Garland was quivering in excitement. Vivi could see it, even from all the way across the room. There seemed to be an internal conflict. The boy's hand was half extended, not quite touching, but sorely wanting to. He stared and stared. Finally, Garland turned to where Vivi sat in the corner.
"What is that thing?" The boy asked.
Vivi got to his feet slowly, making his way toward the other side of the room where Garland stood. Upon the wall hung the interesting items that the young Black Mage had found on his travels with his friends. Garland had noticed the collection, and had grown very curious.
For some reason, it made Vivi happy that someone took such interest in his favorite things.
"What's what?" He asked, having not seen exactly what Garland was referring to.
"This thing?" The boy motioned to the almost plain-looking staff, Vivi's most prized possession.
"That's called the Mace of Zeus."
"It's…. awesome…" Garland still didn't seem to know if he should touch it or not. "For some reason… it looks so… ordinary… but… I think that's 'cuz it's hiding something on the inside. Maybe that's why I like it a lot."
Garland is… quite perceptive.
"Yeah… I like it a lot too." Vivi agreed.
"How about this?" Garland gingerly poked at the next item.
"That's the Ring of Protect." Vivi couldn't keep the smile out of his voice.
This is fun…
The boy studied it for a moment then turned to the little Mage. "You wore this?"
"Un-hun…"
Garland laughed out loud.
"What??" Vivi tilted his head, surprised. "What's so f-funny about that?"
"Dunno. Guess I just don't picture you wearing jewelry. That's all."
Vivi grinned in the shadows under his hat, but Garland's laughter broke off at once. A worried frown replaced it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you, Vivi." The boy said. "You're not mad are you?"
He had mistaken Vivi's silence for anger.
"Oh.. no. Not at all!" The little Mage assured him.
"Then… am I bothering you? I'll… go away if you want?"
Vivi shook his head. "No. I like talking about these things. They remind me of when I was adventuring with my friends."
"What… was it like? To adventure?" The boy asked. He looked curious.
Vivi decided it was okay to talk about it.
"Well… It was really s-scary sometimes. But I liked being with my friends. I liked it a lot. I really miss them. I feel like they really um…. understood me, at least better than most people do. Since we did so much together, you know? If it wasn't for them…" Vivi ended up shaking his head.
I don’t know where I'd be right now.
The little Mage fell to silence.
Zidane… I miss you so much. Why won't you come back?
"I'm… sorry. I didn't mean to ask you somethin' personal." Garland frowned.
"Don't say sorry." Vivi told him. "I just miss them, that's all. I've been thinking about going to see them again. Well… um.. I think about it now and then, anyway."
I want to see them one last time. Before…
"Well… if you ever decide to go do that…" Garland broke off suddenly looking shy.
"What?" Vivi asked, wanting to know why Garland stopped.
"No… nothing.."
"No r-really. What?"
"You think… I could…" He stopped again and shook his head. "Nevermind."
Vivi suddenly understood. "You want to come with me?"
The boy's head jerked up. "It's a stupid idea. Forget I brought it up, 'kay."
"I don't think it's stupid." The little Mage tugged at the brim of his hat. "Actually, I think it would be f-fun."
"No it wouldn't." Garland's tone had turned downcast. "I'd just get in the way and screw it all up for you… just like I did the stone in the Warded Glade."
He's always so hard on himself. It sounds like how I used to be. Never thought I was of much good to anyone…
"I don't think so.." Vivi attempted to encourage the boy.
"That's because you're just trying to be nice to me." Garland glowered at the floor. Then he turned back towards the collection of items up on the wall.
What would Zidane say…?
Vivi couldn't think of anything. And he was thinking hard, too. So he just kept quiet.
Garland makes it so hard to talk to him. It's like he's is trying to make people not like him… But sometimes, like just now… I think he wants to make friends. I don't think he knows how to do it though.
Maybe the best thing is to just say it out loud.
"If… I'm trying to be nice to you… then… um… it's only because I like you. And I want to be your friend." Vivi offered spreading his hands to the boy.
Garland didn't turn around, but his tail began to twitch.
Vivi knew what that meant.
He's going to get angry…
"I don't want your lame-ass sympathy. I don’t want Mr. 78's lame-ass sympathy either. Or anyone else's."
Vivi flinched.
"Nobody cared about me before this. Not you, not anyone. Except Mr. 44." His voice was very low. "I don’t want friends. Mr. 44 is my only friend! He's the only one I need. And the only thing I want is to bring him back!"
What did I say wrong…?
Garland turned on his heel. "I'm only hanging around here because I promised Mr. 44 that I'd help fix that damned stone in the Warded Glade. After that… I dunno. Maybe I will leave. At least then I won't have to take any more of Mr. 299's shit."
The boy's tail swung widely, a vicious lashing motion. By accident, it hit the shelf on the wall, causing the entire display to shake, knocking one artifact right off.
"Shit!" Garland spun around instantly, anger turning to surprise. With a little twist, he managed to throw himself under the falling item and catch it.
Vivi was very impressed.
That was something Zidane might do…
Garland lay there upon the floor, staring at the artifact in his hands. It was a mirror. Une's Mirror. But he was looking at the back of it. The shiny side was facing Vivi.
The boy made a strange whimpering sound.
"Garland… are you okay?" Vivi asked.
The boy didn't say a word. His eyes were tracing over the back of the mirror again and again. Vivi remembered there had been something written on the back of it.
What had it said…?
"What's wrong?" Vivi found himself concerned.
"What is this..?" Garland asked, seeming to have forgotten that he didn't want to be Vivi's friend.
"It's called Une's Mirror." The little Mage told him.
At least he's not mad anymore.
"Une's Mirror…" The boy began to trace his fingers across the writing on the back of the artifact, then finally turned it over to look into the reflecting glass. "What does it do? Are you supposed to see something in it?"
"I'm not sure." And Vivi wasn't.
"It's magic, right?"
"I'm… not sure.." Vivi had never felt anything magical about the mirror.
"What do you know?" Garland demanded, suddenly frowning again. He cradled the mirror in his arms.
"Um…"
"I gotta borrow this." The boy told him quickly.
"W-what?" Vivi blinked.
Garland was already making his way towards the door. "I'll bring it back, don't worry. I just gotta borrow it for a little bit."
"Why?"
"I'll tell you later." The boy replied, closing the door behind him.
Vivi found himself staring at the door.
What is he going to do… I wonder…