First Night: Aladdin meets Alibaba
A scream filled and echoed the hollow throughout the vast emptiness as a beam of light flashed and smashed into the roof of the hollowed ruins. The ceiling collapsing above, crumbling down after however many years it had stood covering the empty halls and chambers beneath. But before it could truly reach its final resting place below, they were blocked by a great huge figure of blue.
The giant knelt down over something, using his back to shield something beneath him. Once the rumbling had died down only the soft childish sobs remained, coming from the tiny figure of a pink-haired(1) little girl as tears streaked down her face.
She collapsed onto her knees, her right hand loosening its grip on the wooden staff she had as she panted. "I'd rather die...Than spending the rest of my life in a place like here!" She looked around in fear. Her deep blue eyes looked up at the giant pleadingly as she struggled to speak through her cries.
"Please!" She pleaded as she looked up before almost losing balance and fell forward, stopped only just in time with both her hands. "Please tell me what am I?..."
She watched as her tears stained the dried rocky surface beneath her, confused, lost. Not knowing what could she do as she waited for the giant in front of her to answer. Yet, the giant remained silent, his shaggy bangs shadowed his eyes before a second later answered her.
"Please forgive me." He said, "That is not a question I am allowed to answer."
The girl stared at him in disbelieve, her mouth slightly apart as she looked on hopelessly at the crouching figure in front of her before she relented, her shoulders dropping in despair as her gaze traveled back down to the ground. But before she could fall any deeper, he spoke up again.
"But if you absolutely insist..." He started, catching her attention slightly. "By the powers of these holy grounds, I could grant your any one wish." The giant was now upright as he spoke. "Your majesty, the greatest of all those who wields magic, let me turn your wish into reality."
She looked up, bewildered by the offer but he continued on anyway.
"Great wealth, immeasurable power and even immortality are yours for the taking if you so desire." A blinding light cascaded around them as he laid an open hand in front of her. "Come, tell me what do you seek the most?"
In the bustling town of Quishan, a young teenager with bright blond hair stacked the sacks of grain with a huff before sighing, raising a wrist to wipe off the sheen of sweat that was on his forehead. He surveyed his handiwork and nodded before he went back to where he got the sacks of grain from. He stopped as he heard his name.
"You're working rather hard today, Alibaba!" A man nearby remarked with a grin as he sorted out some beans on the makeshift 'table' he had set up. "Has something good happened?"
"I need to prepare these for Lord Budel today." The teen answered in which the man groaned.
"That greedy swine..." Another muttered, his tone showing irritation.
Shrugging it off as he paid the person in charge of the stall he had got the grain from, Alibaba maintained his easy smile. "I'm just trying my best to reach my goal!"
"What goal?"
"Ha! the labyrinth."
"Ah, I see! Youngsters these days!" The two men laughed. "They have some crazy dreams!"
Picking up a basket filled with apples, the young boy ignored them and walked back to the carriage that housed all the food that he was ordered to buy and bring back, clicking his tongue at the two fools, getting on the seat where he snapped the reins, starting the carriage as he muttered bitterly. "I'm serious..."
With a quick glance he spared, he looked up and squinted his eyes as the towering Dungeon slowly blocked the sun while move down the road, eyes determined. He will conquer that dungeon, he knew he could...Probably.
Not long after, the teen parked the carriage alongside the others of the same caravan, before he got to work on sorting. Lifting up the basket of apples and walked to the carriage of the very end only to stop when he heard strange chomping and munching noises coming from the one he passed.
"Huh?" The blond curiously hummed as he set the apples down and lifted the sheets and froze.
Sat in the middle, back facing him was a kid no older than 10 carelessly munching on fresh watermelons. When the child noticed his presence, the child turned to look, showing the feminine face lined by spiky blue hair and covered with a white turban. But he soon realized that it was just a boy. But that wasn't what he was expecting for as he gaped at all the remains of watermelons that had been cast aside.(2)
"W-w-what...Are you..." Alibaba managed out as those curious deep blue eyes blinked at him before smiling.
"Hi! I'm Aladdin! I'm traveling!" He gestured to the half eaten fruit in his hand. "I'm just making a meal out of this delicious and sweet red fruit-!"
"You were just what?!" Alibaba threatened as he grabbed the younger boy roughly by the collar, lifting him up. His eyes glinted threateningly. but the boy didn't seem fazed by this as he looked around limply and confused.
"Is Alibaba here?!" A voice outside called out, catching the blond's attention.
Shit! The teen quickly dropped the younger boy and poked his head out and answered, mustering the fakest smile ever. "Y-yes! I'm here, sir! Hello!"
Not bothering with returning the greeting, the owner of the voice, a rather fat man, looked past the teen and at the carriage where all the food were stored. "Has all the cargo been loaded?"
"Y-yes sir! O-of course!" He lied. Damn it! Why did I lie?! I'm so dead!
"Let's see then."
That caused Alibaba to panic as he nearly fell off before jumping off from where he is and stood in front of them. "T-there's no need for you to check! I've loaded everything so-"
"Don't get in my way!" The fat man glared as one of his men grabbed the blond and threw him aside. "It's my cargo..." He trailed off as he lifted the covers and gaped at the boy who noticed him and turned around with a goofy look to him before taking a huge bite into the watermelon in his hands. "Huh?!" The man was taken aback by this. "W-What?! W-who...Alibaba! What's going on here?!" He snapped at the teen who was still getting up.
Knowing he's in big trouble, Alibaba still tried to make an excuse. "W-well...This..." He looked up only to pale as he watched the younger boy fondle with the man's chest.
"Why does this man have boobs?" The child's muffled voice asked in glee as he continued to play around with the man's chest who was frozen still in shock. "I thought only women had them!"
"You fool!" The teen shouted as he grabbed the boy and pulled him away from the man and got him on the ground next to him before kneeling down, forcing the kid to do the same with a hand on his head. "S-so sorry, sir! This stupid brat-"
"Shut up!" The man snapped as he kicked the blond on the head before forcing it lower to the ground with his foot. not satisfied with just that, the fat man stomped at the blond teen more. "You're going to pay me back for those! All of them! You'll work without pay until you've paid all of that you brat!" He growled. "Don't even think about getting away..."
The younger boy looked at the scene before him, his face not betraying anything as he observed. Something about this didn't feel right for the child as he gripped the golden flute that hung in front of his bandaged chest, his hold tightening with each kick the older boy received.
It was night time by now as the blond collapsed in a heap on top of a pile of carpets that made his makeshift bed, groaning in pain. "Damn that Budel..." He replayed what happened earlier today before his memories found that kid again. "What was that stupid brat thinking?!" He growled before letting out a sigh. "This sucks..."
*Grrrooowwll...*
His stomach protested, demanding to be filled as he attempted to rest. "Damn it..." He pushed himself up as he reached for the basket he got earlier that was filled with apples, pulling out...The same boy back then, munching down on the apples. His eyes widened at this as his grip on the boy tightened out of anger before he threw the boy to a nearby pile of clothes and looked into the basket. "No way! You ate almost all of them!"
The boy rubbed where the pain came from on his head as he turned around. "What? Didn't you gave them to me?" He asked innocently as he sat down with a sad look.
"I did not!" The blond shouted before he sighed. "Man I'm in so much trouble...I really need to clear the dungeon..." He muttered. "I've got nothing..."
Hearing the word 'dungeon' piqued the young boy's interest as he looked up at the panicking blond. "Dungeon? What is that?" He asked curiously.
Grabbing a piece of dried jerky, the teen turned back to the younger boy. "Huh?" He stared at the boy in disbelief for a moment before he walked over to the other side of the room. "You don't even know what a dungeon is?!" He asked incredulously, grabbing an old wrinkled scroll from a shelf before unrolling it in between them as he sat down in front of the boy. "Dungeons refer to the mysterious historical structures that started to pop up around the world 14 years ago."
The boy imagined how it happened as he looked down at the scroll in wonder.
"The person who clears the dungeon is rewarded with mountains of wealth and power. They hold gold, jewelery and even mystical magical items."
"Magic..." The boy trailed off.
"Yeah. Some people still believe there's real magicians in the world..." The blond slurred as his eyes refused to keep open. "What dungeons do have though are magic items. Like flying carpets or bottomless wine jugs." He slouched a bit more as he tried to remain awake. "But the best magic items there is in there is definitely the metal Djinn vessels..."
Hearing the last part, the boy perked up with a smile as he leaned a bit closer. "Say, Onii-san, where do you find a dungeon?"
But the question didn't reach the blond as the teen collapsed onto the carpets, snoring gently. The smaller boy relented in waking him up as he moved a bit over and laid down nearby, deciding to ask the blond again tomorrow as he held the flute closer, a soft smile on his face. "I think we'll be able to find your friends soon." He whispered to the flute, closing his eyes as his smile never left his feminine face. "Goodnight, Ugo-kun."
Dawn has arrived the next day as Alibaba was the first to get up, stretching before he went to wash his face. But once he came back into the room, he found the same boy from yesterday sprawled on the floor still asleep like a small piglet. A tick formed on his head as he grabbed the boy and threw him out the door, growling. "When are you going to wake up?!"
The younger boy crashed into the wall outside and landed with a painful groan before he got up, tears brimming on the edge of his big blue eyes as he tried not to cry. He swear this boy is a girl. "That hurts!"
The teen ignored him and locked the door before he left. But the child was persistent as he quickly caught up and complained. "It's mean to hit someone out of the blue like that!"
"Shut up and stop following me." The blond shot back as he quickened his pace. But the boy was stubborn as he once again walked beside him, looking up with a curious expression.
"Say, Onii-san, where could I find one of those dungeons you've talked about last night?"
Relenting, Alibaba sighed and stopped, pointing up at the towering massive structure in the middle of the city that was so tall, it reached the clouds above. "There." He said. "That's a dungeon." Their eyes looked on at the tower. "Amon, the seventh dungeon. It appeared out of nowhere ten years ago."
"Wow..." The boy stared at it in wonder.
"I'm going to clear it." The blond teen's eyes hardened into a determined glare. "And clear all the other dungeons around the world faster than anyone else." He raised a fist infront, as if challenging the tower. "And become the richest man in the world." With that, he continued on, quickening his pace once again. "And that's why I have no time to waste with you!"
"Hey! Wait!"
The two continued through the city, passing through alleyways and streets. To the blond, it felt as if he was giving the stupid brat a tour of the place which annoyed him. It was during the moment when they're close tto where he wanted to go did he hear the most ridiculous question ever.
"Neh, Onii-san." The boy tried to get his attention. "Do you like money?"
What kind of ridiculous question is that?! Of course he liked it! He wanted to burst out laughing and call the kid an idiot but instead decided to calmly answer. "Yeah, of course I do." He smirked as he looked up at the sky. "I need it. Enough to buy a country at that..." His face fell slightly, replaced with a sad smile as he looked down at the ground.
The younger boy looked at him observantly as they continued walking towards a noisy market square.
"As long as you're wealthy, you could get anything!" The teen decided to continue to boast about money, distracting himself from his previous thoughts. "Like delicious food."
"Delicious food!" The younger boy squealed eagerly as his mouth watered. Alibaba swear that squeal couldn't have come from a boy, even if he was as small as him. But he ignored it and continued.
"Beautiful women too!"
"..." He was expecting another squeal of excitement but didn't get any and turned around to see the confused look the younger boy had. "Beautiful women?" The blond face palmed. Of course he wouldn't know. He's just a kid...
With that in mind, he decide to educate the brat about it. "That's right! Beautiful women with their big pillows on their chests that you could feel against and the pleasure you get..." With bedding them... "It's every man's fantasy!" He made a pose as he raised a fist in the air and laughed.
Caught up in the amazing excitement that was transferred to him, the younger boy twirled around, caught up in the awesome mood they were in only to bump into someone. That someone fell to the floor, trying her best to keep balance of the large platter of lemons on her head. Immediately, the boy knelt down. "I'm sorry!" He reached a hand to help her up but she ignored him and skillfully threw the lemons that had dropped to the ground back onto the pile before getting up and giving the kid a puffed up glare, trying her best not to be too intimidating.
Alibaba on the other hand was staring at the girl in front of them. She was around his age with shoulder length scarlet hair with stunningly matching scarlet eyes. She was overall beautiful. Realizing he had been staring, the teen quickly snapped out of it and made a poor attempt of an amiable smile. "W-we're sorry about that earlier, were you hurt?" He asked, clapping his hands together. "Shall I help carry that for you?"
The girl merely stared at him for a moment. "No, it's fine." She said quietly before she past them by, a slight rattling of metal against the ground trailed behind her.
Noticing this, the younger boy looked back at the girl leaving and ignoring the glare his teenage companion was giving him before his eyes fell on the chains that barely showed beneath the hem of the girl's dress. Noticing the look the child had, Alibaba stopped glaring at him since he wasn't paying attention to him anyway.
"What's wrong?" He asked the younger boy as he frowned.
"That." He pointed at the girl.
Alibaba turned around and followed where the young boy pointed and widened his eyes. The girl's ankles were shackled and linked together by a dark metal chain as it dragged along the floor. How could such a pretty girl like her be a slave?! Noticing how the two were staring at her chains, the girl's facade faltered and her gaze dropped to the ground as she tried her best to leave with as little shame as possible by reaching and tugging the hem of her dress in an attempt to hide the chains.
But in doing so, the platter above her head tipped over and spilled half of the lemons in it as she knelt down, much to her frustration. Everyone in the vicinity turned their attention to her, some with amused looks at her before they realized the now bare view of the chains and shackles around her ankles.
"She's a slave." One whispered, voice laced with slight pity.
Everyone murmured similar things. Some even had hints of disgust in their voices before they went back to their own businesses. The younger boy looked confused as he eyed the chains. "A slave?"
"People who are bound and sold..." The teen answered the child as the girl tried her best not to be overwhelmed by the shame she felt while picking back up all the dropped lemons around her. "They're treated and used like livestock for their whole lives..." The blond bit his lips and looked away. "What messed up world we live in..."
But the boy didn't seemed to care as he smiled and ran up to the girl. Startled, the girl attempted to back away only to fall again with her legs slightly spread, causing her to try her best to hide what's under with her dress as best as she could. The boy crouched down and eyed the chains before he smiled at her and held up his flute, playing a tune.
The chain broke.
Everyone watching gasped at this, either from sheer disbelief of what happened or what was going to happen to the poor boy. The said boy got up with a cheerful smile. "There! Now you can freely walk about without the need to hide your legs!"
"What is that kid doing?!"
"Is he mad?!"
"Who's slave is that?"
"That boy!"
Everyone around them looked on in fear as the boy wiped the flute with his vest, ignoring the looks people around gave him. Surprisingly, Alibaba grabbed the boy by the shoulders frantically with a worried look. "This is bad!"
"Why?" The child asked, confused by all this.
"Because..." The blond tried to think of a way to put the explanation into words that could allow the kid in front of him to understand while being under that eerily innocent and questioning gaze of the boy.
"Why?" He asked again.
The teen now realized that he doesn't know how to explain it as the end result would be the same. He didn't want the boy to be shivering scared after hearing what punishments would happen to him for doing what he did. Behind the boy, the girl also looked on worriedly, genuine concern in her scarlet eyes but everything turned for the worst as a familiar voice was heard.
"It's a serious crime to free or steal slaves." The smug voice of Budel made the blond and the girl flinch as they looked towards the fat man who had picked up a lemon and walked towards them. He grabbed Alibaba by the should and stuck the lemon at his cheek. "You'll lose an arm." He continued. "And what about all that recompense with me?"
Once again, Alibaba became obedient as he faked another smile, stuttering. "W-what are you talking about, haha!" He tried his best to hide the fear in his voice as he attempted to make an excuse to be spared. "W-we're just average your average guys. There's no way we could've cut through such strong chains."
"Hm. That's true." Budel looked to the side before stepping up in front of them. "If you can't pay me back, then I'll make you a slave." He yanked the slave girl by the hair and pulled her up, she winced in pain as she whimpered. "The life of a slave is hard you know!?" He grabbed the girl by the jawline before throwing her back to the ground. "Even if someone throws you..."
The girl whimpered again and groaned in pain at the impact to the ground, her body shaking slightly only to be held down by the foot of Budel as he stepped on her.
"Step on you..."
His foot moved to the girl's hand, stepping on it relentlessly to the point of almost rendering her hand useless. Alibaba looked on in horror, his body aching for him to fight and urging him to make a move. He was at his limit as he watched the fat man continued to violently abuse the slave girl and continued to speak.
"...Or does whatever to you, you won't have a say in it!"
"Stop that, Oji-san." The blond was snapped out of his struggling thoughts by the voice of the boy he was with. His eyes fell on the boy who was in front of him with an unreadable expression on his young feminine face.
"Huh?!" Budel glared at him. "What'd you say, brat? Want me to call the guards on you?"
"No! Please, anything but that-" The blond attempted to save the boy for reasons unknown to him only to be pulled back and held at the throat by a blade along with the child but he didn't seem fazed by that at all as he continued to stare at the fat man, causing him to use effort to remain unfazed by that eerie stare.
"Or do you want me to kill you now?!" It was more of a statement than a question as he drew the blade that was sheathed at his side.
Without another word, the boy played a tune on his flute but what came out with the sound was beyond comprehension. Two large muscular blue arms materialized from the flute before they smacked away the two men that held the blades, disarming and breaking the weapons. before they targeted Budel who stood frozen in front of them. The arms raised themselves on each side of him and went in...
*Smack!*
The giant hands clapped together just merely a centimeter away from Budel's face. The man was frozen in fear from that, stunned before he collapsed on the ground, fainted with his blade clattering beside him.
The young boy grinned as he gave the giant hand a high five, although the giant only used a finger. But the giant arms froze before they turned red, and shied away from her, earning a confused and incredulous look from her before they were shrunk back into the flute. The boy peaked through the hole of the flute as he laughed. "You're shy as always, aren't you Ugo-kun?"
"Hey! What's going on here?!"
Everyone was snapped out of their daze as guards pushed through the crowd from the distance.
"Shit!" Alibaba cursed before he dragged the younger boy away. "Come on! We're getting out of here!"
the slave girl thought the same thing as she got up and quickly left the other way.
It was noon by the time they had lost the guards as they hid in an underground canalway. Alibaba sighed as he watched the guards disperse from the distance before he relaxed and closed the wooden cover and looked back at the young boy who was drinking the waters of the canal. The teen didn't know what to say as he eyed the young boy.
"H-hey." He started awkwardly.
"Hm?" The boy looked up at him.
"That flute..." he trailed off as the memory of what came out of it popped into his mind again. "S-something came out of it, right?"
"Ah, that's Ugo-kun!" The young boy held out the flute. "He's my friend!" He looked at it with a smile. "Everyone calls him a Djinn though."
I knew it! The teen internally thought as he gave a fake interesting smile. "Heeeh?" He looked down at the ground as he contemplated. That flute is one of the legendary Djinn vessels... He walked and sat next to the boy as he watched him clean the vessel. Clearing a dungeon is extremely dangerous and risky. Not a single soul came back after entering Amon so far but as long as I have him around... He looked up at the cheerful kid with calculating eyes.
"Ahh...Uh...Aladdin was it?" He got up as he rubbed his palms together. "Do you like pretty ladies?"
The boy only looked at him strangely. Confusion evident in his expression which caused the blond to sigh.
"Just come!" The blond sighed irritably and dragged the young boy with him as they left the underground canals.
Up in front of the entrance to Amon, a mansion sat overlooking the city surrounding the great structure. Residing in it was the Lord of the city who was currently reading a scroll that was unrolled on the desk in front of him as he paid little attention to the report that Budel had given him. The two slave girls beside him helped with any task, however minor they were, even as simple as holding a feathered pen.
"That was a big mess back there." The lord remarked as he re-read the report on the desk.
"I-I am terribly sorry my lord!" Budel apologized frantically, attempting to put the blame on someone else. "T-there was an idiot who tried to free a slave."
The lord merely smirked at how nervous the man in front of him was before he swatted away one of the girls' arms from massaging him before picking up a small coin from the chalice nearby and dropping it into the palms of the girl as a reward. He turned his attention back to Budel with slightly more attention and amusement. "I also heard something else happened there."
"H-how did you knew that, my lord?"
"My watchdog told me." He answered simply.
"I-it's nothing I thought would be of importance to report to you, Lord Jamil." Budel stuttered as he bowed humbly. "Forgive me."
Jamil eyed the man in front of him calculatingly as an idea formulated in his mind. And to be certain, he decided to confirm some matters. "You're leaving with the caravan tomorrow, am I correct?"
"Y-yes, that is true my lord."
The lord smiled as he beckoned the man to come closer. "I have a job for you, you see..."
"They're so soft..." Aladdin murmured as he nuzzled between a pair of breasts of one of the two beautiful women who were entertaining him, giggling away at the young boy's antics while the blond teen sat beside them with a gleeful look.
"Hey, uhh...Aladdin-san!" He began to speak, once again with the smile and palm rubbing. "You said you're traveling no? Do you have any specific goals during your journey?"
The young boy turned to look at him, his face flustered. "You said that the dungeons held Djinn vessels, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"I made a promise to Ugo-kun to search for these vessels." The boy stood up as he walked over to him. "So can you show me the way to the dungeon?"
His smile faltered slightly, unsure of how to answer before the words came out anyway. "S-sure..." His voice showed his uncertainty but the child seemed to have overlooked that. He went slightly more serious as he thought of the preparations. "At any rate, that means you're coming with me right? To Amon that is."
"Mm!" The boy nodded enthusiastically with a smile.
The blond sighed in relief as he let a ghost of a smile on his face. I'm definitely going to clear that labyrinth and get rich! He looked back at the young boy, watching him once again nuzzle around between the two women's breasts. Guess I should have some fun as well! He decided to try out the new 'Special Service time as he ring the small bell on their table. I'm definitely going to have some fun!
Once the bell has made its tinkling sound, a sense of nervousness welled up inside Alibaba as he stuck his gaze on the table in front, hearing the sound of heels against the wooden floor until it was right beside him. A soft voice greeted his ears.
"Thank you so much for waiting."
It caused him to tense up as his face grew a brighter shade of red. S-she's here already!
He felt the skin of the exposed thigh of the woman next to her as she sat down, adding more fuel to the fire which was his extreme wave of nervousness as he balled his hands into fists on his lap, still refusing to look up. He heard her giggle a bit as she took the jug of beverage.
"You have a very adorable friend over there."
"He's...Really not much of a friend..."
"Oh, is that so?"
This is a good time to show off I think! He thought as he held his chin and formed a slight smirk, a planned line of words he thought was cool was ready to come out as he did so. "I decided not to make any friends." He told her in his most cool sounding voice he could make before he turned to face her only to freeze over...
...
...What the HELL am I WITH?! He couldn't put to words to describe this horrid creature that didn't even represent a woman...Or maybe it was by his standards but still! He gaped and paled at the sight of her. W-wha-wha-wha-
"I'm Elizabeth." She introduced herself.
His brain combusted as he went as still and as pale as a marble statue. But it didn't seem like this large creature realized it as she held up the jug of beverage and literally sliced off the top of it off clean with her hand and poured the contents into a cup in a possibly womanly way. When compared side by side, poor Alibaba looked similar to a child and when his current company was compared to the hostesses of Aladdin's, she looked like a complete alien.
"I am the most talented hostess in this establishment." Elizabeth claimed as she smiled, or what the blond think was a smile even though he couldn't tell if she did or not at all. "Let's get well acquainted, shall we?" She offered.
N-no...No...NOOO~!
By the time they finished and left the place, the blond looked like he had been molested with the ragged and messy clothes and strange marks on his skin. His expression was pure horror as they exited the doorway. Aladdin on the other hand was bouncing out with a silly smile plastered on his effeminate face. "That was actually a lot of fun!" The younger boy cheered.
"...Huh..."
"After we cleared the dungeon, let's come back!" Aladdin enthusiastically jumped before twirling around and smiling brightly at the battered teen with his hands behind him. "Okay, Onii-san?"
If Alibaba wasn't as distracted by the horrors in his mind at the moment, he'd noticed how feminine the younger boy acted just now and would've answered the question better. Instead, the teen stared blankly ahead without answering anything.
"Damn brats making me search all over the place for you..."
They both turned towards the way that they heard that, spotting Budel and his two men walking towards them with an irritated look on his face.
"If you have the damn money to spend on pleasure, how about paying me back for all the damage you've caused recently, huh?!"
The blond clicked his tongue before fixing his clothes. "I don't have any right now." He lied as he looked away from the fat man.
"Huh? What?"
"But, I've decided to enter the dungeon." He told the man as he wiped away the marks on his cheeks. To that, the man looked at him in disbelief. Surely this kid is joking. "And once I've cleared it, I'll pay you back fully!"
"Clear a dungeon?" Budel repeated before he and his men burst into laughter. "Who would believe something like that! Haha!" But within a second, his expression hardened into a glare at the two boys. "Just you try to run and watch as I put your names as wanted on every city within this area."
The teen tensed.
"Now choose!" The man said out loud to them, earning a few looks from bystanders. "Do you want to be arrested right now or do you want to work as my slave fr the rest of your life? Huh?"
That had put Alibaba off, but he didn't show it. He couldn't show any weakness now with such a serious choice. He knew which ever he chose, the younger boy beside him will have the same fate. And he couldn't comprehend why he cared so much about the said boy. He looked at Aladdin with concern in his eyes only to meet the questioning stare of his own childish dark blue eyes.
If he had to choose, he'd choose the better of the two choices.
"So which is it? Hm?" Budel smirked at them as he raised a hand, the two men behind him raised their blades at ready.
"What do you take me for?" He looked back at him with a serious glare. "What do you think my answer is huh?!"
The next day found Alibaba sheepishly trailing behind Budel with a fake smile. "So what is our cargo, master?"
"Grape wine." The man simply answered as they walked towards the wagon that carried the barrels of wine. "It's of the finest quality. A gift to the lord in the neighboring city from our lord Jamil. You better work hard now."
"W-with pleasure!" The blond answered with fake enthusiasm as he quickly made his way to the front where he would be in charge of the horses. Aladdin was already at the front with a disgruntled look on his face. "Grape wine huh?" He muttered as he sat beside the younger boy. "That's quite a risk out here..."
Not interested about the cargo, the younger boy turned to find anything else that could catch his interest before he noticed a cage wagon nearby. "It's the girl from last time..."
That caught the teen's interest as he looked up and followed Aladdin's line of sight until his eyes fell upon the poor girl in the cage with the other slaves. A slight pinch in his heart as he looked at her. She looked pitiful, sitting in there with drooped eyes. There were recent bruises on her skin as well and a rip or two on her clothes. The chains to her ankles were replaced with new ones.
Despite knowing what it is already, the teen asked anyway. "Budel-sama, what is that?" He pointed towards the mobile cage.
Looking over towards the wagon, the man shrugged. "Ah, slaves for a nearby mine."
Noticing their conversation despite being a few meters away, the girl looked up at hem with scarlet eyes filled with nothingness. It was a blank lifeless stare and the blond couldn't help but look away, another strange feeling as if his heart was squeezed slightly. Aladdin noticed the look but didn't say anything, for some reason he expected the teen would do something about it sooner or later.
Not long later, the caravan left the city gates and headed towards their destination.
"A person should not try to reach higher than his given lot in life." Budel started, as if preaching. "A rat will always be a rat and a slave will always be a slave. Born as worthless trash, stay as worthless trash." He paused to take a bite out of an apple before pointing at Alibaba who was in front driving the carriage. "don't you agree, huh?"
"Y-yes sir..." Alibaba answered with a slightly hesitant voice.
What was that? I can't hear you!" The hideous man mocked.
Putting up with a facade, he turned and gave a fake grin with an equally fake enthusiastic answer. "Of course you're right, master! You're very wise!" You're dispicable and lower than scum... His mind spat mentally but afraid to say it aloud.
"Aren't I?" Budel boasted as he laughed. The blond only tightened the reins in silent anger as he kept up his facade. Aladdin stayed silent as he observed his teenage companion.
"Onii-san, you're lying." The younger boy stated silently, earning the blond's attention. "Don't you think that the more you lie, eventually no one or even yourself will ever believe in your own words?"
It was a rather strange question that usually never been asked by a child as small as Aladdin. It was a wise one at that. It made the teen contemplate about it as he looked down at his hands that were holding the reins. They moved on silently for the rest of the day until the sun was almost set beyond the horizon. They should stop somewhere and camp for the night soon. It takes another day before they could reach the next city.
*Boom!*
A loud sound as if something exploded resonated nearby, catching everyone's attention as they all looked towards the source. The rocky ground nearby crumbled into a hole and the surrounding lands began to as well, forming a large crater that halted the caravan as it nearly swallowed them. Screams and panicking shouts were heard as everyone scrambled to save anything they could get.
"A Desert Hyacinth!" One shouted out in fright as his camel nearly fell into the crater.
"So it really did come!" Budel shivered as he saw what was below.
"It's because of the grape wine!" Alibaba grimaced as he tried his best to escape the growing crater.
A giant plant with whipping long vines, a purplish transparent bud opened to reveal a disgusting amount of digestive juice and the inner walls of the plant. It's grotesque inner walls squirmed in excitement of feeding as the vines whipped around, attempting to knock something into it's gaping maw.
"Everyone leave the caravan! Quickly!" One of the escorts shouted as he opened the cage wagon and lead the slaves out.
"Unload the cargo! Hurry!"
"Alibaba! Leave it and get the grape wine!" Budel frantically ordered as he got off the carriage and ran for it.
"Y-yes sir!" He abandoned trying to free the horses and ran to help with unloading the cargo.
"You lots as well! I'll make sure you're paid for this! Hurry!" The fat man pleaded as he too helped in carrying the barrels.
*Slam!*
A vine smashed to the side of the crater, causing the area to shake violently. The world spun for Alibaba as he nearly lost balance along with a few people nearby but his eyes immediately shot towards the slaves as he heard a scream. His eyes grew wide.
A girl no older than five lost her balance and fell into the crater, her eyes showed nothing but fear as tears formed at the edges. She reached desperately for her mother who screamed and attempted to grab hold of her tiny hand only to miss by a few millimeters.
"Mina!" The woman cried out.
In a blur, the slave girl that they previously met in the marketplace dashed and grabbed the little girl, holding her close as she reached back towards the group. Alibaba wasted no time in rushing towards the edge and reached out his hand. Almost got her-
"My wine!" Budel cried out, knocking the teen away.
"NO!"
The blond looked on in horror and shock as the two girls dropped into the gaping maw of the beast plant. Once they landed into the fluid, the petals of the plant snapped shut and the liquid inside began to flood the empty space.
The woman beside Alibaba collapsed onto her knees as she cried while greedy slave driver sighed in relief, holding onto the barrel of wine merely gave the plant a dismissing glance. "That was close."
How... The blond tried to comprehend as he shakily looked towards Budel in disbelief. How could you...
"NOOOO!" The woman screamed as she broke down in tears. "MINA!" She attempted to make a run towards the plant in desperation to free her daughter. But a man stopped her from doing so.
"Don't! It's too dangerous!"
"NO! Let me go! I have to save her!" The woman struggled as she reached her hands out and cried. "Mina!"
"Shut up, woman!" Budel snapped as he got up and put a hand on the still shaking shoulder of Alibaba. "Hurry up and move the wine!" But whatever he ordered, the teen couldn't move.
He looked on hopelessly at the drowning figures of the girls that could be seen through the transparent closed bud of the plant. Somebody...Save them... His mind pleaded to no one, everything felt slowed down as if time decided to entertain itself by allowing them to go through each second as slow as possible, watching the poor girls coming closer to their demise.
"That thing won't move while it's feeding!" The fat greedy man shouted. "Hurry and use that time to save the wine!"
"Please! Let me go!" The woman pleaded again through her sobs, she was now on the floor, crawling inch by inch closer to the edge as two men pinned her down.
"Don't you damn let her go!" Budel ordered as he kept his attention on the wine. "Who do you think needs to pay for you?"
"MINA! MINA!"
Somebody save them! ..T-they'll die! Someone! Please! The scene stirred up forgotten nightmares of memories within the blond as he broke down in cold sweat just from watching, his hands desperately grabbed the ground beneath, digging its fingers painfully under. He was jostled out of his thoughts for a moment by a forceful shake on his shoulder.
"What the hell are you sitting around for?! hurry and move the wine!"
Amidst all the chaos, Aladdin's eyes saddened at the scene but yet remained calm. Somewhere within him, he knew that something would change but the situation at hand seemed hopeless when looked at.
"Stop your crying, woman!" Budel snapped as he moved yet another wine barrel. "I'll pay for the damn kid! Get over it! How much do you want?! Huh?!"
That made Alibaba snap.
*Whack!*
You bastard!
The powerful punch to the face sent the fat man rolling like a bowling ball towards the saved barrels of grape wine, knocking them over. A furious looking Alibaba stood there with his fist clenched so tightly, the knuckles turned white. He was shaking in pure anger as he glared at the still recovering figure of Budel.
"You think you could buy someone's life with your stinking grape wine?!"
The younger boy's eyes widened as he watched the change unfold, the blond had taken with him a barrel of the wine and leaped into the crater, landing halfway before sliding down the side.
Damn! I've done it this time! The teen scolded himself as he reached the bottom of the crater and ran as fast as he could to the plant's bud. But I've had enough of just standing there doing nothing only to regret it later! He climbed up the green body of the plant, reaching the bud before he attempted to slam the barrel into the slit between two petals only to find that it was sealed tight shut.
He looked inside desperately to see the two girls were still struggling to survive inside. But it wouldn't be long before they would run out of breath.
"Just hold on!" Alibaba pleaded, hoping that they heard him as he looked around for a way to free them. "I'll get you out of there! This thing could get drunk on wine!" He dropped the barrel and used his two hands and attempted to pry open its bud with all his strength. "Open up damn you!"
Knowing it was time to help, Aladdin brought the flute to his mouth a played a tune, he watched as small fluttering bird-shaped lights gathered around him before he summoned Ugo, stunning everyone who saw him. The Djinn dropped to the bottom and walked up to the plant before prying the bud wide open, earning strange hissing whines from the plant as the fluid poured out.
"Now's the chance, Alibaba-kun!"
Without a second's hesitation, Alibaba picked up the discarded barrel and sprinted to the opening, with a yell he threw the barrel inside, smashing it against the inner walls of the plant and pouring the wine over it. The hyacinth shivered before it drooped, giving them the chance to save the two girls. He grabbed hold of the still standing petal and reached for the girls.
"Grab on! Hurry!" He told them as he reached further before he managed to grab hold of the other's hand, pausing only for a second when they heard the sound of vines constricting Ugo's body. "Damn! That wasn't enough wine!" With another yell, he pulled the two girls out but slipped, falling into the pool of digestive fluid himself.
The people above looked on, some in worry and horror and yet some smirked, particularly a greedy and hideous grin on Budel's face.
"That's what you get for defying me!" He spat, still rubbing the sore cheek that was punched.
Without hesitation, Aladdin pulled off his turban and unwrapped it, allowing it to spread in the air as it magically floated up before he jumped and landed on it. The sight of seeing a magical flying mat of cloth has caused another stunned and shocked reaction from everyone around but the young boy ignored it and used the cloth to pick up the barrels.
Man...This sucked. Alibaba sighed mentally as he floated among the acidic liquid. Am I going to die like this? He looked up at the darkening sky. Then again, I hav no more regrets. He sighed. "I'm always lying, always powerless..." He muttered resigned. "Yeah...I want money and power...But...But what I really wanted..." He trailed off as he looked towards the sun set only to widen his eyes as he saw Aladdin flying on a magic carpet with piles of barrels.
The younger boy gave a smug look as he crossed his arms below his chest. "I knew you were lying, Onii-san." He grinned at Alibaba. "See! You can tell the truth! Tell me more! Teach me more about the things that money and wine can't buy!"
"Stop!" Budel pleaded from below. "Even if the boy is saved, he won't be able to pay for all that wine even if he worked for thousands of years! I'm begging you!"
Ignoring his pleas, Aladdin grabbed hold of the magic cloth beneath him and with a silent command dropped all the barrels of wine into the maw of the great beast plant, forcing the plant to become drunk as its flailing vines went limp and the struggle stopped.
But in the distance on top of a hill, Lord Jamil smirked as he watched the event from afar.
"Mina!" The woman cried in relief as she rushed up to the small little girl, embracing her whole.
"Mama!" The girl sobbed as she was embraced, desperately tugging at her mother's dress as she buried her face in the shoulder.
The teenaged slave girl smiled as she watched the two embracing before she turned around and watch the two boys she had met at the marketplace hovering above on the flying cloth. They were facing each other, staring as if it was a contest between them.
"Aladdin..." The blond began but was stopped when the younger boy suddenly asked.
"Neh, Alibaba-kun." Aladdin looked into his eyes with a smile. "I have a favor to ask of you-"
"Is that all you wish for?" the blue giant stood up at his full height as he faced the little girl that sat on a pillar, birds made of light fluttered around her as she had stopped crying and instead had the somber looked completely replaced with a bright smile just a moment ago when she decided what's passed had passed and moved on.
She looked up with bright eyes at him "Mm." She nodded while raising her left hand up, allowing one of the little creatures of light to land gently on her finger. She had a soft gentle smile and gaze on it before she looked back up. "I only have a favor to ask of you..."
She extended her other hand...
He extended his right hand in front of him as he smiled. "Will you be my friend?"
An absurd question and yet Alibaba couldn't help but feel glad and relief wash over him as his gaze softened before he too smiled back. He nodded confidently as he grasped the younger boy's hand firmly and his smile grew to a grin. "Okay!"
They remained in comfortable silence as they shook hands until...
"You brats!" Budel shrieked from below, stomping the ground. "Get back here this instant!" This earned amused looks from the two above as they looked at him. "How dare you trash my wine! I'll make sure to force you to work the rest of your lives as my slaves!"
Ignoring the yelling slave driver, Aladdin turned around and sat down. "Let's go, Alibaba-kun."
"Yeah..."
As they left, Alibaba looked back, meeting the scarlet gaze of the slave girl from earlier before he felt a slight pang of guilt for leaving her and the other slaves. He could've at least taken her with him but then he realized the consequences in doing and gritted his teeth. His hands balled into fists on the cloth before he looked back at the caravan that's now no bigger than a dot along the horizon.
I'll find you! He mentally vowed. And I'll free you once I cleared Amon! I swear it!
Night time approached fast for them as the tower became bigger as they got closer back into the city. Both boys prepared themselves for the worse as they flew past the city.
Author's Notes:
(1) Since it is revealed who Aladdin's parents were and since Aladdin took the same looks as his father, I thought it'd be nice to have the female version take after the mother in appearance. I hope you won't hate me for that! xD
(2) This will be explained later on in the future! Promise!
This story will follow the main storyline for a bit before it will diverge and begin its own line. It would probably be a while before the story changes from the original version but bear with me please! . Most of all, I hope I'm doing alright with this story so far, tell me if you guys like it or not! And for those who are following my other stories, don't worry! I'll update them soon! :3
Disclaimer: If I owned Magi and its characters, I wouldn't be writing here! Unfortunately I don't own them and they all belong to its rightful author, Ohtaka Shinobu-sensei~
Leave a review if you liked the story and give me feedback! I really love and appreciate it! /