Eiko suddenly comes into the conference with terrible news: Dagger's lost her voice. Zidane runs to the guest rooms with Tot, and they find that it's true. Zidane knows all he can do is defeat Kuja, and to do that, he needs an airship. But first, he must find a way to return Cid to his human form in order for him to make one.

Zidane runs around Lindblum collecting potions that Dot believes will return Cid to his human form. But when they try out the potions, it just turns poor Cid into a frog! Vivi suggests they head to the Black Mage Village next, in the hopes of finding out why the mages were working for Kuja...There, Vivi and the others find the village deserted. At the cemetery, Black Mage No. 288 is still there. Vivi discovers that the others have gone with Kuja after he promised an extension on their lives. Vivi knows Kuja is lying and is using them like puppets.

No.288 § ...Maybe we are just puppets, created to serve humans.

When Vivi asks where they went, No.288 won't say, not wanting to betray them. Vivi runs off to find the other two remaining black mages. He finds them at the chocobo stables; a baby chocobo has hatched from an egg. The two black mages begin to feel strange...Vivi leaves, finding No.288 outside. He asks if he'd stayed behind because of the chocobo egg, but No.288 isn't sure, only knowing that he'd stayed behind because he felt as if he would loose something if he'd left with the others.

Vivi asks No.288 if he'll stop soon. The black mage tells him that he'll likely survive longer, since the prototype built before them was stronger. Vivi feels a burst of anger for Kuja, believing that if the others knew they weren't mere puppets, they'd be able to experience true emotions like Vivi has. Hearing his words, No.288 decides to tell the party where Kuja is headed.

The party heads to the sand dunes but is trapped by Kuja in his palace. Vivi wonders what's going to happen to himself. Time passes...and the doors suddenly open. Cid, who'd been ignored as a frog, has managed to free everyone on his own. Vivi and the rest make their way through the Desert Palace, hoping to find and defeat Kuja.

Zidane and others arrive back at the Desert Palace after collecting the Gulug stone for Kuja in return for everyone's safety. Zidane is asked to come into Kuja's room -- alone. He goes, and then the others show up. Cid stops to explain to Zidane's group but Vivi leads the way into Kuja's room. Only Eiko doesn't make it in time, and is caught by Kuja's twin minions.

While the others are distracted by Eiko's screams for help, Kuja uses his powers to steal the Gulug stone from Zidane. He waltzed off to escape, telling Zidane he'd better come after him. They rush out to find the Hilda Garde I gone, but with Cid's suggestion of using their boat, they set sail after Kuja.

They land on the Lost Continent and head over to Esto Gaza. Inside, they find a temple-like place and a stuffy bishop, who gets mad at Vivi for tripping and making noise.

Bishop § Hmph! Just like the other pointy-hats! No manners at all.

Eventually the bishop tells them that an army of black mages had passed through, one of whom was carrying a little girl -- Eiko! The group heads to Mount Gulug, a volcano that has been dead for many years. As the group goes deeper into the mine-like volcano, winged dragons attack. Finally, they find Eiko, about to have her eidolons extracted by Thorn and Zorn.

Suddenly, Mog appears and begins to glow. She thanks Eiko for helping her and letting her stay by her side. Mog becomes her true eidolon form and wipes out Thorn and Zorn. All that's left of Mog is her ribbon.

Kuja rants about Trances and gaining power through angry souls. When he turns to leave, Vivi runs after him, bumping into an invisible barrier. He gets up and runs on. Before Zidane and the others can run after Vivi and Kuja, Thorn and Zorn arise as one being and attack. After the battle, Zidane rushes into the next room to find Vivi and two black mages. Vivi tells him that the black mages discovered Kuja had been lying. Vivi pleads for Zidane to tell him what to do, but Zidane can't say a thing.

Vivi § All I can do...is just sit with them.

Zidane hears a woman's voice; it turns out Hilda, Cid's wife, has been stuck in a room and forced to listen to Kuja's master plan. The group returns to Lindblum, where Hilda turns Cid back into a human with a kiss.

Hilda explains Kuja's master plan, and that he claims he's not from the world of Gaia. After she tells the group Kuja plans to go to a place she calls Ipsen's Castle, they head there. The castle turns out to be a very odd place indeed: everything is upside down, and consequently everyone's strength lies in their weakest weapons. Amarant challenges Zidane to a test of solidarity versus teamwork: he ends up winning, and Vivi is somewhat shocked when he actually leaves the group.

When they reach the inner chamber, Zidane takes the mirrors he finds off the wall, triggering the wraith of a Terran monster. The party heads back to the entrance, but Vivi triggers a trap door and almost falls through. After exploring a second time for treasure, the group heads out. The others outside tell Zidane that Amarant is still inside, and he goes off to look for him. Amarant's been hit to the ground after fighting by himself. Zidane convinces him he should return to the team, and after a bit of confusion on Amarant's part, he agrees.

Back on the airship, Zidane decides to drop off two people at each of the locations specified by the mirrors he took. Vivi is dropped off at the Wind Shrine with Steiner.

Vivi § W-Wow, the wind is strong...

The wind plows through the airship, frightening Vivi. Steiner steps in front of the little black mage, his heavily armoured self impeding the gusts. Vivi tries to stand on his own, but is blown back. They decide it's best that Steiner go first and Vivi keep close behind him.

The unlikely duo navigate the shrine, eventually coming across one of Terra's guardians, a great wind dragon. Vivi can't target the beast with his magic, because it's too fast...Steiner suggests they combine their powers to defeat it. Vivi isn't sure he can do it, but Steiner says:

Steiner § I trust you, Vivi.

Steiner holds down the dragon while Vivi casts his spells. The two manage to put the mirror in its place on the shrine's altar. They return to the airship to find everyone else has done the same. The group heads to the Shimmering Island, the portal to another world.

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