Cactus Diary (Visions of Mana)

Cactus Diary

Cactus Diary is part of a side-quest in Visions of Mana. For every Li'l Cactus found and helped on the overworld, the player will be rewarded with a diary entry describing the area through the anthropomorphic cactus's eyes. There is a total of 38 entries. Collecting a certain amount of entries will grant players with passive bonuses with each milestone.

Overview

The Cactus Diary pages will start appearing once the player has entered Rime Falls, triggering a cutscene. Only the Rime Falls entry is automatically gained during the story, the rest of them being entirely optional. In certain areas, Li'l Cactus will make a noise to indicate he's nearby. Keep in mind that this isn't true for all of his hiding places though. Not every Li'l Cactus will appear immediately, needing certain story sections to be completed first. If Li'l Cactus isn't appearing in a certain location yet, just revisit it after you've advanced the story.

Story

As the party reaches Rime Falls, they find a frozen Li'l Cactus atop a cliff in the process of thawing out. As he does so, the block of ice slides down and shatters on the ground near them, freeing the little plant who immediately scurries away. He leaves a single diary entry in his disarray, which the adventurers pick up.

List of entries

Nb	Name	Location	Entry
001	"The Warmth of Tianeea"	Tianeea, Village of Fire	"The Fire Village is just like Salamando: exciting! No one bats an eye when Dorpher Volcano rumbles and spews out rocks or erupts with Lava. If the volcano is angry, everyone tries to cheer it up again. The people of Tianeea are all kind souls. That really warms my heart."
002	"Camping in the Passage"	Charred Passage	"The ground here is hot and the water is lukewarm. It's not so bad really. I can tell the plants here are happy. But it's weird. I don't see many leafy vegetable walking around. I thought this was their passage. I should find a quiet spot to camp for tonight."
003	"Something in the Air"	Aery Passage	"The air here always has a weird smell to it. Sniff, sniff here—smells of seafood. Sniff, sniff there—smells of meat. Does it make the Rabites and Chobin Hoods hungry? That wouldn't be good. They might eat the people. traveling through here by mistake. Now I'm starting to get a little hungry."
004	"The Mills in the Vale Go Round and Round"	Longren, Vale of Wind	"Dragonfolk in Longren live in harmony with the wind. It's an important part of their lives. But can they float in the breeze like dandelions? Can they tumble over the ground like dry grass? The windmills go spin, spin, spin. The world goes spin, spin, spin. My head goes spin, spin, spin when I think about these things."
005	"The Gales of Mt. Gala"	Mt. Gala	"Legends say Mt. Gala is where the winds are born. It's the source of all the wind. Sylphid sends it out all over the world. Did you know that? I didn't know that. I thought there was a giant on top of the mountain, huffing and puffing all day long! Phew! I was worried the giant might faint from all the huff-puffing."
006	"Dumbstruck in the Drifts"	Lefeya Drifts	"Everything is frozen solid. If I don't get out of here, that will include me. I heard that the snow here used to be milder, but I don't know why that matters now. If the snow hides the path, which way should I go? I suppose that doesn't matter either. I have no business staying here too long. Snow business? Like no business it snows. It's no big deal. I'm not scared! But I am quite cold."
007	"If You Could Turn Back Time"	Etaern the Moonlit Parish	"When the big sandyglass broke, all the parishoners disappeared. Even the fox vanished. Was it magic? Or were they all playing hide-and-seek? Can I play as well? Playing alone is no fun. Cacti get let lonely, too, you know. Sometimes a cactus might cry if it gets too lonely."
008	"Farewell, Rime Falls"	Rime Falls	"The Rime Falls are really famous, apparently. But when I arrived, the water was totally frozen. When it's cold, I get sleepy. But if it's too cold, I can't fall asleep. I you see me sleeping, it's because I'm cold, not because I'm lazy. Does spring arrives once the snow melts? Or does the snow melt once spring arrives? The world may never know... I prefer summer anyway."
009	"Hop, Steppe, Jump"	Fallow Steppe	"So many plants, but only one cactus. So many pikuls, but I have to walk everywhere because they won't give me a ride. Do they think cacti are too prickly? They must no know I'm thorn-free. Maybe they just don't like my face. Silly Pikuls! Don't they know you should never judge a cactus by its face?"
010	"The Smell of the Sea Breeze"	Rhata Harbor	"The Sea is always vast, no matter the season. But was the sea small when I was a child? Are puddles baby oceans? Do they eat salt to grow big and strong? I couldn't cross something big like the sea because I can't swim. Please stay as you are, Sea. You can't grow too much. Everything in moderation, including salt."
011	"The Cactus that Sailed the Sea"	Ledgas Bay	"Fish swim in the water. Bird fly in the sky. Pikuls dash across the land. What about plants? Plants aren't stuck in one place, you know. We spread seeds all over and sprout everywhere. Tsk, tsk, tsk! You should never underestimate a plant. I only request that you don't jostle me too much. I'm very sensitive to jostling."
012	"Pretty Pritta"	Pritta Ridge	"Lovely yellow leaves on Pritta Pritta Ridge. Crystal-clear waters on Pritta Pritta Ridge. Simley, smiley faces on Pritta Pritta Ridge. Pikuls going crazy on Pritta Pritta Ridge. A perfect place for everyone, Pritta Pritta Ridge. But I don't think that's the case for me."
013	"Welcome to the Captial of the Deep"	Illystana, Captial of the Deep	"The aqua orb is a symbol of peace. Everyone needs water to survive, especially me. I'll shrivel up without water. But I don't want to leave super close to the water. What if I fall in and the fish gobble me? The tragic end of Li'l Cactus and his adventures! I don't want to be gobbled by a fish."
014	"The Truth of the Ruins"	Luka Ruins	"So Passar nabbed Niccolo Because Niccolo is a bad guy? But Passar is also a bad guy and that's why Fullmetal Hugger got taken down. So the real bad guy was Fullmetal Hugger all along! I knew it! No, no. That can't be right. Was Passar actually the real bad guy after all? I'm so confused."
015	"Starry Shrine"	Reignus Shrine	"Have you every wondered why the stars glow? Is it because mushrooms feed off their light? Do fireflies perch on their points? Are stars jellyfish swimming across the inky sky? I'll give it some more thought. You should, too.If you find the answer, let me know. You can whisper it to me. I don't mind. I'll be our little secret."
016	"Problems in the Pasture"	Ahrvet's Pasture	"The pasture is a place where lots of food grows, but a terrible was happened here once upon a time. People fought because others had too much food. Why fight? There's enough food to go around! So let's all enjoy a meal together! Remember to chew slowly! There's only enough for one extra helping each. Don't mind me if I have a larger serving, too!"
017	"Ancient Then, Ancient Now"	Dura Gorge	"So many bones! Such enormous cliffs! It's good to be steadfast, but sometimes you have to accept change. Like if that huge monkey turned into a small one. Maybe that will help me get big and strong. How am I supposed to climb these cliffs otherwise?"
018	"The Long, Long Bridgepass"	Entwine Bridgepass	"The legend says that two people said their final goodbyes on this bridge. But I'm curious... This is a long bridge, and you can see a long way. Did they turn around the check if they could still see each other? Were those people a sproutling and a popo bug? If that's the case, then I guess they'd want to keep an eye on each other."
019	"To Higher and Higher Heights"	Deade Cliffs	"My courage led me to the top of the Deade Cliffs! Is it where my journey ends? Oh, but I'm so high up! I don't wanna look down! This is very frightening for me. I can hear my stomach rumblingfor fear! I should take a snack break before setting off. I can't stay here."
020	"I Was Expecting Moor"	Khaswia Moors	"I expected the moors to be flat, but they're pretty lumpy. Did I make the wrong turn? Am I a silly cactus? I'm just going wheret the wind takes me at this point. On second thought, could the giant turtle come pick me up?"
021	"Live Freely"	The Free City of Tsaata	"Freedom is following your heart. Freedom is doing whatever you want. O don't care what others say! I study when I feel like it! I eat when I'm hungry and sleep in every day! Does that make me a brat? I'm not sure, but children can get away with acting spoiled. They're truly free, just like me. And I wouldn't change it for anything."
022	"Turtle with a Temper"	Tatoh Temple	"How does it feel to turn to stone? Let me try to imagine it... I'm standing still. Sunbathing in the morning Moonbathing at night. Rainstorms don't bother me. Tornadoes don't bother me either. Hey! It's not that different from being a cactus! That doesn't sound so bad, huh, Vuscav?"
023	"The Sizzling Zawhak Desert"	Zawhak Desert	"The Zawhak Desert must have a zillion grains of sand. That's probably why its name starts with a Z. Why does everyone looks so tired? It's summer! Time for fun! Cacti love the feeling of smooth sand on our roots and hot sun on our bodies. But if there's no share or if a sandstorm comes, we might shrivel up a little bit. Now, I'm thirsty..."
024	"Gudju Calm Down a Little?"	Gudju, The Earth Village	"There's no one here. I'm all alone. But I'm not scared! Not one itty-bitty bit! That was a lie. I'm super-duper scared! I have to stay calm at times like this. Gnome, where are you!? Come get me!"
025	"Dig Here, Dudbears"	Gamurda Mines	"The Dudbears call these mines home. Here's how to say hello in Dudbear. Dub! Bubu baba! Duba dub dub! Gak gak! Gaaak! Gak duba gak! Okay, I admit it. I really don't know any Dudbear at all."
026	"Wood You Look at These!"	Mylos Woods	"Whoa, there! Break it up! You're too close. Much too close. You need to give each other space! If your leaves block the sun, the poor shrubs on the ground won't grow! What then? Oh... Oooh! I didn't realize you were..involved. How romantic! Now I'm blushing."
027	"Sproutlings Are People Too"	Verdeus Borough	"There's something different about that sproutling. They're different. Did they spruce up their style? I've changed, too. I'm not the same cactus that I was yesterday. And I'll be a brand-new cactus tomorrow! It's the first test to maturity. Good things come to those who sleep."
028	"No Cacti Allowed?"	Sanctuary Entrance	"The Sanctuary of Mana is the home of the Goddess. You can't just enter whenever you please! If someone came into my house unannounced, I'd be shocked! A home is a sacred place. It's a kind of sanctuary. It's embarrassing for people to see your space without permission. But if someone asked nicely, I'd let them in."
029	"Wisdom in the Gloom"	Log'grattzo Dark Archives	"My mind wanders when it's time to go to sleep. Why Trent is so big? Is Niccolo a cat or a rabbit? Should I have jam or butter on my toasts for breakfast tomorrow? How about both? Someone should write a manual to decide these things. Maybe I'll just have a fried egg."
030	"Bunches of Books"	Passagean Tomespire	"Mountains of books! be sure to put them back in their proper places once you're done reading. Sometimes I get sleepy after picking up a book and forget to tidy it away. I like to read about Blue Oozes and Chocobos and catfish. Stuff like that. I always have nice dreams on the nights when I do."
031	"The Spotlight's on Me"	Radiant Playhouse Terratio	"I've never been fond of cold weather. I was frozen solid once. Can't we stay indoors where it is warm and there are snacks aplenty? Won't someone take pity on this poor cactus? Oh, the tragedy! Huh, so that's what acting feels like. It's kind of fun!"
032	"Over the Snow and Through the Temple"	Temple of Wendel	"It's a relief to find light in the darkness. But if it's too bright, the light might hurt the eyes. You can't see if it's too dark or too bright. Balance is the key. As you can see, my spines are spread evenly across my body. It's kind of the same thing. Don't believe me? Go ahead and count them!"
033	"On the Wind, in the Sky"	Wind Sanctum	"I thought this place would look like Longren, with all the floating dandelion seeds. But the gusts are so strong here, everything gets blown away! Pretty scary. But I still want to protect the seeds! Maybe I'll just watch over them from afar."
034	"The Ribbiting Castle Cresceno"	Castle Cresceno	"Cresceno is an ancient castle, built by a revolutionary king of the beastfolk, But he turned into a frog and then lot of different things happened. Then the castle fell into bits. Maybe his inventions didn't go well, like Von Boyage's. Or maybe he had a sudden flash of inspiration and ran off somwhere. Who knows? Not me. The moral of the story is to stay sharp."
035	"Mind the Ruins"	Luka Ruins Undertemple	"I didn't know that some plants grow underwater! I'm shocked! Does this mean they are cacti growing on the bottom of the sea? Do you think I could live underwater, too? Just imagine me swaying with the ocean current. Arrgh! I'm being nibbled by all the fish! On second thought, I'll stay on land for now!"
036	"Ulul, Isle in the Sky"	Floating Isle of Ulul	"The floating island is home to a colorful bird Benevodon. It sort of looks like a legendary bird. You know, the one with the snake. But maybe they're different birds. I can't explain why, but this island feels very familiar. I want to ride on a giant bird and go on an epic adventure! The snake can stay home, though."
037	"Drip Drop, Dorpher Lava"	Dorpher Volcano	"Lava form Dorpher Volcano can be gooey or silky. Sometimes it's hard and then melts back to gooey when it gets all hot again. It's so surreal. When it's hot, it turns soft. When it's cold, it turns hard. I like how tako bugs are soft and greenballs are hard. I see, I see! I suppose it's not so surreal after all."
038	"Your Courage Will Save Us"	Distorted Sanctuary	"Look how far you've come! Your journey may be over, but your adventure has only just begun. Do you have everything you need? Anything left on your plate? One last thing before you go: thank you for finding me. I wish you all the best because I know you can do it."

Prizes from Li'l Cactus

"Cactus Confidant" achievement

In a similar vein to Trials of Mana HD, Li'l Cactus will bestow positive quirks as the player collects his diary pages to assist them during their adventure. Once they retrieve all pages, players will be rewarded with the Cactus Soul Ability Seed and an achievement as proof of feat.

Name	Nb of pages	Effect
"Cactus Spoils"	1	"Displays the number of undiscovered treasure chests and elementite spots."
"Cactus Savings"	5	"Grants 10% discount at shops."
"Cactus Skedaddle"	10	"Halves the time needed to escape from battle."
"Cactus Super Savings"	15	"Grants a 20% discount at shops."
"Cactus Smarts"	20	"Grants a 1.5x boost to EXP earned from battles."
"Cactus Speciality"	20	"Grants a 20% discount on conversion rates at Niccolo's Emporium."
"Cactus Super Smarts"	30	"Grants a 2x boost to EXP earned from battles."
"Cactus Souvenir"	38	"Receive something special from Li'l Cactus" Ability that passively regenerates 2% of your CS gauge every 5 seconds. Players also receive the "Cactus Confidant" achievement from finding all Li'l Cacti.

References

• Steam Community
• The Gamer

	Randi --"Whoa! What's a Rabite doing in a place like this?"
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