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...