The Iifa Tree: Vivis Recollection

by eikothewerewolf

Vivi looks at the Iifa tree attack at the end of FF9. Pretty deep in some places

The Iifa Tree: Vivi's memoirs

Rating: PG
Genre: Contemplative
Setting: Vivi's Mind
Main Characters: Vivi

Note from the Authoress: A different, more dramatic version than the game. It depicts Vivi's thoughts as the get ready to face the final battle. I hope you enjoy it

Part 1

The ground shook. Terra was destroyed. For a while that's all that happened. The ground shook. We climbed aboard the airship. I remember Zidane smiling at me, but I could tell he was as worried as me. Eiko and Dagger were terrified; I could see it in their eyes. Then it happened, as we crossed the mist continent. The giant roots sprung up out of the ground, scarring Gaia. Towns were destroyed by them. They were everywhere. Then the mists swirled, getting thicker by the moment. It was truly terrifying. Through the mists we could see many monsters, strange monsters that we had never seen before. I heard Eiko scream as a giant flying monster crashed aboard the ship. We needed to get rid of it. It clawed savagely as Amarant approached. He reeled back. I joined by his side, soon Zidane and Freya joined us. Dagger and Eiko kept the ship in the air. I remember it all so clearly. Amarant and Zidane attacking from both sides, Freya trying jump attacks. But the monster warded each and every attack off. I knew they were going to say it, but I was still terrified. It was up to me to defeat this monster.

Summoning up my energy I cast thundaga, praying it would have some effect. Fortunately for all of us it did. The monster was paralysed, allowing the others to kill it efficiently. The battle was over. Zidane crossed the ships deck and rested his hand on my shoulder. He murmured "well done". I felt proud, receiving his praise. But the joy of being useful was short lived.

The fight with the monster had taken us almost to Madain Sari. Mist engulfed this continent too, yet the Iifa tree could be seen, looming ominously out of the mist. It was a truly haunting sight; I couldn't take my eyes off it. That's when it happened. The huge explosion. It was so extreme it was almost slow motion. The area above the Iifa tree burst open in a ball of flame, the flames reaching even our airship, on the far end of the continent.

The flames cleared, leaving a hole, a portal above the tree. A strange light glowed from it, sparkling in a deadly menace. Like a portal of doom. Then the screaming. I could hear the citizens of Conde Petie, even here. The city was in flames.

I became aware of a panic on our airship. Eiko was screaming that it was all her fault; she never should have released the trapped eidolon. Zidane merely gazed at the portal. I realised as I watched him that we had no choice but to fly through that gateway. Thoughts flashed though my head as I gazed at it. The thoughts that had recently tainted me. The fact that I knew I was merely a machine. All the things I learned in the Mage Village.

They meant nothing. I felt fear. I didn't want to stop. I didn't want my friends to stop. Who knew what would be waiting on the other side of the gateway. It was inevitable that we would have to go through and meet our destinies. But I was afraid. None of this would have happened if I hadn't snuck into the play. I would have been safe in Alexandria. I would have been there, not here. And I would have been there when the town was destroyed.

We had to go through the portal. We had to save Gaia. I thought about what I had witnessed. In Lindblum. They had treated a Mage cruelly. I could have sworn I saw the pain and suffering in its eyes. Did I really want to help save people who would do things like that? Did I really want to stop to save their lives?

Yes. It was the only answer. Yes. It wasn't just people like that. There were others, like Dagger, like Freya, like Eiko and Amarant. And like Zidane. The roots had killed many. Maybe even those who were nice to us. Those who helped us. We couldn't let them suffer. We would be no better than those who had made the mage suffer. We'd be no different to the mages who made them suffer.

It was a difficult thought to comprehend. No matter how much you love your own people; there is always the chance that someone will be like that. I wasn't like that. I had to help. Zidane's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"We have to go." I nodded. We set course for the portal. We were going through. Who knew what awaited us. Who knew if we would survive? But I won't leave my friends. I will never leave them. I knew I could never live with myself. So I would face everything with them by my side. We would triumph in the end.

And if not. At least we would try. We would stick by each other until the end. And we would never, ever give up. We owed it to ourselves to finish what we had started. Even if it meant we would stop, that we would, that we would Die. We have to try. We're not like them!

THE END