Aladdin's Bedtime Story

Magi © Shinobu Ohtaka

Summary- Aladdin's not tired enough to go to bed, yet, so he asks his mother to tell him a story.

A starry night in the town of Utan. The day was done, and now it was time for everyone to get cozy and snuggle up in their beds to rest for the day ahead. However…one little boy did not seem to go to bed, even in spite of his mother's wishes.

A little 5-year-old boy, his long, blue hair braided behind, wearing a light blue vest, and a pair of baggy pants sits in a small sand pit, giggling as he digs up the sand with his little shovel and piles it up before he places a small twig on the top as a flag.

"Finished!" he exclaimed.

"Aladdin!"

The boy turned to see a woman with long, magenta hair, which had two small "horns" at the top and white clothing, standing in the doorway of their little shack, a soft smile on her face.

"Time for bed, Aladdin!" Sheba called.

"Aww~!" Aladdin whined. "But I'm not tired!"

"You're gonna get tired eventually, mister," Sheba told him. "Come on. Get out of the sand pit, come inside, and I'll give you a bath."

Aladdin pouted, but did as his mother told him. He went inside to the bathroom, sat in the small wooden tub, allowed Sheba to wash him before he got out, got dressed, and then got his hair brushed and braided again. Then, Sheba carried him to their bed.

"I'm still not tired," Aladdin said.

"That's enough, now," Sheba scolded gently as she got in bed, holding the boy in her arms. "It's time to rest so you can play some more tomorrow. Now go to sleep, sweetheart."

Aladdin just crossed his arms, still pouting, but then he suddenly lit up and looked at his mother.

"Tell me a story!" he told her.

"Aladdin…can't you just go to sleep when you're told?" Sheba asked.

"Nope!" Aladdin smiled.

Sheba sighed before she sat up, adjusting the pillows so her back wouldn't hurt.

"Fine," she said. "I'll tell you a story…what do you want to hear?"

"…Tell me about Father," Aladdin answered, causing Sheba's eyes to go wide.

"Uh…Aladdin, maybe I shouldn't-" Sheba started.

"But I wanna hear it," Aladdin argued. "I wanna know about my Father….I do have one, don't I?"

A pause…but then Sheba sighed as she held Aladdin close.

"…You did have a Father," she told him, "but…something happened to him…when you were only just a newborn."

Aladdin gasped quietly.

"…What was…what was he like?" he asked.

Sheba smiled warmly at this.

"Your Father…was an amazing man," she told him. "He was wise…and very kind…and maybe a little rude, too, because he was never afraid to say what he thought about people. He loved life, and he loved his friends…and he loved me."

Aladdin smiled at this.

"Sometimes, he came off as nagging," Sheba continued, "and there were times we would argue about things…but we always managed to make up and continue with our lives. He seemed a little…aloof at times."

"Aloof?" Aladdin repeated.

"He didn't even know about my feelings for him until I stood up for him, one day," Sheba answered. "After that, we got married…and imagine how happy he was when he found out I was carrying you in my belly."

Aladdin giggled at this…but then his smile.

"Your Father believed in a world where everyone could be friends," Sheba said. "Where everyone was equal. People saw him as a hero…a king."

"A king…!" Aladdin whispered in awe…but then his awe soon turned to curiosity. "So…what happened to him?"

"…Not long after you were born," Sheba began, "a monster attacked us. A monster…who actually used to be one of your Father's greatest…a monster who mistook his good deeds as wrongdoing."

"What did that monster do?" Aladdin asked, worriedly.

"She tried to attack you," his mother answered. "You were only a babe…but that monster didn't care. She was willing to kill both me and you…but your Father wouldn't let her. He fought to protect us both…like a knight in shining armor. During that time, I ran away and took you with me."

"But…what happened to Father?" Aladdin asked. "Did he win?"

"…Yes," Sheba replied, grimly. "However…it was a grave cost: he got hurt very badly and used up the last of his strength to protect us. I still remember his last words: 'Take care of Aladdin for us'."

Aladdin looked down, sadly.

"…I don't…think I like this story," he said.

"I'm sorry, Aladdin," Sheba said as she held him tightly, "but you know…this isn't a sad ending."

"It's not?" Aladdin asked. "Why not?"

"Because," Sheba started as she looked at her son with a gentle smile, "your Father's the reason we can live together, always…and he's always here, protecting us…even if we can't see him."

Aladdin blinked at his mother…as tiny birds of glowing white appeared, fluttering and twittering around them, one landing on the boy's tiny nose, causing him to giggle, but his laughter was soon replaced with a yawn.

Sheba smiled as she gently laid Aladdin down at her side and tucked him under the covers.

"Goodnight, Mother," Aladdin said, sleepily. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Sheba said. "Goodnight…Aladdin Jehoahaz Abraham."

Aladdin smiled as he soon drifted off into slumber, the tiny birds floating above him, soothing him to sleep with their gentle glow. Sheba smiled before she looked out the window and saw more of them, practically swarming the house.

'…Aladdin only got to see you once…but he vaguely remembers your face,' she thought. 'In spite of that, you still protect your son.'

She soon sighed as she lied down beside her boy, falling asleep alongside him.

'Goodnight…my beloved Solomon…'

THE END…

Yep...I'm doin' a Magi omake series, now.

Review, please!