Hey guys. Damn, I love writing this story too much! Three days and five chapters, over 10,000 words, and a hell lot of research on this shit.. I have too much free time.

Well, thank you to those who read the story, thank you to Mitsuyuki-Hime for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I was seriously contemplating on whether to make Alima a magician or a household member at this time, but I got an idea for the future so here you go!

Response to:
Mitsuyuki-Hime~
Did I really use Fritz and Fritz both? Oh jeez, that's embarrassing. It's actually Fritz but it seems I've been using Fritz. I've fixed it now. Thanks for the heads up there! And yeah, it's just a bit irritating to him for her to call him that since all he did was free her. I've actually seen Shambal Ramal used once or twice as a minor character in fiction in other sites, but barely and he was a cool dude who needed more screen time shit so I said to myself: why the hell not.
And yes, Alima is very ignorant to things like sexual thoughts, etc., but not to the world dangers like bandits and con-artists as an example. She was never taught about it and Fritz wanted to protect her from others who would try to.. do something or whatever. And it isn't really told when Shambal meets Toto so I left her out. In my mind, she gets there a few days after she leaves (strange isn't it :3). Also, about Shambal's gambling habits... Alima usually doesn't go out, focused on her training to become strong enough to repay Shambal instead. So, when Shambal has asked her what she wanted to do, she got excited of learning about Reim and what a normal society there is like. And happy birthday! It's 12:01 right now and so yeah. Took an entire day to write this chapter. 0.0 ...is it just me or does that face look like when someone is trying to make a straight face in the manga.. Well, hope you enjoy this chapter Mitsuyuki-Hime!

"Who will be king?"

Orange eyes glowed as the dim light appeared in the black room and many orbs of light appeared in the room, showing all sorts of metal treasury, a deep but lazy voice emanating from the first orb that appeared. A dark blue skinned spirit appeared with closed eyes, a serene look on his handsome thin face. Dark lashes and tresses accompanied them, his body chiseled from training and fights. He wore chain bracelets around his wrists that connected to rings on his fingers and multiple thin silver chains around his neck that went to stop a bit below his collarbones on top of a white sash that laid gently from his left shoulder to the end of his right side, hiding part of a black tattoo of multiple horses on it that were all rising and kicking their front hooves into the air. His left eye had a thin scar at the tip of it that went from the top of his eyebrow to his cheekbone that looked a bit like a white mixed with light hints of blue. He opened his rain drop- like eyes to show black irises as dark as night that looked around to land on the person in front of them directly, orange clashing with black.

"I am Cimeries, djinn of reflection and integrity, the 66th djinn of the 66th dungeon," He peered at her through his lazy, half-lidded eyes that reminded her of her own, not opening fully. The male djinn's eyes narrowed slightly, "You... wish to be king?"

The girl in front of him made a disgruntled sound, "King? Why would I wish to be king?"

He gave her his full attention as he slightly opened his eyes, "Oh?" He leaned forwards, "You don't wish to change the world? To be King and get rid of all this madness, this pain, this bloodshed?" He paused, "Do not wish to do right to the wrong?"

"What is there to right? We're all mad, we all feel pain at some point, and bloodshed is inevitable as much as living is," She peered up at him, "Tell me, what is this place and why do you ask such a thing like if I wish to be king when there is no other that is as ill-suited to the job as I?"

His eyes opened a bit wider, to be fully open, his face looking as if he'd just found an interesting book that he wanted to know everything about, "You answer my questions without a thought and you come into this place without knowing what it is. You also say that you are the most ill-suited for the job of being king. Why did you come here?"

"Wouldn't you want to know why a building rises from the ground out of nowhere so nearby that the ground beneath you threatens to break? And I speak the truth of myself, nothing more, nothing less."

His mouth quirked upwards, "You're an interesting one, I'll answer your question of this place. This is a dungeon, a building where I, a djinn, reside to wait for a person worthy enough to become a king candidate. He will be one with enough potential to rule the world under one and will gain the treasures of this roo- Hey, where are you going," An eyebrow twitched irritatedly, "You asked a question and I'm answering it now."

The girl turned to look at him with eyes that made him feel the need to crush her, "I don't wish for such things like glory, money, or anything as superficial of the sorts. The wish to rule everyone under one is absolutely absurd. People are people. They will be as separate as they are one. No one will be as mindless to want to be under one person who rules all than one person who rules none. One who rules none will have no ambition to destroy the ones dear to him while one who rules all will have ambitions for the future and unable to regard all."

She turned to face him fully and the djinn got a good look at the child in front of him. Around the age 11, but her eyes showed wisdom of someone far older than she if her words didn't convince him enough already, no matter how much those words irritated him. Her body and voice were androgynous, leaning towards the male spectrum, but the djinn was an intelligent being. Her body was tall and lithe, but her face showed her young age. Short ink-like black blue hair messily was put atop her head, bangs brushing her eyes to make her look lazy, her eyes not doing any better as they were half-lidded with thin dark lashes around them. A sword was at the side in ropes that wrapped loosely around her waist and laid at her hips, glinting and gaining his attention. Her clothing were also a strange mix of light and dark colors, one that fit her confusing personality.

"You say you do not wish to be king, that you do not have the skills to do so or the will to become one, but you have defeated this dungeon accordingly and have gained my interest. You suggest the Rukh do not favor you. Why is that?"

She narrowed her eyes as she read between the lines, though quickly acted as if she didn't noticed and shrugged, "I know there are people with a hell lot more charisma, stronger bodies and minds, infinitely better luck, stronger wills, quicker wit, and a wish to protect those all around them, all attributes to become a King. I am not one of them. I am just a lost child who's making her own road, not a person who is to become King. A King Candidate is someone who needs the will of steel, the courage of a billion men, the smile as bright as the sun so that people will be drawn to him, and needs to have a reason. I do not have a reason," The girl rose her hands from her sides to spread and make a straight line across, "If you look, I am not one of them. As I said, a King needs all of those, but they also must be loved by the Rukh, something I am most definitely not."

Cimeries barked out laughter that echoed out through the room as the girl let her arms fall to her sides, confusing the soul, "You are an interesting one. What you don't see in yourself will be your demise unless you see it yourself young one." He gave her a smirk, "Sorry child, no matter what you may wish, you are one that is liked, if not loved, by the Rukh. You have an iron fist, unbending will, uniquely hidden charisma, a strong mind that can confuse one's enemies, quick wit, courage of a billion men, and have a reason to live, do you not? You have finished this dungeon and have gotten to the treasure room where I reside without death taking you away. You are my King."

She gave a small frown, "But I don't wish for power."

He gave her a cryptic smile, "Child, you'll see that power goes to the ones who do not wish for it. For those who do not wish for it are the most suited for it. Now, your name?"

"Alima Nader."

His eyes held that emotion that she couldn't decipher once more, "Well then," He bowed to her, "My king."

She watched as he disappeared into a mist, going into her sword at her side, a six-pointed star appearing in a circle on the hilt.

The building started to crumble around her, but she was given the privilege of getting out unscathed., all the metal from the treasure room in white sacks as she appeared on top of the rubble which used to be something called a 'dungeon'.

Alima looked down at her sword hanging on the rope and felt it become... lighter somehow to her though it withheld an inhuman entity the size of a large building inside it. The warmness seeping out of it calmed her down as it dwindled to become as cool as it was before. She looked around and blinked when she saw a sash that was similar to the one Cimeries was wearing when she first saw him. It was the color of silver and felt as soft as silk, though it looked as durable as the metal itself. As Alima looked closer at it, she saw glints of long strings of silver intertwined with the actual cloth itself along with hints of small gold here and there. The silver shined in the light, making the sash look like it had tendrils of veins on it as gold was barely seen even then. She put it around her left shoulder to hide the short sword she held at her hips slightly.

Alima looked at the bags around her. Now how was she going to get these out of the giant trench she was i- "What, the dungeon's gone!"

Alima's head turned around lazily behind her to see a male with long purple hair and golden eyes, around his early twenties, simple clothing on with multiple pieces of jewelry and a turban atop his head of tall height. Next to him was a child about a year older than her with rough red eyes and hair, a piercing under his lip, a sleeveless white tunic on with a sash around his waist, gold bracelets on both his wrists and ankles.

The older of the two, who had yelled out before, looked down to see her and gaped, "Hey, did you defeat this dungeon?" Alima looked at him once more to have eye contact and nodded, wary of the child-like man above her. His eyes glinted and he quickly jumped down, the boy behind him following him as quick as possible.

He quickly walked towards her, making her turn around to face the intimidatingly cheerful man. He leaned in towards her face, scrutinizing her with creased eyes. She looked at him blankly and after a moment, blew in his face.

The man snapped out of his stupor and leaned back, "Ah sorry, I was just surprised that such a cute kid would get to the dungeon before me." He gave her a giant grin and put out a hand, "My name is Sinbad and this is Masrur. What's your name?"

Alima didn't glance at his hand and instead answered, looking at the boy, Masrur, "Alima Nader." She felt as if she knew why the boy was so rough, why he was so wary when his partner wasn't of her. Surely, a little bit of it would have rubbed off on hi- Ah. She tilted her head as she looked at him, recognition flashing through her eyes. The girl then looked over at the man who gave the name of Sinbad and asked him, "Do you want this treasure?"

He gaped at her, "What? No, no, I just wanted to capture this dungeon here. I presume you were the one to do so?" He gave a charismatic smile, forcing her to unconsciously jump back a few feet quickly, "Why do you ask." He reminded her too much of Fritz. That smile... it proved it. His eye shape was similar to his as well, but that didn't mean anything.. did it?

He looked taken aback as she moved and her laid back, but slightly tensed body, explained himself quickly, misunderstanding her thoughts, "Ah, no, I'm not going to hurt you or anything. I promise. You can keep your treasure, you earned it." Ah, that smile was back. It made her feel uncomfortable, How lax he was with a stranger, how he resembled Fritz too much. And that boy.. She spared him a glance, catching his eye immediately. He was a slave, wasn't he? A Fanalis as well. His red eyes glared into her orange ones with a guarded look, as if he was ready to pounce if she made a wrong move at any given moment against him or that Sinbad.

She didn't like the pair. Not at all.

Alima felt... cornered as Sinbad walked over for some reason and quickly darted behind him, two medium sized bags of gold coins scooped up from the ground as she ran off, up the rubble that used to be the dungeon she was just in.

...

"So she just ran? That doesn't sound like her."

"No, Nevaeh, she didn't run. Alima knew he was a dangerous persona with a kind heart, it reminded her of Fritz too much with his smile and with Masrur around her age, it made her feel as if she was looking at a reflection of herself and Fritz, who'd died protecting her."

"But Alima still ran."

"Nevaeh, Alima didn't run. The Rukh had leaded them to meet, she knew that. So if she left before they were properly acquainted, the Rukh would help them meet again. Alima knew this, so she left for them to meet another time, a time where she wouldn't feel inferior, weak, and open to the man who was similar to Fritz."

"I still don't understand why she had left so abruptly."

"It was so they could meet again in better circumstances."

"What was wrong with the time then?"

...

"Hey Fritz," A calm wind blew as Alima sat at the top of a tall spruce tree in the middle of a forest, the Sun rising in front of her. Her eyes were wide open this time as she looked at the rising Sun in front of her, "I don't know if you're listening, but happy birthday."

A small gift was wrapped neatly in a blue box, a white ribbon around and tying at the top. She rubbed it with her thumb as she swung her legs, "Sorry I wasn't able to talk earlier. I saw this and thought of you for some reason. It was one of the things I saw at the dungeon I was in.. Can you believe that Cimeries said I was a King Candidate? If I had something to say, it would be that you were more fit, a better candidate than I would ever be. It was hard, and I got hurt, but I got through it while I thought of you. It was kinda fun actually.. Kinda scared me too. If you were there.. I think you would have been chosen. No, I don't 'think', I know so. You didn't deserve to die that day. A-And I'm sorry I never talked to you. I-I was scared. I di-didn't want to be-believe you we-were gone. I just wanted, just wanted you to know... I love you.. so much.. it hurts to think of you. You we-were my brother, my friend. Th-The light to my dark. You-You were my firefly Fritz."

Tears rushed down her face as she hiccuped, "I-I'm sorry Fritz. For crying. F-For living. For hurting people around me." A tear accidentally fell on the box, staining it. "Ah," Alima peered at it through half lidded eyes. She held it out with outstretched arms, a giant grin on her smiling face, eyes closed as she pretended he was there, "Hap-Happy birthday.. Fritz. Yo-You're twenty n-now."

Sobs racked through her toned body as she brought her arms in, arms holding her present to the past boy upwards and above her head as her head lolled into her arms, elbows bent.

"Thank you,"

Her eyes widened as she quickly looked up, tears still rushing down her red cheeks as her present was in her lap once more. That voice... it was deeper than she last had heard it and was filled with passion and happiness. It was different, older... but definitely Fritz. Though he wasn't in front of her and all that accompanied her was the wind.

A bright smile adorned her face as she looked at the Sun in front of her, "You shouldn't be thanking me.. After all, you were the one who saved me. Don't get it mixed up, Baka-Fritz."

The wind fluttered around her clothes and through her tresses, leaving a soothing feeling. Her eyes lowered to her present to Fritz and a small, helpless smile appeared on her face, "I'll keep it.. and give it to you when I see you again."

Omake: Gambling Problem

"Alima~, do you have any money to spare?" Said girl twitched as she tried to ignore the man wriggling like a worm, his body nude. Shambal had taken Alima out to where he'd gambled because of her nagging about not training her, and she'd gotten fed up with all this pointless use of time. "Shut up and move over."

Shambal furrowed his brows, "But Alima, you don't know how to play and you're too yo-"

"I've been watching you for two hours. I know what not to do," Shambal's eye twitched as he moved away in defeat, letting Alima grab the cards. The regal-looking men and women around her snickered in amusement, thinking similar thoughts of how it looked pitiful a child was taking the place of the adult.

A few minutes later, they were gaping at the child who went for 'all or nothing' and won over a hundred pieces of gold. A woman to her left clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction, "You were just lucky." She sneered at the girl when she was ignored.

Half an hour later, she took those words back as Alima won back all of Shambal's things and over half a thousand gold coins. Shambal was prancing around in glee and Alima only got up, leaving the table to quickly trading in the coins for money and leaving the casino while chiding Shambal about too much gambling again as if he were a child asking for too much candy in one day.

Sadly, (for Alima, not Shambal) Alima was taken to the casino every time Shambal went, irritating the hell out of her.

Edit: Well, hope you guys liked that little omake. It just popped into mind when thinking about Shambal and Alima's year together and what I haven't talked about along the story line.