I decided to continue this story with a co-author. This next chapter is different from the last chapter but it's because I had to change the plot a little. The characters in the first chapter will appear later but for now please enjoy this chapter written by me and XFangHeartX
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The sky was clear. There wasn't a cloud to be seen lazily drifting above the expanse of light blue. Perfect weather for Sindria. Thanks to Alibaba and the coup of his oldest half-brother Sahbmad against the king and Alibaba's other half-brother Ahbmad, prosperity returned to Sindria. Sinbad finally had all his Metal Vessels back in his possession. Even Ja'far dropped his usual worrisome attitude. Sinbad lounged in the palace. Ja'far his trusted advisor and friend reverently stood in the presence of his king.
"You've been drinking those all day," Black eyes trailed on the light pink iced beverage cupped in Sinbad's right hand, "When are you going to get up and do something?"
Sinbad shrugged his friend off, "We're not in battle or war. Let me finish my drink." The king downed a gulp of his drink.
Ja'far released a tired sigh, "What did I tell you about the number of drinks you can have?"
Sinbad lolled his head in thought, "I'm not allowed to have more than three a day unless we aren't busy."
"I'm not going to let you lay on your ass all day having drinks. I'm going to make you do something for once." Ja'far folded his arms within the long white sleeves of his robe.
"Can I at least finish this drink?" The king swirled the remainder of his drink around in the intricate glass.
Not sure where Nimitako comes from so you can mention how he appears before those two.
Ja'far's eyes took in the sight in front of him, "Ah! A boy!"
"Boy?" Sinbad looked at the figure with curiosity, "He's at least a young man. Doesn't he remind you of Alibaba?"
Ja'far observed the boy, "He's still alive, but he's very thirsty. Give me your drink."
Sinbad hesitantly handed over the glass, "Okay."
Ja'far held the drink to the boy's lips. In less than a second the glass was empty, "You were only supposed to give him a few sips, not the whole thing!|
The boys green eyes slowly opened, fresh tears seeping down his cheeks. Squinting, the boy turned to Ja'far, his voice weak, "You look like one of them. You…look like the one who grabbed everyone…" He took hold of Ja'far by the neck, peering at the man wide eyed, "They weren't food! You fed them to those beasts…those twelve giant beasts. Why…Why!"
Ja'far was relieved of the sudden shock from the boy staring at him. He didn't understanding but the twinkle in the boy's eyes tells him he's not lying about what he just said.
"I…I will come back for you and test my body to the limit against your beasts." The boy balled his hands into fists, "I'll let you watch as your beasts stomachs are slit open, and I will put you against the tree where you murdered my father." The boy passed out, easing his hands open.
Ja'far carefully carried the boy off the floor, "I'm going to take this boy in your room to rest," He said to Sin with a smirk, "We can use what skills you still have to teach this kid how to slay these Twelve Beasts."
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"Good, you're finally awake," the freckled pale skinned man with the drabs said.
The boy sat up from the comfort of the foreign bed underneath him. His eyes found the ones staring back at him.
"You look like him," said the boy pointing at Ja'far.
Concealed by his clothes was a rusty blade he instinctively went for, except it was missing. He searched across his mud-stained clothing. He looked back at the man who spoke.
"If you're looking for that blade I threw it away," Ja'far said carrying a large bowl of water, "Sindria is no place for people with weapons."
"Why did you pour all that water?" The boy asked, looking into it as the man set it down on the floor. Ja'far was pulling up his sleeves, a large orange sponge in his hand.
"I'm giving you a bath. Now hold still." Ja'far pulled the boy over to the water.
"Get away from me!" He fought back, trying to pull his hand away but the man was stronger.
"You cracked the bowl with that last chop," Ja'far said rubbing his finger through the thin crack the boy made after that nightmare of a bath was over. Ja'far wouldn't admit it but he was impressed the boy broke the bowl. The bowl was made of metal but its outer surface took the appearance of wood, "Silly boy. This congruence is why I can't let you leave Sindria."
Distracted by cleaning up, Ja'far didn't notice the boy messing around in the folds of his robe, "Don't pull on those!" Ja'far yelled as the boys teeth pulled on his hidden wires. Ja'far was afraid he was going to rip the wires out.
Ja'far pulled the boy off, "It's a good thing you didn't break these or I would be very mad." Ja'far said putting on his best smile as he pointed out his finger, "Now, you must be hungry. We have plenty of food. Do you need something to eat?" The boy growled like a wolf. Ja'far wiggled his finger towards him. "I bet you would love some of our favorite—"
"Don't bite my finger!" Ja'far shrieked. He wasn't mad about a little hole in his finger, but he didn't approve of boys close to his age that acted like animals.
"If you bite me one more time I won't give you any food!" Ja'far shouted. That seemed to stop the boy whose feral demeanor vanished.
"Good. Now I'm going to ask you questions starting with your name." Ja'far made his way to the door, he turned back at the boy who stood at the opposite end of the room.
"Nimitako," says the boy.
"I see," Ja'far said, shooting an interested glance at the boy, "And where did you come from, Nimitako?"
The boy didn't answer. He just stared at the ground with a scowl on his face, to Ja'far's annoyance.
"You're not going to tell me, is that it?" the former assassin asked. "Fine, I'll wait...but you should know...we're not your enemies here."
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Ja'far didn't like the look in Nimitako's eyes. He was a boy who suffered more than any boy should ever suffer, the heavy sadness reflected in those eyes said it all. He looked worse than Ja'far when he was his age. Nimitako spoke nothing but the truth to Ja'far but so far Ja'far was getting nowhere with him. Ja'far wanted to help the boy if only he wasn't seen by the young boy as some kind of monster.
Ja'far went to see Sinbad. He pushed open the double doors to his king's throne room. It came to no surprise that Sinbad had a drink in hand.
Sinbad always felt like he was in a magical place better than those awful dungeons he had to capture. A cold glass of wine made him feel like he was protecting his kingdom against people who opposed them like the Kou Empire. He would fight with pure strength and perseverance, defending his people no matter what the odds were. A tropical drink made him feel like he was seated at the beach with beautiful girls hugging him like cats, clawing for a chance to touch his muscular body.
Sinbad's drink was a tropical red drink with a sliced apple on the glass. In his dream he was lying in a chair with a blond, brunette, and blue haired girl. They were wearing the same clothes as the belly dancers who entertain him once in a while. He rubbed the blond and blue haired girls' cheeks closest to him while they smiled back. The brunette was hugging Sinbad so very tightly, clinging to him as if he'd disappear if she let go. He liked that, he liked that a lot. He really wanted this to not be a dream.
"Sinbad!" Sinbad's dream ended abruptly. He woke up to see his hand rubbing Ja'far's pale face. The white-haired former assassin was glaring angrily at him.
"Did you talk to the kid?" Sinbad said, changing the subject and Ja'far moved Sinbad's hand away.
"Yes. I found out his name is Nimitako. That's all he said." Sinbad put his drink down. Sinbad without realizing it took his clothes off in his dream. Ja'far shielded his eyes from his king's body.
" Do you think he's lying?" Sinbad asked. He sounded a little more serious than the lady killer Ja'far knew.
"No, Sin, I don't think he's lying," Ja'far said. "Something tells me he's telling the truth."
Ja'far wasn't overlooking how Sinbad didn't have any clothes on. He turned around so he didn't have to see the naked body that nearly made Sinbad have to marry Kougyoku Ren. Ja'far wouldn't look at Sinbad until he was sure he was properly dressed.
" Go back to his room," Sinbad said. Ja'far turned around…Sinbad was wearing his robes but didn't have any pants on. Ja'far was happy Sinbad was putting them on.
Ja'far was momentarily caught off guard, but recalled what Sinbad told him. " Go back to his room?"
" He's a young kid who is angry at you. He will try to escape the first chance he gets. He's probably trying to escape right now."
"Oh, Sin, you're being ridiculous," Ja'far said. "There's no way he could-"
Suddenly, one of the guards came rushing in.
"The boy is gone!" he cried, causing Ja'far's eyes to go wide.
"You were saying?" Sinbad asked.
"Oh, shut up and put on your pants!" the former assassin barked.