I Want to Be Your Canary

I Want to Be Your Canary is a theater play featured in Final Fantasy IX. It is said to be written by Lord Avon. The play is a favorite of Princess Garnet and her mother, Queen Brahne.

In remakes of Final Fantasy starting with Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, I Want to Be Your Canary is mentioned by dancers of the Lifespring Grotto.

Script

 * Narrator: Ladies and Gentlemen! This performance is a story that takes place long, long ago. Our heroine, Princess Cornelia, is torn from her lover, Marcus. She attempts to flee the castle, only to be captured by her father, King Leo. When our story begins, Marcus, having heard of this, crosses swords with the king...

Act I

 * Blank: Bereft of father! Bereft of mother! Marcus! Thou hast lost even thy love!
 * Cinna: Fortune hath escap'd thee! For what end shalt thou live?
 * Zidane, raising his sword: For the sake of our friend... Let us bury our steel in the heart of the wretched King Leo!
 * Blank and Cinna: Aye!

Together, they charge to help their friend Marcus.


 * Blank: We shall back thee, kinsman!
 * Marcus: Pray, sheathe thy swords! This villain is mine alone!
 * Cinna: Nay, kinsman! For I, too, have lost a brother to this fiend!
 * King Leo: What ho? Out, vermin! Away! Thou darest bare thy sword before the king!? All who stand in my way will be crush'd!
 * Zidane: Treacherous Leo, my kinsman's suffering shall not be in vain! For I shall instruct thee in his incomparable pain!

''Marcus, Blank, Cinna and Zidane fight against King Leo and his guards. Eventually, they win the battle.''


 * King Leo: Arrg... Grr...

''King Leo moves away from his opponents. He climbs onto the ramparts.''


 * King Leo: Thou hast not seen the last of me, Marcus!
 * Zidane: Come back!

While trying to climb the stairs to chase King Leo, Zidane is stopped by Blank.


 * Zidane: Out of the way, Blank!
 * Blank: Consider this, Zidane! If Prince Schneider were to marry Princess Cornelia, peace would reign over both their kingdoms!
 * Zidane: 'Tis foolishness! If all were so easy, why, none would suffer in this world!

They start fighting themselves on the ramparts with their swords.


 * Zidane: Aha!
 * Blank: Mph!

''They are both parrying their attacks. Blank jumps on the stage and runs in front of the audience. Zidane follows him.''


 * Blank: En garde!
 * Zidane: Expect no quarter from me!

They fight with rage but no one manage to defeat his opponent.


 * Blank: We shall finish this later!
 * Zidane: Come back here!

They leave the stage.

Act II

 * King Leo, to himself: Tonight, I shall finally see my daughter Cornelia betroth'd to Prince Schneider! And then Prince Schneider and his kingdom will be mine! Gwahahahaha!

King Leo's guards arrive on the stage, holding Marcus.


 * Zenero: Your Majesty!
 * Benero: We have caught an intruder!
 * King Leo: Why, my poor Marcus! Hark, lad. No matter how much thou dost treasure Cornelia... no matter how deeply she might believe she doth love thee... never shall I see her marry a peasant such as thee!

A bell starts ringing.


 * King Leo: When yon bell strikes three... Under the axe thou shall be!

The third ringing is about to be heard.


 * King Leo: Furthermore!

''Suddenly, Princess Cornelia appears on the stage with Prince Schneider. The friends of Marcus are also there. Marcus embraces Cornelia.''


 * Marcus: Cornelia!
 * Cornelia: Oh, Marcus! I missed you so! I wish never to leave thy side. Prithee, lead me from this place!
 * Zidane: See, King Leo? Thou shouldst give them thy blessing!
 * King Leo: Never! Never leave his side, thou sayest? Foolish banter! I'll not allow it! Cornelia shall marry none other than this man-Prince Schneider! And this traitorous crew, I will put to death!

Marcus' friends defeat King Leo's guards.


 * Benero: Too many of them!
 * Zenero: Run away!

King Leo comes close to Cornelia.


 * King Leo: Pray, sweet daughter, come home to the castle with me.
 * Cornelia: Nay, Father! I shan't return!
 * King Leo: Cornelia... Trouble me no more. This wedding is for thine own welfare. Be mindful of that.
 * Marcus: Not if I can help it!!! Now is my moment of vengeance! For my parents, and for my love, Cornelia...

Marcus waves his sword.


 * Marcus: I shall cut thee down!

''While he prepares to struck King Leo, Cornelia tries to defend his father by standing right in front of him. Unfortunately, Marcus kills his love, who falls on the floor.''


 * Marcus, crying: No... Cornelia!
 * Cornelia, dying: Mar...cus, forgive me. I still love my father...
 * King Leo, crying: Cornelia!
 * Cornelia, dying: Prithee, forgive my selfishness, Father, and spare my sweet Marcus...

Princess Cornelia dies.


 * Marcus: What have I done!? Am I never to hear her loving voice again!? Am I cursed never again to feel her soft touch!!? O, cruel fate! Thou hast robbed me of all I treasure!

Desperate, Marcus kills himself with his sword.


 * Zidane: Marcus!
 * King Leo, to his daughter: Forgive me!

The End