Dear Vivi,

I'm sorry to write this to you while at the height of your enjoyment in Alexandria, but I must tell you the distressing news- Mr. 288 is slowing down. We think he may stop moving soon, and we are all frightened.

What can we do? Please help, Vivi!

No. 140

Vivi read the little-more-than-a-note letter, stamped with a black mage hat in the lower right corner, with growing horror. It couldn't be happening; not Mr. 288, who might as well be elder of the village! Vivi's hands trembled as he set the letter down.

Seeing Blank could wait. He had to go back to the village. He quickly opened his bedroom door and tore up the stairs, banging his shin on a step, but he barely noticed the pain. All he cared about was getting to the throne room as quickly as possible.

As expected, Steiner and Beatrix flanked the door; they both lay hands on sword hilts at the pounding footsteps, but relaxed when they saw Vivi. "Why, Master Vivi!" Steiner announced jovially. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"P-Please…" he panted, holding his chest, "must see…Garnet…please…"

"Is something the matter?" Beatrix asked mildly.

"Yes, yes! Something's…wrong…must see Garnet now, please!"

"…Very well," Steiner eventually said, and he knocked three times on the double doors. "Your Majesty!" he called, "Master Vivi wishes to see you!"

There was a pause, then, "Oh! Let him in, please."

"In you go," Beatrix smiled, pushing one of the doors open for Vivi; he nodded in thanks and hurried inside. Garnet was sat on her throne, looking as beautiful as ever, with a pen in her hand and a piece of paper on her lap. She looked up and smiled warmly at Vivi. "Evening, Vivi. What is- I mean, what's the matter? You look troubled."

Twisting the floppy point of his hat, Vivi replied tensely, "Garnet, can we arrange an airship to the Outer Continent?"

Garnet raised her eyebrows, surprised. "You want to return to the Black Mage Village so soon?"

"It's not that…I want to go back there, but…"

"Yes?"

"Mr. 288 is shutting down!" wailed Vivi, putting his hands to his face. "I n-need to take him to Lindblum and have C-Cid prolong his life like he did to me…"

Garnet immediately put her pen and paper aside and, picking up her skirts, descended to give Vivi a sympathetic hug, letting him cry on her shoulder. "There, there," she soothed, rubbing the mage's back, "don't you worry, I'll have an airship ready for you within an hour, and I'll have Zidane go with you, as company."

"Why him?"

"Well, it's been a while since he saw the Genomes...is there a problem?"

Vivi caught himself before he said something out of line. "Um, n-no, it's nothing. Thanks, Garnet."

"Oh, I can't bear to see you or Eiko upset…ah! Which reminds me…" Garnet retrieved the paper and, folding it, handed it to Vivi. "When you arrive in Lindblum, would you please give this to Uncle Cid? It's a letter regarding Freya and Fratley's engagement celebrations; I offered for them to have them here, in Alexandria. Might take your mind off the current situation for a while; I know how much you miss Eiko." She smiled at Vivi. "Don't worry, we'll make everything right." She straightened up and called powerfully, "Steiner!"

A split-second later, sonorous clanking filled the room. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Go and find Zidane, please, and have your knights arrange an airship for Vivi, complete with supplies sufficient to see him and the crew to the Outer Continent."

Steiner looked confused by this, but he did not dare defy an order, and he clanked out again.

Five minutes later Zidane popped his head round the door, grinning like always. "You sent for me, m'dear?" he said in a mock posh accent, and swanned his way into the room. Garnet sighed and rolled her eyes. "Quit it, Zidane. I'm sending you to the Outer Continent with Vivi."

"Eh?" Zidane looked from Garnet's haughty expression to Vivi, sniffling and wiping his eyes. "I don't get a say in this?"

"Well, if you think anything else is more important than your friend's welfare-"

"No, no! I'll go, I never said I wasn't! Chill, Garnet."

"You will not speak to the Queen like that!" Steiner bellowed from outside. A thwack and a whimper told everyone that Beatrix had most likely walloped him with the flat of her blade. "Sorry, Beatrix dear…"

"You will be, darling."

"Wow, fierce," Zidane chuckled. "Alright, when do we leave?" He crossed the room and put his arms round Garnet's waist; Vivi made a noise of disgust and turned away. Garnet, noticing this, pried Zidane off her and tutted. "Stop it," she sighed. "You'll go as soon as I receive word that the ship is ready. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. By the way, Vivi…" Zidane looked over his shoulder. "I ran into Blank on the way here; he's been looking for you, but I told him you were, er, otherwise engaged."

"Thanks," Vivi muttered, staring at the wall. He couldn't help his resentment towards Zidane threatening to spill over at the present moment; they were supposed to be friends, after all.

Steiner knocked on the door again. "Assistant Head Chef Qualli wishes to pass on a message, Your Majesty!"

"Forget the message, just let her in!" Garnet called. Everybody had long tired of calling Quina 'it' or 's/he,' so now they just called the Qus by which gender they most resembled. Qualli tended to wear a flowery apron and a pigtail wig, so everyone referred to Qualli as female. She bumbled in, dusting her massive hands on her apron. "Yes, Qualli?" Garnet asked with a smile.

"I come tell Majesty airship fully stocked, lots of yummies on board." Qualli seemed very proud that she was speaking to the Queen herself. "Shiny Knight wish me tell Majesty, crew almost assembled, will be ready soon. I lick his armour, he not very pleased. Shiny metal tasty."

Garnet giggled. "You stocked the food very fast."

"Quina and I serve Majesty best we can. Is great honour, Master very proud."

"I'm sure Quale is extremely proud of you both. Okay Qualli, thanks very much for the message. You may go now."

"Is Majesty's wish." Qualli left the room, humming happily.

"The Qus never get any more normal, do they?" laughed Zidane.

"Oh, that's their 'normal,' though, isn't it?" Garnet seated herself again. "But then again, I wouldn't have Quina or any of the other Qus any different. They're an amusing bunch, don't you agree, Vivi?"

"Hm? Oh, y-yeah, I agree…"

"You okay, little guy?" Zidane asked softly, moving forward. Vivi stepped to the side and crossed his arms.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look-"

"I'm fine!" Vivi snapped. Zidane and Garnet jumped at his harsh tone. "S-Sorry," Vivi apologised, wringing his hands. "I'm just worried for Mr. 288…"

An hour later the airship was ready; Garnet asked Steiner to stay on watch while she and Beatrix accompanied Zidane and Vivi to the airship dock.

"Of course, Your Majesty!" Steiner snapped a quick salute and smiled at Beatrix, who tossed her hair over her shoulders and smiled back. "Safe journey, Master Vivi!" Steiner added.

"Oh, that's okay, forget me," muttered Zidane. Garnet and Beatrix laughed, while Vivi just stood silently and Steiner's face fell into a frown. "Come on then," Beatrix said after her laughs subsided, "let us go to the airship."

As they walked, Zidane put an arm round Garnet's shoulders; she stiffened for a moment but then relaxed. Vivi sighed, shaking his head, and Beatrix made a sympathetic noise. "You must be rather upset at the moment," the General said in her soft voice. When Vivi nodded, she replied, "We all know how it feels to lose someone close to us, Vivi. Hopefully, however, we can forestall your friend's fate. Someone as young as you does not deserve such a blow."

The mage nodded. "Thanks, Miss Beatrix."

"Steiner always did think highly of you. I can see why." Beatrix flashed a brief smile before stopping; they had reached the Red Rose. "And now, it is time for you to board."

One of Steiner's Pluto Knights, Weimar, approached Garnet and saluted. "The Red Rose is fully stocked with supplies and crew, ready to depart, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you. You may go now," replied Garnet, and Weimar saluted once more before hurrying off. She turned to Zidane and kissed his cheek. "Look after Vivi…and go easy on him, okay?"

"The cheek isn't good enough, Garnet!" exclaimed Zidane, and he brushed his lips over her own. "I'll take care of the little guy, don't you worry!"

Garnet bent down and hugged Vivi. "Good luck! And don't forget to give the letter I gave you to Uncle Cid!"

"Safe journey!" said Beatrix, inclining her head. "May the wind be at your backs."

Zidane and Vivi boarded the Red Rose and waved as it took off into the sky.