Ch. 13- Alozza the Bandit Queen
Magi © Shinobu Ohtaka
Shahra © Me
Alozza © Darkdarling98
I decided to add a character contributed by a good friend of mine, Darkdarling98. Thanks, DD98! I hope I don't disappoint you!
They had recently robbed a lord of a nearby town of his riches and are celebrating a successful job.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" the leader, a portly man with a scar across his forehead and raggedy clothes, laughed as he tossed some coins into the air. "Look at all this loot we got!"
"Yeah, Boss!" agreed one of his lackeys. "I'll never forget how lord looked when we robbed him blind!"
As the bandits reveled in their burgled treasures, they had no idea that someone happened to overhear all their commotion and had to come to see what all the ruckus was about. As the bandit cackled while guzzling down some wine, the figure witnessing this smirked as she walked out of the shadows, revealing herself to be a woman with long, purple hair with a thick ahoge at the top, a ponytail tied in the back, and the front parted by a jeweled headpiece, and blue eyes. She wears a red outfit that looks like one belly dancers would wear with a golden ring on the front of her top, a pair of golden bracers on her arms, and attached to her hip is a saber. Around her neck is a black choker of some kind.
"My, my," she said in almost singsong tone. "What have we here~? Some bandits who don't know whose territory they're in~."
The bandits just continued laughing and drinking themselves silly, completely unaware of the woman's presence. The woman herself smirked darkly as a soft, somewhat white golden-yellow glow envelopes her body.
"It's time I teach these boys a lesson," she whispered as the glow disappeared. Her shadow, cast against a rock by the campfire, is shown to have changed. While there are various differences, the most obvious feature is that her lower body has now taken on the form of a serpent's tail.
She had transformed into a naga.
The woman silently slithers towards the bandit leader before she reached up and wrapped her clawed hands around his neck from behind, much to his and his cronies' shock.
"Ah!" the leader cried. "W-w-what the-?!"
The bandits gasped in fright upon seeing the monstrous woman.
"All of you!" the woman shouted. "Don't you know whose territory you're in?"
Upon turning to get a look at her face, the bandit leader gasped in horror.
"I-it's you…!" he cried.
"You know her, Boss?" asked one of his lackeys.
"They say that when bandits enter the desert," the leader started, "they're never heard from again…and it's because of this crazy bitch! They call her…Alozza 'the Bandit Queen'!"
"Oh, so you do know~!" the woman, Alozza exclaimed. "It's good to see that my 'subjects' now how dangerous I am. Of course, you're all still going to pay for coming into my territory when you should have known better."
"S-sure! Sure!" the leader stammered, groveling before the woman. "Take whatever you want, as much as you want! Just don't kill me, I'm beggin' ya!"
"What about us, boss?!" asked the rest of the bandits.
"I'll just leave a little bit for you all," Alozza said, smirking darkly. "And here's a final warning…never, ever come here again…or your blood will stain the desert's sand for the rest of eternity."
"YES, MA'AM!" the bandits cried in fright.
Alozza snickered as she let the leader go, returning to normal as she did.
"Good boys," she praised, mockingly.
A few minutes later, the bandits had fled, allowing Alozza to take all she wanted, for they did not wish to anger or tempt her into killing them.
"SHE'S INSANE!" cried one of the bandits.
"I CAN HEAR YOU~!" Alozza called out, causing the bandits to yelp in fright before they continued running away and prompting Alozza to laugh at them.
"Just get lost already!" she called out, again. "Find some nice ladies and settle down!"
She then looked down at her newly acquired loot and grinned.
"This should be more than enough to pay for my next drinking spree~," she sang as she happily gathered it up in her hands. However, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the glow of another campfire, surrounded by three other figures.
"Two camps in one night?" Alozza muttered to herself, confused. "That's unusual."
She quickly gathers all the loot she got from the bandits into a large bag before closing it with a rope, and then goes to investigate.
XXX
At the other campfire, it is revealed to be none other Aladdin, Shahra, and Morgiana, who are cooking their dinner: a Desert Antelope that both Shahra and Morgiana hunted down together. The two human youngsters remembered to save a raw part for Shahra, who is now feasting on said part while Aladdin and Morgiana waited for their meal to finish roasting.
"Is it almost ready, Morg?" asked Aladdin. "I'm hungry."
"Just be a little more patient," Morgiana replied, poking the animal with a stick to check its tenderness.
Shahra raised her lip and licked her bloodstained lips, revealing her golden collar, shining in the light of the fire. Alozza, who is hiding in the shadows nearby, went wide-and-sparkly-eyed with awe upon seeing the piece of jewelry.
'If I got that collar, I could drink a whole year's worth of booze at the most expensive bar in town!' she thought.
"It's almost ready," Morgiana said, poking the antelope's flesh again.
'Well, sorry kids,' thought Alozza with a smirk, 'but it looks like I'll have to intrude on you and your feline friend, though…'
She then shifted her foot along the sand, purposely causing a small sound which Shahra and Morgiana picked up. The tigress threw her head up, her ears perked, while the Fanalis looked back with a glare.
"What is it?" Aladdin asked. "Do you hear something?"
"Mm," Morgiana nodded. "Wait here."
Just when she was about to go investigate, Alozza suddenly steps out of the shadows, holding her hands up in a gesture of peace.
"Ah, wait, wait!" she exclaimed. "Sorry to surprise you."
"…It's fine," Morgiana replied as she went to sit back down. "We were just being cautious, that's all."
"Hi!" Aladdin greeted with his usual innocent smile.
"Hello there," Alozza greeted back.
"I'm Aladdin!" Aladdin answered. "I'm a traveler, and these are my friends, Shahra and Morg!"
"It's Morgiana, actually," Morgiana corrected while Shahra growled softly, flicking an ear.
"Oh, yeah!" Aladdin said as he held up his flute. "And this is Ugo! Say hi, Ugo!"
The flute only made a small hum in response, causing Aladdin to laugh.
"Sorry," he said. "He's shy around pretty women."
Alozza just chuckled warmly.
"I see," she said. "Well, it's nice to meet all of you as well~. My name is Alozza."
"Hello, Alozza," Morgiana greeted. "It's nice to meet you, too."
"Very nice~!" Aladdin swooned as he went up and hugged Alozza, nestling his face betwixt her bosom. This only caused Alozza herself to look at him with a deadpan expression, unlike most women, who usually cooed and doted on him whenever he did something like this.
"Does he does this a lot?" she asked Morgiana, who sighed.
"Unfortunately…yes," the Fanalis girl answered.
Shahra growled in irritation as she remembered when she saw Alibaba take Aladdin to the brothel in Qishan. Aladdin didn't seem to notice any of this, for he was too busy groping Alozza's breasts while giggling in a perverted manner, only to stop when Alozza gently flicked her finger against his forehead.
"Oi, you little pervert," she said. "I don't let just anybody touch those."
"Sorry," Aladdin said as he stepped back, rubbing his forehead. "It's just when I see a lady with big boobs, like yours, I just can't help myself." He then giggled as a blush appeared on his face. "I looooooove boobs~!"
"…I have no comment for that," Alozza deadpanned.
"I don't blame you one bit," Morgiana agreed.
'It's that Alibaba's fault for turning Aladdin into a little pervert!' Shahra thought.
Just then, a large growl sounded off, but it wasn't coming from Shahra. The girls all looked at Aladdin, who smiled sheepishly while rubbing his stomach.
"Excuse me," he said.
"Looks like the little guy's hungry," Alozza chuckled.
"Yeah, speaking of which," said Aladdin, "Morg, is the food ready?"
Morgiana poked the antelope with a stick again before smiling in satisfaction.
"Yes," she answered. "It's ready now. We can eat it."
"You're welcome to join us, miss," Aladdin said to Alozza, who smiled at him.
"Thank you," she said. "That's very generous."
Morgiana then held up a knife, which she had gotten from Leila and Sahsa during her time with their caravan, and used it to cut off a part of the meat, which she placed on a leaf and gave to Aladdin.
"Ah! Hot, hot, hot!" Aladdin cried before he blew on his meal and took a bite. Alozza chuckles as Morgiana served her a piece as well before proceeding to get a piece herself. As they ate, Alozza noticed that Shahra was quietly watching her, her tail twitching back and forth.
'I might need to watch my back around this kitty,' the woman thought while watching Shahra warily.
Aladdin then reached over and pet Shahra's head, causing her to purr.
"Shahra's pretty, isn't she?" the young Magi asked.
"She's very beautiful," said Alozza, "but how come you're traveling with a tiger?"
"I saved her," Aladdin replied. "She was gonna be sold off by some mean guy. Now, she just follows me around. I named her Shahra because her eyes reminded me of a lady I met when I was 8 years old."
"I see," Alozza said as Shahra began to nuzzle Aladdin, who laughed at her affectionate touch.
"Shahra, stop it!" he cried. "I said cut it out! Your whiskers tickle!"
Alozza chuckled while Morgiana quietly smiled.
"Ha! You're smiling, Morg!" Aladdin laughed. "You hardly ever smile!"
Morgiana gasped quietly before she looked away, puffing out her blushing cheeks in a pout.
"I was not smiling," she said.
"You were so!" Alozza teased before she and Aladdin laughed together.
"So, Miss Alozza," Aladdin said, "what are you doing, way out in the desert?"
"Oh, just traveling, that's all," Alozza answered, "but what are you three doing out here? I mean, deserts aren't usually safe, but this one's especially dangerous."
"We're on our way to a place called Balbadd," Morgiana replied.
"I see," Alozza mused before she took on a serious expression. "Well, you better be careful, or the Bandit Queen will steal all your valuables and kill you in your sleep."
"The Bandit Queen…?" Aladdin asked, nervously while Shahra growled viciously.
"That's right," Alozza nodded. "The Bandit Queen has claimed this part of the desert as her territory, and any other bandits who come wandering in…are never heard from again. Some say you can hear their screams, late at night, when everything is quiet…"
"Huh…" Aladdin muttered. "Come to think of it, I think I did hear screaming, earlier."
"Perhaps I should keep watch, tonight," Morgiana suggested.
"I could do it for you, if you want," Alozza said with a smile. "I want to repay you for letting me have dinner with you."
"…Very well," Morgiana answered.
Just then, Aladdin yawned and stretched his arms.
"I'm tired," he said, sleepily.
"It is getting late," Alozza said. "Perhaps you should go to sleep, soon."
"Good idea," Aladdin agreed as he lied down on Shahra's side, looking up at his feline friend. "Goodnight, Shahra."
Prrrrrr… Shahra purred gently as she nuzzled Aladdin's face, affectionately.
"Goodnight, Morg," Aladdin said to Morgiana, who lied down on the sand.
"Goodnight," Morgiana answered as she closed her eyes.
"Goodnight, Ugo," Aladdin said as he held his flute, which made a soft, golden yellow glow. "Goodnight, Miss Alozza."
"Goodnight, Aladdin," Alozza smiled. "Sweet dreams."
Aladdin smiled as he looked up at the starry sky.
"…And goodnight…Mother," he said. "I hope you're resting, too, up there."
Hearing that caused Alozza to go silent as she looked at the young Magi, who yawned as he closed his eyes and fell asleep, with Morgiana and Shahra following suit. Alozza remained awake, watching the fire, its light reflecting in her eyes. As Aladdin softly snored and gripped his flute in his sleep, the purple-haired woman slowly stood up and made her way over to Shahra, whose ear twitched in her sleep. She then knelt down, cautiously reaching for the big cat's collar.
'Sorry, guys,' Alozza thought, 'but…you were foolish enough to trust a complete stranger, so this is your own faults.'
Suddenly, Shahra's eye opens, and she lets out a roar as she snaps at Alozza's hand, which the woman pulled away just in time as she let out a startled yelp and leapt back to a safe distance. Of course, the noise started Aladdin awake.
"HUH?!" he cried.
"You damn cat!" Alozza cursed as she checked her hand. "You almost bit off my hand! A bandit's sneaky hands are something that is required in their job, thank you very much!" She then grumbled to herself as she continued to look over her hand, sighing in relief when she saw no damage.
"…Just as I thought."
Alozza then turned to look at Morgiana, who stood up and glared at her.
"You're this so-called 'Bandit Queen', aren't you?" the Fanalis girl asked, stomping her foot into the ground, which cracked from her immense strength. While Aladdin and Shahra yelped a bit in fright, Alozza just smirked nonchalantly while placing a hand on her hip.
"Ah, you knew," she quipped. "When did you figure it out?"
"When you just appeared out of nowhere like that," said Morgiana. "You really think you had us fooled, didn't you?"
Shahra growled viciously at Alozza while Aladdin just stared at her, surprised and slightly hurt.
"Ah~," Alozza realized. "I should have known brats like you would be too smart for their own good." She then glanced at Aladdin before she gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Aladdin, but I'm a bad person. Sorry for deceiving you, but you can't just trust anyone you meet, you know, or it'll end in your death or someone else's."
As Alozza spoke…Aladdin's eyes went wide when he saw the rukh, fluttering about her vigorously.
"The rukh…!" he whispered.
"Well," Alozza began, "it's time for me to get going."
As she spoke, her body glows again before she transforms…into a beautiful blue harpy.
"Still, it was nice," she smiled, "acting like a traveler, again…thanks for giving me that opportunity."
With that, she grabbed her bag of loot with her talons and flew off. The trio watched as she flew away, and Morgiana heaves a sigh of relief before she looks at Aladdin.
"Aladdin, are you all right?" she asked.
"…The rukh around her," Aladdin began, "they were swarming."
"What?" Morgiana questioned. "What are you talking about?"
"Never mind," Aladdin said, shaking his head.
With Alozza, the harpy turns her head once she's gotten far enough away from them, a pondering look in her eyes.
"That boy," she said. "He could see the rukh…" She smirked and chuckled to herself. "My, my~, what an interesting development. Things are going to get a lot more interesting from here on out, I can tell~."
As she continued to fly away, she didn't notice a shadowy figure, watching her through a pair of binoculars.
"Well, well," said the figure. "Looks like I finally found you…Bandit Queen."
He then chuckled evilly to himself before he turned and walked away.
XXX
The next morning, Aladdin, Morgiana, and Shahra are continuing on their way to Balbadd. However, the children found themselves riding atop Shahra's back, for it was too hot for them to keep going on foot.
"Unh…sooooooo hooooooot…!" Aladdin groaned, sweating profusely.
Morgiana remained silent, but it was clear by how much she sweat that she is also beginning to succumb to the heat. Shahra didn't look any better, considering she was panting like a dog.
"Morg," Aladdin said. "Can I have some more water?"
Morgiana sighed as she turned to look at him.
"I just gave you a drink not five minutes ago," she told him. "Can't you wait a bit longer for a drink?"
"I'm still thirsty!" the blue-haired boy complained. "Please~?"
Morgiana sighed again as she handed him her canteen.
"Just a sip," she said. "That's all."
Aladdin quickly snatched the canteen out of her hand and started guzzling down the water.
"No!" Morgiana cried as she snatched the canteen. "I said a sip, not a gulp!"
"Gimme!" Aladdin cried as he tried to the canteen back. "I'm not done!"
"Aladdin, I said no!" Morgiana shouted. "We need to conserve our water out here!"
"But Morg!" Aladdin argued, when all of a sudden, the canteen falls to the ground, spilling the remaining water on the sand. The three look down at the stained sand, a blank, yet somewhat dead expression on their faces.
"Aladdin!" Morgiana barked. "Look at what you did, now!"
"It's not my fault!" Aladdin shouted. "You were being stingy!"
"I was trying to keep us from dying of dehydration!" Morgiana argued. "Now it'll probably be days until we get another drink, you selfish brat!"
Morgiana and Aladdin continued their bickering, to Shahra's exasperation.
'Good lord…' she thought, but then, her nose twitched, causing her to look ahead, and without warning, she runs off, nearly causing Morgiana and Aladdin to fall, but the latter grabbed onto her tail at the last second.
"WAH!" Aladdin cried. "SH-SHAHRA! WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
"Whoooooooaaa!" Morgiana cried out.
After running a good distance, the tigress stopped in front of a flowing stream of water, to Aladdin's delight.
"WATER!" he cheered as he got off of Shahra's back as he ran over to the stream, cupped some in his hands, and then took a drink. "Ahhh…! Refreshing! Here, Morg! Have some!"
"…I don't think so," Morgiana answered. "Something doesn't smell right about that water."
"Doesn't smell right?" Aladdin repeated, confused as he cupped some more water in his hands and sniffed. "Huh…smells fine to me. What about you, Shahra? Don't you want any? I know you're probably thirsty."
Shahra simply backed away, much to the young Magi's confusion. Aladdin just blinked at her before he continued drinking.
"I wouldn't drink that, if I were you."
The trio looks up to see Alozza, standing on the other side of the stream.
"Hi, Miss Alozza!" Aladdin greeted, smiling innocently.
"What do you want?" Morgiana asked with a glare.
"Just warning the little guy," Alozza said. "You and the damn cat noticed it, right? That something's not right with this water?"
Shahra growled angrily upon hearing "damn cat" in Alozza's sentence, causing the bandit to growl and glare back at her, a comical bolt of lightning flashing between their eyes.
"I don't understand it," Aladdin said, wiping his mouth. "It tastes fine, to me."
"…You might want to look again, Aladdin," Morgiana said as she looked down at the stream, prompting Aladdin to look down as well, and when he did, he gasped in horror upon seeing dead fish, floating on the water's surface.
"AAH!" he screamed as he stumbled back.
"Ah, he finally notices," Alozza spoke, nodding sagely.
"W-what the…?!" Aladdin questioned. "What happened?! All these poor fish…"
"The water has become tainted somehow," Morgiana said. "Obviously."
"Yep," Alozza agreed. "I stopped here last night, hoping to get a drink. That's when I noticed what happened. Of course, now that Aladdin's drunk it, I hope nothing bad happens…"
Aladdin gulped nervously as he looked at his stomach, worriedly.
"I hope nothing happens, too…!" he squeaked.
Alozza then snickered and said, "Well, I'm sure if anything does happen, you'll survive. Someone like you, who can see the rukh, won't die easily!"
Aladdin gasped quietly at this.
"You can see the rukh, too?" he asked.
"That's right," Alozza answered as a nostalgic look appeared in her eyes. "I was told about them once, a long, long time ago by a certain man."
Morgiana and Aladdin blinked at her in confusion.
"Well," Aladdin began, "I can only see them because I'm what people call a Magi."
Hearing that caused Alozza's eyes to go wide…as an image of a shadowy figure holding a long staff and wearing some sort of tunic appeared in her mind.
"A Magi," she whispered. "I met one, once, back when I was younger. He was a bit different from you, but at the same time, similar to you."
"He was?" Aladdin asked. "Wait, you know about another Magi?"
"I don't mean to be rude," Morgiana interrupted, "but I think we should discuss this, later." She then looked to her left, upriver. "Whatever's going on, we should investigate later."
"True," Alozza agreed. "So, shall we form a temporary alliance, then?"
Morgiana paused for a moment before she sighed.
"I suppose," she said.
Alozza smirked before she across the stream, making it safely to the other side, causing Aladdin to smile at her as she walked up to Morgiana and held out her hand.
"Let's shake on it," the Bandit Queen said. "And don't worry, I won't try to steal anything from you."
"I believe her, Morg!" Aladdin exclaimed, eagerly. "The rukh around her are immense, even though she's a thief!"
Morgiana looked up at Alozza before she holds out her hand, as well.
"Fine," she said, causing Alozza to grin and shake her hand.
"It's a deal, then!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Aladdin cheered. "Now let's go upriver and see what's going on!"
"Mm," Alozza nodded. "The sooner, the better."
"How are we going to get there, though?" Morgiana asked. "It's so hot, and I doubt that Shahra has enough energy to take us on her back."
"Ooh!" Aladdin chirped. "I have an idea!"
FWEEEEEEP! He blew into his flute, causing Ugo to appear from within.
"Ugo can take us there!" Aladdin exclaimed while Alozza whistled in amazement at the sight of the Djinn.
"Your pal is pretty amazing, Aladdin," she said.
Aladdin giggled at this.
"Yeah!" he said as he looked up. "This is Ugo!"
Ugo then reaches his hand down, allowing Morgiana to climb into his palm. However, as she did, his whole body flushed pink.
"Ugo, you're not gonna faint again, right?" Aladdin asked, prompting Ugo to stand up tall with a clenched fist, as if he were saying "Of course not!"
Aladdin only giggled as he looked up at Alozza.
"Like I said," he started, "Ugo's pretty shy around pretty women."
"I see," Alozza said before Ugo reached his other hand down, allowing her to climb into his palm, as well. "Ugo's quite the gentleman."
"Yeah, I know," Aladdin said, sitting upon Ugo's neck, holding his flute in his hands while Shahra perched herself upon the Djinn's shoulder, being careful not to dig her claws into his flesh. Alozza kept a fair distance away from the feline, keeping a wary eye on her.
"Let's go, Ugo!" Aladdin shouted, and soon after, Ugo sprinted off, carrying his passengers with him. Alozza whistled in amazement as her hair blows in the wind while Aladdin laughed.
"This is fun!" the blue-haired Magi exclaimed while Morgiana remained quiet, yet smiled a bit, nonetheless, as did Shahra.
"I'll say!" Alozza agreed. "This reminds me of when I fly!"
"Me, too!" Aladdin replied.
"Oh~? What do you use to fly?" the Bandit Queen asked.
"My Magic Turban!" Aladdin answered, pointing at his headwear.
"I see," Alozza smiled.
"Yeah, but it takes up energy," Aladdin said, "just like summoning Ugo."
Alozza nodded her head in understanding at this while Morgiana seemed to notice something.
"What's that up ahead?" the Fanalis asked, pointing up ahead to some sort of structure at the river's base.
"Hmm," Alozza hummed. "It could be the cause of why the river's tainted."
As the group gets closer, Ugo shrank back inside Aladdin's flute, and they soon that it's some sort of metal fortress…and there's some sort of black substance, possibly oil or some other fluid, dripping out of a pipe and into the water. Upon seeing it, Aladdin gagged and covered his mouth.
"That's what I was drinking?!" he questioned.
"Disgusting," Alozza hissed with a glare while Shahra seemed to growl in agreement. "Really…doing something like this in MY territory…" A darkly serious expression appeared on her face. "Whoever the hell's running this is gonna have to pay.
"Well, well, well…"
The group look up to see a bunch of shadowy figures, standing on top of the fortress.
"You made it, Bandit Queen," said their leader.
"Are you the one in charge here?" Alozza asked.
"That's right," said the mysterious man, "and I've been trying to hunt you down for a long time."
"Oh, really now?" Alozza asked. "And why's that? You one of those bandits I robbed in the past?"
"Not exactly," the man said as he jumped down from the shadows, revealing himself to be rather tall with a well-built physique, short, navy blue hair, and a purple eye, the other being milky white with a scar going down it, revealing that that one is blind. He is wearing steel armor on various parts of his body, like his arms, legs, knees, and chest, leaving his abdomen bare, and he also had on a brown fur pelt, like a cape. On his feet are pair of golden boots with wings on them, and in his hand is a large morning star.
"Call me Jacheel," he said, "and I'm a bounty hunter."
"Ah~, I see," said Alozza in a bit of a singsong tone. "So you're looking to get the bounty on my head? Did they raise the money since the last time? I haven't checked, recently."
"You have a bounty?" Aladdin asked.
"Of course!" Alozza replied. "I'm the Bandit Queen! Why wouldn't I have one?"
Jacheel smirked as he held up a piece of rolled-up parchment. It is soon revealed to be a wanted poster with Alozza's face on it.
"Says here you're worth 50 million dinars," said Jacheel. "That's a lot of cash for your head."
Aladdin gasped quietly while Alozza whistled.
"Ooh~!" she chirped. "That's pretty high~!"
"Sorry about the mess in the river," Jacheel apologized, "but we felt it was the only way to draw you out." He then glanced at Aladdin, Morgiana, and Shahra. "And I see you brought company."
"What you're doing is wrong, you know," Aladdin said with a glare.
"Oh, boo-hoo~!" Jacheel said, rolling his eyes. "Cry me a freaking river, brat."
Hearing this caused Alozza to frown.
"What's one little river?" Jacheel asked. "There are plenty of others."
"The nearest town depends on this river for its water supply," said Alozza. "You're endangering so many innocents with this little scheme, just to get my head?!"
"A trivial sacrifice," Jacheel answered.
Alozza stood there, her hair concealing her eyes as she grits her teeth angrily. Then, she slowly unsheathes her sword.
"Fine," she hissed. "Let's fight, right now!"
"As you wish," Jacheel smirked as the wings on his boots began to flap, causing him to float in the air.
"Morgiana, Aladdin," Alozza grinned. "Can I leave his pals to you?"
"Gladly," Morgiana answered as she took a fighting stance.
"Yeah!" Aladdin agreed as he held his staff. "Leave it to us!"
Shahra let out a roar in agreement.
"Good," Alozza said before she jumped into the air, high enough to reach Jacheel, before she swung her blade at his shoulder, but the bounty hunter pulled back to dodge before he swings his morning star at Alozza. However, Alozza parries with her sword, then lashes out at him with a swift kick, only for Jacheel to block it.
"You'll have to do better than that!" he shouted as he swung his morning star at Alozza, sending her crashing to the ground.
"UGH!" she cried before she pulled herself back up, wiping some blood off her lip.
Concurrently, Morgiana is fighting off Jacheel's lackeys, kicking them away with her powerful legs while Shahra lashes out wildly at the other bounty hunters, slashing one with her claws and biting another in the arm with her powerful jaws. Aladdin, meanwhile, sat upon Ugo's shoulders, making punches in the air, which Ugo himself copied as he punched away the bounty hunters. However, the young Magi didn't seem to be doing so well, for he started panting and sweating, plus his vision began to blur.
"I'm fine…" he murmured. "I'm fine…!"
Jacheel laughed as he dived for Alozza, attempting to finish her off.
"Too easy, Bandit Queen!" he shouted. "NOW DIE!"
Just as he drew closer, Alozza pulled out a dagger from her thigh holster and stabbed it into the exposed flesh of Jacheel's arm, causing him to scream in pain.
"You damn bitch!" he cursed before Alozza kicked him away. Then, she looked to Aladdin, who held his head as he tried to keep himself together.
"Oi!" she called. "You doing okay, kiddo?"
Aladdin grinned, despite his condition.
"I'm fine! Really!" he assured. "I just-" He suddenly gagged and covered his mouth, feeling his stomach churn uncomfortably.
"Aladdin?!" Morgiana asked in concern.
"Tch!" Alozza clicked her tongue. "Looks like the tainted water's finally getting to him…"
Aladdin forcefully swallowed his own vomit before he looked back at Alozza.
"No…really!" he lied. "I'm fine…BLEEEGH!" Vomit soon came rushing up and gushing out of his mouth, followed by him coughing violently. "See…?"
"I don't believe you, one bit," Alozza said, shaking her head before she turned and glared at the remaining bounty hunters. "Hey…mind if I take care of the rest of these guys?"
"Go ahead," Morgiana answered, and not long after she said this, Alozza charged at them, cutting them down like they were nothing, showing absolutely no mercy. Morgiana and Shahra gasped and stared silently in shock while Jacheel's jaw dropped.
"What the hell?!" he questioned. "What is she doing?!"
"There's a reason I'm called a queen, you know," Alozza said as she gave Jacheel a deathly glare. "The moment you decided to involve that village in your attempts to claim my head, you just got a one-way ticket to Death's door. I am the ruler of this part of the desert and all those who live in it are my subjects, and I don't like people messing with things I consider mine! Got it?!"
Morgiana's eyes went wide while Ugo suddenly shrinks back inside the flute, leaving Aladdin to lie on the ground, panting heavily.
"Aladdin!" Morgiana cried as she went over to him and gently picked him up. "Are you all right?"
"Morg…" Aladdin wheezed.
Alozza slowly began to walk towards Jacheel, dragging the edge of her sword along the ground, causing sparks to fly.
"I won't let you get away without some sort of punishment," she hissed, venomously. "A queen must punish those who have done her wrong." As she spoke, a sadistic grin appeared on her face, causing Jacheel to gasp and step back a bit.
"You…you bitch…!" he cursed before he ran at her with his morning star. "YOU THINK I'M AFRAID OF YOU~?!"
Holding up her sword, Alozza easily parries his attack, causing his weapon to be sent flying out of his hands. Jacheel gasped in horror as he began to back away, fearfully, as she slowly pushes him out of Aladdin's and Morgiana's hearing range. She looked back at the two gave them a calm smile.
"I'm going to be bit busy," she said, "so please, don't come this way until I say so, no matter what you hear, okay?"
Morgiana nodded her head as she held Aladdin, who pants heavily.
"Good girl," Alozza praised as she turned to Jacheel and harshly pushed him to the ground, the bounty hunter falling out of sight with Alozza following after him. Soon after, loud whimpers of fear and screams of pain were heard, all of them coming from Jacheel before they were suddenly muffled. Morgiana and Shahra both cringed, knowing what those sounds meant due to their more sensitive hearing, while Aladdin looked up at them both.
"W…what's happening, Morg?" Aladdin asked.
"Don't worry about it," Morgiana told him as she gently laid him on Shahra's side. She then looked over to Jacheel's fortress, a glare in her eyes.
"I'll be right back," the young Fanalis said as she stood up and headed towards it. "Shahra, look after Aladdin."
The tigress lied down beside Aladdin, making a concerned noise. The boy responded by reaching up and petting her, weakly.
"I'm gonna be okay, Shahra," he reassured with a weak smile. "Really."
A few moments later, the muffled noises had ceased, and Alozza comes out from the side of the fortress. Strangely though, her sword was already sheathed.
"Hey," she said as she knelt down beside Shahra and Aladdin. "How you feeling?"
"I've…been better," Aladdin rasped.
"Don't worry," Alozza said with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure we'll be able to make you better."
It is then that Shahra notices a familiar rusty scent…the smell of blood. She takes a sniff of the air before realizing that it's coming from Alozza…or rather, her sword. It's then that the cat realizes what the bandit to the bounty hunter.
"What's wrong, Shahra?" Aladdin asked, only for the tigress to turn her head away, as if she were saying "It's nothing". At that moment, Alozza notices that Morgiana is gone.
"Did Morgiana go inside?" asked Alozza.
"Yeah," Aladdin answered. "She said she'll be back, though. I'm not too worried about her…she's part of the people called the Fanalis."
"A Fanalis?" Alozza asked in surprise. "I've never actually met one in real life before. I've heard rumors and stories, yes…but actually meeting one…that's a really lucky chance." She then smiled at Aladdin. "Why is it that my luck seems to have shot up after meeting you?" She then gently poked Aladdin in his forehead, causing him to laugh, only for his laughter to turn into a coughing fit, causing Alozza to sigh.
Just then, the whole fortress starts to fall apart!
"W-whoa!" Alozza cried in surprise and shock. "What is she doing, in there?!"
"Morg!" Aladdin cried while Shahra watches worriedly, but she soon saw that there was no need for worrying, for Morgiana soon came rushing out. Alozza sighed in relief, for she was a bit worried, as well.
"Let's go! Now!" Morgiana shouted as the fortress continued to fall apart.
"Got it!" Alozza agreed as the Fanalis gently picked Aladdin up and placed him on Shahra's back while she gets on next.
"You, too!" Morgiana said as she held her hand out to Alozza. "Come on!"
With little to no hesitation, Alozza took her hand, allowing Morgiana to pull her onto the tigress' back, as well.
"Go, Shahra!" Morgiana ordered. "Run!"
Shahra roared before she turned and ran downriver, and not long after, the fortress started to explode!
"What the hell did you break in that place?!" Alozza questioned in shock.
"Just a few lanterns and such," Morgiana answered, causing the bandit to blink at her, but then grin.
"I'm really starting to like you, kid!" she exclaimed.
"Morg…sure is strong, huh?" Aladdin asked between coughs, and not long after, he vomited again.
"We better get him to a doctor, and quick!" Alozza cried.
"Where's the nearest town?" Morgiana asked.
"That way!" Alozza answered, pointing in the right direction. "I actually visit that place a lot, so if I say you're a friend, they're bound to help you!"
"Good then," Morgiana nodded. "Hang on, Aladdin!"
"…How'd we get out here in the middle of the ocean?" Aladdin asked.
"Great," Morgiana sighed in irritation. "Now he's hallucinating."
Alozza just sweat-dropped.
As they ran…they didn't notice a shadowy figure, watching them from a distance. He let out an irritated sigh before he looked at Jacheel's destroyed face.
"…That man was completely useless," he said. "I knew I should've picked a more competent person to give those Magic Tools to. Oh, well…there's always Balbadd."
With that, a swarm of black rukh fluttered around him…and then…he vanished.
XXX
Eventually, the group makes it to the town Alozza pointed to. Needless to say, everyone was quite shocked to see 2 girls and a boy riding on the back of a tigress, but they decided not to question it.
"Someone, please point us to the nearest doctor!" Morgiana pleaded. "My friend needs help, now!"
In her arms, Aladdin lies there, his breathing labored with traces of vomit on his lips and his face red with fever.
"They're my friends, so just help the kid!" Alozza shouted.
Upon recognizing Alozza and hearing her claim, the townsfolk immediately rushed to Aladdin's aid.
"What happened to this kid, anyway?!" asked a young man.
"He drank water from a tainted river!" Morgiana answered.
"What?!" the young man questioned. "You mean the river up north from here?! Is he crazy?!"
"He couldn't help it," Morgiana said. "He was too thirsty to know."
"By the way," Alozza started, "we got rid of the ones who were tainting it, so it should be back to normal, soon!"
"Well, that's good to know, Alozza," said a woman. "Finally, we can have a drink of water without worrying about being sick."
Alozza smiled happily at this.
XXX
Later that night, Alozza and Morgiana are at a clinic, waiting for news on Aladdin's condition from the doctor.
"I know he's a Magi," Morgiana said, "but I can't help but worry."
"Yeah," Alozza agreed. "No matter how strong or sturdy a person is, you can't help but worry about them."
Just then, the doctor comes out of a room, prompting Morgiana to stand up with a start.
"How is he?!" she asked.
"Calm down," the doctor told her. "He's fine now. The worst is over."
Hearing that caused the girls to sigh in relief.
"You can see him, if you want," said the doctor, "but keep in mind, he still has a fever, so he might be a bit delusional."
Morgiana just went inside, anyway, leaving Alozza with the doctor.
"Thanks for your hard work, Doc," she said to him with a smile.
"No problem, Alozza," the doctor smiled back…but then frowned. "So…how have you been?"
Alozza sighed quietly and answered, "Well, I could be a lot worse. I mean, I'm actually getting a bit better, but I still haven't gotten over…it…yet…I don't think I ever will."
"…I understand, Alozza," the doctor told her. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything about what happened. The loss of a life…even before that life even begins…is something we just can't do anything about."
A brief flashback showed Alozza, at the doctor's clinic, crying in anguish as tears fell from her eyes.
"…I know," she said. "I don't blame you, Doc. You tried your best to help me, and that's all that matters."
"I suppose," the doctor sighed. "…Would you like to go and see the boy?"
Alozza nodded her head in response, prompting the doctor to open the door to Aladdin's room. She enters to see the boy, lying in bed with his turban off and a damp cloth on his forehead. Morgiana, who is sitting next to him on a chair, looks up at him before she put a finger to her lips, indicating Alozza to keep her voice soft.
"How's he doing?" Alozza asked in a whisper.
"He seems to be doing just fine," Morgiana whispered back.
Shahra suddenly sticks hear head in through, since the doctor said she wasn't allowed indoors. Alozza smiled and winked at her in reassurance.
"He's gonna be all right," she whispered. "So don't worry, Mama Tiger."
Shahra seemed to smile a bit before she looked over at Aladdin, who began to open his eyes and look around with a dazed expression.
"Hi, Aladdin," Morgiana spoke, softly. "How are you feeling?"
Aladdin blinked at Morgiana before he looked over at Alozza…only to gasp silently.
"M…Mother…?!" he asked, causing Alozza to look at him in shock. However, Aladdin didn't seem to notice at all. He just smiled at her as he began to sit up.
"It is you…!" he said, weakly.
Morgiana stared at Aladdin in concern before she looked over at Alozza, who looked back at her, unsure of what to say.
"…Just go along with it," Morgiana whispered. "Remember, the doctor said he'd still be a little delusional until his fever broke."
Alozza stared at Morgiana hesitantly before she nodded her head, then turned to look at Aladdin with a warm smile as she opens her arms to him. Aladdin sat up and hugged her tightly, refusing to let go.
"I don't know if this is a dream or not," he said, "but I'm still glad to see you, Mother."
"Me, too, Aladdin," Alozza spoke. "Me, too."
"I made a new friend, today," said Aladdin. "Her name is Miss Alozza."
"Really now?" Alozza asked.
"Yeah," Aladdin replied. "She kinda reminds me of you, Mother."
"I see," Alozza said.
"She's a bandit, though," Aladdin said, smiling sadly. "It must be a pretty lonely life for her."
"…I'm sure it must have been," Alozza said, looking slightly dismal.
"It's too bad we might have to say goodbye to her," Aladdin said. "As soon as I'm better…Morg, Sharha, and I are going to be leaving for Balbadd to look for our friend, Alibaba."
"I see," Alozza said. "I'm sure you'll meet her again, though."
"I know I will," Aladdin said with a yawn. "After all…everyone in the world is connected…so I'm sure…we'll meet again, one day."
With that, he soon fell back to sleep, and Alozza gently laid him down against the cool pillow.
"…His mother, Sheba," Morgiana began, "she died, six months ago. At least…that's what he told me."
"I see," Alozza said, looking at Aladdin pitifully. "He must have loved her very much."
"Yes," Morgiana agreed, "and from what he told me about her, it seemed she felt the same way about him. They were very happy together…even thought they lived in poverty."
"…I never knew my Mother," Alozza said. "I was just an orphan who simply stole what was needed to survive…but there was always one thing that kept me going."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a beautiful, blue, teardrop-shaped jeweled pendant with a golden engraving on the front.
"This was all I had left of my family," Alozza spoke, "but I'm sure this was a priceless treasure to my parents, so the fact that they left it with me meant they loved me dearly."
"I see," Morgiana smiled, and Shahra smiled as well.
"Of course, I don't show off this old thing to just anyone," the Bandit Queen said with a wink.
"I suppose this means you trust us, then?" Morgiana inquired.
"Yeah, well," Alozza started, "you helped save a town that's a part of my territory, so I guess I trust ya."
Morgiana smiled before she looked at Aladdin, who is sleeping soundly.
"We should probably follow Aladdin's lead," she suggested.
"Yeah, you're right," Alozza agreed.
"Goodnight, Alozza."
"Goodnight, Morgiana."
The Fanalis soon lies her head down on Aladdin's bed, falling asleep, while Shahra lies down outside, also casting into slumber. Alozza quietly exits and heads upstairs to a spare room the doctor always held aside for her and other guests.
Outside, the doctor himself stands under the night sky, smoking a cigar and chuckling to himself.
"…So that boy is a Magi, too, eh?" he mused before he chuckled. "And to think I had seen everything." He then looked up at the sky. "…If he and Alozza met…fate must have something in store for her…wouldn't you agree, Akeem?"
A single star gently twinkles in the sky, as if smiling, causing the doctor smile as well, knowingly.
XXX
The next morning, Aladdin is wide awake, cured of his fever, and is now eating a tray of food.
"Well, that's certainly a healthy appetite!" the doctor said with a hearty laugh. Aladdin soon let out a burp, causing him to blush sheepishly.
"Excuse me," he said before he continued eating.
At that moment, Alozza came downstairs, wearing a nightgown with a loose robe slipping off her shoulders, and her long hair was down, her ponytail undone. She brings a hand to her mouth as she yawns.
"Good…morning," she said, yawning again.
"Good morning," Morgiana greeted.
"Hi, Alozza!" Aladdin said as she sat down at the table.
"Hi…" Alozza said sleepily. She let out another yawn before she planted her head on the table, not moving. The doctor simply shakes his head at the familiar sight while Morgiana and Aladdin stare, a bit confused. Suddenly, Morgiana pinched her nostrils shut at an unwelcome stench of liquor…and it was coming right off of Alozza.
"Ugh…!" she groaned. "I smell alcohol…!"
"Yep…that's Alozza," the doctor said. "She's a bit of an alcoholic, I'm afraid."
"Sorry," Alozza murmured, waving her hand in Morgiana's general direction.
"And she usually becomes like you see, every morning," the doctor added.
"Guh…!" Morgiana gagged before she got up and walked out. "I need air. Aladdin, meet me outside when you're ready to go!"
"Okay, Morg!" Aladdin said as he took a bite out of some meat.
"Maybe I should cut back on the alcohol," Alozza said. "Just a tiny bit, though, just enough so I don't stink so bad."
"Well, Morg has a really great sense of smell," Aladdin pointed out, "so her nose is more sensitive than most people."
"Ah, I see," Alozza said. "Then again, that's a Fanalis for you."
By now, Aladdin had finished eating and rubbed his belly.
"Ahh~!" he sighed, contentedly. "I'm full!"
Alozza then rubbed her eyes, finally waking up, as Aladdin got down from his chair and picked up his satchel.
"Well, we're off," he said. "Thanks for your help, Doc!"
"No problem, kiddo," the doctor answered. "So where are you off to next?"
"Morg, Shahra, and I are heading to a place called Balbadd," Aladdin answered.
"I'd be careful if I were you," Alozza warned. "Balbadd isn't really in the best of shapes, right now."
"Huh?" Aladdin asked. "What do you mean?"
"Balbadd is going through an economic crisis, since it broke off trade with the Sindria Kingdom, due to having some problems with a group of thieves," Alozza explained. "That place always had some sort of problem, but it's only gotten worse over the years."
"A group of thieves?" a bemused Aladdin asked.
"Oh, yeah," the doctor said. "I heard about that. Jeez…it's always one disaster after another with that country. I mean, first some crooks sneak in and steal the royal treasury, then the previous king dies, his incompetent son takes his place, and now this crap? When does it end?!"
"No clue," Alozza answered. "It's only gotten worse since I left there."
"You used to live there?" Aladdin asked.
"Yeah," Alozza nodded. "There was nothing there for me, so I left once I was old enough."
"That's great!" Aladdin said as he took Alozza's hand. "You can come with me, Morg, and Sharha, and guide us there!"
"W-what?!" Alozza questioned. "No, no, no! I haven't gone back there since I left, and I'm not going back, ever!"
"Why not?" Aladdin asked as he pulled on her arm. "Come on!"
"I said no!" Alozza shouted as she pulled her arm away.
"But-" Aladdin started, but he was quickly cut off.
"Listen here, you twerp," Alozza hissed. "I don't wanna go back and I'm NEVER going back, not even for a kid like you!"
She then stood up and headed upstairs, leaving Aladdin to watch her in concern.
"…Poor thing," the doctor sighed before he went to follow her to the room she stayed in, last night, where Alozza herself getting dressed. Just as she's about to put on her top, which hid a slightly gruesome scar on her back, the door opens, revealing the doctor.
"Oh, it's you, Doc," Alozza said, turning to face him.
The doctor, having seen the scar multiple times before, sighs as he closes the door behind him.
"Alozza," he said, "how long do you plan to keep running away from your past?"
"…For as long as I can, I guess," Alozza replied. "I know it's cowardly, but I can't face it, just like that. Plus…every time I think of Balbadd, this stupid scar starts to hurt."
"The past can hurt, Alozza," the doctor said. "I know that much…but let me ask you this. Do you think Akeem would agree with you if he were still alive?"
Alozza froze at this…then she sucked her teeth in irritation.
"Dammit, I hate it when you guilt-trip me," she said before she finally sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll go with the brats."
"Good," the doctor smiled. "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, child…it's just…I feel like fate allowed you and that Aladdin boy to meet for a reason. That's all."
"Well, fate better have a damn good reason, or I'll kick its ass," Alozza quipped as she began to gather belongings.
XXX
Later, Aladdin is sitting outside with Shahra and Morgiana, having explained what happened in the clinic.
"So she's not going with us?" Morgiana implied.
"Yeah, I guess not," Aladdin answered before he furrowed his brow in concern. "She seemed kinda angry, though, when I mentioned Balbadd. I wonder why."
Suddenly, two hands reached and landed on each of the kids' heads, ruffling their hair gently
"Hey!" Aladdin laughed while Morgiana puffed out her cheeks in her usual pout. It is revealed that the owner of the hands is none other than Alozza, who has a pack over her shoulder.
"Alozza!" Aladdin exclaimed. "You changed your mind?"
"That's right," Alozza smiled. "Well? What are we waiting for? If we wanna get to Balbadd, we're gonna need to get going."
"Right," Morgiana nodded.
"Yeah!" Aladdin cheered. "Let's go!"
Alozza smirks as she begins to lead the way with Aladdin, Morgiana, and Shahra following behind. Unknown to them, a man with brunette hair and green eyes smiles at them from behind, the rukh gently fluttering around him.
"Huh?" Aladdin muttered before he looked back, but he saw nothing.
"What is it?" Morgiana asked.
"…Nothing," Aladdin answered. "I just thought I sensed someone, that's all. Probably just me."
"What's the hold up?" Alozza asked from in front of them. "Hurry up, you three!"
"We're coming!" Aladdin called, and before long, the group began to run out of town and along the desert sand, laughing like there was no tomorrow. Alozza looked back at the three before she smiled happily.
'Akeem…are you seeing this?' she thought. 'I'm finally gonna put the past behind me and move on. I'm not ready to let go of you, just yet, though, so please…stay beside me a little longer.'
Until Next Night…
Coming up next, Sinbad, the King of Drunk Nudes! XD I'm just kidding.
Review, please!