Starry Skies
By Gold Sparrow
SIXTH ARC: Half a Year in Sindria
CHAPTER 20: Heartbeats
Clearing things up for y'all because...Idk I guess because I literally love all of you so much? Yeah...
In order to keep from revealing that she knows what will happen in the future and also that the seven souls she had 'redo' their lives and get 'reborn' with the knowledge of Magi, Bad will lie her arse off to Sinbad and Kouen to manipulate them. This means that the real story of Bad will be written, but the parts that she'll reveal to main characters will be (sort of) a lie. For instance, while you all know that Bad was freed from the Dungeon by Eren and then ran away from Gyokuen with him, Bad implied to Sinbad that she grew up in Kou and pissed off Al Thamen, and had to run away because of that.
Bad will tell a different version of her life- a version that makes sense with the rest of what she's said and will say and explain her motives in a way other than 'she'll kill my friends and destroy the world in the future so I have to stop her'.
Bad needs to come across in a way that'll appeal to people. They'll know she's capable of atrocities, but she appears harmless. Her intentions are dark, but her past is heartbreaking. All in all, Bad will twist the truth into something that these people will understand- something that will explain and sooth their questions without arousing too much interest. Just wanted to clear things up so that when you read Bad telling someone something different than what I previously wrote, it's because she wants them to believe her lie, not because it actually happened.
It'll be fun to write, ne~?
11 Years Ago...
"Push, Push, Push!"
Thus with a grating gasp, Kouhime was reborn. With a blinding spiral of white Rukh all around her, she realizes that she can see. She realizes that she can see herself, too.
It's not even a realization anymore, but a understanding.
I'm dead.
Not quite.
My Rukh are outside of my body.
That's better.
My body doesn't have any Rukh.
More or less correct, yes.
She wouldn't call it 'dead', exactly. It's more like...Hm...Her body is alive, but without a soul. And said soul is spiraling up and down and all around in the form of hundreds of pure white Rukh. She can see everything.
Everything.
From each 'eye' of the Rukh she can witness the events taking place, but she can also focus in on one point, hover about and on the skin of others. Her mother laying on her back, for instance, inside of a tent like-structure. A woman beside her coos out 'good work' as her mother sobs heavily.
Then Kouhime confronts the task at hand: getting back into her body.
She hovers over her baby-self in the form of white birds, surrounding and landing on the silent child's body.
Am I stuck like this?
The thought brings a panic into her, and once again her Rukh is flying up to the sky and back down again, unsure and unsteady. The older woman holding her baby-self studies the Rukh.
She can see me?
Apparently.
"W-why isn't she crying?" Her mother half-whines, half-sobs. "My baby…Is K-Kouhime dead?"
"I'll be back in a moment, dear" The old woman tells her in a soft tone. "Don't worry, your child is fine"
"Mother, is everything alright?" The midwife asks, and the older of the two just smiles crookedly as she steps outside with Kouhime.
Grandmother?
No, Kouhime doesn't have any grandparents. None that she knows of anyway. Plus, this woman is so small and has closed, old eyes, a round face. Kouhime finds no physical connection between herself and the grandma, and none between her mother and the elderly woman either.
"My name is Chagan Shaman. But most people call me Baba. I'm a witch-doctor"
Baba? That's familiar.
One old eye is opened.
"Now dear, how about you get back into your body and stop scaring your mother so bad? Causing such a fuss is not usual for such a small baby"
Kouhime tries to answer, but she can't speak. Once again she settles herself onto the baby, but with no success.
She wants to scream. She wants to know what's going on. She wants to understand why things are the way they are.
She wants Aladdin.
A-UAh...What a punch in the...Gut…
That's right...Aladdin's not here. Aladdin's not here. And neither is Ha-Ren or Mei-Ren or En-Ren-
And Yamu's dead- poor, tragic, beautiful Yamuraiha!- and gone, somewhere under Sindria's burning flesh. Not to mention her ex-lover Sharrkan and the other generals, slain and decaying, seven casualties on the list.
Eight little tally marks.
And Sinbad, oh handsome devious devil, gone, gone, gone. Kougyoku was first to go, the sister Kouhime never met under the dirt as well. And Hakuryuu, poor chained Hakuryuu...Kouhime wants to cry and pound the earth.
Why? WHY? What good is their deaths? Why'd they have to die?!
Then there's Yunan...Last she heard they cornered him somewhere in the west after a confrontation in the Great Rift. Not to mention Titus...Oh...Titus…
That pretty girl, Marga, and Sphintus, and his family, and Reim and Partevia and all the other nations that she doesn't want to name.
People, so many people.
Why? Why? WHY?!
How is this fair? How is this okay?! Why is she here but no one else-!
Buh-bump.
...A heart beat?
Buh-bump.
It's so…
"Hm? Something wrong dear?" Baba asks, stroking her cheek with one finger. She speaks to the baby, but Kouhime knows that she's addressing the Rukh.
An explanation hits Kouhime.
She has too much Rukh.
Didn't Gyokuen say that before as well? Something like, "Kouhime, you were born with too much Rukh". Then that means…
Buh-bump.
Ah...What a calming sound. Is that her heart? No...No, it's not her's. It's also not Baba's either, or her mother's, or the midwife's. But the more she listens to it, the more she realizes that it's too strong to be a single heart beating.
It's multiple.
Kouhime calms herself, and her Rukh form a column around Baba.
"Coming back inside?" The woman asks jokingly, and Kouhime feels herself warm up to the elderly witch-doctor.
Then she's in the sky. Not really, because a part of her is going back into her body, but there's a split and her Rukh race off.
The clouds become a blur, and the first group go down to meet a little girl. Her hair is short and strawberry blonde, her eyes a reflective green light.
Jane Hullburg.
Jane opens her arms wide, lifting her face to Kouhime's Rukh. And Kouhime becomes one with Jane.
Words.
Words of every kind, words from languages that make her head spin. Numbers fitting into slots, becoming equations and answers to impossible questions. A clash of cultures, modern furniture and a dirty house filled with Mom's singing.
Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.
Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, glittering in the color of love, pink as a blush.
Then there's a couple.
A man with a blonde braid and a girl with blue hair and a seashell necklace.
Y-Yamu and Yunan?!
That's right. This is...This is the past.
No one is dead…
No ones dead!
The two stand staring at her with awe, and Kouhime becomes one with the magicians.
Magic.
Magic of every kind, filling and filling and filling her head like water, water from Yamu's staff, learned from the old pages of a book that was given to her from Matal Mogamett. The hand of a magi being offered, the acceptance of a challenge being taken.
Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.
Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, gleaming in the colors of the ocean, silver-gray as the seafoam and blue as the seemingly flat surface.
"Is that you, Kouhime?"
A boy.
Her vision is obscured, but she crashes into him all the same, unknowing of who he is.
Charlie Mason.
Charlie? The Mountain? She knows what he looks like! He has green hair and an alarmingly tall stature. She doesn't know when they'll meet like she does the others, but has seen him with her.
But for now, he's just an eleven year old boy, and Kouhime becomes one with him.
Arrows.
Arrows and bows and brothers and sisters, family, family, family. Makin, Azzam, Tawil, Wasim,Haroun,AzusenaZaynaZafirahHanif. Uzza. A car speeding towards him, a manga spiraling from his hands, Jane Hullburg's cold gaze.
Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.
Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, shining in the color of spring, as green as pine and grass.
A familiar face.
Hakuei!
Hakuei's here! Hakuei's safe! She's outside her bedroom in Kou, holding a sleeping little boy close to her. For a startling second, Kouhime thinks it's Alibaba and her's son, but then remembers that Hakuei's too young.
...I guess...Not everyone made it out of that burning world…
So…That means that the child is Hakuryuu, right? Good. She's more than joyous to see him safe as well. The boy misses the scar from his face, but that's because it's a year before Hakutoku dies. Kouhime's stomach lurches.
What will you do now, Feather?
Hakuei looks like she's about to cry, and Kouhime becomes one with her.
White.
White like their names, white as the flowers that Father loves. Father and brothers, Yuu-Ren and Ren-Ren, hugs and kisses and love. Such love surrounding and wrapping around Kou, blessing it and absolving all sin, but a black knife in the form of Mother stands close by. Hakuryuu held close, "I'll protect you this time".
Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.
Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, burning in the color of passion, tan as the baked sand in the desert.
Silver hair on a young boy.
He pays her no heed, his onyx eyes filled with unshed tears. He spreads his arms like an eagle, biting his lower lip.
John Steiner.
A knife clatters from his sleeves but he doesn't notice, and a single tear escapes the clutches of his eyes.
John whispers a name, and Kouhime becomes one with him.
Hope.
Hope blossoms in Judal's eyes, so beautiful and inspiring on an innocent face. The younger brother in white hidden behind the folds of the older brother's black robes, looking up with joyful smile. There's a knife in his hand, like the one he dropped, and he's training to protect, to save, to kill, to kill, to murder, to destroy. A throat is easily sliced, like the stem of a yellow and red flower.
"Marigold".
Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.
Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, cutting with the color of secret grief, as purple as the clouds in the west during dawn.
The final one is a girl.
She's tiny, she's the youngest. But she's strong and redhaired, with a toddler's grin. Her arms outstretch like she wants to hug Kouhime, and she lets out a childish laugh.
Alice Marsden.
She's so cute~!
The cute girl looks so happy, and Kouhime becomes one with her.
Fire.
Fire everywhere- rampaging, hurting, burning. Red roses, so beautiful, glowing in the illumination of the flames. Mama's special soup, cold milk in a warm house, whispers from disgusted adults at the child in the Amala's arms. But it's okay, because family is family.
Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.
Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, changing into the color of determination, as orange as a tangerine.
The girl jumps into the sky as if to touch the darkness above but then drops back down, only to repeat the process again and again, laughing.
And then, Kouhime Ren is back in her own body. She opens her baby mouth, and begins to cry like her mother wanted her to.
The Night They Returned to Sindria...
The End came.
Bad remembers the End now.
If she'd map out that last Great War, it's be something like this:
(Kougyoku dies)
Letter from Kou.
Aladdin begging her to stay.
Going to Kou.
Fighting.
Fighting.
Fight.
Day of the Wind Goddess's Fury.
(Hakuei dies, and so does her son)
Harder.
Aladdin comes to save her.
Fight.
The Second Magi Summit.
(Yamu dies)
Fight.
(Morgiana dies)
Why.
(Three of seven generals die)
Fight.
Final Speech of the Desert King.
(Alibaba dies)
Won't.
("Sinbad...Please don't look so murderous…")
Fight.
(Ha-Ren dies.)
Battle of the Split Division.
You.
(Two of four generals die)
Fight.
(All generals die)
Recruiting of the Masses.
Die?!
(Mei-Ren dies)
Fight.
(Sinbad dies)
Battle of the Seventy-Two Moons.
(Many, many people are killed)
Keep going.
"Al, when this is over, can we just stay together in a place far away?"
"Mhm. Together...I don't want to fight ever again"
"I'm sorry I did that...I'm sorry I-"
"It's okay. When you die, I'll die with you"
Blood.
(En-Ren, too)
Kristallnacht.
(Lets start over)
"I love you, Kouhime"
That night, Bad woke up screaming. Catrina snapped up from her place beside the Princess and held the girl down, forcing her hand over Bad's mouth. Teeth met skin and Catrina hissed but held strong, waiting until the girl was only shaking to remove her bleeding hand.
"A-Aladdin…"
"Bad…"
"Brother En…I should've..."
"Bad."
"Why? Brother?!"
"Kouhime!" Time stops, clarity returns.
Bad chokes, reaches out like a little girl, and attaches herself onto the Bird. Catrina smiles a little and rubs the girl's back with one hand, allowing the other to bleed onto the blankets.
"It's okay, it's okay"
"B-b-but…"
"It's fine. I'm here. Eren's here. We will protect you. Nothing could ever harm you as long as we're by your side" The shivering child allows herself to be held all night, clutching at the warmth and appeal of a Fanalis's strong arm to wrap around and around until she's cocooned and safe.
"You don't have to sleep, but you won't feel better tomorrow if you don't"
"But…"
"I'll stay awake, okay? I promise I won't sleep"
"Catrina...I love you…"
"I love you too, Bad"
The next morning, Catrina didn't say a word. She didn't explain why she bandaged her hand up, she didn't respond to Masrur's worried glances, and she certainly didn't yawn to show that the bags under her eyes were from keeping her promise.
When she changed her bandages in the afternoon, Catrina didn't tell a gaping Morgiana that "yes, these are bitemarks" but instead laughed and waved her other hand as if it was normal. Eren took a glance at her during dinner, smiled a bit and then patted her shoulder.
"It's our duty, right?"
"To keep her safe from the monsters? Yes."
"Be more careful next time. Try loosening her jaw- that always works. I'll sleep with her tonight, you go to bed early. She doesn't have nightmares twice in a row but she'll feel better if I'm there."
"Thanks, Brother"
"Anything for my Kid Sisters"
A Few Weeks Later...
"You two are looking better!" Sinbad's proclamation is proven true by the now healthy-looking Alibaba and Aladdin.
"Yeah! We ate a lot!" Aladdin dreamily looks backwards toward the kitchen. "I can't wait for dinner now~!"
"If you guys wanted to train you should've called for me" Centola laughs, and Bad nods.
"Prince-y is an idiot" She states, and Alibaba gets a tick mark.
"What did you say, brat?!"
"Going deaf now too?"
"Hey, you guys" Sinbad gets inbetween the parties, sighing. "Stop fighting like children! Now that you all are here, we have to use our strengths together to protect Sindria"
"Yeah, yeah." Bad yawns, hugging Centola around her waist.
"Protect Sindria…?" Alibaba asks, both interested and questioning. The pinkette snuggles into Centola, who lays a hand on Bad's head, still smiling pleasantly.
"That's right, you two don't know yet" Sinbad gets a bit serious. "Centola, Bad, will you help me explain?"
"Of course" Centola agrees easily and Bad rolls her eyes.
"Whatever." Then she glares at Alibaba. "But I swear to Jesus if you start to bother me about it I'll fuck you up"
"Language" Sweetly she cuddles into Centola once again.
"Sorry, Big Sister~! I'll be better from now on, okay?"
"Jesus?" Alibaba furrows his eyebrows. "That word...You know it sounds a lot like-"
"Shindobado, are we going to get on with this or will I have to do things myself again?"
Okay, quick note to self: Don't speak like that a King again.
Sinbad's easy on her but there's only so much annoying-kid he can take. The King rolls his eyes and motions to them to take a seat at the round table around them.
"Even before Sindria was established, we've had connections with a certain organization and have fought countless times" Bad kicks her legs as Sinbad speaks.
"No matter what country you go to, you're bound to run into them. The only place they're not in is here, I guess." She tells the boys, waving her hand lazily. "They're like a world wide plague"
"Exactly." The purple haired man nods along. "I mentioned the abnormalities of the world, right? War, poverty, discrimination, all these are spreading at an increasing rate everywhere. And this is not happening by chance"
"They are planned by the Organization" Centola chimes in, closing her legs like a lady and sitting perfectly straight. Despite her aunt only being her for a month, Centola has returned to the proper mannered and elegant young woman she acted like in Rayide. "They invade the center of countries as merchants, political advisors and court ladies, manipulating history from the shadows."
"They have no real name" Bad tells them solemnly, face dead serious as she flickers her bloody gaze over them. "But we call them Al Thamen"
"Al Thamen" Aladdin echoes, tasting the name. Bad nods, and Sinbad sits forward, linking his fingers.
"Alibaba, Aladdin, since you're involved now, I'll tell you straight. At Balbadd you caught their attention"
"That means…" Alibaba's voice is shakey.
"That's right. The man who claimed to be a Banker pushed Balbadd's economy to dire brinks. Not to mention Judal and Asad, who hide behind the Kou Empire and cause destruction are apart of Al Thamen as well."
Excuse me?
That's HER Asad and Judal you're talking about, Sinbad. Bad almost says something before biting her lip and letting it pass.
"They also are the reason Kassim turned into a dark Djinn" Centola adds quietly and a shadow passes over Alibaba's eyes, his fists clenching tightly.
"They might have started the civil strife as well. And now they're doing this all over the world…" Sinbad's voice trails off as Alibaba stands up unconsciously and grinds his teeth. Then he realizes what he was doing and sits down.
"Alibaba…"
"I'm fine. Please continue."
"I can't forgive them. That's why, to fight against such a powerful opponent, I need more power." The Sindrian King motions to Bad. "This one has already agreed to help me"
The trio's eyes widen.
"Bad?" Centola asks, partial awe and all worry. "You're going to fight?"
Bad wiggles her eyebrows, grinning.
"I made a deal with Sinbad. I'd like you to help as well, if you don't mind" Centola tilts her head in hesitation and then lifts her shoulders gracefully in a shrug.
"Well...I don't mind helping you, Bad, but I'm planning on continuing my training in Temptation magic, so I'm not sure how much of a help I can be"
"That's fine. I just like knowing you have my back, Sis~!" Bad kicks her legs.
"Are you sure you should be fighting, Bad?" The not-quite magician faces Aladdin.
"Why not?" Aladdin doesn't have an answer, but he still looks oddly uncomfortable with the idea of Bad fighting this 'Al Thamen'.
"I want to help" Alibaba declares, straightening. He nods to Centola. "I want to know what we all can do to help fight"
"Well, to get completely involved with fighting the organization...Right now that's impossible" Sinbad smiles apologetically. "You're both still weak. You need to do more training- and not just the physical training you have been doing"
"But you said Bad and Cent could fight" Alibaba interjects. The purple haired King nods.
"They can. Centola, while in training, is still the Temptress that in Balbadd put the entire square of rioting citizens to sleep. She'd do fine if she's paired with Bad, who's a skilled magician and strategian"
Bad smugly smirks at the blond Dungeon Capturer.
"That's right, Prince-y~! Cent and I are way stronger than you!" Sinbad rolls his eyes.
"Alibaba, your Djinn Equip is still far from complete. And Aladdin, your magic isn't mastered yet"
"You're right. In Balbadd, I still felt like my magic wasn't enough. I want to learn more about magic, but I don't know what to do…"
"Magic, huh? Well, Sindria has a magic center and plenty of magicians...Maybe they can help you-"
"Wait, you need a magic teacher?!" Bad hops onto the table and lands next to Al, pulling him up. "Don't worry Uncle! I know just the person to teach Al!"
"Wait, who?" Sinbad stands as well, trying to ask a question before Bad races off with Aladdin in her grasp.
"The teacher who taught me!" Bad tells him, grinning widely at the shock on his face. "My mom!"
"H-her mom?!" Alibaba exclaims as soon as Bad drags Aladdin through the doors. "Her mom is here?!"
"That is...Unexpected" Sinbad looks displeased to say the least.
"Well, the person Bad's talking about isn't really her mother" The attention shifts back to the still sitting Temptress. Centola gazes toward the closed doors with fondness. "A long time ago, two magicians found Bad and Eren, who were both pretty much travelers at the time. They adopted them as their own children, and ever since Bad has called them 'Mama' and 'Papa'"
"I see…"
"Mhm. No need to worry, Sinbad. Bad's adoptive mother is a brilliant magician who taught Bad almost everything she knows about magic. Her name is Yamu"
"While we are on the topic of Bad, Centola, I was wondering if I could ask you something" Centola nods. She already knows that this was going to happen, she's heard about it from Eren and Catrina. The Sindrian King has gone about asking about who Bad really is, and next on the list is Centola.
"Ask away." Alibaba sits back down. Sinbad stares at him for a moment and then asks Centola,
"Were you aware of Bad's connections to Al Thamen and the Kou Empire?"
Did you know she was a Princess?
"I am fully aware" Centola replies smoothly, and Alibaba looks like he was hit in the head with a shovel.
"What?" He asks, looking back and forth between Sinbad and Centola. "What do you mean Bad has connections to those guys…?"
Centola keeps her mouth shut.
No more secrets between us, but Bad's secrets aren't mine to tell.
"Alibaba." Sinbad gives him a serious gaze. "What I'm going to tell you is not something you are allowed to spread around, do you understand?"
"Y-Yeah, yes" Sinbad studies him for a moment longer before nodding.
"Bad's name isn't really Bad. She's actually a Princess from Kou" All blood drains from Alibaba's face.
"What...? Is that why those guys in Balbadd listened to her?"
"Yes. But Bad has renounced her title as a Princess and left Kou, choosing to instead oppose them and Al Thamen. Alibaba, I want you to get along with her"
Centola closes her eyes.
"Cent...Why didn't you tell me that Bad was-?"
"She's my friend" Centola states firmly, slowly revealing her green mirrors. "King Sinbad, Bad doesn't want to be thought of as a tool to use against the Kou Empire. She's more useful if you treat her the way she is, a skillful magician. I fully believe with the entirety of my being that Badroulbadour is no threat to Sindria or anyone. She has an intense hatred for Al Thamen, and is no way, shape or form a member of that organization"
"How would you know this?"
"I traveled from Balbadd with her when we first met. I lived in Rayide with her for half a year. We underwent many trials and adventures together, and not once has she ever expressed a desire other than to escape Al Thamen and protect Eren and Catrina from their wrath." The Temptress sits tall. "Bad is a magnificent person. Even if she isn't royalty, I still respect and am willing to follow her for all she's accomplished."
Sinbad smiles, though it seems lopsided.
"That's quite a speech, Centola. Even though Kou took over your home, you're willing to align yourself with a Princess from there?" Centola blinks and then looks down, feeling her hair swish over her shoulders.
"For a while I wasn't sure. I knew...Bad told me that the Kou Empire had been expanding and set their eyes on every resource they could stretch their hands to, but I didn't know they picked Balbadd until we caught word that Al Thamen was there…" Centola bites her lower lip, fisting her hands. "But then I realized that…"
"Cent…" Alibaba reaches over and takes one of her hands. The De Coverna looks up at him, sees his understanding eyes. She begins to smile.
"Then I realized that Bad wasn't all bad. She can't help what Kou does, she has no connections to them anymore. Bad is my friend." Sinbad crosses his arms, seemingly satisfied.
"I see. You have quite the passion, Centola." The Temptress knows her cheeks must be going pink.
"Not really, though I thank you for the kind words. Now if you excuse me, I'll be going to meet with my aunt" The King's face darkens considerably.
"Centola, if you could, please tell Zeina that she has until tomorrow to move her plants or I'm throwing them off the roof"
"Oh, that's right, Zeina said that if you do she'll stand next to you during the next festival and intimidate all the girls into staying away from you" Sinbad's mouth falls open and then he scowls.
"Well played. Well played."
"Sinbad, I could move the plants if you'd like. I'm going down to Zeina's house anyway, and it's really no bother." Sinbad shakes his head.
"I appreciate the offer, but this is a battle of personal moral and grudges" Sinbad stands and gains the face of a determined warrior. "I will win this war!"
"...But I don't think Zeina'll ever move the plants if she doesn't want to…" Centola comments, and Alibaba squeezes her hand.
"...Lets go, Cent. I don't think he's listening anymore…"
Yamu's house was crowded.
And she didn't exactly like it all that much.
It's not as though she didn't have room- no, she had plenty. Enough for her, Alexio and Zeina all to stay together and live pretty comfortably. It's just that...Well…
"I'm gonna explode if you don't put your damn plants in the corner, Zeina!" Zeina pouts.
"Both you and Sinbad...What am I suppose to do?"
"Put them on the roof?" Alexio suggests, sitting on the floor next to the low table. On it is his 'homework', in which he practices writing and reading. Yamu is on the verge of ripping her hair out.
"Why didn't you say that sooner?!"
"Why didn't you think of it first?" The magician lets out a groan and goes over to one pot. She picks it up and goes toward the ladder.
"Zeina, please, get the others and help me set them up upstairs"
"You have a roof entrance? Haha, we could have done this days ago!" A tick mark appears on her forehead, but she calms herself.
You're fifty-eight mentally...Calm yourself…
A deep breath is released.
She finds the panel in the corner of the loft and used a ladder concealed near the other ladder opening to push it open. It's true that Yamu doesn't always use the upmost level of the house, but that's because to her it's too bright and the sun is really hot-
Gasp.
Is she...Becoming Yunan?!
"Yamu? You look a little pale. Need me to make you some medicine?"
That's just making it worse!
"I'm pale?" She asks shakily, setting the pot down, the leaves trembling against her arms. "I-I-I-I-I-I'm pale?!"
"...Yes?"
Yamu drops to the ground, making loud groaning sounds.
"Yamu?! Are you okay?!" Zeina rushes over, quickly putting down her plants and shaking the woman's shoulders. "Come inside-"
"It's no use!" The bluenette lurches up and hugs Zeina's neck. "I'm doomed to be pale and sickly and sunburned forever because of that stupid guy!"
"Huh?"
"That stupid, stupid guy!" The Temptress sighs in relief and annoyance.
"Alright, I'll bite. What guy?"
"Yu-nan!" Yamu can hear the blonde's eyebrow quirking.
"Oh~? Your boyfriend~?"
"Yes- no- what?!"
"Kidding, kidding!" Yamu breaths out in defeat.
"We always lived in the Rift, so it's not like I ever got any sort of tan. Ugh...I'm doomed…" Zeina pats her head.
"There, there. Come help me make a garden up here and I'll share my secrets of pale-skin" Yamu blinks up at her with hopeful, blurry eyes.
"Really?"
"Yes. Now please let go of me"
"Hey Cent?" It was quiet as Alibaba and Centola walked down the main road from the Palace. It was a nice silence, because the two had been friends since they were young, but it was also filled with a sense of anticipation.
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?" Centola looks over at Alibaba, watches how he's staring straight forward. Her lips quirk into a small smile to see how focused he appears.
"Of course."
"...What does Bad want?"
"Hmm...That...I suppose I know, but it's not something easily described." Alibaba's mouth opens a little at this. "Bad...Would like to create a better world"
"A better world" Alibaba repeats, looking upwards. "A better world?"
"...The rest I suppose you'll have to ask her about."
"Cent?"
"Yes?"
"What do you want?"
"Me?" Centola is genuinely surprised by that. "I'm not sure. Auntie wants me to be her heir since she doesn't have one, Bad wants me to join her and I'm sure so does Si-"
"But what do you want?" The Temptress hums.
"...I just want to see my friends happy" Alibaba walks closer to her as they enter into a thicker part of the central market. Centola's mind flashes over Bad's memories that were showed to her, of a tiny girl growing up alone, of becoming freed by the man who'll become her love, and then having all the friends she made being taken away one by one in front of her helpless eyes. "I want to be able to cherish each moment I have with them"
"But what about the future?"
"What about the future? We live in the present, yes? Even as this conversation happens, the idea that we will continue to speak to one another tomorrow, the day after that, a year from now, continues. I know I won't stay in Sindria forever, but that's why I want to spend my time here with you and everyone else being happy. Our futures can be planned, but that doesn't mean we can sit around worrying about it. I want to just enjoy what I have for a little while"
Alibaba's face brightens, and he beams at her.
"That...I like the sound of that!"
"Yeah! Let's focus on training and enjoying this place, okay?"
"Yeah!"
"Run, run, run, run, run!"
"H-hey Bad, s-slow down!"
"Come on Al~ Don't be a slow poke!" Alexio lifted his eyes from the book. The shouting had come from outside the door, and then a grunt and heavy breathing greet his ears. Pleasant knocking ensues.
Alexio sighs and rubs the back of his head as he stands up and goes to answer the door.
"Hello-" His words are suddenly stuck in his throat.
The boy there was the source of the annoying breathing, his blue braid shaking as he inhaled and exhaled. His eyes looked up at him wearily, since he was shorter than Alexio, but the brown haired boy ignored him completely.
What he really focused on was the pretty- no, beautiful girl in front of him. Her eyes were red as roses, like two fresh petals plucked from the vine and placed on an angel's face. She had pink silk for hair, tied back into a ponytail and hanging over her shoulder. And- Lord!- her smooth, soft-looking skin had a tiny flush from the running. From one ear a white hoop earring hangs against a pink cheek, and gold bangles clink against her wrists.
She smiles a saint's smile at him.
"Hello there, is Yamu here~?" Oh, her voice is so sweet and delicate! He snaps himself out of his daze and coughs.
"Yeah, um, who are you?"
"I'm Bad! Well, not really Bad, but Badroulbadour. And this is Aladdin!" She pulls him forward by their held hands. Alexio suddenly feels the urge to punch the boy in the face and doesn't know why.
"Um, hello. We're looking for Bad's mom, um, Yamuraiha" Alexio's eyes widen, and an overpowering burst of life explodes in his chest.
God, is this fate? If so, thank you so friggin' much.
"Sure, she's here." He turns and beckons them inside with a casual wave of his wrist, and he clambers up the ladders. He pokes his head out onto the roof, and sees Zeina and Yamu finishing up with the make-shift garden.
"Alright! Now I'm going to teach you about how to seduce that magi of yours~!"
"What? I thought you were going to teach me the 'secrets of pale skin'"
"Riiiiiight *wink, wink*"
"Hey-"
"Miss Yamu?" The bluenette turns her attention to the youngest. He opens his mouth and then gains a slightly dreamy expression on his face. "Bad is here for you"
"Hm? Okay- BAD?!"" Alexio hops onto the roof as the magician barrels down the ladder. Zeina eyes him amusedly and then giggles behind her hand.
"What's that expression you have, Alexio?" Alexio shakes his head furiously and crosses his arms.
"Ma'am, I don't know what you're talking about"
"Oh dear, have a crush on Yamu's guest?" She hums to herself and fiddles with her flowering plants. "That's cute!"
Alexio pauses, and then shakes his head again.
"No way. I don't have a crush on a girl I only just met!"
The second Yamu's feet touched the ground, she saw a flash of pink hair before her waist is cinched by arms and a head is buried in her stomach.
"Mama~!" Bad greets her in joy.
"Bad!" Yamu leans down and embraces the girl tightly, feeling her motherly love overtake. "How are you dear?"
"I'm good! I'm happy to see you again" Bad pulls away to beam happily at Yamu, whose heart does little summersaults to see her daughter's face again after so long.
A blue braid makes her look up.
"Who's your friend?" She asks, still smiling so much that it hurts. But of course she knows this boy. He's her beloved disciple, after all.
"This is Aladdin. He's a magi"
"A magi?" She feels the light interest, of 'how is he gonna act this time' flicker up into her chest and fill her up. "That's amazing! It's a pleasure to meet you, Aladdin-"
Then she sees his face.
Oh sweet God no-
And next thing Yamuraiha knows, Aladdin was shoving his stupidass child face into her chest.
.
.
.
Bad looks-
What the hell is that emotion?
Yamuraiha regains herself.
"W-what are you d-d-doing?! S-stop-!" He doesn't reply, and seems to sigh contently.
The hell?!
Her staff was leaning right beside the ladder...So close...
"DESIST, FOUL BOY!" She feels the magoi enter and exit her body the minute she grasped her staff, and Aladdin flies off of her, squirming with thick white steam hovering over his body. Aladdin rolls around on the floor like a worm, and Bad turns away.
"U-um, Bad, are you okay-?"
"Fine" The voice she uses is low, monotone and lacking light. "Everything is perfect"
"Y-you don't seem okay…" Well, she did just see the boy she's in love with fondle her mother's breasts…
Okay, that just makes her really pissed off at Aladdin.
"Stop being dramatic, it's just steam!" The magi pops up and blinks as- yes- water soaks through his clothes and lathers his skin.
"It's just water"
"Yes, Aladdin. It's just water." Aladdin worriedly looks to Bad, who's now standing in the corner of the room, facing toward the walls.
"Are you okay, Bad?"
"Fine. Life still has purpose."
"Um...Okay then…"
"Oi, brat! Let me tell you...If you try to do that again, I'll evaporate you from inside of your body!" Aladdin seems more crestfallen than frightened.
"Miss...You seem gentle but you're kinda not…" Yamu glares at him and then sighs.
"Seriously...I was so excited to see my daughter again, and I was happy that she actually made a friend her age- and a magi at that! I guess it was for nothing" Her annoyance fades slightly, but dark vibes start to come from the corner where Bad crouched down and started to rock back and forth on her heels.
"*mumble, mumble*"
"...Still okay, sweetheart?" Bad seems to fold in on herself even more.
"I'm in good health. My heart is in one piece still" Her reply makes Yamu shiver.
"A-all right then…" She turns back to Aladdin, who seems to as well feel her discomfort.
"Is being a magi something to be happy about?"
"Well, they're on a higher level than us sorcerers, so it's actually quite an honor for my girl to become an acquaintance of one. Now I see you're just a perverted brat, though."
"What is a sorcerer?"
"...You don't know?" Aladdin smiles up at Yamu, seemingly not bothered at all that he just touched her chest without permission.
"I want to know! Please teach me, Miss." The bluenette blinks and then feels the beginnings of a smile start on her face.
"Alright then. I'll teach you-"
Slam.
The magician steps back as Bad comes out of nowhere and stomps- hard- on Aladdin's foot.
Aaaaaannnnnd he's not wearing shoes.
"YOU KNOW WHAT?! I'M NOT FINE!"
"We could tell, sweetheart"
"AaaaaooooOOOOooowww!"
"YOU IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU TOUCH MY MOTHER'S BOOBS! STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! I HATE YOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU!"
"W-wait, Ba- ow, Ow, OW, Bad!"
Centola pauses.
"Bad?" The pinkette was running up back toward the palace. She spots Centola and then changes course, jumping into the older girl's arms.
"My life is terrible Cent!"
"W-What happened?"
"I- He- Al- Oh hi Alibaba" The blonde boy raises a hand and scrutinized Bad.
"Hey Bad, I want to talk to you-"
"Oh, join the goddamn club!" The girl crows, throwing her hands up. "Everyone wants to talk and question and make deals and politics, politics, politics! I hate it! And Aladdin decides to be a stupid pervert! SO, if you'd excuse me, I'm going back to the palace to set up highly elaborate pranks, eat all the sweets I can regardless if I get fat, and lock myself in my room to grow MUSHROOMS. Good crappy day to ya, ALI-BAKA!"
And with that, Badroulbadour begins to race up the hill with the speed of a Fanalis.
Centola blinks.
"I...Guess her meeting with her mother didn't go well?"
"Y-Yamu?" Centola opens the door to the simple-looking house, her voice timid. Alibaba wasn't sure to expect with Bad's adoptive mother. Would she be as bothersome and cruel as her? Would her tongue be as sharp, her eyes be as fierce? If there was one thing Alibaba was envisioning, it was an old hag with a scowl.
Instead, he walked in on a seemingly gentle woman bandaging Aladdin's wounds.
"There, see? It doesn't hurt at all! You should see Bad when she's not holding back" Her voice was strong and firm, but her curves were- damn- and her hair soft-looking.
And blue.
He wasn't thinking of blue.
As were her eyes, when she greets Centola and him.
"Hello, Centola. Who's your friend?"
"This is Alibaba. We saw Bad heading back to the Palace and...is she well?"
"I missed her" Zeina sighs out from her place at the low table, flashing Alibaba a flirtatious smile that makes him blush. The boy beside her with brown hair sighs sadly.
"Me too"
"What?"
"What?"
"Yamu, what happened to make her so upset?" Yamu rolls her eyes.
"Aladdin touched my chest and Bad got...Weird. Then she basically crushed his foot and left"
"Oh. OH. Oh, Aladdin, that's mean!"
"W-What did I do?"
"One: never touch a woman's chest without asking" Zeina tells him, winking.
"Two: never touch a woman's chest without asking and being in a relationship with her" Yamu supplies next, annoyed.
"Three: don't do it in front of that woman's daughter" Centola finishes, stressing the words. Alibaba goes toward Aladdin and pats his shoulder sympathetically. "Poor girl. She's probably traumatized!"
"W-what? I didn't know that!" Aladdin cries, looking troubled. Alibaba pats his shoulder again.
"It's a rough world we live in, Aladdin. A rough, rough world." Centola rolls her eyes.
"You're pretty stupid if you didn't know that" The brown haired boy tells Aladdin, his bright blue eyes striking them with their oddly natural intensity.
"B-but no one ever told me that…" Aladdin tries, picking at his bandages. "I wouldn't have done it if I knew Bad would get upset…"
"Idiot, no one ever told me and I still knew. You have to treat a woman with care! Think about poor Bad" The boy sets down his book, glaring now. The way he said 'Bad' was filled with a sort of wistfulness. Zeina giggles.
"Alexio, your jealousy is cute~!"
"J-jealousy?!"
"Anyway, Aladdin, do you still want to know about magic?" Said boy looks up at the magician. Alibaba studies Bad's mother, finding her to be very youthful.
"You're still willing to teach me? Even after I violated those rules?"
"You seem genuinely apologetic for upsetting my daughter. If you apologize to her, I'll be sure to teach you, okay?"
"Y-yes! Thank you!"
"Yamu, something has been bothering me" Zeina rests her chin in her palm lightly, her maroon eyes matching the blooming flower in her hair.
"Yes?"
"Of all the times that Sin and I encountered you and Yunan, you never had a child with you. Plus you're twenty-three right? How do you have a daughter?" Alibaba furrows his eyebrows.
Yunan? And doesn't she know that Bad's adopted-
"You're right. Yunan and I adopted Bad...Oh, four years ago? She was six or seven and Eren was seventeen. We took them in and they traveled with us. Then Catrina came along and we adopted her as well" Zeina 'ohs'.
"I see. Centola, then my assumption that this 'Bad', 'Eren' and 'Catrina' must be the kids that came with you to Rayide then, yes?"
"Yes. We met by caravan and they decided to come with me to Rayide- though we had to have a pit stop at Kou first."
"Interesting~ then I've met this child of yours, roommate!" Yamu rolls her eyes and flicks her fingers in a 'good for you' gesture. Then she picks up several books laying around and motions to Aladdin.
"Well then, let's start our lessons Aladdin! I heal up your foot with a healing spell, okay?"
Alibaba stands.
"Bye Cent. I have to head back to the Palace, Sinbad said he wanted to talk to me about my Djinn Equip" Centola smiles widely at him.
"Of course! Bye, Ali. Thank you for walking me here" Zeina grins mischievously.
"Aw, Cent, you didn't tell me he was your boyfriend!" Both teens goes red, and Alibaba suddenly hates the heat of his face.
"What?! No, Cent and I-"
"Auntie, Ali isn't-" Zeina laughs, touching her fingers to her lips.
"Oh~ I'm so jealous~" The brown haired boy- Alexio- rolls his eyes.
"Get serious, won't you guys? It feels like one comedic situation after another…"
"Which reminds me! Alibaba, tell Sinbad that if he wants those plants moved he could always pay me"
"Pay you? How much?"
"Well, the amount I was thinking of is…"
"THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH!"
Posed and sweating, the two girls' crimson gazes meet, both preparing to launch.
"Ready, Sister Mor?" One of the two, with a serious face and strong profile gives a sharp nod.
"Ready, Catrina" The other has a more excitable face, and a quick flash of a smile flickers like a candle on her face, fading in and out of illumination.
An older man on the sidelines surveys each of the girls and then leans against a tree.
"On the count of three." Comes his low voice, a rumble like the earth quaking. "One, two…"
The anticipation builds, filling and choking any bystander nearby with a sudden twinge of a red tenseness.
"…Three" The very millisecond a sound was uttered both girls' ears twitched. Their leg muscles built up energy and released it, their breaths were sucked in.
And by the end of the word, their legs were connecting midair, slamming into one anothers with fierce passion. Realizing that they were equal strength, Catrina pulls her leg down and Morgiana's leg continues in it's direction, making her spin in the air. The second her other foot hits the ground Catrina's there, swinging her leg around the ground to sweep Morgiana of the ground.
Their ankles connect, but Mor's reflexes kick in and she jumps into the air, pining Catrina to the ground as she lands on one hand.
Quickly the Fanalis-Amala unhooks her foot from her target's and pushes herself backwards, gaining a little distance to recover as Morgiana backflips herself upright.
Again they attack one another, using their fists this time as Catrina sends punch after punch in Morgiana's direction, which the pure-blood dodges with frightening speed.
Finally their knuckles connect, tearing a bit of skin, and the force of their connection resounds in a slap that echoes in the forest. Digging her heels in, Catrina gets serious. As if sensing her opponents change in tactic, Morgiana flips back to the original distance, flexing her bruised and cut knuckles while studying Catrina's similar ones.
The orange eyed fourteen year old flicks a few droplets of blood on the ground, lazily surveying the landscape. They are in a good sized clearing, lined on every side with sloping, large green trees. The grass is short and thick like moss, but a bit too soft for her to get a good grip with her feet. Catrina blinks, and then is off.
Morgiana had anticipated this. She watched Catrina race off like a bird, leaning forward and ducking her head for max speed. Instead of coming straight towards her from the middle however, the other Fanalis had chosen to loop around, add a tilt to her oval-shaped flight path. Morgiana darts straight forward, forcing the other to change course to a more circular shape.
Wait...But why did it seem like she was preparing to do that?
Masrur's eyes tighten, narrowing a bit at the fighting girls. The wind ruffles his hair, and he easily pushes one heel into the slightly moist ground.
Catrina and Morgiana trade blows once more, eyes scanning and shifting and jumping to read each other's muscles and movements. Tense in the right forearm? Block, she's preparing to strike. A harsh jerk of her thigh? She's sidestepping, follow, pursue the opening. Graceful tensing of the ankle? She's about to kick, watch out for her knee. They do it for so long that the actions become a coordinated dance, their movements fluid.
Then, in a jerk that Morgiana wasn't expecting, Catrina falls back a few feet. Morgiana hesitates, but then steps back as well, waiting to see what she's going to do. They're now on opposite sides than before, Catrina can tell by the smell of her droplets of blood behind Morgiana.
The Bird smirks.
Masrur raises his eyebrows.
Morgiana gains an ominous feeling.
Catrina darts forward. The pureblood prepares for her to throw a right hook, but instead a foot in front of her she dives downwards and presses her split knuckle into the ground.
What?!
Her body is stiffly straight, until her legs spread outwards and she spins them around like a propellor. Morgiana flinches and then quickly reacts, jumping above the legs into the air. Catrina's fingers were digging themselves in and out of the dirt, applying the force that makes her spin around. Morgiana lands close to the tree line, breathing hard.
Catrina jumps back up, also sweating heavily.
Mor runs toward Catrina, who sidesteps and then places a kick to force the pureblood to back up once again.
Then, Morgiana's foot stumbles.
Her head snaps toward the incoming ground, only barely spotting the source of her losing her balance.
A hole.
And next thing she knows, despite trying hard to pull herself up, Catrina's there, sitting on her stomach and slamming her wrists down with one hand. With the other she poses it in a fist above Morgiana's face.
Stillness creeps over the clearing.
"I win, Sis!" She whoops, and the pureblood's adrenaline disintegrates, instead choosing to stare in awe and confusion up at Catrina.
"You...You won" She whispers out as her muscles relax. Catrina stands up and offers Mor her hand. Mor reaches out and grasps it, allowing the other to pull her up. Then she pauses, staring at the mix blood's hand. "Ah, your knuckles are…"
Her knuckles were worse than Morgiana's, a malicious purple and furious red, blood trickling out from slashed-open gashes crisscrossing over the protruding bones. She barely gives it a glance and shrugs.
"You know Mor, sometimes to win you have to be willing to give up something" Mor tilts her head.
"Willing to...Give up something?" At that moment Masrur joins them.
"Good job. Congratulations, Catrina" Catrina giggles.
"Thanks! I'm happy that I was able to beat Mor, she's so strong!" Mor shakes her head.
"No, I went down easily. Back then, too, you were better…" Catrina blinks and then feels the memory come to her. Balbadd, six months ago, when the two girls worked together to defeat a horde of monkeys and their evil boss.
"Eh? What are you talking about? That doesn't count! I used my magic, so it's not fair ya know!" Mor shrugs, still disheartened. Masrur looks to the bright sky and then scratches the back of his head.
"Morgiana...It's not that Catrina is stronger than you" The pureblood girl looks to her master. "It's just that she outsmarted you"
"...?" Mor tilts her head. "What do you mean, Masrur?"
Masrur motions to the hole in the ground.
"During the beginning of the fight, Catrina tested your strength. She realized you both were equal. Then, she tested the soil in the ground to see if it was soft. Deciding it was, she flicked blood from her hand to mark the place. That way, she'd be able to smell the place she chose. After that she lured you into the middle of the clearing. She figured out that you could be lulled into a pattern, and got you to take steps back toward that marked place. Then she used that propelling kick to dig a hole with her fingers. Once again she started the pattern, and made you trip"
"S-she planned it the whole time?" Masrur nods. Catrina tilts her head.
"Guys, I'm right here…"
"Sorry. You planned it the whole time?" The Bird smiles crookedly.
"Yup. Bad always told me that if my opponent has the same strength as me I should use my head instead of my brawns to win" Masrur cracks his back.
Catrina and Masrur were walking besides one another back to the Palace, Morgiana having had left quickly when she told them Sinbad wanted to speak with her at noon. The bright blue sky stretched above the world, shining over the tops of white residential houses and the colorful overhangs of the bazaar. Masrur seemed content with the silence, but it was sort of bothering Catrina, who pouted and fiddled with her bruised hand.
She winced when she poked too hard at her index finger's bone. Then she tried to make a fist, feeling the hissing pain soar through her arm and-
Masrur catch her wrist in his big fist and gave her a look that said 'I'm-not-gonna-change-my-facial-expression-but-are-you-stupid?'.
"Stop that. You'll break it." Catrina pouts some more, shuffling her feet.
"But I've only broken a bone a few times." She slightly whines. He raises one eyebrow.
"You want to break it another time?"
"No, but I think it's cool that I got so hurt during a fight. It hasn't happened before. Well, not with people other than my friends." Masrur keeps on holding her wrist, even when it goes limp, just so she doesn't try to irritate it anymore.
"Oh?"
"Mh! Is it because Mor's a Fanalis? If so, then that's really cool! I want to do even more training with you guys!"
"Yes. Which reminds me…" The twenty year old looks down at her with a strange gaze. "...How were you able to keep up with Morgiana?"
"Hm?"
"You're a half-blood, right?"
"Um..."
"Even a half-blood wouldn't be able to keep up physically with a pureblood. But for some reason you were able to. Despite not being a full blooded Fanalis, you still had the strength of one. Why is that?" Catrina blinks.
"Whoa, you talk a lot" His eyes narrow in annoyance. "Sorry! It's just that you don't seem like the type to talk so much~. Ahem. Okay, well, I'm not sure why I'm as strong as a full Fanalis. It's weird, I know, but I can't help that I'm strong."
Masrur ponders over this, and Catrina lowers her gaze to the ground.
Could it have something to do with…?
A small squeeze on her wrist makes her look back up at her master. He nudges his head toward the market.
"Want to look at something?"
"Huh? Really? You...You want to shop with me?!" He blinks at her sudden excitement, the way her eyes shine. She jumps up and hugs him, laying her temple against his before falling back down to earth. "I love you, Masrur!"
And she drags him through the bazaar by holding his hand, not knowing that her words are the reason his jaw slackened and mind went completely blank.
"I love you Masrur!"
...What?
What?
WHAT?
Masrur made a choking noise.
"Something wrong?" Catrina asks cheerfully, holding up scarves.
"N-no…"
YES.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Bad? What the hell did ya do with those mushrooms from the kitchen?" Eren huffs, staring at the large door.
"Life is really questionable right now Eri. I need time to reflect"
"Oh my God what are ya, Ghandi?"
"Shut up. I'm deciding my religion"
"…I'm gonna hate myself for this but what religion are ya choosin'?"
"I've decided to worship the Dark Lord Satan"
"…Alright"
"I made a shrine."
"Can I see?"
"No"
"Why did you decide to worship Mr. Satan?"
"Because the only one who can understand the darkness of my soul is the darkness itself"
"Okay emo, cry me a river"
"Greeeeeaaaat comeback"
"Thanks!"
"IT WAS SARCASM DIP"
Knockknockknockknockknock, knockknock
"Stop."
Knock knock knoooooockknock!
"Stop."
Knock tap knock tap
"OH MY GOD FINE"
Triumphantly Eren enters through the door, picking up a squirming Bad and entering the dark room. From under his arm Bad pouts.
"By the way, ya said God"
"Satan is my God" Eren rolls his eyes at the girl and takes a look around, squinting.
"Hmm, nice alter"
"Thanks. It's made of mushrooms, old books and ink I found and make chill designs with." The Chandlen sighs.
"Okay, what happened?"
"What do you mean?" Bad asks innocently. Eren sets her on the bed and goes over the curtains.
"Three…"
"What are you doing?"
"Two…"
"Wha- Eri! ERI LET GO OF THE CURTAIN!"
"One!"
The curtains are ripped apart, light landing on a hissing Bad who shakes and then flops herself off the bed.
"ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT! I GIVE!"
Eren allows the curtains to swish closed.
"Talk."
Bad crawls back onto the bed, peeling open the covers and cozying herself inside, making a nest of pillows and white sheets.
"Hey Eren, when do boys get serious?"
"Hm? Whatcha mean?"
"When do they start acting like mature, normal people and not careless sacks of shit?" Eren whistles.
"Language. And uh, I don't know. When they're eighteen or twenty? In our...In Charlie's world, boys took years to get serious. But in this one it don't seem like they have much of a choice on when their childhoods end...So, I guess, I'm not really sure."
"You got serious when I met you, and you were sixteen!"
"Not really serious...More like responsible. I'm not quite serious about anything other than doin' what ya want ya know" Bad peaks out with rosy eyes.
"...Eren...Do you think that Aladdin...Aladdin doesn't like me?" The Chandlen strolls casually toward the bed, feeling around for it in the darkness and patting Bad's form under the sheets.
"I'm sure he does. But you don't want him to, right?"
"Yeah...I...Don't mind being his friend. I want to be his friend, even though I know it'll cause nothing but problems. I can't understand it. I also can't understand the reason that even though I'm fulfilling that desire it still...It still hurts…!" The green haired man reaches under into the nest, warm from her body heat, and pulls her out. She's like a puppy waking up from a sleep, unable to resist strong arms and curling into the lap she's placed on. "Eri...Eri why do I feel like this? I was so resolved...I know what I'm meant to do...So why…!"
Eren clears his throat.
"Do ya know why our hearts beat?" Bad blinks.
"Why...They beat? To circulate blood."
"Yeah. But why?"
"Why?"
"Why do they hafta to beat? 'To circulate blood' is what a scientist would say. But I don't think that way, ya know. I think our hearts beat because stayin' alive is what we all want to do. Our hearts aren't just physical, they're symbolic. They tells us when we're in love...They tell us when we're sad...They tells us when we're hurtin'. They know us better than we know ourselves. That's why you're hurtin' right now. It's because...Because you have a problem with your logic. Because you're questionin' what you're doin'. Because Kouhime still loves Aladdin, the Rens, even Sinbad and his crazy generals. Your mind might be 'Bad', but your heart will always be 'Kouhime'. Does that make sense?"
The split little girl looks slightly awed. She nods slowly, pain flickering over her face.
"Yeah but...But I don't wanna be Kouhime anymore. I wanna be Bad. I'm done trying to pretend that I can be both of them, because I know that's impossible. They're two different people, Eri. Kouhime is gentle and shy. Bad is charismatic and war-like. I just- I don't know which one to be anymore! If Kouhime loves Aladdin, then what should Bad do to stop her? I can't...I don't know…!"
Eren holds his sister tight, at loss for words.
"Maybe...I don't know, Ba-Sis. I don't know. But ya have to understand that Catrina and me- we don't care. It won't bother us if you are Kouhime or Bad. Ya know we couldn't give less of a shit about if ya want war or if ya want peace. Nothin' you do will make us love you any less than we do."
"Ye-yeah?"
"Of course." He tells her strongly, patting her head as she pulls back to look up at him. "Does it matter what name ya take? You're still you! You're a sister, a thief, a leader, a blackmailer, and have a resume longer than my body! Catrina and I love you. Nothin'll change that, got it?"
"G-got it!"
Catrina hums happily, skipping down the long hallway of the Palace with Masrur beside her.
"Ne, ne, Masrur! Do you think Mor is done yet~? If so I wanna show her the things we bought!"
"I'm not sure…" He replies, clearing his throat and looking away. Catrina tilts her head at him but then finds the answer quickly.
He must be awkward with new friends! Well no problem, I can certainly deal with that!
She coughs, and then gives Masrur the biggest, friendliest smile she can muster. The older Fanalis looks a bit struck, a bit unsure and...Er...That's kinda weird…
"Masrur, I really like spending time with you! Let's do it again, alright?" He makes a noise in his throat.
Aww! He's speechless about our friendship!
"U-uh sure" He looks away, throat looking really tight. The Fanalis-Amala beams happily at her success.
"Awesome! It'll be so fun!"
Masrur is stoic.
He is a statue, a model Fanalis with a brave face and kickarse strength.
But at the moment, he is at an utter loss at what to do with his disciple. First, she hugs him. Then, she proclaims she loves him. And now Catrina asks to spend more time with him. And he AGREED.
Masrur is stoic.
But on the inside he is flipping. His. Shit.
What do I do?!
"Awesome! It'll be so fun!" Uh yeah, when people get over the fact that he's dating his student. They'll think he's taking advantage of her or something stupid like that. Plus Sinbad'll never let him live it down and Sharrkan will try to harass poor Catrina.
Masrur lifts his gaze to the ceiling.
How did he even get himself into this mess? They hung out on the ship, yeah, and also trained together a lot but it's not like he ever hinted to her that he liked her. Nor did she! In fact, Catrina really was nothing but nice and talkative to him and Morgiana.
Was her friendliness the way she showed attraction?
If so then why is she nice to everyone?
Is she attracted to everyone?
Masrur sighs. Well...Maybe he'll be able to let her down easy. Yeah...He'll ask Sharrkan or Sinbad. That way they'd know about it but won't be able to annoy him or Catrina once he tells them he isn't interested.
It's a good idea...Right?
"Lord Masrur!" A few soldiers in blue come running up to the two. "A Southern Sea creature has been spotted!"
"Yamu~! Aladdin~! Look, it's a Rampaging Moray! Let's go~~~" Yamu hears the words, twisting around toward the front door. Zeina's waving her hand pleasantly as if asking how she is, and Centola looks a bit pale.
"I-I didn't know it would be so big..."
"What do you mean, Cent?" Zeina asks expectantly, and instantly Centola's skin is back to it's usual glowing luster, her smile brightly lit.
"I am pleasantly surprised by this guest."
"Ha! Good girl. It'll be a while before you can act like me and say whatever you want" Centola shrugs elegantly.
"It will be good training, Ma'am" Proudly, Zeina links their elbows, smiling.
"My girl is wonderful, right Yamu?"
"Wait a...Rampaging Moray?!" Yamu jumps up from the low table, grabbing Aladdin's wrist and pulling him out the door. Alexio pokes his head out from the top of the ladder and then climbs down it like a monkey, rushing after the group to see the 'moray'.
"What's a Rampaging Moray?"
"A Southern Sea creature that sometimes appears off the cost of Sindria and comes ashore" Yamu explains to him as they follow the crowd in racing down to the farmlands to see the action. "They're really popular with the natives because after one of the Eight- sorry, Seven Generals kills one the meat is divided amongst the people and the rare parts are sold to merchants, which generates a great deal of profit for the economy."
Zeina nods along, a skip in her long strides.
"This is going to be a great deal of fun, no?" Centola nods, eyes scanning expectantly to spot the giant monster again.
"Of course, Auntie"
"Look there's-" Aladdin's voice dies, and Yamu knows why. The sea monster was huge. Bigger than she remembers actually. It doesn't scare her of course, she's seen it many times before, but it does bring back surprisingly fond memories. Memories like fighting with Sharrkan over who'll kill the monster, memories of the festival where she danced and ate and had lots of fun. And, with a pang that she hates herself for remembering, it was also at one of these festivals that Sharrkan first asked her out.
They arrive close to it, and Zeina 'oohs'.
"That's even bigger than I remember~!" She claps her hands in admiration. The beast was like a serpent, long and blue with murderous red eyes and slippery, scaly skin. It's teeth were so long and sharp that they poked out from it's mouth and it had to keep it's jaws spread apart in order to keep from impaling it's own gums. Aladdin and Alexio both look pale.
"That's uh...A nice looking tourist attraction ya got there..." Alexio tries for comedy, laughing a little while Aladdin does the same.
"Um...Wait, there's Alibaba!" Aladdin races forwards toward Morgiana and Alibaba, who stand staring in shock at the beast. Zeina drags Cent and Alexio closer as well. Yamu feels the arms around her waist before she hears the voice.
"Mama, don't worry, I'll protect you~!"
"Bad!" Yamu twirls around and hugs her daughter again, glad to see that her face is free from the scary look it held earlier. "I though you were going back to the Palace?"
"I was, but then Sinbad interrupted Eri and I's awesome bonding moment and made us come down here." Bad pouts. "I had just convinced Eri to join my cult..."
"What-?"
"Nothing." Bad looks to the screeching sea monster and whistles. "Now that is a Southern Sea creature. Last time I saw one was when...Nevermind" Yamu raises an eyebrow at her daughter.
"What are you talking about?"
"Ah...It was after you..." Oh.
The Other.
"I...I see." Bad means the last time she saw a Rampaging anything was after Yamuraiha died in the other. Yamu tries not to shiver at the idea.
"Where is Eren? I haven't seen him in about seven months!"
"He saw Catrina and ran off to go look for Prince-y. He suggested I come with him but I said I'd rather burn in the eternal flames of my new God than play with that little blond imbecile." At this point, Yamu's staring to feel a little worried for her daughter's newest 'religion'. Alexio looks over from Zeina's side and notices Bad's presence.
"O-Oh, hi Bad..." He stutters, smiling slightly as he totters over. Yamu blinks at him. He hardly ever acts this nice...
"Oh, hi, um...I'm sorry, what's you're name?"
"Alexio" He supplies, and Bad beams at him.
"Alexio! Have you been taking good care of Zeina and Mama~?"
"Y-yeah! It's been fun..." Alexio looks like he's forgotten that there's a wailing monster in the background, scratching the back of his head.
Is he blushing?
Yamu's starting to get suspicious.
Aladdin, don't be stupid and let Bad go! You may not know it but I'm a secret Aladour shipper!
Aladdin blinks, his worry and fear over the Rampaging Moray suddenly disappearing.
"What's wrong, Al?" Alibaba asks, looking over with a creased brow at the blank-faced Aladdin.
"I don't know...I suddenly feel..." Aladdin's face takes on an emotion that Alibaba's never seen him have. "...Jealous."
"What?" The Balbaddian Prince squeaks.
"Someone...Someone's trying to..." Aladdin stomps his foot. "Urgh! I don't get it but I really wanna punch someone in the face!" Alibaba slowly turns away from him.
"Um...You do that, Al..."
"I'm serious! Someone's trying to steal my woman!" Morgiana blinks.
"Your woman?"
"Yeah! I...I UGH!" Aladdin pulls on his braid. "This is weird! What's going on with me?
At that moment, Eren came up with Catrina, who tackles Mor and cuddles her 'older sister'.
"Sis, what's going on?" Mor pointed to the Moray who seriously isn't getting enough attention despite crushing several fruit trees. "Oh, that. It looks kinda cute~"
"Ehhh? Ya think so?" Eren asks, tilting his head. "Well...I guess I see it"
"You see it?!" Alibaba squawks, mouth hanging open. "All I see is a monster that people are cheering on and ignoring!"
"This actually isn't that unusual, Alibaba." Alibaba furrows his brow at Catrina, who smiles.
"What do you mean? This happens a lot?"
"Well yeah-"
Dum, dum, dum, dum.
The pounding of drums interrupt them, and they look toward the cliff above where the shoulders pound on drums and line up around seven figures.
"They're here!" Someone calls.
"Our King...!" A woman sighs.
"...And his Seven Generals!"
"Whoa..." Catrina claps her hands together, stars in her eyes. "...They all look really cool~!"
Eren shakes his head, sweat dropping.
"Ya get very fangirly, ya know that?"
"Decide today's hunt with your sword, Sharrkan!" Eren lifts his head up.
"Oh hey, there's the guy that said that swords were better than arrows." Then under his breath he mutters, "That prick."
"Did you say something, Eri?"
"Not at all, why?"
"I'm a Fanalis, idiot"
While the crowd 'oos' and 'ahs' at Sharrkan's cutting up of the Moray, Yamu rolls her eyes in annoyance.
"Why do they like him so much? He's just an attention seeker" She whispers to Bad, who giggles and nods.
"He's the worst, but he puts on a good show!"
"Everyone, share it harmoniously!" Yamu scoffs.
"Stupid." She rolls her eyes, but holds Bad's hand while heading up toward Aladdin. Alexio walks beside them, to preoccupied with looking star-struck at Sharrkan's antics to notice their conversation.
Aladdin perks up at the sight of Bad and Yamu.
"Oh, hey guys! Um, Bad, I'm sorry for-"
"It's fine." She tells him, but looks through him to the swordsman walking towards them with Sinbad and her words are covered in ice. "I don't care at all"
"B-but-"
"We shall never speak of it again" She declares huffing, much to Aladdin's ire.
Sinbad reaches them, barely noticing Yamuraiha and instead skipping straight towards Alibaba.
"Alibaba, this is Sharrkan. He will be your swordplay teacher."
"Nice to meet you!" Sharrkan declares, shaking Alibaba's hand and leaning in close, a wide smile on his face. "I've heard that you want to improve your swordplay no matter what, right?"
"Yeah, that's right!" Sharrkan nods his head triumphantly.
"I see...So you like swordplay that much! In understanding the value of swords, you have promise!" Sharrkan hooks his arm around Alibaba's neck, suddenly buddy-buddy. "Erm...What 'Baba' are you again~?"
"I'm Alibaba"
"Alibaba! For men it has to be swordplay, right~?" Yamu feels irritation bubble up with her, but then remembers that if she gets in a fight with Sharrkan a serious of bad things will ensue. So instead, she sighs with annoyance. Which is when he notices her.
Goddamnit.
"Hey, you're that chick from before!" Masrur pretends to not know her, but the rest of the Generals and Sinbad focus in on her. Bad holds her dress for reassurance. Yamu gains a cool expression, raising an eyebrow.
"And you're that creepy guy who was hitting on me." Yamu sighs, rolling her eyes. Sharrkan pouts, but he still tries to salvage some dignity.
"Hey, now that you've seen my sword skills, you have to admit that it's really awesome right~?" Yamu smirks.
"Eh, mediocre."
"M-MEDIOCRE?!" Hm...Maybe this style of annoying him is more fun than the other kind.
"Miss, who are you?" Sinbad asks suspiciously, and Yamu almost internally sweat drops.
To get caught this quickly...*Sigh*.
"My name is Yamuraiha. I'm Aladdin's new magic teacher." She explains, smiling pleasantly like she doesn't know him at all. Of course, that's a total lie. At this point all the Generals zero in on her, and from the sidelines Zeina giggles in pleasure.
Realization in 3...
2...
1...
"EHHHHHH?!" Ja'far steps forward the same second Sinbad does, their eyes narrowed.
"Yamuraiha, as in Yunan's apprentice?" He asks in a low voice, and Yamu stares unflinchingly up at him.
"Yes. I moved to Sindria about six months ago." She supplies, tilting her head to the side. Bad instantly steps in-between the two, grinning devilishly.
"Yeah Uncle! This is Yamu, she's my mom!" Sinbad blinks, and the second realization takes over. The first one was just realizing that she was the same blue-haired mage from his encounters with Yunan, but the second is remembering that Bad had stated that she was taking Aladdin to 'Mama' and Centola saying that Bad's adoptive mother was named 'Yamu'.
"Mom?" Sharrkan asks shocked on the sidelines, and the rest of the generals have their mouths hanging open.
"Yes, I adopted Bad five years ago." Yamu casually tells them, patting Bad head with motherly affection. The child in return takes the hand stroking her hair and holds it, beaming upwards.
"So Bad, if your 'mom' is Yamu, then who is your 'dad' you mentioned?" Sinbad asks it pleasantly, his smile tight and misleading. Bad blinks up at him innocently, but Yamu's gears are already turning.
Sinbad knows that Yamu is Yunan's companion, but what will he do now? Bad said she'd take care of it, but there's no way that the Sindrian King would allow her to continue to teach Aladdin, right? But Aladdin won't get as good of an education if his teacher isn't Yamu, and Al admitted in the Other that Yamu's teachings really helped him in Magnostadt. Not to mention that he'll need to magoi suppressors later as well!
Yamu bites the inside of her cheek.
What will you say, Bad?!
"Papa? His name's Yunan, of course!"
Fun Fact #1: Aladdin caught himself one day daydreaming about holding Bad's hand. He proceeded to bang his head against a column for unknown reasons. Alibaba asked him if he was okay and Aladdin replied with, "WHAT IS PUBERTY?!"
Fun Fact #2: Bad's bite is worse than her bark. (Pun much?)
Fun Fact #3: After Bad's 'personalized-training-from-hell', Eren could beat Catrina in a physical fight (yes, that's how hardcore the training was), but as he's gone so long without the training regimen Catrina is now the stronger of the two again.
Magi 264/265: (CONTAINS SPOILERS) Okay, the ish is goin' on? First, is Alibaba dead? What? I guess the plot armor is down...? But then again that means he won't be able to return to his body since- yes- the Judal + Ali adventure-time theory is correct. Plus I saw my baby Aladdin crying and I just wanna hug him so hard. Plus Hakuryuu looks BADASSSSSSS. All hail the edge lord! I really hope that some of Kouen's crew dies, I literally despise half of them (except for medusa-hair, he's pretty kickarse). Hopefully pig-guy dies, because honestly he's loud, annoying, and always smiling with his black teeth which sorta disturbs me.
Comedic Chapter!: Sorta, I guess. I don't know, there's only so much drama you can drop without needing some comic relief situations, and it feels like Bad and the gang really need some relaxation time before shit gets real. Of course, I also added some Kouhime up in this ish and made Eren give a 'heartbeat' speech, both of which are the reason why this chapter is titled 'Heartbeats'. Oh, and guys?
NEXT CHAPTER IS THE MAHRAJAN FESTIVAL!
AlexioXBadXAladdin?: Suggested by Girl Who Loves Her Cartoons and taken because writing this is going to be hilarious! Plus, Alexio needs some friends. Granted he'll have a crush on one and the other will be his 'love-rival' (Juvia, anyone? ;)) but still, they'll be his friends. Plus I feel a little bad for Bad (pun) and Aladdin, who've never really had a friend their own age. Plus there's Alexio, who lived on the streets until he was taken in by Zeina and had to struggle to survive. With these three together, they'll all have a semblance of a childhood, at least.
Bad's Angry With Al: Aladdin done effed up, lol XD. He'll need to win back the heart of his woman! Go forth, you adorable chibi you! Btw, I was laughing soooo hard during the scene with Aladdin telling Alibaba that he felt really jealous for some reason. Poor Aladdin, you don't have to understand it~ Just go with the ship~!
That's it for chapter 20, everyone! Thanks so much for reading, and a special thank you to Girl Who Loves Her Cartoons for being the most amazing person in the entire world and creating a beautiful picture of Juliet Chandlen from my side-story Beneath the Stars! Go look on my profile for the picture, it's uber purty~ She's also working on a picture of Catrina which I shall post with great honor once I see it, and she's considering making one for Eren, which would be adorable.
Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!
BYE~~~~~~~