Jerking back. Not scared ; wary. Wide, warm eyes appraise the stranger. " Shiny? "

" Shiny! Green! " They don't have the word for Materia in his world, let alone on the Veldt.

Fingers reach out to touch the materia gently, jerking back immediately when he feels the power. " Strong. Magic? . . . Power. " Nodding to himself.

" Power. . . Dangerous. " The boy rocks back on his heels, considers the stranger for a moment. " Good man. Good power. "

tay.♡ I have a theory that gau is part esper like terra.

A smile— wide, warm, flashing sharp incisors. He's really not a / bad / kid. He's just learning. " Good man name? "

Immediately kicking his feet and growling. " Mean !! Mean man! Mean man let go!!! "

" Cloud! Cloud, Cloud! " Jumping up and down, pointing towards the sky and then to the stranger.

Kicking him as hard as possible. ( Which is very hard. Gau is a very strong child. ) " Bad, bad, bad !! "

An even bigger smile, grabbing Cloud's hand with his own. " Cloud, friend! Cloud and Gau get food? "

Dropping back onto his haunches, scratching at the ground for a moment. " Shiny thing. " Pointing to the materia. " Gau like shiny thing. "

The boy takes the object in both hands, feeling the warmth. He doesn't need materia like this to use magic — he learns magic by seeing it used. Turning it over in his hands. " Magic. Magic good? " Palm out, offering the materia back.

" You use it . . . For good? " Curious eyes watch the way fingers press the spherical thing back into the bracelet. He tilts his head, blinking a couple times. " Bad people . . .bad magic at home. Burn cities down. Bad man. "

stealing 🍉𝗔 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗸𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲...' knife.

" No. Home is — far away. Bad things, bad men. Burned cities down. Home. . . The Veldt. Big place — lots of animals. "

tay.♡ I theorize that Gau is part esper because Gau is the only person besides Terra who doesn't need magicite to use magic. His rages allow him to cast spells like fire, cyclone, and cure.

Sleepy. Pulling his animal hides over his body and finding a place to fall asleep.

Hungry !!