Before them, the Iifa tree swells from the ground, oozing mist. Eiko removes the eidolon protecting the Tree with an elaborate chant — which, as Vivi disocovers, actually doesn't do anything at all — and the group heads up the Tree's roots to the trunk. On the way, they meet the moogle named Mocchi, who is given a letter from Mogryo about Vivi:

Vivi's Eyes A kid named Vivi came to the Black Mage Village. His eyes were so sad... Like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, kupo. I wanted to say "Good luck!" to him, but I couldn't...kupo. I'm on your side, Vivi!

The group continues on, eventually coming to a leaf-shaped transport, which takes them deep into the center of the tree. On the way, they discuss the connection between Kuja and the Mist. Suddenly, the others notice how quiet Vivi is being. Zidane asks him what's up, and Vivi tells them he's discovered a connection between the Iifa Tree's mist and the mist that was used to create the black mages. Eiko's confused, asking what black mages are, and Garnet, not thinking, tells her they're beings that look like Vivi.

Vivi § It's okay. I'm not upset anymore about being made or anything.

Vivi seems unperturbed, but who can be sure. He insists there must be a connection between the Mist, the Iifa Tree, Kuja and the black mages. They reach the bottom, only to find themselves on some sort of tree machine that looks like a harp. It seems they've reached the end of their journey, even though they can still sense life below them.

Suddenly, a small earthquake occurs, and the group rushes to a far wall, which is glowing and moving slightly. A tree creature appears, and the party realises it was what they sensed, and not Kuja. The tree talks to them, tells them that the Mist is a byproduct of a refinement process, and that Kuja is putting it to use.

Soulcage § Kuja used the byproducts to make weapons. Weapons...like yourself. Kuja called them black mages, dark spawn of the Mist. (...) Answer me, puppet. Do you deny your very birth?

Vivi is only slightly shocked, having already accepted a connection between himself, the black mages and the Mist. Vivi shouts out to the tree:

Vivi § No More! (...) I won't let you make any more instruments of murder!

Eiko applauds him, and the group attacks Soulcage. At its defeat, the Mist seems to evaporate all over the world. Eiko is happy to see the Iifa tree so beautiful without the Mist around it. Vivi is worried that he didn't do the right thing. He'd rushed headlong into defeating the creator of the Mist, only thinking of preventing creatures of war from being created anymore. But now the reality of there being no more black mages — no more of his kind — makes him worry that the other black mages will hate him for what he's done.

Eiko, however, is in complete disagreement. She's sure that Vivi's brothers will understand. Just then, Moco from Madain Sari runs up, telling Eiko that their most precious item has been stolen. The group rush back to Madain Sari. In Eiko's room, they discover the item missing from its chest. Eiko is worried that it's her fault, since she removed the eidolon from the Iifa Tree, but Zidane tells her they are as much at fault as she for asking her to. She runs off to pray, but soon after the others hear her scream.

At the Eidolon Wall, Eiko is being held hostage by Lani. The group confronts her, but is surprised when Amarant shows up and engages Zidane in a duel. After Zidane wins, he hands over the jewel and runs off. Eiko heads back to her room to hide it, calling Vivi along to protect her. There, Zidane and Garnet find a quiet Eiko, who wants to leave the village with the others, but in doing so, would break her promise to her grandfather that she wouldn't leave until her sixteenth birthday. She asks Zidane what to do, but Zidane tells her she's already made up her mind. Vivi reminds her of the advice she gave him — not to lie to oneself — and tells her they both should try to be more honest with their feelings.

Later, Dagger discovers that Madain Sari had been her home before the age of six, much to Eiko's delight — she's not the last of her people anymore. Before leaving for the Iifa Tree, Amarant shows up, and Zidane recruits him into the the party. They head to the Iifa Tree.

Kuja arrives on his silver dragon just as they do. Garnet and Vivi confront them on the branches of the Tree, and Kuja proceeds to tell them how to make black mages out of the dregs of souls, otherwise known as the Mist. Vivi tells him to shut it, but Kuja goes on and on, until Queen Brahne arrives. She begins to attack, but seems to be holding back.

Garnet decides she must save her mother, after hearing how Kuja has manipulated her. She asks Eiko where the other imprisoned eidolon is, and then runs off to find it. The eidolon turns out to be Leviathon, a powerful ally; but when Brahne summons Bahamut, Garnet realises it's useless. After the eidolon king destroys the Iifa Tree, Kuja uses his own eidolon to turn the beast against Brahne and destroy her own ships. Brahne survives, and the group finds her on the beach.

Vivi §I hate Kuja a lot. But I hate Brahne a lot, too... ...so much that I wanted this to happen to her. I should be happy, but... Once I saw Dagger start to cry, I didn't know how I should feel. I kind of wanted to cry, too...

Vivi is feeling incredibly conflicted. He looks on as Brahne says her last words to Garnet, free of the greed Kuja had inflicted upon her. Later, in Alexandria, Garnet places a wreath of roses created by the Alexandrian people over her mother's grave, and requests Steiner and Beatrix to help her to become a great queen.

Vivi is walking through the steets of Alexandria when he bumps into Blank, who's hurring off to see one of Ruby's new plays. They catch up, and then Vivi heads off to look around. In the marketplace, Vivi has a little fun racing a hippo lady's son. Eventually Vivi meets up with Blank at Ruby's theatre, and after a little coercing, ends up inside and about to watch a play.

Later, Vivi and the rest of Tantalus show up at the pub where Zidane is moping. Vivi really wants to go see Garnet, and Zidane agrees. They head to the castle, where they come across Freya and Amarant about to spar. Zidane gets between them, but Freya turns on him, telling him that he's the one she's angry with. Freya expects him to be at Dagger's side, but he's off wandering about aimlessly. Zidane knows she's right, but doesn't think Dagger needs him.

Vivi § I think Dagger wants to see you. So...let's go see her!

Zidane can't say no to that, and they head to the castle. There, they find Eiko being thrown out by Steiner. Vivi requests an audience with Dagger, and of course Steiner can't say no to the little black mage, inviting them all in. Dagger emerges from her room in a beautiful gown, to the amazment of everyone. Only Zidane has nothing to say. After she leaves, Vivi asks him why, and he says he couldn't lie to Dagger about being okay with watching her from afar.

Later, Tot meets up with the others at the pub, asking after Eiko. After hearing he wants to learn more about Madain Sari from her, Eiko suggests they all go to his place in Treno. When they get there, Eiko wants to do a bit of sightseeing first, and recruits Vivi to take her around town.

Eiko Talks Life When they leave, Vivi hesitantly asks Eiko why he didn't invite Zidane along. Eiko tries to explain what's going on between Garnet and Zidane, but Vivi is more than a little confused... Just then, she spots the card stadium and runs off, leaving Vivi behind. Then a man comes up to Vivi, seeming to recognise him...

How He Ended Up Here The man turns out to be Marco, a worker on the airship that originally brought Vivi to Alexandria. Marco is happy to see Vivi again, but tells him he should head home to see his family. Vivi decides to, even though his grandfather isn't there anymore...

Home sweet home Vivi reaches his house, a tunnel in the side of a rocky crevice. Nothing's changed. Vivi reminisces about being saved by his grandpa after nearly falling off one of the side of the narrow path: the incident from which stemmed his fear of heights. Inside, everything's very dusty. Vivi comes across his grandpa's old cookware, remembering his final days, when he yearned for companionship instead of food... He thinks again of how Quina looks a lot like his grandpa.

Suddenly, Alexandria is attacked. Regent Cid, who'd been in town for the card tournament, has everyone board the newly completed Hilda Garde II. The ship rocks to and fro, and Vivi begins to feel sick. He makes to head into the ship to rest for a while, but he notices Eiko is sparkling. Eiko thinks she hears Dagger's voice, and realises that Alexander is calling to her. She dives off the ship to the Alexandrian castle below. There, she meets up with Dagger, and tells her they must answer Alexander's summons.

Alexander surrounds its city with its wings, nullifying Bahamut's attacks. With its holy powers, it attacks the eidolon king and destroys it. In the city, Kuja calls forth Invincible, the ultimate airship, to capture Alexander. But someone stops him — Garland, another who is not from Gaia.

Zidane, Vivi and the others reach Alexandria Castle. But when the make it to the top, Zidane goes on alone, telling everyone to leave before Kuja attacks again. When Vivi tries to stop him, insisting he should go along as well, he says:

Zidane § Go on, Vivi. Someday, you'll probably do the same thing for someone who's really important to you.

Vivi is the last one of the group to leave. Zidane tells him he's sorry, but he has to trust his intuition on this one. Vivi finally agrees to go, and wishes his friend good luck. Zidane barely makes it in time to save Eiko and Garnet as the tower crumbles; he's knocked out cold for three days afterward. When he awakens he meets up with the others for a conference with Cid. There, Vivi is shocked to be told that Kuja was in league with black mages...who could talk coherently like Vivi.

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