'd never tried just to experiment. All the time he had been able to imitate other life that lived on the Veldt, he'd always used it as a means of attack and defense, never just to see what he could do.

"Ok, Gau try to kill boulder."

Feeling a little stupid, Gau looked at the boulder. Thinking of a suitable Rage, he finally settled on something fairly small, yet flashy. <Boulder die!> Gau thought, triggering the familiar rush of berserk fury. Stepping towards the boulder, he reached out...

Dee gasped as Gau suddenly began to flicker like some kind of heat mirage. As she watched, she realized she could see something or someone else overlapping him. As the figure resolved itself, Dee made out a robed figure wearing a parasol-shaped hat. As it stepped toward the boulder, the shadowy figure gestured, and a gleaming ethereal blade appeared from nowhere.

"A Retainer! One of Kefka's warriors!" Dee remembered the legends of the strange figures that served Kefka in the World of Ruin. <So he can copy people as well as animals. I wonder...> Dee broke off her train of thought as she turned her attention back to the scene before her.

Gau/Retainer stood before the boulder, apparently sizing up the "threat". With a flourish like a promise of death, the curved blade lashed out, then spun in an intricate series of arcs. As suddenly as it began, the kata stopped, and the shimmering figure stood back, as still as an iron statue. The boulder still stood, apparently doing it's best imitation of something extremely unimpressed.

<What was the point of all that?> Dee wondered. Then she noticed a trembling in the ground. <What? Earthquake?>

WHUMP!

Without further warning, a magenta column of energy exploded underneath the boulder, pulverizing it and blasting a twenty foot crater around the boulder's former location. Rocketing skyward, the bolt quickly dissipated, leaving nothing but powder and ash in it's wake.

"Incredible! That must be the Shock attack spoken of that General Leo developed. I was not aware that anyone or anything had ever been able to recreate it."

Suddenly Dee noticed the flickering composite of Gau and the Retainer turning to regard her with solemn eyes. <Uh-oh...> But as she started to back up slowly, the image of the Retainer flickered, then faded away. Gau stood for a moment as though dazed, then his blue eyes cleared and at last he took a breath and smiled.

"Well, what Dee think?" he asked eagerly, like a kid showing off an old magic trick.

"Very, very impressive. Tell me, have you ever tried using your ability to travel? I mean, you become the creature in question partly, can you fly if the creature has wings?"

Gau thought, then shook his head.

"Gau not think of that before. But can try!"

Once again his eyes flared, and this time a lean reptilian form appeared around him. Spreading flickering wings, the Gau/Pterodon pumped them once, then twice, and launched itself into the air. With a cry of what could have been anger or release, Gau climbed higher and higher, until at last Dee could no longer see him.

<Oh, no, where has he gone? He did not have a command that time, did he?> Dee began to feel a little worried. But still she waited, until at last Gau reappeared, this time clutching an unidentifiable animal in ethereal talons. Landing before her, the strange apparition faded out once more, leaving a dazed Gau standing atop a carcass she now recognized as an Harpiai.

"What is this for? I do not see how this demonstrates anything new, beyond the fact that you can fly, and possibly do other things with your ability that you never thought of before."

Gau grinned, then leaned down and began to pull feathers off of the mangled bird.

"Gau thought Dee might like something different to eat!"

<Harpiai? Edible?> Dee grimaced and then sighed with resignation.

* * *

Gau and Dee sat across from each other, each with a *large* drumstick in their hands. Much to Dee's surprise, the cooked monster had a nice flavor. <At least it does not taste just like chicken...> She thought to herself.

"And now we will have to do something about your grammar, Gau."

"Grammar? Gau never heard of it."

Dee sighed, then put her food aside, and started to explain the idea of "third person" and "first person" viewpoints. Gau listened intently well into the night, until at last a rasping noise brought to Dee's attention that it had been a busy day, and maybe she ought to get some sleep too.

Laying out some furs, Dee stretched out in a corner of the cave. Still the rasping continued, until she pitched a convenient rock in the general direction of Gau's head. A muffled exclamation, and then silence brought a smile to her lips.

<Tomorrow we finish the lesson. Now he looks human... maybe I can get him to talk like one too.>

With that, Dee closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.

* * *

Gau arose the next morning, and launched himself into the air, this time beating leathery wings as the form of a Wirey Dragon surrounded him. <One last flight, and I'll be in Jidoor at last!> he thought as the salty air blew past him.