Yep, very very long since I updated. Needless to say I had a few horrifically busy months where I got like no time to myself. Assuming there is anyone still about, well...I'm going to attempt to finish this. It has been almost two years since I started the story after all.

Anyhow...big big thanks to jwadd2, NNeko, SakuraWindChime, seaweedbrainlover1117, FireLark and LWHxExpress for their comments. I know its been like past forever and there's gonna be no one around, I just know it :p. To answer a few questions...Judal and Hakuryuu will have an interesting...erm...scene soon. That's all I'm saying. And well...Judal isn't really fallen in this story. Mainly as I wanted to play around with the idea of him not being quite there yet, its also where his relationship here with Aladdin comes into play (especially manga wise - he has no one. OK, one person. But they hate him...apparently).

Anyway again - sorry for the absence. And also, hopefully there will still be a few of you about. Enjoy! (oh and thanks to Akumarayne for checkin' a previous draft of this. But you're right, I went and changed a lot anyway. As I am a silly, silly person). If it helps - this is a long long chapter (that probably doesn't help. And let's be honest, no one reads the top comments anyway now, do they?)

Chapter 22

Whatever it was Judal had expected to find in his search for Kassim, it definitely wasn't this.

The dark djinn had long since merged with him, of course. Ithnan had told him as much, and he knew what that meant. To Judal, it meant that traitorous brute was his tool, and now part of his power. In addition to being a source of magoi for him, it was now part of the Magi's mind. It was why he had been certain he would find that rebellious entity here; lurking in the very recesses of his mind as he slept. He was here to force that moron to listen to him, and aid his escape from Sindria.

At least, that had been his plan. What Judal hadn't expected was for the place he found himself in to be so damned miserable.

...This was his mind, right? Glancing about in that arid dusk, he assumed this depressing scene was meant to be Balbadd. At least, he felt he recognised the tightly packed and sand swept buildings when he had passed through the oceanic kingdom not too long ago. Perched up on the roofs he looked down, watching the billowing mists as it gushed thickly through the streets. Below him, all he could see was a seemingly endless labyrinth of winding, filth-encrusted alleys. Were these the slums, Judal wondered, as he wrinkled his nose in distaste. People actually chose to live in this disgusting place? Had Kassim lived here, back before it accepted Al-Thamen's offer of power?

Perhaps; Judal didn't know. He had never asked Kassim about its life; back when it had still been human. To him it was a tool, and nothing else. Whilst a proper djinn would adhere to every demand a Magi would make, much as Ugo would with Aladdin, Kassim was clearly defective. Why else would it have been stupid enough to attack him, its master? Because of that moron Judal had needed Aladdin and Sinbad to save him, and why he was currently a captive in Sindria.

He sighed loudly, wondering if Kassim's power was worth this much hassle.

The thought lingered as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop, ever surveying the rancid streets below for any sign of his servant. Eventually he noticed a faint flicker painted against the overcast skies; an all too familiar throng of black rukh trailing through the air ahead. For a moment his ruby eyes blazed a vivid scarlet, memorising the trail headed far to the north and turned to head that way. Really, was Kassim actually trying to run from him? After humiliating and injuring Judal, that damned djinn had the nerve to disobey him?

As he followed his trail, the clamour of buildings gradually thinned out. He dropped from his high vantage point to find himself before an immense network of moonlit canals as they yawned out in front of him. There he was able to easily pick out the figure he searched for, half-concealed in the biting mists. "...Huh?"

Much like the unsavoury scene, the figure wasn't what Judal had anticipated finding.

Before him wasn't a towering and inhuman monstrosity, but a man. A flicker of a smirk snaked across Judal's lips, noticing this supposed-man wore little more than pale rags. Perhaps Kassim really had lived in the slums. Still, why the hell did Kassim look like this? Why did it even look human?

"...What the hell are you glaring at?" Judal demanded loudly as his servant fixed him with defiant, yellow eyes. It was as if the thing was trying to stare him down; him, of all people. Then, without a word, a head of roped dreadlocks flicked round and it went to walk away.

There was no way Judal was going to let it disappear again. "Hey! Do you know how long it took to find you?" Judal exclaimed angrily as he gave chase to the retreating figure. "You can't just go attacking your master and run away, idiot. That's not how it works! You need to get me out of this mess. Come back here!"

He fumbled, reaching out to catch Kassim's wrist. The figure snapped round, and there was a sudden scream of metal as though a weapon had been drawn. A dark glimmer pierced the night time air; the blade of a knife headed straight for him. With a gasp Judal stumbled back, watching the tip of a strange and black weapon stop mere inches from his throat.

Judal swallowed deeply. Those eyes were blazing; eyes filled with only contempt and hatred for a master it so readily turned upon. Perhaps if Judal had cared more, he could have understood the helplessness and resentment Kassim felt. After all, they were what Judal had felt, before finally accepting this situation was avoidable. But then, he reasoned at least he was still human. Kassim had made the choice to become like this; a raging beast that was becoming uncontrollable.

With the same cold expression, Kassim lowered its blade and turned from him. Was it really going to leave, retreating back into those accursed slums and leaving him to escape Sindria alone?

Judal scrambled to his feet. "...What the fuck is your problem?" he yelled into the thin air around him. he was desperate, more so than he would have wanted to admit. He couldn't escape Sindria without it. "Come back! You're supposed to be mine, remember? If you didn't want that, you shouldn't have accepted power from those men to start with! So why's it my fault? Why attack me, you great stupid idiot?! ...How the hell am I supposed to do this on my own?"

His wayward servant, predictably, cared nothing of Judal's predicament. If it had heard any of his outburst, it certainly didn't respond in anyway. He was trapped in this situation. Injured, captured and without any help. What the hell had he done to deserve this?

"...How interesting," a new, and unfortunately familiar voice announced itself behind him. What was Ithnan, that useless teacher, doing here? In Judal's mind? "It's been a year since I saw it last; that was the black vessel, Kokubaku Mutou. I wonder just how badly you mistreated Kassim to have him attack you, Magi? Or were you just not strong enough to master him, despite your claims it would be easy. How ever will you surpass your little brother like this?"

Judal glared at the tall figure. More than anything he wanted to forget Aladdin was ever someone he considered family. "...How the heck did you get in here? You know this is my mind, right?"

Ithnan pondered him as though amused. "I might have noticed, yes. I also have every right to be here, given what you agreed to..." silently the magician dropped down, resembling something of an overzealous vulture anticipation fresh prey as he did. "You're a little too quick to forget that you shared your power with me, then. You allowed me into your mind, all to teleport us here. What did you think my offer meant, exactly?"

...Not to have that lunatic magician traipsing around in his mind, of course. Allowing Ithnan into his thoughts that one time was bad enough. Having him appear at will was unnerving. "...Whatever. Get out."

"How cold. Here I thought you'd be glad to see me. Demanding I help you, perhaps," he watched the slightly hopeful look passing through Judal's eyes with interest. "But then, would you? You demanded I not follow you to Sindria. You were so eager to prove yourself, so sure you could use Kassim's power to fight your brother...Sinbad...to destroy that kingdom. Yet your incompetence led to your capture. And Kassim's betrayal."

It wasn't as if Judal really needed his failures summarised like that. Less so when this bastard seemed to have assumed that everything would go so badly for him. "...I didn't expect Kassim to freak out like that, alright? Are you going to help me, or not?"

"I'm afraid not, Magi. You're on your own."

"...What?!" he exclaimed. Judal would rather not ask for Ithnan's help at all; less so if the magician took it as an excuse to forcefully invade his thoughts. But it had never occurred to him he would be denied like that. "...The hell? Of course you'll help me! You need me, don't you?"

"It goes without saying you would be useful," Ithnan eyed over him slowly. "My point was more I'm incapable of helping you. There are very few black rukh for me to utilise in Sindria...for now, at least. My magic isn't as strong there. What's more if I'm finding it impossible to even sense you. It feels as if something's obstructing my attempts to, and that's only gotten worse the longer you've been asleep..."

What could possibly be interfering with Ithnan's magic? Judal was fairly sure Sinbad wouldn't be capable of such a thing. As it was, it seemed he wasn't going to have either Ithnan or Kassim aiding him now. "...Well that's just great then. How the hell am I meant to get out of this alone?"

Judal reached up, shielding his eyes with a groan as the first hints of morning light filtered in from beyond thin, pale curtains. Slowly he blinked, feeling strangely light headed as he shifted on the small bed he had been asleep upon. It was agonising to do so, with every muscle protesting his every movement. He glanced about him, realising he wasn't waking in a cell, but instead a plain and somewhat modest-looking room. Little more than unvarnished wooden shelves graced its walls, all piled high with countless books and leaving little space for anything else. Finally, his gaze set upon his captor; Sinbad who had been perching at the desk across from him. Or, at least, what Judal imagined to be a desk, currently hidden under the plethora of documents and scrolls piled upon on its surface.

"...Well, you certainly woke up much sooner than I expected," Sinbad commented quietly, discarding a book he had apparently been flicking though. "You...actually don't look very good at all."

"Huh? Of course I don't. I feel awful after everything..." not wanted to appear weak in front of this man, Judal forced himself to sit up. He regretted it as a pang of agony erupted throughout his leg, and he gritted his teeth. He really was a state; realising that his hair was loose and tangled, hanging down his back and shoulders in thick waves. Embarrassingly it also appeared that he was dressed in little more than a nightshirt.

Judal swallowed nervously; had Sinbad been the one dressing him. Surely, a king would be above such a trivial thing. But then he had to wonder about it, especially if he might have been the only one watching over the Magi as he slept. "...I wasn't really expecting to wake up somewhere like this," Judal murmured, mainly to distract himself from his current thoughts.

"You actually expected I'd imprison you?"

Judal gave a disinterested grunt in reply. In fact, there was no reason why this man wouldn't imprison someone who had attacked the kingdom and its people. There was also little chance of Sinbad forgetting and forgiving what he had done. Left feeling unnerved, he watched the tall figure stand, crossing the room to the window. It opened with a slight creak, a fragrant breeze rushing into the room and tingling pleasantly against Judal's skin. At long last, and ironically at a time when he was captured, it seemed the white rukh were no longer an irritation to him.

"This room isn't as impressive as what you're used to," Sinbad turned back round. "But it's quiet here, so we shouldn't be disturbed. It's actually somewhere Jafar likes to use as a study, I'm sure you remember him. At least, when he's here."

Jafar; as in that pale man who had arrived in Balbadd, attempting to bring the Magi back with him? The very same person he had effortlessly defeated not so long ago? Sinbad seemed to assume the two hadn't encountered each other; that his subordinate hadn't attempted to abduct the Magi back to Sindria not so long ago. "Really? Then where is he?"

"He's...ah...not here," Sinbad finished somewhat lamely. For a moment he seemed to scrutinise Judal, who did his best to look impassive. Much as this man wouldn't admit to sending a general after Judal, he wasn't going to admit meeting and fighting that person. "...I'm actually pretty worried about it. I've not heard from him in a while; that's so unlike him..." Sinbad paused, before looking to change the subject. "...Anyway, he can take care of himself. How is your leg feeling?"

"My leg? Pretty bad..." he looked down, noticing how his knee was somewhat buried under numerous and carefully wrapped bandages. His clammy fingers roamed over the dressings as it occurred to Judal this was the first time he had an injury treated this way. Back in the palace, Kougyoku's servant had always treated his wounds without hesitation. "...Huh? What kind of moron did this? It's such a mess."

"...Aside from being a moron, that would be me," apparently Sinbad had expected a more favourable reaction. He sighed, shaking his head. "As Yamaraiha's busy, I did what I could. You could at least try to be grateful."

"Well, kings don't go round healing prisoners, you know..." he told him. This definitely seemed to indicate Sinbad was being overly nice to keen on Judal's good side. More than likely as the two had a deal, he'd be pleasant at least until then. "You should have just got that magician to do it; magic's way quicker and easier for this stuff. Doing all you did is such a waste of time."

"...Perhaps, but you're my responsibility, not hers," Sinbad replied somewhat stoically. "So it's my place to watch over and treat you, don't you think? Don't think for a moment that – ah..." he trailed off, realising Judal wasn't listening. Instead, the Magi had caught sight of something glittering brightly at the inside of his wrist. Inlaid into his skin there was a gem, glistening up at him like a pale chip of ice. "Judal? Don't..."

"What the fuck are these things?!" there was even one placed on his other forearm, glimmering up and looking somewhat reminiscent of a delicately hued aquamarine. He gave an experimental tug at this second gem, finding it quite impossible to remove. His guess what it was attached skilfully, and by a sort of magic he wasn't familiar with. Sinbad drew up, lightly taking hold of his hand to stop his attempts to remove it. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"I didn't do anything, Aladdin did," a thick thumb stroked softly over Judal's wrist, as if to convince him such things were harmless. He didn't believe that for a moment. "Or rather, I asked him to."

"Huh? Why the fuck would you –"

Sinbad interrupted him. "Judal, listen...he's worried about you. So am I. Ever since he told me about that teacher of yours, we wanted to protect you from him. We also didn't want you using black rukh when you woke up. Therefore, I suggested his teacher show him how to do this. These jewels here will prevent you using the rukh in my country. So until they're removed, you'll find your use of magoi pretty limited."

Judal felt horrified, attempting to think this through. "...What? Idiot...I still have black rukh inside my body, right? I can use those still?" from his expression that much seemed true, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, what good's sticking these things on me going to do, then?"

"You're still limited to what magoi your body can handle, even as a Magi. In your current condition, you're not strong enough to do...well...much of anything," a sly smile played on Sinbad's lips. "From what I know of you, it'll be a while before you can do something like attempt to Kassim, or cause damage if you can't take from the rukh around you."

"...Bastard," this might explain why he felt so groggy and light headed. Come to think of it, was this the reason why Ithnan had been unable to reach him; all due to Aladdin and Sinbad restricting his power? A chill ran down his spine, not liking that thought at all. "So what? You act all nice and make a big deal about treating my leg, then take my magic away from me?"

"I wouldn't put you in a cell, but do you expect me not to take precautions with what you did?" Sinbad released his hands, and Judal flopped back to stare angrily at the low, white ceiling. "I'd prefer not to treat you as my prisoner, or my enemy. We've known each other a long time, but you came here and attacked my home. My people. Even if you came willingly with me, this is something you brought on yourself."

"I get it..." Judal snapped irritably. Alone, trapped and now powerless, he had no option to go along with this. He might even need to convince this moron to trust him. "But if I do everything you want me to, you'll get Aladdin to remove these?"

"It would be a start, certainly. We did have a deal after all, for you to tell me everything. You can start with telling me about how you got here, and that teacher of yours."

"You mean Ithnan?"

"Ithnan..." Sinbad repeated slowly. Perhaps Judal might have regretted saying that much, if he hadn't been more worried about himself. What was the harm, anyway, when from the sounds of things he had heard enough from Aladdin. It was likely even now he had his generals scouring every inch of his kingdom for that troublesome magician before learning his name, and was guarding Judal on the idea he'd look to reclaim him.

"If we're talking about that deal, then you have to tell me about your past too. And how you have black rukh."

Sinbad nodded, yet looked somewhat smug. "Yes, but I saved you. And since you're my prisoner, I get to go first," ...as if Judal could forget that. More than likely this man would be insufferable until he felt Judal had told him everything.

"...Fine," however, now he thought of it, he had no real idea how he had gotten here, or what Ithnan had done. He doubted he actually knew anything all that useful. "Well, Ithnan did all the work getting here, really. He didn't teach me any teleportation magic if that's what you were hoping for. He just possessed me and used my power."

"...'Just possessed you'," Sinbad sighed somewhat audibly. "You do realise how that sounds, right? Still - he's actually capable of something like that?"

"Huh? I mean, yeah. You know how amazing the magicians from my empire, right? Is it so surprising?" Despite, of course, the actions surprising Judal himself. "I've probably told you that clairvoyance magic over a large distance requires a fair few magicians to pull it off. And good ones, unless you want to just go and drop someone in the ocean somewhere. By using my power though, he got us here without you noticing..." he grinned, noticing this was actually something Sinbad seemed to find interesting. "But he still taught me a lot of other things. It's why I demanded he teleport me here...so I could come here and fight."

"...Yes. And why was it my home you had to come and attack?"

"Huh? Because Aladdin's here of course," he replied simply, as such a thing was obvious. "Don't get me wrong. I mean, I just wanted to show him that I'm better than he is now. Not that I'd mind fighting you, either. It's a shame Kassim had to freak out...with that thing I'd show you all just how much I learned."

"That's something to be thankful for, then. Otherwise you might have killed someone..." he saw anger dance brightly in Sinbad's eyes, before he composed himself. Then, when he spoke again, his voice sounded strange. "Judal...whatever power you think you have, and however strong you believe you are, this isn't worth it."

"Huh? Of course it is. You don't know what you're talking about," Judal eyed him cynically. "And what you've seen isn't even half of what I can do now."

"No, I don't doubt that," he agreed. "but then, is it really worth what happened? Kassim turning on you, ending up relying on the people you wanted to fight for help. I understand this more than you'd credit me with. This sort of power isn't something even you are strong enough to control; it's not meant to be. It will eat away at you until there's nothing left. If only I'd known sooner, that it was the same as back then..."

"...You're not making any sense at all," Judal complained loudly. "What do you mean. Back when?"

Sinbad ignored his question, instead looking round as a soft knock sounded upon the door. "...You know though," he began in an oddly casual tone, "I'm looking forward to meeting Ithnan. I'll make him regret what he did to you."

"...Regret it? What? Making me strong?" Judal shook his head. "...You're going to actually try killing him, right? It would be fun to see you try, but you aren't stupid. You know it wouldn't be easy. Even if you did, this place would get attacked."

"By your empire, right?" Sinbad asked quietly as he crossed the airy room. "If they don't hear about it, then there isn't a problem, is there?"

Perhaps not. Judal yawned, turning his attention to the open window. He found himself peering over the damage he had inflicted; the ruined gardens and broken courtyard, all from where Kassim had become uncontrollable. The grounds were now full of bustling people, no doubt looking to do all they could to put their home back in order. Perhaps he really couldn't control it; perhaps he hadn't really made any progress mastering that djinn. Either way, it wasn't something he'd admit.

"Onii-san!" ...that voice. Judal rolled his eyes, expecting it would have had to be this person. Aladdin rushed over to him, apparently anxious to see him. He felt his fellow Magi lean in, looking over the jewels at his wrists somewhat apologetically. He scowled back at Aladdin. "...Don't hate me for this. I only did it for your own good. After what happened, I..."

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know," Judal snapped as he pushed Aladdin away. He didn't want that person to apologise to him, to plead with him over such a thing. He'd even take Sinbad's mundane interrogation overt the frantic, pitying expression he was forced to endure. Was he actually foolish enough to think he could stop the black rukh from seeking out Judal, especially with so many pouring into Sindria? It had begun, and eventually it would be as bad here as it was in Kou. "Are you going to tell me how to take these off, or not?"

Aladdin shook his head, perching at the foot of the bed. "I don't think so, no," he looked oddly cheerful, even as Judal glowered at him. "I'm just glad you weren't hurt too much..."

"Whatever..." in all honestly, Judal was more interested in what was happening at the doorway. Sinbad and another, new person were exchanging whispers with one another. This person, a man around his side, wore a strange weapon at his side. Judal stared at it, realising even in its hilt it had a striking resemblance to the weapon Kassim had threatened him with in his dream. Had Sinbad actually had his men requisition weapons from Balbadd, following that failed Kou? He had somehow repurposed them for his men's' use? It seemed a foolish, yet interesting thing to do.

"...Onii-san?"

"...Stop calling me that. Actually - why are you even here?" Judal demanded. "...If you're that worried about me, you could just tell me how to get these gems off. Quit acting like you care, and that there's something wrong with me. I came here to fight, so quit feeling sorry for your enemy."

Aladdin frowned, as if peering over Judal's pallid features and the dark circles under his eyes proved his point. "You're not exactly my enemy, though. You're my brother."

He sighed. "I'm not though...you should worry about the other people here. Like that dumb weakling I just beat up. Go bother him."

Abruptly, the murmurs at the doorway stopped. That armed person lingering the doorway slipped silently into the room, and seemed to be fixing Judal with a look of extreme dislike. Judal noticed a particularly angry scar running down one side of his fact, and curiously wore clothing which wouldn't have looked out of place amongst the princes and princesses in Kou.

He was fixing Judal with an expression of extreme dislike, as if suddenly his very presence offended him. It wasn't as if the Magi cared, much less about a mere stranger. All the same. He was curious what such a person was doing here. "...Alibaba is not weak," the man stated, despite not being asked. His rukh flitted about, as if restless, and his miss-toned eyes shone as he spoke. "As his friend, I'd like you to reconsider your words."

"...Why should I?" why the hell was this person so angry, anyway? "...Who are you? Your clothes - you're from Kou, right? What are you even doing here?"

"Ren Hakuryuu," he introduced himself whilst still glaring. "I left Rakushou when I was very young." He drew into the room, seemingly choosing to ignore Sinbad hovering behind him. The king seemed nervous, as though concerned how this argument was progressing. "For Alibaba – he had the courage to fight you. He might not be strong, but few would be willing to stand up to someone like you."

"Huh? So you think he's brave?" this Hakuryuu was amusing. "He's got the courage to stand up to me, and his name was Alibaba?" the accuser remained silent at Judal's words, who grinned widely. "That's not really what happened though. What happened was I called up my djinn, and told him to smack that weak friend of yours into the ground. He didn't even do anything..."

"Alright..." Sinbad sighed, placing a heavy hand on Hakuryuu's shoulder. "Look...this won't end well, Hakuryuu. I'd ask for you to come with me." He turned, and this apprentice, aspiring general, whoever he was turned reluctantly. "Aladdin...you've been waiting patiently whilst I tended to him. Speak all you want to Judal, just let me know when you're done."

"Alright. Thank you, oji-san," Judal grinned, finding Ren Hakuryuu's glare particularly amusing as Sinbad leg him away. As the door closed, and he and Aladdin were left alone, it seemed his assumed younger brother was intent on scolding him. "...You really shouldn't go round upsetting people after everything you did. He and Alibaba-kun were close."

Judal wiped at his eyes. "And you were too, right? That's why you're all so angry I beat him up?" that seemed to be the case. "It's true, though, he didn't even get a chance to fight back. I can't believe you'd want to take someone like that to a dungeon."

"...He's learning alright?"

"How can you learn not to be useless?"Surely, that wasn't possible. Aladdin drew his thin arms around his knees, shaking his head. "I mean...take that guy just now. The prince of our empire that ran off, or whatever. He's going to be strong, some day and his rukh were really interesting. You could have picked him."

"Hakuryuu-kun?" clearly, the thought had not so much as entered this moron's mind. In that way, Aladdin really was useless. A Magi from Alma-Toran; one who had never raised a dungeon, or chosen someone capable of being a king. His only choice didn't even possess a metallic vessel yet, and perhaps never would. It's what frustrated Judal more than anything; why was someone so naive and carefree stronger than him. "If you stop hurting people, you could choose him if you wanted; it's not like we're going to pick the same people. But you'd need to stop being so cruel first."

That was the sort of irritating response was typical of him. "I wasn't being cruel...ok, maybe to you I was. But that Alibaba guy won't get stronger, whatever you do. Surely you know that."

"Actually, no. I don't agree with you at all."

"Then you're as stupid as he is..." Judal was amused to see that annoying and overly confident smile to dim ever so slightly.

"Really, onii-san? I'm the stupid one? I don't go round summoning my djinn to have him attack me, do I?"

"...Oh shut up," he snapped. That charade of a person was every bit annoying as he remembered. "You're the stupid one if you did this to me," he indicated his wrist. "That stupid king asked, and you did this. Do you really think I can be cut off from black rukh so easily?"

"Well, I don't know as I don't know how they work at all," Aladdin admitted. "But even if I cut you off from the rest of them, they'll stop hurting you. I just hate seeing you like this."

"...Stupid," he couldn't make this idiot understand, could he? But then, if Ithnan was right and he'd just forget it, there was no point explaining it. "It doesn't even hurt that much anymore. And after seeing all I did, it's worth it."

The figure opposite him shook his head; Aladdin even seemed to be disappointed by his answer. "I don't think those rukh you use are making you stronger. They're just not a good thing...and Kassim..." Aladdin sighed. "Did you ask Kassim why he turned on you like that?"

Well...Judal had found Kassim. Getting any answers from it had been a whole other problem. "What would be the point of that? It's just a djinn from this world. It's not like Ugo, or any of the others; it's just a tool."

"Wrong again...you're not doing too well today," the annoying brat sighed. "Kassim's not a tool. He's a person. He was one of Alibaba-kun's friends. If you didn't say things like that, maybe he wouldn't have hurt you."

It would never have been that easy, and Judal knew it. "You just don't get it at all. You never did. All those times I told you about black rukh, you just called me a liar. I tell you about this, and you won't ever understand."

"You're right, I don't get it. But you don't either..." Aladdin held up his hands. "Look, I don't want to fight with you. I know you're the only one who can help me understand this. I've thought about everything you've told me. About Alma-Toran, about everything...I mean, it sounds crazy. But given what happened to you...I need you to explain it to me."

Judal sighed; he was too tired for this. "...So you just think that if you barge in here I'll tell you everything?"

"Maybe? I want to help you. I want to help Alibaba-kun...Kassim...everyone who's been hurt by those rukh," Judal's eyes snapped upwards as Aladdin reached to grip his hands. "...I don't want to believe any of what you said. I don't remember a thing about Alma-Toran. I don't remember my friends there, any family I had. I don't remember Ugo-kun either. But...I remember growing up with you. You're my family, you always will be."

Judal turned away, gazing at the brightening skies outside of the window. "Of course you don't remember. Sensei said they took all the memories of that place from you, I told you that. They lied about us being brothers to control you, and me. They destroyed your world, and killed all those people you know. So how am I meant to make you remember everything about that?"

"I don't know," he admitted quietly. "This is selfish of me, I know that. But you didn't have to tell me any of that. So I figured you still care about me. That you want me to remember."

He could have laughed with how childish that sounded. Aladdin was best off not remembering Alma-Toran, or that black rukh existed; that blissful ignorance Judal thought would have been nice. In a way, Gyokuen was sparing him by stealing away that knowledge. Really, Judal would have just insisted he leave, but he would be too annoying to go just like that.

At the very least, Judal had recovered some of his power. Not much, especially with those jewels Aladdin had inflicted him with, but enough for him to have an idea what to do. Even if it was beyond him why he would adhere to Aladdin's request, and for this idiot to comprehend his somewhat insane claims, he gazed about himself. He caught one of the darkened flecks hanging on the air about him, closing his fingers around the now captured black rukh. "...Fine, you're too annoying to go away until you get what you want. Come closer."

Once beckoned his supposed sibling inched closer, staring at the rukh captured in Judal's hand. For a moment the darkening Magi concentrated, finally drawing back his fingers to reveal a new and darkly shining sphere sitting in his palm. It had taken what little power he could, but there it was; a way of capturing one of his own black rukh inside that new and darkly glistening prison. Even now, the rukh trapped inside fanned its wings, as though aspiring to escape.

"Hm...he's a bit like you now. Trapped like that," ...what a frustrating, yet somewhat true, thing to say. Without pause, Aladdin reached to take the sphere and rukh from him, peering and not accustomed to seeing such a thing this closely. Yet as Aladdin didn't pass out, it seemed the device was serving its purpose. "It means so much you're looking out for me like this, onii-san. Thank you."

"If you were that grateful, you'd remove these damned gems," he wasn't actually sure why he had done that. Perhaps, Judal pondered as he lay back and closed his eyes; this seemed the easiest way to explain it. By showing Aladdin one of the rukh he didn't want to believe existed. "It's not a big deal, anyway."

"It is to me. Don't worry, I won't tell oji-san what you did," Aladdin informed him, as if such a thing mattered. The blue haired figure smiled brightly at him. "Mm...All right. I wasn't expecting this, but thanks for bearing with me. I think I know what I'm going to do now."

"Eh? What do you mean, you figured it out?"

A hint of light glistened around Aladdin, even if he figured the moron didn't notice. Such a thing had always been apparent to Judal over the years; something of a brightness radiating from him when his dreams plagued him. He froze as he felt pale fingers reach out, touching over the vivid blue streak running through Judal's fringe. It was as if he looked to remind Judal of that moment, that day a year ago, when they were still close and before Aladdin had left for Sindria. An occasion Judal no longer cared about. "I'm going to figure out how to save you, if that's alright."

"...Huh?" Judal just stared.

"I want to understand this. Those men who made you like these are dangerous, and I should stop them. They harmed so many people...so I should put it right. I'll help you, and Alibaba-kun, – maybe even Kassim. You'll see."

He should have expected Aladdin to utter such a moronic statement, and sighed as he sank back on the bed. That first time in his life, right as Ithnan had promised Judal he would be the stronger of the two, and he was still having to contend with hearing such nonsense.

Yet, merely showing Aladdin a black rukh, close up seemed like much less hassle than the task Aladdin set himself with. "Get real; do you actually think that could work? Things won't just magically go your way because you want them to."

"Watch me. I figured maybe I'm the only one who can save you," Aladdin however seemed keen to take that on as a challenge. "Anyway, onii-san, I'll be back later you should rest a while longer."

"...I guess," somewhat stunned by this revelation, Judal just watched Aladdin smile brightly as though he had won the argument. As he left, Judal was left with the unfortunate feeling that he was trapped with that idiotic Magi acting like a brother for a while longer. As confident as Aladdin might sound, Judal doubted he could accomplish such an impossible thing. Judal settled back, wondering why Aladdin would even want to save the people here? Why would someone like him even care about what happened to this world? Heck, even Judal found it difficult to care about such things anymore.

Mulling over Aladdin's chances silently, a small shape caught his eye in the growing brightness of the day. A vibrant and scarlet bird with warm amber eyes flocked in to nestle on the windowsill. A creature that looked a tad too pleased itself, if such a thing was possible. As the dazzling creature flapped its somewhat impressive wings, it uttered a rich, chirping sound. It was then he noticed its eyes, a deep shade of gold, and perhaps a little too intelligent to be just a simple animal.

Judal shook his head slowly. Apparently, that sly old king was not above this. Although, Sinbad had become rather proficient at spying, especially if two Magi hadn't noticed this bird had been watching them. "...That's why you were alright leaving us two alone to talk? I bet you just did that so Aladdin thinks you're not as devious as you are. You're getting to be such a pain..."