author's note & introduction:
this story takes place nine years after xenogears gametime. naturally, some characters have gotten married and had children-- but fortunately for my sanity, this story isn't about them; they're still very young. there are also relationships (both implicit and ex-) that veer from standard victorian marital mores. if that shocks you, don't say i didn't warn you. some of these characters are familiar faces, some of them are original, some of them were so very minor to begin with that what i've done with them makes them borderline original.
if this doesn't jive with your vision of ignas, nine years down the road, that's fine. but this story has been unraveling and growing on me for years, literally. and i simply had to tell it, for the unholy and abiding love i have for the black family, and the people and places of this game.
for prim. for billy. for jessie. and for someone i never expected.