The Academy's size and potential blew Alice away. State-of-the-art everything at their disposal, including books and research texts that had been saved from the Empire. In fact, when they made a supposed quick stop at the library, Alice was awed by the amount of research listed for the Veldt--taking place both before and after the change to the environment. If it hadn't been for Relm tugging on her arm, Alice would have stayed behind to get her feet wet in the volumes of newly discovered knowledge.
Hours later, Alice was exhausted and massaging her sore feet as Relm laid back on the bed in their newly reassigned room. It measured twice the size of her room back home, but Alice knew it would take a little getting used to. Yeah. No Eric barging in without knocking. No Gau bringing me flowers, or samples, or anything. Alice sighed and moved to lie back on her bed, same as Relm. No Gau asking ridiculously bright questions in class. No Carol bringing over the latest rage in scarves or boots. No Gau and his great sense of humor. Alice covered her eyes with her arm. Could I sound any more homesick?
“Cool!”
Alice turned her face toward Relm, who stood by the window unwrapping a bit of paper pulled from a little tube. A carrier pigeon perched on the windowsill. “You got a letter? Here?”
“Yeah. Each room has its own pigeon. We have to send notes from the depot, but when they receive one, they find out who it’s from, what room they’re in, and then poof! Delivery.” Relm unrolled her note and brightened. “It's from Dad!”
“Geez. A little tight on the reins, isn't he?”
Relm read the letter, eyes glistening. “I don't mind. I just found him about a year ago.”
Alice spat the shoe out of her mouth--figuratively speaking of course--and sat up. “Sorry.”
Relm shrugged and rolled the bit of paper up again. “Don't sweat it.” She peeked at Alice, eyes twinkling with mischief. “He's Shadow, you know. So don't mess with me. He'll kill you.”
Alice stared at Relm for a full minute before giving a shake of her head and laughing softly. “Hey, you won't have to worry about that. I'm weird, not insane.”
Relm tossed a bit of paper at Alice with a grin. “We'll see. Anyway, why don't you let the fam know you got here safe. I'll jot a little ditty for my dad, and then we'll go find the pigeon depot. They're bound to have one for your town.”
Alice shifted her gaze to the paper. “Don't bet on it.”
“Why?”
“I don't think a lot of people even know it's there.”
“Whatever. You have a school, don't you? You get supplies from Edgar, don't you?” Alice nodded to each statement as Relm grabbed a shawl from the back of a chair. “There. Don't you worry about fame and fortune with Eddie around. He'll make sure that the right people know about the right town.” She gave Alice a nudge. “Come on. I'm bored.”
Alice reached across her bed for the pencil on the desk between their beds and scribbled a brief note, then rolled it up and tucked it into the offered carrier. “There.”
“Rad. Let's go.”
Alice sighed, pushing herself to her feet and into her sandals before following after the girl. She gave a slight shake of her head. “Can't we take a break? My feet are killing me.”
“Oh 'waa',” Relm told her. “You'll have time enough to give them a rest when you're sleeping.”
Alice tucked her hands into her pockets and followed to the pigeon depot behind the Academy. Right. I can handle this. If she keeps me this busy I won't have time to think about . . . home. It never hurt to hope.