Chapter 10: What Needs To Do
The next day, Alibaba is sitting next to a bed that Aladdin is lying on.
"Hey Aladdin. Yesterday, Sahbmad nii-san came to see me." Alibaba tells the unconscious boy. "He asked me to save this country. This country really does need saving… Someone needs to do something. But… Am I really that someone? I've been trying really hard after coming back to Balbadd, but nothing I've done has gone well." He says as he puts his hands together. "You still kept believing in me, but I think… you might've been wrong. There are real heroes in this world. Like King Sinbad for example. He's so amazing. His courage is remarkable, his abilities are unmatched, and his charisma is undeniable. He was able to rally the entire Fog Troupe at the snap of his fingers." He tightens his hands. "I'm nothing compared to someone like him…"
Meanwhile, Vulpi and Morgiana are walking down the hallway to go to the room that Sinbad and his men are occupying.
"Vulpi-san, is it okay not being at Aladdin's side?" Morgiana asks.
"It's fine. Besides, all I'm going to do is cry every time I see him. Aladdin is like a little brother that I never had." Vulpi responds.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah."
When they reach to the door, they can overhear Sinbad's conversation with Ja'far.
"Both his abilities and his confidence leaves something to be desired." Sinbad says. "I'm really not sure why Aladdin chose him."
Morgiana grabs the handle tightly and opens the door as she slams her foot on the ground abruptly, surprising Sinbad who is drinking wine and Vulpi to be frighten.
"Morgiana!"
"Vulpi-san and I seen all the wounded for the time being." Morgiana reports.
"I-I see. Thanks. You two should take a break."
"It's true that Alibaba-san may lack confidence at times, but he's the one who saved my life from slavery." Vulpi looks at her. "So I believe that he'll be able to save this country too. Excuse us."
Vulpi bows at them before Morgiana closes the door and walks away. Later, Sinbad gathers Vulpi, Alibaba, and Morgiana to his room and they sit at the table on either side.
"In recent years, the Kou Empire's influence has expanded drastically, and they've transformed from a small to a military powerhouse." Sinbad tells them. "The power driving their transformation was unclear, but I finally figured it out yesterday. It's the Kou Empire's Magi, Judar."
"Judar." Alibaba mutters.
"I'm sorry, but what exactly is a Magi?" Morgiana asks.
"I'd also like to know the answer to that question."
Vulpi looks down since she knows what Magi is.
"Magi are known as the magician of creation. They can use magic to control rukh. But what we know them best for is their ability to raise Dungeons and guide people through them."
"Then you were also led through a dungeon by a Magi?" Alibaba asks.
"No. I conquered a Dungeon that Judar raised on my own. He didn't seem to like that too much and we've had many confrontations since then. But I'm the exception. Judar has led all sorts of people into his Dungeons, and help the Kou Empire develop into the extraordinary power it is today." He says as he puts six chess pieces on the map of the world. "His thirst for conquest shows no signs of stopping, and his pernicious influence has spread through the entire southern continent. And his next conquest is Balbadd." Sinbad picks up a chess piece on the map and slams it on Balbadd on the map. "Kou has been directly and indirectly meddling in Balbadd's affair for the past few years. And now, they're just about to bring the King of Balbadd under their control. Ahbmad has fallen for the cajoleries of the Kou Empire, and he has systematically brought this country to ruin. He's giving its land, its rights, and next he's going to give up its people as slaves. That is the biggest problem facing this country right now, and the one we must somehow solve."
"Then out enemies are the Kou Empire and Ahbmad Saluja?" Morgiana asks.
"You can break it down like that if you'd like."
Morgiana stands up.
"That's all I need to know." She says as Alibaba and Vulpi look at her. "Thank you."
"Thank you." Alibaba says as he stands up and Vulpi follows.
"Alibaba-kun." Sinbad calls. "I still have more discussion with you. Stay a bit longer. Just the two of us. Also, Vulpi, can you come back here later? There's something I need to tell you."
"Y-yes…" Vulpi replies and turns to Alibaba. "Then Alibaba-san, I'll see you later."
"Yeah. And Vulpi, you go and see Aladdin." Alibaba says. "He'll probably be happy if you're with him."
Vulpi looks at him for the moment and nods her head. She then leaves the room and goes to the room where Aladdin is resting. When she enters the room, Vulpi walks towards the bed and looks at Aladdin before she sits down on the chair that is near the bed.
"Aladdin." She calls. "We've been together for a year now, right? But there is something that I haven't told you yet… Hey, do you remember the first time we met? I was all battered up before we met."
~A year ago~
Vulpi is wobbling through the desert and collapses on the sand.
"I'm done for. Everyone died except for me." She thought and remembers her mother last words to her and tears appear on her eyes. "Okaa-sama… I'm sorry… I'm already…"
"Miss?" Vulpi moves her eyes to Aladdin who is sitting at her side. "Are you okay?"
"Who… are you…?" Vulpi asks before she loses consciousness.
"Ah, Miss!"
Once night comes, Vulpi is lying on her back and she opens her eyes.
"You're finally awake, Miss." Aladdin says and Vulpi turns her head to him. "I'm so glad. I'm Aladdin."
"Aladdin…" Vulpi says and she gets up. "I'm Vulpi."
"Vulpi-san. Hey, can you tell me why you're all the way out here?"
"Who knows?" Vulpi answers.
"Then can you tell me where you came from?"
"…I was born in a village that is in a forest, but my home was destroyed in a fire."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know that." Aladdin then sees her fox ears on her head. "Vulpi-san, what kinds of ears are those on your head?"
"Oh these?" She says as she touches one of her ears. "These ears are special characteristics for the village along with a tail."
"Heh, your village is pretty interesting."
"…Why are you traveling alone?" Vulpi asks.
"I'm not alone. Ugo-kun is with me."
"'Ugo-kun'?"
"Let me introduce you to him." Aladdin blows his flute and Ugo's body comes out, surprising Vulpi. "This is Ugo-kun."
~Present~
"At first, I thought you were joking around, but when you showed me Ugo-san, somehow I started to believe you." Vulpi continues. "Aladdin, I'm actually the daughter of the previous head of my village. That day when my village was in flames, I saw a man that visited my village to ask my father to cooperate with him. But he refuses. Our village was granted power to summon spirits from another plane and you probably know, we can hear and see the tragedies from being in a ruin village or a town." Vulpi then grabs Aladdin's hand. "I want to help you. I want to give you all the support I can, but…" Tears appear on her eyes. "With the state you're in, how can I help you?" She hunches her head and tears falls off from her eyes. Once she calms down, she wipes the tears off. "You're right, Aladdin. I need to be strong for you, Alibaba-san, and Morgiana." Vulpi then stands up before leaving the room.
"And Aladdin, I believe that you will come back to us." She thought and goes back to the room where Alibaba and Sinbad are. Once she reaches there, Vulpi knocks on the door and waits for a response.
"Come in." Sinbad's voice tells her and Vulpi opens the door. "I've been waiting for you, Vulpi."
"What do we need to talk about, Sinbad-san?" Vulpi asks.
"Well first, you should sit down. Then we'll talk." Vulpi sits at the table on the other side of Sinbad. "You're the previous head's daughter of Kazekiri Village, are you?"
"You know of my village?"
"Yeah. I also knew you father. He is my drinking buddy and I heard a lot about you from him."
"Otou-sama did?"
"He said that you're always working hard for the village and the villagers. Not only that, you work hard on your summoning spells. Now I look at you, you do look like your father. But I was really surprised when I first saw you and heard your name."
"Sinbad-san, if you were friends with my father, why didn't you save my village?"
"…When I heard that Kazekiri was destroyed and the villagers were caught in a fire, I wanted to help them, but with my position, I can't do anything."
Vulpi looks down stays silent after he said that.
"You may not know it, but your father said that you're his pride and joy. He told me that the last time I came to your village and gave me 'that' something."
"'That' something?"
"Your father somehow knew that the village will be in danger, so he gave me it so I can give it to you."
"Do you have it right now?"
"Don't worry, it's safely protected in Sindria. After all, it's the last thing from your father."
"I see." Vulpi says and she stands up. "Thank you very much."
Vulpi then exits the room, leaving Sinbad and closes the door. Vulpi notices after their discussion, night already came and sees Alibaba with his head down.
"Alibaba-san." Vulpi calls and he looks up a bit.
"Hi, Vulpi." Alibaba greets softly.
"What's wrong?" She asks and Alibaba slightly flinches.
"I-it's nothing." He stutters. "Vulpi, if you were told that you have to be a ruler, what you will do?"
"That's a good question. Ever since I was little, I have to be strong for my home since I'm the next head, but my home was destroyed in a fire."
"You have to be… strong…" Alibaba mutters.
"But I'm not sure that will give you the answer you want."
"No, thanks, Vulpi. Now I know what to do."
"Alibaba-san?" Vulpi calls and Alibaba runs past her. "Alibaba-san!"
"I'm going to ask Sinbad-san to help me something!"
~The next day~
Vulpi and Morgiana are carrying clothes for the injured as they walk through the hallway. Then look out through the window and see fire enveloping Alibaba's body and his dagger is also in flames.
"No good! Bring the flames in more!" Sinbad instructs him.
"Okay!" Alibaba responds and brings out more flames. Both Vulpi and Morgiana smiles at the scene and they continue on their way.
"Alibaba-san is working really hard." Vulpi says.
"Yes." Morgiana agrees.
"But we won't be left behind from him. Morgiana, let's do our best for Aladdin and Alibaba-san!"
"Of course!"
~The next morning~
Vulpi is stretching her arms out as she walks down the hallway. She then sees Morgiana is in lost in thought as she carries a bucket of water and walks down.
"What's wrong, Morgiana?" She asks and Morgiana looks up at her.
"Vulpi-san." Morgiana calls. "It's just that, when Alibaba was in Aladdin's room, he was acting strange."
"Strange?" Vulpi says.
"Yes. I think I've seen him like that before at Qishan. After that, he went off by himself…"
"By himself…" For the moment, Vulpi is thinking of those words and then she and Morgiana realize something. "Alibaba-san couldn't have-!"
Both of them quickly go to Aladdin's room and when they got there, Alibaba isn't in there.
"Alibaba-san, he must have gone to the palace. Let's hurry, Vulpi-san."
"Okay. I'll summon Bahamut—"
"That won't be necessary."
"Eh?" Vulpi looks at Morgiana with confusion and she grabs Vulpi to outside of the building. Once they are out, Morgiana picks up Vulpi and begins to jump building to building to go to the palace. When they are over the palace walls, they see Alibaba is surrounded by monstrous monkeys and a large monkey in front of him. Vulpi and Morgiana looks at each other and they nod before Morgiana leaps towards the large monkey and Vulpi jumps down as Alibaba charges at the large monkey. Morgiana then lands her knee on the monkey's cheek, subsequently, breaking two teeth out from the mouth to Alibaba's shock. After that, the monkey falls over and Morgiana lands on the ground.
"How could you go off by yourself?" Morgiana questions as he snaps out and Morgiana turns around to him.
"Morgiana! What are you doing here?"
"Morgiana's not alone, Alibaba-san!" Vulpi shouts and Alibaba turns around and see Sylph flying above her.
"Vulpi!"
"What do you want me to do, Vulpi?" Sylph asks.
"Take them out without hitting Morgiana and Alibaba-san."
"The red-haired girl and the blonde guy, right? Okay." Sylph says and gets his bow ready to shoot the arrow. "Wind Arrow!" Sylph let goes of the arrow and suddenly a wave of arrows goes straight to where the smaller monkeys are and they are pin to the ground.
"Why are you two here?" Alibaba asks as Vulpi walks towards them with Sylph following her.
"We want to help you." Morgiana answers.
"I thought you two would! That's why I didn't tell you two!" Alibaba exclaims. "There are some things I need to do by myself!"
"We know." Vulpi says.
"But that," Morgiana continues and the large monkey stands up again. "Those things do not include dealing with bunch of monkeys, does it?"
Alibaba looks up to see his older half-brother.
"Ahbmad!" He thought.
"We will deal with these." Vulpi tells him and Morgiana nods.
"There's no way I could let you two do that!"
"You can. We can do it. Vulpi-san, you should cover your ears." Morgiana tells her and Vulpi covers her ears as Morgiana breathes deeply. Then the smaller monkeys charge forward and Morgiana shouts with a screeching noise mix together. Morgiana turns around to the frightened Alibaba. "Alibaba-san! I'll be fine. I may not look it, but I am very strong."
"I-I know, but what about Vulpi?"
"I have Sylph here to protect me." Vulpi answers and Morgiana picks Alibaba up.
"Now go." Morgiana says before she throws Alibaba over the second wall as Alibaba screams. "Go! Hurry!"
Both Vulpi and Morgiana spread their arms out to block the monkeys to enter.
"We won't let you pass." Vulpi says and the large monkey walks toward them.
"You can't stop us, little girls." The large monkey speaks. "One of you could barely keep up with us last time."
"You think you've seen me at my best?" Morgiana questions and she jumps up and down as wind circles around Vulpi. "Prepare to get left behind in the dust."
The smaller monkeys charges at the two But they are torn apart from Morgiana's kicks and the torrent of winds circling around Vulpi. However, the torn part of the monkeys regrows and attacks them again. Once Morgiana stops moving, the monkeys piles one another onto her, but she kicks them again.
"I can't make an opening. Maybe if I take them all at once." She thought as she looks around and she remembers something. "That's right! If I could…" Vulpi glances at Morgiana making the same movement as Masrur from the hotel attack. Morgiana charges toward the monkeys to annihilate them at once, but she doesn't have enough speed to do it, subsequently, the monkeys stops her into a pile and she forces them to get off. "Not enough! I'm lacking both power and speed. I can't do that right now! I need to get over to where the big one is."
"Morgiana is in trouble. If only she has enough power to do that." Vulpi thought and looks around in the area. "Is there something that can help her?" She looks at the two towers and the two gates then she has an idea.
"Morgiana!" Vulpi calls. "Use the towers and the gates!"
Morgiana nods and she immediately jumps up to the wall and leaps near the top of the tower. "Are you trying to escape now that you've realize you can't win?"
"Sylph!" Vulpi calls.
"Okay!" Sylph sends some of the wind to Morgiana as she continues to leap from the gate, the first tower, the second tower, to the second gate.
"No. Alibaba-san and Aladdin are both fighting." Morgiana thought. "With Vulpi-san to support me, I will not run!"
Morgiana leaps from the second tower and dives in to the small monkeys, making the dust to spread. Then Morgiana jumps up and she kicks through the large monkey and crashes into another group of small monkeys, causing the first tower to fall.
"Morgiana!" Vulpi yells out her name and when the dust settles down, she sees Morgiana standing on one of the monkeys.
"I'm fine, Vulpi-san!" Morgiana replies and Vulpi runs up to her. Once she gets there, Morgiana smiles at her and Vulpi smiles back then they look up where the throne is.
"Do you think Alibaba-san will be okay?"
"I'm sure he is. He is our friend, after all."
"Yep. Right now this is all we can do."
"I hope you are able to do what you set out to do, Alibaba-san." Morgiana thought.
Suddenly, Vulpi's ears twitch and she turns around to see a pillar of light in the town.
"That light. It's coming from where Aladdin is." Vulpi thought and when she turns around to the palace, she sees a person standing on top of one of the larger towers. She takes a closer look and she widens her eyes, recognizing the person.
"Th-that man…" Vulpi stutters remembering when the man visited her village. "From that time…"
"What's wrong, Vulpi-san?" Morgiana asks and Vulpi looks down.
"I-It's nothing."
They hear the palace gate opens and Balbadd's people come in through the gates. Then they see Alibaba coming out of the throne room.
"Everyone! Please listen to me!" Alibaba shouts out, causing the people to silent. "Today, King Ahbmad has abdicated the throne." The people cheer from the news. "But there is no king to succeed him. Instead, Balbadd will cease to be a monarchy and recreate itself as a republic. The kingdom of Balbadd will recreate itself as the Republic of Balbadd!"
"Republic?"
"We're going to become a country without a king?"
"In a republic, the people rule themselves." Alibaba explains. "In my opinion, that is what the people of Balbadd have already been doing. In this crippled country, inflicted with heavy taxation, poverty, stress, and many injustices, you have protected your families as though they were your own territories and governed yourselves to the best of your abilities. Is that not so? There is still much war and chaos and abnormality in this world. None of us are immune from those things. But when they befalls us, and we find ourselves searching for a course of action, all we need to do is band together and think of a solution. Even when the solution isn't that obvious, we will come up with one that allows us to live happily with our families and with bravery in our hearts! Let us carve a path with our own two hands and create a place where we can live in happiness! That place is the new country of Balbadd!"
"The Republic of Balbadd!"
The people cheer accepting Alibaba's speech about Balbadd's future. Vulpi then looks serious and she turns around to the gate.
"Someone is coming." Vulpi thought. "Someone with an evil power."