living legends
Hi peeps. I thought I was going to just stop writing this story since it seemed like no one was reading it and I had lost interest, but I decided that I should at least finish it. (Another reason why I haven't updated my other stories) So this is going to be really quick and skip a few things, but at least it will be done. Enjoy I guess!
Seriously. It was their first time traveling to other worlds. Where did they think I was going to take them? Atlantis? Narnia? Wonderland.
Good, that's exactly what I did.
Over the course of a month (At least by their time) my brother and I dragged Alibaba and Aladdin around to different worlds. We ended up having to spend at least a week in every world, which was EXTREMELY dull. My brother and I had never spent that much time getting used to our surroundings, but the two of them had a hard time taking in what was right in front of them. THEN, to make it worse, they spent just as much time afterwards explaining what they learned to both of the earlier parties. Kouen asked so many questions even my brother and I couldn't answer them. Sinbad had been fairly interested at first, but most of his generals had started to lose interest when we told them that we weren't going to bring them anything from the worlds. Yamu had glared at us for days after that. I'd been happy when we got to leave.
Speaking of Sinbad…that man was an anomaly. It seemed like every day we were back he wanted to do something new. One time he tried to teach my brother and me how to fish. I couldn't tell if he was happy or sad when we admitted we already knew how. Another time he took us to ride horses. Then we went swimming. Once he even brought us to his personal library and showed us the books that he'd written. I wasn't THAT into stories, but I liked learning about the history.
My brother had been the one to naively point out to him that Princess Hakuei didn't HAVE to come every time we came back. Sinbad had tried to play it off saying he hadn't intended that, but after that I noticed he was not happy when she couldn't make it. Hakuei seemed oblivious to his reasoning as well. The king certainly had a thing for making sure that the four of us were always doing something fun together. It felt like he was making up for lost time or something. If that was true, he should have been making up for the lost time that he wasted when he was supposed to be working.
Man. I hoped my real dad wouldn't run away from Jafar that quickly. It was like the work was his own personal demon.
The last place that we brought Alibaba and Aladdin to holds a special place in my heart.
And that place in my heart is labelled as 'places I love to HATE.'
The cheers started the minute we got there. "The living Legends! The living legends are here!" I'd made the mistake to land us in the middle of the peasant's village. Crowds instantly recognized the work of my djinn and came flooding towards us. Alibaba and Aladdin nearly choked in surprise. "Living Legends, what a miracle! And they brought friends!" My brother helplessly gave a weak smile, but I could tell he hated that place just as much as I did.
"Yeah yeah, make way people!" The crowds reluctantly parted as I pushed through so that we could TRY to find some place to talk. "We're here on business, not for you! Leave us be!" But while the cheering died away, none of us could avoid the curious stares that followed is everywhere we went. It was a mistake to bring them to a world we were so well known in. "Yeesh. I hate all these people. Don't they have lives to get to?"
They aren't so bad brother, my brother weakly tried to argue. I rolled my eyes while Alibaba and Aladdin stared at their surroundings in awe.
"What is this place?" Alibaba asked us as I dragged him far FAR away from the crowd. "And why are they called you two the 'living legends?"
This is universe 349856, my brother answered. It's a world that is currently still in what you would call the 'medieval' era, though it might still be a few centuries ahead of your time. This world isn't that different from your world, so we thought you might not be that much of a shock for you. It has a lot of the people from your world, but different. And all the governments are different. Here they all work together in 'the twelve' it's hard to explain, but basically twelve kings and queens work together to govern the nations.
"As for that 'living legends' thing," I added with a bit too much pride in my voice, "That's what they call us. We have visited this world every once in a while, but for them whole generations pass between our visits. Sometimes when we are here we help out with big things. Mostly wars, battles, big discoveries. Someone along the way decided to call us the 'living legends,' because we were legends that would never die or age to them." Aladdin stared at me. I didn't like the way he was staring. I'd never really thought about what people would think if I showed them what it was like to live like us. But every world that we went to, that kid always had the same look.
Pity.
Why was there pity?
I didn't need his pity.
"So anyway," Alibaba continued, still shaking off what he'd just seen. "Why did you bring us here?"
"Hmm? Oh, just to show you that no universe is the same. In one universe, everyone thought you had died and the world turned into a sci-fi place." His expression said that he didn't have a clue what sci-fi meant. Lucky him. "There's all kinds of different worlds. And in a lot of them, there are the same people." The duck-like expression on Alibaba's face said he didn't understand. "Here, it's like this. There is more than one Alibaba out there, but they aren't all the same Alibaba. They would all be different. Maybe one would be good, one would be evil, one would be shy, and one would get all the ladies."
"I hate that one," Alibaba grumbled.
I thought he was kind of cocky, my brother admitted.
"I thought he had good dancing skills," I huffed. "But that's not the point. See, look there." The two of them glanced behind us to see who I was pointing at.
A young Marga ran past us happily.
"MARGA?" We had to hold Aladdin back before he rushed after her. She was wearing peasant like clothing, with dirt all over her feet and shoes. She was running towards a large crowd of people looking at something. I heard a few of them talking about some kinds of masks or who was under them. Probably a king or queen of the twelve. "What is Marga doing here? Did she follow us? We have to go get her!"
"No we can't!" I yelled as I grabbed him by both arms. "Haven't you been listening to anything we've told you over the last five weeks? That's not your Marga!"
"W-what?" Aladdin hesitated, staring up at me in surprise. My brother shot me a glare that said, I told you it was too soon. I just glared back at him saying. Well there never was going to be a good time, was there?
That's a different Marga, my brother had to explain to him once he'd calmed down. In many worlds there are the same people, but they are different. Like my brother told you, they will be the same but not the same. That Marga won't recognize you, she doesn't know you. She had the same biology and you think you recognize her, but she will not be what you think she will. She has grown up in this world that is different, which means she is different. She may be someone you absolutely hate for all you know.
"I could never hate Marga!" Aladdin insisted. "I'd never hate my friends!"
Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that.
"How is that possible," Aladdin asked. "I mean, if what you said is true, then these people shouldn't be around."
I frowned as we climbed up onto a roof to try and avoid the crowds. "How so?"
"Because you said that they are different," he repeated, "Then shouldn't their ancestors have been different to? Like, their parents. What if they didn't love each other and have their kids, which means they wouldn't have been born?" Ooooh.
"That's how we section off worlds actually," I told him as I sat crossed legged on the roof. "Yes, in worlds with different people mean different couples. But we found in a lot of worlds that the couples are the same. It's like, if one couple is different compared to another, than all the couples will be. That way the next generation will be with all the same people as a world with the same couples as them."
"That's…confusing." Aladdin replied.
My brother laughed. For example, you, Alibaba and Morgianna. There are some worlds that you didn't meet, but in all the worlds where one of you exist, all of you exist. But in another world, none of you would exist. It's not like, Alibaba and Morgianna would exist but not Aladdin. It's always the three of you. That way every world will have the same people, even if they are kind of different.
"Some worlds it's different. If the person changes from universe to universe, than the person they love would change to. In one universe my mom ends up with Kouen, and Sinbad ends up with some girl with pink hair."
I thought it was Jafar, my brother pouted, perplexed. But it's alright with us. They aren't our versions, so as long as they are happy it's fine with us.
"Isn't that weird though?" Aladdin asked. "Seeing your parents but they aren't together when you know they should be?"
"They can't be together in EVERY universe," I shrugged. "That's not how it works. With every generation comes a new set of worlds for new sets of people because of the different potential couples."
Our parents are together in a lot of them though! My brother insisted proudly. They dated in Hogwarts, in one mom was a cop that chased dad, in another they were both superheroes-
"They get the point brother," I hushed him quickly. "Sucks for your world that things aren't heading that way. You're missing out on two amazing kids if you ask me," I smirked.
"No one asked you." The smirk died.
"What kinds of magic do they have here?" Aladdin asked my brother. Instantly he brightened.
I'll show you! He grabbed his hand and pulled him to the edge, only stopping to shout back at me. We'll be back in a bit brother! Don't leave without us!
He knew I wouldn't, but my heart jumped a bit when he left. "Be careful!" I called after him. There was no guarantee he'd heard me. The two had jumped before I could say another word. I stared off after him cautiously, making sure I knew exactly where he was going and who was around him. I didn't notice Alibaba paying close attention to me.
"You two fight wars," Alibaba started. At first I thought he was just asking out of curiosity. It took me a second to notice the dark undertone to his voice.
"Yeah. A bit."
His frown deepened. "Sinbad wouldn't have liked that. Neither would Princess Hakuei. They both fight hard so that wars don't have to happen."
My heart lurched out at the irony of his statements. Two people who had fought forever to avoid wars. And their sons were famous for being the kinds of them. Living Legends of battle. "Yeah, well, they can't fix every world," I shrugged to try and seem normal. "They weren't really convincing to me. Certainly seemed like those two groups back at your world would have loved to go at each other."
Alibaba didn't deny it. He didn't agree with it either. "And that bothers you?" I blinked in surprise. Mostly because, I was surprised to find it was true. Also that Alibaba was smart enough to notice it.
"I just…I don't understand you people. You're all so willing to go off and start wars and fight for…for what? Some more land? A few more people under your rule?" I shook my head, angry at how lucky they were. "You people just don't get it. I've got this really cool djinn and my brother has a lot of rukh, but we'd give that all up to have what you guys have. You have a family, a home. I can't count the times that I've seen worlds like yours. My father with all his generals and friends, not having to worry about if he'd ever see them again. Or my mother happy with all her cousins. So many times I've looked at all of you and thought, 'Man, I want that.' you people have so much more than I'll even understand. I'd give up everything if my brother and I could have a family. Heck, I'd give up fighting. But you're all so willing to throw it all away."
Neither of us spoke a word. The bustle of the crowds underneath us was the only sound to accompany our silence. Alibaba was soaking in all that I had said while I wondered why on earth I had said it at all. Who cared what one world did? They were just idiots, all of them. I was going to say goodbye to all of them anyway. What did me care of the Kou Empire and Sindria's generals ended up at each other's throats?
Because they are your family, my brother had told me many times. Each time, I'd tried to ignore him.
"You are right." Alibaba admitted, unable to meet my gaze. "It doesn't make sense. Maybe we all are a little spoiled, a little…selfish. But I know that deep down they only want what they believe is for the best. They care about their families, and I know they won't fight unless they have to. I won't let it happen."
That made me outright die of laughter. "You? No offense, but what could you do?"
His face had turned a bright shade of red. "I-I don't know yet. But I'll do something. I've already seen good people die for battles that should have never come to pass. My brother has already been a victim of that. And I won't let your families be victims of that either." I couldn't help but stop laughing there. I knew exactly who he was talking about. And I knew it was hard for him to talk about.
Then, slowly, a smile grew on his face. "I sense a pattern forming here," Alibaba huffed, standing up and stretching out his arms. I stared at him like he was as mad as the mad hatter. Ironically, someone he had met.
"What?" He grinned down at me, a fire in his eyes.
"In other worlds, did my father help teach your dad many things?" It took me a moment to recall the history of other worlds.
"In a lot of them, yeah." Alibaba nodded, expecting my answer.
"Well, when I first started off my journey, Sinbad was one of the ones who helped get me started and become one of my main supports. My dad helped him, and he helped me. It's only fitting I help you." He grinned down at me as the sun shone around him. "I'll help you by making sure your family doesn't fight. Maybe teach you a thing or two they taught me. How's that?"
I just continued to stare at him. "You…I-I don't care what happens to the people of your world. You can do what you want. They can fight for all I care. It was just an opinion, a statement to how stupid they all are." My crossed arm's and annoyed expression did nothing to Alibaba's grin.
"Suuuuure you don't," he pretended to agree. Jerk. "Besides," Alibaba added, slipping his arm around my shoulders. "I've still got to get back at you for me earlier." We both laughed casually. I kept the smirk on my face.
He could try.
It wasn't until we brought them home till I noticed something was different. They went to speak to the two countries like they usually did. My brother and I strolled after them like we usually did. The sun was in the air, the grass was on the ground and the water was in the ocean like it was supposed to be in that world.
But King Sinbad was not in the throne room.
He was waiting for us. And he looked like he had something important to say.
"I have something to tell you two," He explained with a grave expression. "Now."
Yes, this chapter was really bad. And short. I'm just rushing to get it all done so even if it isn't the best at least you'll know what was supposed to happen.