Mr. 44 had a strange look about him. Vivi knew he wanted to say something, so the young Mage waited quietly, staring across at the sacred mound.
The breeze was slight. It rippled through the grass and caused the cloth hanging upon the grave markers to sway gently.
The big Mage finally took in a deep breath and said. "Vivi.. I'm getting tired…"
Vivi looked up at Mr. 44, a little bit worried. It was an odd thing to hear him say. Mr. 44 was usually a very cheerful person. Vivi liked him a lot.
"Did something happen in the forest?" The young Mage asked.
"Y-yeah. Some sort of shadow monster… attacked Garland."
That's strange. There haven't been monsters since the Mists cleared away.
"Is that why you used magic?"
"I had no other c-choice. I was scared.. but I couldn't let it kill him."
"You.. um… like Garland a lot, hun?"
Mr. 44 nodded.
They stood silently for a moment as the sound of footsteps rose behind them. At first Vivi thought it would be Garland joining them. Instead, he saw it was Mikoto.
"Garland.." There was a hint of dislike to her voice. "He is a trouble maker. Why do you put up with his bad behavior?"
Mr. 44 didn't say anything.
"He.. isn't that bad." Vivi scratched the back of one leg with the toe of his boot. "I think.. he's j-just lonely."
"Lonely?" Mikoto asked. "People who are lonely make trouble for others?"
"I think.. sometimes they do." The little Mage responded. "If only to let other p-people know that they're still there. I see how he is treated, sometimes. No one is a-actually mean to him.. but… he must feel left out."
"Making trouble will not get him accepted with others." She answered. "I do not understand this."
"I-I… think I… um.. understand…" Vivi said slowly.
"Thank you Vivi. For defending him today." Mr. 44 finally spoke. "I know Garland can be trouble s-sometimes, but he's really not a bad child. I-I'm trying as hard as I can to help him. But.. I don't know if w-what I'm doing is right."
"When people feel as lonely as Garland does.. it takes a lot of time to help them." Vivi said.
"I guess so."
Mikoto didn't say anything. She was watching the flowers bob in the wind.
"If anything happens…" Mr. 44 spoke suddenly. "Will you try and help him for me, too, Vivi?"
The little Mage peered up from under the brim of his hat curiously. "Y-yeah. I'll try."
"T-thank you."
Vivi heard the sound of someone else coming up the path. This time it really was Garland. The boy seemed upset by something. It was a strange sort of upset that began to worry Vivi.
"There you are, Garland…" Mr. 44 said to him. "I-I was just going to go and find you. But now you're here."
The boy didn't speak. He just walked over and wrapped his arms around Mr. 44's waist. The big Mage rubbed his hand through Garland's black hair in a friendly way.
Still something about the way Garland was acting worried Vivi.
"You really got yourself in trouble this time, Garland." Mikoto's voice was harsh. Her tail twitched.
Garland's tail twitched in return. But he didn't look at her.
Mr. 44 finally spoke, studying the boy. "Are you okay, Garland? Y-you've… hurt your lip.."
"I'm… fine.." Garland answered quickly, rubbing the back of his hand across his mouth. "Don't worry about it.. I'm just a little tired, that's all."
"I'm tired too.." Mr. 44 said.
"Why don't you go home for a little while Mr. 44?" Vivi said. "It is getting kinda late. I'm sure a lot has happened today. We'll think more about it later. Everything is b-better after a nap."
Garland looked up at Mr. 44 as if to beg him not to leave. But the big Mage nodded.
"You're right, Vivi. I just n-need a nap. That's all.."
Mr. 44 knelt down to Garland and spoke in a kind voice. "You've had enough um… trouble for one day. Can I trust in you to be g-good?"
The boy shyly reached a hand up to the Mage.
"Don't worry.. I-I'll have supper ready when you get there.. your favorite."
Garland glanced over to where Vivi and Mikoto were standing. His eyes were anxious. But he nodded.
Mr. 44 ruffled Garland's black hair again. "I'll see you then, okay?"
"Okay."
It looked like the boy was doing everything he could not to let go of the Mage's arm. Finally Mr. 44 managed to start walking back towards the village. Garland watched him go. But he didn't follow. The boy's eyes were sad. Lonely.
Vivi felt sorry for him.
He wanted to reassure Garland, but something told him that it wouldn't be a good idea. He had never actually talked with Garland before. In fact, the boy seemed to try to avoid Vivi as much as he could.
Vivi wondered why Garland didn't like him.
Vivi wondered why Garland hadn't gone home with Mr. 44.
"Vivi.." The boy turned to him quickly. It was a surprise to hear Garland address him so readily. There was an intensity to his words. "There's somethin' bad I need to talk to you about. I don't know who else to tell…"
That was why the boy had stayed.
His cold blue eyes shifted as if he was afraid of something watching him. "I saw somethin' today in the forest.."
"You mean the what happened with the stone?" Vivi asked. ".. Or the monster?"
"Monster?" Mikoto stepped closer, glancing over her shoulder. "There was a monster?"
"Mr. 44 told you then?" Garland frowned.
"Y-yeah." Vivi nodded. "It's not a good thing."
"Mr. 44 used two spells to scare it away.. but the magic didn't kill it…" The boy scratched his head slowly. "I think it was a pretty powerful monster. It… nearly killed me."
"I'm glad you're okay." Vivi told him.
Garland just stared at the young Mage as if he didn't know what to say in return.
"I thought you said the evil monsters came from the Mist?" Mikoto looked over to Vivi.
"They did."
"But there is no Mist anymore, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, where did the monster come from?" She frowned slightly.
"That's… what I wanted to talk to you about…" Garland spoke quietly. As if trying not to be heard. "I-I'm not sure… but I think… Mr. 299… sent him to attack me."
Vivi took a step back. Then he shook his head. "W-why?"
"Because I saw him.. and a bunch of other Mages out in the forest today. Before the monster attacked me. They were talkin'. I heard Mr. 299 talkin' about some sort of plan. Before they left, he looked at me.. right at me like he knew I was there. It was a really mean look. He's hidin' things, Vivi. I think he's hidin' bad things. And he's usin' the other Mages as part of his plans." Garland spoke in one long rush of breath. Fear reflected brightly on his face.
"A-are you uh… sure?" Vivi felt his own worry rise within him.
"I know it was him. His voice.. it's different from everyone's voice. It sounds… sounds…"
"Mean."
"Yeah…" Garland looked up at him. "Mean. You thought so, too?"
"Un-hun." Vivi nodded.
"And then after they left, suddenly that monster just attacked me out of nowhere. I know Mr. 299 saw me watching them, and that's why I think maybe he had something to do with the monster." The boy seemed very upset. "I also think that's why Mr. 299 wanted me to be thrown out of the village so badly. So.. I wouldn't be able to tell anyone what I heard them talking about…"
"He did seem to …um… not want you here." Vivi agreed.
"I... I'm scared... I don't know what to do." Garland hooked one arm behind his back. "I'm scared someone will try to hurt Mr. 44 too."
Vivi stood quietly, thinking things over.
"You do believe me, right?" The boy blinked up.
What would Zidane do...?
"I-I… don't want to believe it.." Vivi answered slowly. "But… I think we should try to find out the truth."
"How are we going to find out what he's doing, though? I'm scared of what he Mr. 299 might do if he finds I told.." Garland was staring at the ground.
"M-maybe it was all a mistake..?" Vivi asked hopefully.
Mikoto added. "You are simply making up things that might have happened."
"Well… they could be true…" Garland argued.
"But they might not." She retorted. "How do we know you're not just saying all this because of what Mr. 299 said about you today?"
The boy froze.
Vivi watched him carefully. Something told him that Garland was telling the truth.
"There… really was a monster… I really heard them talkin'…" The boy stared down at his feet. "I'm really scared… I don't know what I should do…"
Vivi put a hand on Garland's shoulder. The boy flinched in surprise, staring at the young Mage… as if he was frightened of Vivi.
I promised Mr. 44 I'd help Garland…I don't know what could help him, but…
Vivi spoke kindly. "I believe you."