Oracle (Book I)

Effigy of Po Clove

The Central Gardens were accessible from the inside of the school through several doors, only two of which stood in the Main Hall. As these gardens were a part of the school Caprice had never visited, she paid close attention to the one door of many that Nezzle took her through—the eleventh door from the right of the Main Hall doors.

The door opened into a crooked, cobbled granite-colored alleyway. In both directions of the narrow passage, there was sunlight. Nezzle turned right.

Flowers and ferns wildly overgrew the circular courtyard's earthen floor in riotous profusion. Gasping, Caprice  stood at the edge of the alley with her hands to her mouth. Seeing all the flourishing leafy and flowery things lifted her spirits even though Po was nowhere in sight. Each of the tunnels in the courtyard either led into alleys like the ones they'd left or was overflowing with plant life that poured out into the bright green fields of the Gestalt Plains.

"It's beautiful. The school has such beautiful gardens."

"I agree. This is one of the wildest and richest of the Perpetual Gardens. Watch your step."

The courtyard walls went up a few stories, opening to the partly cloudy sky. She and Nezzle edged along the wall since there was nowhere else to walk. She spotted a few scattered, crumbling stepping stones here and there. The plants had rooted underneath the stones and pushed them out of the dirt.

"Its a shame we can't do our seek assignments here. I see a lot of the herbs and flowers that are on my list." Caprice eyed clusters of holy darkness, sally o, and blue rhapsody. "Yours, too. But I am looking forward to to the forest, even so. I haven't been inside yet. Is it dangerous?"

"Not much more dangerous than anyplace else on the grounds. I go in there all the time." They had to use the unreliable stepping stones to avoid trampling anything growing at their feet to cross the arms of garden that stretched out into the field. "I'm sorry Po isn't here. But we'll come back a few times. See if we can catch her. Its a nice garden to meditate in. Don't get lost in the alleys though. Its a maze."

They came to a flower-filled tunnel that Nezzle said would lead them out into the plains near the lake.

"I'd like it if you'd join me, but I can come alone if it's too much trouble. I—"

"Watch out!"

Caprice was so busy looking for the next stepping stone that she didn't see it until it was too late.

At first she thought it was person but as she steadied herself by grabbing it, it was cool, hard, and unmoving to her touch.

"Po...?"

Standing just outside the tunnel in the sunlight, it was perfect in it's likeness of her, right down to folds and creases of her poofy tulle skirt. Even her cape was painstakingly rendered, though Caprice longed to see that mustard yellow rather than the bland stone the statue was carved of.

"They built a statue of her? The Honor's Society must be a serious to-do."

"They what?" Nezzle came around her to look closer. Her head went back. "Oh. How unusual."

"What do you mean?"

"The school has more statues than I've cared to count, but I'm not sure I've ever seen one of a student. At least not one I know."

But I bet you counted them, Caprice smiled to herself. She sighed. "Po seemed ordinary to me. Not that I don't think she could make Honors or anything, mind you. I just...I liked her because she was like me. Happy to be here and make friends. She's the only friend that I made besides you and Bossa." Now she's with the students who have surpassed everyone else. Just like Zyall Ruro, Caprice thought.

"We don't count, do we," Nezzle teased, arching a brow.

Caprice had to smile. "You know that's not what I mean." She put a finger to her chin, pretending to suddenly think better of it. "What am I saying--of course you two don't count. We're roommates. You two have to be nice to me."

Nezzle cracked her knuckles.

"No, I don't. Ask Bossa."

Caprice laughed. Nezzle went ahead but she stayed a moment longer, staring into Po's face.

"I hope we get to see each other again, Po. I'll try to be here and wait for you sometimes." With no idea why she said that out loud and to a piece of rock, Caprice followed after Nezzle.