A/N: Sly, I've read your fanfics and they're so AWESOME! Ah, forgive me but some of your theory about what becomes of the genomes killed my attempt at originalism. But I strongly agreed with that theory, except I had thought of it happening a different way not involving Zidane all too much. However, if you find it too close to your story, and become greatly offended, please feel free to tell me and I will edit this chapter to your liking. If you are ok with it, please let me know, too, so that I can continue posting.
This'll be somewhat of crummy chapter. Finals are draining me, but I was so inspired to write! Enjoy the prologue for what goodness it has. Be gentle with reviews…I haven't written for a while and this is a brain-fart anyway. :p
~
Prologue, Part One: Phenomenon
Years later, the Iifa tree collapsed and decomposed to nothingness. An eclipse hid the bright, blue day for hours and thunder boomed and winds were conjured. The Black Mage Villagers (consisting of Black Mages and genomes) ran around trying to get the confusion eliminated. Mages casted spells, and genomes aided in anyway they can. They didn't have magic, but they could follow orders. All was a chaotic fray until an explosion shook the ground and everyone was knocked out. It must have been somewhere in the Black Mage Forest, but no one to this very day can find the spot where whatever it is slammed into the earth (if such was the case). When the Black Mages awoke, they found the genomes already up and recovered. They're faces held such a different expression. It wasn't as blank and stiff as usual. It was like they were...aware. What else was odd was that some of the mages were starting to feel strange and different as well. Some developed voices with different pitches and different shapes and feelings that told of ages and gender.
The weather of the day, prior, started to bring it's windy self back into the Village. Around the village a strong gust blew and knocked one mage's hat off. Interesting, though, that whatever sorcery there was that kept the mage's face hidden was knocked away with the hat. Therefore, seen beneathe the hat as, the young male mage chased after his hat, was a boy. A human boy. The boy realized for the first time his hat had been blown off. He gasped and felt his face only to feel the human features. He stared, confused, into a puddle at his reflection.
"Vivi!"
The mage looked up from his reflection at another mage who tilted his head at him, his eyes cofused. Vivi went back to looking at himself. His skin was a dark umber, with silky black hair that had a slender braid running down the left side of his head. His hair wasn't that long--a tad shorter than Zidane's was. His eyes were golden and large--but not quite like they were when he was with the hat on. They were normal, human eyes. All the other mages that took off their hats, to see if the same happened to them, looked similar to Vivi. Females had brown hair, though, and black skin.
Vivi looked around at his people and the change. He hadn't time to speak of anything for shortly after his gazing around Mikoto came up to him. He looked at her. She looked the same, but she was just as Zidane and Kuja was--she had a soul, she just wasn't quite accoustomed to being relaxed and casual. It didn't seem like any of the other genomes were either. "Vivi," She said, "It is done."
He opened his mouth as if to question, but a look into her cerulean eyes told him all and he nodded in understanding. What had trapped the souls was destroyed, and new life claimed the empty vessels and was restored. Mages found themselves starting to have names rather than numbers, and genomes as well.
What was odd, though, was that the genome souls of the past came to inhabit the genomes of now. Who inhabits the Black Mages?
............ .. .
Inyx had hidden behind a building, far from the fallen mages. She was the first to rise, and she rose with the genomes. She was strong mage, indeed, to recover so quickly and she knew it. From her cover she observed and listened, and watched her young, adoptive father, Vivi. So, I have a soul?, she mused to herself. I'm alive and normal. Inyx took off her hat and felt her humanoid face and took off her gloves, running a black hand through her silky, umber hair. Did she still posses power? She wondered and waved her finger around, muttering words and then saying "Fire". A small flame, as she intened, sparked from her finger tip. She smiled, amused. She was human and powerful - such amused her greatly. Suddenly, someone called for her. She panicked - it was her father, Vivi! This immediate thought rushed through her mind as he called to her: He will kill my gift! She scooted back as he called a second time, and she looked around herself. She had to leave! There was so much opportunity and Vivi was too naive and soft to see it! What was so odd was that her train of thought didn't sound like it was actually her. But whatever it was, at the moment, it made perfect sense to her.
"Inyx!" Called Vivi and he ran behind a building where his adopted daughter's hat was blown into vision. But that was all Vivi found of Inyx. His daughter was gone. "Inyx?" He didn't understand. The youngest of the mages he created in hopes of helping his village's population--where could she be? Mikoto came up beside him and looked at the hat. She hadn't a clear idea of what could have happened, but had a dreary assumption. "Sometimes restoration takes away as it gives, Vivi." The Mage choked at that and teared up, dropping the hat and falling to his knees, shaking his head. "Nooo!!"
............ .. .
Time passed and...
The genomes moved out of the Black Mage Village, and built an empire by the sea called Cinxia. Mikoto became the ruler, called a Domina. Nobles were called Digne. The Cinxia empire was very Romanesque and slightly Arabic in style and culture. It turns out that the genomes (Or, Cinxians as they're now called) were of a holy people. Their magic that they can posses was of a Holy kind and slightly elemental kind. The upperclass of Cinxia, thus, were forms of priests and such and mostly females were that. Others were politicians and inventors and such, but that matters not, as of right now. Cinxians focus much on astrology and are highly advanced individuals. They care some about knowing the earth elements, as said, but they believe the stars are the roots of everything and the map of many roads.
The Black Mage Village stayed ever the same, save for it modernizing every now and then and expanding. Vivi became the Chieftan even though he was still very young. The mages rarely took off their hats to reveal their human features. Not only because they had adopted it into a custom for mages, but because their modernized mage-wear held powers and helped them focus their magic better.
With this awesome change Vivi's thoughts soon drifted to one constant thought. When all was settled and he could slightly relax all he thought about was Eiko. He wondered what she would think of him if she saw he had a face, now. Would she like him? Did she even like him to begin with? He was sure she's heard of the turn of events that have happened to his village and the, now, Cinxia. But what went through her mind? He would have to pay Lindblum a visit! Yes, but...wait, what if she was busy? He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of her. Just then, a knock at his room's door pulled him from his musing. He jumped up from sitting on his bed, to his feet, and straightened his hat. "C-come in!"
Entering was a tall, slender male mage. He had a letter with the seal of Alexandria enclosing it. Vivi looked at the letter curiously. The slender mage handed the letter to the young chief, tipping his hat. "It's a message from Queen Garnet, Chieftan Vivi. The messenger who sent it said something about there being a celebration of some sort."
"Dagger's birthday..." Vivi said quietly to himself, looking at the letter he now held in his hands. He looked up to the slender mage. "Thanks, you can go on with whatever it is ya were doing before." Chieftan Vivi still wasn't used to this 'being in charge' thing. He had hoped that Mr. 288 (he kept his old name) would take the role as Chief, but instead he wanted Vivi to have it. He claimed that Vivi knew a lot more than any of the mages did - that he was a prodigy and a miracle. It was enough to make Vivi blush, but he was honored.
Sitting back down, he opened the letter and read it. Indeed, it was about Garnet's upcoming birthday. She was now eighteen-years-old. It had been a few years since their adventure ended. A few years past since that whole Zidane-thing. Reading on, she was having the old Tantalus group perform "I Want To Be Your Canary" and have a little memorial for Zidane. Vivi looked away from the letter, shook his head and sighed. Garnet was so tortured. Everyone so hopes that she would let go of her sadness this year, but Vivi has told her not to give up hope. People keep asking him to let go of the past as well, but Vivi still believes that he must be alive! It was just so hard that a strong person like Zidane could be crushed. He wasn't invincible, but...
Reading on he smiled faintly. She took a liking to his idea and built a statue for Zidane in the new gardens of Alexandria Castle, placing words from the others who accompanied her and Zidane onto it. She says she went along with his idea and made the statue be just giant dagger. The dagger had big elaborate decorations that represented the members of the old party. There was a dragon, for the dragon knight; a unicorn, for Eiko; a sword, for the knight; a frog, for the Qu; a flame, for the mage; a garnet at the very top on the pommel, for the queen; and a large scratch somewhere where Amarant's Cat Claw made it's mark. The letter went to reveal that on different sides of the stature the quotes were engraved as follows:
'I always talked about you, Zidane. How you were a very special person to us, because you taught us all how important life is.'
--Freya Crescent
'You taught me that life doesn't last forever. That's why we have to help each other and live life to the fullest.'
--Amarant Coral
'Even if you say goodbye, you'll always be in our hearts. So I know we're not alone anymore.'
--Eiko Carol
'Why I was born... How I wanted to live... Thanks for giving me time to think.'
--Vivi Orienter
'To keep doing what you set your heart on...it's a very hard thing to do. We were all so courageous.'
--Adelbert "Rusty" Steiner
'What to do when I felt lonely...That was the only thing you couldn't teach me. But we need to figure out the answer for ourselves.'
--Dagger
'I'm so happy I met everyone... I wish we could've gone on more adventures. But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday.'
--Quina Quen
'Everyone... Thank you. Farewell.
My memories will be part of the sky.'
--Lord Avon's last words
........... .. .
Garnet waited by her window, gazing out at the world that she ruled called Alexandria. She held in her hand the letter written by Vivi that he would be coming to visit her on this afternoon to tell her something or other and to just visit. It had really been a while. Garnet had heard of the change that had happened over in the Outer Continent, and, to say the least, she was now very anxious to see the mage and what change he had gone through. She had already seen Cinxia but had never had the time to see what the Black Mage Village became. She was very pleased that Vivi was coming to see her today. That is, however, not half as excited as Eiko--her new cousin. The blue-haired adopted daughter of Regent Cid and Lady Hilda was waiting in the gardens, trying to the pass the time when she would finally get to see Vivi again. She had gone on and on about how wonderful it would be to see Vivi and what they could do when he got here and so on. Garnet told her, finally, to go to the gardens and occupy herself to keep the little one from driving her crazy. Sure she was excited to see Vivi, but she wasn't going to let herself babble on and on about it!
She pushed open her windows, feeling a refreshing gust of wind lightly push back her raven hair. It was in a long braid, with golden ribbons woven along into her hair. Her dress left her shoulders bare and was black velvet with puffed sleeves and a billowy skirt. She wore a brooch, it was a red sort of valuable stone bordered in a intricate gold frame. Her crown, also gold, matched it with it's curvey and elaborate design making it too detailed to trace. The stones in it often turned from red to blue depending on where the sun hit her crown. Her pendent always was around her slender neck. A home-sickness struck her heart--a yearning for something she'd grown accustomed to and was now severed from. Zidane. She wanted to believe Vivi's words that he would come back. Although, every day when she woke up, and every night, she hurt deep inside feeling her grip on faith slipping. Just slipping. She was too tired and too hurt, but she still clinged onto a hope. A desperate hope, however. But she was desperate for Zidane's presence to come before her in its rougish charm again.
Drifting into her abyss of yearning, she barely heard Steiner's knocking and calling through her door. "Come in!" Called Garnet, standing up from her chair and moving away from the window. Beatrix and Steiner often caught her in this position and Steiner always gave her the same tired speech about moving on. Garnet never really found it helpful. Sweet of Steiner it was, but Garnet knew Steiner could never really understand.
The Pluto Captain came and saluted his queen, "Your Majesty, I've been informed that Cheiftan Vivi has arrived and is awaiting your presence in the garden with Lady Eiko."
"Thank you, Steiner, I apologize if anyone pulled you from off duty to have--"
"No, no, Your Majesty. I wanted to see how you were, as well, so I offered. I see you've finally gotten away from that window! I knew my advice would help." Steiner smiled proudly.
"Thank you," She curtsied and bit back an objection. Steiner saluted once more and left the room. Garnet merely shook her head as the Knight left, and then smiled and giggled to herself. Although sometimes tiresome, sometimes his bumbling ways had a comical silver lining.
………… .. .
They sat at a stone table, sipping at tea or nibbling at pastries, brought to them by the servants, admiring the refreshing atmosphere of the flourishing castle garden. Vivi, hat off and letting it rest on a empty chair next to him, couldn't help gaping at the flora around him. Eiko and Garnet couldn't help staring at Vivi and how different he looked now. He was human!
"Cheiftan, how are you and your village fairing from this change?" Garnet asked, trying to stop herself from rudely gaping.
"Dagger, you can still call me Vivi." The young Cheiftan said, tugging at his collar. He had gotten a new coat of green silk, with a white shirt beneath. His pants were satin blue material with lighter blue stripes. A gold medallion with a few gold-hued stones dangled from his swarthy neck. His slender, black braid streaming down the side of his face had small white feathers woven into it.
Garnet, eyes still taking in the drastic change of Vivi, nodded dumbly. "Err, yes. Yes, Chief--erm, Vivi." She cleared her throat, highly embarrassed at how ungraceful that was.
Vivi smiled. "The Black Mage Village is doing well. We're going to possibly ally with the Cinxia and Conde Peite. We would ally with Alexandria or Lindblum, but a few of the mages are a bit indifferent on that idea. I'm still trying, though." He pulled out of that topic, not liking it. He looked immediately to Eiko, seeing her look at him. He wondered what she was thinking about him. "How are you, Eiko? How ha-have you been?" He felt his shy nature creeping back in; a blush rising to his cheeks.
Eiko jerked back, Vivi's voice being directed at her shocking her back into reality. She showed no shame at staring at him, quite convinced that it was normal to be amazed by a sudden change. "Oh, it's been good. Cid and Hilda have adopted me, but that's nothing too new. They're really nice people and Lindblum is a really nice place!" She picked up her tea cup. "I really missed you, though, Vivi. It's been so long." She looked up at the mage and smiled brightly. "You look great!"
"S-so do y-you, Eiko."
"Your Majesty!" A servant walked in, bowing to the queen and then rising to stand as straight and still as a pillar. "The Senator of New Burmecia wishes to see you."
"Already?" Garnet almost whined. She really wished she had had more time to spend with her friends. She'd managed to delay all of her awful suitors for the first hour Vivi came, but this new hour was starting to die fast with other queenly duties calling. She turned to her two guests and apologetically bowed her head to the two. "So sorry."
"Oh, I-it's ok, Dagger. I'll go ahead and let ya go do what you need to. I just came to see you and Eiko and to say…I'm sorry." Vivi rose from his chair and put his hat back on. His face became shadowed, like it once looked, and his eyes glowed. He adjusted his hat so it wouldn't fall or be blown off. "I'm sorry to say that my adopted daughter, Inyx, has passed away from this change and that, because of me being less one person to help around I won't make it to your birthday. I'll be in Cinxia seeing about an alliance. I do wish you a happy birthday, though, and I've already got you a birthday present that I will give to you now." Searching his pockets he pulled out a small box wrapped in shiny, pink wrapping paper and tied with a white, silk bow. Garnet reached out for it and smiled. "Vivi, you didn't have to. Oh…and I'm so sorry about Inyx. What happened?" She looked up, sympathetically, to Vivi. She always thought it was odd that someone as young as him had kids (even if created [later adopted] by himself). But still, Vivi had enough heart to care like a father. There was practically no better father.
"The change that took place that gave us all this appearance was too much for her. Oh, but please, let's not think about it. Open you're present. Don't keep your business with New Burmecia waiting."
Garnet nodded sadly to his explaination, then looked to her present and unwrapped it. It was a ring that changed sizes magically to fit the hand of the wearer. It had the same golden-stone that was on Vivi's medallion.
"It's the stone of the Black Mage Village, called Calpurnicia. It has a power if put with the right metal. It can work as a compass to tell you where you are. It can probably do more navigational stuff, but I haven't looked too far into it."
"Thank you, Vivi." Garnet admired the ring and slipped it on her finger. She rose from her seat and started off, curtsying to her guests before exiting. "Truly a pleasure. Good-bye!"
When Garnet left, Eiko arose from her seat, feeling a bit of what felt like jealousy. Feeling a bit crushed, for a reason she either truly didn't know or wouldn't admit, she turned to Vivi and dismally spoke, "Well, I supposed I should leave? You already came to do what you wanted. You only truthfully came to see Dagger anyway.."
Taken aback, Vivi stuttered out, "Wh-what? Eiko I--I came to see you, too! I mean…oh…ok, fine." She was walking off. Vivi hung his head and sighed. "I had a gift for you, too." He mumbled barely audibly. Eiko turned around. "What? A gift? For ME?"
"Y-yeah."
"Oh, Vivi! How sweet of you!" She came closer and swept Vivi into an embrace. The mage blushed and cleared his throat, smiling broadly to himself. When Eiko pulled back he coughed into his hand, trying to regain composer. "Ahem, yeah, but…"
"But? What? Oh, let me guess. You have a present for me, but you haven't got it yet, is that it? You're trying to make it look like you've thought about me, too. Hmph! How rude to lie to a lady!" She turned her back to him, pouting and crossing her arms.
Vivi panicked. "No, Eiko! I have thought about you! A LOT! I……th-there wasn't a time when you didn't cross my mi--" He gulped and bit his tongue. What was he saying?? Better finish it though, no turning back when you're over half-way finished. "There wasn't a time when you didn't cross my mind. My, um, "g-gift" was maybe you could come to the Black Mage Village sometime and ha-have dinner w-with me? Um, ju-just to catch up on old t-times, you know?"
"Oh, Vivi!" Eiko smiled bright and her eyes went big and starry. She ran to him and hugged him, knocking his hat right off his head.
………… .. .
The play for Garnet's birthday caused the gang to to cry of joy when it brought Zidane "back from the dead". Garnet was the most pleased with the sudden surprise, and when she was held in his arms and pulled into his kiss she could feel her heart beat again and she finally felt the meaning of eternity and it's relation to love.
……….. .. .
~
Ever been kidnapped
by a poet?
If I were a poet
I'd kidnap you;
put you in my phrases and meter;
you to Jones Beach,
or maybe Coney Island.
Or maybe just to my house?
Lyric you in lilacs,
dash you in the rain;
blend you into the beach
to complement my sea;
play the lyre for you,
ode you with my love song.
Anything to win you.
Wrap you in red, black, and greens--
You're so beautiful.
Yeah, if I were a poet,
I'd kidnap you.
-- Nikki Giovanni, Kidnap Poem
~
Tears fell from her satin, moon-pale cheeks, and a large smile was covered by a hand raising to choke back a joyful sob. She stared at the ring and her eyes could but water as a flush of excitement bloomed in her cheeks and sent a cold anticipation of the words to follow. Queen Garnet look at the blonde genome lowering down to one knee, that rougish smile stirring her blood all the more in a blissful passion. This moment was was too good to end - it would be cruel if it did. She absorbed the moment the best she could, but she felt like she was ruining it by crying. She attempted to speak, but couldn't get past his name. The cunning theif shook his head and gently caressed her soaked cheek with his gloved hand, she closed her eyes and leaned into the soothing touch and silenced. She looked into his eyes when she felt a bit more calm, drowning in their welcomed intensity. "Dagger," She sniffled at the name he called her so affectionately. He smirked and seemed to marvel at her. "I would be the happiest man on Gaia..." He raised the ring up. It contained a lovely stone found in Cinxia's Captial, Imperia. It was a milky stone that glowed rather than shined. A soft sob left her lips at the beauty of the scene. His love was a moving thing and to feel it was a phenomenon. A blessing. "I would be the happiest man on Gaia to know every morning I would wake up beside an angel like you. What you've done for me…I owe you so much. And I love you so much. If you will have me, Dagger……please, will you marry me?"
Dagger nodded over and over, tears caught in her throat until she sobbed them away. She embraced Zidane tightly, sniffled until she could somewhat speak. "Yes! Yes! Oh, God…I will. I do!" She cried and shook, but managed to say one more thing, "I love you!"
Zidane tried not to cry, but tears could not be stopped from streaming down his smiling face. "Not as much as I love you!" He teased, and both softly laughed.
………… .. .
Prolouge, part two: Closing and the Starter at the same time.
Married for several years, Beatrix and Steiner gave birth to a daughter called Hazel, who had black hair, like her father, gray eyes and would train to take her mother's place someday. Freya had several children and lived with her husband, Sir Frately, as the Senator of New Cleyra. Amarant and Lani got married but decided to never have kids. They soon became high class nobles of Treno. Eiko became Regent of Lindblum and because of her duties started seeing Vivi less and less. Quina remained in Alexandria as a famous chef. As for Garnet and Zidane, they had four children. The oldest - Crown Prince Taiao with his startling blue eyes and brown hair with a mocha colored tail to match with it's black-tip accenting it. Then there was his twin sister, Princess Amber with her curly blonde hair with brown strips streaking down her hair. Her eyes were brown and her tail was blonde. Then there was Princess Emiko, born ten years afterwards. She looks exactly like her mother but has a tail of black and a white horn coming out of a eight-point star birth mark in the center of her forehead. Lastly, there was baby Igraine who looked nothing like her parents. She had milky white hair and skin with mint-green eyes and a brown, twisty horn and no tail. But, unfortunately, that baby girl died. They found her missing from her crib one night and their searches lead them to find blood and tattered pieces of her night-gown by the harbor of Alexandria. No one is sure who could have done it or why…
But trouble didn't stop there…it was just barely starting.
This'll be somewhat of crummy chapter. Finals are draining me, but I was so inspired to write! Enjoy the prologue for what goodness it has. Be gentle with reviews…I haven't written for a while and this is a brain-fart anyway. :p
~
Prologue, Part One: Phenomenon
Years later, the Iifa tree collapsed and decomposed to nothingness. An eclipse hid the bright, blue day for hours and thunder boomed and winds were conjured. The Black Mage Villagers (consisting of Black Mages and genomes) ran around trying to get the confusion eliminated. Mages casted spells, and genomes aided in anyway they can. They didn't have magic, but they could follow orders. All was a chaotic fray until an explosion shook the ground and everyone was knocked out. It must have been somewhere in the Black Mage Forest, but no one to this very day can find the spot where whatever it is slammed into the earth (if such was the case). When the Black Mages awoke, they found the genomes already up and recovered. They're faces held such a different expression. It wasn't as blank and stiff as usual. It was like they were...aware. What else was odd was that some of the mages were starting to feel strange and different as well. Some developed voices with different pitches and different shapes and feelings that told of ages and gender.
The weather of the day, prior, started to bring it's windy self back into the Village. Around the village a strong gust blew and knocked one mage's hat off. Interesting, though, that whatever sorcery there was that kept the mage's face hidden was knocked away with the hat. Therefore, seen beneathe the hat as, the young male mage chased after his hat, was a boy. A human boy. The boy realized for the first time his hat had been blown off. He gasped and felt his face only to feel the human features. He stared, confused, into a puddle at his reflection.
"Vivi!"
The mage looked up from his reflection at another mage who tilted his head at him, his eyes cofused. Vivi went back to looking at himself. His skin was a dark umber, with silky black hair that had a slender braid running down the left side of his head. His hair wasn't that long--a tad shorter than Zidane's was. His eyes were golden and large--but not quite like they were when he was with the hat on. They were normal, human eyes. All the other mages that took off their hats, to see if the same happened to them, looked similar to Vivi. Females had brown hair, though, and black skin.
Vivi looked around at his people and the change. He hadn't time to speak of anything for shortly after his gazing around Mikoto came up to him. He looked at her. She looked the same, but she was just as Zidane and Kuja was--she had a soul, she just wasn't quite accoustomed to being relaxed and casual. It didn't seem like any of the other genomes were either. "Vivi," She said, "It is done."
He opened his mouth as if to question, but a look into her cerulean eyes told him all and he nodded in understanding. What had trapped the souls was destroyed, and new life claimed the empty vessels and was restored. Mages found themselves starting to have names rather than numbers, and genomes as well.
What was odd, though, was that the genome souls of the past came to inhabit the genomes of now. Who inhabits the Black Mages?
............ .. .
Inyx had hidden behind a building, far from the fallen mages. She was the first to rise, and she rose with the genomes. She was strong mage, indeed, to recover so quickly and she knew it. From her cover she observed and listened, and watched her young, adoptive father, Vivi. So, I have a soul?, she mused to herself. I'm alive and normal. Inyx took off her hat and felt her humanoid face and took off her gloves, running a black hand through her silky, umber hair. Did she still posses power? She wondered and waved her finger around, muttering words and then saying "Fire". A small flame, as she intened, sparked from her finger tip. She smiled, amused. She was human and powerful - such amused her greatly. Suddenly, someone called for her. She panicked - it was her father, Vivi! This immediate thought rushed through her mind as he called to her: He will kill my gift! She scooted back as he called a second time, and she looked around herself. She had to leave! There was so much opportunity and Vivi was too naive and soft to see it! What was so odd was that her train of thought didn't sound like it was actually her. But whatever it was, at the moment, it made perfect sense to her.
"Inyx!" Called Vivi and he ran behind a building where his adopted daughter's hat was blown into vision. But that was all Vivi found of Inyx. His daughter was gone. "Inyx?" He didn't understand. The youngest of the mages he created in hopes of helping his village's population--where could she be? Mikoto came up beside him and looked at the hat. She hadn't a clear idea of what could have happened, but had a dreary assumption. "Sometimes restoration takes away as it gives, Vivi." The Mage choked at that and teared up, dropping the hat and falling to his knees, shaking his head. "Nooo!!"
............ .. .
Time passed and...
The genomes moved out of the Black Mage Village, and built an empire by the sea called Cinxia. Mikoto became the ruler, called a Domina. Nobles were called Digne. The Cinxia empire was very Romanesque and slightly Arabic in style and culture. It turns out that the genomes (Or, Cinxians as they're now called) were of a holy people. Their magic that they can posses was of a Holy kind and slightly elemental kind. The upperclass of Cinxia, thus, were forms of priests and such and mostly females were that. Others were politicians and inventors and such, but that matters not, as of right now. Cinxians focus much on astrology and are highly advanced individuals. They care some about knowing the earth elements, as said, but they believe the stars are the roots of everything and the map of many roads.
The Black Mage Village stayed ever the same, save for it modernizing every now and then and expanding. Vivi became the Chieftan even though he was still very young. The mages rarely took off their hats to reveal their human features. Not only because they had adopted it into a custom for mages, but because their modernized mage-wear held powers and helped them focus their magic better.
With this awesome change Vivi's thoughts soon drifted to one constant thought. When all was settled and he could slightly relax all he thought about was Eiko. He wondered what she would think of him if she saw he had a face, now. Would she like him? Did she even like him to begin with? He was sure she's heard of the turn of events that have happened to his village and the, now, Cinxia. But what went through her mind? He would have to pay Lindblum a visit! Yes, but...wait, what if she was busy? He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of her. Just then, a knock at his room's door pulled him from his musing. He jumped up from sitting on his bed, to his feet, and straightened his hat. "C-come in!"
Entering was a tall, slender male mage. He had a letter with the seal of Alexandria enclosing it. Vivi looked at the letter curiously. The slender mage handed the letter to the young chief, tipping his hat. "It's a message from Queen Garnet, Chieftan Vivi. The messenger who sent it said something about there being a celebration of some sort."
"Dagger's birthday..." Vivi said quietly to himself, looking at the letter he now held in his hands. He looked up to the slender mage. "Thanks, you can go on with whatever it is ya were doing before." Chieftan Vivi still wasn't used to this 'being in charge' thing. He had hoped that Mr. 288 (he kept his old name) would take the role as Chief, but instead he wanted Vivi to have it. He claimed that Vivi knew a lot more than any of the mages did - that he was a prodigy and a miracle. It was enough to make Vivi blush, but he was honored.
Sitting back down, he opened the letter and read it. Indeed, it was about Garnet's upcoming birthday. She was now eighteen-years-old. It had been a few years since their adventure ended. A few years past since that whole Zidane-thing. Reading on, she was having the old Tantalus group perform "I Want To Be Your Canary" and have a little memorial for Zidane. Vivi looked away from the letter, shook his head and sighed. Garnet was so tortured. Everyone so hopes that she would let go of her sadness this year, but Vivi has told her not to give up hope. People keep asking him to let go of the past as well, but Vivi still believes that he must be alive! It was just so hard that a strong person like Zidane could be crushed. He wasn't invincible, but...
Reading on he smiled faintly. She took a liking to his idea and built a statue for Zidane in the new gardens of Alexandria Castle, placing words from the others who accompanied her and Zidane onto it. She says she went along with his idea and made the statue be just giant dagger. The dagger had big elaborate decorations that represented the members of the old party. There was a dragon, for the dragon knight; a unicorn, for Eiko; a sword, for the knight; a frog, for the Qu; a flame, for the mage; a garnet at the very top on the pommel, for the queen; and a large scratch somewhere where Amarant's Cat Claw made it's mark. The letter went to reveal that on different sides of the stature the quotes were engraved as follows:
'I always talked about you, Zidane. How you were a very special person to us, because you taught us all how important life is.'
--Freya Crescent
'You taught me that life doesn't last forever. That's why we have to help each other and live life to the fullest.'
--Amarant Coral
'Even if you say goodbye, you'll always be in our hearts. So I know we're not alone anymore.'
--Eiko Carol
'Why I was born... How I wanted to live... Thanks for giving me time to think.'
--Vivi Orienter
'To keep doing what you set your heart on...it's a very hard thing to do. We were all so courageous.'
--Adelbert "Rusty" Steiner
'What to do when I felt lonely...That was the only thing you couldn't teach me. But we need to figure out the answer for ourselves.'
--Dagger
'I'm so happy I met everyone... I wish we could've gone on more adventures. But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday.'
--Quina Quen
'Everyone... Thank you. Farewell.
My memories will be part of the sky.'
--Lord Avon's last words
........... .. .
Garnet waited by her window, gazing out at the world that she ruled called Alexandria. She held in her hand the letter written by Vivi that he would be coming to visit her on this afternoon to tell her something or other and to just visit. It had really been a while. Garnet had heard of the change that had happened over in the Outer Continent, and, to say the least, she was now very anxious to see the mage and what change he had gone through. She had already seen Cinxia but had never had the time to see what the Black Mage Village became. She was very pleased that Vivi was coming to see her today. That is, however, not half as excited as Eiko--her new cousin. The blue-haired adopted daughter of Regent Cid and Lady Hilda was waiting in the gardens, trying to the pass the time when she would finally get to see Vivi again. She had gone on and on about how wonderful it would be to see Vivi and what they could do when he got here and so on. Garnet told her, finally, to go to the gardens and occupy herself to keep the little one from driving her crazy. Sure she was excited to see Vivi, but she wasn't going to let herself babble on and on about it!
She pushed open her windows, feeling a refreshing gust of wind lightly push back her raven hair. It was in a long braid, with golden ribbons woven along into her hair. Her dress left her shoulders bare and was black velvet with puffed sleeves and a billowy skirt. She wore a brooch, it was a red sort of valuable stone bordered in a intricate gold frame. Her crown, also gold, matched it with it's curvey and elaborate design making it too detailed to trace. The stones in it often turned from red to blue depending on where the sun hit her crown. Her pendent always was around her slender neck. A home-sickness struck her heart--a yearning for something she'd grown accustomed to and was now severed from. Zidane. She wanted to believe Vivi's words that he would come back. Although, every day when she woke up, and every night, she hurt deep inside feeling her grip on faith slipping. Just slipping. She was too tired and too hurt, but she still clinged onto a hope. A desperate hope, however. But she was desperate for Zidane's presence to come before her in its rougish charm again.
Drifting into her abyss of yearning, she barely heard Steiner's knocking and calling through her door. "Come in!" Called Garnet, standing up from her chair and moving away from the window. Beatrix and Steiner often caught her in this position and Steiner always gave her the same tired speech about moving on. Garnet never really found it helpful. Sweet of Steiner it was, but Garnet knew Steiner could never really understand.
The Pluto Captain came and saluted his queen, "Your Majesty, I've been informed that Cheiftan Vivi has arrived and is awaiting your presence in the garden with Lady Eiko."
"Thank you, Steiner, I apologize if anyone pulled you from off duty to have--"
"No, no, Your Majesty. I wanted to see how you were, as well, so I offered. I see you've finally gotten away from that window! I knew my advice would help." Steiner smiled proudly.
"Thank you," She curtsied and bit back an objection. Steiner saluted once more and left the room. Garnet merely shook her head as the Knight left, and then smiled and giggled to herself. Although sometimes tiresome, sometimes his bumbling ways had a comical silver lining.
………… .. .
They sat at a stone table, sipping at tea or nibbling at pastries, brought to them by the servants, admiring the refreshing atmosphere of the flourishing castle garden. Vivi, hat off and letting it rest on a empty chair next to him, couldn't help gaping at the flora around him. Eiko and Garnet couldn't help staring at Vivi and how different he looked now. He was human!
"Cheiftan, how are you and your village fairing from this change?" Garnet asked, trying to stop herself from rudely gaping.
"Dagger, you can still call me Vivi." The young Cheiftan said, tugging at his collar. He had gotten a new coat of green silk, with a white shirt beneath. His pants were satin blue material with lighter blue stripes. A gold medallion with a few gold-hued stones dangled from his swarthy neck. His slender, black braid streaming down the side of his face had small white feathers woven into it.
Garnet, eyes still taking in the drastic change of Vivi, nodded dumbly. "Err, yes. Yes, Chief--erm, Vivi." She cleared her throat, highly embarrassed at how ungraceful that was.
Vivi smiled. "The Black Mage Village is doing well. We're going to possibly ally with the Cinxia and Conde Peite. We would ally with Alexandria or Lindblum, but a few of the mages are a bit indifferent on that idea. I'm still trying, though." He pulled out of that topic, not liking it. He looked immediately to Eiko, seeing her look at him. He wondered what she was thinking about him. "How are you, Eiko? How ha-have you been?" He felt his shy nature creeping back in; a blush rising to his cheeks.
Eiko jerked back, Vivi's voice being directed at her shocking her back into reality. She showed no shame at staring at him, quite convinced that it was normal to be amazed by a sudden change. "Oh, it's been good. Cid and Hilda have adopted me, but that's nothing too new. They're really nice people and Lindblum is a really nice place!" She picked up her tea cup. "I really missed you, though, Vivi. It's been so long." She looked up at the mage and smiled brightly. "You look great!"
"S-so do y-you, Eiko."
"Your Majesty!" A servant walked in, bowing to the queen and then rising to stand as straight and still as a pillar. "The Senator of New Burmecia wishes to see you."
"Already?" Garnet almost whined. She really wished she had had more time to spend with her friends. She'd managed to delay all of her awful suitors for the first hour Vivi came, but this new hour was starting to die fast with other queenly duties calling. She turned to her two guests and apologetically bowed her head to the two. "So sorry."
"Oh, I-it's ok, Dagger. I'll go ahead and let ya go do what you need to. I just came to see you and Eiko and to say…I'm sorry." Vivi rose from his chair and put his hat back on. His face became shadowed, like it once looked, and his eyes glowed. He adjusted his hat so it wouldn't fall or be blown off. "I'm sorry to say that my adopted daughter, Inyx, has passed away from this change and that, because of me being less one person to help around I won't make it to your birthday. I'll be in Cinxia seeing about an alliance. I do wish you a happy birthday, though, and I've already got you a birthday present that I will give to you now." Searching his pockets he pulled out a small box wrapped in shiny, pink wrapping paper and tied with a white, silk bow. Garnet reached out for it and smiled. "Vivi, you didn't have to. Oh…and I'm so sorry about Inyx. What happened?" She looked up, sympathetically, to Vivi. She always thought it was odd that someone as young as him had kids (even if created [later adopted] by himself). But still, Vivi had enough heart to care like a father. There was practically no better father.
"The change that took place that gave us all this appearance was too much for her. Oh, but please, let's not think about it. Open you're present. Don't keep your business with New Burmecia waiting."
Garnet nodded sadly to his explaination, then looked to her present and unwrapped it. It was a ring that changed sizes magically to fit the hand of the wearer. It had the same golden-stone that was on Vivi's medallion.
"It's the stone of the Black Mage Village, called Calpurnicia. It has a power if put with the right metal. It can work as a compass to tell you where you are. It can probably do more navigational stuff, but I haven't looked too far into it."
"Thank you, Vivi." Garnet admired the ring and slipped it on her finger. She rose from her seat and started off, curtsying to her guests before exiting. "Truly a pleasure. Good-bye!"
When Garnet left, Eiko arose from her seat, feeling a bit of what felt like jealousy. Feeling a bit crushed, for a reason she either truly didn't know or wouldn't admit, she turned to Vivi and dismally spoke, "Well, I supposed I should leave? You already came to do what you wanted. You only truthfully came to see Dagger anyway.."
Taken aback, Vivi stuttered out, "Wh-what? Eiko I--I came to see you, too! I mean…oh…ok, fine." She was walking off. Vivi hung his head and sighed. "I had a gift for you, too." He mumbled barely audibly. Eiko turned around. "What? A gift? For ME?"
"Y-yeah."
"Oh, Vivi! How sweet of you!" She came closer and swept Vivi into an embrace. The mage blushed and cleared his throat, smiling broadly to himself. When Eiko pulled back he coughed into his hand, trying to regain composer. "Ahem, yeah, but…"
"But? What? Oh, let me guess. You have a present for me, but you haven't got it yet, is that it? You're trying to make it look like you've thought about me, too. Hmph! How rude to lie to a lady!" She turned her back to him, pouting and crossing her arms.
Vivi panicked. "No, Eiko! I have thought about you! A LOT! I……th-there wasn't a time when you didn't cross my mi--" He gulped and bit his tongue. What was he saying?? Better finish it though, no turning back when you're over half-way finished. "There wasn't a time when you didn't cross my mind. My, um, "g-gift" was maybe you could come to the Black Mage Village sometime and ha-have dinner w-with me? Um, ju-just to catch up on old t-times, you know?"
"Oh, Vivi!" Eiko smiled bright and her eyes went big and starry. She ran to him and hugged him, knocking his hat right off his head.
………… .. .
The play for Garnet's birthday caused the gang to to cry of joy when it brought Zidane "back from the dead". Garnet was the most pleased with the sudden surprise, and when she was held in his arms and pulled into his kiss she could feel her heart beat again and she finally felt the meaning of eternity and it's relation to love.
……….. .. .
~
Ever been kidnapped
by a poet?
If I were a poet
I'd kidnap you;
put you in my phrases and meter;
you to Jones Beach,
or maybe Coney Island.
Or maybe just to my house?
Lyric you in lilacs,
dash you in the rain;
blend you into the beach
to complement my sea;
play the lyre for you,
ode you with my love song.
Anything to win you.
Wrap you in red, black, and greens--
You're so beautiful.
Yeah, if I were a poet,
I'd kidnap you.
-- Nikki Giovanni, Kidnap Poem
~
Tears fell from her satin, moon-pale cheeks, and a large smile was covered by a hand raising to choke back a joyful sob. She stared at the ring and her eyes could but water as a flush of excitement bloomed in her cheeks and sent a cold anticipation of the words to follow. Queen Garnet look at the blonde genome lowering down to one knee, that rougish smile stirring her blood all the more in a blissful passion. This moment was was too good to end - it would be cruel if it did. She absorbed the moment the best she could, but she felt like she was ruining it by crying. She attempted to speak, but couldn't get past his name. The cunning theif shook his head and gently caressed her soaked cheek with his gloved hand, she closed her eyes and leaned into the soothing touch and silenced. She looked into his eyes when she felt a bit more calm, drowning in their welcomed intensity. "Dagger," She sniffled at the name he called her so affectionately. He smirked and seemed to marvel at her. "I would be the happiest man on Gaia..." He raised the ring up. It contained a lovely stone found in Cinxia's Captial, Imperia. It was a milky stone that glowed rather than shined. A soft sob left her lips at the beauty of the scene. His love was a moving thing and to feel it was a phenomenon. A blessing. "I would be the happiest man on Gaia to know every morning I would wake up beside an angel like you. What you've done for me…I owe you so much. And I love you so much. If you will have me, Dagger……please, will you marry me?"
Dagger nodded over and over, tears caught in her throat until she sobbed them away. She embraced Zidane tightly, sniffled until she could somewhat speak. "Yes! Yes! Oh, God…I will. I do!" She cried and shook, but managed to say one more thing, "I love you!"
Zidane tried not to cry, but tears could not be stopped from streaming down his smiling face. "Not as much as I love you!" He teased, and both softly laughed.
………… .. .
Prolouge, part two: Closing and the Starter at the same time.
Married for several years, Beatrix and Steiner gave birth to a daughter called Hazel, who had black hair, like her father, gray eyes and would train to take her mother's place someday. Freya had several children and lived with her husband, Sir Frately, as the Senator of New Cleyra. Amarant and Lani got married but decided to never have kids. They soon became high class nobles of Treno. Eiko became Regent of Lindblum and because of her duties started seeing Vivi less and less. Quina remained in Alexandria as a famous chef. As for Garnet and Zidane, they had four children. The oldest - Crown Prince Taiao with his startling blue eyes and brown hair with a mocha colored tail to match with it's black-tip accenting it. Then there was his twin sister, Princess Amber with her curly blonde hair with brown strips streaking down her hair. Her eyes were brown and her tail was blonde. Then there was Princess Emiko, born ten years afterwards. She looks exactly like her mother but has a tail of black and a white horn coming out of a eight-point star birth mark in the center of her forehead. Lastly, there was baby Igraine who looked nothing like her parents. She had milky white hair and skin with mint-green eyes and a brown, twisty horn and no tail. But, unfortunately, that baby girl died. They found her missing from her crib one night and their searches lead them to find blood and tattered pieces of her night-gown by the harbor of Alexandria. No one is sure who could have done it or why…
But trouble didn't stop there…it was just barely starting.