Disclaimer: I do not own Magi-The labyrinth of Magic, otherwise there would be sooo many different things (which, knowing myself, is necessarily not a good thing).
I'd like to dedicate this OS to Plume Sombre, who shares my love for Kassim and Alibaba.
Thank you again for your patience and messages and sorry if this work is not very good. I tried.
(All good things)
Ever since the civil war ended, fortunately without too much problems with the -forced- abdication of the 23rd and last King of Balbadd and the creation of the new Republic, the life of a certain blond haired prince had become quite hectic: thanks to the Seven Seas Alliance, Alibaba managed to get Kou to agree a few conditions to keep Balbadd's independence - albeit only momentarily.
It was more like a bet than an agreement: Balbadd had a year-and-half time limit to go and pay back the Empire all the debts that Ahbmad had contracted in the four years he had been king; if he couldn't do it in those twelve months, then the sea province would become immediately a mere colony under Kou's control.
Alibaba knew that he was walking on a thin thread (and that Kou was most likely playing mouse-and-cat with them, giving out false hopes), but that same thread was the only and last option for Balbadd to be safe. And he would have been an idiot for not accept it, since otherwise his homeland would have been instantaneously done for.
So he worked hard day after day with the help of citizens, while the Seven Seas diplomats helped the royal family and nobility to set up the bases for a republic. Alibaba's help was, of course, required too.
The third prince had to work basically day and night for his country, but he was undoubtedly fine with doing so: if he could prevent the fire of despair and sadness to spread among his countrymen then he'd rather launch himself into those flames and turn into dust than let anything that could be done aside.
Reconstruction had gone on smoothly with the help of citizens and soldiers alike: much of the damage done during the fights with the beasts from Kou and the Oracle had already been fixed in the first two weeks. It was almost like nothing ever happened.
Alibaba greeted many citizens - a few of them were former members of the Fog Troupe too - as he walked down the main street to the port: Morgiana had basically thrown him out of the castle after he almost collapsed (again) from tiredness, saying that that day he was free to relax. He of course refused - there were more important matters to take care of! - but after seeing her slightly pissed (namely, after she stomped her feet on the ground and giving him a glare) he decided to accept and rest a bit.
So, he thought that he could go to see - and only see! ...okay, maybe talk to the sea merchants a bit too - how thing were going.
«If she finds out, you're gonna fly straight out of the window this time.» A voice commented out of nowhere, making the blonde jump and pale visibly. The "stranger" continued. «Or maybe she'd keep you grounded for the entire week.»
The prince was already pouting, his heart still racing from the scare, when he turned to face his old friend. «Kassim! Did you just have to do that?!»
The other male only laughed before taking a drag from the cigar between his lips. He breathed out shortly after. «What? You're my King, I'll have to stick with you and be sure you don't get in trouble.»
Oh, Alibaba could definitely sense the irony in his words. Not that he thought that having Kassim as his Household vessel would change the way he acted around him.
Kassim still teased him a lot about how he couldn't get a girlfriend (and Alibaba always used the excuse that "he had to clear Balbadd's position before that" to cover the fact that he was, undoubtedly, still inexperienced with that kind of stuff). He still had a cold aura around himself most of time, but the blonde could see the changes in his usual behaviour; plus, he knew that the "real" Kassim cared for his friend and Balbadd's people.
Ever since they cleared their misunderstandings (after a good fight), the prince felt like he had his brother again by his side. He didn't know if Kassim felt the same way he did, but Alibaba was sure that something was there, that the golden-eyed young man was willing to help him - like when they were children.
And it was everything he needed to know.
«Are you daydreaming again, Alibaba?» Kassim's voice brought him back to the present world.
The blonde blinked a few times before smiling at his friend, before pointing in the direction of the sea. «I was going to the docks, do you want to tag along?»
The other simply shrugged, muttering a «Sure.» in response.
Alibaba didn't even need to ask, really: Kassim would have followed him anyway.
«So... I heard about this Elizabeth girl from a few months ago...»
The blonde groaned loudly and let his head fall on the table, gaining a chuckle from Kassim and a questioning look from Morgiana. They were actually in Sindria for a kind-of diplomatic meeting with Sinbad but fate wanted that on the day of their arrival a giant Southern Sea Beast decided to wreak havoc on the island.
The eight generals were immediately summoned and defeated the creature - which, of course, led to a Mahragan that same evening.
Thus, the present scenery: Kassim teasing Alibaba again, while Morgiana glared at her fellow Household vessel and Aladdin had his share of fun with the ladies.
«Kassim, stop tormenting Alibaba like that.»
«Huh? Why should I, his actions ask for it.»
«That's not true! I never asked to be ***** ** **** by a woman like that!»
«Ohi, ohi, there are still pure children around here.»
Alibaba knew better than to trust his friend's words of worry since more often than not they came with new teasing. In fact, he wasn't even surprised to hear the "aside from yourself" part that came a little later. The poor bullied prince hid his face between his hands before slamming his head on the table.
He could still hear clearly Morgiana's and Kassim's voices arguing - bless that girl who still defended him from his other friend's jokes! - from his position, but he couldn't see the other figures approaching.
«A-li-ba-ba!»
And in an instant he felt himself being pulled back (and he almost feared that he'd fell from the chair) before the happy and not so sober figure of his swordsmanship teacher entered his field of view. The blonde couldn't say anything that the white haired general had already shoved a glass of wine down his troat.
He almost chocked on that, but in the end he began drinking with everyone else.
(Kassim was the one who brought him back to his room, despite Morgiana's complaining; he had the sensation that the Fanalis girl was getting... slightly jealous of him for the secret and silent care he showered Alibaba with.
But, well... he wasn't one to be impressed by glares or harsh words - even if he did acknowledge that Morgiana was a scary girl when she wanted to)
There was this one night when Alibaba decided to go out drinking with Kassim alone, like the old times. Incredibly enough, the plan to save Balbadd from Kou's influence was going on more smoothly than expected - it was like a dream, where everything ended up well in the end. Despite being still incredulous, Alibaba couldn't refuse Kassim's invite to celebrate the success.
They ended up in a bar not far from the slums, the one they used to go in the past, and they indeed had fun. Kassim still joked on how his blonde friend couldn't even take more than two drinks before looking all sluggish and Alibaba still punched him on the shoulder every time.
And as usual, the dark haired boy was the one to take his friends on his back and start to walk home.
«K-Kas-shim...! You're the- hic -wooorshttt...! Alllways making- hic - 'un o' meee!»
«Yeah, yeah. I know. Now shut up and sober up a bit.»
Despite the harsh words, Kassim's voice was playful. After his little speech, Alibaba simply rested his head on his friend's shoulder, looking distractedly at the street.
«...Hey, Kassim.»
«What do you want now? I'm not going to stop unless you have to throw up.»
Alibaba snorted at the idea. «No, I... all of this...» He licked his lips softly, choosing the right words to say his thoughts aloud - a difficult task with all the alcohol in his system; finally, he managed to find something.
«All of this... doesn't it feel like... a dream of sorts?»
Everything was going too well to be real, that was Alibaba's fear: he didn't want to wake up and see that everything he saw, everything he felt, was nothing more than a simple illusion from his mind. The blonde felt his friend stiffen a bit, going a bit off-pace.
«...What if it is?» Kassim asked suddenly, after a few seconds of blissful silence. Alibaba couldn't see him from his position, but sensed the earnestness in his tone. «What if everything you lived until now was a mere dream?»
The blonde prince was silent after that. His arms held onto the other's upper body a little tighter, as if he was trying to feel that it was reality, that those phrases were only the nth joke.
«I'd rather... not wake up...»
«You can't do that, you know it. They need you, everyone back in Balbadd, that blue haired brat and the monster-woman too.» Kassim reminded him, using the same word choice he used back when he first met Morgiana and Aladdin; Alibaba shut his eyes almost painfully as his friend's voice rang into his ears again. «You can't stay here, even if you'd like it... even if I'd like it.»
Suddenly, Kassim's body turned into smoke - the same smoke from his cigar - and Alibaba found himself alone in the same scenery he saw when... when...
«Wake up, Alibaba.»
(come to an end)
«Alibaba, are you up finally?»
«Ugh, yeah...»
«What's wrong? Didn't you sleep well?»
«I had... a strange dream.»
«A dream?»
«Yes, there were the four of us at this huge festival-»
«Four?»
«...Sorry, Aladdin. My tongue slipped, eheh.»
«It's okay, no need to apologize!»
«Thanks...»
«Guys, are you all awake? We're almost there.»
«Ah, mister Ja'far! Is Sindria near then?»
«You can actually see it over there.»
Alibaba really wished he never woke up from that dream. Not because he didn't care about the future of his world, but simply because that little speck of happiness - he deserved that, a lot - felt so right that it was painful to think about it and brush it off as a mere illusion.
Still, the warmth that it brought was the proof that it wasn't.
Alibaba knew that that future could be reached someday, he had to work hard for that - for Balbadd, for his citizens, for Kassim.
As the thought ran through his mind, the blonde felt a hand brush against his shoulder, as an invisible hand was giving him an encouragement. Alibaba smiled, feeling like he was in the dream again.