Damn. I think I'm lost again.
After a few more minutes riding the chocobo around, I'm sure of it. I've got no clue where I am. All I see around me is grassy hills, with only the occasional tree to show me where I've been.
Again, my head tells me that I might run out of food before I reach Alexandria. And again, my heart tells me to keep going. I've got to make it there, and failure isn't an option.
It would have been nice if the black mages could've warped me directly to the castle, but I know that it wouldn't have been possible. All of them working together was barely enough to send me to the right continent. It still would've been nice, though – I've lost track of how many times I've gotten lost. But I've always found my way again, and this time will be no different.
I look around for a while, but don't see anything that could help me get back on track. I look down at the chocobo. This guy's been my only companion the whole way through. I found it in the woods by the black mage village, and a bit of food was all it took to win it over. The sacrifice of a bit more food on the way has been a small price to pay for the speed it offers. I doubt I could have made it this far without it.
Right now, though, the large bird seems tired. Looks like it's time for a break. I hop off its back, and sit down. "Time for a rest," I tell it.
It sits down next to me, and I quickly move into the patch of shade that it creates. It's been kind of lonely, not having anyone with me who can hold a conversation. It'll be nice to see everyone again once I reach Alexandria. I can't wait to see the look on Garnet's face when she sees that I'm alive.
I wonder if she'll be angry. I know it's taking me a long time to get back, especially because I spent a lot of time at the black mage village. I couldn't help it, though! I mean, I was in pretty bad shape by the time I got there. I got lost a lot on my way there, too. And Kuja didn't make it back. He was alive at first, but he didn't stay that way for much longer. We were close enough to the forest to see it, and I couldn't just leave him. So I carried his body all the way there. Even if he tried to kill us all, he's still family. And bringing him there seemed to make Mikoto happy. I think she was glad to be able to say goodbye. She knew him better than I did, after all.
We buried him nearby the black mages' graveyard. I was surprised how many of the living black mages showed up, considering how horrible he was to them. Then again, I don't think they hated him. They were afraid of him, for sure, but they didn't hate him.
I'm not certain how many days I've been out here. Sometimes, when I get lonely, I find myself humming Garnet's song. I sang it a lot on my way out from the Ilfa Tree, even though I couldn't remember all the words. My voice isn't bad, but it's weird to sing without anyone to hear it.
It doesn't matter how long it takes, or how many times I get lost. I'll find my way back to her eventually. Letting her down would be worse than anything.