Oh this is so happy and sad! You have a real knack for the bittersweet. The way you tell this, at first with the more child like perspective of Alba, transitioning into the perspective of Gaia and then switching between the two, it allows you tell so much more, as well as bringing emotional depth to both of them. The relationship between these two is so endearing, Gaia telling Alba her own version of how they met, despite the inevitability of her finding out the truth eventually, is so understandable. Her desire to protect the animals extending to the humans, seeing them emancipated and scared changing something inside her, and then the love she develops for Alba, it's just beautiful. There is almost a jungle book feel in her seeing the boy, and returning to his village, the realisation that there are somehow other humans here, and then the realisation of her role in the version of the story Gaia told her, it's very impactful. The ending is so moving, the confrontation between the two, and then the androids, and Gaia's desire to keep Alba safe still being her concern. The moment when she tells Alba to go at the very end <3 I hope they find each other somehow. Message me when the next instalment is out (no spoilers :p) brilliantly told <3