vii - congelati

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Ren Shirou is an unknown variable.

No one know him beside the things Shirou told himself; of his forgotten past, the unclear present, and an unpredicted future. Shirou is a paper, one that had been drenched down until the ink on it faded.

A clean state.

A dirty memories.

Alibaba had asked almost anything that come to mind. In order to know him better, to trigger something, maybe.

"Do you have family?"

"I don't know." The red haired man smiled with his void eyes as they walked down the street. The sword hung on his waist and red headband keeping his hair from his forehead.

It was a gift from Alibaba. To celebrate Shirou joining the Troupe.

"What do you mean you do not know? You really don't remember your own family?" Alibaba asked, hands behind his head. Honestly he was expecting just that, but it won't hurt to make sure it's true.

Shirou nodded. "Exactly. I don't know. I don't know if I have siblings, or parents or granny, or uncle, aunt, nor do I remember a cousin." he stopped on his step and looked at him. "What about you?"

Alibaba grinned as he explained his own family to the swodsman in red. "Kassim is family, albeit adopted along with his little sister Mariam. And I had mother, she was a royal maid who served the late King of Balbadd, my father. She is beautiful you know? And my father is a wise man. I like to hear his advices and learn from him."

But then he remembered. "And my...half brothers..."

Frankly, he don't have many great memories regarding them. But he remember of those days they would drag him to see the garden, sky and sea—places they loved and speak dearly of.

But those days were long gone.

They had somehow evolved to became the tyrants who don't even know how to be a good king.

"Um..maybe we shouldn't talk about it anyway."

Shirou blinked at his statement, utterly confused but he didn't press the matter anymore. "Well, okay. Whatever you say."

Alibaba thanked him as they walked out of the border, entering to the forest. "Nah, how's your training going on?"

Shirou laughed awkwardly. "Ah..um. Not bad..I think."

Shirou, as strange as it is, asked him to teach him on how to do a Djinn Equip since that one time he accidentally make a fish fly off the sea and his sword changed into two different swords—one white and one black. It stayed like that for a whole five minutes before disappearing into blue particles. That happened in the port, around four days ago.

Alibaba had successfully materialized the blade of Amon before, on his several first try. A black greatsword that look so..cool, to put it simply—even if it is actually wrong, as Amon is a fire-based Djinn, and it is FREAKING HOT .

Shirou's Djinn Weapon looks awesome, with all the detail, distinct appearance and what-not; but it is practically useless as Shirou himself is not aware of how to use one and how did he even materialize them.

Alibaba said to compact his magoi on his weapon and it will do as long as you know it's name.

But Shirou can't use it no matter how many times he try or how loud he cried Niyet's name. The weapon won't respond, as if it's not his name.

—and that, that was a possibility Alibaba had come as a theory. That "Niyet" is not it's real name, but it's what everyone believe in. Everyone know him as "Niyet" and nothing else. They believe that "Niyet" is his name, and thus the one who conquered him didn't know about his real name and won't be able to use his ower until they did.

Now, now, that is one tricky Djinn. Alibaba feel lucky that he got a Djinn that is known to him.

Alibaba slapped on his shoulder. "Still stuck, you mean? It's alright, Shirou. Take it easy."

But in the other note, Alibaba is glad Shirou hadn't master his Djinn.

...it will be extremely inconvenient if Shirou changed his clothes into polka-dot pink every other day.

(And he wonder, where did Shirou's killing intent and THAT put on this hardworking and honest man.)

(It's unbelieveable. Things one will do to satisfy their faith.)

"Yes, you are right. Thanks." He smiled brightly.

"It's my pleasure to help a friend."

He will never forget this smile. In case Shirou will forget how to do one and he fall for his own faith.

(In case Alibaba failed to save him.)

At first, he want to forget everything related to that...one time, but he can't. His mind is still stuck in replaying it everytime he didn't want to think about anything.

...thus he choose to keep Shirou from falling .

(In case everything went downhill.)

He hope for time to freeze, he will cerish the very moment their eyes meet and the sound of their giggles echoed troughout the trees, bringing a warm, pleasant feeling with them.

He hope the time will stop and he don't need to lose anyone to the unpredictable future.

(Stay safe.)

"And, hey, you feel like a family!"

(Stay safe.)

"Do I?"

(I pray for you—) "You do!"

( —stay safe. )

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Because Alibaba doesn't want to run anymore. He will protect. He will keep. He will accept everything as it is.

Because he is the one they want him to be.

Because he is the one he himself want him to be.

Because to forget isn't hard.

Alibaba smiled—"If only the time could freeze."

"Eh, what did you just say?"

"No. Nothing."

(A friend. A honest one.)

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They are even more similiar than they ever think.

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trivia:

congelati is Italian for "freeze"