To Live Again

by _No_One_Remains_

First published 25th of November, 2012

The two puppets, Vivi and Kuja, had just learned what it meant to live when their lives ended. Blessed with second chances, they find themselves in the relatively peaceful world of Equestria.

Both of them searched for purpose during their lives. Both of them were puppets designed to kill and manipulate. Both of them encountered a single individual that taught them the meaning of life. And then they passed away. One was a villain determined to destroy everything. The other was a child looking for security in his limited life. They found themselves blessed to have a second chance in a new world.
They were blessed to be able to live again…

Vivi Day One: Starting Over

I always talked about you, Zidane. How you were a very special person to us, because you taught us all how important life is.

“Kweh!”

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

You taught me that life doesn't last forever. That's why we have to help each other and live life to the fullest. Even if you say goodbye, you'll always be in our hearts. So, I know we're not alone anymore.

“…Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, it came from over there.”

“What was it?”

“…Dunno. Go check it out.”

“M-me?! Are you crazy?”

“Fine, we’ll go together.”

Why I was born... How I wanted to live... Thanks for giving me time to think.

“K-kweh!”

“…”

“What the heck is this thing?”

“It looks like a chicken… Kinda cute.”

“Kweh kweh!”

“I think it’s trying to tell us something…”

To keep doing what you set your heart on... It's a very hard thing to do. We were all so courageous...

“H-hey, wake up!”

“Wh-what is it?”

“I dunno, but it looks hurt! Quick, go get Nurse Redheart!”

“Right!”

“KWEH! Kweh!”

What to do when I felt lonely... That was the only thing you couldn't teach me. But we need to figure out the answer for ourselves...

“Hang in there, pal. Someone’s going to get help. Just…just don’t die on me!”

“Kwehh…?”

“You’re lucky this thing was here to call us…”

“Kweh.”

I'm so happy I met everyone... I wish we could've gone on more adventures. But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday.

“…”

“Hey, I think he’s waking up!”

“Kweh?!”

“Good job, little fella!”

“Kweh!”

Everyone... Thank you. Farewell. My memories will be part of the sky...

“Oh…my head…”

“Kid, are you okay?!”

“Kweh kweh!”

“Huh…?”

I don’t know where I am or how I got here. I remember saying goodbye to my kids. I handed them tickets to a show in Alexandria, and we gathered together for one last family meal. We went to bed that night…and now I’m here. Didn’t I die? Or maybe that was all a dream. But…if it was a dream, why is Bobby Corwen here with me? I’m not really sure, but everything’s just so vivid in this place. All these colors.

Not to mention the Mist is pretty strong here. But it’s a different kind of Mist. It’s not the morbid, stale Mist like the Iifa Tree produced. It feels more energetic and welcoming. I’m not really sure that it is Mist, but from the magic I’ve seen the residents of the world use, I don’t know what else it could be. The people here are really nice to me. One of them even offered to let me live in her home while I’m recovering. Although, I’m not quite sure what I’m recovering from. I feel fine, to tell the truth, but the local doctor insists that I rest for a while.

I’m okay with that, actually. I have a chance to learn more about this place and all the people. I can say that the residents here are a little weird, though. They’re all happy and carefree, not to mention they kind of look like Amdusias, except a lot less scary. I’m still not sure how Bobby Corwen ended up here with me, but it’s nice to have a memento from home…

Tonight’s been fairly calm, all things considered. I woke up in a weird forest surrounded by a few residents of the village. Bobby was standing right on top of me, chirping away. I sure hope the kids don’t miss him too bad… Anyway, it’s been weird since I woke up. I’ve been dragged to the local hospital and had tests run on me. Of course, the residents around here don’t have a clue what a Black Mage is, or where Gaia is. It kind of makes me sad, knowing that I’m the only one of my kind on this continent.

At this rate, it could be the whole world, anyway. I know I’m not in Gaia anymore, because I travelled all over the world and never found a place like this one. I just don’t understand how I got here… Everything between going to sleep in my bed and waking up in the forest is blank. I’m not sure there’s anything there.

My vision was really blurry when I first woke up. My muscles were also stiff. I tried to get up, but Bobby Corwen’s weight managed to hold me down. The creature beside me started to laugh at the baby chocobo as it pecked me gently in excitement. I was honestly surprised that it remembered who I was.

I groaned, “Where am I?” My head started to throb as I regained my senses. I had a slight chill run up my spine.

Bobby chirped, “Kweh-kweh! Kwehh…” Then he started rubbing his beak against my face. It tickled a little, a sensation I hadn’t felt before then.

The unusual stranger chuckled, “I thought you were a goner for a sec, kid. You really oughta be more careful out here.” She grinned smugly at me, a comforting magenta glow breaking through the darkness of the tree-canopy above us.

I shook my head and stretched my arms. I sighed, “Where exactly is ‘here’, Miss?”

She winced, “Just call me Rainbow Dash, kid. This is the Everfree Forest. It’s a dangerous place at night.” She opened her wings as if to fly away, and I got a good look at her skin color. It was a comforting cyan, calling back memories of the skies of Gaia.

“The Everfree Forest?” I asked. “Where’s that at?”

Her jaw dropped as she scoffed, “You must be new here, kid. It’s only the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria! It’s got all sorts of mean beasts, like cockatrices and manticores. It’s definitely not for wimps.”

Bobby Corwen leapt off of my chest and let out a frightened, “Kwehhh…”

I sat upright and adjusted the rim of my hat. I stretched some more and yawned, “Where’s Equestria, exactly?”

Rainbow Dash slapped a foot to her face and groaned, “Man, whatever happened to you must’ve hit you hard…”

“I guess so. I don’t even know how I got here.” I stood to my feet and dusted myself off. I heard a bunch of footsteps running towards me, and Bobby started to panic. He leaped up on top of my shoulder and tried to bury his head in my hat. Silly little chocobo.

The foreign creature continued, “Next you’re gonna ask what I am, aren’t you?”

I thought about it for a few seconds. I realized that I’d never seen something quite like her, and nodded in confirmation. She let out an annoyed groan as she approached me.

“I’m a pony, kid. A Pegasus. And what are you?”

I shook my head disappointedly and chuckled, “My name’s Vivi, and I’m a Black Mage from Gaia.” Rainbow’s blank stare gave me all the response I needed to know she had no idea what I was saying.

She rolled her eyes in impatience, obviously waiting for the footsteps to reach us. She sighed, “Gaia, eh? So where’s that at?”

“Um…Gaia’s the name of the world I’m from.” I muttered hesitantly. She didn’t know what Gaia was, which could only mean I wasn’t there anymore.

Her eyes opened wide before she burst into laughter. She clapped her front feet together and choked out, “That’s a good one, kid! You’re telling me you’re from another world?” I could tell she wasn’t buying my story, so I just nodded quietly.

“Kwehhh…” Bobby Corwen chirped solemnly at the pony. He didn’t look too happy about her mocking me.

Rainbow was about to say something else, but another pony’s voice cut her off. This one sounded much more concerned, and the source nearly tackled me trying to find the cause of her summoning.

“Where’s the victim, Rainbow Dash?” This pony was a solid white color, with soothing sapphire eyes. She looked serious and angry, as if she hated being called into the forest.

The blue pony raised an eyebrow and asked, “Victim?”

I could tell that the nurse was already on the verge of exploding. She snapped, “The kid Fluttershy told me about!” Rainbow tapped her chin several times, seemingly ignorant of what the nurse meant.

I mumbled, “You must mean me, right?” The nurse’s eyes snapped toward me, causing me to flinch.

Rainbow Dash cheered, “Oh yeah, this kid! Yeah, we just kinda found him passed out a little bit ago.” She grinned sheepishly as the nurse approached me. “Calm down Nurse Redheart; the kid’s fine.”

Redheart scoffed, “Yeah, I’ll be the judge of that.” She stomped a foot down in front of me and focused on my face. She looked really confused when all she saw were my golden eyes.

I managed to choke out, “Uh…I’m fine, really, Miss Redheart.” Despite my confirmations, she kept on checking me out. What she was hoping to find, I honestly can’t say.

She scoffed, “What exactly are you, kid? You’re not a pony. And you certainly aren’t a griffon or Minotaur.” She backed up a little to get a better look at my figure.

“I’m a Black Mage. I’m from a place called Gaia.” I plucked Bobby Corwen from my shoulder and put him on the ground so she could get a better look at me.

“Kweh kweh!” Bobby chirped at the confused nurse. I heard a single pony behind the nurse let out an approving awe toward the baby chocobo.

Nurse Redheart thought for a few seconds in silence before sighing, “Gaia, huh? I’ve never heard of it. What exactly is a ‘Black Mage’?”

Another pony, this one yellow with wings, approached Bobby Corwen with interest in her eyes. She looked up at me and giggled, “What’s this little fella supposed to be? Is it native to Gaia?” I was surprised that she didn’t question my origins or comment on how weird Bobby was.

I nodded and chuckled, “He’s a baby chocobo. They’re birds used for transport and fun, mostly.” I couldn’t exactly say why, but I liked the yellow pony. She looked innocent and timid, just like I used to be.

“It’s really cute. Is it hostile?” She reached a foot out toward it cautiously.

Bobby Corwen pecked at her foot playfully as it chirped, “Kwehh!” She flinched away, thinking it was an attack. The little chocobo clucked, “Kwehhh…” in disappointment.

I chuckled, “Don’t worry, he’s harmless. Chocobos would never harm a person on purpose. They’re really docile, unless they’re hungry.” Bobby gave a confirming chirp as it fluttered over to the yellow pony.

Nurse Redheart stomped a foot and groaned, “No matter how healthy you feel, I’m gonna have to take you back to the office and have you examined with professional equipment.” I looked at her, sort of confused by the sudden outburst.

Rainbow Dash scoffed, “If the kid’s feeling fine, what’s the point? Right Fluttershy?” She directed the last bit to the yellow pony that was now playing with Bobby Corwen.

Nurse Redheart sighed, “Sure, he’s healthy, but I’d like to know a bit more about him. Y’know, like what he is.” She turned her head slightly in my direction, checking to make sure I was listening. “Just a few tests and I’ll be done. I promise.”

I thought about it for a few seconds. I decided that I might as well let her run the tests, instead of risking gaining an enemy so quickly after waking up. I scratched the side of my face and chuckled, “O-okay, I guess. Will Bobby Corwen be okay?”

The three ponies looked at me, almost as confused as I was. Fluttershy asked, “Is that the little fella’s name?” She lifted the baby chocobo up in her front feet.

I nodded in affirmation, and added, “My name’s Vivi, by the way.”

Nurse Redheart put an arm around my neck and giggled, “Welcome to Ponyville, Vivi. I’m sure it’ll take some getting used to, but the ponies are friendly and the fun never ends.” She started to guide me down a dirt path through the forest, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy following close behind.

Not much else happened really. Redheart took me to the local hospital and ran a few tests on me. She poked me with needles, attached me to machines, and even tried to teach me a few things about the residents of the village. The tests only raised more questions, because they all came back with little-to-no results. The nurse even told me that I shouldn’t actually be alive, because I don’t have any blood or internal organs. Not surprising, considering I’m a puppet powered by Mist, but that’s behind me now.

She tried to teach me the proper terminology for the ponies. Like their feet are called hooves and their hair is referred to as a mane. She even tried to give me a rundown of all the local hotspots and eateries, as well as all the important ponies in town. Eventually she decided that I was healthy enough to be discharged, and Fluttershy offered to let Bobby Corwen and I stay at her place. I guess it’s a nice set up. The bed’s comfortable, and she’s a really nice pony. She can also cook some delicious soup. Not only that, but Bobby Corwen gets to play around with all of Fluttershy’s pet animals. I think that’s good for him, and I guess I could be worse off.

I’m just going to have to tackle this new world one day at a time. I don’t know how long it’ll be before I stop moving this time, and I don’t know what will happen once I finally do. I thought I would stop back home, but now I’m here. I don’t know what’s going on, but this place is really comfortable.

I guess tomorrow will bring new questions and answers for me. I’ll just have to tough it out until I find out how things work around here...

Kuja Day One: Desert Reunion

I find this rain quite pleasant. It is as if the raindrops are blessing our victory.

“H-hey Mr. 111, do you see this?!”

“I-it can’t be!”

“Is it…really him?”

Peace is but a shadow of death, desperate to forget its painful past; though we hope for promising years. After shedding a thousand tears, yesterday's sorrow constantly nears. And while the moon still shines blue, by dawn it will turn to scarlet hue.

“He’s injured, that’s a fact…”

“Should we help him, Mr. 33?”

“No way! He played with our lives like toys!”

“But what would Vivi think?”

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just leave him to rot.”

Just you wait, Garland! And you too, Zidane! I’ll exact sweet revenge upon you both for insulting me! I’ll make the people of both Gaia and Terra know who rules over all of them!

“Didn’t Mr. Braeburn say we should help anyone in need?”

“I don’t think he included ‘dangerous psychopaths’ in there anywhere.”

“But, doesn’t he feel different to you?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

What comedy! Zidane, isn't it hilarious!? I'll die just like the black mages I so despise! I single-handedly brought chaos unto Gaia, but in the end, I'm nothing but a worthless doll! ...I won't let it happen. I won't...I won't let this world exist without me!

“When he came to the village offering us longer lives, he had a dark aura all around him.”

“Yeah, what’s your point?”

“He doesn’t have that aura anymore. If anything, he feels sad and remorseful.”

“…”

“Can’t you feel it?”

“I guess you’re right…”

After you guys beat me, I had nothing left...nothing more to lose. Then, I finally realized what it means to live... I guess I was too late.

“Fine, we’ll take him to town and see what Mr. Braeburn says.”

“I’m sure he’s changed since we last saw him.”

“For everyone in Equestria’s sake, I hope you’re right…”

“We gotta give him a chance, anyway.”

“…*cough*…”

“He’s waking up!”

“…*wheeze*…”

“I guess we’ll find out if he’s evil really soon…”

“…Where…am I?”

I remember so clearly. My army of soulless puppets ripped Burmecia to shreds. I loved it all. I loved the bloodshed and violence. I needed to hear the cries of the people’s sufferings. They were like sweet dessert to me. But I was a fool. I worked for years to gain the power I lusted after, just so I could overthrow the master that had created me.

I had no clue that I had an expiration date. Garland was smarter than I anticipated. He designed me so that I would die once his second puppet came of age. My mind shattered after learning that I remained mortal, even with my power. In the end, I was defeated by Zidane and his friends. I regained my senses, and finally felt what it truly meant to live…and fear death. Even though I brought chaos to his home, that monkey risked life and limb to save me from the dying Iifa Tree.

He sat by me underneath that damnable tree. He comforted me during my dying breaths. I can’t understand why he would come so close to killing himself just to protect me. I nearly destroyed Gaia and everyone on it, yet he still showed me mercy…

But now I’m here, in this colorful little world. I awoke in a desert just outside of a small town. I even crossed paths with two of the Black Mages I had created and manipulated. The fact that they didn’t snuff out my life while I was weak speaks loud for their characters as soulless beings. I suppose if Vivi could contain enough emotion to Trance, then why can’t these weaker models?

No, I mustn’t speak of them as toys. They are people here, just like me. What’s more, they actually carried me to the local medical facility to be restored to health. Despite my power in the other world, I seem to have lost most of it here. Perhaps it’s because of the complete absence of Mist. Yet there is a presence in this world similar to Mist, yet more welcoming and comfortable to the touch. I doubt I could’ve reached this town on my own in my current state.

The town’s head source of law and order, Sheriff Braeburn, has set me up a nice room on the top floor of the local tavern. He seems to be a kind creature, although I can’t understand why he’s named after a type of apple-based dessert. The town is quiet and calm, several steps above the bustling business of Treno and Alexandria. The citizens are friendly, including the two Black Mages.

I’ve noticed a distinct lack of humanoids in this town. Aside from Mr. 33, Mr. 111, and myself, the rest of the residents are small horses. They refer to themselves as ponies, with manes and hooves instead of hair and hands. I suppose that makes sense, considering the country I’m in is known as Equestria, derived from the word ‘equine’…

I’ve done nothing all day but rest in this bed. I’ve had the Black Mages watching my every move, while citizens of the town are systematically arriving to greet me. I can’t stand being useless and defenseless, but I can’t help it in my current state. I must be careful what I write, as Mr. 33 is constantly glaring at my notebook over my shoulder. It’s quite uncomfortable, sir.

I guess I should document my arrival in this world to the best of my ability, just in case I snap again and need an anchor to weigh me back to reality. Nothing in this world or the next can beat the power of foresight, I suppose.

I awoke half-buried in sand with a mouth as rough as sandpaper, the taste of iron immediately evoking a gagging fit. I felt as if I were on fire, while my head seemed to be freezing. I was short of breath, while my eyes were blurry with solid white light. My only comfort was the light breeze that graced my features every so often. Despite my horrid position, I had no ability to alter it, as my muscles were essentially paralyzed.

The wretched taste eventually subsided, and I regained a semi-normal state of consciousness. I began to hear faint voices in the distance, slowly approaching my location. Unable to actually communicate, I simply waited in the hopes that whoever owned those voices would trip on my body or notice the awkward object in the sand. It didn’t take long before a conversation erupted in my ears.

The two black mages stopped right by me and began their debate as to whether or not they should help me. I finally worked up enough energy to cough again; they made a decisive answer. Mr. 111 conjured out of nowhere a solid block of ice and lowered it close to me, hoping to cool me off. It worked enough that I was able to regain all my senses. Mr. 33 leaned down and draped my arm over his shoulder, attempting to pull me out of the sand. With some good effort, he finally dislodged my abdomen from the sediment that grasped me.

Mr. 111 had the bright idea to use a wind spell to remove the rest, which worked moderately well. I received a few minor scratches from the razor wind, but the sand took the blunt force. They took an arm and draped me over them, then began to head back in the direction they had approached from. The sudden movement restarted my blood circulation, making my muscles begin to loosen. It only took a few minutes for me to begin limping between the two, albeit leaving them with majority of the work.

Mr. 111 scoffed, “See Mr. 33, if he was evil, he’d kill us right here!”

His companion scoffed, “The bastard can barely move. He’ll wait until he’s fully prepared to destroy the world before he thinks of killing us.”

I groaned, “You’re correct…but…no more…” I was only semi-conscious, and I highly doubt either mage caught my voice in the sandy expanse of desert.

“Well, we’ve already done half the work. Let’s just get him to Mr. Braeburn and see if we can’t get him back to health!” Mr. 111 seemed too excited to be taking care of me, despite his thoughts on my changing nature.

Mr. 33 was slightly more realistic in his beliefs. He chuckled, “We’re talking about the guy that manufactured us just to start a mass war on the Mist Continent. Do we really want him back to health?”

The happy mage sighed, “You sure know how to be a buzz kill, 33. You know, if dying brought us to this world, doesn’t that mean he died too?”

“Yeah, it does. And if he died, maybe he won’t be so power-hungry!” If he had had a face, I imagine 33 would have smiled just then. I noticed his golden eyes open slightly wider, though.

I moaned, “No more…power…” Again, my cry went unheard in my weary state.

We continued like this for almost an hour. The two would exchange philosophical musings, and I would utter an inaudible opinion every now and again. Once we finally reached the town of Appleloosa, I was essentially dragged to the local medical facility and examined. I managed to stay conscious long enough for Sheriff Braeburn and the mages to exchange kind words of acceptance towards me.

So here I am, in the top floor of the local tavern, resting in an oddly comfortable bed, being watched by two eager Black Mages that should hold a dangerous vendetta against me. All in all, I feel fairly good. I figure once my energy returns to me, I’ll begin studying this strange world and all of its different kinds of residents. So far, just in the short time I was conscious in the streets I’ve seen Pegasi and unicorns. I wonder what other types of magical creatures live here, and if I might be able to one day fit in.

Coming off of a rage-induced God-complex can be hard for any being. I’ll simply have to see how my days in this world play out. I will try my best to refrain from snapping, but I cannot promise anything. We’ll just have to find out eventually. At any rate, I’m tired and wish to sleep. This journal will have to continue in the morrow, or whenever I find myself bored enough to write in it.

Vivi Day Two: New Faces

Today was pretty good. I can’t say anything really spectacular happened, but one of the ponies in town threw me a nice welcoming party. Just about everyone in the village showed up to meet me, and they were all so friendly. It made me really happy, honestly, to know that some people are willing to accept me. After all, I’m not a pony like the rest of them. I’m not even a dragon like Spike. I guess in a real sense, I’m not even a human.

Anyway, I really like the ponies around here. Maybe they were just acting nice for my sake, but they were all friendly. A few even brought me gifts for some odd reason. The pony that threw the party for me—Pinkie Pie I think—was really energetic and super excited to see a new face in town. Bobby Corwen also had an amazing time. He stuffed himself full of sweets, so I bet he’ll have a stomachache tomorrow. Oh well, at least he had fun.

I didn’t really get much sleep last night. I tossed and turned in my bed all night, until the sun finally started to rise. As soon as the first rays of sunlight fell through the window, I was out of bed and outside in the pen behind Fluttershy’s house. It felt good to be out of bed and up walking, not to mention all the fresh air. I decided to search for Bobby Corwen, because he wasn’t anywhere in sight around the farm.

I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find him. For a few seconds I started to worry if he’d ran away, but a comforting ‘kweh’ eventually echoed from the edge of the forest. I went to trace the chirp, but a concerned voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

Just like I’d gotten up super early, so did my nurse. Yep, Nurse Redheart was coming to the house to talk to me, and she caught me out of bed wandering toward the same forest I had awoken in the day before. Needless to say, she looked ticked.

“Where do you think you’re going, kid?” She stomped toward me, a glint of annoyance in her eyes.

I nervously adjusted my hat and chuckled, “I was just looking for-“

“No.” she butted in bluntly. “You need to get some rest, Vivi. I still don’t know why you passed out in the forest, and until I do, you aren’t to leave your bed without a chaperone.” She stared at me intently, sending a shiver down my back. I nodded silently.

Bobby Corwen screeched from behind the tree line, “KWEHHHH!” I recognized that kind of chirp. It was just like the chocobo that was being held in a factory underneath Dali. It was full of fear…

Out of nowhere, the baby chocobo darted into view and flawlessly leaped over the fence into the safety of the farm, smoke gushing out of his mouth. He just about tackled me to the ground, if I hadn’t prepared myself for impact. The chocobo gasped heavily, a gush of heat and smoke leaving his beak with every breath. He chirped desperately before darting into the small chicken coop on the other side of the pen.

I didn’t know what to think. I shook my head and sighed, “What’s gotten into him?”

“Poor thing must’ve eaten an Everfree Pepper.” Nurse Redheart giggled at the baby bird’s reaction to the plant.

Another fearful chirp rang out from the coop, followed by a series of disturbed clucks from the residents within. I asked, “Is he going to be okay?”

The nurse plopped a hoof on my shoulder and sighed, “Yeah, the pepper usually wears off pretty fast, but boy does it burn!” She watched as smoke poured from the coop with every one of Bobby Corwen’s breaths.

My mind snapped back to the original reason Nurse Redheart had shown up so early. “Any reason you decided to visit so early?”

She nodded smugly, “Yes, I wanted to check on your health. I can see you’re up and moving, anyway.”

A relieved chirp rang out from the chicken coop as the baby chocobo slowly stomped out of it. He had a large mouthful of hay, which I assumed he used to relieve the heat. I chuckled, “He’s a smart fella, isn’t he?”

Nurse Redheart nodded, “I suppose, as far as birds go.”

“Kweh!” Catching the nurse off guard, Bobby pecked at her hoof, startling her to the point of tripping over her own hooves. I couldn’t hold back a giggle, which was met with a scornful glare.

“F-fine. If you can walk and talk, I guess you’re healthy enough to be out. Won’t Pinkie Pie be happy to hear it?” She looked at me, expecting me to actually answer the question.

After a few seconds of trying to figure it out, I asked, “Who is Pinkie Pie?”

She looked at me with an expression that showed her utter disbelief. She sighed, “I take it she hasn’t been to see you yet? That’s weird. She usually jumps on the chance to meet newcomers...”

“Why will she be happy that I’m healthy?” I didn’t know who the pony in question was, and as far as I knew, she didn’t know me. Why would she care?

Nurse Redheart regained her footing and chuckled, “Because she’s setting up a party for you, silly!” She smiled, the first time I’d seen a genuinely kind smile on her face. Usually she held a serious demeanor.

I was taken aback by her statement. “A-A party? For me?” I stammered.

“Of course, Vivi! She always puts parties together for new creatures in town. It’s like a Ponyville tradition, really.” She placed a hoof on my shoulder and pointed down the road a little ways into the village. “It’s being held at Sugarcube Corner this afternoon, but I imagine your invitation will arrive any minute now.”

I didn’t know what to think. I couldn’t remember ever having a party in my honor, though I had attended several parties with my friends during our journey. Of course, all of those parties were cut short by one thing or another. I didn’t really think anything bad would happen at this party, though.

I chuckled, “Well, I guess I ought to get ready for the invitation.”

She scratched her mane and sighed, “I need to get back to the hospital before too much longer. Try and take it easy, kid. Don’t overwork yourself until you’re sure you’re better.” She turned toward the pen’s gate and started a brisk trot back into the bulk of the village.

I waved goodbye before turning back to Bobby Corwen. He let out a soft chirp, “Kwehhh.” He leaped up on my shoulder and pressed his face against mine. I couldn’t help but pet the little fella.

“What do you think about a party, little guy?” I turned to face the retreating nurse. Just as I stopped my rotation, I was face to face—literally—with a solid pink pony with a huge toothy grin. I froze in place, not sure how to react.

The pony took a deep breath and cheered, “Howdy there, kid! There’s been a LOT of talk around town about you! Vivi, right? I’m Pinkie Pie, pleasure to meet ya! I just talked to Nurse Redheart and she said you’re feeling a lot better and you know what that means!” She fell silent for a few seconds, long enough for me to register what she just exploded with.

I wasn’t sure how to react. She showed up out of nowhere and flooded me with words. Not certain what all she had said, I locked my brain on the last of her words. I asked, “What does it mean Miss Pinkie?” I was half-tempted to flinch away, but I didn’t know if it would be rude or not.

“Oh c’mon, Vivi, you don’t have to call me ‘Miss’ you silly goose! Aren’t ya at least gonna guess what you get to do now that you’re better?” She continued to stare at me, not even an inch away, with her ecstatic grin.

I found myself hard pressed to focus on a response, the presence of the pony starting to bother me a little. I chuckled, “I-I dunno, is there a party or something?”

“BINGO, kid! Hit the nail on the head! I’m having a party this afternoon and you’re the guest of honor! You’ll get to meet, like, everypony in town and taste some of my delicious pastries!” She finally moved away from me and waved her hooves around, adding emphasis to her description of the party.

I took a deep breath of relief and chuckled, “That sounds awesome, Pinkie. I’ll be sure to be there!”

The chocobo on my shoulder chirped, “Kweh?!” He leaped from my shoulder and darted over to her hoof. He started to peck at it playfully, feeling the energy in the pink pony.

She fell silent and stopped moving, locking her eyes to the baby animal. She gasped, “This thing is so cute! Is it a chicken? What its name? Is it yours?”

“He’s a baby chocobo, and his name is Bobby Corwen. I got him from a friend back home…” I thought about that last statement for a few seconds. After Mr. 33 and Mr. 111 passed away, the Genomes in the Black Mage Village had the baby chocobo delivered to me. My kids were really excited to have a pet of their own…

“Bobby Corwen, huh? That’s a mouthful, ain’t it? Let’s shorten that a bit…” She placed a hoof to her chin and stopped talking for a few moments.

Bobby Corwen chirped, “Kwehhh?”

I stammered, “I-I don’t think that’s a good idea! Mr. 33 wouldn’t be happy if he found out…” I think my objections went unheard, because Pinkie didn’t stop her thinking.

“I’ve got it, Vivi! We’ll call him Boco! Get it? First sounds of his names! Sounds cool, right?” She dropped to her stomach and looked the chocobo in the eyes. She giggled, “I know fella, you don’t gotta thank me!”

Bobby Corwen looked at me with a look of confusion and chirped, “Kweh kweh!” He smiled and leaped up on the pony’s back, showing his approval of the new name.

I sighed, “Well, if that’s okay with you, then I guess Boco sounds nice.”

Pinkie Pie giggled, “I thought so too! Anyway, I’ll see you at the party, kid! If you need help finding Sugarcube Corner, just follow Fluttershy when she goes! Bye-bye!” Without hesitation, the hyper pony was gone, Boco practically falling to the ground where she’d once been. She was out of view in the blink of an eye.

I was honestly amazed by her speed. I looked at the baby bird and sighed, “Well Boco, let’s go relax until the party starts.”

We started making our way back to Fluttershy’s house, but were immediately interrupted by a flying blue blur shouting at us from the distance. I sort of recognized the voice, which belonged to Rainbow Dash. In mere seconds, the Pegasus was directly between us and the door, acting as a stubborn blockade.

She scoffed, “Now where do you think you’re going, kid?”

I groaned, “Well, me and Boco were gonna go relax.”

“Nope.” Rainbow Dash landed right in front of us and crossed her hooves. She puffed out her chest as if to intimidate me.

Boco chirped, “Kweh? Kweh.”

The blue pony chuckled, “You’ve got ponies to meet, kid. There’s no way I’m gonna let you just waste away a day like this just sitting inside. You gotta get out and meet everypony, especially if you’re gonna be living here for a while.” She smiled and plopped a hoof on my shoulder, attempting to drag me through the pen’s fence.

For the first time since I’d woken up in the forest, I actually considered what she had just said. I had no way of knowing how long I would be living in Ponyville, or how long I would live in general. I couldn’t safely say I would ever die, considering everything that had happened. I tried to consider what all this meant, but I found it hard to grasp that this village could be the entirety of my new life.

We spent the next few hours going around town, Rainbow Dash introducing me to several of her friends. I met the local librarian and magic expert, Twilight Sparkle. She was just as nice as any other resident, and she was extremely smart, almost on par with Doctor Tot. She had a baby dragon with her named Spike, who seemed to be a really efficient worker. He had a good work ethic, anyway.

After meeting the purple unicorn, Rainbow Dash took me over to a nice clothing boutique to meet the local tailor. The unicorn, Rarity, definitely had a sense of fashion and looked happy to meet me. She offered to craft me a new outfit if this one ever got old, but that was a little awkward for me.

After leaving the boutique, we went over to a large orchard on the other side of town. I met a really nice pony named Applejack, whose accent reminded me almost perfectly of Ruby. I actually kind of started to reminisce about Gaia as I met all these new ponies. It was almost like the day I went to see “I Want to be Your Canary”, and ended up meeting Zidane and Steiner. I…yeah…

At about the time Rainbow Dash finished introducing me to all of her friends, the party was getting close to starting, so she escorted me to Sugarcube Corner… But I’m getting tired of writing right now, so I’ll tell you about the party some other time. My hand’s starting to cramp, and Boco wants to go outside and play. I’m actually starting to warm up to his new name. I think Mr. 33 would like it, too…

Kuja Day Seven: The Discussion

This is beginning to irritate me, honestly. I was hoping by now my energy would’ve returned to me. Alas, that isn’t the case. I’ve been locked in this room for a full week, and I’m still not able to stand on my own two feet. I’ve learned a small bit of information about the history of these creatures, as well as received some interesting books on the mysterious force I considered to be a variation of Mist.

Sheriff Braeburn has been in multiple times over the week, teaching me new things about the town and its residents. He’s explained enough of the pony anatomy and the way Equestria works that I feel I should have no trouble adjusting. That is, of course if I can regain my ability to function properly. I imagine Garland is laughing his ass off in the other world, seeing me disabled like this…

Alas, I cannot get out of this bed. Despite my attempts, and the Black Mages’ assistance, I have been unable to gather the strength necessary to stand, let alone walk. I can only hope this doesn’t last much longer. I’m beginning to get restless, and if I don’t manage some sort of variation in my routine, I may snap earlier than I would like. That’s correct—Mr. 33—I’m on the verge of snapping already.

At any rate, Braeburn and I had a very delightful discussion earlier today, the first notable encounter since my arrival in Equestria. Although his accent makes him seem uneducated and savage, he’s actually a very intelligent equine. I’m glad to see that at least someone in this world can carry on sophisticated conversation with me. It made the situation much more bearable when he dismissed the Black Mages from my room. We had a discussion unhindered by the presence of other creatures.

He arrived early in the morning, at just around sunrise. I couldn’t help but find it strange how he was out and about so early. He entered the room, and before either mage could greet him, he nodded toward the door. Without hesitation or reply, Mr. 33 and Mr. 111 both exited in haste. I began to get nervous, not knowing where this turn of events could be going.

Braeburn approached the side of my bed and nodded at me. He sighed, “Howdy Mr. Kuja. I see ya still ain’t up to snuff.” He pulled the curtains open over the window, letting the surprisingly bright sunlight into the room.

“How very observant of you Mr. Braeburn. I suppose you’re going to tell me that I’m not a pony like yourself next.” I scoffed at the westernized pony, slightly disgusted by his thick accent and lack of grammar.

The golden-colored pony chuckled, “Now there ain’t a need to get smart, Kuja. I don’t mean to offend ya or anything.”

I sighed, “Forgive my rudeness. I’m simply under the weather, as it would be. I have been bedridden for a week and have barely recovered at all.” I had no personal quarrel with the friendly stallion, and as such had no reason to be rude. That being said, my condition limited my patience to a dangerous level.

“S’alright sir. Ya got just about every reason to be upset, as far as I can see.” He carried Mr. 111’s chair from the other side of the room to the side of my bed and took a seat. I decided to prepare myself for an extensive interrogation.

I raised an eyebrow at his comment and asked, “What do you mean by that, Mr. Braeburn?” He didn’t know me to any extent, aside from what the Black Mages may have told him. How could he decide how reasonable my mood was?

He tilted his hat to the side of his head and said, “Well, if I’m to believe what them Black Mages say, then I suppose you’ve had a mild case of death in the last week or so. I also hear you were a nasty fella back in your old place.” He smiled slyly at me, almost as if he had won some kind of game.

I shook my head and groaned, “One shouldn’t be too quick to believe what he hears about another. Though in this case, you would be correct. I have indeed stared death in the face, and it was I who blinked.” His sly grin grew slightly at my confession.

“I figure that’d make anypony useless for a bit.” He leaned back in his chair, shifting to a more comfortable position. “And a useless pony’s a mad pony, ain’t he?”

I pondered that for a few seconds. It was such a simple philosophy, but, looking back on my life in Gaia, it was a true one. I chuckled, “I suppose you are correct, Braeburn. So what is it you wished to speak to me about?”

He dropped his smile and adopted a more serious expression. “Them Black Mages, sparing no detail, have told me all about your little escapades back in your world. You got one heckuva death toll on your shoulders…” I could tell from his eyes that he wasn’t telling me this to be informative. I could see a fire in his eyes, faint and lukewarm, but still existent.

I shifted slightly in my bed, just enough to actually talk to him face to face. I sighed, “That is correct. I have killed, directly or not, thousands of innocent individuals in my previous life. I won’t try to hide that fact. I went so far as to destroy an entire world in a berserk rage.” I paused here to see his reaction; he barely even blinked. I continued, “However, in the very last moments of my life, I was taught what it truly meant to live, and how precious a life can be. My wrongdoings can never be forgiven, but I can try to make amends.”

After a few seconds of intense staring, the pony cracked a smile. He relaxed his muscles and chuckled, “Well, ya gotta chance to do that, I s’pose. You’re alive now; all you gotta do is get better.”

His reaction took me by surprise. I expected him to call me a psycho and cast me out of his town, even with my disability. Instead, he openly offered me a second chance. I asked, “You aren’t afraid of me attempting to do the same thing here as in the other world?” I simply couldn’t believe how easily he’d cast out all of my evil deeds.

“O’ course I’m scared of ya, because I know what ya can do. But…uh…ain’t that what trust is for?” He scratched his head under the front of his hat, a sheepish smile gracing his features.

My jaw physically dropped. I genuinely couldn’t understand his way of thinking at this point. I groaned, “You’re going to give your trust to a complete stranger with a proven past of homicidal tendencies?”

“Shucks no, partner! I’m givin’ my trust to a guy that wants to make up for what he’s done. And ya gotta start somewhere, right? Them Black Mages don’t trust ya yet, but I’m all for lettin’ ya stay around.” He smiled and placed a hoof on my shoulder, his eyes shining with an essence similar to hope. He was too trusting of me. It disturbed me slightly.

I chuckled, “I will do everything in my power to ensure your trust is not misplaced, Braeburn. However, in my current state, ‘everything in my power’ is not a lot…” I raised one hand high in front of me, attempting to stretch it. Sadly, it fell limp on the bed after a few seconds. My lack of energy was frightening me.

“Have ya been eating anything?” my companion asked, turning back toward the stairs.

I shook my head and sighed, “Not quite. I’ve eaten a slice of bread or two, but nothing substantial. I’ve been unable to keep my stomach’s contents down…as Mr. 111 will duly note if you ask him about my health.” It was true. I hadn’t eaten anything since my arrival in town. Everything I did eat ended up gracing my bed mere minutes later.

Braeburn placed a hoof to his muzzle for a few moments, consumed in his thoughts. Just when I was going to snap him out of his delirium, he tossed his hat in the air with a cheer. He whooped, “I gotcha covered Mr. Kuja!”

In shock I snapped back, “How?!” The annoyance was blatantly obvious in my voice, and for that I was disappointed. His outburst was just…slightly unnerving.

He settled down, recovered his hat, and laughed, “My Granny makes a mean energy cider! If you ain’t better before I get it delivered, this thing’ll perk ya right up!” I tried to wrap my head around his excited chatter.

“An energy cider? Like a potion?” Potions, the most common items in Gaia, were the only things I could think of that would help me recover. As far as I knew, they didn’t exist here. I could’ve been wrong.

Braeburn chuckled, “I dunno about a potion, but it’ll get ya back on your feet in no time.”

The thought of finally being rid of this bed was amusing. I asked, “Would you mind delivering it? Furthermore, would she mind brewing it?”

“O’ course not! My Granny makes the best cider in all of Equestria. It’s what she does. Heck, she owns the biggest apple orchard with the freshest apples. Ships all over the kingdom!” His eyes were glowing with joy at the thought of being able to help me. Either it was being able to help me, or he simply adored his grandmother…

To be polite, I asked, “The best in the kingdom, you say? Care to tell me about it?”

The golden stallion plopped back in his chair and cheered, “O’ course I would, partner!” He settled in and began the tale of the apple orchard north of Appleloosa, beyond the Everfree Forest.

I listened intently as he told me extensive history of the Apple Family. Their ancestors settled north of the Everfree Forest, planting seeds they’d found within the forest. In the uncultivated land, they grew a massive orchard, which was eventually named Sweet Apple Acres. A small town grew around the orchard, attracted by the business of the Acres. That line of the Apple Family has lived in the town since its settlement, with Braeburn’s Granny Smith being the current owner of the farmstead.

“The next in line to own the place are my cousins Big Macintosh and Applejack. And boy howdy can they make some delicious ciders! Granny Smith’s will have ya leaping from roof to roof in no time!”

As he finished telling his tale, the sun began to set. We said our farewells, and he was gone. A few minutes later, the Black Mages returned, curious as to what transpired to keep Braeburn holed up for the entire day. I told them a few minute details of our discussion, but kept most of the important bits to myself. They had no business knowing our business.

Of course, now that I’ve written it out, Mr. 33 knows the whole story. I figure he’ll wait until I go to sleep before he transfers the information to his companion, which is fine by me.

So there it is. I’ve stayed here for a whole week, wishing nothing more than to regain my health. Now, Braeburn has given me hope for a beverage that will do just that. I can only hope his grandma’s cider is as potent as he leads me to believe. For now, I’ll just have to wait for it to arrive. This should be a fun endeavor, waiting for the clock to tick away until I may be able to leave this dull room.

Funny…my fate rests with the clock, just as Zidane’s friends’ did in my Desert Palace… The powers-that-be must have a sense of humor…

Vivi Day Two: Pinkie's Party

Let’s see now…where exactly was I? Oh yeah, the welcoming party! So Rainbow Dash had just introduced me to all of her closest friends and taken me to Sugarcube Corner. From what I gathered just by looking at the outside and the stuff I’d been told about Pinkie Pie, the building was a shop for hundreds of different kinds of delicious pastries and desserts. Anytime there was a party in town, Pinkie would whip up her best stuff and get the place decorated for the occasion.

I was told that every pony in town, with a few exceptions, showed up at one point or another to a Pinkie party, if for no other reason than to keep her off their backs. I can’t blame them, really. She really scared me this morning, so I could see why it would be best to attend the party anyway.

I won’t go into too much detail about the party itself. I don’t really see the point; it was just me chatting with a bunch of different residents of the village. A few of the ponies I met were really nice and interesting, but others were just kind of bland… Then again, who am I to talk about bland, right?

It wasn’t until towards the end of the party where things started to get interesting. I’m not sure what this stuff is, but it’s definitely related to Gaia’s Mist in some way, because I learned that I can still use my magic!

I stood toward the back of the building, a cup of punch in my hand, with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy chatting away. I honestly liked their company, all things considered. Boco sat on my shoulder and chirped his thoughts in every once in a while, but for the most part it was just an ordinary party.

Almost out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie appeared face to face with me, causing me to flinch again. My punch would’ve gone flying if I hadn’t recovered my nerves when I did. The pink party pony cheered, “Ya enjoying the party Vivi? I put it together just for you! Why don’t you go talk to some more ponies?”

The question overload caught up with me again. I focused on her last question and sighed, “I’ve already met just about every pony here…” I blinked once or twice, but the pony never budged an inch.

She giggled, “Well, have you done any dancing?”

I’m pretty sure I started to panic when she asked that. I shook my head vigorously and nervously chuckled, “I-I-I can’t dance, Pinkie! But thanks for the offer…” Suddenly, all three ponies’ eyes were locked on me.

Fluttershy giggled, “Aw, I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”

“Just look at Twilight, kid.” Rainbow Dash pointed to the purple unicorn in the center of the dance floor.

At least, I thought it was Twilight. There’s no one else it could’ve been. For a few seconds, I was overwhelmed with panic at the sight in front of me. I mean, Twilight looked like she was having a seizure the way she twisted and jerked around on the dance floor. Once I realized that that was just her way of dancing, I cracked a smile and let out a soft chuckle.

Returning to the matter at hand, I insisted, “I really can’t dance! I’m more of an audience than an actor.” I adjusted the rim of my hat again, as I always do in awkward situations.

Pinkie Pie finally backed off a little. She tapped a hoof on her chin a couple of times before smiling widely. She pointed across the room and cheered, “Then we should cut the cake early! If you won’t dance, you might as well have some delicious snacks!”

She was persistent, to say the least. Rainbow Dash added, “Y’know, I could go for some cake myself. C’mon.” She started a slow trot to the table where dozens of different pastries were laid out. Pinkie Pie wrapped a hoof around my neck and pretty much dragged me with her.

The pink pony picked up a large bell from beside the cake and waved it in the air violently. The noise immediately flooded the room and drowned all of the random chatter, attracting every pony’s attention in an instant. The pony playing the music immediately silenced it and lifted up her sunglasses to focus on the bell.

All eyes locked on to Pinkie as she picked up a large knife and placed it over the giant pastry. It was now that I took the time to examine the delicacy in full. It was an odd color, a little blue, brown, and black. Near the top were two golden circles of icing. Just as Pinkie’s knife severed the first piece of the cake, I realized what it was supposed to be. It was an effigy of me…in my image and current state.

While I admired the pony’s dexterity and aesthetic sense, it did disturb me a little. It looked like she was cutting my hand off, and considering there was more of me back home, that was a very good possibility…

As soon as the first piece was lopped off onto a paper plate, the entire group of gathered ponies cheered. Before I realized what was going on, I had a paper plate in one hand and my cup of punch in the other. Pinkie poked a fork into the cake on my plate and directed me toward a table where I could put my things down and taste it. Every pony watched in anticipation as the guest of honor was getting prepared to essentially give the okay for them to try the dessert themselves…

I didn’t want to disappoint the crowd, so I took a large bite, getting as many different parts of the cake as I could at once. I was surprised by the sudden burst of flavor… I mean, so many different kinds of icing were packed into the small cake, almost as if it didn’t have any real cake, and was just icing. It was delicious, to say the least, but the overload of sugar made me dizzy for a few seconds as I tried to swallow the bite.

Vanilla, chocolate, cream cheese, strawberry, there were so many different icings… I won't lie, Pinkie's culinary skill was starting to remind me a lot of Quina...

I finally managed to choke the concentrated sugar down, and raised a thumb at the crowd, which then flooded toward the pastries on the table. I guess that my signal was the universal sign for ‘dig in’. Pinkie Pie teleported beside me; her large grin was just as disturbing as ever.

“So do you like it, Vivi?” If she had any fingers, I would say she was crossing them. She held her hooves awkwardly waiting for my answer.

I washed the sugar down with punch and chuckled, “It is delicious Pinkie! You really went all out, didn’t you?” I dug my fork into the slice again, about to attempt another bite.

Pinkie squealed, “Yay! I’m so glad you like it! I made it just for ya, y’know!” She clapped her hooves excitedly and darted back toward the crowd of ponies taking turns cutting the cake.

I don’t know what happened. I didn’t see the details myself. If I had to guess, I’d say Pinkie didn’t stop fast enough, but I can’t be sure. All I remember is the cake went flying across the room, past me, right toward the opposite wall. As soon as my mind registered what the flying object was, I leaped from my chair and dashed toward it.

Of course, there was no way I could get to it before it got the wall. My mind raced through a bunch of options for how to let it play out. I finally decided to do something that could be just as bad as it could be good. I raised my hands toward the flying dessert, my palms flat and fingers stretched out. I waited for the right opportunity, and then…

“Stop!” I screamed as loud as I could, not caring for being subtle.

A small gray orb surrounded the cake, stopping it dead in the air. The icing, the toppings, and the momentum all vanished within the spell’s area-of-effect. The effect wasn’t permanent, but it should’ve lasted long enough to get the cake on a solid display. I admired my quick reaction, noting how close the dessert actually was to the wall.

The music and chatter stopped completely when I shouted out my spell. All of the guests’ eyes were on me and the orb. I felt almost like an alien, intruding on the locals’ way of life. It must’ve been weird for them too. I mean, at the time I hadn’t seen any powerful magic besides telekinesis, so I didn’t know how the ponies would react to an actual power. On top of that, any spell I’ve seen cast had to be actively used to maintain effect. When I put my hands to my sides and the cake stayed stationary, another round of gasps filled the room.

Twilight Sparkle was the first to break the silence with a simple, “Ooh…” I couldn’t tell at the time whether it was in awe or disgust, but she sounded dumbfounded.

Then came Rainbow Dash with a fractured, “That’s…something…” She was obviously confused by my spell.

Suddenly leaving his perch over by Pinkie, Boco rushed to my side and chirped, “Kweh! Kwehh!” He tried to reach his beak up at the floating delicacy, but fell short by a few feet.

I looked around the room once to note every pony’s expressions. I adjusted the rim of my hat and chuckled, “Uh…the cake’s fine, everyone!” I walked over to the dessert and lifted it from the bottom of the metal pan.

Pinkie Pie met me halfway back to the table. She cheered, “That was amazing Vivi! You came out of nowhere and just saved the thing! Where’d you learn to do that kinda stuff?” She almost jerked the pan from my hands as she darted back to the table to put it down before my spell wore off.

“I just kinda picked it up back home. It’s not that big of a deal…” I adjusted my hat slightly as Boco fluttered up to my shoulder.

Twilight scoffed, “Not that big of a deal?! There are only a few creatures that aren’t ponies that can use magic! This is a huge deal!” She looked utterly amazed, as if she’d just seen a miracle in front of her eyes. She remarked, almost under her breath, “I have to tell Princess Celestia about this…”

I only barely caught the last statement, but it sent my thoughts in motion and set my nerves to work. I choked, “Wh-what did you say?” She didn’t answer my question, instead getting lost in her own thoughts.

It didn’t take long for the commotion around my spell to die down, as every pony returned to the snacks and dancing. Honestly, I was relieved when Vinyl Scratch (the local DJ—whatever that is) started the music back. Of course, another pony from the crowd came over to talk to me not long after the party restarted.

He was a red stallion with an orange mane. I’d heard his name earlier that night, but couldn’t quite recall it under the current situation. I had noticed he hadn’t said much to anyone at the party, except for the usual greeting.

Applejack, the farm pony from earlier, had introduced me to him. I think he was her brother. Anyway, he walked right up to me and mumbled, “That was some fancy magic ya went and used, partner.”

I didn’t know how to reply to that. I chuckled, “You really think so? I don’t think it’s too cool…”

“That’s cause you’ve known it your whole life, ain’t it?” he remarked with a tone of almost-irritation.

“Not really my whole life. It’s been a long time, though.” I started to feel uncomfortable. I couldn’t help but think he was judging me under his indifferent expression.

He chuckled, “Ya oughta relax, kid. I ain’t gonna hurt ya or nothing…” He smiled innocently, trying to seem less intimidating. When you’re as bulky as him, you have to know you’re scary to newcomers… He continued, “What did ya say you were again?”

I didn’t understand the question at first, but then I noticed his eyes scanning my figure intently. I sighed, “I’m a Black Mage. I come from a world called--…”

“…Gaia. Eeyup.” He sent me a frightening look. I didn’t know what to think about his interruption.

The only ponies I had told about my world were the first three I met. How could he know about my home? I shook my head and groaned, “How did you know that Mister?”

“You ain’t the first Black Mage to come to town. There was two others. They came to Sweet Apple Acres with a white-haired fella. They wanted to thank my Granny for some cider she sent em.” He explained about the other three foreigners in Ponyville.

“But if they went to the Acres…wouldn’t Applejack have met them?” If she knew I wasn’t the only Black Mage, wouldn’t she have made some kind of comment?

He chuckled, “She did. She told me earlier she thought ya were just runnin’ another errand for the white-haired guy.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I wasn’t alone in the world…

I started to get excited. I asked, “How long ago did they visit?!”

He cleared his throat and looked away. “Uh…I think it was a bit over a month ago. They got in late one evening, stayed at the Acres, then left before sunrise. Not many ponies met em except my family.” He trailed away for a few moments.

I muttered, “This is amazing… I’m not alone…” I looked up at him and cheered, “Did you catch their names?!”

He took a seat beside me, obviously getting tired of standing. I couldn’t blame him, because he was carrying a large wooden yoke around his neck. He laughed, “They had some weird names. They went by numbers, aside from the weird fella. There was a Mr. 33 and Mr. 111. And the white-haired fella never said his name.”

I’m certain my heart skipped a few beats. My jaw dropped, though you couldn’t tell by looking. I cheered in undecipherable chatter, “Oh wow…33…I can’t…”

Boco caught on to the numbers and chirped, “KWEHH!!” I think he was excited to know that his guardians were still alive and well.

The stallion laughed, “I take it y’all are friends?”

“You could say that, yeah! This is amazing news!” I thought about being able to see them again for a few minutes.

The stallion looked over at the clock on the far wall. He sighed, “Well, I gotta get back to the farm. AJ’s gonna be ticked I ditched her to come talk to ya.” He turned toward the door and started to trot out. “Oh, and the name’s Big Macintosh.” he turned back briefly to tell me as he approached the exit.

After Big Macintosh left, the party started to die down. None of the ponies seemed bothered by my actions, and most of them just left secretly. I can’t blame them, because I would hate to get Pinkie Pie on my case for ditching a party.

Fluttershy was one of the first to leave, so I took the opportunity to walk her home and escape from the inevitable barrage of Twilight’s questions. Based on what Rainbow Dash told me, Twilight became obsessive once she found something interesting. I was almost worried about what would happen now that I’d piqued her curiosity with my spells, but I decided to cross that bridge when it came.

Now I’m here, thinking about everything Big Macintosh told me. If he was telling the truth, and Boco’s owners are in this world with me, then I’m not alone. I’m not the only Black Mage. I’m sure the little chocobo would love to see them too. I should look in to going to Appleloosa to see them sometime…

But I wonder who the white-haired guy is… I can’t think of many people with white hair from Gaia. Well, that’s assuming he was from Gaia. There’s only one guy I can think of, but it can’t possibly be him.

It can’t be him, can it? I mean, he was evil… Why would he get a second chance?

He destroyed a world… He nearly killed us all… Kuja…

Kuja Day Twelve: Restored

It is a truly beautiful thing, to be back to health after so long in bed. I must find a way to repay Granny Smith for her amazing cider. I cannot lie; I didn’t believe it would truly restore me as Braeburn had claimed it would. Although I don’t quite feel like leaping from building to building, I am feeling exponentially better. I can walk, at any rate.

The cider arrived early this morning, shortly after sunrise. The moment I opened the bottle, my senses flooded with life. I’d never felt such a sensation before, not even from a Gaian potion. I wasn’t sure what the feeling was at the time, but even the Black Mages reacted to it. Though I fear they’ve had an adverse effect from contact with the beverage. Just as well as I’ve been up all day, they’ve been visibly disgusted and locked in this room.

Then again, they may just regret my good health, but I shan’t assume the negative. I’m simply thankful to be able to move around. In fact, the first thing I did upon consuming the cider was aid in the repair of the local train. It was fun, to say the least. I was able to put my mind to use and minimize the resources required to repair the machine. We finished the repairs several days ahead of schedule, and I was awarded a large stipend of ‘bits’ for my efforts.

Yes, bits. They seem to be the local currency. Although not as appealing in appearance as Gil, they seem to be just as valuable to the residents of Equestria. They are significantly heavier than Gil as well, making carrying large sums quite burdening.

Repairing the train wasn’t the high point of my day, however. I returned to the tavern after the train was up and running again. Several stallions were sitting in a small group, carrying on a heated discussion. I arrived in the midst of Braeburn’s exclamation.

The moment I arrived at the tavern, I felt a strange tension fill the air. I began to feel nervous about joining in the discussion, but my curiosity propelled me forward. If I were still on Gaia, I wouldn’t have given a second thought about my action. Something about this world was influencing my mind—my confidence…

At any rate, I was accepted with open arms…er…hooves. I arrived just in time to catch the tail end of a statement Braeburn directed toward a pony who I assumed to be the local banker. I’m not certain what the discussion was about, but it sounded important.

“…the shipment be late!” the sheriff seemed to be angry, the first time I had seen him so.

His arguing companion responded, “It can’t be helped, sheriff! We ain’t got a way to get it there safe!” He took a gulp from his bottle of cider before leaning back in his chair.

Braeburn scoffed, “We got at least a dozen railroad guards! You can’t tell me we ain’t got enough to ship some apples, Cobalt!” He crossed his arms angrily as he plopped into the opposite chair.

“It ain’t the amount of guards we got that matters. We can’t risk the train being ambushed again. We’re already behind our shipping schedule.” The stallion shook his head in disappointment.

“Can’t ya just send ‘em on foot?” the sheriff was persistent in his endeavors, whatever they may be.

The pony he had called Cobalt groaned, “Don’t none of ‘em wanna take that risk. Face it; we ain’t getting any shipments up north, not even to Ponyville.”

Ponyville. Several thoughts ran through my mind at the mention of the town. I needed to give my thanks to Granny Smith and the rest of the Apple Family, and this shipment seemed a good enough reason to go there.

The two ponies fell silent, so I chuckled, “What seems to be the problem?”

Another stallion standing against the far wall sighed, “Sweet Apple Acres needs a shipment of Appleloosan Golden Apples to brew some cider to send to Canterlot next week. Thing is, we can’t ship the apples on our train.” He adjusted the rim of his Stetson without so much as glancing up.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“We got some bandits set up camp in the woods on the other side of Ghastly Gorge. They’ve robbed the last couple of valuable shipments. Train’s always returned with a messed up engine. We can’t afford any more repairs, so we’re closing the tracks between here and Ponyville.” He explained everything plainly, and I immediately decided to take the initiative.

I sighed with an air of smug confidence, “You can’t send your train, but require the apples to reach Ponyville before too much time has passed. I may have a solution for you.”

Braeburn snapped his attention to me and gasped, “What d’ya got in mind, Kuja?”

“If you can put together a caravan, I can escort the shipment on foot.”

Cobalt scoffed, “What kinda idiot would do something like that?”

“I need to go to Sweet Apple Acres anyway. I see no reason why I shouldn’t help out my new home while I’m at it.” At the time, I hadn’t considered the possibility of my inability to use magic. My boasts were relying on my magic to protect the caravan.

The unnamed stallion chuckled, “You actually think you can do it alone? You got guts, fella. We ain’t got a problem fixing up a caravan if ya actually wanna try it.”

“Maybe we can convince some of the guards to go with you…” Cobalt placed a hoof to his chin in thought.

I waved a dismissive hand and scoffed, “There’s no need. I assure you I am more than capable of dispatching a few bandits and ensuring the safe arrival of the golden apples. Perhaps I can persuade the Black Mages to join me. Who knows, they might enjoy some time out of the desert.” I smiled slyly at the three disbelieving stallions, each one with apparent concern.

Cobalt laughed, “If that’s what ya want, I ain’t got a problem with it!” He hopped up from his chair and placed a hoof firmly on my shoulder. He extended his other hoof toward me, a gesture I could only compare to a handshake by pony standards.

I took his hoof in my hand, we shook, and before I knew it he was gone. The unnamed stallion simply nodded in my direction as he walked out of the tavern. Something felt off about the mysterious pony, but I decided to disregard my feelings on the basis of paranoia. Once they were both gone, Braeburn offered the seat beside him to me. I obliged.

The stallion shook his head and sighed, “You sure ya can handle it, partner? I mean, these are some big brutes, bruisin’ up our train at every chance.” He removed his hat and placed it on the arm of his chair, letting out an exasperated sigh.

I groaned, “You needn’t worry, Braeburn. The apples will arrive in Ponyville on time and intact. Believe me when I say I can handle a few bandits without trouble.” I had faith that I could handle the trip on my own, but others seemed not-so-certain.

He smiled and chuckled, “I believe ya, partner. But we can’t afford to lose these apples—or a life. Maybe you oughta get them Black Mages to go with ya, just in case.” He placed the hat firmly on his head and stood up slowly. “Whenever you think you’re ready to set out, head on over to the station...” I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was worried.

I wasn’t used to that. I’m not certain whether he was worried about the shipment or my health, but it was a very strange occurrence that one would worry for me. The last person to ever do so was Zidane, below that cursed tree…

“You needn’t worry, sheriff. ‘Don’t mistake power for confidence/You’ll never like how it ends/Take your stance and understand/Confidence is the greatest tool/Confidence is power /That’s my first rule.’” His expression immediately shifted to one of utter confusion.

He coughed, “Huh-what?”

I dropped my smug smile in exchange for one of disappointment. Perhaps he was smart, but he had no poetic flare. I groaned, “My confidence will ensure my success in this delivery. Just have faith in my ability to follow through.” I waved a hand goodbye and stood up from my seat, heading for the stairs up to my room.

As I had expected, I found the Black Mages still bedridden upon my return. They both looked weary, from some unknown illness or event. I didn’t think the cider’s scent could’ve harmed them quite as bad as they were. I allowed them the comfort of sleeping in the bed after their patience with my recovery. I moved a large armchair in front of the large window on the far side of the room and sat, watching the sun set on the horizon.

It wasn’t long before one of the mages began stirring. Mr. 33 woke up with worried haste, attempting to regain his senses fully. He noticed my silent roosting and asked, “Is something wrong, Kuja?”

I wasn’t certain what he meant. As far as I knew, they were the ones with the illness at this time. I chuckled, “Not at all, Mr. 33. Why do you ask?”

“You look upset…or tired.” He motioned toward his companion, who was still fast asleep.

I shook my head and said, “No, not quite. I’m more or less pontificating on the promise I made Braeburn.” The Black Mage approached me inquisitively.

He asked, “What’d you promise him?” He sat on the floor beside my chair, as if he had no concern with comfort.

“I have to make a delivery to Ponyville a few miles north. I’ll be passing through bandit-infested territory.” I looked down at the mage, who seemed to be lost in thought.

He stared out the window at the sunset. He sighed, “Are you sure you can handle it? I mean, you just got out of bed today…” I heard a strange tone in his voice. He was worried…about me.

I chuckled, “I’m certain I’m up for the task. It’s you two I’m concerned about.”

“What do you mean?”

“You two are joining me, aren’t you? After all, I believe it will be nice to get out of the desert for a while.”

“Really? You actually want us to come along?” He looked at me disbelievingly.

I sat upright in the chair and scoffed, “Of course. A little company on this trip would be most welcome.”

Mr. 111 began to stir in the bed. He groaned, “When do we leave?”

Mr. 33 gasped, “W-wait, how long will we be gone?”

I shrugged my shoulders and said, “No longer than a week, I’m sure.”

The other Black Mage threw the covers off and leaped from the bed. “Does it matter? Not like there’s much to do around here…” he yawned.

“Correct. A change of scenery will be nice, won’t it?” I smiled, turning my attention back out the window. The sun was half-swallowed by the earth at this point. The sky was a mix of beautiful colors. My inner poet began to stir under the vision.

The relaxing Black Mage chuckled, “I guess it can’t hurt. But will we be okay if we fight the bandits?”

His companion scoffed, “What do you think? We have magic. I’m sure we can take care of ourselves. Isn’t that right Kuja?” He turned to me, still lost in thought.

I sighed, “We should be fine. Between the three of us, what could possibly go wrong?”

With that, we all fell silent. We watched as the sun fell below the horizon, the colors of the sky shifting from prismatic to dark. It was a relaxing sight, honestly. The last sunset I ever truly watched was the one at Oeilvert back when I was younger, back on Terra…

I’m lying here in bed, trying to finish this entry so I can go to sleep. The Black Mages passed out over by the window, watching the sky change. We’re leaving tomorrow to start our trip, and we should be back before the week’s end. I hope that’s the case, anyway. I could be severely underestimating these bandits, but I’m not afraid.

I’m feeling a bit weary now, so I’ll put the journal away. I should try and write my entries more consistently, but nothing interesting ever happens here in Appleloosa…

Vivi Day Three: Everfree Forest

I haven’t slept a wink since the night before last. I couldn’t sleep last night because I was so focused on Mr. 33 and Mr. 111. If they really are here in Equestria, then imagine how many of the others are here too! Not knowing for sure if they really are here, or if they even remember Gaia, is driving me crazy! I have to find out before too much longer or I may just die of suspense…

But anyway, because I couldn’t sleep, I got up sometime before sunrise and decided to take a walk. I see now that that was a horrible idea, but hindsight’s always 20/20, right? It was fun while it lasted, but things quickly went from good-to-bad as Boco and I was looking at all the flora in the forest.

I’m perfectly fine now, but I could’ve been in worse shape if that nice zebra hadn’t been gathering her own supplies.

I’d been tossing and turning all night, my back starting to ache from lying on the small couch. I finally got fed up with being bored, so I rolled off the couch and headed right out the door. This time, Boco came darting up to me as soon as I left the house. I remembered the pepper he had eaten the day before, and decided I wanted to go into the forest and look at the plants.

Boco leaped up on top of my shoulder and chirped happily away as we walked through the tree line and into the suddenly-creepy expanse of darkness. A shiver went down my spine, as if an omen of something bad happening. I ignored it though, because I was probably just being paranoid. With a reassuring chirp from the baby chocobo, we ventured onward.

It didn’t take long for me to regret my idea. After walking for not even ten minutes, I’d already gotten tangled in a large mess of vines. It took Boco a few minutes to peck me out of the trap, which left him exhausted and me terrified. I decided it was time to go back home, because I didn’t want to get stuck again. The only problem was…

“…Which way is home?” I adjusted my hat nervously as Boco spun in each direction. He tried to sniff out the chickens back at Fluttershy’s house, but couldn’t catch a scent.

“K-kweh…” he chirped in fright.

I looked all around for signs of any path we might have made, but everything looked the exact same. I began to panic, my heart racing in total fear. I mumbled, “This was a bad idea, Boco…” He chirped affirmatively.

I stomped a foot and pointed forward. I told him with a tone of feign-confidence, “Onward, chocobo!” With an excited chirp, he led the way deeper into the woods.

We went on like this for a few minutes before finally realizing that we had gone the completely wrong way. Now we were in even less familiar territory, with bigger plants and a creepier atmosphere. I stopped to sit at the base of a large tree, away from all of the other colorful plants. I had no idea what to expect from this weird forest. The best I could hope for was that it wouldn’t completely petrify like the Evil Forest in Alexandria did…

Of course, our comfort didn’t last long. While we were kicked back against the large tree, I failed to notice something slithering on the ground. By the time my eyes caught it, it was already too late. I’m not sure what the creature was, but it looked like a snake. Except it had a head like a chicken.

Anyway, the thing pecked Boco on the side, sending the baby bird into an adrenaline-fueled panic. In the instant, he went darting away from the tree with a loud screech. I saw the thing following after him, and immediately hopped to my feet. I broke into a dead run in the same direction as Boco, hoping to catch him before the thing did.

Luckily, I managed to outrun the thing and stumble upon Boco in a large hole in the ground. The bad news is that I actually stumbled upon him…and fell into the hole. A few seconds after my landing, the thing that chased us showed up at the top of the hole, as if mocking us. The baby chocobo fluttered his wings and chirped at the creature, trying to scare it off.

I regained my senses just in time to watch the baby chocobo turn to stone. I wasn’t exactly sure why, but he just petrified out of nowhere. I started to panic again, fresh from the last time. I looked up at the creature and reached out a hand.

“Fire!” I screamed as loud as I could. From my hand burst a ball of flames which shot directly toward the creature. Just before it made contact, the ball of fire began to petrify. So did my hands. In fact, the stone slowly moved along my body, until all that was left was my head.

I didn’t understand how the fireball turned to stone, but I didn’t have much time to think about it. I was quickly running out of time to do anything. All of a sudden, I saw the creature go flying away from the hole. A gray-and-white striped pony poked its head into the hole and called out to us, but I couldn’t tell what it said.

After a few seconds, I noticed the stone on Boco begin to crack and peel off. The same happened to me. In no time at all, we were both back to normal. While my heart kept pounding pretty hard, I was relieved to be saved. I looked up to find the pony dropping a rope ladder into the hole for us to climb out with. Boco didn’t waste any time at all, using his claws to grip the rope and escape the pit. I took my time, trying to figure out who the mysterious pony was.

The pony chuckled, “If not for your shout, you would be stuck. Perhaps you just have very bad luck.” She had a strange voice, different from the rest of the ponies I had met. It was more exotic, with a deeper tone. Her mane was done up in a Mohawk, with golden bangles around her neck and on one of her arms.

I finished climbing the ladder and sighed, “Thanks for the help Miss. We were almost goners. What was that thing?” I dusted myself off as the pony started to roll her ladder back up.

Boco chirped, “Kweh!” in thanks.

The mysterious pony chuckled, “That was a very dangerous cockatrice. They are creatures who prey on far more than just mice…” She waved a hoof around enthusiastically, placing the ladder into a large pack on her back.

“What’s your name Miss?” I asked her, picking Boco up from the ground.

“Zecora is the name I go by.” She looked at the sun coming up over the horizon through the tree line, and suddenly adopted a panicked expression. “I’m afraid I’m running late, so I must fly!”

I watched as she checked to make sure her items were all in the pack before she took off deeper into the woods. Boco chirped impatiently, staring toward the horizon. If we could see the sun, then we should be close to the edge of the forest, right? Anyway, that’s the logic we used to decide where to go next. I’d had enough of that scary place in the hour I experienced it.

I just wish I could’ve talked more to the zebra in the forest, but she seemed busy, so we just left before we got caught in another trap. You should have seen Boco once we finally got back to Fluttershy’s pen. He was so happy he went on a mad dash into the chicken coop, chirping wildly. I’m glad he’s here with me, now that I think about it.

I bet if Mr. 33 and Mr. 111 are actually here, they’ll be excited to see him, too. After all, they are the ones who cared for him and hatched him. Not to mention he’s saved my life at least twice now.

I guess I’m feeling nostalgic now. I think I’m done writing for a while. I feel like I’m starting to miss Gaia…

Kuja Day Thirteen: Caravan's Departure

It has been a quite exciting few days, I must say. So much has happened since the day I recovered. Perhaps I should break my entries into pieces to make them less burdening to read in the future. I’ll begin with the morning I departed from Appleloosa.

I awoke well before sunrise to find Mr. 33 and Mr. 111 packing up some items into satchels, assumedly to bring on our trip. Clothes, blankets, and snacks were among some of the items the pre-emptive Black Mages were packing. I was thoroughly surprised by their initiative and excitement for this potentially dangerous expedition to the north.

Mr. 33 noticed me stirring in my bed. He packed in one last blanket to his bag and cheered, “There’s some breakfast being prepared downstairs to see us off! The caravan’s ready to leave whenever you are!” Like a machine, he immediately resumed packing.

I groaned, “These Equestrians are on top of their schedules, aren’t they? They’re much more efficient than the laziness of Gaians.” I stretched and yawned, feeling completely rejuvenated from my extensive nap.

Mr. 111 sighed, “Do you think we need any of Granny Smith’s cider?” He placed one hand over his would-be face and held the bottle toward me with the other.

I thought for a few moments how to answer the question. I nodded and scoffed, “Its restorative effects will be imperative if we’ll be facing hostile opposition.”

“Okay…” He sounded slightly disappointed, perhaps because of the cider’s disgusting scent. While it was tasty and had healing properties, it still smelled like decaying rotten apples.

Mr. 33 chuckled, “This is gonna be fun, Kuja! We’re gonna meet new ponies!”

“Yes, and we’ll also be walking for three days straight. We may stop to rest if absolutely necessary.” I ran a hand through my hair, trying to get my blood pumping. I needed to be wide awake if I hoped to plan our route carefully. I had no intention of following the tracks the entire way, only when required.

After a few moments of silence, a rapid knocking rang out on the door. Without waiting for a response, the source of the noise threw the door open and rushed in. He slammed it shut behind him, as if he were being chased by something vicious. It was the mysterious stallion from the prior evening. His mane was in a mess, with his hat off-center on his head. He looked really shaken by something.

“Can I help you?” I asked bluntly, annoyance flooding my tone.

He took a few deep breaths and explained, “Look fella, them brutes are some tough punks. You sure ya wanna do this?” He looked as if he were about to have a heart attack.

“Of course I am. What seems to be the problem?” Something about the stallion screamed ‘suspicious’ to me, but I tried to swallow that superficial paranoia.

He shook his head and sighed, “I just think they’re a little bit tougher than ya can handle, that’s all.” He ran a hoof through his mane, attempting to style it.

I’m no fool. I can see when something obvious is in my face. His demeanor irked me to the point of snapping, “What are you planning on doing?”

He looked at me with a confused expression at first, then scoffed, “I’m goin with ya, fella. If some newcomer’s gonna risk his hide to solve our problems, he ain’t taking all the credit!”

I couldn’t even reply to his statement. Despite having just informed me of the dangers, he wanted to travel with us. That alone is idiotic enough. However, he was willing to risk the danger for some ignorant hometown pride. I had no words at the time to explain to him how foolish he was truly being. So instead I simply laughed.

Not picking up on his ignorance, Mr. 33 cheered, “It’ll be nice to have you with us Mr. Brawny!” Ah, a name was finally matched with the face. Suddenly, this stranger seemed even more suspicious.

I chuckled, “Yes, it will be a pleasure to have a local journey with us. I suppose you should begin your packing. We’ll be leaving just as soon as I’ve finished preparing my belongings.” I could tell he was an idiot, and knew then that his chances of survival were close to nonexistent. The likelihood of his death made me disgustingly happy at the time.

This stallion, Brawny, scoffed, “Y’all best not leave without me, y’hear?” He left the room just as quickly as he’d entered, slamming the door behind him.

Mr. 111 groaned, “I don’t trust him, Kuja.”

My jaw dropped at the Black Mage’s careful judgment. I nodded and sighed, “Nor do I, but I find it rude to refuse company on such a long trip. Besides, if he tries anything funny, we can simply ‘magic’ him out of our hair.” I raised a single hand into the air, imitating the motions used to cast my Flare spell.

I heard a light chuckle escape the consenting mage. His companion, however, let out a frightened gasp. He said, “You can’t be serious, Kuja! Mr. Brawny would never do anything to deserve that!”

“You are foolish to trust him, 33. Can’t you sense that curious aura around him? The Mist is different when he’s around.” I clenched my fist and dropped my arm swiftly, causing him to flinch. Mr. 111 nodded approvingly toward me.

I stretched my arm casually and headed toward the door. The mages returned to their packing while I proceeded downstairs to enjoy the breakfast Mr. 33 had spoken of earlier. The tavern was surprisingly empty, aside from the bartender and the chef. As I consumed the meal, the mages joined me and downed their own dishes. Without saying a word, we finished eating and left the tavern.

A large crowd of ponies had gathered by the train station, where a caravan of two bulls and a wagon was waiting for us. As we approached, the crowd went wild. At the time, I couldn’t understand exactly why we were honored so much before even attempting the journey. However, now that everything is said and done, their reactions were fairly appropriate.

Waiting by the wagon were Brawny and Braeburn, the latter of whom baring a wide grin of confidence. The former, unsurprisingly, had a look of worry and anger on his features. The closer we got, the deeper his frown fell. It was actually quite amusing.

The sheriff cheered, “Buncha luck to ya, partners! Try not to rough em up too bad!”

Brawny groaned, “Let’s get this dog-and-pony show on the road already.”

I had to use all of my willpower to keep from bursting into arrogant laughter at the stallion’s idiotic remark. I could already see how this trip would play out on his part, and I was enjoying the sight. Until he was disposed of due to his pride, I would need to watch my back in case of shameful ambush. However, that would only be a mild discomfort, like a fly buzzing by your ear.

I extended a hand toward the idiot and chuckled, “Impatience may cause even the wisest of creatures to face their ultimate downfall. Keep this in mind while we’re on the road, Brawny.” He accepted my handshake with flooding remorse. Every ounce of irritation he experienced only seemed to make me feel better.

“I’ll try to remember it. Now, we ready to set out?” He released my hand and turned toward the train tracks. He looked off in the distance, where we would be travelling, and let out a nervous sigh.

Mr. 111 groaned, “We need to depart soon, Kuja. We need to get to Ponyville as quick as possible, right?”

“Correct.” I said bluntly. “Very well then, let us leave.”

Braeburn took off his hat and placed it firmly on his chest. He adopted a serious expression and hailed, “Y’all take care, Mr. Kuja. Try to come back in one piece, would ya?” The rest of the crowd imitated the gesture—a sign of respect for the risk we were taking.

I still couldn’t understand why such a touching ‘ceremony’ was being performed for the departure of a simple caravan. Even Brawny seemed to be taken by surprise. I simply shrugged my shoulders and scoffed, “I assure you you’ve nothing to worry about. I…We shall return in as perfect health as we are leaving.”

The Black Mages nodded in agreement. With that, the crowd started to disperse from the station. We said our farewells, I took the reins of the cattle in hand, and we were off into the desert bound northward. As we distanced ourselves from Appleloosa, a strange sense of foreboding started to form in the back of my mind. I cast it off as my usual paranoia, but I see now that that was a bad idea.

We travelled along the track for hours, until the sun began to set. Nothing of interest happened while we were on the trail, unless you count a sandstorm that knocked Mr. 33 to the ground and left Brawny cursing his luck. Once the sun had finally gone down, I decided it best to set up camp and sleep.

I stayed awake all night, watching for hostile creatures…and monitoring our stallion companion. Something about seeing him unconscious started an angry flame in my heart.

I should have killed him then and there, but I didn’t...

Vivi Day Three: Midday Nap

Let me see…I left off when we made it back to town. Oh boy, I can’t stress how happy Boco was to be out of the forest! But I went back to Fluttershy’s house and sat down on my couch/bed. I was really exhausted, considering I never went to sleep the previous night. After running through the woods trying to catch my little bird, I could barely keep my eyes open.

As soon as my rear end hit the couch, I was out like a light.

I remember the dream so vividly that I can tell you exactly what happened. I can even tell you who all was in it. I mean, there weren’t any ponies. They were all my friends from back in Gaia. Every one of them was there. But…so was Kuja…and Queen Brahne. I don’t know what my dream meant, but it was comforting to be able to see and hear them again, even if it wasn’t real.

We were in the theater ship Prima Vista, on the stage deck, performing some sort of play for the queen of Alexandria. In this case, the queen was still Brahne. Kuja stood by her side watching the play, with a weird grin on his face. Brahne looked like she was really having fun watching us perform.

I stood in the center of a large group of rebels, while on the far side of the stage stood a group of soldiers loyal to the throne. In the center of their group stood Dagger, who was tied up with chains, spears held at eye-level to her. The loyal soldiers were angry, to the point where they were prepared to end her life.

Whatever play we were performing, the actors were amazing. Zidane was playing the leader of the rebels, dressed in a light jacket and torn leather boots. He was armed with nothing but a dagger. Amarant was wearing a pair of large spiked gloves, dressed in an iron breastplate, attempting to hold the rebels back from attacking. I was dressed like a child, bloodied and tied up. The rest of the Tantalus crew played the part of the rebels.

We were outnumbered by the guards without a doubt. While Dagger was tied up as a captive, the soldiers around her were decked out in the traditional warrior apparel. Beatrix played the leader of the guards, and held Dagger in place with her broadsword pinned against the captive’s throat. Freya played the part of the commander’s right-hand-woman, ensuring Dagger wouldn’t escape.

Eiko was dressed like a bishop to play the part of the priest that would bless…something. The Knights of Pluto played the rest of the soldiers, quite convincingly really. Quina managed to play the role of—what else?—a chef, who delivered a large pot of soup to the battlefield for the soldiers to eat in comfort. The rebels were meant to starve if not surrender. I watched as all the soldiers besides Freya walked to the side of the stage to enjoy their dinner.

The rebels were sitting around me, while I was forced to stand by a wench pulling on my bonds. I could see Freya staring at the other soldiers with a frown of jealousy on her face. Zidane noticed it too, and stabbed his dagger into the dirt. He leaped to his feet and started approaching the soldiers’ hostage.

Amarant called, “Don’t be an idiot! Those punks won’t hesitate to kill you on a moment’s notice.” He started to stand up, but was dismissed by his captain.

“Hey you, soldier!” Zidane called to the single soldier on duty.

Freya scoffed, “Silence yourself, traitor! Have you forgotten your position?” She drew her spear closer to Dagger’s throat.

The rebel captain raised his hands high, stopping in place abruptly. “I don’t wanna hurt you. I just wanna talk. It’s not like they would care, right?” He nodded toward the guards that were systematically falling asleep after finishing their food.

Freya swung her spear toward the blond-haired traitor, “What have you ungrateful brats done to my comrades?!” She threatened to leap toward her enemy, but controlled her confused anger.

Amarant sighed, “Sleeping weed, soldier. Maybe you’ve heard of it?” He began to approach the tied-up Dagger as Zidane confronted Freya.

The rebel leader laughed, “Confidence was your downfall, soldier. Your comrades were so certain they’d win, they let their guards down.”

Blank dashed over toward Quina and tossed a bag of frogs at him/her. With a cheer, s/he laughed, “I good spy? I feed good?”

“Good job, chef!” Zidane praised the traitorous chef before turning back to the soldier with a smug grin. “You guys didn’t even notice your chef get switched out. Talk about dumb.”

Amarant shattered Dagger’s bonds with his bladed gloves and chuckled, “We’ll just be taking her back now. Go tell your king to hire better help.” In one swift motion, the large brute flung the prisoner over his shoulder and leaped into the air, landing right beside me.

Freya cried, “Do you not understand the consequences of your actions? If this kingdom falls, the world shall fall with it!” She darted toward the group of rebels, but her dash was cut short by a large blade being thrust into the ground. The boards of the stage splintered under the impact.

The soldier was sent flying back to where Dagger had been held captive. From the sky dropped Steiner, wearing solid gold armor and carrying a golden blade in one hand. He jerked the fallen sword into his other and swung them both toward us.

He laughed, “You are all foolish to believe you’ve won! It’s very rare that I must get my hands dirty in a conflict. I expect this to be a good fight!” He started a mad run at us, Zidane and the rest of the Tantalus crew meeting him half way. Amarant ripped me from my bonds and carried me almost off-stage with Dagger.

The soldiers started to wake up as the battle raged on. Freya used her spear to keep them from interfering in the fight. After several heated minutes of stunts and tricks, Steiner let out an ear-shredding wail. Red fluid burst from his breastplate, and he held Zidane’s dagger firmly between his arm and torso. He fell on his back and writhed.

“You uncivilized crooks! You shall soon regret these atrocities you’ve cast upon our world! Behold, in the sky! The beast of the end of days is being born, even now!” He pointed a bloody hand at the red moon, where a large shadow was beginning to form. He let out one final scream before falling silent.

The shadow fell to the stage in a large heavy ball. It was an authentic chunk of Dark Matter. Zidane picked it up from the ground and chuckled, “The ‘beast of the end of days’, you say? Looks like a dirty rock to me. But hey, what do us ‘traitors’ know, anyway?” He started to chuckle lightheartedly.

Then the airship shook violently. I saw Kuja drag Brahne from her throne and shove her back into the castle. He then leaped from the throne onto the stage. He cried, “He’s returned, Zidane!” He pointed a flaming hand into the sky, sending everyone’s eyes upward.

In the foreground of Gaia’s blue moon, another large entity started to grow. It took the shape of a large fountain, spawning claw-like wings and a grotesque humanoid body. I immediately recognized it, just as we all did. At least, those of us who had been unfortunate enough to fight it before…

Necron. The demon that had threatened to end all life in existence. We defeated it in Memoria, but it was here with us now.

My dream ended with Kuja shooting a fireball from his hands at Necron. The demon absorbed the blast without a problem. The airship shook one last time, and I suddenly woke up on Fluttershy’s couch. There was a small white rabbit tapping its foot impatiently in front of my face. It gave me a gentle push, trying to get me awake.

You know, talking about that dream makes me feel weird. I don’t know why, but I just…feel depressed. I have a bad feeling that it could be a vision. Gaia might be in danger of being attacked again. Or maybe Necron will attack this world…

I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t want to know…

Kuja Day Fourteen: A Crushed Conflict

I sat by the campfire all night long, watching the stallion for any sign of suspicious activity. My companions, on the other hand, rested quite comfortably in their bags. I’m not sure what compelled me to watch Brawny, but I slowly developed a sense of dread as the night passed. At one point I even believed there to be figures moving in the distance—hostile figures. Eventually the sun rose over the horizon, and we packed up camp and continued on our way down the tracks.

The day passed in moderate silence. The further we continued down the path, the tenser Brawny seemed to get. Mr. 33 continued on in blissful ignorance of the stallion’s suspicious nature. Mr. 111 frequently sent me silent messages, ensuring I was still keeping my guard up. He was well aware of what I felt now that we’d been in Brawny’s presence for over a day. I was glad to have at least one other companion on my side in this scenario.

It was funny, to tell the truth. He attempted to not act suspicious, and yet that very attempt is what gave him away to me. He tried so hard to look innocent that, when it became revealed that he was a traitor, 33 was the only member of our group to actually be surprised. I can still hear his quavering voice as I approached those bandits.

Just as the sun was beginning its slow decline into the horizon of the west, we approached the stretch of train tracks connecting the Appleloosa and Ponyville sides of Ghastly Gorge. Ah, it was a beautiful sight. To look over the emptiness of the gorge and see the orange sunlight beaming blissfully into its reaches was comforting.

I stopped to take in the sight for a few moments while the others continued on. It was truly unusual. I couldn’t remember ever once stopping to enjoy the Gaian scenery. This world felt different in so many ways, it almost brought out my inner poet. In this situation, however, I hadn’t enough time to so much as write a haiku. A plea for help rang out from the far end of the tracks.

This is where the fun truly begins. Mr. 33 and 111 were being tied up in thick cords by a group of animals that looked similar to dogs. Brawny stood in front of the chaotic group, facing me, a small metal object held firmly in the cleft of one hoof. He had an excited glint in his eyes. Mr. 33 was squirming violently against his bonds, while 111 just stood like a log and waited. He knew this would be a simple endeavor, even if I did not agree.

I started to approach the group of bandits, my hands placed resolutely by my side. I chuckled, continuously getting louder as I progressed, “Are you attempting to steal the shipment of apples, dear Brawny? I must say I’m disappointed in your work ethic, especially for a small town pony of your caliber. After all, this is an amateur’s game.” I slowly stepped toward their end of the bridge, monitoring Mr. 111 for signs of hostility. He remained calm and collected, as if he were barely bothered by the bonds.

Brawny scoffed, “What are you going on about, freak? Looks to me like it worked, didn’t it?” He thrust the hoof holding the metal object away from his body. He held it with a tight grip, pointing a long tube toward me. He had a grin as if he were victorious already.

I tittered tauntingly, “A truly brutal bandit would’ve slaughtered every last citizen of the town and taken all of their resources without a second thought! You’re just a petty thief that can’t even handle a small caravan without a group of foolish lackeys. What even are those creatures you’ve manipulated?” I maintained a steady pace, ever advancing toward the hostages and traitor.

The stallion groaned, “I ain’t a bandit, fella! I ain’t stealing nothing! These here Diamond Dogs trade my safe passage over the gorge for information on valuable shipments passing through.” He waved the metal object toward the beasts before pointing in my direction once more.

One of the monsters grumbled, “Can we just kill ‘em now?” He yanked on 111’s bonds, drawing him closer to the cliff of the gorge. 111 didn’t make any type of resisting movement.

“If you truly believe that you’ve won—that you can return to Appleloosa without us—you are a fool. You see, perhaps you aren’t aware of what we’re capable of.” I bowed my head and raised my hands, beginning a madman’s laugh. “Mr. 111, would you do the honors?!”

“Gladly!” 111 shouted back at me.

He snapped his fingers, and in the instant the ropes were consumed in fire. The bonds immediately incinerated, the Diamond Dog captor lighting up with them. 111 darted toward Brawny with lightning-fast speed, but he was intercepted by another one of the canine beasts. He swiftly punched the ground, and the guardian dog was tossed into the air by a spike of rock shooting from the ground.

In his confusion, Brawny dropped the metal object he’d been holding and started a mad dash away from the bridge. Too bad for him, really. 111 waved a circle in the air with an angry fist, and the remainder of the bandits was swallowed by heavy gusts of wind. The vortexes slowly inched toward the gorge, threatening to drop each beast over the edge, preferably to their deaths.

Brawny squealed, “Don’t do this, fella! What’ll the townsfolk think if I don’t come back?!” He struggled against the razor wind, but found he was powerless.

I simply chuckled, “I can explain it quite simply. You were a traitor, and your bandits are dead. You shan’t bother Appleloosa again.” I nodded at 111, and he nodded back.

“You messed with the wrong Black Mage, idiot.” The mage closed his hand quickly, and the gusts of wind darted over the gorge. The wind disappeared, sending the creatures into its deep reaches, just as the sun fell below the horizon. All of them aside from Brawny.

The moon’s bright light shined into it, showing me their fates. Considering the mysterious force in this world, I didn’t believe they were dead. They fell directly into the water at the bottom of the gorge, a would-be fatal fall if we’d been on Gaia. This world was different. I didn’t believe I had killed them. I simply removed their threat for an indeterminable amount of time.

I continued my victorious stride over toward the only remaining captive of the wind, who was released once my hand clasped his throat. He tried to pry my hands apart with his hooves, but my grip was much more powerful than his pitiful muscles could bear. His eyes shined with sheen of fear, and my heart fluttered at the sight.

For a few moments, I considered crushing his neck and ending his life personally. It only took one glance toward Mr. 33 to see that that wasn’t as option. As much as I hated it at the time, his presence kept me from making a terrible mistake. I wasn’t—I’m not—a murderer anymore. Not in this world.

At any rate, the stallion choked out, “Please…don’t…kill…me! I’m...sorry!” He kicked his legs forward, desperately struggling to breath.

I hesitated for a moment before finally releasing my grip. He fell to the ground with a thud, taking a painfully deep breath. I sighed, “As much as I truly wish to end your life, I’m afraid I cannot bring myself to do so. You are a lucky man, Brawny.” I ran a hand through my hair and looked up to the bright white of the Equestrian moon. I continued, “If this were another time, in another life, I would have murdered you before we even left the tavern.”

The terrified stallion fell to the ground at my feet and groaned, “Th-thank you, fella! I’m terribly sorry for all this ruckus! I…” He fell silent, uncertain of how to proceed in his apology.

I scoffed, kicking dirt his direction, “Get the hell out of my sight before I change my mind, you imbecile! If we ever cross paths again, I will not hesitate to end your meaningless life!” In the instant, all of my repressed anger over the last few weeks in this world suddenly exploded in the back of my mind. It took all I had not to Trance at that moment. I felt the rage swelling inside my body.

I was…frightened. I was scaring myself. I…didn’t want to Trance. I didn’t want to get angry. I didn’t want to hurt this world like I did to my home…

Needless to say, Brawny rushed out of my sight before I could end the internal struggle between anger and peace. When I finally calmed down, Mr. 33 and 111 were standing in front of me, guiding our cattle across the bridge.

The former of the mages stopped beside me and cheered, “You made the right choice Kuja! I’m proud of ya!” He continued leading the caravan down the tracks as I tried to hurry my recovery.

Mr. 111 waited by my side. He groaned, “This isn’t good, Kuja. Can you feel that?”

I sighed, “The Mist gathering?”

“Yes. Before, I wasn’t sure if it was Mist. It felt similar, but it wasn’t as stale.”

“And now, there’s no doubt. Only Mist can allow for Trance. Only Mist can allow for puppets like us to live.”

“If Mist is gathering in this world, could we be the reason?”

“I’d rather die again.”

“Same here. This world doesn’t deserve the evils that come with Mist.”

“Let’s not concern ourselves with speculation, 111. If it is Mist, then we’ll know soon enough.”

I rose to my feet and started staggering after 33. We continued down the tracks until we reached the edge of a dark forest. Based on the map I had seen before departing from Appleloosa, we were at the Everfree Forest. Ponyville proper waited just beyond the trees, and so we set up camp for the evening. We would conclude the first half of our journey the next day, and be back in Appleloosa before another three-day cycle.

We’d made good time, honestly. Only two days in and we were less than a mile from our destination.

Certainly, the forest had several things to say about that...

Vivi Day Three: Taking a Stroll

Okay, I’m feeling a lot better now. Fluttershy just made us some midnight snacks, so I’m not as sad anymore… I gotta admit, she reminds me a lot of Zidane, how she likes to sit up and talk to people about their problems. But anyway, I left off just after my nap, right? Really, nothing too extraordinary happened before I ended up at Sweet Apple Acres, but I did take a pleasant walk around town. Not that I meant to take the walk, I just kept getting lost. It’s a little sad, considering this is such a small place.

The little white bunny stood right in front of my face, tapping its foot and glaring angrily at me. I’d never seen a rabbit so angry; I was honestly a little scared. Anyway, once I finally regained my senses, the realization that the animal was mad jolted me fully awake, and I let out a loud gasp of shock. I was pretty slow to the draw, but I hadn’t slept at all the previous night.

When I let out my gasp, a frightened squeak called, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you…” Fluttershy was over in the far corner of room, which happened to serve as a kitchen for her small home.

She was preparing a large bowl of fruits and vegetables, assumedly to eat for lunch or dinner. It dawned on me that I had no idea how long I’d been asleep. “Oh, it’s okay! Say…what time is it?” I adjusted my hat, smoothing out the wrinkles.

The rabbit rolled its eyes impatiently while Fluttershy poked her head out of the window. The Pegasus mumbled, “It’s a little past noon. You sure can sleep a lot Vivi.” She finished shredding a carrot onto the pile of juicy health foods and placed the bowl on the table beside the couch I was sitting on.

The little rabbit bounced up on the arm of the chair where my head was resting and started kicking me rapidly. It had an angry frown plastered on its tiny face. It moved its mouth as if to scold me for some reason, and continued to bounce on the arm of the chair beside me.

“Angel dear, be nice to our guest.” The bunny’s owner waved a disappointed hoof at it. The animal suddenly stopped its kicking and slumped down on the chair’s arm. It slowly started to nibble on the veggies in the bowl.

I sat upright a stretched a cautious hand toward Angel, wanting to pet it. It turned around violently and shook a tiny fist at me before spinning back to its lunch. I dropped my hand to my side and chuckled, “It’s a feisty little thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, he’s always been a handful. But I absolutely adore him!” My host placed a hoof gently on the rabbit’s head and started to scratch just behind his ear. To be honest, it made me feel bad because he acted like he hated me.

I chuckled, “It’s always nice to have a pet that loves you by your side. That’s why I’m glad Boco is still with me.” I got up from my seat and stretched, the contour of the furniture starting to bother me.

Fluttershy took a seat in a large armchair across from me. She asked, “Who’s Boco? Is he a new pet?”

It dawned on me that the only name she’d heard him referred to was Bobby Corwen, since Pinkie Pie gave him his nickname the morning before. I scratched my head and sighed, “Oh, that’s my chocobo’s new name. It’s a lot easier to say.”

She giggled, “It’s a nice name, and a cute animal. How did he end up being your pet?” She looked out the window toward the chicken coop, where Boco had been sleeping the last few nights.

I told her the story of the Black Mage Village back home, and how two of the residents had found a chocobo egg in the forest and decided to take care of it. They stayed behind to care for it even after everyone else had left to live longer lives. Those two were so happy when it finally hatched, and after our battle was over, the mages passed away. The Genomes sent me the baby chocobo as a gift for my kids.

“That’s a sad story…” she remarked after I had finished telling the tale. I guess in a way it was sad, because all of the mages stopped moving.

I sighed, “Not really sad. They passed away happy, knowing that Bobby Corwen would be safe.” I wanted to believe that, honestly.

“What were their names—the mages?”

I smiled as I cheered, “Mr. 33 and Mr. 111! They were my best friends as far as people like me went.” To say their names made me feel better. I can’t say why.

Her eyes widened and she gasped, “Those names remind me: Applejack and Big Macintosh want to talk to you! They asked me to tell you to go over to their farm so you could talk in private.” She tapped a hoof on her forehead, seemingly disappointed that she’d forgotten the message so quickly.

I chuckled, “That makes sense. Big Macintosh told me last night that they’d met some black mages just like me. I’d like to ask a few questions.” I started a slow walk for the door. “They must be busy running a farm. I don’t wanna keep them waiting too long.”

“I hope you get to see your friends again Vivi. If Applejack says she’s met them then they have to be here.” Her expression and tone were of genuine excitement. It may not have been excitement for her situation, but excitement for me. I haven’t met many people like her in my life.

I nodded to her and left the house, Boco darting up to me and pecking wildly at my legs. I sighed, “You wanna come with me pal?” He kept nodding his head from me to the white bunny on the couch in the house.

He fluttered his wings and chirped, “Kweh-kweh!” He darted into the house and leaped at the bunny before Fluttershy nodded her farewell. I closed the door behind me and hurried off.

My mind was occupied by a single thought as I started my trek into town. I couldn’t understand why someone would feel such emotion over someone else’s situation, especially when it didn’t actually benefit them… Maybe she was just such a nice person that she liked seeing others happy. That was definitely a moderately rare sight in Gaia.

Another problem took over my thoughts as I reached the Ponyville town proper: I had no clue which way Sweet Apple Acres was. While it shouldn’t have been too hard to find it in such a small place, I began to grow extremely nervous. The time I wandered into an Alexandrian alleyway came to mind. I got yelled at by a sign maker, tackled by a rat-boy, and learned how to play cards with a four-armed thief…

I stopped in the dead center of the town square and looked around, hoping to find some sign to lead me to the farm. There were plenty of signs, but they were all for the different stalls and businesses in the small area. I noticed the familiar Sugarcube Corner to the side of the plaza, but beyond that all the buildings were foreign to me. I couldn’t help but wonder just how long it would take me to get to the farm, hoping my hosts weren’t getting too impatient with me.

After a few minutes of thinking and looking, I decided to ask for directions to the farm. I felt like an idiot, but I didn’t want to risk getting lost at all. I adjusted my hat and stomped into the pink building that flooded with the smell of pastries.

I was greeted by a voice, “Howdy there Vivi! Can I help you with something?” A tall yellow stallion stood behind a counter of tiny pastries on the far end of the room. He wore a small red and white top hat and a matching vest. One of the pastries in front of him had the exact same design as his clothes.

I started a slow walk up to the counter and chuckled, “Hey Mr. Cake. You couldn’t tell me how to get to Sweet Apple Acres, could you? This town’s still a little confusing…” I lowered my gaze, expecting him to laugh at me. After all, in such a small town, how could anyone get lost?

He looked up for a few seconds and said, “Well, the Acres are on the far edge of town, just about the opposite side of the Everfree Forest. If you keep following the road away from Everfree, you’re bound to get there eventually.” He then waved a hoof in a ‘you’re welcome’ sort of way.

“Thanks! I still haven’t gotten used to this place, but I’m working on it…” I turned around, nodded farewell, and set out again. All I needed to do was follow the road.

So I did. I got back on the road and hurried off. I didn’t get too far before I reached a part of town I was entirely unfamiliar with. I vaguely recognized the white-wash of the hospital I visited after first coming to town, but everything else was foreign. I figured it couldn’t be too hard to just find a farm somewhere in a small town, so I pressed onward.

After a few more yards, something struck me as I walked down the road. I caught a glimpse of a small orange blur moving rapidly past me, and the next thing I know I was spinning wildly in place. I spun for a few seconds and fell flat on my face, dizzy and slightly in pain. I turned around just in time to see the blur stop in place to talk to another pony. They were both children by the looks of it, ‘fillies’ if I remember the terminology right. The one that hit me was a Pegasus on a plank of wood with wheels.

Strange.

Anyway, after my head stopped spinning, I stood back up and dusted myself off. Of course, after being spun around in an already unfamiliar place, I had no clue where I was. I couldn’t tell which way I’d come from, or which way I was originally going. I shrugged my shoulders, let out a defeated sigh, and picked a direction to walk.

I guess I chose right, because the buildings started to thin out and give way to nature. And finally, after walking another few minutes, I reached the small white fence of what I assumed was the farm I’d been looking for. My suspicions were happily confirmed when the sign on the archway above the fence gate told me the name of the farm.

In retrospect, I didn’t get as lost as I thought I did, but it still felt like it took forever to get to the orchard. Sitting just outside of a large farmhouse was an old green mare, her gray mane tied up in a bun. She rocked lazily back and forth in her chair, looking out over the orchard. I kind of envied her relaxed state, seeing her just sitting back without a care in the world. Or at least, that’s how she looked.

A familiar voice broke me from my thoughts suddenly, causing me to flinch. Big Macintosh stood in front of me, opening the fence gate and welcoming me in.

“Welcome to the Acres, Vivi. Glad ya could make it.” He placed a hoof on my shoulder and guided me in.

I’m starting to get a little sleepy, but I need to finish this entry. I guess I’ll go get some fresh air and wake up before I get some important details mixed up.

Kuja Day Fifteen: Arrival at Last

The night passed in peace. We slept comfortably in our bags, just outside the borders of the Everfree Forest, with cool wind blowing on us. The late night moonlight showed me the trees with a special viewpoint, in a way I’d never imagined nature before. It became obvious that I was changing. My appreciation for the beauty of the world was something I’d never truly had before my time here.

When the sun finally rose above the horizon and woke us with its warm rays, we packed up camp and headed into the forest. It’s true, we could’ve continued along the tracks and travelled around the forest, but that would’ve directly taken longer, and I felt like finishing our quest as soon as mortally possible. Of course, looking back, things would’ve been a hell of a lot simpler had we just stayed on the steel…

It took us literal seconds before the sour fortune hit. Before we were even out of sight of the tree line, Mr. 33 triggered a pitfall trap that ensnared both of my companions. When I say ‘ensnared’, I truly mean it swallowed them into a deep pit of indefinite depth. After mere moments, even their cries for help were drowned out. It truly saddened me to even consider the possibility of their deaths, so I had no choice but to stop the caravan and pursue them.

Of course, it would have been quite foolish to simply jump into the pit after them. I scoured the immediate area for any type of cavern or trail that lead downward, but I found nothing. I had almost gotten to the point of giving up hope and carrying on, until a burst of flames poured out from behind a large boulder in the distance. I couldn’t fathom any other cause of such an intense pyre aside from the mages, and so I hurried to the blockade.

My assistance was very obviously not required, as the boulder combusted into dust before I could even come anywhere near. Just as I had expected, both of my companions stumbled from the concealed cavern, rips and tears scattered about their garments. It took everything in my power to not let out a relieved sigh. The last thing I needed was to come off as a sensitive soul in this dark forest.

It was strange. My eyes focused on our surroundings as the mages approached me. Though the world outside had been peaceful and full of beauty, this forest seemed as if it had been made of pure evil. Everything within was of a dark nature, with colors significantly more morbid than those of Appleloosa and Ghastly Gorge. I could feel an unnerving aura about the area, sending shivers down my spine.

Mr. 111 chuckled, “I think we got more than we bargained for, Kuja. First we get partnered with a bandit, and then there’re traps everywhere.” He ran an arm across his face, clearing it of dust.

Mr. 33 groaned, “We set off dozens of tripwires down there!” He slumped over with his arms dangling toward his feet. “I think the traps are out for a reason…”

“Same here. Whoever set them up is obviously trying to hide something.” The more mature mage cracked his knuckles in a challenging manner. “Maybe we oughta find out what it is?”

“No.” I snapped instinctively. “They aren’t hiding anything. These traps are new. I believe they are for protection. I imagine this forest contains many gruesome beasts.” I raised a hand dominantly and whispered, “Stay silent, and watch your step.”

We quickly returned to the caravan’s post and took up the reigns, Mr. 33 doing most of the work. We continued on down the trail away from the tree line, wanting nothing more than to get out of the forsaken environment. We carried on for a few minutes in relative peace. I began to hear strange noises in the distance, which in turn sent my heart racing. Something about this place set me on edge and multiplied any rational fear to be infinitely worse.

I darted my eyes all about, watching for traps and triggers. I shifted my focus on the distant noises temporarily, wondering just what the cause was.

And then it hit me.

More accurately, the source tackled me with a head-butt and sent me flying almost ten yards into a solid oak tree. My muscles locked up, removing my ability to move. On top of that, my voice failed to work. I could tell from my viewpoint that I was collapsed in an unnatural heap at the base of the tree. I was able to watch the beast toss Mr. 33 aside like a ragdoll, while Mr. 111 took up my fallen sword and clashed with the creature.

The beast had the body of a lion, while a set of intimidating bat wings stretched wide from its back. A scorpion’s tail swung wildly from side to side as its owner continued to press forward against its opponent. The beast was a prime example of a manticore, fiercer than any I’d seen on Gaia. I could sense that it wasn’t acting of its own rational thought, and rather fueled by a muddled mind. The beast wasn’t itself.

They battled for several moments in an intense display of strength and tact.

The manticore’s paw and my blade held one another in place temporarily, until the monster swung its free paw at Mr. 111. In a quick reaction, the mage did a somersault to the side and met the offending paw with the blade of my sword. Before the metal could slice through, the beast swatted it aside with its tail, then proceeding to bare its claws. Mr. 111 gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, placing his free hand on its blade.

As the manticore pounced at the resisting mage, my sword shot out a beam of solid darkness, piercing into the offender’s arm. Upon landing, the beast let out a loud wail and charged toward Mr. 111. The mage raised his weapon forward and charged the opposite direction. The two forces collided head on.

The blade let out an intense golden light for several seconds, blinding me and cutting me off from the full action. I heard the manticore roar, and my companion let out a loud groan. Once the light faded and my sight returned, I noticed Mr. 111 on the ground, my sword resting barely an inch out of my reach. At some point in the blind fight, the beast must have disarmed him. In doing so, it almost disarmed me…

It reared back and readied its fangs to dig into the mage’s flesh. It let out another loud, victorious roar, and then began a downward arc at its victim. I closed my eyes instantly, unable to tolerate watching the poor puppet suffer a second death.

I waited for a few moments, until the beast let out a loud, frightened whimper. The patter of paws sped past me, as the trotting of hooves approached.

“Be gone you wretched beast! I do not fear you, not in the least!” An exotic voice called out into the trees, following the direction of the manticore’s whimpers.

I opened my eyes once a gentle hoof touched my shoulder. Above me stood a black-and-white pony with golden bangles around its neck and hooves. It wore a brown cloak and held an assortment of flowers in one hoof. I tried to speak, but found myself still mute from the impact on the tree. I managed to catch a glimpse of Mr. 111 regaining his footing, as well as Mr. 33 taking up the reigns once more.

The pony tittered, “You should take more caution in these trees, stranger. The recent days have brought to us more danger.” I recognized the voice as feminine. The pony took her free hoof and jabbed me in the chest seemingly as hard as she could. The pain sent a jolt of electricity through my body, and I was mobile almost instantly.

I groaned, “You could have warned me!” I gripped my chest tightly as the pain slowly subsided. I then realized my voice returned, which made my anger give way to happiness.

Before the pony could respond, Mr. 111 scoffed, “Thanks for saving us, but what the hell was that thing?” He stretched the arm he’d used to swing the sword, its sleeve almost ripped completely off.

She took a few steps away from our caravan before sighing, “That was a manticore of the highest breed—its behavior has been suspicious recently, indeed. Things are changing in this forest of Everfree; greater beasts are being born, as you can see.” She shook her head in disappointment before turning away from us.

“Thank you for saving us. We need to be on our way before that beast returns. I suggest you do the same, miss.” I scanned the immediate area for even more danger, but nothing immediate appeared to me.

“My name is Zecora, and I agree. You must leave this forest of Everfree…” With that, she darted off into the darkness of the forest.

I started on my way and snapped, “Let’s go. I grow sick of this forest and the aura it comes with. Let’s be on our way, and never again approach these cursed trees.” I stomped off, the mages close behind.

Mr. 33 rolled his neck and moaned, “Sounds good to me.”

“I won’t argue with that choice, Kuja.” Mr. 111 tried to keep pace with me as we continued on. He carried my blade ready in his hand for another attack.

As we continued on, he continued to send me silent messages with his expressions. I could tell he was disturbed, and I understood his perturbation without a word. I knew what he wanted to say, but didn’t know how to say. I wanted to do the same. Neither of us wanted to say it, because it would then suddenly become real to us.

That monster may have belonged to Equestria before, but it was almost definitely enhanced by an unnatural force. It had to have been Mist.

Less than ten minutes after our meeting with Zecora, we reached the edge of the forest and caught a glimpse of the setting sun. Not one-hundred yards in front of us stood a large red farmhouse, and on the opposite side of it sat hundreds of apple trees. Upon seeing the apples shine in the sunset, I let out a relieved sigh.

Mr. 33 cheered, “Yay, we’re finally here! I can’t wait to meet the Apple family!” He picked up his pace without hesitation, wanting to reach the farm as soon as possible.

Mr. 111 chuckled, “The tracks would have taken us right through the orchard, Kuja.” He waved a hand toward the barely visible train tracks in the distance. “I guess what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”

“How very right you are, 111. I never knew you had skill with a blade. I pegged Black Mages as physically useless puppets.” I smiled slyly at the weary wizard.

He scoffed, “Don’t assume things. It makes an ass out of you and me, as the saying goes. Now, what do you say we catch up to that naïve bastard and finish our job?” He nodded toward Mr. 33, blissfully advancing toward the building.

“I’ve never heard such a beautiful idea in all of my second life…” My fatigue from the last few days struck me instantly. It took every ounce of willpower not to collapse in an unconscious ball in that very spot.

Supporting one another as we stumbled on in exhaustion, Mr. 111 and I caught up to our companion as he knocked on the farmhouse door for a third time. When the door finally opened, an orange mare greeted us with shocked eyes. She removed her Stetson hat and offered a greeting.

Before she could begin her hello, I collapsed right in front of her hooves, barely conscious. The last thing I remember before waking up was feeling 111’s weight on top of me.

Vivi Day Three: Apple Family Dinner

Ugh…I can barely keep my eyes open. I think I’ll keep this entry short and to the point. No garbage, just the important facts. Not much happened, honestly. We ate dinner and Applejack started asking me about the mages Big Macintosh mentioned last night.

The red stallion escorted me into the large farmhouse, where I was greeted by the smell of pancakes and two mares, both busy working in the small kitchen area to prepare the family’s dinner. The taller orange one with a yellow mane I immediately recognized as Applejack and the smaller peach-colored one with a red mane that I recognized from my little encounter in the city plaza.

How did she get there before me if I…? I guess it’s too late to worry about that now…

Anyway, the two greeted me with wide open grins, while my escort guided me toward a large oak table in the center of the room. It had a nice red-and-white checkered tablecloth lain over it, which only added to the southern-living effect. About the time I got sat down, my stomach started to grumble…embarrassingly loud, I might add.

Big Macintosh chuckled, “You hungry, fella? My sister sure can cook up some tasty pancakes.” He sent a confirming nod toward Applejack, who scanned the comment for any sign of insincerity.

She scoffed, “Darn tootin’! I’m the best cook this side o’ Ponyville!” She pulled several plates from a shelf above the stove and began to distribute the large stack of pancakes beside her evenly.

I felt a little weird. I mean, there I was just intruding on what I’m sure was a special Apple Family tradition. Then again, I also felt comfortable. I dunno, this world’s been doing strange things to me, and that moment was no different. I felt out of place, and yet I felt as if I belonged.

Whether I should’ve been or not, I was blessed with a small stack of pancakes as Applejack went around the table. Once she’d been settled in to the table, the ponies went to town on the pancakes. I was left to wonder about the green mare that had been sitting outside, but my hunger immediately drew me to follow their examples.

It’s understandable that they would dig in like that. After all, two of them worked in the fields all day while the other was a growing child. And there I was, a puppet who didn’t even have a real stomach, joining in their dinner. But it was delicious!

The blend of apple and cinnamon was to die for! Then again, I’m sure that the Apple Family was great at cooking just about anything with southern flare. Looking back, it’s kind of weird that we had pancakes for dinner…

I was almost finished with my second pancake when the others shoved their plates away with content sighs. After a second of letting of their stomachs rest, Applejack cheered, “Applebloom, be a darlin’ and get the pies off the counter, would ya?”

“Sure thang sis!” came the enthusiastic reply. At almost break-neck speed, the filly was out of sight.

While the youngest of the family was out of the room, Big Macintosh sighed, “Ya sure outdid yerself this time, AJ.” He patted his stomach in assurance of the meal’s quality. “Whatcha think, Vivi?”

Finishing the last bit of my second pancake, I chuckled, “They’re really delicious! But uh…how’d you eat them so fast? They’re so rich…”

Applejack whistled in reply, “When ya’ve been eatin’ em as long as we have, ya get used to em.” She grinned at the reassurance that her cooking was fantastic.

Applebloom zipped back into the room, four pies balancing dangerously on one hoof. She cheered, “Here ya go sis! I hope y’all like em!”

Big Macintosh sent a curious look toward the sitting sister. She clarified, “Applebloom made these all by herself. First time, ain’t that right?”

“Sure is! I hope they ain’t too bad…” The suspenseful doubt beamed from the cute filly’s eyes.

I continued nibbling away at my pancakes while the ponies eagerly downed their pies. The scent of apples and cherries flooded the room. I couldn’t help but admire the working ponies’ appetites. I’ve never been one to eat much. I’ve never really needed to eat. But they ate like they deserved every last bite, and considering they grew the apples used to make them, they really did.

I don’t know why I keep getting off on these tangents. I just…I’m in a really hazy mood. Anyway, by the time they’d finished their desserts, I was taking my last bite of pancake. Just like before, they shoved the dishes aside and kicked back in their chairs, letting their stomachs settle.

The older ponies offered words of praise to the youngest one, congratulating her on preparing such a fine dish. And once the flattery was out of the way, the two adults turned on me.

“So you’re one of them fellas that came over a few weeks back, ain’t ya?” Applejack snapped.

Caught off guard by the sudden question, I stammered, “Y-yeah, I suppose so. I’m a Black Mage, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Big Macintosh chuckled, “You look pretty similar to em. ‘Cept you’re a little short.” He raised a hoof to symbolize the height of the previous guests.

His sister continued, “And you sure do act a lot shyer. O’ course, they had that white-haired fella keeping an eye on em.” She mimicked the ‘white-haired guy’s’ posture, sitting up straight with a blank expression.

I sighed, “You don’t remember their names, do you?”

Applebloom giggled, “The weird fella’s name was Kuja! He used a lot of fancy words and liked to act dramatic!” My would-be heart skipped a beat. Confirmation. Kuja isn’t exactly a name someone just comes up with out of nowhere. I knew at that moment that it had to be the real him.

Her older sister sighed, “And them others—the ones like you—didn’t go by names. They called each other numbers. I think it was 33 and 111…”

And there it was. If I was about to do anything, I lost it right there. I remember zoning out, everything around me fading away. I wasn’t alone. There were other Black Mages. There were other people I could relate to. Even Kuja had something in common with me. All I needed to do was find out where they were.

The instant I snapped back to reality, I asked, “Do you know where they are?”

Big Macintosh groaned, “They’re off in Appleloosa helpin’ cousin Braeburn take care of a little bandit problem.” He shook his head at the thought of crime running rampant in such a peaceful area.

Applejack continued, “Got a letter a few days back saying they was gonna make another delivery before too long. I figure anywhere in the next week they’ll be showin’ up.” She thought for a few moments before adding, “Hopefully in better shape than before.”

Patience. I would need patience. If I just waited, they’d show up in Ponyville before long. And then any sliver of doubt would be completely erased. I cheered, “Thanks a lot for telling me that! I can’t wait to see them again!” Believe it or not, I was even excited at the thought of seeing Kuja.

Applebloom giggled, “Ya sure do get excited, dontcha Mister?”

“I haven’t seen them in months. It’ll be nice to catch up…” I scratched the back of my head, a little embarrassed by my outburst.

Applejack whistled, “It’s getting’ late fella. You might wanna head back to Fluttershy’s before it gets dark.” She waved a hoof toward the window, which had orange light beaming through. I couldn’t believe how late it’d gotten since I’d arrived.

Without saying anything, I nodded and headed toward the door. Before I could get there, I was intercepted by the dessert-baking filly, who essentially shoved the pie she’d made into my hands. Without saying a word, she zipped back to the table to join her siblings. With a nod, I headed on my way.

And now I’m here, lying on the couch, listening to Fluttershy sing a song to her pets. It’s a nice lullaby, actually. We shared my pie between the two of us and some of the more-special pets. Then she made sat up and listened to me ramble on about the Black Mages back home. Now I just wanna sleep.

I’m so tired… I think I could sleep for days…

Days…that’d be funny…

Kuja Day Fifteen: Premonition?

I’m not certain whether it would count as the fifteenth or sixteenth day of my time here in Equestria. However, it was perhaps the single most memorable part of our journey to Ponyville. The dream was so vivid that I awoke soaked in sweat, the Black Mages gathered around attempting to silence my screams. I’m referring to the nightmare—no, it was more of a prediction—I had on the night we arrived at Sweet Apple Acres.

I stood upon a balcony on the northern side of Alexandria Castle. Beside me sat Queen Brahne, amused by whatever was playing out in front of her. I looked on, watching as so many familiar faces scrambled about the stage. They were performing a play for the entire kingdom. It was one of Lord Avon’s lesser-known works, if memory serves correctly.

There before us, the members of the Tantalus crew, as well as several of Zidane’s companions, carried themselves as if truly the characters they were portraying. I was impressed by their poetic reciting of the work.

They were on the theater ship Prima Vista, on the stage deck. There was a large group of rebels on one side, while the far side of the stage housed a group of soldiers loyal to the throne. In the center of the soldiers’ group stood Princess Garnet, who was tied up with chains, spears held at her eye-level. The loyal soldiers were angry, to the point where they were prepared to end her life.

Zidane was playing the leader of the rebels, dressed in a light jacket and torn leather boots. He was armed with nothing but a dagger. A companion of his, Amarant, was wearing a pair of large spiked gloves, dressed in an iron breastplate, attempting to hold the rebels back from attacking. There was another actor, dressed like a child, bloodied and tied up. The rest of the Tantalus crew played the part of the rebels.

The rebels were clearly outnumbered by the guards. While Garnet was tied up as a captive, the soldiers around her were decked out in the traditional warrior apparel. General Beatrix played the leader of the guards, and held Garnet in place with her broadsword pinned against the captive’s throat. Another of the monkey’s companions, Freya, played the part of the commander’s right-hand-woman, ensuring Garnet wouldn’t escape.

The summoner child, Eiko, was dressed like a bishop to play the part of the priest that would bless something on the battlefield. The Knights of Pluto played the parts of the rest of the soldiers, quite convincingly if I’m to be honest. Zidane’s gluttonous Qu companion, Quina, managed to play the role of a chef, who delivered a large pot of soup to the battlefield for the soldiers to eat in comfort. The rebels were meant to starve if not surrender. I watched as majority of the soldiers, excluding Freya, stepped to the side of the stage to enjoy their dinner.

The rebels were sitting around the child, while he was forced to stand by a wench pulling on his bonds. I could see Freya staring at the other soldiers with a scowl of jealousy on her face. Zidane noticed it too, and stabbed his dagger into the dirt. He leaped to his feet and started approaching the soldiers’ hostage.

Amarant called, “Don’t be an idiot! Those punks won’t hesitate to kill you on a moment’s notice.” He started to stand up, but was dismissed by his captain.

“Hey you, soldier!” Zidane called to the single soldier on duty.

Freya scoffed, “Silence yourself, traitor! Have you forgotten your position?” She drew her spear closer to Dagger’s throat.

The rebel captain raised his hands high, stopping in place abruptly. “I don’t wanna hurt you. I just wanna talk. It’s not like they would care, right?” He nodded toward the guards that were systematically falling asleep after finishing their food.

Freya swung her spear toward the blond-haired traitor, “What have you ungrateful brats done to my comrades?!” She threatened to leap toward her enemy, but controlled her confused anger.

Amarant sighed, “Sleeping weed, soldier. Maybe you’ve heard of it?” He began to approach the tied-up Garnet as Zidane confronted Freya.

The rebel leader laughed, “Confidence was your downfall, soldier. Your comrades were so certain they’d win, they let their guards down.”

Blank, a member of Tantalus, dashed over toward Quina and tossed a bag of frogs at him/her. With a cheer, s/he laughed, “I good spy? I feed good?”

“Good job, chef!” Zidane praised the traitorous chef before turning back to the soldier with a smug grin. “You guys didn’t even notice your chef get switched out. Talk about dumb.”

Amarant shattered Garnet’s bonds with his bladed gloves and chuckled, “We’ll just be taking her back now. Go tell your king to hire better help.” In one swift motion, the large brute flung the prisoner over his shoulder and leaped into the air, landing right beside the child.

Freya cried, “Do you not understand the consequences of your actions? If this kingdom falls, the world shall fall with it!” She darted toward the group of rebels, but her dash was cut short by a large blade being thrust into the ground. The boards of the stage splintered under the impact.

The soldier was sent flying back to where Garnet had been held captive. From the sky dropped Steiner, another Alexandrian general and friend of Zidane’s, wearing solid gold armor and carrying a golden blade in one hand. He jerked the fallen sword into his other and swung them both toward the rebels.

He laughed, “You are all foolish to believe you’ve won! It’s very rare that I must get my hands dirty in a conflict. I expect this to be a good fight!” He started a mad run at them, Zidane and the rest of the Tantalus crew meeting him half way. Amarant ripped the child from his bonds and carried him almost off-stage with Dagger.

I suddenly recognized the actor playing the child. It was none other than the single Black Mage that had escaped his own fate. Vivi, a prototype of a Mark II Black Mage. He had been designed for slightly longer life. His eyes met mine, and in an instant I was aware of something greater. He seemed more real than the others. It was almost as if he had really been there in the dream, not just something created by my mind…

The soldiers started to wake up as the battle raged on. Freya used her spear to keep them from interfering in the fight. After several heated minutes of stunts and tricks, Steiner let out an ear-shredding wail. Red fluid burst from his breastplate, and he held Zidane’s dagger firmly between his arm and torso. He fell on his back and writhed.

“You uncivilized crooks! You shall soon regret these atrocities you’ve cast upon our world! Behold, in the sky! The beast of the end of days is being born, even now!” He pointed a bloody hand at the red moon, where a large shadow was beginning to form. He let out one final scream before falling silent.

The shadow fell to the stage in a large heavy ball. It was an authentic chunk of Dark Matter. Zidane picked it up from the ground and chuckled, “The ‘beast of the end of days’, you say? Looks like a dirty rock to me. But hey, what do us ‘traitors’ know, anyway?” He started to chuckle lightheartedly.

Then the airship shook violently. Almost instinctively, I pulled Brahne from her throne and shoved her back into the castle. I subconsciously leaped from the throne onto the stage and cried, “He’s returned, Zidane!” I was consumed by a burst of Trance, generating my red aura, and pointed a flaming hand into the sky, sending everyone’s eyes upward.

In the foreground of Gaia’s blue moon, another large entity started to grow. It took the shape of a large fountain, spawning claw-like wings and a grotesque humanoid body. I immediately recognized it, just as we all did. At least, those of us who had been unfortunate enough to see it before…

Necron. The demon that had threatened to end all life in existence. Zidane defeated it in Memoria, but it was here with us now…

That was the end of the dream. I awoke with my own screams pounding my ears. The Black Mages were on either side of me, casting their Silence magic, attempting to stop me before I drew anyone outside of the house’s attention. They both looked as if they had seen ghosts, and judging from my screams, I probably had as well. Something sweet found its way into my mouth. The instant the taste registered in my brain, my screams silenced. I was suddenly thrust back into the world of reality, the visions of Necron fading away fast.

The orange mare who had greeted us at the door stood in front of me, a bottle of liquid in her hoof. Behind her stood a large red stallion and a small yellow filly. They each looked as if they’d been wrenched from sleep by Death himself.

There would be questions asked, but they wouldn’t be answered that night…

Vivi Day Four: M-Monsters?! But This Isn't Gaia!

This is bad, this is really bad! I…

There are monsters here in Equestria. Big ones, scary ones, ones that remind me of the ones back home. But…how can there be monsters without Mist? Then again, how can there be magic without Mist? I just don’t understand! This world is supposed to be nice and peaceful…

But waking up by nearly being decapitated doesn’t count much for peace! Fluttershy tells me that the beasts that are dangerous come from the forest I was found in. You know the forest where that zebra saved Boco and me.

So that means…that I’ve had two chances to get maimed horribly since I got here, one of them before I even knew where I was! I guess I’m all the luckier that the ponies found me first then… But how could a world so nice and beautiful hold monsters so evil and cruel? I just don’t understand. It doesn’t help any that Applejack said they’ve been getting worse over the month.

I guess I can rest easy knowing that it isn’t my fault, because I’ve only been here for a few days. But wait, hasn’t Kuja been here for a month? Could that mean that he…? No. There’s no way. Kuja isn’t evil. If he were, everyone would be dead. It wouldn’t take him a month to ruin everything. But maybe there’s a reason the monsters in the forest have gotten wilder since he arrived.

But why is that?

I guess I was awake before I was conscious, because I can remember hearing a light squeak from Fluttershy just before I heard the roar that followed the manticore’s leap. In a loud orchestra of destruction, the monster collapsed an entire wall of the Pegasus’s cottage, glass from a window going everywhere and tiny animals crying out in fear and pain.

The noise was enough to stir me from my would-be-days-longer rest, and the first thing I saw was the red claw resting not an inch from my throat. I’m not a genius, but after travelling with Zidane, I was able to tell when danger was close. It was in the split second of consciousness that I kicked my mind and body into battle mode.

There was no hesitation as I rolled from the tattered remains of the couch, wedged myself underneath the small table, and kicked it as hard as I could at the raging beast of an animal. The wood furniture shattered as it made contact, but it served as the plenty of distraction I needed. Now I had time to think about my actions.

One thought pressed harder on me than any other: should I kill the manticore?

Fluttershy watched on in fear from the corner of the room, Angel perched cautiously on her head. I could still hear the cries of little innocent animals and the faint smell of blood starting to fill the air. Something in me snapped at the scent.

The beast lunged forward, putting its whole weight into the claw it charged with. It was fast, but I was faster. Finally deciding which spell in my arsenal to use, I unleashed every ounce of energy I had into it. A concentrated ball of orange and red light engulfed the enraged beast, its roars going from ones of anger to agony. The ball of light compacted into the monster, taking its shape. The heat was getting unbearable even for me, but I wanted the beast to feel the pain it must have caused the poor critters of Fluttershy’s cottage.

“Flare…” I sighed, allowing the energy and manticore to vanish in a blast of concentrated magic that incinerated the entirety of the beast, leaving nothing but magical scorch marks on the floor as a reminder of its existence.

Fluttershy squeaked in a mix of confusion and fear, not sure what she’d just witnessed and certainly not wanting to assess the damage done by the manticore. I couldn’t blame her, personally. The squeaks of obviously-dying animals kept the fire in my chest burning long after the monster had died. So many innocent lives, human or not, snuffed out by a damned Mist monster!

It took every ounce of my being to stay calm and controlled. I could remember the first time I Tranced, all of my brothers falling into the ocean, helpless under the assault of one of our own kind… I was scared, but I had my friends to care for me in my time of uncertainty. But here…none of these ponies would understand a Trance. To them I’d be a monster. To them, I’d be comparable to the manticore I’d just killed.

And I knew that. So instead of giving in to my anger, I turned my attention toward the yellow mare cowering in the corner of the room with a little bunny. Making sure my hands were free of magical energy, I reached out toward her and asked, “The manticore didn’t hurt you, did it?”

The response I received was almost expected. The Pegasus shook her head hesitantly, as if she were considering whether or not to acknowledge my presence. The bunny tried to lash a paw out at me, assumedly in anger and fear. It became apparent that I wasn’t wanted at the time, so I turned to leave. Of course I wouldn’t be wanted. I’d not only killed a living creature, but I’d used one of the most painful spells I knew. I’d made the beast suffer before killing it.

But it made others suffer, so my actions were justifiable, right?

And the damage it had done to Fluttershy’s cottage would take days to repair, if it could be repaired at all. An entire half of the tree was ripped off, the animals housed along that half dead or dying. The thought of the animals sent my heart burning again. I needed something to rage at. I needed something to release the…Mist…growing in my chest.

Mist.

It’s always the Mist!

The Mist takes everything beautiful and twists it up into a malformed ball of grotesque humor! The Mist takes something as simple as anger and manifests it into a ball of uncontrollable fury! I needed something to attack, something to release the magic in my gut. I needed a way to release my anger before I snapped at an innocent pony.

Fate has a strange way of torturing people, you know. I wouldn’t have considered it karma, but the stars had aligned in my favor at that moment.

A tiny little snake-like creature drilled its beak into my calf, sending a new burst of burning fury into my mind. Without hesitation, I unleashed another magical blast into it, kicking it away from me in the process. I don’t even remember calling the spell, but the cockatrice was ash before I could blink. In that one attack, that one shock of pain, I felt infinitely better. The fire in my heart cooled, and I was finally able to look at Fluttershy’s cottage without getting unbearably angry.

I could see the Pegasus finally walking around, assumedly assessing the damage. Tears rained from her eyes as she caught the scent of blood and the cries of her innocent critters. I couldn’t bear to see her face, and turned to stare at the edge of the forest. I dared something else to come out. I wanted something else to kill. I needed something to justify my actions.

A crowd of townsfolk started to gather, each one frightened to see what had happened to the animal-lover’s home. The five ponies that constituted Fluttershy’s best friends were the only ones that dared enter the home and comfort her. I simply stood staring away from all of them, ignoring the questions directed at me. I wanted something else to kill. I wanted to use as much Mist as I could.

I didn’t want to Trance.

I… I was scared. If Zidane had been there, he could’ve guided me. Or Dagger. Even Steiner would’ve helped me. They always knew how to talk to me. They understood me better than others.

But…they weren’t there. They never would be.

I was alone. Even if Kuja was in this world, he was miles away. Mr. 33 and 111 were with him, not me.

So I…

Fate. It’s cruel. The second I took my eyes off of the forest to wipe the tears away, a roar erupted from it. I barely had time to look up before the manticore’s claws caught me. I didn’t have blood. For the first time in my life, I actually had a reason to check. Even after everything I’d been through. Even after all the pain and emotions I’d come to know…

I was still just a puppet created by Kuja to kill things.

I didn’t have blood. I didn’t have a soul. I didn’t have organs. I had Mist.

As long as I had Mist, I could live forever. The laws of Equestria aren’t Gaia's.

I didn’t try to stop it. I knew that if I let the beast go, the crowd of ponies outside the cottage would meet the same fate as the creatures within. So I let the pink glow engulf me. I let the Mist swallow me in its comforting embrace. I let it carry me to my feet. I let it straighten my hat’s fold out, and let it create an oak staff in my hands.

I let it guide my magic.

The manticore was dead before it could remove its paw from my chest.

The wolf that followed met the same fate.

Monsters and rabid animals flooded from the woods, called by my concentrated Mist. They continued to gather, one after another, wanting to steal it and use it for themselves. Even in Equestria, Mist still controlled animals. Animals like me…

But they all died. The townspeople watched as I killed each beast in turn. My Mist seemed limitless. I felt alive. At the same time, I knew I was dead. This wouldn’t be real in Gaia. I wasn’t alive, but I felt it.

And then, as suddenly as the whole ordeal began, it ended. A pack of manticores charged from the edge of the woods, the leader of the pack turned to dust by a combination of Break and Comet. The impact of the rock against the ground sent the rest of the wild animals scurrying back into the Everfree, not wanting to follow the example. The air around the town returned to a relaxed state, though the ponies outside Fluttershy’s cottage remained on edge. My Mist had finally been released, and the Trance ended abruptly. I fell to the ground in a heap, remaining conscious just long enough to see Applejack enter my line of sight.

I woke up a few hours later in a comfortable bed, Applebloom sitting right beside me. I recognized the building almost immediately: Sweet Apple Acres. Honestly, it wasn’t where I expected to wake up. I thought for sure I’d end up in the hospital with that one nurse caring for me, but no. Instead I woke up in a comfy bed in a house that still smelled like apple pie. Except…that part of the house looked a lot newer than the place where we ate dinner last night.

“Is…everybody okay?” That question was my first conscious thought. It wasn’t until it was answered that I actually examined my surroundings.

With her country accent, Applebloom cheered, “They sure are, thanks to what ya did!”

“Good. It was nothing, really.” If I had blood, I would’ve blushed. I never liked the spotlight. It didn’t help any that what I had done was out of rage and not concern…

The filly scoffed, “It was heckuva lot more than nothin’, Vivi! Them forest critters woulda really did some damage if you hadn’t stepped up!” She had a smile of genuine appreciation on her face, which for some reason was really comforting.

The smell of blood filled my nostrils again, a memory from my waking moments earlier that day. “What about all of Fluttershy’s pets?” A sudden jolt of sadness filled my voice.

Applebloom shifted uncomfortably where she sat. I could see her smile fade at my question. “Most o’ the critters where the Manticore hit passed away,” she sighed. “Some of ‘em got out with just a couple of scratches.”

I didn’t respond. With a simple nod of my head, I turned away to look out of the window into the evening sun. I felt completely drained, even more so than before I fell asleep the previous night. I felt like I could just sleep and never wake up. The Mist had left me entirely, and I was stuck in a drowsy limbo of consciousness. If only I were a White Mage, I could’ve healed myself and revived the innocent animals…

But Black Mages were designed to kill. Not save…

Applebloom let out a sudden giggle; her eyes not focused anywhere in particular. She explained, “It’s kinda funny when ya think about it. Just a couple weeks ago there was another fella just like you laying in that bed…” She looked up to a spot on the ceiling where it became obvious that repairs had been made in recent weeks. The wood on my side of the patchwork was a darker red, while the other side seemed faded.

“One of my friends? Another Black Mage?” I could only assume it had been 33 or 111.

“Well, not exactly one o’ you. It was that Kuja fella you was talkin’ about,” she replied simply.

“Huh? But Kuja’s nothing like me…” I began to grow confused. The only thing that made me similar to Kuja was that I was a humanoid. And a puppet, but I didn’t think that at the time.

The little filly continued, “Well, he went all pink like you and started gettin’ rid of all the Everfree monsters the night he stayed here. That’s why we had to fix up the place!” She pointed upward, her old smile coming back to her features.

Kuja…Tranced? He Tranced in the same town as I. He Tranced to protect the citizens of Ponyville from the Everfree Forest animals. He…had Mist built up like I did. But something so bizarre wouldn’t be easily kept a secret, would it? Why didn’t anyone tell me about it when I mentioned him before?

Before I could continue my thoughts, the door to my room swung open, Applejack and the rest of her friends trotting right in. The six mares sat down around the room, obviously getting comfortable for something.

And, in an instant, it became obvious what. “What are you, Mister Vivi?”

The bluntness of Applejack’s question caught me off guard. I could hear a slight filter of fear in her voice. If Kuja had Tranced before me, and we’d both been the targets of the animals’ attacks, I could understand her fear. The way it looked to an outside eye, it was us foreigners driving the monsters crazy and causing them to attack the town. In fact, that’s how it looked to me. I couldn’t blame the sour expressions on their faces as they waited for an answer.

And it was time I gave them one. If they’d met Kuja before…there was no chance he gave them the answers they wanted. The least I could do for the potential harm we’d caused was explain what we were.

Puppets designed to kill. One created by a god-like descendant of the Terran people, the other created by the original puppet.

So I told them my story. I told them about my creation, my adventures with Zidane, my death, and everything I could about Kuja. And they listened, never once passing audible judgment. And when I finally finished sharing my story with them, the moon was high in the sky. They said goodnight and left me to rest. Applebloom waited in the room, eager to help me if I needed it.

If Kuja and I are the reason the monsters are so fierce…then we have to leave. If I ever get to meet him face to face, I have to tell him how I feel. We can’t stay here if we’re bringing Mist with us! No world deserves to suffer like Gaia did before the Iifa Tree died! I just…

We have to find out what’s going on! We can’t let innocent people die because we want to live here! We get to live again, but at what cost?!

I…I have to speak with him soon!

Kuja Day Sixteen: Monsters of Mist

I was awake for the remainder of the night, Mr. 33 and 111 by my side in my fevered stupor. The orange mare’s sister, the yellow filly, kept us company through the early morning hours, until the sun finally began to rise above the horizon. Off and on she nodded out, too young to handle the strain of caring for another into the late hours. The mages didn’t seem to sleep, instead focused on my health. Somewhere between Ghastly Gorge and Sweet Apple Acres I had contracted something.

The cold sweat drenching my forehead and the burning in my chest was evidence of an illness that threatened to steal my sanity. I prayed that ponies could not contract the illness, as I would never wish such a pain on any other living creature, friend or foe. The effects of Flare were tame in comparison to the pain rending my heart that night. It seemed unlikely that Black Mages could contract the illness, given their lack of biology and their immunity to the elements that we passed through.

I tossed and turned, my insides shifting from on fire to tight knots periodically over the moonlit nightmare. I was living a proverbial hell, wanting nothing more than to die at the time. Looking back, I’m glad I did not.

As the sun lifted above the horizon, the orange mare entered to check on me. There being nothing for her to do, she carried her sister to her room, laying her down for actual rest. The Black Mages answered a few vague questions that I was too preoccupied to listen to, and then she left. As the warm rays of the celestial body cascaded through the window and comforted my aching body, a loud roar rang out from the edge of the Everfree Forest.

Even in my fevered haze I could hear the roar. I could hear the pounding. I could feel the energy. A manticore, larger than the one we encountered in the forest, was heading for the farmhouse. At least I thought I could sense it coming. When I attempted to warn the mages, they acted as if they couldn’t understand me. It’s very possible that they couldn’t. It was equally possible for me to be having a hallucination.

Just as I began to accept my thoughts as paranoia, reality came crashing down on all of us. Literally. I felt the weight of a lion stomp on me, followed by planks of wood tearing into my flesh. The box spring and floor below me gave easily under the monster’s force, sending me plummeting to the first story of the house in pain and confusion. The mages fell with me, unable to escape the collapsing woodwork.

I heard the Apple family let out a conglomerate shriek of fear, the door to the house slamming open in a stampede of hooves. I could hear the confused mumblings of an old mare from through the doorway while her grandchildren attempted to explain the commotion. The Black Mages wasted no time in casting their spells, the manticore on top of me catching fire and setting the already-destroyed paneling ablaze.

A sudden fury filled my every muscle. In an instant, the sickness that swallowed me evaporated in a steam of anger and fear. The beast crushing down on me was not natural, not even for Gaia. It had taken a very concentrated source of Mist to create such a raging beast. The type of Mist that could be generated by a Trance. Specifically 111’s Trance in Ghastly Gorge.

No, that’s not how it works. Trances are fueled by Mist, not the other way around. Then where did the Mist come from? I began to think back to my dream, wondering if it held any merit.

But my anger quickly turned my thoughts to ash. Before I was aware of it, I wrapped the manticore in a ball of magical energy that sent it rocketing back through the walls it had destroyed. I had just enough time to stand up and test my muscles before I heard it crash outside the house. Almost without thinking about it, I walked toward the thud, the Black Mages following me cautiously.

The second my body crossed the destroyed threshold of the farm’s broken wall, a claw pierced through my chest from the side. The manticore had anticipated my actions. It was clever, but it was not powerful enough to handle me. Without so much as a wavered breath, I engulfed it in a ball of fiery energy, sending its flesh melting and its brain boiling. It took barely a second for the entire creature to enter a liquid state. Once its claws shriveled and left my side, I healed myself with a nice Cura and continued my rhythmic march toward the edge of the forest.

As I reached the half-way point, citizens of Ponyville began to gather around the farmhouse to assess the damage. Five particular ponies crowded around the orange mare, their voices flooding with concern. My senses intensified; I was able to hear every syllable muttered within the crowd. I could see through the blinding darkness of the Everfree Forest and I could smell the blood that had drained from my wounds during the healing process.

I could feel the vibrations of the ground as a pack of manticores charged at me.

I blinked. I shouldn’t have.

I can never forgive myself for what happened at the edge of the forest on that day.

I can never give him his life back.

He was innocent.

He wanted to live in peace.

He wanted to make friends with everyone.

Even when he knew he would die, all he wanted to do was care for a baby Chocobo.

And because of me, he died.

I…

Forgive me. Please. I beg of you, Mr. 33…

Three manticores sank their claws into my body, poison shooting through my veins at a normally-fatal rate. Two manticores ignored me completely, each targeting a different mage. Mr. 111 was prepared, wrapping one in a cyclone of wind and rock. Mr. 33 was not prepared. His naivety was his death. He was too horrified by the sight of my blood to react to the beast ramming him. I watched the halves of his body split apart. I watched his lack of blood spill on the ground. I watched as his golden eyes faded into the blackness of his lack of body.

I listened as the remnants of his voice called out to me. His dying words were genuine…and I quote… “Thank you, Kuja.” Thanks…for what? For letting him die twice?! For letting him face his mortality in an endless wait for the end?! For letting him be ripped apart and wiped from the afterlife?!

No living creature should ever have to die more than once! None! But he…he never faltered in the face of his mortality! Even when his brothers waited for death to swallow them, he took solace in providing life for another creature! Out of all of the puppets I created, he deserved to live! The only mage comparable to him was Vivi! And now…

My heart-rate skyrocketed. My illness and anger and fear were all drowned in sorrow. I couldn’t control anything anymore. I couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t see or hear. All I could do was feel. I could feel the pink glow of Trance engulf me. I could feel its warmth swallow all conscious thought. I could feel myself casting spells and muttering words. And, in my sorrow-induced state of higher being, I could feel myself telling me not to cast it.

But I did.

I cast Ultima.

And…controlled it.

When I had cast Ultima in the past, it destroyed an entire planet with little resistance. I nearly wiped out all of existence with the spell. But now, because I was fighting for others and not myself, I was able to control the power. I was Tranced for the memory of a friend. I was able to gain control of myself as I cast the spell.

And the manticores ceased to exist. The inter-dimensional energy of Ultima devoured the manticores whole, leaving nothing as a reminder of their existences. No reminder at all…except for Mr. 33…

Tears poured from my eyes. I’d never felt such emotions before my dying moments under the Iifa Tree. And now…I was openly crying for a puppet that I had cursed to face a second death. Mr. 111 stood over his brother’s tattered clothes, the blackness of the magical body beginning to fade away into the ether. If he’d had tear ducts, they would have been dry by the time the morning ended. I…had nothing to say in my Tranced state.

Instead I focused my attention to the monsters pouring forth from the forest. Each one met a death similar to the first manticore, except none of them gained mercy. They each suffered before they died, like Mr. 33’s murderer should have. Instead it had been given a painless death, much to my dismay. And after an hour of killing the forest monsters, they all just seemed to stop coming.

Ponies had gathered around my glowing aura, watching me wipe the beasts from Equestrian history. Mr. 111 knelt beside his brother, sobbing uncontrollably for the puppet. If I had been in control of my emotions, I would have sobbed with him.

I…truly am sorry.

But it all ended in a sudden moment of clarity.

The end was beginning. Lord Avon’s play! My dream! It all started to become clear to me. I started to piece the puzzle together, but the clarity ended all too soon. My Trance faded, and I fell to the ground in a clump of flesh and tears and blood.

A quote from my very own mouth echoed in my ears.

“The weak lose their freedom to the strong. Such is the way of the strong. And it is the providence of nature that only the strong survive. That is why I needed strength.”

Mr. 33 was weak. He lost to the manticore. I survived. But I didn’t survive because of my strength. I survived because of my purpose. This second life was not meant to be a happy one. I was not brought to Equestria by some unnamed power because it wanted me to have fun. I was brought here to protect it. To save it from an unnamed monster.

And Vivi would be joining me. He felt real to me in my dream because he was really there. At some point in time, he will have that same vision.

That was my final thought before losing consciousness…

Vivi Day Five: Zebra Magic

So, remember the zebra that saved Boco and me in the Everfree Forest the other day? Well, it turns out that her people have their own special brand of magic. While Black Mages use Mist to perform their spells, and unicorns manifest the energy through their horns, zebras can brew magical potions with different plants and materials to perform all sorts of amazing magic! I got to see Zecora’s brewing skills work firsthand today!

Even after having Tranced and fought a bunch of monsters, I was completely unprepared for what her potion was able to do!

The day started off really sad though. We were near the edge of the forest, assessing the damage to Fluttershy’s cottage. The Pegasus in question was off at the local spa with Rarity, and probably for a good reason. I don’t think she’d be able to handle what we were doing. Her friends insisted that I stay at Sweet Apple Acres and rest, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do that.

The manticore that destroyed her home was after me. It hadn’t targeted her or any of her animals. It wanted to kill me. So it was my fault that all of her little pets were injured or dead, and it was my fault her home was ruined. I wasn’t about to sit and let someone else clean up my mess.

So the few of her friends that had the stomach to do so and I went to work trying to clean up the ruins of her tree home. The tree itself looked to be dying, which after being ripped in half anything would, so I didn’t think it would matter after a while how much work we did. But I held my tongue and kept working on picking up planks of bark and carrying them to a pile of burnable objects outside the house.

Twilight Sparkle handled all of the extremely heavy objects, her telekinesis working wonders for the job. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I swear she kept staring at me while my back was turned. I figured she had a lot of things to ask me, especially about my magic and the thing I’d called a Trance. But she kept quiet the whole time, probably not wanting to bother me while we were working.

Applejack handled gathering up all of the living critters and moving them a safe distance away from the decaying home. If the tree collapsed on itself, anything inside would at least be horribly injured…at least the size of most of the pets, anyway. She also took care of…cleaning away…the not-so-alive critters. I could see that it really hurt the ponies to think about all of Fluttershy’s fallen pets.

I’d already mourned them as much as I could. My Trance was my mourning. And besides…they were just animals after everything was said and done. I’d seen entire towns razed to the ground by Bahamut and never shed a tear. Maybe that was an unfair comparison, but it was true. So while the ponies struggled with their emotions while cleaning, I did my job without hesitation.

Ever since the attack, with the exception of listening to my story, Rainbow Dash had been scouting over the Everfree, checking to make sure no other wild animals were thinking of attacking the town. She kept watch for us while we worked, not wanting us to get ambushed in the midst of our work.

Pinkie Pie took the liberty of…well…being Pinkie Pie. Her being there with her air of happiness helped lighten the mood a lot. I could see why her friends loved her, because she always had a smile on her face. Even considering what we were doing at the time, she never lost her morale. Her friends took more comfort in her presence than I did, but it did help me ignore the fact that I’d almost died in that tree.

We worked well into the evening, cleaning up just about all of the debris we could see. And then it dawned on me that I had no idea why we were doing it. It seemed kind of pointless at the time.

“So why did we do all this work?” I was the designated burn-pile-igniter, so I did my job without question. Once the pile was blazing, I decided to find out what our efforts were getting us.

Twilight Sparkle cheered, “Zecora said she had a potion that would fix Fluttershy’s cottage right up! She told us we’d need to get rid the trash for it to work.” She nodded at the pile of burning wood and glass.

Applejack chimed in, “I figured we’d go ahead and lay the poor critters to rest while we was at it.” She pointed a hoof toward the forest, where tiny mounds of dirt had been dug up and replanted. She’d dug every last pet a separate grave…

Rainbow Dash swooped in out of nowhere and cheered, “She’s on her way! It looks like she’s carrying a lot of junk with her…” I was reminded of how the zebra has helped me out of the hole in the forest floor. She had huge packs of random objects strapped to her back like a pack mule.

A sudden thought crossed my mind. I felt like I was being burned alive as I considered a horrifying fact that I’d been too ignorant to think about.

I hadn’t seen Boco since I left Fluttershy’s house for dinner at Sweet Apple Acres! I hadn’t seen his feathers or heard his ‘kweh’ in almost two days! My mind started to race with thoughts that in one of those mounds of dirt could be Mr. 33 and 111’s beloved pet! I could feel the sadness start to swell in my gut as I considered that I had failed Boco’s original owners when I promised to care for him!

And I felt like an idiot when I heard the comforting chirp of the baby chocobo as it darted from the edge of the forest with a giant vine of berries trailing behind it. It took everything I had not to leap up and dive at the little yellow bird. I was so relieved to see him that I probably would’ve cried if I had tears. But…when did he go to the forest?

Not long after he bounced cheerfully onto my shoulder, Zecora came trotting from the darkness of the woods with her extremely heavy-looking pack strapped firmly around her. At the top of the pile of junk sat a large black pot suspended on two iron stands. With a seemingly strained grunt, the zebra undid her harness and let all of her luggage crash to the ground in a heap.

She smiled at each of us in turn and sighed, “It is good to see you are all okay. Perhaps the forest shall stay behaved today…” She glanced back at the edge of the woods as if expecting something to happen.

“With the forest the way it is, I don’t see why you’re still living there...” Twilight lowered her gaze to the pile of random objects, scanning its contents carefully.

The striped mare scoffed, “It does not matter how bad the beasts get; to my hut they will never pose a threat.” Her constant use of rhymes started to throw me off. It was like something straight out of a child’s bedtime storybook. “If you would be so kind as to assist me Twilight, I need this pot placed over the pyre’s light.” She nodded at the giant pot still standing on its iron legs.

With a nod, Twilight wrapped the container in her purple glow and lifted it over the fire, placing it firmly on its legs over the burning debris. I could see the pot start to scorch and develop a red glow. Without wasting time, the zebra began to toss assorted plants into the pot. In one swift motion, she pulled a large jug of water from the bottom of the heap and dumped the entirety of the liquid into the pot.

With a loud hiss, the concoction immediately began to boil. The scent of carrots filled the air, and I could see a smile growing on the zebra’s face. Once steam started to flow from the mixture in thick clouds, she began to snatch random objects off of the pile and toss them in. Her movements were fast enough that I had a hard time keeping up.

I saw large gemstones go flying into the boiling mess. There were giant cloves of a glowing blue plant that Zecora used a plastic buffer to pick up. I caught Boco’s vine of berries out of the corner of my eye go flying in. The little chocobo chirped in protest of its lost bounty. A bunch of other stuff went into the mess until the whole pile was gone save for a large wooden stick. The zebra picked it up firmly in her muzzle and approached the white-hot iron pot.

“If you would be so kind Rainbow Dash, I could use some altitude and be done in a flash!” Zecora mumbled around the stick, looking at the cyan Pegasus with stern eyes.

Taking the hint, Rainbow Dash happily obliged. I blinked, and when I opened my eyes again the two of them were floating in the air, the Pegasus holding the zebra in place as she stirred the now-sweet-smelling concoction. After just a few moments of stirring, the two landed softly just in front of me.

Looking right into my eyes, she chuckled, “Now my little magic master, a little extra heat would make this go oh-so faster.” It took me a few seconds to interpret what she meant, which made me feel all the dumber when I finally figured it out.

“O-okay...” I hopped from my seat and stepped right up beside the burning pot. The flames licked my body, but it didn’t hurt. My clothes protected me from the fires. Being a Black Mage, the elements didn’t really affect me like most others. Placing my hands to the base of the pot despite the ponies’ protests, I shouted, “Firaga!”

The entire pot burst into large orange flames, the iron quickly becoming white-hot all over. After just a few seconds, the concoction began to boil over. Zecora quickly tapped me on the shoulder, which I interpreted as a sign to stop the flames altogether.

With another small breath I shouted, “Blizzaga!” The flames under the pot immediately vanished, replaced by a thin coat of frost on the remaining wood.

The zebra applauded my work before scooping up some of the mixture into the jar she had carried the water in before. She sighed, “Very good mistah Black Mage, you are quite powerful for one your age. If you all would care to follow me, you will be amazed to see Fluttershy’s tree.”

The four ponies immediately fell in line behind the zebra. I hesitated for a moment, wondering just how she knew anything about me. From what I could tell, she hadn’t been to town since my arrival, so she wouldn’t have had a chance to learn anything about me.

Anyway, I followed them to the remains of Fluttershy’s house, where the zebra stood with her hooves planted firmly on the ground. She turned toward Applejack and asked, “Being a farmer I assume you are fine with some physical work. I could use a hole in the ground deep into the dirt.” She placed the jug of potion down in front of her, waiting for the pony’s response.

“Uh…sure thing, Zecora! How deep do ya need it to be?”

“Down to the roots of this pretty little tree. That is how deep it needs to be.” The zebra flashed her friend an apologetic smile, knowing that the task was not too easy to accomplish.

Without uttering a single negative comment, the farmer went to work on the hole. Twilight offered to help several times but was refused by the stubborn pony’s sense of working pride. The work went faster than I expected, because I barely had time to watch Boco’s little chocobo dance before it was time for Zecora to do her thing.

She tipped the jug over into the freshly dug hole and explained, “This brew is one of a restorative might. I suggest you hold your hooves firm for the following sight.” Almost as soon as she finished her rhyme, the earth began to vibrate wildly underneath us.

I never would have imagined something like what happened next in a million years. The entirety of what remained of Fluttershy’s cottage vaporized into the air, the smoke visibly sinking into the ground. All of her furniture and pictures hung in place, undisturbed by the removal of their anchor. The vibrations increased in intensity, sending those of us unprepared to our rear ends. The dirt around where the tree had been began to crack and split. And then, with an extremely loud popping noise, another tree identical to the old one rocketed from the earth.

The tree was identical to the one that had stood before the manticore’s attack. It was utterly unbelievable. I felt like my mind was about to melt at the sight of the completely restored home. Judging from the windows and doors carved into the tree, everything was in its rightful place. Everything except for the items destroyed in the attack, at any rate.

Zebra magic had the ability to fully restore any type of naturally standing organic landmark. I…was appalled. I didn’t have sounds to make at the sight of the tree. The dirt around it even took its shape and closed the cracks. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Without saying a word, the zebra trotted into the house to await its owner. Boco followed her inside, equally impressed by her potion’s effects. The ponies’ jaws were on the ground, even Pinkie Pie’s. I guessed they probably weren’t aware of such powerful zebra magic either.

Eventually Applejack managed to choke out through her stupor, “I…guess I’ll…go get Fluttershy then…” With a disbelieving shake of her head, she trotted off toward the spa to retrieve her would-be-ecstatic friend.

The rest of us just stood basking in the glow of the newborn tree. I couldn’t get over its almost-perfect sheen.

So we spent the rest of the evening helping Fluttershy move her pets back into the house and get everything set up the way it was supposed to be. Then she baked us a bunch of daffodil-stuffed potatoes for dinner and we sat talking through the late evening. Most of us spent the time praising Zecora’s handiwork with brewing potions, while those that weren’t witnesses spent the time being informed of the whole process.

And now I’m lying on the couch again, filling in this entry, while the seven of the equines are silently sleeping in a heap on the floor.

That’s something you’d never see in Gaia. Humans—humanoids—can’t be together like that. They can’t be so close to one another without some sort of ulterior motive. At least, that’s what Zidane told me about the fake people we met on our journey. But here, it’s possible. Friends just gather in piles and sleep on top of each other like it isn’t anything special, for no other reasons than simply being friends.

I...kinda wish I was a pony. I mean, if I’m going to live here with them…then not being one will only make me an outcast. But then again, I might not live here. If it turns out that Kuja and I are causing the animals to go crazy with our Mist, then I’ll do everything in my power to get rid of both of us.

Even if it means dying. If we can’t go away while alive…then we’ll both just have to die.

And that’s all I have to say about that…

Kuja Day Thirty: Another Recovery

“Well, that’s a mite bit of a bushel o’ bad apples…”

That voice! Braeburn?

How long had I been out? I felt weak, almost completely drained. I didn’t even know where I was. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t form syllables. I could only lay there in a confused paralysis. I could hear the comforting voices of the country stallion and the orange mare from the farm. There was another voice…gentle and caring, yet with a stern undertone.

“He hasn’t left his friend’s…resting place…since the attack. I’m concerned for his health, but he refuses to let anypony near the…remains.” The gentle voice was filled with concern, assumedly a medical pony. Who else would care about the health of random monsters intruding in their town?

Braeburn’s voice served as a beacon that led me to consciousness. I’d grown familiar with it over the course of my stay in Appleloosa, and it helped me break free from my mental prison. “I’ll go talk to him, but I can’t promise nothin’. Them Black Mages are some stubborn mules, I’ll tell ya.” I heard the trotting of hooves approach me. A knocking on the door helped seal my awakening.

I felt as if I’d been crushed under the weight of a mountain for the last month. My muscles felt like rubber, my bones brittle and sore. The second my eyes opened, a splitting headache enveloped my mind. It felt as if a manticore were ripping my skull apart.

Manticore! The Everfree Forest!

Mr. 33…

“How ya holdin’ up, partner?” Braeburn’s voice drew me back from the brink of tears. The thought of 33’s fate still ate at me, but at least I wasn’t in a semi-controllable Trance.

I opened my mouth to speak, but found no sound would come out. A white mare with a flowing pink mane stepped up to the bedside and explained, “He’s been under a significant amount of trauma recently. I wouldn’t expect his body to work properly for another few weeks.”

A few weeks? Damn my muteness! If I could only cast one little spell, I could—

“Nonsense, Redheart! If ya can just get his voice workin’ he’ll be good in no time!” The stallion grinned cockily at the nurse as if he knew something she didn’t.

Which he obviously did. He knew I could use restorative magic…but how? I’d never used it before the manticore attack. Unless one of the witnesses told him about the healed wounds, there would be no way for him to know I had that kind of power. Something felt off about the whole thing.

The nurse scoffed angrily, “How do you figure that? This man has needed intense medical care for the past two weeks. I doubt his voice will be able to help him.” She fluffed my pillow and pushed a button on a small medical machine before turning back toward the door.

Braeburn scratched his forehead just under the brim of his hat, considering his words carefully. He chuckled sheepishly, “This ain’t a normal fella, Redheart. He ain’t as weak as some o’ us. I saw him use some magic back when he first showed up in Appleloosa that’d put Celestia to shame.” He blushed, realizing that what he said was big talk compared to the situation at hand.

But this Celestia person…sounds important. His hesitancy to say her name in that context piqued my curiosity. Sadly, I had no way to quell that thirst for knowledge.

The nurse turned on her hooves and sent the stallion a death-glare that sent a shiver up my spine. She snapped, “Do you have any clue what you’re saying?”

“O’ course I do! I got to see what this fella could do with my own eyes!”

When I first showed up in Appleloosa…I used magic? Why didn’t I remember anything like that? I was bedridden my entire first two weeks of Equestrian life, with barely the energy to lift my arms. How could I have used magic…and on whom? That would be a conversation piece for the next time the sheriff and I were alone.

Nurse Redheart considered the stallion’s stubborn claims. She conceded, “We’ll give it a shot. Help his voice recover and he’ll handle the rest, huh?”

“Eyup, and that’s what Granny’s cider is for!” Out of seemingly nowhere he obtained a bottle of the disgusting-smelling cider that helped me recover from my original disability. Before I could react—had I been able to—the cider was flowing down my throat into my empty stomach. In the instant, I felt the effects blanket my illness.

The moment the bottle was removed from my face I let out an audible gagging noise, expressing my distaste for the concoction. The mare stared at me in disbelief. I simply chuckled, “Thank you, Braeburn. I appreciate your proactivity in acquiring more cider…”

“T’aint a problem, fella! Now, if ya wanna fix yourself up right quick we can get that friend o’ yours on the road to recovery.” He placed a comforting hoof on my shoulder, aware of the events that transpired at the edge of the forest. I could see the sympathy in his eyes and feel the sadness in his touch. He hadn’t been responsible for the mage’s death, but he’d grown fond of the naïve fool.

I shook the dazed thoughts from my head, wanting to go back to that day and protect the mages. I sighed, “Cura.” It took several seconds longer than before, but my wounds were deeper and more severe. A white light danced around my body, and before Redheart could find the words to question me, I was out of the bed and testing my limits.

She stammered, “But…I…how… What?”

The stallion plopped a hoof onto her back and whistled, “Told ya, Redheart. He ain’t like us ponies. His magic puts Celestia to shame.”

Once the light finished its dance, I turned toward the door with determination. For the first time in two weeks, I felt like a new Genome. I advanced to the exit, stopped only briefly by Braeburn shoving his way past me through the threshold. The nurse was left speechless in place, simply amazed by my magical prowess that apparently surpassed even this Celestia person.

I took the opportunity to bring up my prior question. “You said I used magic when I first got to Appleloosa.”

“Eyup.”

“What kind of magic? Who’d I use it on? I could barely talk, if you remember.”

“Mr. 33 got cut up something fierce by a sandstorm while they was draggin’ ya back to town. Ya used that magic on him before ya passed out on the hospital bed.”

I…healed 33 with my little remaining energy? It was because I healed his wounds that I ran out of power and was bedridden for two weeks. I… Even before I was aware of it, I was protecting people. But the man I protected was dead. The entirety of my stay in Equestria had been nothing but a cruel irony of fate.

I wasn’t even certain where I was walking. After a certain point, I simply fell in line behind Braeburn and let him guide me wherever we were going. He didn’t try to make conversation; he let me wallow in my thoughts. It wasn’t until we reached the tattered remains of Sweet Apple Acres that he even opened his mouth.

“The fella’s still out back, cuz. He ain’t lookin’ so hot.” The orange mare—thinking back to a previous exchange between myself and Braeburn, I found her name to be Applejack—trotted around the farmhouse and greeted her cousin with a tip of her hat.

He tipped his hat back and sighed, “I didn’t figure he would. He just lost a close friend that was—”

“Brother,” I snapped. “33 was 111’s brother. Hell, if you want to be technical, he was my son.” The metaphor sent my emotions twisting in my mind. I fought to hold them back.

“Whatcha mean there, partner?” The stallion looked surprised by the sudden comparison.

I started walking blankly toward where Mr. 33 had perished. Sure enough, Mr. 111 was still there, knelt down by his remains in mourning. Two weeks later and he hadn’t moved an inch. Devotion to a fallen brother…is commendable but foolish. If another beast had attacked, the strong mage would’ve been a guaranteed bulls-eye. I started to talk to no one in particular as I approached the remaining mage. The two members of the Apple family followed me, curious to hear what I had to say.

“In my previous life, I was evil. I was created by a desperate man in the hopes of restoring to him what he had once lost. I was created to hurt and kill others. That was my sole purpose. And, to make my job easier, I began to manufacture soldiers that would do the killing in my stead. Those soldiers were the Black Mages you’ve come to know. Mr. 33 and 111 are examples of Mark I mages. They were of the original quality.

“But there were other variations of mages, mind you. Mark IIs were meant to live longer than the Mark Is, but they required many more resources to create, and therefore were not produced en masse. In fact, only one was successfully finished due to the rushed nature of the manufacturing process. This finished Mark II eventually became a sentient creature, who decided to work for the good guys and fight my cause. Everyone called him Vivi.

“There were three Mark IIIs produced. They were defective killing machines, and were easily conquered by Vivi’s companions. In short, I created every single Black Mage you might ever meet. They are my children, and they are all brothers and sisters. I can’t tell you which is worse, honestly: knowing that I let my child die, or knowing that I’m letting Mr. 111 suffer alone through the loss of his closest brother.”

I was at the living mage’s side by the time my rant ended. He never once looked away from the tattered jacket that was his brother’s garment. He didn’t even respond to my use of his name. The ponies behind me decided it best to remain silent, as there was no chance of them understanding how I felt. They couldn’t understand his pain, either. I could tell through the silence that their inability to comfort us hurt them, but I was too preoccupied with the mage on the ground.

Minutes passed in silence as a faint breeze blew in from the Everfree Forest. It was eerily comforting, considering what the forest had done to us. It destroyed Applejack’s home, stole 111’s brother, and revealed me to be a monster to the citizens of Ponyville. But perhaps that was all just fate playing its course…

“Let’s get him back to ol’ Appleloosa, then we can give him a proper good-bye.” At some point during my thoughts, Braeburn had approached the mourning Black Mage.

“…Okay…”

We all found ourselves in shock as the mage finally responded to something. Applejack was the most surprised, having tried to coax him out of his stupor for the previous two weeks. She mumbled, “Ain’t that one stubborn mule…”

He stood up from the ground, dirt caked onto his knees. I couldn’t help but chuckle, “If you’d stayed there much longer, perhaps you could have served as the tombstone…”

“We are not your children.”

I can’t explain why, but I felt as if I’d been stabbed through the heart with a flaming blade. Mr. 111’s blunt retort sent my mind spiraling. The metaphor I had made hadn’t been literal, and yet it still felt as if I were being denounced by my own kin. I stared blankly at him, willing him to continue speaking. I wasn’t aware of how to respond to his tone.

“We are not your children,” he repeated painfully. “You manufactured us to kill, and when we refused to do so you bribed us with empty promises of extended lives. Even in the face of death, Mr. 33 and I followed our hearts and hatched Bobby Corwen. While our brothers went to war with you and died in the battle at the Iifa Tree, we stayed behind to give a life back to the world we had stolen life from.

“Does the phrase ‘equivalent exchange’ mean anything to you, Kuja?” He turned to look me dead in the eyes. I could see his golden glow had faded over the weeks. Something was wrong with him.

I bowed my head and groaned, “Of course it does. To gain something, you must give something of equal value. That is how we puppets were created.”

The two ponies simply watched as 111’s clenched fist crashed hard into my jaw. I tumbled backwards to the ground, unwilling to retaliate. I could feel the anger in his attack. I could hear the sorrow in his grunt. I was fully prepared for him to continue the assault.

Instead he simply fell back to his knees and sighed, “To gain a life, a life must be given. Sometimes, you pay the price long before you reap the benefits. You’ve had the vision, I assume.” He looked into my eyes and I immediately knew what he meant.

“The one about the Prima Vista and Lord Avon’s play?”

“Correct,” he spat. “When the King dies, the Dark Matter is given birth. In some cases, the benefits are given before the price is paid.”

I shook my head in confusion. This wasn’t making sense. Where had it all come from out of nowhere? “What are you getting at, Mr. 111?”

“Vivi was on the stage. Both physically and spiritually, he was there. He was real amongst the illusions. So were you. In my vision, Mr. 33 was not present at all.” He took a moment to collect his thoughts. “I had my vision the day we found you in the desert. When we found you, I knew it had been more than a dream.”

The realization of what he was saying came crashing down on me. “You…don’t mean that…he…” I could feel the rage beginning to boil in my gut. If what he was saying was true, then how could I ever forgive myself?

“He was the price paid for Vivi’s life.”

In an instant, my rage evaporated. My jaw dropped. I let out an unwilling, “Say that again?”

The mage raised his head, and instead of the faded yellow of his eyes I saw a hopeful golden glow. He chuckled, “The only way for Vivi to be in our dream was to be here with us! Mr. 33 was the price we had to pay to bring him here! And…you know that we need him.” Had this been his mindset over the last two weeks? Had he spent his solitude mapping this entire scenario out and putting the puzzle that I had been blind to see together? If he was correct, then perhaps I would be able to speak with the mage to whom I owed a great apology.

“How can you be so sure about all of this?”

“Because I’ve seen Bobby Corwen! Or at least what I think was Bobby Corwen!” The mage leaped to his feet and bounced with joy, somewhat disturbing considering his proximity to his brother’s remains.

I couldn’t help but let out an uncharacteristic, “Huh?”

“The little chocobo ran off into the forest a few hours ago! I heard his cute little ‘kweh’! And then Applejack’s two Pegasus friends went in to look for the source of the sound!” He bounced from one foot to the other in excitement, and I could’ve sworn I saw a smile on his non-existent face.

“Wha-huh?” Applejack perked up at the mention of her name. “You’re tellin’ me Rainbow Dash went lookin’ for some random bird?”

“Well, she ‘wasn’t gonna let Fluttershy go in that death trap alone’.” The mage took the liberty of adding some air quotations to his explanation. In the span of less than ten minutes, the air around Mr. 33’s remains went from sad to hopeful. I can’t say I disliked the shift.

Braeburn chuckled, “Well shucks, I guess t’ain’t all bad, then! But if you’re gonna meet your friend, ya sure ya wanna look like death rolled over?” The stallion examined both of us intently, taking in the dirt and blood and sweat that stained our garments.

Mr. 111’s jacket was tattered and falling to pieces, which wasn’t good considering exactly what it was hiding from the public eye. I don’t think a giant human-shaped glob of pure shadow would receive much acceptance, even here in Equestria…

“We’ll take Mr. 33’s remains back to Appleloosa. After we get everything settled and our persons in order, we’ll return to see if our friend is truly here.” I walked toward the tattered clothes scattered on the ground and began to gather them up in my arms.

Mr. 111 asked, “If you wouldn’t mind, you would please not tell Vivi about any of this?”

I stopped in place. Something about his request seemed rational, yet at the same time I couldn’t see why he would want to hide the past weeks’ events from one of his brothers.

Applejack nodded and sighed, “Ya mean about your brother and the whole glowing pink mess? I s’pose I can cover for ya if I need to.” She quickly added, “But I ain’t about to lie to the fella if it comes down to it.”

I finished gathering the last remaining fabric of clothing and rejoined the discussion. “If he asks about us, you have the right to tell him what you know. He’ll take what he hears with a grain of salt. But if it comes down to specifics, simply tell him we all returned to Appleloosa.” I raised my hands, drawing attention to the garments in them. “You won’t be lying, even in the case of Mr. 33. The child doesn’t need to know that the mage is no longer with us…or why that is so.”

The orange mare nodded in understanding. Lowering her gaze to the ground, she sighed, “I s’pose I get that. Seeing how y’all handled it, it’d probably be worse for a kid.”

“Let’s get goin’, fellas. I got some chores for y’all to handle before ya head back this way!” Braeburn flashed us a smile that seemed to outshine the midday sun.

We said our farewells and apologies to the ponies we passed, leaving it to Applejack to spread the word of our request around town. The pink pony I had seen with the Apple family mare the day of the incident seemed particularly ticked off that we hadn’t even been able to ‘have a welcome to town party’, on account of our near-death and comatose states. And, with the railroad cleared of bandits by not only us but a following sweep of Appleloosan militia members, we decided to ride the train back to the westernized town.

I can’t tell you how hard it is to remember all of the things that have happened since my last chance to write. The march to Ghastly Gorge, the fight with Brawny and the Diamond Dogs, the zebra in the Everfree Forest, my dream, and the day of the incident all seem so long ago. They are only two weeks old, but it is hard to recall all of the thoughts and feelings associated with most of the events.

It doesn’t help that every time I write Mr. 33’s name I feel a prick of sadness in the back of my head…

But now we’re heading back to the town that I have come to call my Equestrian home. I find it funny to think that in either of the two settlements I’ve been to, I’ve spent at least a week bedridden. Over half of my time in this world has been spent in pain or weariness.

Braeburn told us we have some chores to handle in town, and then he’ll have a ‘delivery’ to make back in Ponyville. I don’t quite understand why we need a special excuse to visit the town, but at least it will give us a chance to see if Mr. 111’s puzzle-solving skills are accurate.

I’m actually eager to meet not only Vivi, but this Bobby Corwen chocobo he keeps rambling on about.

Applejack is supposed to send us word if it truly is Vivi.

Equivalent exchange is what my companion called it, and maybe it is.

I always wanted to take the reins of my own destiny. When I was created by Garland to destroy Gaia, I wanted to usurp control and do it of my own volition. But it seems obvious that fate has a stronger grip than I do on those reins. Only time will tell how things will play out, I suppose…