Two things. First is a rather generic note there will be some mild-moderate shounen-ai stuff i.e, malexmale here, just saying as we can't all have the same tastes. Couplings will be (eventually) AlibabaxAladdin (as an adult Aladdin, that is) and a one sided SinbadxJudal. There will be various hints and squints of others, possibly.

Second thing is there might well be spoilers for the manga in here. I'm kind of having a play around with the plot and characters :p (ie, pre-depravity Judal, him and Aladdin being affiliated initially with Kou not Al-Thamen rather than the other way round, and such like).

And - lastly - I have nothing, of course, to do with Magi. Enjoy~

Yesterday's Child

Chapter 1

With interest, Judal watched as the collective energies of his and his twin's magic violently clashed with one another. For a moment, a brilliance of pale ice and roaring fire flashed through the evening's dying light far above the cherry blossom trees of Kou's palace gardens and proved to be striking. In the next, he watched that same wall of blue ice melt and fracture under the oncoming threat of vivid scarlet fire as it came hurtling towards him. He paused, he breathed, and he waited. The scattered white flashes of rukh gathered again and it was then he stepped back and planned what to do next.

Aladdin was certainly getting stronger. His younger twin, identical to him aside from Aladdin's deep azure hair and eyes, seemed also to know exactly what Judal was planning. He usually did these days, and it proved annoying. Before the black haired brother had retreated far, a second and brighter flicker of embers and heat was thrown at him, gaining momentum and not stopping. Within moments he flinched, that overwhelming and billowing roar of flame set upon him and he backed away quickly. He skidded back on the cool emerald grass, and struck the dark wall behind him he forgot was there with a light thud. He rubbed at the exposed area of his lower back before hanging his head in defeat.

But then, that's what sparring was for. His younger twin grinned, a blur of white and light blue clothing standing his ground and knowing he had won. Judal wasn't really inclined to see him as stronger, however. He looked about him, they were alone and he knew he could use...that. He had been told not to, but he liked to win, and they had just told him not to show...that to anyone else.

So he gave him a sharp look, his fierce ruby eyes locking with his brother's much calmer ones. "Chibi, you know what – this is getting boring. Let's try something more fun for a change..."

He didn't wait for Aladdin's rely, but then he never did. The already darkening sky was plunged into deeper shadows the moment after he gave his ebony and ruby sceptre a lazy flick. It was then that a monstrosity of strange black energy amassed and grew, materialising in a towering and ominous black form, sprang into existence. The strange black djinn stood before its master, and Aladdin looked at it apprehensively. It flexed its leathery wings as it stood between them and looked down at its opponent through malevolent blood toned eyes. Neither brother had seen anything quite like it before, but Judal decided he liked it; Kassim seemed powerful after all.

As Judal floated up to level with the fiend-djinn's shoulder, he felt something catch out of the corner of his eye. For a moment it seemed as though that radiant white of the collecting rukh seemed to darken and turn black, as if changed by his creation, but he reprimanded himself. There was of course no such thing as black rukh.

Far below him, Aladdin drew a hand through his braided and long hair before calling up to him. "Onii-san, are you sure it's ok to call Kassim like that? Even if they said it was yours, they didn't seem to want people to see him. And they only just gave him to you, so..."

"Scared of losing? They gave him to me for a reason, didn't they?" Judal, after all, just wanted to win; he was older so naturally he should be stronger. And that looming figure blotting out the evening sky seemed to be a good way of winning at that moment. He had never had a djinn before, aside from his brother's one. Right now it was just awaiting his command; and he had not thought to ask where it come from – he didn't really care that much either.

"Why didn't they give me one too?"

"You already have one remember?" Aladdin had Ugo, after all.

"Mm...but doesn't Kassim feel a bit different to Ugo? He feels sinister," Aladdin enquired quietly. Well, Judal did notice how the air seemed to have darkened. He would have commented on it, but his brother told him not to lie about things like that; even if he wasn't lying. He watched as Ugo burst forth from his brother's flute, the blue, muscular and oddly headless entity standing tall as the two djinn faced each other. He watched Aladdin perch lightly on Ugo's shoulder across from him.

"Eh? Sinister? Maybe, but he looks powerful so it's fine." To Judal, his Kassim seemed to be stronger. So to him that was a fair match. "Come on then – let's see who wins. Kassim or that crazy looking headless thing you've got."

"He had a head I keep telling you, onii-san. He's just shy."

"He's probably just ugly. Watch out!" Judal floated back as abruptly, and without his command, the two djiin collided with each other. His eyes widened as the dark claws of Kassim pushed violently against Ugo's palms as the two wrestled with each other. It seemed more of an even match than he thought it would. "Huh, wow, look at that. They're really going at it..."

"They don't seem to like each other much, do they onii-san?" Aladdin pondered as he drew out his golden flute again, as Judal drew out his black sceptre. A few notes of that fragile instrument caught on the air as his sceptre flicked, but neither seemed appeared. Their djinn remained locked together, as if this was an actual fight. "Mm...play nice Ugo..."

"Chibi, he has no ears – so how can he hear that song anyway?" he muttered. The twin in black looked down, and far below his ruby eyes caught someone enter the courtyard from a red toned bridge to the west. Approaching them, he knew he should recall Kassim, but then he saw who it was. A familiar person they had not seen in a while; a man with long wildly violet hair, tanned skin and...Judal felt himself flush slightly and ran a hand over his porcelain features in uncharacteristic nervousness.

He flew to meet him, dropping the long way down so he crouched before the self-made king in a mocking bow, and cut off Sinbad's steps. The leader of a far away kingdom simply looked unfazed, as if he was used to the dark Magi dropping from the skies in such a way. Perhaps he was. "Eh? What are you doing here?"

Alone, and without his generals, Sinbad scanned curiously over the forgotten sparring session; both awe and surprise in his eyes over seeing something like Kassim. Judal just thought he was impressed, and felt content about that.

Sinbad had been someone he and his brother had known for years. His relationship with Kou had always been tenuous at best and tempestuous at worst; mainly as he had intervened and conquered several dungeons Judal had initially raised for the empire's princes and princesses. As Judal had grown older however, things had quietened down; especially since Sindria had been formed and Sinbad had established a powerful alliance far to the south. Once Sindria took to admitting various powerful, and prominent, refugees Kou turned its collective gaze more and more to the initially troublesome king.

Calm amber eyes searched over him. "Well, of course I was invited. Really do you have to make it sound like I just broke in?"

"Did you?" Judal raised a dark eyebrow and folded his arms.

"Ah – we haven't seen each other in this long and this is the first thing you say to me? Me breaking in wouldn't end well, you know that," Sinbad continued to watch the ongoing battle with the djinn and Aladdin over Judal's distracted shoulder. "How long has it been anyway since I saw you both...Kou's precious gemi-Magi..."

The other man seemed amused, but Judal had never liked that name much. "Who knows? I heard you were off building some country or whatever..."

"Trust you to say that like it's nothing," Sinbad's eyes remained fixed on Kassim. "That thing's pretty dangerous looking, Judal. Did they tell you anything about it? Are you alright handling it?"

Judal had just got Kassim, so he had no idea if he had any idea if he could handle him or not. "Eh? Of course I can. It's meant for someone like me, and I'm much stronger than some idiot king like you now."

Sinbad didn't seem all that convinced. "Is that so? Well, I'm sure if it's dangerous you'll be able to handle it. Regardless...you might want to look behind you..."

"Huh?" Judal span round as he heard a loud thud. The dark djinn hit the lush grass, sending a tremor that ran under his bare feet even though he was a fair distance away. He cursed when he saw his brother's victorious smile, and groaned as he flicked his sceptre again. Kassim vanished in a curious dark mist and was gone."Damnit, you distracted me..."

"You're meant to watch an opponent in a duel," Sinbad pointed out."

Aladdin grinned, walking over to them. "Mm, so that means that Ugo is stronger. I win."

"What? No way this idiot distracted me," Judal narrowed his eyes. "You probably just broke in anyway – who would invite you here?" he watched Sinbad suppress a smile before turning to his brother. "This isn't over, chibi."

"It seemed pretty over to me, onii-san..."

Their visitor cleared his throat loudly. "Seeing as you asked so nicely, I just accepted a request to have you study in Sindria for a year Judal. Recently I granted asylum to someone...fairly ingenious that Kou would want you to learn from. She'd love to meet you, and it doesn't hurt to improve the relations with this country either."

He paused; neither too sure if he wanted to go to Sindria, nor if he thought if the two countries could get along. To him it seemed unlikely; given that Sinbad wasn't responsible enough to do what Kou demanded of him. It had always annoyed him.

"So, what do you think? Do you want to go back with me?"Sinbad asked him softly. Those eyes met him, as if to tempt him, and Judal felt the heat rise in his face. He simply shrugged, not wanting to appear too interested. "You always said you'd want to. Or is just seeing me here enough?"

"...You wish. Or do you just want me to try persuading you to join the empire yet again?"

"Who knows?"

That impassiveness, as always, annoyed him. "Well, I'm strong enough already. What can I learn going all the way there?"

"Yamaraiha would be no ordinary teacher you'd have met in Magnostadt. And your focus needs work; you've always been bad at that. I remember at the dungeons it was just waiting for you to get distracted and then-" he cut off.

Judal looked at him curiously. "And then...what, exactly?"

Sinbad leaned in, and the dark Magi felt himself flush again. "...Have a fairly easy time defeating you, of course..." he whispered very softly in Judal's ear, playfully, yet with that same indifference playing over his face. He cursed himself that he, as always, expected something different. "But you shouldn't spar too late tonight; it's better if you meet with your empress and I tomorrow to talk about you going back with me."

At a loss for words, and irritated by how the man's breath felt over his cheek, Judal just glared and watched Sinbad leave. Within moments the foreign king had retreated back through the labyrinth of scarlet and dark palace buildings and left the younger man as confused and annoyed as ever.

"Mm, I don't really want you to go there, onii-san. A year seems like ages," his brother sighed. Even if Judal wouldn't admit it, he felt the same. Part of him wanted to spite Sinbad and not go back with him. As Aladdin gripped his shoulder he pushed the thought from his mind. "But we should go back anyway; Gyokuen will want us there."

"...Yeah..." he nodded, and reluctantly followed his brother back through the chaotic yet lavish stretch of the palace they had grown up in.

"...I got hungry alright?" Judal said in response to his brother's glare. Late that night they had taken to raiding the kitchens for what fruit they could find. As much, now the older twin continued to throw a peach lazily from hand to hand and watched the fuzz of gold and pink blur pleasantly against the night shadows. The brothers made their way back quietly along the thin network of thin, dark wooden walkways back to their room, Aladdin's paces being a lot swifter than his own.

"OK, but we should get back quickly," he replied, as Judal continued to bite quietly at the tangy fruit now and only half listened to him. He was more focused on the sweet tang of the peach as it washed coolly over his dry throat. They both tended to get hungry anyway after sparring. In a way it was fortunate that a life growing up in that maze of quad gardens, streams and buildings had become second nature. "If we're late Gyokuen will get angry. Honestly it's your fault we end up doing things like this."

"...Things like eating and sparring?"

Aladdin's azure eyes gave him a searching look before claiming a stolen peach for himself, biting, and answering thickly, "you know what I mean, onii-san..."

Judal swallowed heavily. "Chibi you worry too much. Just like Hakuryuu before he –" he froze, a slim hand gripping his brother's arm and the twins stopped dead in their tracks before retreating back round the corner. Ahead of them and across the floral and rock-lined quad garden, two figures there were deep in quiet conversation. Ruby eyes squinted as he looked over the top of the pink, fragrant flowers to identify that troublesome king with Kougyoku Ren.

Aladdin leaned forward slightly. "What are they doing here; do you think they're hungry too?"

"I don't think so. Either securities pretty lax or that idiot king's sneaker than he was..." Judal felt it was more likely the latter. He looked over Kougyoku, a small girl he had chosen as a king-candidate, and the eighth princess of her empire. She was holding a long rose and lime silk sleeve over her face as she spoke to Sinbad, her face flushed as he met her eye. Judal knew that feeling at least. Typically the man just looked casual and leaned against a pillar as he spoke. "She's a bad girl, though. Meeting a man unattended at night...what's the hag hiding?"

"Why's she meeting him?"

He had a feeling his brother would have blundered in there, so he kept a grip on Aladdin's light blue top to ensure he didn't. Judal tended to enjoy spying on Sinbad, at any rate. "Since the revolt with Balbadd and her not marrying their pig king fell through, they want her for an arranged marriage. I guess her marrying him would improve relations with Sindria. And...she likes him, doesn't she...a lot" he added reluctantly.

"Does he like her?"

"I don't think he'd like you said that," Judal couldn't work out anything, as Kougyoku talked through her sleeve and Sinbad had his back to him. That was a shame."I think they're just friends, anyway."

Judal just found that naive and forced himself not to laugh, so instead he shook his head. He finished his peach, tossing the stone over his shoulder casually where it rattled quietly on the wooden floor. "He has to get a wife sooner or later; and what does marrying someone have to do with liking them anyway?"

"...A lot?"

The older brother shook his head and tried to explain. "It's an opportunity; Kou wants a good relationship with Sindria. There's a lot to gain from it. She's the only person here that idiot will talk to without looking like he's about to die from boredom."

"There's you."

"Eh? Don't you think that he'd look a bit weird as my queen?" he regretted that as Aladdin omitted a loud snort of laughter as he pictured it. Sinbad glanced in their direction, and the twins ducked down out of sight.

"Sorry onii-san, we should go," Aladdin gripped his hand, and in a low clanging of gold bracelets they retreated back to their rooms. As they did, Judal felt as though Sinbad was watching him but dared not look back. It seemed likely he'd notice them, but then he had more to lose wandering about at night.

Soon after they were drawing shut the crimson slide door to their rooms, the fragranced, warm air within welcoming to them. Judal flopped down onto his bed on his messy half of his room. In comparison his brother's was neatly ordered with his books and several glimmering dungeon objects. Aladdin began to systematically untie his hair as Judal looked over at him from the messy scattering of deep red sheets.

"She did tell me something interesting though," his brother was saying from his neatly made bed. "She told me you used to say each dungeon Sinbad beat was like him stealing a kiss off of you. She thought it was a cute thing to say."

Groaning Judal buried his face in one of many dark coloured pillows. "...That hag; what's she telling you something like that far?"

"Ask her; but if you like him I don't think she'd marry him."

Judal looked up, his brother having neatly untied most of his hair so it fanned out, and picked his way across the room to help him with the highest ties. He perched on the bed, reaching for a comb and for a moment admiring how the deep blue strands caught the light before setting about combing them. "...That's stupid though; it's not like he does more than make fun of me for liking him. But then I guess everyone likes him."

"He came here for you though," Aladdin commented before frowning. Continuing to untie and comb his hair, Judal noticed a strange expression and wondered what he was thinking. "I...don't want to be left alone here; we've always been together onii-san. It's going to be weird."

"Alone with all these annoying people?" Judal asked. "You'd be too busy, if I go you'll be the one picking out king-candidates instead of me."

Aladdin shook his head, yanking the comb slightly out of his brother's hand as he did. "I don't think anyone here would make a good king though. How you can just name them so easily?"

"It's not like I think they'll make good kings. I just do as I'm told," he replied flatly. "But maybe it's best if you go there instead. They can't complain if one of us stays here."

Aladdin blinked, flopping back on his bed now his hair was sorted. "And you'll come too?"

He shook his head. "Think about it; Sindria and Kou don't trust each other yet. They're taking a risk sending one of us as it is."

"It's stupid," Judal couldn't argue with that. He started to sort his hair, and felt his brother take over straight away. "I just want us to stay together, and not to be split up. We've always been together, onii-san."

Judal tried again. "I'll let you choose – do you feel better going there?" he watched his brother nod, and figured that solved things. "We can't act like we're children, chibi, they're serious about making us as strong as we can for Kou."

Aladdin yawned widely. "They're always serious..."

It certainly seemed that way. Judal made his way over to his again, and just thought over things. One thing he was aware of, after spying on people, was that they really were set on using the brothers as best they could. Given they were resorting to having one of them leave to study elsewhere; he just had to wonder what else they had in mind. He had a bad feeling over such things he couldn't quite explain. One thing that did surprise him was he was glad Aladdin chose Sindria over being here; that ironically wandering into a rival country would be safer. Well, that was just a suspicion anyway. He doubted sometimes the rumours of what the empire was up to were really true.

Having said that, Judal usually liked hearing about such rumours.

"Alright, tomorrow when we go there we'll tell them you're going," Judal closed his eyes, not entirely sure his brother wasn't asleep already. "Yeah...this way's probably better...Sinbad always said it was nice there. So nice you probably won't miss me all that much."