This woman and her unknowing of feelings and such were beyond adorable, and I couldn't wait to let her try new things. Even though she probably knew more than all the humans together, she lacked all experience in real life.
Gaia had lived vicariously through everyone else but never had the chance to actually feel the experiences. She had basically lived her life in a single room filled with books, and that was her only connection to the real world on the surface.
"I am sure that you will do great, but now we have to be a bit quieter," I said, lowering my voice as we came up from the ground, and Gaia nodded.
We were just starting heading up the final hundred-foot climb back to the top of the Great Tree. I noticed that people were still coming in on the lower floors, but I hoped Alfredo wasn't working too hard.
I didn't need the animals running themselves ragged on the first day; even if this city was small, there were still over half a million people in it.
Getting more helpers and going to the two other major hospitals would be another thing to do tomorrow. Then I was going to have to find a place with plants, but without power and the winter, most of the plants would be dead.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtBesides the actual plants, the next best thing was just finding the seeds, which wouldn't really be that hard. While most stores wouldn't have them, many stocked them all year, and greenhouses would.
"You have done a lot of work already to help everyone. I can feel the hope of the people inside this tree and the other one, but the other is not the same as this one. I think that you should check on some people over there tomorrow. Some appear to be sick," Gaia said suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Oh? You can tell that?" I asked curiously, and she nodded.
"There are also many people sleeping near trees, and there are many sick among them. We should go help them," Gaia said, looking up at me, and I nodded with a sigh.
I guess that was all the sleep I was going to be getting tonight, but it wasn't like I was tired. I would take her to get cleaned off, recharge a bit in the water, and then jump down with Gaia.
"Sure, but we first need to clean off, and I need to soak up a bit of water. Then I will leave a note for the others. Does that sound good?" I asked, and Gaia nodded.
"As long as we can help the sick people. There are so many people all over the world dying, so we should try to save the ones that we can," Gaia said, and I agreed.
Once we were back up at the top of the tree, the door to the elevator opened, and I walked out with Gaia in my arms. I headed straight up the stairs to the second floor but was stopped by Melody, who was walking bleary-eyed down the hall.
"Who do you have there? Where did you go to find this cute girl?! Weren't you supposed to be in bed with Amy?!" Melody asked as she suddenly stormed over to me, looking more alert.
"This is hard to explain, but the girl in my arms is Gaia. This is where things get tricky," I said, and Melody narrowed her eyes at me and then looked Gaia over.
"When you say Gaia, is that a name you gave her, or is this the Gaia from myth? It looks like she got one of your little upgrades already!" Melody growled at me, but I rolled my eyes.
"This is Gaia, and no, she did not get one of those upgrades! I created a wooden body for her spirit to inhabit for now until I can figure out how to make her a human one," I explained, and Melody nodded.
"I see; sorry for acting like that; I just woke up. So what are you going to do now? Another bath?" Melody asked curiously, and I nodded, putting Gaia down.
"If you go up these stairs, there is water. You can get in there, and I will be right up. I just need to go talk to Melody first," I explained, but Gaia looked unsure.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"I will come up with you and sit with you; just head up. I want to talk to Dan first," Melody said with a smile, and Gaia nodded, heading up the stairs.
Once she was out of sight, Melody turned back to me.
"So, is she going to be number eight?" Melody asked with a smile that caught me off guard.
"Uh, yeah, I think so, at least. I will need to figure out her body, but I think that is the best plan," I said, and Melody nodded.
"Well, if she is who you say she is, then she is definitely the best choice! I can't believe that that is the spirit of the earth or whatever!" Melody exclaimed with excitement as she turned to head up the stairs, but I caught her by the arm, stopping her.
Be nice to her, she has watched over all of us since the dawn of time, but she lacks any emotional experience. There are times when she will seem wise beyond reason and others when she acts like a child. We are going to have to be gentle with her, please," I explained, and Melody nodded.
"Don't worry, I will let the girls know, and none of them will be a bother to her," Melody said with a smile, and I pulled her over to give her a kiss without getting her sticky.
"You know, as good as you look like this, you should really grow a pair of shorts or whatever you do! No point in making some of the other girls even more nervous than you already do!" Melody told me and then broke away from me, heading up the stairs.