Vivi is a black mage created in Dali by Alexandria after Queen Brahne learns of this technology from Kuja. Vivi is a prototype black mage who managed to escape by falling out of the cargo ship and was later fished out of the Mist Ocean by a Qu named Quan. Quan raised Vivi out of the hope he would grow big enough for him to eat; however, after six months, Vivi was still as short as before.
Vivi knew none of this and lived happily with his "grandpa" in Quan's Dwelling. When Quan died, Vivi was left alone. Just days before the starting events of Final Fantasy IX, Vivi headed to the nearby town of Treno to get some help and eventually hitches a ride on an airship to Alexandria.