Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 9…I just like to write about it. Do I need a life? The jury's still out on that one. My husband might think so. Oh, and thanks for taking the time to read the verbose fruits of my labor. (insert insipid fangirl Japanese)à Ja! ^_^
Chapter Five~ New Arrivals
Vivi rapped politely on Mikoto's front door. Usually, the Genome girl woke up before he did. The two usually ate breakfast together. Now that spring has turned to summer, the forest blossomed and the sun shone warm, and they could have their meal outdoors. He carried a small basket, filled with fresh muffins and bottles of juice. Vivi looked forward to sitting by the lake in the tall grass.
"Don't come in!" said a hurried, muffled voice. "I'll be out in a minute!"
Vivi sat on the step patiently, kicking up the dust with his new shoes. He had turned eleven and experienced a minor growth spurt since the ice thawed. His old shoes became tight and his old pants too short. Thankfully, his light blue jacket still fit pretty well, thanks to Rachel, the resident Genome seamstress, who was able to let out the jacket a bit in the shoulders and arms. Rachel had also ventured to repair some of the shoddy stitching in his hat, but Vivi refused; the imperfections made him think fondly of his Grandpa. Quan had made all his clothes by hand, so Vivi hated the thought of outgrowing them forever.
Growing taller had its advantages, however. He did not look like such a kid next to Mikoto anymore. In fact, he was almost her height now.
Vivi raised his eyes to the cloudless bright sky latticed with high tree branches. Peace washed over his soul as he ruminated over his new life in the village. During the cold, frosty season he had painfully missed his questing days, but he had finally started to settle into this beautiful place, especially because of his beautiful friend. He and Mikoto spent practically all their free time together. She had not kissed him again since that winter, but she hugged him every night when they parted, and she never took her pendant off.
Plus, she said she could still see his face.
Her door creaked open. She peered out, a little ashamed. "Sorry. I overslept."
"It's all right," he replied kindly.
The lakeside teemed with dragonflies and the whining hum of the grasshoppers. Vivi and Mikoto chose a spot where the grass did not grow too high, and spread out a gingham blanket. They conversed sparsely between bites.
"Wow, these are really great," Vivi said, holding up his apple cinnamon muffin. "I never realized that Mr. 123 was such a good cook."
"Mm," Mikoto concurred through a mouthful. "His clandestine culinary talents are without peer." She arched an eyebrow playfully at him, lips struggling to suppress a smile.
Vivi choked with laughter on a sip of juice. "You had to make me laugh while I was drinking." He mopped up the front of his jacket with a red cloth napkin.
Mikoto started to fan herself. It was only midmorning, yet it was beginning to feel oppressively warm. She looked at her friend. "Do you always wear that heavy hat and jacket? It's hot out here. You're making me hot just looking at you!"
Before Vivi could stop himself, he remarked uncharacteristically, "I didn't know I had that effect on you."
Mikoto replied by flinging a piece of muffin at him. It ricocheted off his nose.
Vivi flinched. Did he actually say that?
She pretended to act affronted, but he knew better due to the grin on her face. "Well! Are you channeling a complete stranger?"
To which Vivi responded with the fwap! of a muffin piece off the top of her head.
"Hey!" Fwap!
"Take this!" Thop! Fwap!
Fwap! Thwip!
In a few minutes, their picnic area looked like a war zone, with muffin casualties strewn about. They had to catch their breath from laughing so hard.
Just then, they heard someone calling their names. They stood up, brushing the crumbs off their clothes, quite embarrassed, but giggling nonetheless.
Mr. 288 jogged ponderously over the grassy hill, the sight of which caused Vivi and Mikoto to stifle even more laughter. Breathlessly, he called to them, "I'm…glad I found you two. Ms. Dana…she's had her baby. It's a girl!"
Mikoto and Vivi blinked at each other.
Mr. 288 continued, "They would like you to see her now, if you don't mind."
Anxiously, the three headed to Blue Water and Dana's house.
* * * *
Frenzied-looking Blue Water answered his door. He clasped both Vivi and Mikoto's hands, and he seemed about to weep. "Come in and see her! She's so beautiful!"
Mikoto and Vivi nodded apprehensively, taken aback by the man's emotion. Mr. 288 nodded to Blue Water.
"I have already seen the little one," he said, and bowed slightly before departing.
The girl and boy were on their own.
Dana sat in a rocking chair, holding a small bundle against her soft bosom. She appeared tired, but serene and contented. She did not register Mikoto and Vivi's arrival.
Unconsciously, the Genome girl and Black Mage joined hands, each feeling the weight of the silence that filled the room. Neither wanted to speak and disrupt the serenity of the scene before them. Then, the little bundle cooed, and fussed briefly, its tiny hand grasping toward its mother's face.
At last, Dana raised her weary eyes to her visitors. Softly, she said, "Hello, guys. Come meet the first Genome baby born on Gaia."
Vivi stepped up first, and peered into the blanket. Mikoto hung back, unsure what to do with herself. The newborn's small, shiny eyes bore into Vivi. She seemed fascinated by the young Mage. She gurgled and her wee tongue protruded slightly.
"Would you like to hold her, Master Vivi?" Dana asked warmly.
"C-Could I?"
He sat on another chair, and Dana placed the baby gently into his arms. He propped her head in the crook of his elbow. Her silky, downy tail poked out from the blanket, swaying peacefully.
"Be careful, now. A baby's head and neck are very weak," Dana told him. She sighed happily, "Ohh, she likes you, Master Vivi. Look how relaxed she is in your arms."
A lump rose in Vivi's throat as he looked down at her.
The new father beamed. "Her name is Genevieve. It's appropriate, don't you think? We used elements of the word 'Genome', and also of your name, Master Vivi."
The Mage was astonished. "My name?" He did not know what to say.
Dana smiled. "We are very fond of you, and Miss Mikoto as well."
Vivi felt as though the bottom of his stomach was dissolving. What was this strange mixture of joy and fear? As he studied this tiny, helpless creature, a sudden insight jolted him. This was a baby. Very soon, he would have six of these fragile creatures, and they would be his. The immense responsibility he and Mikoto were about to undertake had never felt this tangible before. He involuntarily started to shake, and his grip on the child began to falter.
Concerned, Blue Water took Genevieve into his arms. He said to Vivi, "You don't look well! Are you all right?"
Mikoto rushed over and put an arm around his shoulders. This whole business made her feel very uneasy. She felt bad for feeling that way; this was a happy occasion, was it not? She spoke tenderly to her friend. "Hey, let's go outside a moment, and get some fresh air."
Vivi inhaled deeply. He squeezed her hand. "No…I'm okay now. I-I just got a little dizzy. Probably all the excitement."
Blue Water chuckled loudly. "You can't be fainthearted now, Master Vivi! Because I have more good news! It's auspicious, really."
Mikoto and Vivi looked worriedly up at Blue Water. He seemed oblivious to their dismay. With a huge grin, he announced, "Tonight is the night!"
Their eyes grew wider at the sinking realization. They clung to each other.
He continued merrily, "To think our children would be born on the same day! Perhaps I should start believing in fate. Tonight, your children will be ready for you to finally see them. It's been a long time, but finally, they'll be here! Aren't you excited?"
Only shocked silence greeted Blue Water's enthusiasm.
* * * *
The lazy beauty of the early evening was lost to Mikoto and Vivi as they waited in agony for nightfall. Mikoto sat on her front porch, her tail swishing, her feet fidgeting. She had an awful knot in her stomach. She looked at Vivi, who had been pacing in front of her for hours, it seemed. She had never seen him so agitated.
Vivi could not say anything. Words could not express the dread he felt. He was angry at Blue Water for springing this on them, but he was angry with himself as well. He admonished himself for blindly living the past six months without much thought for the future. How could he have known? He had never really seen a baby in the flesh before. He never knew how defenseless and dependent a baby could be. He felt out of control and not the least bit ready to be a Father. What would the babies call their child-parents? He and Mikoto had not even discussed what they would do. Who would raise them? They had been lulled by the fantasy of it all, because when it came down to it, they were just children, too. How else could they see it?
Gentle hands clasped his shoulders, stopping his frenetic pacing. He saw Mikoto there in front of him, and the tranquility and compassion in her eyes soothed him. She hugged him tenderly.
"Vivi. It's going to be all right," she whispered to him. "I am apprehensive as well, but Blue Water told us that they will be cared for, that everything was all set for them. I know you think we will bear this weight alone, but we won't. And even if we had to, I know it would be okay, because we have each other. We can survive anything together, I know that. Please, don't be upset anymore. We have to be strong."
He sank into her body, the panic ebbing away. The sun began to set, washing everything in coppery brilliance. He breathed deeply several times. He then gazed into her face. She was like a still pool of water, possessing a quiet intensity. Vivi steeled himself inside; she was right. He had to be strong. He thought of how strong he had become since leaving his childhood home.
I ran steadily, tripping over my own feet, occasionally sniffling. I still wept for Grandpa, who had told me that once he stopped moving for good, I was to roll him into the ocean below, and then leave for Treno. I waited for three days for him to move. He got stiff and cold, and I, more confused. But I did it, just like he told me. I was terrified on my way to Treno. What would I do? Who would take care of me? Back then, I was scared of everything. I had never experienced life. My arrival at Treno was the beginning of the rest of my life.
He buried his face in Mikoto's shoulder, savoring her familiar scent. He remembered the time he thought he saw the apparition of Quan when he returned home subsequently.
Quan had said, "Vivi, you-no grow much at all."
Oh, no, Grandpa. You're wrong.
Mikoto held the boy for a long time, without saying a word. She rubbed his back fondly, surprised at herself. She loved this young Mage so much. He made her feel deserving of the soul inside her.
The snapping of twigs interrupted their tender moment. Someone drew near. They separated, and held hands, waiting.
Blue Water appeared out of the dusk. He nodded slowly, eyes dancing brilliantly.
It was time.
* * * *
Mikoto and Vivi held their heads high as they headed down the dimly lit passage to the underground laboratory.
"Dana wanted to be here," Blue Water said, his voice sounding hollow in the stale air. He seemed to be making conversation, perhaps because he sensed the tension in the young friends. "Genevieve is very demanding! Must take after her father."
"Yeah," Vivi responded robotically, though not rudely.
The lab lights glared brilliantly, and Vivi once again had to hide behind the brim of his hat. Even before his eyes could adjust, he heard the feverish scuttling of feet fast approaching.
"Mother Terra!" breathed Mikoto.
"Daddy! Mommy! They're heeeere!"
Suddenly six little bodies, chirping eagerly around their parents beset them. Six little Mages, each dressed very similarly to Vivi, looked almost identical. They each had a number, 1 through 6, pinned to their jackets. Excitedly they reached their small, gloved hands out to touch Mikoto and Vivi, all talking at once.
"Are you our Mommy and Daddy?"
"Can I hug you?"
"Ow, my foot!"
"I don't like bright lights!"
"Mommies are girls, right?"
"Why don't I have a tail?"
Mikoto held her hands up defensively, eyes wide, like a frightened animal. Gaping, she turned to Vivi.
Whump!
To her horror, he fainted dead away.
"Daddy fell down!"
Mikoto's mouth opened as if to scream.
Blue Water stepped in frantically to stop the chaos before Miss Mikoto fainted as well.
"Boys! Boys!! Back off a moment, the lot of you!"
The children quieted down, looking sheepish. Blue Water furrowed his brow at them.
"What did I tell all of you before they arrived?" He interrogated.
One of the little Mages, who sported a number 1, spoke up. "Not to all run up at once?"
"Right. Now look what happened." He motioned to Vivi's prone form. Mikoto hunched over Vivi, tapping his cheek, trying to awaken him.
Another boy, number 5, started to cry. "We killed Daddy!"
His brother, number 2, smacked him. "He's not dead, dummy."
Number 6 toddled over to Mikoto, and tilted his head inquisitively at her. He peered down at Vivi, kneeling at his other side. Vivi groaned, coming to.
Mikoto sighed in relief. "Vivi, are you okay?"
Vivi slurred, "Th-They aren't babies. What's going on?" Suddenly he snapped upright, startling Number 6. Angrily, he cried, "Blue Water! What's going on here?"
The Genome man was perplexed. "I don't understand-"
Vivi did not let him finish. "I can't believe this! How could you?!"
A hushed silence fell over the children, save Number 5, who wailed even louder.
"They are-They're not babies!" Vivi said incredulously.
Blue Water folded his arms. "I'm not sure what you are getting at, Master Vivi."
"What did you do to them?! How could they be this old in six months!"
"They've all been aged to approximately six years. They have been endowed with the knowledge they should have. Did you really expect I would saddle you and Miss Mikoto with six infants to care for? Why, you are still children yourselves."
Vivi fumed, his back to the Genome.
Mikoto felt Vivi's ire. "Apparently there was a lack of understanding and communication here," she said coolly to Blue Water.
"You took some of their life away," Vivi said darkly. "I never thought you of all people would do that. They lost six years. What about all that 'respect for life' you had?" He whirled on Blue Water, eyes shining hotly. "Would you have aged Genevieve like this?"
Blue Water's face fell as if stung deeply. He hung his head. "It's the way the pods work. I-I am truly sorry that I have angered you. It--certainly was not my intent."
No one dared speak for a long time. Vivi felt a hesitant touch at his side. He glared at whoever it was.
Little Number 6 withered under his father's gaze, but spoke nonetheless. "I-It's okay. We don't mind, Daddy. Please, don't be mad at Uncle Blue Water. We aren't mad."
Vivi's eyes softened. He was surprised how short and small his son looked standing next to him. The other boys slowly inched up to Vivi. Then, Vivi felt Mikoto behind him, her hands on his shoulders, her low, melancholy voice in his ear.
"I know it sounds cold, but there is not much we can do about it. I am sorry, Vivi. He is right; that's how the pods work. We were just used to it. I should have told you that was how they would come out, but it did not occur to me. It probably did not occur to Blue Water as well. Please forgive us."
Vivi swallowed hard. Confronted with so many pleading faces, it was hard for the gentle boy to remain furious. Blue Water appeared truly shaken.
"I'm sorry I snapped, Blue Water," said Vivi. "You didn't have to do what you did at all. I must sound so ungrateful."
The man smiled ruefully. "Let's just put it behind us, shall we? The important thing right now is the boys."
Number 6 still stared at Vivi. The older Mage clasped the younger one's arm. Number 6 hesitantly smiled at Vivi under the darkness of his face.
Number 1 ambled up. "Dad. We need names." His voice was the strongest and boldest of them all.
"That's right! All we have are numbers, now," piped Number 3.
Number 5 rubbed his teary eyes, and in a choked voice, said, "I don't like the number five."
Number 2 scoffed. "You don't like anything, do you?"
"I don't like you!" Number 5 whined.
"Ooh, I'm so hurt."
Mikoto stomped her foot. "Stop arguing! Only hours old, and you're fighting!"
"Sorry, Mommy!" came the collective reply.
She shook her head wildly. "No, my name is Mikoto. Don't call me Mommy."
The boys deflated. Blue Water chortled, saying, "Funny, you already sound like one."
Mikoto sniffed. Vivi decided to change the subject. "All right, guys. We can name you, but not right now. Let me think about it for a while. I want to get to know you a little."
"Yay!" they shouted, and swarmed on him joyfully.
It was getting late, and everybody soon grew weary. The children had actually been up for most of the day while Blue Water prepared them, and many of them started yawning. Blue Water thought this the perfect time to show Vivi and Mikoto the place that had been built for the boys.
A new dwelling had been constructed not far from Mikoto's house. It had six beds, six little tables with six chairs, a pantry, and plenty of space for them to play. Vivi worried about them being alone at night, but Blue Water assured him that the boys were pretty self-sufficient. Surely, they had much to learn about the world, but they could fend for themselves on a daily basis. The children gleefully explored their new house, and then they were put to bed. They had a big day tomorrow, when the rest of the village got to meet the next generation of Black Mages.
Vivi walked Mikoto home under the moonlight, amidst the chorus of frogs and crickets. This night felt surreal. They scarcely said two words to each other. Mikoto hugged Vivi goodnight, her face drawn and tired. Vivi thought for sure he would not be able to get a wink of sleep with all the excitement, but he drifted off as soon as his head hit the pillow.
* * * *
The first few weeks were quite an adjustment for everyone. The Mage children had stolen everyone's hearts. They eagerly soaked up any information they could learn from the various villagers. The older Black Mages delighted in the boys, and life felt fresh and new since their arrival.
Mikoto retained her ambivalence about being called "Mommy". The boys refused to call her Mikoto, however. Luckily, they compromised, and Mikoto became Mamiko. She reluctantly accepted, realizing this was probably the best she would get. Vivi did not mind being called "Dad", though he had to admit it did feel weird.
Although Vivi still did not like the fact that the boys were artificially aged, he felt relieved that they did not need constant attention.
The children needed names, and one night Vivi and Mikoto discussed the matter. She really had no strong feelings one way or another, but suggested that maybe one could carry on Vivi's own name. Vivi wanted to honor his friends, Zidane and Steiner. Mikoto wrinkled her cute nose at the names, but would concede if that was what he wanted.
Customarily, the oldest son receives the father's name as a Junior. Number 1, however, was as different from his father as could be. Brash, outspoken, and even a bit of a smart aleck, Mikoto felt that Number 1 should not be named Vivi. So, he was Zidane, or Daney for short.
Number 2 inherited his mother's haughtiness and no-nonsense attitude. He had little patience for foolishness, but otherwise, he was a kind enough boy. He rejected most of the names suggested to him. "I'll find one myself," he told them. Eventually, he settled on Yugi, and it seemed to fit him.
Number 3 was an even-keeled and practical boy, who showed more interest in craftsmanship and trade than in black magic. He hung around the Dwarven travelers most of the time, and they affectionately dubbed him Marty, for reasons only they know.
The quiet observer among the siblings was Number 4. He spent a lot of his time alone. He showed even less love than Number 2, especially for Mikoto. The two of them clashed in a subtle way. He seemed to possess an undercurrent of hostility, and Vivi was the only one he ever really talked to. They called him Adelbert, or Berty.
An outside observer would probably think Number 5 to be the youngest, considering how sensitive he was. He helped Dana with baby Genevieve. He adored the baby, and Dana treated him like her own. She called him Daisuki, or just Suki.
That left the curious and introspective Number 6. Not only did was he named Vivi by default, but the name did suit him after all. However, to avoid confusion, everyone called him Jun, as in Junior.
As the weeks passed, the boys began to show physical distinctions that distinguished one from his brothers. Suki, appropriately, remained the runt of the litter, the constant butt of Yugi's scorn. Yugi grew slightly taller, thinner and more angular than his brothers to match his sharp personality. Daney did not care for the usual garb of the Black Mage, and wore instead an outfit similar to Blue Water's. He kept his pointed hat, but adorned it with neat trinkets and feathers and anything he could find. Berty and Marty put on more weight than the others did. Marty never wore gloves, so he could learn to work with his hands more adeptly. And Jun looked just like Vivi when he was younger.
Vivi regaled his sons with stories of his adventures, while Mikoto focused more on formal education and their Terran heritage. Surprisingly, Vivi and Mikoto found the boys mostly a pleasure to have around, and they enjoyed being able to teach them about the world in their own ways. A weight had been lifted, and a new age dawned on the Black Mage Village. The Second Generation was well under way.
Author's note: The next chapter will deal mostly with the little guys, but, what is this?? Perhaps an exciting moment between the new parents? They are all so cute! It's really a privilege to write about them. Thanks for your reviews, ev'ryone!!