"I wonder why they chose to put the Warded Glade so far out here in the forest?" Mr. 78 asked. His voice was cheerful, with a hint of exhaustion.
The day's walk was obviously more activity than the bigger Mage had seen in a long time. But he had begged Vivi to allow him to come along with them on their trip out to the Glade. Mr. 78 had said that in order to make up for breaking the mirror, he would do all he could to help fix the broken stone in the Glade. Vivi had said that it wasn't necessary. But Mr. 78 didn't seem to understand what the word "no" meant.
Or he just pretended not to.
Either way, the bigger Mage had tagged along.
Which is okay with me, I guess. He's not a bad fellow, really. A bit lost sometimes… but he's kinda nice, actually.
The only thing that bothered Garland was his state of nearly endless cheer.
There's gotta be somethin' wrong with a person if they're always happy. I swear…
"I-I… don't know.." Vivi answered Mr. 78's question from where he trudged behind the procession. The littler Mage seemed even more dragged-down by the toil of the day.
Garland knew Vivi hadn't been sleeping very well. The young Mage must have been really tired by now. Even if he didn't show it very much.
"It's not far now.." Garland told them, attempting an encouraging tone. "We'll be there very soon!"
"Hrmph…" Mikoto somehow managed to spoil the effect. "You said that half an hour ago. Are you certain you know where this Glade is?"
"Are you questionin' my keen sense of direction?" He quipped back, somewhat playfully, in order to cover his hurt.
She did not seem to want to be playful. "No. I would just be overjoyed to reach our destination sometime this day."
Garland stopped for a moment, staring the girl down. "Mikoto. You know what?"
"What?"
"You're just no fun what-so-ever." The boy huffed, then plodded up the next hill, leaving her to her thoughts.
Probably didn't bother her one bit. In fact, she's probably glad of it. I bet she likes being a sorehead. Damn… why'd Vivi let her come along anyway?
Conversation had started up behind him.
"It's okay M-Miss M-Mikoto." Mr. 78's gentle voice was soothing and kind. "I'm sure he doesn't m-mean it. Garland likes you very m-much."
"No I don't." The boy tossed back over one shoulder.
"I really have no care one way or the other." She shot back.
"Um…" Mr. 78 was half-jogging between the two, seeming to be confused. "That's not a very nice thing to say.."
"So what!" Both Garland and Mikoto rounded on him, but ended up shouting in each other's face.
"Uh… uh…" The Mage backed away, wringing his hands.
"She's.. she's.. a know-it-all-yet-know-nothing-at-all nag!" Garland hissed, lashing his tail.
"Oh really!" Mikoto's face was livid. The most emotion she had ever managed yet. "You- you are a despicable, reprehensible, discourageable, utter incompetent!"
"Oh…" Garland staggered backwards, clutching at his chest in mock horror. "I'm sooo hurt."
"Um… um… was it something I said?" Mr. 78's tone was aghast.
Vivi finally caught up to the group, and proceeded to tromp right through the fray. "You guys!" He demanded lightly. But it was enough to break up the commotion.
"She started it!" Garland growled, turning his back to the girl. "She always says mean things to me."
"What a baby." Mikoto sniffed.
"Did I do something wrong?" Mr. 78 blinked, looking from Vivi to Garland to Mikoto and back again.
"No… don't worry about it, Mr. 78." Vivi told him. "They argue like this a lot."
"Really?" Then Mr. 78's eyes smiled. "They m-must really enjoy each other's company, then."
Garland just stared at the Mage as if he was out of his mind.
"What?" Mikoto's voice actually rose a bit.
"Especially you M-Mikoto." Mr. 78 chuckled. "You try so hard to get Garland's attention all the time."
"I beg your pardon!" Her mouth had actually dropped open.
Garland did everything not to roll on the ground laughing right there.
"Genomes are so cute." The bigger Mage tilted his head. "Don't you think Vivi?"
"Um…" The little Mage obviously wanted to say nothing to incriminate himself.
"Mr. 78! What are you attempting to insinuate?" Mikoto sounded really upset. Her fists were balled at her sides, a tiny glare pulling down upon her mouth.
The Mage simply grinned down at the girl, then reached out and patted her head in a friendly manner. "Issocute."
"Watch it, Mr. 78. She bites!" Garland snickered.
Vivi giggled a little in spite of himself.
Mikoto suddenly blinked around at them, eyes pained. "Are you… all… making fun of me..?"
Garland felt a pang of shame rise within him. Were her feelings hurt?
She folded her hands together in front of her chest.
Why the hell should I worry if her feelings are hurt? She bashes on me all the time!
"N-no… of course not, Mikoto!" Vivi was the first to step forward. "I-I… I'm sorry for laughing… I didn't mean it like that."
"Yeah, Mikoto… you just need to learn to lighten up a little!" Garland wiggled a finger at her. "Things would be much more fun if you weren't always so serious all the time!"
"Fun? Who said things had to be fun?" She demanded.
"I think…" Mr. 78 stepped nearer. In one huge swoop he managed to bag Mikoto in a crushing squeeze. "All M-Mikoto needs a nice… big… hug!"
"Gahh!" The girl struggled within the bear-hug to no avail.
Garland winced, knowing her pain.
Vivi was giggling again from where he was resting upon a tree stump.
"Now let's all say 'sorry' and be friends?" The bigger Mage suggested.
Garland grinned wickedly. Mikoto's in no position to disagree…
"Uhggg… v-very well…" She choked from within the kindly death-grip. "I s-seek f-forgivness…"
"Hmmm…" Garland tapped his foot mischievously. "That didn't sound all too convincing to me, Mikoto."
"Awww…" Mr. 78 crooned, drawing nearer. "I think Garland needs a hug, too…"
"Uhhh…" The boy skipped back a few steps instantly. "You're forgiven Mikoto! I'm sorry, too!"
Vivi was nearly laughing out loud now.
"There!" Mr. 78 released Mikoto, who nearly doubled over for breath. "That was nice! Let's smile and be friends!"
Garland put on his best fake smile and watched in silent laughter as Mikoto attempted to do the same. The girl took a few more gasping breaths before stumbling forward a bit. Garland found himself offering her a steady hand. To his surprise, she took it.
"That Mr. 78 is inexplicable.." Mikoto leaned down to hiss a whisper to him.
"Yeah… well.. You'll get used to it." Garland told her under his breath.
"Are you guys coming?" Vivi called to them, finally rising from his seat. "We need to try to get there while there's still some light."
"Yeah… Comin'!" Garland jogged up ahead, taking the lead once again. "It's not too far. I promise this time."
It was a promise that somehow held true. Garland didn't know why it took so very long to find the Glade the third time around. Maybe it was because he was trying so hard to find it. Or maybe it was because the state of the Glade had been totally altered in just a few short days. Already, the wastelands had reached in to claim the forest there. What had once been a lively green clearing had turned brittle and brown, the grass shattering under their footsteps and drifting away a dust in the breeze.
"How horrible.." Garland hissed.
The last time I was here… I… was… with Mr. 44…
The memory shot through his being painfully. Garland had lead the big Mage here, pulling him along hand-in-hand.
Sorrow crept over him. Loneliness.
How… was I supposed to know that it was my last few hours with him? It's.. just.. not fair.
"Is this it?" Vivi asked, turning around in jerky steps to get a view of everything at once.
"Yeah…" Garland lifted his head. "Last time I was here… it was all pretty and green though."
"M-Mr. 299 was right about the stone then." Mr. 78 took a few steps into the clearing as well. "That it protected the village."
"I wonder how he knew about it?" Mikoto had knelt down to inspect the shattered remains of the stone.
"That… is a good question." The bigger Mage nodded to himself. "M-Mr. 299 wasn't even here when this illusion was set into place."
"Were you here, Mr. 78?" Vivi blinked up at the other Mage.
"When?" He asked.
"Um.. when the illusion was cast?"
"Where?"
"In the village?"
"Yeah. But I wasn’t one of the M-Mages who created the spell. I think M-Mr. 36 was the one who knew the m-most about it. It took four M-Mages to cast the barrier, if I remember correctly. They didn't talk m-much about it though. I knew there was something here, but I didn't know what it did… All that happened back before the village was ever even built."
"So… Mr. 299 wasn't here?" Garland asked.
"When?"
"When the spell was cast?"
"Naw. M-Mr. 299 didn't come to the village 'till after the M-Mist stopped coming into the forest." The Mage told him.
"Then.. how did he know the function of the stone and the illusion?" Mikoto asked for a second time.
"Alas.." A familiar grating voice rang across the Glade. "Some things must remain a secret, I'm afraid…"
Garland snarled. He knew that voice anywhere.
Mr. 299!