The Student and the Teacher

"Crap," The older boy spat out. "This is…awkward. Is that the right word?" His younger brother nodded.

The two brothers started to draw their weapons to face Isnan across from them. Before, Hakuei had started to see a better side of him, where he was happy and she could laugh at his jokes. It was gone. His expression was filled with hate and terror. All of them were standing in the strange cylinder room she had been in before, the one with all the random memories and different worlds bustling and flashing around them. A blue lightning started flashing from the younger boys hands, while the older boy's sword started to glow. She saw the symbol of a dungeon capturer on the side. Was that just because it looked like Sinbad's sword, or was he really a dungeon capturer? She doubted she would have the chance to find out.

A growl rumbled from his throat. "Princess Hakuei," He spoke to her slowly. "I thought we had come to an agreement." Hakuei shivered at the sound of his snaky voice. It sent chills up her spine, and she remembered being a little girl, cowering through his fits of rage. She shivered, unconsciously rubbing one of the scars on her arm. He continued to glare, and Hakuei was too afraid to say anything. She refused to look away, to show that fear, but nothing came out of her mouth.

The older boy decided to talk for her. "Sorry, your contract expired. My brother and I decided to take the princess for a ride while you were away. I mean, she said it was alright, and frankly, we don't care about your opinion," The boy said with a cocky smile on his face. Hakuei had never heard anyone talk to Isnan like that. From Isnan's expression, she guessed he didn't like it.

"Hakuei," He commanded, using her name for what could have been the first time. "We are leaving. Do you wish to kill these boys before we go?" She gasped. On instinct, the two boys turned to her in defense mode, waiting to see what she would do. Hakuei couldn't believe he had even suggested such a thing. Why would she want to kill them?

The boy spoke up before she could fight back. "That won't work Mr. Ugly beard. She's not going to fall for your tricks." The boy turned back to her, in a rush to explain. "He wants you to do evil Hakuei. He wants to get black rukh out of you, as much of it as he can. That's why he's been trying to get you to work and be friends with him again, so that you would do evil deeds and dark rukh would come out." Hakuei stared at him. That sounded ridiculous. What good would a few black rukh do him, the rest of hers was white! She wasn't fallen.

Just because someone is a good person doesn't mean they can't do evil things, she heard a small voice speak in her head, and she realized it was the younger boy. He doesn't need you to fall. He already tried that before, when you were little. It's the amount of black rukh that he wants, and with every bad thing that you do he gets more. It doesn't matter to him if you are good or not. That was inconceivable. Why would he want a certain amount of HER black rukh? He already had enough to spare.

But him trying to turn her dark, and make her do bad things…that she could believe. "You…You were trying to get black rukh out of me. You were trying to make me go dark. Before, when we were traveling together, you were trying to make me care for you so…what? So I might fall? What good would that do? Why does my black rukh matter to you so much?" He didn't speak out loud, but she could see by the way that his lips were moving that he was cursing under his breath.

The older boy snickered confidently. "Because he needs your black rukh for his plan." Turning to her he tried to tell her, "See, he wants to," But before he could, Isnan interrupted him.

He rushed forward in a flurry of dark light. He went for the young boy first, but a magician's shield surrounded him. Isnan raised his hand, which had a dark magic glow around it. The younger boy yelped, and a wave of mist surrounded him. When Isnan's hand crashed down in a flash, the boy had already disappeared. Before Isnan could regain his senses he appeared a few feet behind him at a safe distance.

"Brofer," He called, saying what she assumed was supposed to be 'brother.' with lightning reflexes the brother snapped to attention, swinging his sword where Isnan's hand lay.

The hand was chopped off before Hakuei could warn him not to. "Haha!" The boy shouted in triumph, but it was short lived. Out of the hand a dark mist that Hakuei guessed was poison poured into the air. "Darn it," The boy cursed, pulling Hakuei along with him as they hurried away. In his rush to avoid the poison Isnan attacked, sending a large poisonous snake at them. The boy slashed at the snake, cutting it in half. Only that time before it could squirt out the poison, he held his sword to it again. Mumbling something under his breath, the dungeon capturer symbol on the side glowed. The snake's two parts reattached together as if going in rewind, but it remained dead as a doornail.

Hakuei stared at the sword in amazement. That definitely wasn't one of Sinbad's djinns. "What kind of djinn is that," She asked as he swiped the sword in the air, making the blue glow disappear.

"A space-time magic one," He explained like that solved everything. Hakuei just got more confused. Koumei had a djinn with that kind of power, but he had never been able to do something like that. Turning from her he launched himself at Isnan, laughing like a maniac.

My brother is a weirdo, huh? Hakuei heard in her head. Spinning around, she saw the boy had appeared next to her, using a white magic to make the poison stay away, and erasing the stuff that had come out of the hand. Across the area she could see Isnan's hand had already reappeared, as he used it to shoot a dark lightning at the boy. The younger one yelped and raised his hand, making a rukh orb appear around his brother as well.

Princess Hakuei, you should leave, the younger boy pleaded into her mind. I need to help my older brother fight, so I can't protect you! Hakuei stared at the boy incredulously, making him flush sheepishly. "Uh…sorry?" he tried, but it didn't really settle her spirit.

"I don't need to be protected," She growled, feeling a little guilty for getting angry at a child. "I know hand to hand combat. K taught me!" She also didn't mention that that had been over 10 years ago. Or that it would do no good in the middle of a magic and swordfight. The boy realized his mistake and shook his head.

I'm not saying you aren't strong, but you can't fight in this battle! You have no weapon, and you would be nothing but a burden if you can't match the same fight level we are on. Hakuei bit her lip to stop herself from arguing. He was right. Whether she wanted to admit that or not was a different question. Reluctantly she agreed, and the boy hurried away from her into the fray. Brother! Send her to the next memory! Isnan didn't flinch, and she wondered if he could pick who heard him. That would be pretty handy. The other boy however looked up just as he narrowly missed a barrage of poisoned arrows.

"Don't tell me what to do!" he yelled back as Isnan shot what looked like a fire sphere at him. He cursed and sprinted out of the way of the attack, sliding to a halt next to them. The younger boy hurried to take his spot in the battle while the older one collected his bearings and get his weapon read. "Okay, so where do you want to go? Meet K? Say hi to Seisyuun? If we just went to the closest memory from the last that would be easiest, but I don't know how important it would be. It would be more fun to see what happened when Sinbad met Kouha the first time," As he was talking, his younger brother got shot back and narrowly avoided getting sliced in half by Isnan's sword.

JUST PICK SOMETHING BROTHER!

"Closest memory it is!" he hid the side of his sword with his hand, making Hakuei jump. The sword started flickering a few different colour until it settled on blue again. He turned back towards the rush of memories behind them. Raising his sword he sliced downward through it, and it opened revealing a bright light. Before Hakuei could object he snatched her arm gently, pulling her in front of him. "We'll try and meet you there when we get rid of this guy! Try and stay safe!" with that last word he pushed her through and she went tumbling into the bright unknown, fearing the words that they boy hadn't said.

'We'll meet you, IF we win.'

"Sinbad, you're drunk."

"No I'm nooooot," He slurred. The sound of his voice forced Hakuei to wake up. Snapping her eyes open she looked around saw her surroundings. Hakuei couldn't tell where they where or when she was. All she could see was the building she was in and the bright lights from out the windows. It was nighttime, with fireworks and people cheering a little ways away. There must have been a party. The building she was in had white tiles for floor, and the walls were just as white but had columns in every corner and were made of bricks and clay. There were a few bits of furniture around, a table and a couch, but otherwise looked bare. There was another door that led to what she guessed was the bathroom. It looked like one of the guest residences in Sindria, but from a long time ago. She wondered if she was in Sindria, or at least the island that would later become Sindria.

Standing at the doorway was Sinbad and Hakuei. Except Hakuei was on the inside of the building while Sinbad was leaning against the doorframe facing her. Even while just watching the memory she could smell the alcohol on him. The older Hakuei scrambled to get up, but the minute she stood her head started pounding and she had to lean on the wall for support. Who knew time travel would give you such a headache? Forcing herself into a sitting position she leaned against the wall and watched the past Hakuei and Sinbad act out their roles.

The younger Hakuei waved her hand in front of her nose. "Well you certainly smell like you're drunk. Go back to the party, everyone's over there." She noticed the younger Hakuei was wearing more comfortable cloths. A purple sleeveless shirt and brown cotton pants that looked very soft with no socks or hairpins and only a blanket to cover her shoulders. Her hair was wet like she had just had a shower and tied up in a bun. Sinbad on the other hand was wearing his regular traveling garments, but they were ruffled and messed up, and he had a belt or…something like it tied around his head.

Sinbad shook his head one to many times. "You aren't there. How is everyone there if you aren't there? That's basic math Hakuei, you should hit the books or Jafar's going to be better at math than you in no time." Hakuei rolled her eyes as Sinbad stumbled into the room.

With a sigh the princess followed him. "I WAS trying to sleep you know," She told him. Sinbad fell on the couch then frowned up at her.

"On what? This couch? It's like a mattress full of rocks." She hurried over to stand at his side as he failed to get comfy.

"That's because you're drunk. Give it time and you'll be out like a light." Sinbad scrunched up his nose and glared at her, the action making him look more like a bunny than a big threatening dungeon capturer. She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

He huffed and continued to insist, "I'm NOT drunk. I only had a few drinks, and you know I can hold my liquor! Must have got a shot of the good stuff or something," He laughed, trying to recall what happened. Hakuei just shook her head.

"Sinbad, either way, I was trying to sleep. Do you need help getting to your room, or are you going to go back to the party?" Sinbad groaned, pushing himself further into the couch.

"I don't WANT to go back to the party if you're not there!" Reaching out he grabbed her hand and tugged at her arm. "Come on, help me sleep." Hakuei tried to protest, but he pulled her next to him on the couch. Quickly he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. "See? Much more comfy!" Hakuei didn't agree. She struggled to free herself, but a drunk Sinbad was still very strong. The older Hakuei had learned that the hard way.

Grumbling she argued, "Not for me. Why don't you go," She hesitated, her heart breaking at the suggestion that she was going to make. "Go…hang out with some of the girls or something?" Sinbad didn't notice the tone or her hesitation, too drunk to hear it.

"But why would I hang out with them when I could hang out with you?" Her cheeks flushed, but she tried not to let it get to her. With her temporarily surprised, Sinbad flipped their positions so he was above her and she was the one lying on the couch. Even when drunk he was faster than her. "Besides," He purred, "this looks like much more fun."

Through her blushing face she managed to roll her eyes. "Yes, because me lecturing you to brush your teeth sounds like a fine way to spend an evening."

Sinbad shrugged. "I've had worse. But when you're done that, let's play a game."

"What game?" Hakuei asked innocently, while at the same time pushing him off of her. He fell back without protest, but crawled over so he was right in front of her.

"Let's see…who can hold their breath the longest." He reached out and grabbed her chin, pulling her face towards hers. She turned red and pushed him away out of embarrassment.

"I don't want to play that game! Go do whatever you want, anything you want!"

"Anything," Sinbad asked, a drunken smirk on his face. "Boy, I have a list of stuff that I would do if I could do anything." He slid closer to her, trapping her between him and the couch. Hakuei could have easily made him get off, but she let it pass. She was glad he was drunk, because otherwise he would start teasing that she liked it. Which, she would never say out loud, she did.

"Let's see…" He murmured, trying to sort out his thoughts. "What would I do first…If I could do anything," He reached out, and took a lock of her hair in his hand, playing with the edges of it. "I would make you laugh so hard you would kick me for it afterword." Hakuei smirked a bit, but didn't interrupt him. "If I could do anything, I'd do my best to learn all of your secrets." Hakuei held her breath at that one. "If I could do whatever I wanted, I'd make you the happiest person in the world, other than me. I would personally see just how many scars you really have," He smirked at that last one, wrapping his arm around her waist. She turned red, and inched back just a little bit.

"If I could do whatever I wanted," he mumbled, "I would make sure you were mine and mine alone." Her cheeks turned bright red at that one. She gulped, and Sinbad laughed to himself. "I would. I don't know how, but I would find a way. Because gosh Hakuei, I want you. All of you, your anger, your fears, your smile, your dreams, all of it. I know you think it's not going to last, but this is not some crush. It can't be after this long, after I fell this way. Why don't you see that? Why can't you just…" he didn't finish. Instead his eyes rolled back, and he slumped on the couch beside her, fast asleep. Hakuei gasped for breath, staring at the wall across from her in shock of what had just happened. After her breathing calmed down, she turned to Sinbad. A sad look glazed her eyes.

"You can be a jerk, you know that?" She told a sleeping Sinbad as he rested against the couch. "You act like you are the only one having a hard time with this. How could you believe that? This isn't easy for me either. I love you too you know. I figured it out before you did. I wish I didn't. I had to deal with this longer than you did. But don't you see, it wouldn't work? I'd love to make it work if I could, but I can't. I'm not capable of that. I'm a warrior, a strategist, not a romantic. I don't see the logic behind it. It's just fairy-tale, you know that right? Real life doesn't work out like that. It's all arranged marriages over country or money or politics. Romantic love is just an unnecessary emotion. That's what everyone taught me. That's what's normal, I thought. The fact that someone could actually be with someone for love…that doesn't make any sense, right?'

'Back at home, if anyone had told me I would be in this situation, I would have laughed at them or ran away screaming. I didn't need romantic love. I had my brothers, my friends, my cousins and my comrades. That was enough. How selfish could someone be to want more than that?" Hakuei paused for a moment, letting that sink in. "I guess I'm really selfish then, huh. Even though I've been taught all my life not to fall in love, I still went and did it. 'Don't fall in love with some guy that's not from your country princess,'" Hakuei mimicked her tutor she had when she was younger, the one who was supposed to teach her how to act like a princess. "'You have duties as a princess, so don't be foolish and run of with some guy just because he had great hair,' blah blah blah. I never liked her. But she was probably right, I guess. Maybe I should blame my brothers for this. Hakuren used to say that if I really loved someone then I should fight for it, since love is rare. Hakuyuu didn't help, always saying that if love wasn't important, why would people die for ones they loved, and the like. They were weird. I wish I could ask them for advice.'

'Of course I would love it if it would work. It's would be like a dream, don't you think? I'm not really sure all the things that couples who actually care about each other do, but I know it would make me happy. I'd go riding with you, and no matter how hard you tried my horse would always be faster. In turn you'd always make sure that I knew who could drive a boat the better of the two of us. I'd try to cook something to eat one night, but then it would go wrong and we'd have to eat random leftovers we find around, or you would make soup while I pout at the table. You'd kiss me on the cheek, and you had better not tell anyone this or wake up right now, because I'd secretly like it and hope you'd do it again. But what I'd really be happy about would be just relaxing. Being completely open and comfortable with you and knowing you would be the same. Telling you all my secrets without having to worry if you could use them against me. Who knows, someday I might have even told you why I love rainy days. But I could be me, and you'd be fine with that. You wouldn't judge me, or call me weird, well, you might call me weird, but in a loving way. That's how I imagine loving someone would be like. At least, that's what I think loving you would be like. I'd hope so.

"Marriage is out of need and logic, not emotion. And what you need is a queen, someone who could help you rule Sindria. But Sinbad, look at me. I'm not a queen. I'm hardly a princess anymore. I left my country, and haven't been back in years. Even when I was there, no one thought of me as a proper princess. I got dirty when playing with my brothers, I learned to use a sword before how to put on my makeup, and I wanted to become a general and fight in wars more than dance at a ball. I couldn't be a proper queen. No one would respect your kingdom if I was one of the ones to help lead it. I'm not the one who you would want ruling at your side. Please Sinbad, why can't you just get that through your head? Why can't you figure it out so I don't have to tell you? It breaks my heart, and I really wish it wasn't true, but you know it is so please figure out that it is pointless so I don't have to tell you because I don't think I could say it out loud without," She choked, and realized she had a few tears on her cheek.

Embarrassed, she hurried to wipe them away before someone would walk in and notice. Beside her, Sinbad had started snoring, sleeping like a rock. She watched him wistfully, observing his movements with precision. She liked the one strand of hair that never seemed to stay in place and stuck out like a tattoo. Her heart would skip a beat when the right side of his mouth tipped up further then the left. She loved the times when he would light up at the idea of a new opportunity, ready to take on whatever was thrown at him.

But she reminded herself of just who she was. And forced herself to let those thoughts go.

Hakuei paced nervously, rubbing at the bracelet on her arm constantly. Anxiously she wished that it had been working. If it shocked her, Sinbad would have to come and turn it off. She wanted to see him. She wished he was there, so he could explain everything to her. He wouldn't be able to deny anything anymore. Maybe she could get answers out of him instead of having to wonder when, or if, she would make it home. She would either have to continue with the two boys who didn't have NAMES, or the man who she could guarantee was up to no good. Both thoughts made her shiver.

As she was thinking, a portal opened up behind her. She spun around, anxious to see who had one. The one who stepped out had not been her first choice.

Isnan stepped out of the circle, hissing and trying to put out a flame that had grown on his shoulder. Hakuei's eyes widened in fear at the sight and the idea that grew with it. "What did you do to them?" Isnan chuckled humorlessly.

"It's nice to see you to." He stepped over to her, but she jumped back. Annoyed, he rolled his eyes. "They are fine. Both of them got away before I could destroy their meddling insignificant lives." Hakuei wasn't sure if she could believe him. He might have just bene saying that to get her to calm down. "I had thought you would be happier to see me."

She inched back cautiously, wishing she had some kind of weapon. "Why would I be happy to see you?" Isnan threw his hands up in the air as if he had been waiting for her to ask that question.

"Because what would you do without me my dear?" he questioned. "Admit it princess, we make a great team. You've missed this." Hakuei stared at him incredulously. She almost expected him to be kidding, but his face was deadly serious.

"Miss this? Us as a team? No, we were never a team Isnan. You were a teacher and I was a miserable student. You taught me things that I had NEVER wanted to learn! And made me do things I, I didn't want to do!" Isnan raised his eyebrows at her skeptically, taunting her every word.

"I didn't hold that wooden sword," Isnan told her. "I wasn't the one who hit her continuously. That was you. That was all you Hakuei. You would have just as easily killed her as I did. You only stopped because I mentioned your brothers. You may try and pretend that you are innocent, but inside, you are just as wicked and evil as me."

"No," Hakuei mumbled, then quickly started shouting. "No, I'm not! The difference between you and me? I regret what I did. Every day I pray that I might be forgiven, and every day I am careful to not do the same thing again! I consider that a mistake, one I try every day to fix! You don't! You continue to justify it to yourself, saying that what you are doing is right! That somehow all of what you are doing is for the better. You're lying to yourself, trying to make yourself look like a hero in your own eyes so that you can sleep at night. I want nothing to do with you, or anything you taught me! I've gotten past what happened, it's behind me!"

"And yet here you are princess," He interrupted. "You're here, with me. You could have left at any moment, or asked me to bring you home. And yet you've continued with me for this long. Don't go along blaming me for your actions. You can't keep going on saying, 'he made me do It.' it doesn't change the fact that you did it. And a part of you liked it."

Hakuei drew back incredulously. "Liked it? Don't you DARE put words like that in my mouth Isnan. What was there to like about hurting my friends and soldiers?" Isnan laughed, the sound heartless and carefree. Almost insane.

"You liked the control! I saw that spark in your eye, even as a little girl. All those people that pulled you down, that said you were nothing, you had the potential to bring them to their knees. Don't tell me you never considered that. You were able to make anyone do what they wanted, and you didn't care whether it was right or wrong. You loved being powerful." She wanted to retort. She wished she could laugh or spit at him, tell him he was wrong. But in her heart she knew it was true. When she was the one holding the sword, she felt powerful. Like no one could take her down. The people bowed to her, not out of an obligation to her kingdom but to her. She hadn't cared that they were bowing out of fear, they were still bowing to HER. Because she was capable, strong, in control. Nothing could tear her down, no one could do anything to her. "You and your brother, you aren't very different. You both have your mother's blood in you. And it seems the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree." That had been Isnan's plan she supposed.

But it had failed. And it was because of him.

"Maybe. I did like feeling powerful. But then you reminded me that that power wasn't power. You brought me down to size by constantly belittling me and reminding me that you were the one in control, not me. What I had then wasn't power, it was just a big lie that you made, an illusion. And you, you have power. I'll admit that. But you showed me what that kind of power does to a person. The kind of power that you get by only striking fear into your enemies isn't the kind I want. Because you are always on guard, watching your back to make sure those who you have 'control' over don't get a wakeup call and decide to stab you in the back. You have no real allies or people that you can turn to for help, because as soon as someone sees you as vulnerable you know they would take the opportunity to get rid of you. There is no one who loves you, and no one who you love anymore. You will never get to feel how good it feels to actually care about someone other than yourself. That's why it doesn't matter how good it felt to be in control, or how much easier it was to gain than by gaining their respect, I will never get power that way. Because the price that I would have to pay is too high." Isnan remained quiet, letting her words sink it. She was honestly surprised that she had been able to say that much without being interrupted. But he chuckled quietly, shaking his head.

"You know nothing princess," He spat back, making her anger rise. But the tone he used next was sad, as if he wasn't actually talking to her but remembering something in the past. "I know what it is like to care about others."

The first princess shook her head. "Maybe you did before. But you lost that ability when you embraced the life you live now." Again, he kept his mouth shut. She wondered if he was remembering a time before he had fallen as far as he had. She wondered how far back he would have to remember. Was there someone from a long time ago he really had cared about? A friend? A family member? Maybe he had a brother.

Before she could try and decipher it, he washed those feelings away and stood up straight. "Well," he coughed. "This has been a very entertaining talk, but we really must get going." He reached out to grab her arm, but she yanked it away.

"You expect me to go with you? You are planning to use my black rukh for…for something! Why on earth would I go with you?" Isnan paused, as if waiting for Hakuei to take back what she had said. But she didn't, and to her surprise he howled with laughter. Hakuei failed to see the humor in the situation. "What's so funny?"

"You want answers dear," Isnan purred gently. "You want them so badly, that it wouldn't matter how you get them. You only care about getting them. That is why you will come with me, even though you don't trust me. You probably know that I have some kind of evil, dastardly plan for trying to turn you dark," He informed her, waving his hand in the air. "But that won't matter to you. I could even tell you my whole plan, and you'd still come. Because you know you won't be able to get the answers you want without me." He held out his hand expectantly. "So come to your senses. Stop wasting my time, and let's got to the next memory." She hated him. She hated him with every fibre of her being. He was a monster, a criminal, evil, and he knew it. He wore it like a badge of honour. Her hatred for him burned with every word he said.

Yet she still took his hand.