*Gasp* Is this really? An early? Chapter?!

Why yes, yes it is.

What can I say? The amount of homework I received was lighter than usual, so I had time to focus on finishing up the next chapter for COS. So, surprise! (Unfortunately, the light amount of homework is probably a foreshadowing for difficulties and hardship that will come.)

Questions:

Will Aladdin have a crush on Kogyouku?: Um, a little bit? You know, the type of crush little boys have on older girls. It'll pass. Maybe.

Are you going to include a Judal- Hakuryuu friendship? That is a big part of the story in canon, and I think it'll be interesting seeing them team up to deal with al thamen (especially in different circumstances): So here's the thing. In canon, Judal and Hakuryuu are total edgebros and I love them for it. I even lowkey ship them for it. But they're different in COS. They've grown and became the version of themselves they would've been if they submitted to Belial's illusions in his dungeon. It doesn't make either of them weaker, but it really makes a difference in their relationship. But here's the thing: Judal, as a new magi, needs a new king candidate that fits into his new desires of what he wants in a King. Hakuryuu will probably fall under that. Neither of them are good, but they're trying their damn best. Also they're going to be future brother-in-laws (Tao and Hakuei) so they have that to bond over, won't they?

Since the blessed children are the ones who will hear about alma torran, what does that mean for Sinbad (since the whole David thing) and the rest of the leaders?: The rest of the Seven Seas Alliance will remain ignorant to the events in Alma Torran. Sinbad will also just consider the voice in his head as a voice in his head. Future-magi will also not happen. (Well...Jamal is there. But still.) The Alma Torran Arc will actually be an Arc filled with answers to a lot of the questions that Shion and the Gang needs answered.

But...why did he assume serendine was a choice for the mother? No offense, but it kinda confused me a little. Since she's dead and I don't think anything ever happened between them...: That's true. But Serendine had offered to marry Sinbad as a political maneuver, right? Since it was an alternate universe, the mirror!Sinbad assumed that his counterpart might have accepted the marriage. Hey, anything is possible, right? (Also, Ranya does not exist in the mirror!World)

And Helios as Hel's real name, I did not see that coming (why was such a good name shortened?): It was mentioned in Hel's past, but the slavers shortened it for simplicity and to make him seem more savage. The shortened version stuck.

Now this is mostly because I haven't caught up on the manga but you mentioned something about Sinbad not being able to brainwash Hakuryuu. What happens to the guy? Does he fall to depravity because of that curse?: Um, I need a little bit of clarification with this one.

Onwards!


Children of Solomon

Chapter 51: The Prodigal Blondes


"…"

"…"

"…So, your name is [static noise], huh? Interesting. I've never been religious, but everything here looks old enough to fit the time period. Hey, tell me, do you happen to play the lyre?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Bummer."

"And you? What is your name? I find it fair that you give me yours since you already know mine. Who are you, stranger?"

"Me? Well, my name is –


Shion jerked awake and stared at the ceiling. Such a strange dream. He had been dreaming a lot about the two voices lately, but this was the first time they were actually audible.

Unfortunately, it was throwing his whole sleeping schedule out of whack. Again.

And he had been sleeping so well with Jamal's headphones.


Koumei was relieved to see the color coming back to his wife's cheeks after bringing her to Balbadd. He didn't care that her presence in the palace bothered the nobles and ministers. The increased amount of paperwork he could handle, but the sight of his wife wearing herself out with fear, anxiety, and grief in their own home?

He wasn't able to bear it for a second.

'Kou was never her home anyways.' Dark thoughts like these pervaded the corners of his mind at his weakest moments. 'It is here in Balbadd. Her home country and her people can make her happy when you cannot.'

Koumei didn't delude himself with his wife's feelings toward the 'reformation' of Balbadd. She despised it just as much as the next Balbadd citizen. It had stripped everything familiar and safe about her home. The only piece of Balbadd left was the royal rooms and Amani's library.

Anywhere else was too dangerous, too Kou for Amani to relax.

Koumei wished that he could have posted more soldiers or kept a closer eye on Gyokuen or anything to have prevented the massacre of his section of the palace and his son's (his son's) very first kidnap attempt. Anything.

But he failed. And he almost paid for the consequences.

The moment the couple realized what had happened, both Koumei and Amani had razed through the entire palace, looking for Kouryuu. Every Ren family member pitched into the search, splitting into two groups. One focused on finding Kouryuu while the other searched for the perpetrator of the entire incident.

Surprisingly, it was Hakuryuu who had decided to help the nearly hysterical parents in the search for Kouryuu, leaving the witch-hunt for Gyokuen to Kouen, Kouha, and Judal. Kougyoku and Yasmine decided to scour for any remaining Al Thamen members within the vicinity.

Just when they assumed the worst, a bloody Tao came staggering to them with two infants in each arm.

'And since then, Amani never trusted Kou. I doubt even you trust Kou anymore either.' Koumei's insecure side whispered at the edges of his mind, working to break his self-confidence and mental stability with anxiety and paranoia. 'What will you do now, Zhuge Liang? Where did that lauded cleverness go? How are you letting everything slip through your fingers so carelessly? You don't know, don't you? You don't know.'

Arms circled around Koumei's shoulders, breaking him from his dark train of thought. "Still working?" She asked sympathetically, eyes free of their usual redness. He blinked and wondered if his wife had finally eased out of her mourning state for Leah. "Yes," he admitted distractedly, "but I'm almost finished."

"Let me take care of that." Amani offered and whisked away the scroll before Koumei could protest or blink. "I've been idle for too long. Besides, there is someone else who is in need of your attention."

Koumei felt his robes being tugged and automatically looked down. At his feet, Kouryuu stared up at his father, annoyed at the lack of attention. "Da!"

Despite his young age, Koumei was proud to say that his son knew how to babble out one-syllable words. Simple things like "Da, Ma, No, Ye, Hi, Bye, and Sweep (which really meant 'sleep')" were now common sounds to hear from the child. Koumei knew that it was mostly because of his wife's daily, one-sided conversations with their child that he was able to form these words in the first place.

Solomon, he really needed to spend more time with his son.

"Da!"

Koumei blinked and looked down. Happy that he got his father's attention, Kouryuu made a demanding grabbing motion, making his desire clear.

Amani laughed as Koumei immediately complied once the dots connected in his head. Kouryuu did his best to cling onto his father as he nuzzled his neck affectionately. "Ryuu-chan really missed you, Anata. I know that there are lots of work that must be done, but you should make time for your family." Amani scolded her husband lightly.

Kouryuu gave his father a well-timed whack on the chest in response to his mother's tone. It was a weak tap at best, but it still hurt Koumei's heart.

"I would stay in bed all day with both of you if I this wasn't necessary." He complained. "The security in Balbadd Palace and silencing any more complaints about your twin's 'diplomatic' visit is more than necessary. Not only that, General Muu Alexius is visiting tomorrow to speak about Reim's position with Kou."

"Those are important, yes. But they aren't immediate issues." Amani finished up the scroll and tossed it into the pile. "Well, since this thing is finished, you can start staying in bed right now. It's time for Ryuu-chan's naptime anyways."

At the mention of 'naptime', both father and son yawned.

Amani smiled at them fondly.

"Naptime it is."


Meanwhile, a couple miles out in the ocean, Alibaba looked out to the sea. He tried to keep a straight face as the newly formed couple flaunted their new status with public displays of affection.

Unconsciously, his hand curled up into a fist.

'First, I forget to buy my nephew a gift. And now, THIS?!' He mentally shouted. 'Stop being so lovey-dovey in public, dammit! Have you no shame, you two?!'

Completely depressed and jealous of his newly formed household members, Alibaba thought back to the small gift he had in his travel pack. It was a bracelet, nothing special. It was a small yet surprisingly expensive trinket that caught his eye during his explorations through the Reim markets.

He had intended to give it to Morgiana.

It was a thin and soft-looking thing. It resembled nothing like the wearer Alibaba had in mind, but still. She had liked the pretty necklace he got her before they parted so he thought she would like this gift as well.

But the necklace had been a gift for her convenience, an extra precaution in case her primary household vessel broke.

Alibaba had bought the bracelet with the intention of confessing to the Finalis with the encouragement of Jamal and Opal (and even a little bit of Hel).

'I can do this.' He had thought upon purchasing the jewelry. He spent weeks afterwards rehearsing and memorizing the right lines to say to her when they reunited. 'I can do this.'

But then, Alibaba messed up. Foot to mouth, so to speak. His lie about Toto being his girlfriend had been instinctive and he regretted it the moment it left his mouth. He beat himself up over it days after at the missed chance. There were so many ways he could have played the scene into the perfect confession to Morgiana.

Stupid. Stupid.

Yasmine-sensei had warned him about his bad habit of blurting out less than empathetic things at the wrong time. Why didn't he listen to her? Better yet, why couldn't he shut his mouth?

Alibaba bristled yet again when he glanced at the happy couple.

That would've been him if he had confessed correctly.

(Or maybe not him. Morgiana rejecting him was also a high possibility that Alibaba tried his best to ignore. He was already scared at the prospect of giving an imperfect confession. He didn't think he could take the thought of rejection without doing something foolish again.)

Alibaba hit himself over the head, gaining many concerned stares from the other inhabitants on the ship. He ignored them all in favor of his mental moping.

Stupid. Stupid.


"What is fate to you, [static noise]?"

"It's an unavoidable path with a set destination. Our struggles, our ambitions, even our fortune is predestined and planned before creation."

"…But isn't that too sad?"

"…? Sad? Not at all. It is what it is. We are all pulled to our respective paths to fulfill a greater purpose that we are all unaware of. We may not understand it, but there is a plan far beyond our understanding. Why? Is it different in your world?"

"Yes. We have many faiths. Some are similar to your own. All lives end up at a set destination after its end. They call the end heaven or hell depending on how the person lived."

"Heaven and Hell? How strange. There is no distinction on how an individual lived, good or bad. The ending is the same."

"Yes. Another is the belief that a soul will be cleansed after its life and it will live again. The position and fortune they have on the next life depends on how well you lived your previous. I like that belief better, honestly. It gives more chances to the soul for their mistakes and it makes one wonder about what life they lead before."

"Is that so? It's a nice thought, but beliefs and faiths like those do not exist here."

"How can you say that? Nothing is impossible. I'm here, aren't I?"

"…Yes, you are."

"Hey [static noise]? I never thought more than half of the things here existed until I fell here. Magicians, monsters, spaghetti gods, they're all such amazing and exciting things! I wish I could show all of this to [static noise] when I get back. I'm sure that even this will amaze her."

"You mention this person often. Who is she to you that drives you to return to your world?"

"Well, she's my precious –


Aladdin glanced anxiously at the dozing prince right next to him. He tried to focus on translating the ancient text on his lap, but his concern for Shion overrode all curiosity for knowledge.

Tentatively, the blue-haired magi poked the time-traveler's shoulder. "Shion?"

"Mnnn, wha?" Shion roused himself from his light sleep and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

"The sun is still up." Aladdin offered helpfully. "But you dozed off again, Shion. Are you sure you're okay? I thought you fixed your sleeping problem. Didn't you speak with your parents about the, um, noise?"

Shion snorted. "And bring up such an awkward subject? No way. Jamal made me these handy headphones, so I should be sleeping well but…"

"But?"

"But I've been having these weird dreams." The purple-haired boy frowned. "I've been hearing conversations between a man and a woman. Their voices aren't familiar at all." He grimaced. "The dreams themselves aren't too much of a hassle, but I've been falling asleep spontaneously before I dream about them. Mom and Father are getting worried."

Aladdin nodded, looking worried. "I see."

Shion sighed. "So, even though I fixed my sleeping schedule, I've been sleeping at random times and places. It's a bit of a pain."

"It sounds a lot like the time I dreamed about the events in Alma Toran." Aladdin mused. "Did you see anything?"

The time traveler shook his head. "No. I just heard voices. Something…something about names? And deep conversations about fate?" At Aladdin's confused look, Shion shrugged. "Like I said, it's weird."

"Hmm, it doesn't sound like Al Thamen's influence. You should be fine."

Shion nodded. "Well, that's a relief. But I'm still having trouble sleeping at the right time."

"Really? Then you should try some tea. I hear it helps with sleep or staying awake."

He nodded again. "Yeah, I'll try that, Aladdin."

"…Um, Shion?" Aladdin questioned uneasily. "I didn't say that."

"What?" Shion looked at the magi in confusion. "What are you talking about? You're the only other person here…in the…room." Trailing off, Shion slowly looked up and stared at the floating figure a couple feet over his head. Aladdin mimicked his actions, staring up in shock at the intruder.

Yunan waved back cheerfully from his perch on his staff.

"Hello, Shion! Aladdin!"

"Uncle…Yunan?" Shion gaped. "What are you doing here at Sindria?! And how…how did you get in without setting off any of Jamal's alarms? Or Kikiriku's security checkpoints? Solomon, they're going to freak out if they find out you managed to pass through their security system."

As Shion panicked, Yunan pouted. "No 'hello's' or 'I missed you Uncle Yunan?' And after not seeing me for such a long time. You're so uncute, Shion."

Shion bristled. Exhaustion and stress had obliterated his patience and temper. "Well, who's to blame for that? It's not like I jumped into that dungeon, Uncle!" He snapped. "And you have no ideahow many questions I have, not to mention those memory seals you placed on my turban. Explain yourself!"

Yunan sighed, looking almost defeated. "I see that your father influenced you. You've never been this suspicious of me."

"Again, who's to blame for that?" Shion repeated, looking just as defeated. His temper quickly quelled at the sight of his uncle's sad expression. "I thought I could trust you but it turned out that you kept more secrets from me than everyone else."

"It was to protect you, Shion." Yunan insisted. "Please, let me explain first before you come to your own conclusions. I had a reason for what I did."

Shion hesitated.

'Don't trust him.' Though faint, he could hear the Veteran whisper in his ear. There was old hurt and betrayal in his voice. 'You know what happened when we trusted a friend despite the doubts stacked against him.'

Shion knew. Shion knew and that was why he was scared.

"Shion, please." Yunan's voice took a gentler and almost heartbreakingly earnest tone.

And yet, despite appearing earnest and apologetic…

'I don't want to trust him again.' A voice whispered.

Shion didn't know if it was the Veteran or himself who mentally voiced this thought.

Or perhaps…both?

A hand landed on Shion's shoulder, jerking him out of his anxious thoughts. Aladdin gave him a supportive smile. "I think you should hear him out. He's family, right? I'm sure that he has his reasons. It's good that he's at least willing to give answers, right?"

It was so strange at how quickly Aladdin was able to dispel the quiet anxiety and doubt in Shion with just a touch and a look. Shion gave him a grateful look. "Yeah. I should at least hear him out." He turned back to his uncle. "So, what did you want to say?"

Yunan smiled down at Shion in relief. "Shion! Thank you! I promise that I'll explain everything! Starting from the reason why I sealed away –

The blonde cut himself off abruptly, expression turning distant and cold. His smile no longer appeared bright.

"Hey! It's not polite to eavesdrop on someone's conversation, Sinbad!"

Shion jumped at stared at the lone Papagoras bird, perched at a ledge of one of the floors. 'Crap, I was too careless! How much did he hear?!'

"More or less. I can hear your voice clearly as well." Yunan responded to a voice that only he could hear. "You sound older too."

After a pause, Yunan grimaced. "Just as I feared. Ranya still can't walk properly? You really haven't been giving her the exercise she needs, have you? Don't spoil her so much!" Another pause. "That was too much information, Sinbad. Remember, she is my sister. You try having a precious, female family member and not be protective! I'm still not comfortable with leaving Ranya with you." He bristled indignantly, all pretense of calmness gone. "I told you that was too much information!"

Shion's expression became blanker and blanker as the one-sided bickering continued in front of his face.

Aladdin patted his back consolingly. "We should leave them to their conversation, Shion. Why don't we go and get some lunch?"

"Ah! Aladdin, please wait over there! I need to speak with you as well as fellow Magi who has witnessed the sight of the Sacred Palace and 'Ugo'."

Aladdin stopped short abruptly. "Ugo?!"

Yunan smiled mysteriously. "I seem to have gotten your attention. Are you willing to converse with me too?" He tilted his head and frowned as he listened to Sinbad's voice once again. "Ah? Is that so? A room for me? Well…I refuse."

The room suddenly felt cold as Yunan's expression darkened.

"You know, I don't trust you much after all."

Both Shion and Aladdin tensed up at the dangerous atmosphere.

"I mean, look at your son! Do you see the bags under his eyes?! Shion looks as if he hadn't slept for days! I'm sure that it's the result from your carelessness and lack of consideration!" Yunan continued his rant, dispelling the tension in an instant. "I'm sure that the same will happen to me if I ever take that room!"

Shion cringed and hid his face.

"See? Look at him. It's clear that I'm right. I know you can see him, Sinbad." Yunan continued accusingly. "Oh, don't give me that. Shion was probably too embarrassed to tell you!"

Shion hoped fervently that a sea monster would conveniently breach the area and swallow him whole. Aladdin, sensing the amount of his friend's embarrassment, winced sympathetically.

"Oh, and I refuse to let you listen to our conversation too. You already eavesdropped enough. That's such a breach of privacy, you weirdo!"


"I think it's about time to give up, don't you think?"

"Geez, you're a horrible friend, [static noise]. The worst. Would it hurt you to give me some encouragement?"

"It's been years. Centuries. I don't think that it would be kind of me to encourage your delusion, [static noise] –mi. Whatever family or friends you wish to return to are gone. Didn't you say that your world had no magic? They should all be long gone by now."

"…"

"I admire your tenacity. I really do. Your determination is beautiful and I don't wish for you to change your way of thinking in any way. But please hear me when I say that it's a lost cause. You've been studying magic and working non-stop to return to your own world. Enough."

"But…"

"Aren't you happy here? I thought you enjoyed this world. Can't you find it in your heart to accept your situation and stay with me?"

"…[static noise] –d…"

"Please, Sammi. Stay."


Shion jerked awake. He was in a strange bed and in an unfamiliar room. The Sindrian Prince quietly cursed to himself for dozing off suddenly again. As he slid out of the strange – yet surprisingly squishy – bed, he took in his surroundings. It certainly wasn't a room in the palace. It wasn't an area in the library either.

…Where was he?

He tried to remember where he was before he passed out. His father had stormed into the library and continued his argument with his uncle the moment they were face-to-face. They traded verbal blows.

Aladdin said something, trying to pacify the situation. Shion's vision had been blurring by that point. And then…

Dark

And a little bit of pain.

Shion rubbed the side of his head absentmindedly and winced as he felt the bump. Ouch. What the heck did he fall on?

At the sound of the door opening, Shion looked up.

"Shion? You're awake!" Aladdin looked relieved. Behind him, Yunan nervously hovered at the doorway. "Are you feeling better?" His uncle tentatively asked.

"Yeah. Just got a little bump here. I don't think I have a concussion so it's nothing big. I should be fine." Shion looked at his room critically. "Where are we?"

Yunan shifted nervously. "I may have…built a house…on your front yard."

Shion blinked.

"What?"

"Magically, of course!" Yunan was quick to assure his befuddled nephew. "I'll dispel it the moment we finish our conversation! Oh, and your father is throwing a fit outside the front porch."

Shion stared at his sheepish uncle for a moment longer before shaking his head. "You know what? Let's have this conversation over with so I can calm him down."

"That's a good idea." Yunan nodded, relieved that Shion wasn't reacting negatively with the whole situation. He led his nephew down to the dining table. The entire house looked cozy. Shion wondered what his uncle used to make all of this. "Would you like some tea? Bread? Fruits?"

"All of them please."

After Shion was comfortable and significantly fuller, he faced Yunan. "Explain." He ordered shortly.

Yunan nodded. He looked significantly calmer and more self-assured. "Of course. Where should we start?"

"The turban. The seals. The suppression jewels."

"I'd think that the turban is obvious." Yunan gestured over to Shion's hair. "At that time, it was crucial for Al Thamen to not know of your existence or your connection to Sinbad. Preferably, I would have had you be unaware of your connection with your father for your entire life so to live normally." The magi sighed. "But, things turned out differently."

Aladdin frowned from Shion's side. "But didn't Shion deserve to know?"

"Yes, he did. But, as I said, it was only a preferable scenario. I would have told him eventually and let him decide whether he wanted to reveal himself to Sinbad or not."

It would have been too late by then. Shion knew this because it had happened in his last life. Instead of being presented to a father he never knew, he was given an empty island and an impressive grave fit for a king.

"And the seals? The suppression jewels?" Shion asked, eager to change to subject and move on. "Were they really necessary?"

"The jewels were. If I hadn't placed them in your wrists the moment you were born, you would have alerted Al Thamen of your existence, not to mention the calamities that would have come down upon us." Yunan sighed miserably at the memory. "Embedding those stones into your tiny arms wasn't ideal for me either. I hated causing you pain, but it was for your safety. Ranya had agreed."

Shion nodded acceptingly. "Okay. I get it. But what about the memory seals?"

Yunan smiled sadly. "Well, you asked for them." At Shion's shocked stare, he nodded. "It's true. Originally, they were just to make people forget about the color of your hair if they ever caught a glimpse of it. But then, you asked me if I could fix it so to block out some of your memories. I don't know if it was what you saw at the dungeon or something else, but you really needed to forget something. You were desperate and in a great need of sleep. Nightmares came frequently before I applied the seals. You slept better after that."

"I…don't remember asking you that." Shion said slowly.

"No, you don't." Yunan agreed, looking concerned again. "You should remember everything by now. The memory seals are off, right?"

Shion hummed to himself. "My mind must have automatically suppressed it even without the help of the memory seals."

'Or, I must have subconsciously shoved it all to a different part of my mind. Veteran?'

'Oh, so you're actually willing to talk to me now?' Veteran's response, despite his grumpy tone, was automatic and a bit muffled. 'And yes, I remember everything your little pansy ass couldn't handle. Don't think you can watch any of it right now, though. You still have those weird memory-dreams. Those aren't ours.'

'Not mine either!" Child chirped. 'Hey, does this mean you're going to stop ignoring us now? Usually, Veteran has to bother you for you to even react, but he's been all quiet ever since that Ithnan guy broke into our mind.'

Shion barely heard Veteran's snort. 'That's because I'm slowly being incorporated with the main psyche. Shion remembers more now. Not everything, but more. Since I no longer have a purpose, I'm losing my individuality.'

'Oh.' Child sounded disheartened. 'That's…sad. I'll be lonelier when you're gone.'

Shion couldn't help but agree.

'Don't worry.' Another voice assured Child. 'Once you mature, you will assimilate yourself with Shion. It will come after some time.'

'King!' Child cried out in excitement. Even Veteran felt pleased with Shion's third persona's reappearance. 'It's been so long! Where were you? I couldn't sense you at all!'

Shion felt a pang of comfort wash over him. 'I'm sorry for worrying all of you. I had to do a lot of…thinking on my own. Oh, and Shion, eyes forward. Your Uncle and Aladdin is beginning to get concerned.'

As if stung, Shion jumped in his seat. Yunan and Aladdin jumped along with him.

"Shion, are you feeling okay?" The blue-haired magi asked tentatively. "You've been zoning out."

"I think I need to use the bed again." He answered, half-honest. He really did feel exhausted for some strange reason. "I think I'll go back to the jello bed for another nap. Don't want to randomly pass out again."

Yunan was at his feet immediately. "I'll take you there. Aladdin, can you please go outside and assure Sinbad that I'm not kidnapping his son? Shion needs to sleep."

Aladdin nodded and left with one last worried glance at his King Candidate's way.

"Thanks, Uncle." Shion said gratefully. "And I'm not talking about the bed. Thanks for answering my questions and being patient with me even though I treated you horribly. Really."

"Of course." The blonde said quietly. "We're family, Shion."


"It's been peaceful lately. I hear that it's thanks to your [static noise] [static noise] group that less people are dying before I fell into this world. It's amazing how much you did on your own. I'm glad that some of my research helped you out. Maybe with this, we can change the world."

"Yes, the world will be more peaceful. It's all thanks to you staying."

"Hey, [static noise]? Do you think I can go outside again? I would like to learn more about this peaceful world."

"S–[static noise]–mi, don't you remember? We almost lost you during your last 'adventure'. Who knows what you would have encountered if I hadn't found you as soon as I did? It will be safer to remain here where I won't lose you."

"…"

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being too protective."

"No. I understand."

"Sammi, are you happy?"

"…Yes. I'm happy. Thank you, D- [static noise] –d."


"Blessed Child Amani. Thank you for meeting with me. Or, do you prefer Princess?"

Amani smiled beatifically with Kouryuu perched perfectly on her lap. Across from her, Muu Alexius sat across from her with an equally charming smile. Staring at the new person, the infant tilted his head and warbled curiously. Muu's smile softened for a fleeting moment at the boy before reverting back to its political mask.

"Amani, if you please." The Blessed Child said airily as she pushed the plate of tea and snacks forward so it was out of her son's grabby reach. "I think that we're already above formalities, don't you think, Muu? Or do you prefer General?"

"Muu is fine." The Reim Ambassador assured Amani, looking significantly more relaxed. "Though it is late, congratulations on a successful delivery. I'm glad to see that your son is healthy and well. You were at Sindria when you found out about your pregnancy, right? Are you friends with Hel?"

Amani laughed and nodded. "Of course! Hel is a very sweet boy despite first impressions. He kept Shion on his toes during his entire stay."

"Is that so?" Muu plucked a cookie from the plate and took a small bite. His eyes widened at the taste. "Did you make this? It's very good."

"Yes, I did. I hear that your wife is also a wonderful cook as well." Amani complimented seamlessly as she absentmindedly tugged Kouryuu's hands from her necklace. Her son pouted before turning his attention onto his fingers. "How is she, by the way?"

"Maya is healthy, thank you for asking." Muu said gratefully and grinned happily. "We are actually expecting our first child. It's a bit of a recent development, but we're excited nonetheless."

Amani made a sound of surprise and pleasure. "Really? Congratulations on being a father! I hope the delivery will be successful."

Muu accepted her congratulations with enthusiastic nods and overjoyed smiles, obviously thrilled with the prospect of being a father. Amani imparted him with a few tips with pregnancy and baby-caring in general, knowing that the soon-to-be father would prefer to be hands-on in raising in children. Then, after some time talking, Muu turned to the empty seat. "And your husband? Will Prince Koumei be joining us soon for the negotiation?"

Amani shook her head regretfully. "Unfortunately, my husband has his hands full at the moment. The ministers aren't letting him go." Her voice became dry as she spoke about the annoying old men. "So, it will only be you and me, I'm afraid. I hope you don't mind being stuck negotiating with a woman like me."

Muu shook his head. "I don't mind at all. Hel told me not to underestimate you, Miss Amani. Maya was also a friend of your predecessor, Fatima." Muu's smile turned wry. "I doubt that politics was the only thing she taught you during your youth."

"So you're aware that I am proficient in those fields. Good." With a nod, Amani adjusted her grip on Kouryuu. "Shall we start doing business, then? I need to be down at the port by noon to greet Alibaba so I'm afraid that I won't be able to give you as much time as I would like."

The Finalis General nodded understandingly. "Of course."


Tiare stood and waited outside the meeting hall nervously as she heard the voices inside argue back and forth. She easily picked out her master's voice out of the bunch.

It had been some time ever since they all had returned from the Magnostadt War to the chaos that was Kou. Half of the servants and maids were slaughtered. All the remaining Household Members were scattered and weakened. And the baby was gone.

Her master had been so scared.

He didn't show it, of course. But Tiare had been in her dragon form and she could smell the fear and anxiousness that wafted off of him as they both searched for any signs of Kouryuu from the skies.

But they found the little prince at the end.

Now, her master's imposing, red-haired older brother (who he no longer despised) sat on the throne, looking unhappy. Now, since the other two brothers were out of the country, her master was left in charge of the war meetings. Though he did not look as imposing and charismatic as the new Emperor or was not as intelligent as Kouryuu's father, her master was a strong leader who led his people well. A King.

Tiare was proud to stand at his side.

The door opened, making the Toran Village girl suddenly straightened in attention. High-ranking generals and a handful of ministers poured out of the room with the same, sour look of their faces. Some of the younger men paused from their scowling to either jump in fright or slowly look her over as if she was cooked meat.

Tiare tried not to shift in discomfort at the second type of stares. She didn't know why, but they made her feel uncomfortable and at edge.

"Tiare, what are you doing over there?" Her master's voice broke her out of her defensive pose. She brightened up immediately when she saw him and she trotted over to his side. "Are you finished for the day, master?"

Hakuryuu nodded tiredly. "Yes. There are still some documents to sign, but I can leave those for tomorrow." He sighed heavily. "It is moments like these when I regret taking Koumei-dono for granted. How did he handle everything by himself?"

"I think Amani helped him." Tiare offered helpfully. But, instead of satisfying her master as she had intended, Hakuryuu looked a little sad.

"Amani-dono was there to support him, wasn't she?"

Tiare didn't know why mentioning the blonde made her master act this way, but she didn't like it. She didn't like it at all. Boldly, she grabbed his hand, forcing him to look at her. "Master! Do not worry. I am always at your side, so I will support you." Her eyes glinted. "I'll even scare the mean men if they don't listen to you quick enough. Some of them are scared of me."

Hakuryuu gave her a surprised stare. Then, he looked down and chuckled.

"Of course you will, Tiare. But it's not necessary. Thank you, though. Your support means much to me."

Tiare nodded. "You are my master." She stated simply.

Then, she pointed at the sky.

"Would you like to fly?"

Hakuryuu stared up at the sky longingly. "You know what? I'll take you up on that offer, Tiare. It's been a while since I took a break."


"Is this…really Balbadd?"

Alibaba stared out to the unfamiliar structures and streets. One part of him wondered whether he stopped by the wrong port. Another knew that this was the sight he was going to see once he came back onto his homeland.

"Alibaba-san…"

Morgiana's voice sounded sympathetic.

Alibaba shook himself and pasted on what he hoped was an assuring look. "Don't worry. Amani made sure to warn me that Balbadd changed while I was gone. This was something I expected. But…" He stared at the streets again. "I never expected it to be this different."

"Oi, Alibaba, there's a chick over there who looks like you." Olba whisper-hissed as he squinted to his far right, making both Alibaba and Toto stiffen. "Geez, what a weak presence. I almost missed her. Is she the sister you were talking about?"

Yes, it turned out. Yes, it was Amani.

She was thinner than the last time he saw her. Her eyes looked a little dimmer and more tired too. Alibaba had a moment of panic when he saw how much his sister resembled their late mother during the early stages of her illness. But then, a wide, vibrant smile reached both her mouth and eyes upon landing on him. Amani brightened as if set aflame. She was radiant.

"Alibaba?"

"Amani?"

They were in each other's arms in an instant. Foreheads pressed against each other and laughter bubbling from both their throats, Alibaba and Amani couldn't have looked more similar than they did now. Of course, there was sadness there too. With a silent understanding that only the pair could comprehend, the twins mourned and celebrated their return.

Sun and Moon

"Welcome home." Alibaba heard his sister murmur under her breath, quiet enough that only he could hear.

He swallowed, heavy emotion almost welling up to his eyes in the form of tears.

"I'm back."


"Welcome, Prince. Or should I say Ambassador? To think that you, the one who was banished and dethroned from his country, would walk on its soil once again…this is not your nation anymore. Please don't make any unnecessary ruckus."

Amani was impressed with how her brother was able to keep a straight face throughout the entire interaction with the more than rude minister. She recognized him as the father of one of the girls who had attempted to push her down the stairs during her pregnancy.

"Well then. Please wait until tomorrow in that estate. His Excellency is a bit too busy –

"Minister Chun." Amani interrupted before the man could say anything else. She stepped forward to Alibaba's side with an impassive expression on her face. The old man almost jumped at what he perceived as her sudden appearance. "B-B-Blessed Child! I was not aware of your presence!" He managed to calm himself before looking at her critically. "What are you doing outside without an escort may I ask?"

The accusation in the old man's voice made many behind her bristle. Even Alibaba's poker face cracked for a moment.

"Oh, do you mean General Barkakk and the rest of the soldiers?" Amani asked lightly. "They are waiting back at the palace since I was under the assumption that the carriage would lead my brother and I there." She pretended to look confused. "Oddly, we seemed to have ended up at a place that is not the palace."

Minister Chun straightened himself and placed upon himself a self-righteous look. "Well, I was sent here by His Excellency's orders for the Ambassador to be placed here at the estate for the time being. He is very busy at the moment as you would understand."

"Busy?" Amani repeated slowly, sounding as if she were talking to a child instead of an old man. "Well, I'm sure that Koumei is busy at the moment. I left Kouryuu with him when I went out to greet Alibaba. He's waiting at our chambers for our return at this very moment." After a heavy pause, Amani tilted her head. "Weren't you aware? Koumei was the one who gave you those 'orders' after all."

Minister Chun coughed and spluttered. "You made his Excellency carry on your duties so you can conspire with your exiled brother? You're too bold, Blessed Child!"

"And you are wasting my husband's time, Minister." Amani's reply with cold and flat. Alibaba, for some reason, was suddenly reminded of Fatima and was forever thankful that it wasn't him who Amani was angry at. Some of the nearby soldiers shuddered. "I strongly suggest that you order our escorts to bring us to the palace as they were supposed to. You are already on thin ice because of your daughter's involvement in threatening my child's life. Do not use my husband's name for falsities ever again or it's your head, Minister."

By then, Minister Chun was struck silent. With a pale face, he stiffly nodded and wordlessly gave the order to the soldiers, who were also struck silent with fear, to lead Amani, Alibaba, and the other back to palace.

Inside the carriage, Alibaba shot Amani a wide grin. "That was amazing." He praised her earnestly. Then, his giddiness melted into solemnness. "Do they always talk to you like that?"

Amani shrugged. "It happens more often than you think. Sometimes, they're worse. It depends on how much they value my title as a Blessed Child or as Koumei's wife."

Toto snorted from the side. Both Olba and Alibaba gawked at the Yambala woman.

"Toto?!"

Toto ignored them and continued to glare at Alibaba's other half. Amani, in turn, stared at the woman and measured her. "Yambala Tribe, hmm? You must be familiar with Sai."

The woman bristled at the mention of the other Blessed Child. "Toto hates that Blessed Child." She spat out the title as if it were a curse. Amani wouldn't be surprised if it really was one. Prejudice could do wonders to an individual's thought process. Toto turned her hatred back at Amani. "Toto did not know that Alibaba's sister was one of them." She said accusingly as if it was the pale blonde's fault for being born the way she was. "Alibaba might not know this, but all Blessed Children are monsters. You tricked him!"

"We came from the same womb. We're twins." Amani said flatly. "From birth, we were always together. How could I have pretended to forge such a close relationship at an early age? I wasn't even aware of my status until much later."

"You are all born monsters! You lie, trick, and deceive!" Toto insisted with a wild look on her eyes. Olba and one of his brothers tried to restrain and calm her but the woman refused. Both Alibaba and Morgiana looked ready to intervene, but stopped when they saw his sister give them a subtle shake of her head. Amani let Toto continue her rant. It's better that this happened within the carriage and not somewhere outside where there were many ears and eyes. "You are all too dangerous to live!"

Amani raised a brow. "So you will slaughter me in front of my own brother – your own master? Are you really as loyal to him? I thought you were his friend."

"Toto is Alibaba's Household Member! She respects him completely!" She said passionately, meaning every word. "Toto is loyal to Alibaba! That is the only reason why Toto didn't strike you down at first sight!"

"I see." Amani leaned back into her seat and glanced outside the window. "I'm glad that Alibaba has such loyal friends at his side."

Toto looked stricken at the lack of vitriol in the Blessed Child's voice. She had nothing more to say to the other woman, anger and instinctive hatred fizzling out in moments at the genuine relief in Amani's voice.

"Toto." Alibaba said sternly, drawing her attention away from his twin. "As my household member and as my friend, I expected you to treat Amani better than that. She's my precious twin sister. I value and love her more than anything else in the world. For you to say that our relationship is a lie…how could you? I'm disappointed."

Toto flinched and looked down, ashamed.

"Toto didn't mean to be rude. Please forgive her." Olba begged earnestly as he took the said woman's hand.

Amani looked at the young man with surprise. "You are Olba, aren't you? Yasmine mentioned you when we reunited. She…truly is sorry about taking your 'mother' away from you as she did. She wished to convey her regret to you in person but…"

Olba shook his head. "No. That's not necessary. That person saved us." After a pause, he looked up in genuine befuddlement. "She?"

Amani laughed. "Yes, Yasmine does look a bit masculine, doesn't she?" Then, she turned to her brother. "Alibaba, don't treat Toto so harshly. She was only trying to protect you from what she perceived as a threat. Toto came from a culture that saw Blessed Children as unnatural monsters who were dangerous." Her expression turned wry. "All of them are under the assumption that we are all heinous, lying shape shifters."

"You're not?" Toto blurted out, genuinely confused by Amani's statement. "But…"

"There are many things about us that you are ignorant concerning the Blessed Children. We are human beings who have the capability to make familial and friendly connections, for one. We also are unique in our abilities. Sai can shape shift in whatever face or form he pleases. I can turn invisible." Amani purposefully made her image flicker as a demonstration. "Because of our differences, we were either valued or shunned."

Toto nodded slowly. "Toto…sees."

"You don't need to change your beliefs, Toto." Amani told her kindly. "It's hard and I'm aware of that. But I hope that we can find middle ground with each other for Alibaba's sake."

Toto nodded again. "Toto thanks you and…she's sorry for saying what she said before."

"I accept your apology, Toto."

Alibaba looked distressed. "Amani, I'm –" He cut himself off when he saw the sad and resigned smile on her face.

"I told you Alibaba. It happens more often than you think."


Alibaba stared at Koumei. Koumei stared back at him in return.

Since all the meeting was only between Alibaba and the royal couple, Amani took it upon herself to bring her brother's household members to the guest rooms, leaving the two men alone with each other for the first time.

"If it weren't for the fact that you have the ability to kick me out of my own homeland anytime you want, I would punch you." The blonde informed his brother-in-law honestly, skipping over all the formalities and going straight for the punch, pun intended.

Koumei appeared unsurprised. "Please don't. I don't think I'd be able to take it." He said with an equal amount of honesty, surprising the blonde. It was strange to see Amani's face make such foreign expressions and speak with a man's voice. Koumei knew that Alibaba was a different person all together from his wife, but it was still strange. "I'm not sure if Amani told you, but I am not as strong as my brothers."

"But you moved a mountain. And dropped it on the medium."

"In my djinn form, yes."

"But a mountain."

Koumei sighed.

"Despite my rare show of strength in the battlefield, I assure you that I am very, very weak when it comes to physical activities. And tired from overworking more than usual. I'd go down without too much of a fight if you ever punched me, I'm afraid."

"Oh." Alibaba blankly, looking almost sympathetic.

Koumei decided to change the subject. "Now, onto your citizenship here in Balbadd."

Alibaba blinked. "Wait. What?!"

"You would like to return to your homeland permanently, yes?" The red-haired prince asked simply as he held out a scroll. Alibaba took it hesitantly and opened it. "Your position as the original Prince of Balbadd and the next in line to the throne makes it difficult for you to remain here without causing suspicion or political unrest. In the scroll is a list of possibilities for you to remain here."

The blonde tilted his head to the side in confusion. "But there's only names written here."

"Of course." Koumei stated shortly, realizing with a bit resignation that his wife's brother was a bit dim. "Those are the names of all the noble daughters of Kou who are currently living here in Balbadd. The names at the top are the most influential in family connections and the most bearable in personality, so I recommend them."

"H-Hey, wait a sec…I can't marry anyone like that."

Koumei sent Alibaba a dry look. "You're not in the position to complain if you want to stay here in Balbadd. Since Amani is already married into the Ren family, there is no need to pair you up with any of my sisters. Not that there are any left available to marry off in the first place." He muttered the last part. "But it is still necessary for you to have some ties with influential families in Kou. I'm being generous. I could ask a lot more from you, but your close relations with Amani makes your situation a lot easier that it would have been without her."

Alibaba grimaced, obviously struggling with making the decision. His thoughts turned to Morgiana and how he hadn't confessed to her yet because of his cowardice and stupid mouth. At the sight of Alibaba's expression, it suddenly hit Koumei and he became a bit more understanding to his brother-in-law's plight.

"Ah, I see. You have someone else in mind." He said not unkindly. "In that case, you may bring her with you. It might not be the most ideal situation, but you can have her as your concubine. Just like Balbadd, Kou isn't against the idea of royals having more than one woman."

Alibaba flushed indignantly. "Stop saying absurd things! Like hell I'd do something so dishonest like that!"

Pity and empathy crumbling into pieces as quickly as it came, Koumei sent the blonde an exasperated look. "What are you talking about? You sound like a cherry boy who hasn't touched women…"

"…"

"Oh. Sorry about that." It was now Koumei's turn to look sympathetic.

"Sh-Shut up! That…doesn't have anything to do with this." Alibaba said almost pathetically.

"You're right. It doesn't." Koumei agreed quickly and was thankful that Kouen wasn't here at the moment. He would have laughed, further shaming their brother-in-law in his, ah, lack of experience.

Alibaba forced himself to straighten up and look Koumei in the eyes. "Can you give me some time to think on this?" He asked with the flush still on his cheeks. "It's…a very hard decision."

"Don't hesitate for too long." Koumei warned. "This is an opportunity that won't be open to you forever."

"I know that! But…"

At that moment, Amani peeked her head inside the room. "Is this a bad time, you two?"

Both men jerked themselves from their conversation and shook their heads. "Of course not. We were simply getting to know each other." Koumei said smoothly, taking the scroll back from Alibaba and placing it in his sleeve. "How are our guests?"

"Properly placed in their rooms." Amani assured him. "And I brought someone else. Alibaba, it's time to meet your nephew."

Alibaba's stress and worries disappeared from his mind the moment Amani fully entered the room with the drowsy infant in her arms. Kouryuu rubbed his eyes and yawned. "He just woke up from his nap." Amani informed her brother while giving her husband a grateful look. "Koumei tucked him in while I was gone."

"We both appreciated the nap." Koumei responded only half-joking.

Alibaba could only stare.

"Ryuu-chan." Amani cooed to her little boy as she carried him up to her twin. "This is your Uncle Alibaba. Say hello!"

Kouryuu looked from Amani to Alibaba and then to Amani again, looking considerably confused. Why were there two of his mother? This hadn't happened before. "Oh?" He chirped while tilting his head cutely. "Oh?"

Alibaba melted.

"Hey there, kiddo. I'm your Uncle. Nice to finally meet you."

Kouryuu looked his new uncle over contemplatively before reaching to some unknown conclusion. He reached his chubby hands out to Alibaba demandingly.

Alibaba looked seconds away from squealing at the cuteness.

"Please?" Amani stressed as she held her son away from her brother. She knew very well that her twin would comply with Kouryuu's demands even without manners. But she was a mother and she had no intention of raising her child completely spoiled. "It's not polite unless you say please, Ryuu-chan. Say please."

"…Pwease?" Kouryuu chirped imploringly, stumbling over the foreign word. Alibaba frantically nodded. "Of course, of course!"

Amani beamed, making Kouryuu light up in response.

"Good job, Ryuu-chan!"

Alibaba gently plucked his nephew from his sister's hands when the lesson was properly implemented. Both Alibaba and Kouryuu looked each other over with varying degrees of interest. "He has mother's face." He complimented with wonder has Kouryuu patted down his face curiously. "He has our face."

"And his father's hair." Amani added with a satisfied smile by Koumei's side. In response, her husband drew her close and pressed his lips on her temple affectionately.

"Thank you for this." She whispered to him gratefully. "You have no idea how much this means to me, Anata."

She felt him smile. "Of course. Anything for you. And he deserves to meet his family."

Alibaba pointedly ignored their romantic interaction, focusing more on cooing and babbling along with his nephew. Despite his initial weariness and confusion, Kouryuu took to the not-mother-but-very-very-similar person quickly. He was expressive and his voice sounded nice.

Kouryuu hoped that his mother would let him keep him.


Shion awkwardly sat across from his mother and father. He did his best to avoid eye contact with them. They were at one of the smaller dinner tables and the dining room was noticeably clear of servants and Ja'far, who usually ate with the family.

"Shion." Sinbad started before falling silent he looked to Ranya helplessly. She shrugged, looking equally as helpless on how to handle the situation that is on their hands.

'Talk to them.' The King encouraged him in his mind. 'They're just as scared and unsure as you are. Tell them the truth so they know how to start.'

Shion took a deep breath and forced himself to look them both in the eyes. "Mom. Father. What Uncle Yunan said is true. I am having, er, sleeping problems because of, um, noises. Just something you two should, ah, know." He wavered at the last part of the sentence and flushed. "…I'm sorry."

Sinbad and Ranya immediately protested at his apology.

"No, no, we should apologize to you for not realizing this sooner." His mother insisted, looking embarrassed. "You act so grown-up most of the time that we forget that you're a child too."

Sinbad looked apologetic. "I was also careless in not noticing how your health was deteriorating." He reached over and ruffled Shion's hair. "I should have paid more attention. Yunan was right. I acted without any consideration to your wellbeing. I'm sorry, Shion."

Ranya nodded. "Next time, tell us when this happens again, okay? We need to know."

Shion looked at his parents miserably. "I didn't want to ruin your happiness by being selfish."

Ranya came over to Shion's side and kissed him on the cheek. "Oh, sweetheart. We're already happy. Sin and I talked it over after Brother told us and we think it's time to calm down and enjoy other things together as a family."

Sinbad nodded. "Would you like to go fishing tomorrow? Your mother will come along, of course."

"Fishing?" Shion repeated, a smile beginning to stretch across his face.

Well. It had been his childhood dream to become a fisherman.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that a lot." The Sindrian Prince said with a smile to both of his parents. "Let's go tomorrow!"

Sinbad and Ranya laughed at their son's enthusiasm.

"Ah! Before I forget. Boys, I have a very important announcement to make." Ranya cleared her throat. "So, I spoke with Brother Yunan and he confirmed something with me before he left." Proudly, she gestured over to her belly. "Shion, you're going to be a big brother!"

Both Sinbad and Shion processed the news.

"A big brother?" Shion repeated. "That's...that's great! Really great, Mom! Wow, I knew this would happen eventually but I didn't know it would happen this soon! I should go and tell –"

A bout of dizziness hit him in mid-sentence, making him stumble to the side. He heard Ranya and Sinbad make sounds of concern. One of them caught him and tried to keep him awake but he was already fading in and out of consciousness.

Ahh, what horrible timing.


"D–[static noise] –id, give [static noise] back to me."

"I'm afraid that I can't do that, my dear. You gave me no choice. Fate gave us no choice. Don't worry. You will meet [static noise] again. But now, [static noise] needs to follow [static noise] fate."

"You can't do this. No. Nonononono. Don't. Don't. Don't take [static noise] away from me! Give [static noise] back! Give him back!"

"Goodbye, Sammi."

"DAVID!"


And here I shall stop. I'll let you guys mull that revelation over while I toss a Mirror, Mirror Omake at you ;)


Mirror, Mirror: Kougyoku [and Judal]

"Tao, what the heck are you doing with a stupid mirror?"

"Hey Tao. Hope you don't mind me dropping in."

Tao looked up from his inspection and waved at his little brother. "Kido! Princess Kougyoku! King Sinbad just handed me the most interesting object. Apparently, it's a mirror that is connected with an alternate world. That young magi and the scary blonde prince already looked into it, so it must be true."

"Really?" Interest piqued, Kougyoku came over to Tao's bedside. Judal stayed behind and eyed the mirror critically, already doubtful of its abilities. "Does it really work?"

Tao pouted, looking disappointed. "Not for me. It's the strangest thing. I can't even see my own reflection."

"Huh. Mind if I checked it out?" Tao handed the object over to Kougyoku. She peered into the glass and reared back when she was face-to-face with herself.

Except, it wasn't herself. It was a completely different 'Kougyoku' and Kougyoku had a feeling she knew who this one was. Her reflection squeaked in surprise when she saw a significantly different version of herself staring back at her.

"It really works!" Kougyoku's reflection squealed, making Kougyoku grimace at the high-pitched noise. "King Sinbad really was telling the truth! This is so interesting!"

"Hello?" Kougyoku asked hesitantly. Both Judal and Tao hovered close when they realized that the mirror was working. She cleared her throat nervously. "Um, hi. I guess we're from alternate universes?"

Her reflection nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! King Sinbad told me that your world is very similar to ours, but it looks like we're very different!" With wide eyes, her reflection looked at her uncovered shoulders. "Do you wear that all the time?"

Kougyoku shrugged, shamelessly showing off her bare shoulders as she did it. She enjoyed the scandalized yet excited expression that crossed her reflection's face as she did it. "It was something I decided to change into when I came over to Sindria. It's fitting for such a warm country, isn't it?"

"But…but…but…"

"Princess, you're going to make her brain melt. Stop teasing her." Judal came up from behind Kougyoku, hovering close enough for her reflection to see him. "And she's right. You should cover those shoulders."

Kougyoku snorted unattractively. "Of course. This is coming from the guy who only covered his shoulders and nothing else."

"Hey, I wore pants!"

Her reflection gasped. "Judal-chan?!"

Judal blinked and nodded at Kougyoku's reflection stiffly, unsure of how to receive this strange version of his Kougyoku. "Princess."

"Wow, you're so different!" She marveled. "Are you wearing robes? And you don't have any makeup on!" She pouted. "You looked prettier with them on."

Looking a bit affronted, Judal scowled. "Prettier?"

"You're very manly, of course." Kougyoku's reflection backtracked. "But it's more familiar to see you with it on, you know? You've always had it on ever since we were children."

"Children?" Judal repeated interestedly. "We were childhood friends?"

Kougyoku shifted uncomfortably at what her reflection was saying. She got the bigger picture now. This mirror was apparently connected to the original Magi world.

So that meant that her reflection was the original Kougyoku.

Kougyoku didn't know how to feel about the girl she replaced. She felt even more like an imposter now that she was in front of the real thing. Kougyoku glanced over at Judal, who seemed to be immersed in a deep conversation with her reflection.

"You seem very close with Judal-chan even though you two didn't meet when you were children." Her reflection noted shyly, bringing Kougyoku back into the conversation. She grinned and wrapped an arm around Judal's shoulders, making the other blush. She pointed to him. "You see this guy here? When we first met, Judal insulted me and I punched him. After that, he wouldn't leave me alone!"

Kougyoku's reflection looked between the two before gasping lightly and blushing in realization. "Oh!"

"Yeah." Kougyoku agreed. "Though I didn't really react as cutely as you did."

"You threw the present I tried to give you at my face." Judal grumbled while looking away from her. "More than once. I don't think you ever acted cute."

Kougyoku shot him a glare while her reflection giggled.

"Well, it's good that some things don't change. I'm glad that your Judal-chan teases you like mine does. Don't worry. At least yours doesn't call you an 'old hag'." She made a face. "I'm eighteen."

"Old hag." Kougyoku repeated with a laugh. "Didn't you call me something similar to that when we met?"

Judal shrugged in embarrassment and looked down. "Well, I was stupid back then and obviously blind. You're beautiful."

Kougyoku tried to laugh it off, but the earnestness in his voice and in the visions behind around him made her blush instead. Her reflection mirrored her actions and covered her mouth with her sleeves. "Oh my."

"Romantic, isn't he?" Tao decided to finally speak up.

Kougyoku's reflection jumped at the third voice. "Huh? There's someone else?"

"Yes, though you can't see me since Kido is hogging the mirror, it's nice to meet you. My name is Tao."


Now, onto the clarifications!

Shion's Dream Visions: Though I can't reveal how he's getting these memories, I can assure you that these aren't just tired hallucinations that he's having from a lack of sleep. They're real connections that will be connected to the Alma Toran Arc that is coming soon.

AliMor: Well, it's still not sailed, but at least the guy is trying, isn't he?

Shion's Three Personas: The Veteran, The Child, and The King were all different voices that we learned about since the near beginning of the fic. They're more important to the story in general than you think. Especially the King.

Baby Boom: Well, with the war being finished, this shouldn't be too surprising to all of you, is it?

Hakuryuu and Tiare: Their relationship is pretty important to Hakuryuu's growth in character. Tiare, despite her age, is pretty wise and logical, which counteracts Hakuryuu's lapses of moodiness and emo-ness. She's doing a pretty good job as his household member. (What cool stuff should I make her do as a dragon?) But I'm also focusing on how Tiare isn't a child any more. She's fourteen now. Morgiana was the same age during the beginning of the series.

Toto's Prejudice: It was bound to rear its head sooner or later. No, Toto's prejudice is not only limited to Sai and that makes her relationship with Amani a little bit strained. But please note that the reservations she has towards Amani is only from ignorance and the inability to understand the true function for Blessed Children. This does not make Toto a horrible person, however. She's still willing to learn and grow.

Alibaba's Arranged Marriage: Alas, he's still faced with the same problem. But, at least, his brother-in-law is doing this for his own good.

Cherry Boy: You know I had to.

And that's about all the clarifications I can think up for the moment! Any other questions, comments, or straight-up conversations, please PM me or place it in the review!

Thanks for the support!

Until next time!