Hello everyone out there!
So Magi belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka, my OC to me, there might be references to this world, music etc, spoilers for those who haven't read the manga this far and some spelling mistakes because I do the correcting stuff on my own and English is not my native language.
Even so, have a fun time reading!
Day 21 Asking the same question for weeks (and getting no answer except pitying looks)
"No training today," Muu told Lenka one morning as they were having breakfast. She made a questioning sound around her mouthful of bread and tilted her head while Miran pouted.
"The two of you often skip training, don't you?"
"This time the whole corps will skip, because I will be fighting in the arena. Sometimes the current best fighter of the Empire has to display his skills for the people to assure them that they can't find someone better to protect them."
"And who will you be fighting? And how many?"
Miran's excited smile was in conflict with Lenka's deepening frown until the boy noticed it and slowly secured his bacon and scrambled eggs. Muu on the other hand didn't notice and answered with a wide smile.
"Your friend Alibaba has asked for a match. Don't worry, I won't hurt him too much, the fight will end when he yields. It'll be fun after I have fought you, as you have learned under the same master and the two of us are sparring rather often. I wonder how different your styles are..."
Miran made a beeline for the stairs when her frown turned into a smile, causing the other fanalis to look at the smoking trail in confusion, then at Lenka, and finally he realized that he should have either been silent about this, acting innocent or apologizing by now. Or running, like Miran.
"Is something wrong? Too salty?"
"No," she answered and the chill in her voice gave him goosebumps. This was a tone he knew well from his childhood, his mother had used it when he had been doing something particularly stupid.
"Just why do you think fighting him in the arena is a good idea?"
The way she put weight in some of the words she seemed to think of as especially important was almost the same as well. Muu decided that apologizing was the better way to deal with this. He loved life too much to die now.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't know I had to ask you for permission first."
Somehow this was the wrong thing to say again, as the temperature in her eyes fell again. Luckily she had no ice-djinn, or else he would have been turned into an icicle this very moment.
"I'm really sorry."
Lenka sighed and placed her knife next to her platter and the cold aura disappeared.
"Men. At least you have the excuse that you have to prepare for war. Being a soldier and such. I can't forget the way I was raised. No sane would suggest to fight in front of a few hundred blood-thirsty spectators with sharp – sharp! – swords to boot. Swords are meant to rust in museums, not used in wars."
"So what do you use then?" he asked interested, glad to move away from the dangerous minefield that was the upcoming match against Alibaba.
"Weapons similar to the magic devices the pirates have, only that they use rounds for ammo and have various types of guns and munition – I noticed that you're trying to distract me."
Muu flinched and grinned, caught red-handed.
"Really, Lenka, what is your problem with us crossing swords?"
Her face blanked for a few seconds then she blushed bright red, yelped and jumped from her chair as if she had made a shocking discovery to pace back and forth, shook her head very fast, ruffled her hair, her mouth moved but no word came out. Maybe she was talking to her djinn or thinking, either way he found it really funny to watch. He had seen Myron behaving very similar when her imagination was running wild with interesting speculations.
"Do what you want," she murmured after a while and snatched the tableware to bring it into the kitchen, not looking at him directly. He was confused again – did he have permission to fight Alibaba now or not?
Miran peeked around the wall, waved at him, sneaked back into the room to place his plate on the table then whispered:
"Translated this means 'you're an idiot for going to fight him, I'm really angry now'."
He snickered at the man's surprised face.
"My mom used to tell my father the same when he did something like that. Don't worry, she still likes you."
"Miran, my hearing was good from the beginning, the fact that I'm not a fanalis doesn't mean that I'm deaf," Lenka's voice came from the kitchen and the two red-heads flinched guiltily.
And so she was back in the spectator area of the arena, a place she avoided to visit like the devil avoided holy water and Miran porridge and vegetables. This time Lenka was sitting with the fanalis corps in one of the lower ranks with Razol on her one side and the boy on the other to stop her if she would try to interfere. During the wait fir the fight Lenka tried to remember when in the original storyline of Magi the fight between Muu and Alibaba had happened but her memories had become really gibberish and vague. Maybe her being in this world had changed more than she feared already, since she was more or less a walking spoiler.
"Oh! Oh, it's starting! There he is!"
Muu walked through the gate into the arena, grinning and waving at the spectators while the announcer summed up his past victories and deeds. He was clearly liked by the crowd, Lenka spotted a few young women squealing in admiration and frowned irritated. So he had fangirls, what was the matter with that? Okay, he had fangirls throwing flowers before the fight had even started. Like a rock star. Except that he was fighting and not singing. Don't imagine him in leather pants... too late. Damn, this was a good image.
Orobas made a strangled sound in the back of her mind while Eligos agreed with her.
"And the other combatant, the Shambal School's Alibaba!"
Alibaba had fangirls as well. Now that was more than weird, and she was a master of weird situations. It was almost frightening.
Muu and Alibaba bowed then drew their swords.
"Fight!"
The crowd cheered and the sound of swords clashing almost drowned in the noise when the the fighters started their attacks. Lenka was relived that Alibaba had gotten better since their training in Sindria, dungeon capturings and intense battles in the arena as well as straining sessions of sparring with other gladiators did wonders. He was so good now that she was almost thinking that he had been going easy on her when they had been sparring under Sharrkan's sharp gaze, his movement was fluid and his style was not simply royal Balbaddian style any longer, but a mixture of - she couldn't describe it another way - awesomeness. She would have never thought she would ever think of Alibaba's sword fighting as awesome. He was growing up so fast.
"The kid is good," Razol whistled in appreciation and inhaled sharply as Alibaba's sword grazed Muu's arm and a small red line appeared on the tanned skin.
"Whoa. Really good. Under which rock was he hiding?"
"He's from Balbadd but lived in Sindria for the last months," Lenka answered through gritted teeth.
"He's her pet, Alibaba," Miran told the scarred woman who laughed at the words.
"Your pet? Really? Oh Solomon, I'd love to hear the story behind that."
"Maybe some day."
This was torture. Both of them were good, really good and watching the fight was nerve-wracking to an extend where her fists were clenched so tight that the knuckles were white and the nails were painfully digging into her palms. Every move, every parry, step, attack they were making was almost blurred so fast was the exchange of blows. Both were bleeding now from several shallow wounds, Muu was grinning wide in his excitement while Alibaba frowned concentrated. She wanted nothing more than to jump down and stop them before one of them would slip or make a mistake and get his hand or arm or leg or head cut off or get stabbed in the guts or the heart-
Hey, Lenka, there's no need to watch them, talk with us! I'm lonely, Orobas complained and her inner tension subsided.
Sure. What are you doing at the moment?
I'm mourning the times when it was only the two of us wandering around Balbadd. That was funny.
Even though Judar was there?
Grr, I still need to punch him. Perverted girly brat.
You know, I think of traveling to Kou before the Magnostadt war begins. I promised Kougyoku I would.
Sure. Just grab Miran and then we can take off. You're not safe with this guy around.
Now you're overreacting, Lenka chuckled and touched the pendant through her scarf.
Actually I think he's got a point there, Orias said and frowned at the frying pan he was holding.
You don't need a man in your life now. He will distract you.
… we have crossed the point of no return already, Gusion murmured and flipped to the next page of her book. Lenka frowned as well.
What do you mean?
Nothing, Lenka. Nothing, really.
Do you want to see what Eligos does in her free time?
What do you do?
The djinn grinned and held a picture of the twins into the air. Actually, not really a picture in the actual sense, more along the lines of...
You do perverted fan art of the twins? Eligos! Lenka gasped and shook her head at Miran who watched her curiously. Eligos nodded with a squeal.
It's so great living with them! So many opportunities! And look, I don't need to invent that much! Look what Orias is wearing!
Only because you stole my other apron! Orias growled and flipped a pancake.
…
… you should wear nothing under that apron.
You can cook your lunch all alone, I'm quitting! he yelled and ripped the pink frilly apron away and stomped on it to strengthen his position then glared at the others, an unholy light shining from his silver eyes.
The cheer of the crowd ripped her out of the scene and Lenka looked down into the arena. Muu and Alibaba were shaking hands, apparently the fight was over. And she missed quite a bit due to her chat with her djinn. But the sight of Orias in that apron had been more than worth it. She could almost understand Eligos' craze with the twins.
Razol nudged her shoulder.
"We're waiting outside for Captain, are you coming, too?"
Lenka shrugged and stood up.
"I think I will look after Alibaba, too."
"Good luck, normal people have hardly chances to get into the dungeons."
Luckily she had luck and met Toto again. The gladiator was always there when you needed her. Lenka decided she should visit more often and bring her goodies until Toto asked:
"So how far has your relationship progressed? Alibaba wouldn't tell Toto a thing."
The blonde leaned a bit away to look at her in disbelief.
"Whose relationship with whom? Me and the biscuits? Eternal love I'd say."
"Yours and Captain Muu's of course."
Toto sighed at the blank stare from Lenka.
"So Toto guesses you're not together yet."
"Why should we be together?"
"Toto didn't know you could shriek like that. Interesting."
"Why, Toto, why? Where did you hear that rumour?"
Now it was the gladiator who stared blankly at the other woman.
"He behaved like you were the last time you were here. Did Toto misunderstand something?"
"YES."
"Aw. What a pity. You would have been a cute couple."
"NO Way iN hEll."
"Toto realizes you have problems seeing the obvious," she sighed and led her to the single room where the doctors were working on the fighters already. Alibaba waved as he spotted the two women.
"Hey, Toto, Lenk-oww!"
"What were you thinking, fighting each other," she hissed and rubbed her fist into his scalp after giving him a clout then glared at Muu who had the nerve to chuckle.
"And you. I should braid your hair and decorate it with white flowers for your idiocy."
"Thanks for caring about us, but I assure you, we are fine. And I like my hair the way it is."
"Grr!"
Lenka shook her fist in front of his face.
"You are so lucky you're hurt or I would drag you to the training grounds and wipe the floor with you, Muu. And that would hurt like a motherf- uhm, you know what I mean, because I would use djinn equip. I died at least three times up there when watching your fudged up attempt to prove your manliness! Tell me you're sorry for trying to kill me through stupid sword-fighting! I'm so, so, argh! Angry! Fudge!"
Alibaba snickered.
"You know, the Lenka I knew would never stop in the mid of a curse."
"The Lenka you knew wasn't single mother to a nine year old who loves to learn new things, especially fighting and recipes, and big sister not only to Valerie and Henry but to Morgiana and Aladdin as well!"
"And what am I?"
"Pet-baba the dog," Lenka deadpanned then started laughing at his face. Screaming was always a good way to deal with agressions.
"You know, I didn't get the name of your kid's father," Alibaba mused with a grin then yelped in horror as she turned towards him with a frightening smile.
"Did you say something Alibaba?"
"Toto says Muu could be the father, Miran's a fanalis," Toto said teasingly then flinched as the smile was directed towards her now. Lenka sighed, shook her head then looked at Muu.
"I have terrible friends, don't you-"
He was looking directly at her, a hungry expression in his eyes that caused a pleasant shiver to run down her spine. Lenka felt a blush rising to her cheeks at the intensity of his gaze before he closed his eyes and smiled.
"I hope this counts me as well."
She blinked surprised – had she been seeing right? - then shrugged.
"I think so. If you want to be my friend. We're spending hours every day together, don't we?"
"That's true."
Toto facepalmed with a sigh.
"You're hopeless."
Guys, I have a question. Do you think that Muu fancies me?
Eligos and Gusion shot her incredibly pitying looks, Orias raised a scroll to cover his blushing face and Orobas seemed to deliberate if he should cry in desperation or get a voodoo to work.
… seriously? Lenka, I don't know how you can be so clever and yet so dense, Gusion sighed after a few seconds.
Eligos agrees with her.
Hey! Now do you think he is or he isn't? That's crucial!
Eligos won't tell you anything.
… You have to find it out yourself.
"Great. Since when did you behave like complete gits I wonder?" Lenka murmured and stretched her arms. She was almost stiff from sitting cross-legged on a bench next to the training grounds, her sword balanced on her knees and her hands had been placed loosely on the hilt and the sheath. Once in a while she would withdraw from sparring and meditate to talk with her djinn as they had great ideas how to use her power in an actual battle. And a battle was sure to come.
Lenka was sure that it might be less than ten months to the war with Magnostadt and the following battle against the medium and only a bit more than a year to the day X. The last chapter of Magi she remembered to have read was the one where Aladdin had pushed Judar into outer space and Alibaba had died after Hakuryuu chopped him with the Belial-equip.
The question how to change this future had followed her the last week like an annoying fly, always buzzing in the back of her head and persistent as bubble gum at the sole of a shoe. Thinking about it made her feel hope- and powerless, thus she either started to brood in isolation with occasional questions directed to her djinn, sorted her treasure or trained like mad with the fanalis corps, much to their joy and confusion. And so another problem had formed, or rather it had been present for a longer time. Said problem just walked over to her, grinning wide so that many white teeth were shown.
Happy puppy. If he had a tail he would wag it now, Lenka mused and smiled up at Muu.
"Hey. How's the weather up there?"
"Sunny, even though the wind is a bit cold," he joked and sat down as well.
"Have you heard of the founder's feast coming up? It's a big party every year, we celebrate the founding of Reim Empire through Remus several hundred years ago. We of the fanalis corps decided to go to a tavern in the inner city this time as the place we celebrated last year is still under construction."
"I think I can guess what happened. It sounds similar to the Sindrian maharaghan, doesn't it? It's the harvest festival there, the whole island celebrates when a southern sea creature is slain by the generals. Huge beasts, but very tasty. I participated in dances both times. It's absolutely fantastic. So many pretty girls, good food and barrels with the best Sindrian wine..."
Muu smiled then reached her a small scroll.
"I met Lady Scheherazade this morning as I helped her to prepare the service before the festival. It seems this an invitation for you as she proclaimed you her king candidate."
The blonde nodded while reading the letter, which said pretty much the same as Muu had just told her – except one thing.
"She wants me to go shopping but with her will pay for the dress. Look, she even added the name of a store."
He leaned over to skim the message, a strand of his hair brushed Lenka's shoulder and Orobas made a whining sound as if he was a puppy or wanted to tell her something very important. She sighed at the djinn's behavior, because, seriously, there was nothing between them, was it? They were friends, or so she though, as they were training together almost every day and he fetched her and Miran every morning, but more than that? Never.
"Huh, it really seems so. The feast is held in ten days, you should better grab Myron and get yourself a dress tailored. You will steal the spotlight for sure."
"Thanks for the compliment," Lenka said then slowly stood up, her legs really were stiff after sitting cross-legged for what felt like ages then shielded her eyes from the sun to look over the sparring pairs until she found the other Alexius further down talking to Razol.
"Okay, I'll be on my way then. I hope it doesn't take too long. Oh, doesn't it look like there is a brawl over there?"
Muu followed her outstretched finger then jumped from the bench.
"It is. Hey, be nice to each other!"
"Don't get thrown into a wall!" shouted the traveler as he raced to the fight then walked over to Myron and Razol who were watching the commotion with more or less interest but switched their attention to the blonde instead as she was close enough to communicate not through shouting.
"Look what I've got here, Myron. That's a job for you, isn't it?"
The two fanalis read the parchment then Muu's sister grabbed Lenka's arm with an almost frightening gleam in her red eyes.
"Let's go, immediately. It's only shortly after noon, we can get this done soon. A dress for the founder's feast... My brother will obviously wear his armor, but maybe with a toga this time... But that letter came at a superb time, there is something I wanted to discuss with you."
"I'll come with you, or else you won't get dinner," Razol grinned then took the other arm to drag her away.
The store Scheherazade was in one of the wealthier quarters of Remano, the shop owner knew Myron with name and almost crawled in front of her as the half-fanalis handed her the letter with the words "Make a dress worth of her status."
"So what's your status, Len?" joked the scarred woman and made herself comfortable in one of the plushy sofas as two assistants started to run around the blonde who shrugged slightly.
"Heir of a noble family with expanding business, dungeon capturer and temporary ambassador of Sindria or such I've been told. Maybe I've forgotten a few titles."
Myron's Rukh brightened joyful at this words while she only cocked a brow unlike Razol and the head tailor, first whistled in astonishment and latter nearly dropped the cloth she was holding then turned to grab a pale green silk.
"I-is this to your liking, madam?"
"Take off that scarf of yours, she has to wear something that goes well with the sword, the armor and the jewelry," Myron commanded then graciously sat down on the sofa and picked up the tea cup, small finger stretched away like a proper lady.
"Anyway, what I wanted to talk with you Lenka... I think my brother likes you."
The blonde blinked.
Say whaaaat?
"Pardon me but what?"
"I think my brother likes you," Myron repeated with a quick roll of her eyes. Lenka blinked again while the tailor who wrapped the cloth around her shoulder asked "This color?"
"No, that makes you look like a dead body, albeit a pretty dead body," Razol answered instead and munched a cookie from the platter that waited on a excellently crafted wooden table. The blonde blinked a third time as the gears in her head slowly started turning again. Somehow her brain didn't work like it used to do, Eligos was squealing too loud, Orobas was howling insults and Orias and Gusion had disappeared somehow to plot.
"Your brother."
"Yeah, my brother Muu Alexius. Who else should I be speaking about?"
"Likes me."
"Do I have to spell it for you? He. Likes. You."
"Is this a joke?"
Myron looked like she was about to snap the tea cup while Razol started to giggle then laughed as the foreigner continued to look extremely confused and slowly shook her head. Apparently the usually calm Myron was really obsessed with her brother.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't see why he should be interested in me. I'm not exactly the most suitable person for him out there, am I? Plus we don't really know each other and oh my god this can't be true, he can't do that, can he? I needed a dating app to find my boyfriends before!"
Now it was the other who blinked surprised then ignored the addition.
"You can't see why he should be interested in you? Are you so oblivious or stupid? No, not this color either. Something that makes her shine, you know?"
"I am neither," Lenka mumbled and rubbed her temples. "I'm just absolutely relationship-incompatible."
"You serious?" Razol said with a grin and appearing frown. "You are clearly a loving parent, funny, understanding, clever, your boobs are big and your ass is nice as well. Why wouldn't a guy want a girl like you? To squeeze that deliciously juicy butt? Isn't that so?" she asked the assistants who nodded in agree.
"See, I would ask you out if I was a guy."
"Wait a second, since when do you know how my butt looks like?"
"Since you fought Ignatius in that ridiculously skimpy djinn equip." Myron replied and the corners of her mouth were twitching upwards as the blonde blushed.
"Oh holy shit."
"Back to the topic, why do you think it's a bad idea to fall in love with you, Lenka?" Razol asked and rubbed the scar on her arm. The foreigner sighed then stretched her own arm out as the tailor brought another pale colored silk, this time golden.
"I just say it how it is. We know almost nothing about the other."
"Nonsense, he spent almost every minute of the last two months with you. This is better, place it next to me as a candidate. Maybe something creamy white, which throws folds easily. I think about a long dress with a deep v-neck..."
"I have a dress like that already, from Sindria," Lenka interrupted, glad to change the topic then pulled the knee-long dress with the silver ornaments from her first party out of the space, causing the tailors to gasp in surprise. Myron jumped up, grabbed it then held it in front of the blonde.
"This is really good. Something like this, in creamy white, maybe this golden silk one if there is none and a blue palla. Green if the blue is not satisfying.
So, back to the topic," she continued as the assistants hurried into the storage to fulfill her wish and the blonde started to marvel her persistence.
"I bet he knows more than enough about you already. Other problems?"
"Why are you bringing this theme up now?"
Myron sighed almost pained and rubbed her temple.
"We had a family meeting yesterday and mother was nagging again that he should finally marry and settle down and present her some grandchildren she could spoil rotten. He's going to be thirty soon."
"Thirty? I'm not even twenty!" Lenka yelped and Razol nodded in agree.
"The age gap might be a problem if you are uncomfortable with it, but here in Remano are many husbands older than their wives. Ten years is not much.
What did he tell your mom?"
Myron sighed again and placed the cup on the plate.
"He told her he had recently met someone with whom he could imagine having a family but had to ask her first."
"And why do you think it's me?"
"Because we meet almost every Sunday to eat dinner together and the only new woman he spent a considerably amount of time with was you."
Lenka buried her face in her hands.
"Oh God... this is not good."
The two fanalis looked at each other in confusion and growing despair. What was so wrong with her that she refused falling in love so much? Myron shrugged and mouthed 'this won't be easy'. Razol nodded and stood up.
"Let's leave the topic for now. Hey, this white really looks good on you, you've a nice tan."
"Thanks," she said with a long sigh.
"Guys, this will be more difficult than we'd assumed," Razol told Yaqut, Lolo and the other conspirators. Relahe, a pre-thirty formerly from Heliohapt nodded wisely after she heard the gist of what the dungeon capturer girl told the others then looked at Flavia, half-blood ex-slave from Napolia.
"Don't worry that much about it, if it comes to the worst I will use my husband's knowledge to save the situation."
"Your husband is a pharmacist, what could he do?" Lolo asked. Relahe giggled and exchanged looks with Myron who paled instantly.
"I trust in the power of a love potion."
"We won't use this on my brother, it would ruin the reputation of the corps and his as well!"
"Don't be such a scaredy cat," Razol said and nudged her friend affectionately. "We won't have to use this if everything goes smoothly after our plan. Mission 'Get our captain and Lenka to become a couple' or short, GCALTBAC will be a success!"
"What a stupid name," muttered Flavia.
"Though I don't have a better suggestion to make."
On the other side of the field Muu started to sneeze. Yaqut raised a brow.
"Are you okay, Captain? Catching a cold?"
"I hope not."
"Guys, captain is sick!"
"Captain! Don't die!"
"I'm fine I said!"
"How you know when a guy likes you?" Alibaba asked with his brows raised so high they were almost touching his hairline. Lenka nodded and balanced on the chair in her friend's room at the gladiator school then sneezed. Somewhere someone was talking about her. Or maybe she was catching a cold. Garuda the Maurenian baboon made a few howling noises then settled in a corner with a heap of fruit. The foreigner was still wary of the gladiator beast but Alibaba seemed to have taken a liking to the ape, and Garuda liked Alibaba, but that was really, really weird.
He sighed and sheathed Amon's sword he had been polishing then switched on his 'manly' behavior, took his chin in one hand and gestured with the other.
"Lenka, Lenka, the manly heart is a delicate and complicate thing,"
"Alibaba's heart is fragile and complicated, but he's terribly dense, so don't tell him he is," stage-whispered Lenka and giggled as he shot her a glare that was nothing in comparison to her own Death Glare.
"Anyway, complicated hearts and-"
"Why was I asking you, you haven't even had a girlfriend, nor have you ever made kissing experience or ever touched a girl. You faint when I say 'sexual intercourse'," she groaned and chose to ignore his second glare. Alibaba tried to keep up his 'manly' facade for another minute of muttering and failed terribly as he blushed cherry red. Lenka deliberated if she should just leave the room, go home, charge her smartphone and plan the destruction of Al-Thamen through fluffy kittens, pink unicorns and soda cupcakes, as fluffy kittens, pink unicorns and too sugary-sweet cupcakes were the death to everyone who was not a five year old girl. Just when she agreed to having them listen to Britney Spears to make them yield he finally answered "I'm still waiting for the right woman to spent the rest of my life with."
Solomon, it took him this long? Gusion muttered while Orobas mentally hugged his queen.
I have Lenka, and will never leave her for the rest of her life and she will love me like I am.
Gross! But Eligos likes her as well! the female cheered and Orias suddenly took a strong interest in one of the chains hanging from his choker while blushing pink to the tips of his pointy ears.
… if I was swinging that way I could think about it.
Lenka sighed gravely and rubbed her temples.
"Yeah, but how will you court her when you realize it's the right one? That's my problem: I can't really say what he's doing, you know? One minute he act like an older brother, then like a friend and then he looks at me with those eyes that tell he he wants nothing more than to-"
"I get it, I get it, no need to elaborate!"
"I say 'eye-fucking'!"
"Geez, Lenka!"
"A girl knows when someone is staring at her ass! Don't underestimate this sixth sense, Alibaba!"
He blushed scarlet when she started to laugh at his discomfort then scratched his nose while thinking. Garuda came over and tried to pet his hair, a gesture that made Lenka tilt away even further. Creepy ape.
"I think I would tell her how I feel?" he said after a few minutes and the traveler sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Even before that. In woman logic this marks the beginning of a relationship. I need to know how you court a woman in this world. I'm fairly familiar with how it works in my world and in the history of my world, but here? Not a chance.
Would you go out with her, treat her to dinner, tell her stories of you past adventures, ask her opinion on political matters on something like that?"
Alibaba rubbed his chin then nodded with a superior expression.
"Of course I would do things like that, and even more. I'd buy her everything she wants-"
"Don't fall for a gold-digger."
"and treat her to the best cuisine I could afford-"
"Aren't you broke right now?"
"Oh, shut up, Lenka, I'm trying to figure out what I would do!"
"Alibaba, be a tad more realistic," the reply came with a dry chuckle. "You have to make contact with her first, after the the outside the inside is even more important. Talk to her to find out if she is sane or not, has similar interests, funny, good with children, can take care of the household, is a family person or not and, most importantly, if you could imagine being with her for your entire life."
He blinked then looked at her with big eyes and Garuda returned to her corner.
"Are those your standards?"
She fell almost from her chair but Gusion froze the wood to the floor.
"Most women decide after this deliberations if they can choose their husbands. Money plays a big role as well, if some has stable income or not. It doesn't matter to me, because I'm filthy rich."
Alibaba scowled, causing her to giggle in delight before coming back to the topic.
"So, how do you know when a guy likes you?"
He stood up and paced along the room then sighed.
"Look, I can't really tell because I've never been in a situation like this," he hissed between gritted teeth. Lenka sighed then stood up as well to ruffle his hair like Garuda did before, causing a very un-manly squeak to escape him.
"I see. So then I have to figure things out myself then. You're growing up, Alibaba. The kid I met in Balbadd would have never said something like this..."
"Then don't treat me like your pet!"
The door opened with a loud bang and Shambal strode in.
"Children, would you like to see-"
"No!"
"I've seen more of you than I ever wanted to see," Lenka deadpanned then sighed.
"Sorry, Shambal, but I'm having a problem I can't solve on my own. And Alibaba's useless. Even though he's growing up."
"Hey!" the other dungeon capturer protested then seemed to realize something.
"Was he naked when you first met him as well?"
"He scarred Miran, my djinn and me for the rest of our lives."
Uwah, don't mention it, I was sure I had blocked it! Orobas yelled, Gusion turned her jackal ears to seal ears and closed them, Orias took a sickly pale green color and Eligos counted animals again to distract herself. Shambal coughed in his fist as the blondes hugged in shared mental scarring.
"Anyway, little Miran has come to get you, Lenka."
A loud patter announced the arrival of the small fanalis that instantly jumped at Lenka and almost tackled her to the floor while starting to ramble about his day.
"Hey, Lenka, guess what? Lolo praised me for defeating Marcus today, and he's really cool, so this means he likes me, doesn't he? And then he started to fight with Myron and Muu tried to intercept the fight and crashed through the bushes into a wall and left a Muu-shaped hole in the wall! He was not injured, though, just a few bruises and his hair got tangled with leafs and twigs so he looked like an oversized fanalis wood gnome!"
"Whoa, I have never heard a fanalis talking this much," Alibaba said in surprise and awe. Miran turned his big red eyes to the blonde man then grinned wide, showing the small gap where he had lost one of his baby teeth the day before.
"You are Alibaba? I'm Miran. Lenka has told me stories of your adventures – mostly the parts where you got pranked," he added and giggled as Alibaba deflated and pouted at the woman.
"What stories do you tell kids of me?"
"Training incidents and the days where you had been defenseless" she answered with an evil grin, causing the other to shiver in recollection of the past events in Sindria, Miran chuckled and Shambal let out a hearty laugh.
"See, I knew you had fire, Miss Lenka. Do you really don't want to fight in the arena for the fame and excitement?"
"My life is exciting and life-threatening enough already," Lenka replied dryly.
"Plus I have to take care of my little monster here."
"By taking care of me I hope you mean giving me dinner, I'm starving!"
"You heard the abyss of Miran's stomach speak to us. We'll be leaving."
She gave Alibaba a peck on the cheek and shook hand with Shambal before leaving the room. The old Yambala chuckled and shook his head.
"I wonder how her relationship with the young Alexius is progressing. Do you have more information, Alibaba?"
"Not really," he muttered, trying to keep up his 'manly' facade. Or maybe... With a frown he remembered the event that had happened about a month ago, when Muu Alexius had chosen to visit him.
"So, what is your relationship with Lenka?" the tall fanalis asked with a friendly, almost too friendly smile. Alibaba gave him a bemused glance.
"Lenka? That Lenka? Triple, no now quadruple dungeon capturer? The crazy blonde with the huge eh, assets?Are you ins-, I mean, you do mean her?"
Muu nodded, friendly smile still plastered on his face even though a hairline crack appeared.
"Exactly that Lenka that has been training with the fanalis corps and Reim's dungeon capturers for three months now."
Uhhh, what a way to make friends, Alibaba started to sweat then was instantly reminded that fanalis could smell better than normal humans and awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Oh, okay. Well, we have... past. Or something like that. We spent around seven months together in Sindria. And a few weeks in Balbadd before that. During... the revolt there," he ended a bit gibberish. Oh Solomon, the smile had turned into a grin that looked eerily like he was threatening him.
"I see. Care to explain a bit further?"
The 'further' had the hint of a growl in it and Alibaba flinched. That man was dangerous, a bit like Sinbad and yet not in the least like him. The constant smiling reminded him of Ja'far, but the advisor would gut him if he would take another second to think about this.
"She's evil," he bursted out and felt a blush appear on his cheeks. "Not only that she constantly teases me she even has the craze to treat me like her little brother! I'm just a little brother to her, not even a man, sometimes even a pet! You can't imagine the countless jibes and nasty comments that came from her! And the pranks! I'm scarred!"
Maybe Muu patted his back a bit harder than normally and he didn't really have to make that concerned face, Alibaba didn't know, he was busy collecting the shreds of dignity back together.
"There, there, I know she can be quite... strange sometimes."
"Strange was never the problem, she made almost constantly dirty jokes about... things. Solomon, that was so embarrassing! It was like... like having a big brother with an extremely foul mouth!"
The corners of Muu's lips twitched upwards.
"I see. Must have been really hard for you."
"Hard is an understatement! She forbade me eating the sweet stuff because she said I would get fat and I saw her feeding the fish in the pond with the sweet bread only minutes later. And she ate it herself as well!"
And so all the embarrassing details of his Lenka-inflicted torture gushed out of Alibaba who had no chance but to talk the stones off his soul. Muu was a good listener, despite the somehow threatening feeling that he had sent out before.
"So you weren't her lover?"
Alibaba stared at the other with utter disbelief.
"Didn't you hear what I said? She treated me like her little brother. Like her pet. Though Sinbad was after her like he is after every woman. And we thought that there was something between her and Ja'far, Sinbad's advisor, because she spent much time in the office helping him with the official matters, but besides that there wasn't really anything that caused rumors. She was pretty good with us guys, up to the point when we were out drinking and my master asked her for her techniques to flirt with girls and they spent half an hour discussing how to conquer successfully. That was really weird."
He frowned at the shadow that ghosted over Muu's features as he mentioned Sinbad and continued his rambling.
"But then she said before she would ever get a relationship again Kouen and Sinbad would, and those were her words, not mine, proclaim their undying love for each other and live together shagging happily and having dinner with Sinbad's seven thousand seven hundred seventy-seven bastard children and their households. Insane number, don't know where she got that from.
And when master Sharrkan asked her for her favorites she answered family-friendly red-heads who knew how to make or where to get delicious food."
Alibaba felt really strange when the man's grin brightened like someone had lit a candle inside him, or rather, catched the sun and fed him with the light. Sparkly white teeth. Many sparkly white teeth. Somehow this friendly grin made him shudder.
"I see. Now that is something I can work with.
Would you like to spar with me when you are free? I've seen several of your fights in the arena. Crossing swords with you would be seriously interesting."
"Oh Solomon what have I done!" yelped Alibaba when he suddenly realized that the man had been questioning him! And moreover, he hadn't even got one of the hints the fanalis had dropped!
Shambal sighed and left the room as the young gladiator fell on his bed, sobbing about things being unfair and that he was the only one who wouldn't find a girlfriend until he was old and gray.
"Kids these days."
When Lenka and Miran finally got home after dinner at a small booth which sold tasty beef stew the next surprise waited for them. As soon as they had put the groceries they had bough on the way away someone knocked at the door. The traveler was very surprised to see Inara, the mother of Miran's friend Marcus, and her husband Ryder on her doorstep.
"Well, hello there. Is everything okay? Come in, do you want to drink tea?"
They sat a bit awkwardly on her sofa and scanned the living room with the small sideboard and the pretty vase placed on it while she rustled around to boil water and prepare three cup until Miran rumbled downstairs.
"Hey, Inara, Ryder, where is Marcus? Did something happen?"
Inara smiled warmly at him.
"Nothing, happened, dear. We just wanted to talk with Lenka about... a delicate matter. Adult things."
Miran shrugged then raced upstairs again. The blonde placed a platter with tea cups and cookies on the small table between the sofas and took place as well.
"So... a delicate adult matter. Weird rumors ghosting around about me and Captain Muu? The imagination of humans becomes really vivid when they see a man and a woman standing together and talking about how to fight a rampaging southern sea creature and then cook it so it tastes best."
Ryder chuckled while Inara just forced herself to smile. Lenka raised a brow.
"So what business do you have with me?"
The fanalis woman took her husbands hand for comfort then sighed.
"I... we always wished to raise a bunch of kids... but sadly I couldn't get pregnant after having Marcus again... he always wanted a little brother. Would it be possible..."
"I don't have a life djinn to check if I can do something," replied Lenka with a shake of her head. "I would if I could, but..."
"Would it be possible to adopt Miran?"
…!
Her jaw fell in surprise. She would have never thought of that. Never. A dam seemed to have broken because Inara continued talking.
"I know it is difficult to raise a child, especially if you have many duties to do and meetings to attend, as a person like you surely has. The dangers that come with the position as dungeon capturers and such are surely overwhelming, death is a risk in every single minute.
What would happen to a child of such a person, moreover, if the person was a single parent?
Ryder and I would more than welcome it if Miran would become part of our family. Marcus would be surely overjoyed to have a brother who is almost the same age."
No. You can't give him away, Orobas snarled and bared his fangs.
Miran belongs to us.
To us! Eligos yelled and loaded her replica of a shotgun with a ca-lakk.
No one takes him away!
Lenka felt like someone had hit her with a golf club or something similar. Her pulse was too loud in her ears, breathing- was she breathing?
… deep inhale. One, two, three. Exhale, Gusion commanded, a voice of reason in the storms of her mind. Lenka inhaled, counted to three and exhaled slowly then looked at the couple on the other couch. Inara's eyes shimmered wet, a faint glimmer of hope in the red enlightened them. Ryder seemed to be more concerned with her reaction.
"So? What do you say?"
… Lenka.
Please not, my queen.
Lenky...
Don't abide their will, Lenka. You know he is a part of our team.
"I will think about this," she said slowly, eying the two fanalis.
"I raised my sister and our little half-brother after the death of my mother almost on my own. I can take care of a child. Miran is with me since I rescued him from a slave auction in Aktia," Inara gasped at this, "and will do everything to make sure he lives a happy life.
However, the decision is up to Miran, not to me, if he wants to live with you or with me. For now, please keep this matter between us until I have spoken with him alone."
The words hurt like glass shards in her throat, cutting her, opening a new wound on her soul as she repeated "everything is up to him."
Oh, another problem appears *snickers devilishly* sorry, but I love to torment Lenka so much *runs away from fire-shooting Lenka* yeah, so, don't grill me yet, I have to finish the story first.
And again, cookies to the people who reviewed!
Eden: sure thing, I hope Titus will appear in the final arc of Magi, he has to, I bet it's going to be the worst battle since Naruto.
Guest: it's Sunday! Enjoy!
Nemeria: I have problems finding the right rooms to my university courses at the moment (luckily I'm not always the only one). You only had to whisper "Game of Thrones" in my last year at school and at least eight people were turning towards you "OMG did you say Game of Thrones? Danaerys! Geoffrey is such a dick!"
Aww, thank you :D But I think this chapter shows that Alibaba is not that useless any longer. I needed more words because I thought it was not long enough and re-read Volume 17 again... Inspiration!
I'm an absolute AliMor fan. It has to be! Get your acts together, boy!
Orias cooks and bakes for them, but he wants to quit now. Payment is too bad. And the glue on cookies was Eligos' payback for loosing the bet against Gusion. Very few people can win bets against Gusion, the last one was actually Solomon because he said that no one would ever date Ugo. Poor Ugo...
Lenka read only Magi, but wanted to start reading Adventures of Sinbad. Sadly she got transferred the same day. How far she got is mentioned in this chapter and in the first.
Let's start the cat reaction fan club, because I do the very same (I'm physically 18, but everyone tells me I look like 15 and am mentally 12. My answer is that they are envious of my youth)! Love for Titus! Cat reaction fan club president Titus Alexius! Cuteness overload!
He and Miran will meet in the future, because they have to spread adorableness through the world and defeat Al-Thamen through kitten fluffiness. Perfect end.
Orias and Gusion were actually not that friendly with each other back in Alma Toran, but they bonded through being scarred by Lenka. Soon another member of the party will show up... and hell will break loose *devilish laughter*
Star Wars. I'm waiting for the next movie... my sister wants a Vader pillow. And a genuine light saber. And a space ship. She would make a perfect Sith lady.
Hu hu hu hu... I'm having so much fun at the moment when writing this. They have starting gingerbread and nougat. I love Christmas. Time to bake! And to eat!
Thanks to you great people out there who read Second Chance! I'm so happy! Cookie explosion!
Yours,
TheMultipleMeExperience