Notes: Garnet, Zidane, Alexandria, and all other characters and locations originally mentioned
in Final Fantasy IX belong to Squaresoft. All other characters and locations belong to myself.
Questions, comments, and constructive critisicm are more than welcome.
A Fine Mess - Chapter 4
by Makou
"Are we all settled down now? Good," said Kory a number of minutes later when he had
finally managed to get the dozen miniature Black Mages in line. "Now," he continued, facing
old man Adelbert. "I guess we can talk now, can't we?"
"C-certainly!" stuttered Adelbert. "Would you by any chance happen to be related to one
Vivi Ornitier?"
"He's my grandpa," replied Kory. "Do you know him?"
"Master Vivi is still alive? Why, this is wonderful news!" cheered Adelbert, almost
leaping into the air in his excitement. "How does he fare? Is he on this airship? Or has he
already arrived in Alexandria?"
"Uh, well," said Kory, scratching the back of his head. "There was a little mix-up with
the airship tickets, so he got to Alexandria yesterday. Do you want to see him? Who are you,
anyway?"
"My name is Adelbert Steiner, Master Kory!" Adelbert bowed for the umpteenth time. "Your
grandfather and I assisted their Majesties Queen Garnet and King Zidane in a quest of great
import fifty-two years ago. But you must tell me," he said, rising again to his feet. "How on
Earth did Master Vivi manage survive all this while?"
"Well, Grandpa found out how to jump bodies a long time ago... So he could have time to
figure out how to get everyone to live longer, you know? So whenever another Black Mage stops,
he just transfers his soul from his body to the stopped Black Mage's. Does that answer your
question?" said Kory.
"Excuse me, sir," said Cadrin. "But can't the other Black Mages... jump?" He found this
all awfully confusing.
"Well, no..." answered Kory. "His magic's more powerful than of ours, you see. But he's
doing a great job with his work! I turned seventeen this year; fifty years ago, that would've
been unheard of!"
"Marvellous!" cried Adelbert. He looked as if he might burst into tears of joy at any
moment.
"How are the Genomes doing?" queried Beatrix, who had been silent in the conversation up
until now.
"They're still there," said Kory. "A month before we left, my brother Rory got married to
a Genome girl named Nanami. They were on their honeymoon, but we're meeting up with them in
Alexandria."
"There have been... marriages between the Black Mages and the Genomes?" asked Adelbert in
amazement.
"Of course. Shouldn't there be?" He then noticed something very curious waving around
behind Cadrin. "Hey! Is that a tail?"
"Yes..." said Cadrin.
"So you're a Genome, aren't you?" asked Kory.
"I believe my grandfather told me once that he was one..."
"Ah! So you're a quarter-Genome! That explains the tail!"
One of the little Black Mages tugged on Kory's coat. "Daddy, are you done? I'm bored."
"Just a minute, Lily," replied Kory. "I'm almost done. Then you can go play inside with
your brothers and sisters."
"Why can't we go play right now or out here?"
Kory looked horrified at the mere suggestion of that. "I don't want any of you to get
killed! You're waiting until I'm finished and that's final!" A chorus of 'Awwws' followed
shortly thereafter.
"Oh, really! Do I need to remind you all what happened last time I left you all to play by
yourselves?" said Kory, a trifle testily. "You're just going to have to be a little patient."
Needless to say, Kory chatted with Adelbert and Beatrix for the rest of the trip. He
might have done so with Cadrin too had his mother had not come and pull him away, accusing him
of harassing the other passengers despite their fervent protests to that statement. Adelbert,
despite that, bowed to her as well seeing as she was the esteemed daughter-in-law of Queen
Garnet.
But before Cadrin knew it, the Ananova was preparing for landing in Alexandria. The first
thing he saw once he disembarked the vessel was his father, looking as if a meteor just
destroyed the guard house.
"Cadrin!" his father yelled as he ran up to greet him.
"Father?" said Cadrin curiously. His father was acting high-strung... That is, more high-
strung than usual. "Is... something the matter?"
"Prince Zircon!" Adelbert had disembarked and had come running up as fast as his old legs
would let him to Cadrin's father. Beatrix, on the other hand, had decided to walk more sedately
towards the son of her Queen.
"Steiner? It's been awhile, has it not?" said Zircon politely. Then he turned his head
downwards and said to his son, "Where is your mother, Cadrin? Why hasn't she come out yet?"
"Father, she's..." Cadrin began.
"She's what? She's what!?"
"She's right behind you," said Cadrin, pointing over his father's shoulder.
Indeed, Finnevere was standing there, her arms crossed and the fingers of her right hand
tapping on her left arm. "I'm certainly glad you were paying attention, Zircon. Now would you be
so kind as to tell us what happened here? You never get so inattentive unless something bad has
happened."
"Inattentive!" gasped Zircon in horror.
"That's exactly what I said," said Finnevere. "You get so wrapped up in events that you
completely fail to notice what's happening under your own nose!"
Cadrin sighed. This sounded familiar...
"Finn, there is no need for this right now!"
"Really? I can't think of a better time!"
"Could you let me tell you what happened, at least?" Finnevere nodded to give her
permission. "Mother has been poisoned," Zircon said quietly. "According to the last report I
received, she is still unconcious... Although the doctor still believes she will awaken soon."
"Poisoned!" said Beatrix in amazement. "Are you sure?" Adelbert had already fainted.
"Yes, I'm certain."
"But grandmother's going to be alright, isn't she?" asked Cadrin.
"As the doctor said, she should regain consciousness soon, but a full recovery could take
some time."
"I don't understand! Who would want to poison your mother?" asked Finnevere. "You know
something, don't you?" she accused.
"I do," said Zircon stiffly, turning away. "But I can't tell you. I don't want you to
become a liability. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do." He walked back into the
castle.
"Oh, that man!" said Finnevere in indignation. "Simply running off like that!"
"He's just worried about you both," said Beatrix. "Now come along, we'll go see Zidane
before we go find our rooms." She kicked Adelbert lightly in the side. "Come on, get up. We're
leaving."
"Y-yes, dear..." Adelbert said, still obviously shaken.
*Doubtless, he'll start acting as if this is all his fault,* thought Beatrix. *He's
hopeless. Completely and utterly hopeless.*
"So you were successful?"
"Yes, sir. The Queen should be sleeping peacefully by now."
"Excellent. What of Nickel? He was captured, was he not?"
"Yes, but that doesn't really matter does it? He's not exactly what you'd call
competent..."
"That is true, but we must look after those of our number. Have someone release him from
the dungeon."
"Yes, sir."
"And after Nickel is brought back to safety, proceed to stage two of our plan. But make
sure Nickel is not involved in that operation, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
The owner of the second voice brushed his hand across the plain black box he was carrying
as he walked away...
in Final Fantasy IX belong to Squaresoft. All other characters and locations belong to myself.
Questions, comments, and constructive critisicm are more than welcome.
A Fine Mess - Chapter 4
by Makou
"Are we all settled down now? Good," said Kory a number of minutes later when he had
finally managed to get the dozen miniature Black Mages in line. "Now," he continued, facing
old man Adelbert. "I guess we can talk now, can't we?"
"C-certainly!" stuttered Adelbert. "Would you by any chance happen to be related to one
Vivi Ornitier?"
"He's my grandpa," replied Kory. "Do you know him?"
"Master Vivi is still alive? Why, this is wonderful news!" cheered Adelbert, almost
leaping into the air in his excitement. "How does he fare? Is he on this airship? Or has he
already arrived in Alexandria?"
"Uh, well," said Kory, scratching the back of his head. "There was a little mix-up with
the airship tickets, so he got to Alexandria yesterday. Do you want to see him? Who are you,
anyway?"
"My name is Adelbert Steiner, Master Kory!" Adelbert bowed for the umpteenth time. "Your
grandfather and I assisted their Majesties Queen Garnet and King Zidane in a quest of great
import fifty-two years ago. But you must tell me," he said, rising again to his feet. "How on
Earth did Master Vivi manage survive all this while?"
"Well, Grandpa found out how to jump bodies a long time ago... So he could have time to
figure out how to get everyone to live longer, you know? So whenever another Black Mage stops,
he just transfers his soul from his body to the stopped Black Mage's. Does that answer your
question?" said Kory.
"Excuse me, sir," said Cadrin. "But can't the other Black Mages... jump?" He found this
all awfully confusing.
"Well, no..." answered Kory. "His magic's more powerful than of ours, you see. But he's
doing a great job with his work! I turned seventeen this year; fifty years ago, that would've
been unheard of!"
"Marvellous!" cried Adelbert. He looked as if he might burst into tears of joy at any
moment.
"How are the Genomes doing?" queried Beatrix, who had been silent in the conversation up
until now.
"They're still there," said Kory. "A month before we left, my brother Rory got married to
a Genome girl named Nanami. They were on their honeymoon, but we're meeting up with them in
Alexandria."
"There have been... marriages between the Black Mages and the Genomes?" asked Adelbert in
amazement.
"Of course. Shouldn't there be?" He then noticed something very curious waving around
behind Cadrin. "Hey! Is that a tail?"
"Yes..." said Cadrin.
"So you're a Genome, aren't you?" asked Kory.
"I believe my grandfather told me once that he was one..."
"Ah! So you're a quarter-Genome! That explains the tail!"
One of the little Black Mages tugged on Kory's coat. "Daddy, are you done? I'm bored."
"Just a minute, Lily," replied Kory. "I'm almost done. Then you can go play inside with
your brothers and sisters."
"Why can't we go play right now or out here?"
Kory looked horrified at the mere suggestion of that. "I don't want any of you to get
killed! You're waiting until I'm finished and that's final!" A chorus of 'Awwws' followed
shortly thereafter.
"Oh, really! Do I need to remind you all what happened last time I left you all to play by
yourselves?" said Kory, a trifle testily. "You're just going to have to be a little patient."
Needless to say, Kory chatted with Adelbert and Beatrix for the rest of the trip. He
might have done so with Cadrin too had his mother had not come and pull him away, accusing him
of harassing the other passengers despite their fervent protests to that statement. Adelbert,
despite that, bowed to her as well seeing as she was the esteemed daughter-in-law of Queen
Garnet.
But before Cadrin knew it, the Ananova was preparing for landing in Alexandria. The first
thing he saw once he disembarked the vessel was his father, looking as if a meteor just
destroyed the guard house.
"Cadrin!" his father yelled as he ran up to greet him.
"Father?" said Cadrin curiously. His father was acting high-strung... That is, more high-
strung than usual. "Is... something the matter?"
"Prince Zircon!" Adelbert had disembarked and had come running up as fast as his old legs
would let him to Cadrin's father. Beatrix, on the other hand, had decided to walk more sedately
towards the son of her Queen.
"Steiner? It's been awhile, has it not?" said Zircon politely. Then he turned his head
downwards and said to his son, "Where is your mother, Cadrin? Why hasn't she come out yet?"
"Father, she's..." Cadrin began.
"She's what? She's what!?"
"She's right behind you," said Cadrin, pointing over his father's shoulder.
Indeed, Finnevere was standing there, her arms crossed and the fingers of her right hand
tapping on her left arm. "I'm certainly glad you were paying attention, Zircon. Now would you be
so kind as to tell us what happened here? You never get so inattentive unless something bad has
happened."
"Inattentive!" gasped Zircon in horror.
"That's exactly what I said," said Finnevere. "You get so wrapped up in events that you
completely fail to notice what's happening under your own nose!"
Cadrin sighed. This sounded familiar...
"Finn, there is no need for this right now!"
"Really? I can't think of a better time!"
"Could you let me tell you what happened, at least?" Finnevere nodded to give her
permission. "Mother has been poisoned," Zircon said quietly. "According to the last report I
received, she is still unconcious... Although the doctor still believes she will awaken soon."
"Poisoned!" said Beatrix in amazement. "Are you sure?" Adelbert had already fainted.
"Yes, I'm certain."
"But grandmother's going to be alright, isn't she?" asked Cadrin.
"As the doctor said, she should regain consciousness soon, but a full recovery could take
some time."
"I don't understand! Who would want to poison your mother?" asked Finnevere. "You know
something, don't you?" she accused.
"I do," said Zircon stiffly, turning away. "But I can't tell you. I don't want you to
become a liability. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do." He walked back into the
castle.
"Oh, that man!" said Finnevere in indignation. "Simply running off like that!"
"He's just worried about you both," said Beatrix. "Now come along, we'll go see Zidane
before we go find our rooms." She kicked Adelbert lightly in the side. "Come on, get up. We're
leaving."
"Y-yes, dear..." Adelbert said, still obviously shaken.
*Doubtless, he'll start acting as if this is all his fault,* thought Beatrix. *He's
hopeless. Completely and utterly hopeless.*
"So you were successful?"
"Yes, sir. The Queen should be sleeping peacefully by now."
"Excellent. What of Nickel? He was captured, was he not?"
"Yes, but that doesn't really matter does it? He's not exactly what you'd call
competent..."
"That is true, but we must look after those of our number. Have someone release him from
the dungeon."
"Yes, sir."
"And after Nickel is brought back to safety, proceed to stage two of our plan. But make
sure Nickel is not involved in that operation, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
The owner of the second voice brushed his hand across the plain black box he was carrying
as he walked away...