Chapter 2

Fossil Roo seemed darker than the last time Vivi had been there.

It felt like they had been walking an awfully long time. Even with the night of rest at Conde Petie, they had all grown very tired. It had been Vivi's idea to stop in the Dwarf Village on their way to the Fossil Roo, both to take a rest and to gather supplies. They had left the Black Mage Village with little more than their weapons and the barest of needs.

Vivi stared at the entrance of the cave. It was nearly overgrown from not being used. How long had it been since Zidane had led them through the Fossil Roo?

What Mr. 78 had said that night beside the campfire had proven to be true. Haven seemed to given up on the attack on the Black Mage Village, Mr. 299 had turned attention upon their group. Though if it was to capture Vivi, no one really knew.

A swelling of questions rose in his mind, but none ever seemed to be answered. Not even after three days of traveling. It was tiresome. They were constantly in hiding, away from the fiery wings of Mr. 299's death hound, Dezarg. Time and again, the shadow had passed over the forest floor. It had only grown harder once they had reached open ground. They did not dare to stray from the safety of the rocky cliffs. It made the journey all that much more slow.

Despite the hardship and struggle, the hot days and cold nights, the endless game of hide-n-seek, one powerful spirit pulled them all through. It was always Mr. 78. He was there when you slipped and skinned your knee, or if the next handhold was just a little too high to reach. If you started to cry, he was there for a hug. Every night he sat up to guard the camp in the moonlight. And never a once did the smile in his eyes fade.

Though the truth behind the strange Black Mage was far out of reach, Vivi found it very hard not to trust him. And though he came off somewhat dim-witted at first glance, Vivi soon learned that when there was need for quick action or a back-up plan, Mr. 78 was the first to know what to do.

Strangely enough, Mikoto was the one who had grown most fond Mr. 78's company. When there was time to rest, or no trouble in the skies, they would often talk together. She never asked him questions like the ones Garland did. She never spoke of the troubles or issues at hand. She seemed mostly interested in the past, and the creation of the Black Mage Village itself. Mikoto seemed to think it was neat that Mr. 78 had been there even before the village had existed.

Garland seemed to accept the fact that Mr. 78 was not about to share his knowledge with the rest of them. It had taken many hours of frustration for the boy to finally realize that every time his conversation pried too deeply where it shouldn't, Mr. 78 turned very much 'confused' and 'muddled'. Eventually, he took the hint that Mr. 78 was not going to share what he knew until he felt the time was right.

Vivi never asked Mr. 78 anything. Not even around the campfires at night. There was a reason to Mr. 78's silence, and displays of dullness. It was all still very strange to Vivi, but he had grown to trust the bigger Mage enough to know not to question his judgment.

Mr. 78 had saved their lives one too many times along the trip.

"It is really dark in there.." Mikoto observed, peering into the mouth of the cave. "It smells bad, too.."

"What do ya expect? It's a cave." Garland frowned. "You want me to spritz the place with air freshener for you?"

"Garland… I do not need your… problematic vocalizations today." She sniffed. "I am simply not in the mood."

Ever since that day back in the glade, the day where Mikoto had openly shed her tears for Mr. 78, there seemed to be something different about her. As if she was somehow coming to terms with something about herself that she had not previously understood.

Vivi had actually seen her smile once or twice. But that was always when she was with Mr. 78. Of course, Mr. 78 could make just about anyone smile. Everytime Vivi tried to make Mikoto smile, though, it never worked for him. It made him wonder what it was about Mr. 78 that was so special.

"Fiiine.." Garland rubbed the toe of his boot down the back of his leg. "I was only--"

"You were only picking at me." She interrupted.

"Whatever." He shrugged.

"Come on guys… don't fight.." Vivi pleaded. "It looks like it will be a rough enough night as it is."

"Why don't we just go on in?" Garland asked. "It's no more dangerous inside than it is out.."

"True, so it makes it equal either way." Mikoto answered.

"We don't know what's in there just yet." Mr. 78 appeared, carrying a load of dry twigs for that night's fire. "And it will get so dark in there tonight, we should just wait till m-morning."

"I was only askin'.." The boy sighed.

Garland then knelt and helped Mr. 78 arrange the firewood upon the stone at the base of the cave. They were somewhat sheltered under the outcropping above. In a way, it was a good feeling. It was certainly more protection than the bare rocky cliffs had been.

Mr. 78 settled down with a heavy sound, leaning against the wall. He must have been as tired as they all were. But he still reached his hands out, palms-forward, and cast the spell to light the pile of twigs aflame. Garland then worked to cover the flame and urge it to a smaller size as quickly as he could. They had done this every night since leaving the village.

But tonight, something wasn't quite right. Mr. 78 didn't seem quite as cheerful as usual.

"Vivi?" Mr. 78 asked.

Vivi turned from his thoughts at once. "Y-yeah."

"Did you look inside the cave before it got too dark to see?"

That seemed to be a strange question. "I did a little. Why?"

"I was just wondering… if you saw any M-Mist in there?"

"Mist? N-no. I didn't." Vivi shook his head.

"Hmmm…"

"What's wrong, Mr. 78?" Vivi finally managed to gather his courage to ask.

"I…" The bigger Mage turned to look at them one by one. "I don't know. I just have a very bad feeling."

"About the cave?"

"I'm not sure."

"What does it feel like?"

"I'm…" He tilted his head. "I'm scared."

That was also strange to hear Mr. 78 say.

"Do not worry, Mr. 78.." Mikoto came to sit next to him. She leaned her golden head against his chest. "We are right here with you."

The Mage drew a gentle arm around the girl. "And… I thank you Mikoto.. You all have been so very kind and patient with me."

She looked up at him, puzzled.

It was what Vivi thought of as the other Mr. 78. Sometimes he could seem very wise. When he did, it was this kind of voice he spoke with. It was still kind and friendly, but also very sad. It did not stutter like his usual voice did.

It seemed Mr. 78 was using this new voice more and more lately.

"Mr. 78, are you sad?" Vivi asked, also sitting next to the Mage.

"Vivi.." Mr. 78 smiled down upon him. Then slowly, the smile faded. "Yes, Vivi. I’m very very sad."

"Why?" Garland asked, drawing himself in on the conversation. "I thought you said everyone back in the village would be fine?"

"No.. It’s not about that…" The Mage told them. He was using his other voice. "It's just… I.. haven't been totally honest with all of you. And.. I know that you know this."

Vivi shook his head.

"There are many things I have asked you all to take on faith. And trust in me and my actions is one of them." Mr. 78 said. "I'm sorry. For everything. If I had known this was how it was going to turn out, I might have done something about Mr. 299 before this…"

"How… long have you known about… Mr. 299?" Garland asked, planting his chin on folded hands.

"At first, I didn't know much of anything. I don't think I was quite that…er… intelligent then. I know I didn't think in the same way that I think now." The Mage told them, slowly working the words out for himself.

"What.. happened?"

"Mr. 299… I don't know if he was always the way he is now. Or if he was actually a real Black Mage like us.. maybe he was at one point. But, now… what he's become is very terrible. Very powerful. And very dangerous." Mr. 78 paused. "We have spoken somewhat about the Da'injin. They are, as far as I've been able to tell, death spirits from the other realm."

"Other realm?" Garland's interest was perked at once. "You mean, like where all the Mages who have stopped are at? That place?"

"I think so." He nodded. "But, usually they cannot reach over to the living world."

"So what are they doing here?" Vivi frowned.

"Mr. 299 basically did what Kuja did to the village so long ago. He came to certain Mages, the ones he though were less likely to catch on to the truth, and told them he had found a way to help us.. to let us live longer." Mr. 78 shook his head. "We believed him. After all, he was a Black Mage like us."

"We? You mean.. he came to you and told you this?" Vivi was shocked.

"Yes… and I really believed it too. Even after everything Kuja did to us.. I guess I wanted to believe it that badly." The Mage slowly stroked Mikoto's hair. "So we all followed him there blindly… where he did… things… to us."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure. It was a cave.. somewhere not too far away from the village." He said. "And inside the cave was filled with Mist. But this Mist was dark.. almost black. I should have known it was evil. It always filled me with great fear."

"What… did he do to you?"

"I don't know that either." Mr. 78 seemed to be trying very hard to remember. "All I knew was that we would get to the cave.. then we would all fall into a deep deep sleep. I know that he was doing things to us while we slept. Because when I woke up, I'd feel different somehow… And.. I didn't like it."

"So.. that was what I saw in the forest that day?" Garland mused. "A group of Mages led by Mr. 299… probably coming home after a trip out to that cave?"

"Most likely."

"So…what did his experiments do to the Mages?" Mikoto sounded as if she really did not want to know.

"Well.. I can only speak for myself." Mr. 78 spoke slowly. "At first, I only felt different. But I didn't really understand it. After a little while, I became afraid. So I stopped going with them when Mr. 299 called for a Meeting."

"Meeting?"

"Yeah.. that's what he called it. We were going to have a Meeting."

"You stopped going? Didn't he ever say anything to you about it?"

"Once or twice. But I always made up an excuse not to go. By then, my way of thinking had already begun to change… I.. could understand things that I could not before. And I knew what was going on was wrong." He shook his head. "But still, I was interested. And scared for the others. Everyone who had been exposed to the black Mists had begun to change, too. Not only the way we thought, but what sort of magic we could use."

"The… dark magic? Like what you cast in the Glade?" Vivi asked shyly.

"Yes." Mr. 78 told him. "And… the creatures.. the Da'injin. That is what is became of the other Mages who followed Mr. 299 to the Meetings."

"NO!" Vivi was suddenly very very frightened. "You mean.. those things… were once our friends in the village?"

"I can not believe it! That is simply.. horrible..!" Mikoto's voice sounded somewhat hoarse.

"I'm sorry, Vivi. It's true." Mr. 78 said. "They do not remember though. Whatever life they used to have in the village no longer exists to them. I'm not sure what happened to their spirits, but their bodies… are merely nothing more than a vessel for the death spirits to use to reach into this side.. and wreak their havoc."

Mikoto put a hand to her mouth.

"Why…?" Vivi felt numb. "Why didn't someone say anything about it? Why didn't someone stop this!"

"We were told not to, of course. So we didn't." Mr. 78 simply shrugged. "As for me, I was what Mr. 299 considered a mindless "Incomplete". And even though I had a feeling what he was doing was wrong… I still did the things he asked me to. And for that, I… I'm sorry."

"What do you mean..?" Vivi blinked up at him.

'That day at Mr. 44's… burial ceremony. At the Sacred Hill… when I came to Garland's so-called 'rescue' from Mr. 299, it was all a ploy.." Mr. 78 hid his face in shame. "I… was ordered by Mr. 299 to try to befriend you, to get in close, and to report back to him on the things you were doing…"

"M-Mr… 78…. You-you… spied on us.. for him?" Garland's jaw dropped. Then he leapt up, fists clenched in rage. "Damn you! No wonder he always knew where I was!"

Mr. 78 waved his hands for the boy to calm. "It's true! I did… but I didn't understand then the damage that could be done. I was simply told to earn your trust, and to become your friend…"

"Why?" Mikoto was staring at him in horror.

"Everything… even breaking Vivi's mirror… it was all something I was ordered to do from Mr. 299."

"And you did it?!" Garland growled. "How.. could you..?"

"It was not until I saw him.. and what he had truly become… that day in the Glade.. that I realized what I had done… And that I had been very very wrong." Mr. 78 hung his head. "I realized what he had done to the others, and what he had in store for the rest of the Mages in the village…"

"Is that why he wants them? So he can turn them into more horrible death creatures?" Vivi felt an anger rising within him.

"I believe so." Mr. 78 nodded. Then he fell silent.

They could only just stare at him. There was nothing they could say.

Mr. 78 was the first to finally speak again. "That day in the Glade.. when I cast that awful spell.. I was praying that it would take me with it… that I would be destroyed in the blast. Ironically.. it did not touch me. I don't know why. I wish it had…"

Mikoto suddenly had a hold of his sleeve. "Please do not say things like that!"

"It is the truth…" Mr. 78 hunched into himself. "I… I'm afraid of myself. What I have become and what I might become yet… I hate myself for the trouble I've caused you all. And I don't blame you if you hate me too."

Garland let his own anger drop, the fury in his eyes changing to sympathy. "Mr. 78… Listen.. I think we've all been played by Mr. 299. Not just you.. but everyone else too. I don't blame you."

"You've done so much for us since we left the village…" Vivi added. "We would have never gotten this far without you.."

"Mr. 78… I still trust you. I could never hate you!" Mikoto took a hold of his arm again.

The big Mage slowly peered at each of them. Then he did something Vivi could never dream of.

Mr. 78 gently wept.

~Chapter 3~