Night 15- The Fog Troop

Magi © Shinobu Ohtaka

Shahra © Me

Alozza © Darkdarling98

"Good morning, Morg!"

"Good morning, Aladdin…"

"Good morning, Shahra!"

A roar of greeting was his reply.

"And good morning, Alozza!"

"More like good mid-morning, Aladdin…and another thing, STOP TOUCHING MY MELONS AND GET YOUR DIRTY-MINDED LITTLE ASS OUTTA MY BED!"

Aladdin yelped as Alozza dropped him on the floor.

"Ow!" he cried as he rubbed his sore bottom while Alozza grumpily headed to the bathroom.

"You really should stop that habit of yours, Aladdin," Morgiana noted. "It's becoming a bit annoying."

"I can't help it if a girl has big boobs!" Aladdin argued.

Shahra rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief.

"It's a bit late, don't you think?" Morgiana asked.

"Yeah," Aladdin answered as he grabbed a pillow and hugged it. "I got a bit too wild, last night."

"Don't I know it?" Alozza asked. "You guys were making such a racket last night, I could barely sleep."

Last night, Aladdin didn't very feel very tired, so he spent most of the night, jumping on the bed. He even invited Ugo and Morgiana to play along. Of course, when Morgiana jumped, she accidentally broke her own bed, due to her Fanalis strength, which led to Aladdin giving up his own bed for her while he slept with Alozza. There was actually another bed, but Shahra had already taken that one.

"Um…Aladdin," Morgiana said. "About what that made said, yesterday."

"You mean what she said about Alibaba?" Aladdin asked.

"Well…yes," Morgiana said, "but…I'm also in trouble, too, you know?"

"Oh, yeah," Alozza said as she came up, tying her hair up in a ponytail. "Since trade has stopped and ships have stopped sailing, you can't get back to the Dark Continent, can you?"

"Mm," Morgiana nodded, worriedly.

"Don't worry, Morg!" Aladdin exclaimed. "I'm sure we can think of something!"

Shahra walked up to Morgiana and nuzzled, causing her to smile warmly.

"Thank you," she said, but her train of thought was interrupted by the rumbling of Aladdin's stomach.

"Hehehe…" Aladdin laughed, sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. Guess I have been a bit hungry for a while, now."

"Come to think of it, I'm a bit hungry, myself," Morgiana agreed, her stomach growling as well.

"In that case," Alozza began, "maybe we should go see Sin and see if he can get us some grub."

"Sounds good to me!" Aladdin exclaimed. "Let's go!"

XXX

Later, after finding Sinbad, Aladdin and company headed to the hotel diner, where they were treated to a nice hot meal.

Right now, they're sitting around a table, looking at a grilled fish, sprinkle with herbs and seasonings, and for presentation, a parsley garnish.

"WOOOOW!" Aladdin exclaimed, saliva cascading from his mouth. Even Morgiana was drooling a bit.

"It's Balbadd's specialty!" Sinbad exclaimed. "Herb-Grilled Eumera Sea Bream! It's a rare fish found only in these parts! The bones are soft, so you can eat it whole! Go ahead, dig in!"

"You don't gotta tell me twice!" Alozza said before they all started to eat.

"Yummy~!" Aladdin chirped as he kept eating. This was the best thing he'd ever tasted. Back in Utan, he never got to eat food this good because Sheba never had enough money to buy something so expensive. The best thing she could get was a loaf of bread and a piece cured meat.

"It's good, isn't it?" Sinbad asked. This is the first thing I had when I first came here."

"It's delicious!" Alozza exclaimed while Shahra noisily ate her fish, as well.

After a while, everyone had finished their meal.

"Ahhhh…!" Aladdin sighed, patting his distended abdomen. "I'm so full!"

"Thanks for treating us, Sin," Alozza said.

"No problem," Sinbad smiled. "Oh! Of course! I forgot to introduce you to my vassals! This is Ja'Far…"

"Please to meet you," Ja'Far said, bowing his head.

"And Masrur."

Masrur just remained quiet.

"Oh, and Morgiana," Sinbad said, "this may interest you…Masrur, here, is a Fanalis, just like you."

Hearing that caused Morgiana to gasp in surprise.

"Well, what do you know?" Alozza asked. "I thought something about you two seemed familiar! You do have the same hair color and eyes!"

"…Hello," Masrur greeted Morgiana, who gulped nervously before she looked away. It was obvious this was the first time she had seen someone of her own kind.

"H…hello," she murmured.

A bit later, Aladdin had begun to introduce himself to Masrur while Sinbad and Ja'Far had a discussion.

"Hi! I'm Aladdin!" the boy greeted. "It's nice to meet you!"

"So what are we going to do now, Sin?" asked Ja'Far. "Without your equipment, you can't keep your promise to King Abhmad."

"We'll work it out, somehow," Sinbad said.

"…Nothing really phases, does it?" Ja'Far asked, irritably.

"You're a pretty big guy, aren't you, Masrur?" Alozza asked, standing away from Ja'Far and Sinbad's conversation.

"Are all the men of your people this big, like him, Morg?" Aladdin asked.

"I don't think so," Morgiana said. "This is the first time I've seen another Fanalis."

"The least I can do is try and keep all this inner turmoil to a minimum," Sinbad said, unknowing of the conversation going on behind his back. "After all…I owe this country."

"…" Ja'Far was quiet, but he had this understanding look in his eyes.

"I established Sindria on a deserted island when I was young and ignorant," Sinbad started, "and the previous King of Balbadd taught me how to trade. I'm truly indebted to him."

"You're about half as big as my friend, Ugo!" Aladdin said to Masrur. "Here! Lemme introduce you to him!"

"The old king may be gone," Sinbad continued, "but I cannot let his country be burned by the flames of war."

Just then, FWEET! Aladdin blew his flute, causing Ugo's arms to come snaking out. Seeing this caused Ja'Far to spit out his tea, which nearly hit Sinbad had he not dodged. When the purple-haired king turned, he shrieked in shock when he saw Ugo's humongous arms.

XXX

After a while, Aladdin had managed to calm everybody down, and the group is now sitting by a canal, hiding from the eyes of the citizens.

"Aladdin," Sinbad said as he looked at the boy, "so…you're a Magi, too, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Aladdin muttered. "You mean you know other Magi, too?"

"Yes, I do," Sinbad said as he pat Ugo's arm. "Although…we're not really all that close."

"…Mister Sin?" Aladdin asked. "Who are you, anyway?"

Sinbad gave Aladdin a sly smile.

"Since you're a Magi," he began, "I might as well tell you. Sorry for keeping it a secret until now. My name…is Sinbad!"

Hearing that caused everyone to gasp…except Alozza, for some reason.

"…Wait…who is that?" Aladdin asked, causing Sinbad's jaw to drop.

"Y…you're kidding, right?!" Sinbad asked. "You mean, you've never heard of me, before?!"

"I think I might have," Aladdin answered, "but…I forgot."

"Well…you know!" Sinbad exclaimed. "The Adventures of Sinbad and stuff like that? You're telling me you don't know, at all?!"

Aladdin shook his head, to Sinbad's exasperation.

"Ahem!" he cleared his throat before standing up straight. "'A man who has crossed the Seven Seas, captured 7 dungeons, master of 7 dungeons, and even established his own country! That's who the great Sinbad of the Seven Seas is'!"

"So…so cool!" Aladdin exclaimed. "Uh…isn't it?"

Sinbad soon dropped his theatrics and stared at the young Magi in shock.

"H-how can you not know?!" Sinbad questioned.

"Why am I not surprised?"

Sinbad then glanced at Alozza, who flipped a hand through her hair.

"I pretty much figured out when you introduced yourself yesterday," Alozza said. "Seriously? Using the first syllable of your name kinda gives it away, don't you think?"

"It kind of adds to the drama," Sinbad said.

"Life is not a book, Sin," Ja'Far retorted.

"Sorry, Mister Sinbad," Aladdin said. "I may be a Magi, but there's a lot of things I don't really know. Up until sixth months ago, I used to live in Utan, and I'm pretty much just now learning about Djinns and their masters and stuff."

"I see," Sinbad realized.

"But I have heard of The Adventures of Sinbad!" Aladdin exclaimed. "My friend reads that!"

"Oh, well that's good to know!" Sinbad said, relieved. "I'm the one who wrote it, you see. The dungeons are a long story, Aladdin, so I'll tell you about it some other time."

"Okay," Aladdin answered, "but do you think you can tell me something else?"

"Sure," Sinbad replied. "What is it?"

"What exactly is a Magi?" Aladdin asked. "You see…I learned what I am, some time ago, but now…I want to learn a little more about myself!"

"I see," Sinbad said. "Well, for starters…" he turned and gestured to Ugo, "this big fella here is proof that you are a Magi, Aladdin. Only a Magi can have enough magoi to make a Djinn fully materialize for long periods of time. The magoi of a Dungeon-Capturer, such as myself, can't do that."

"Oh, but I can't really keep Ugo out of the flute for too long," Aladdin said. "Whenever I call him out, it makes me hungry."

"Hmm," Sinbad hummed, bemused. "So magoi consumes a Magi's strength. Very interesting. However, to normal people, like us, your magoi appears limitless. You see, Aladdin…magoi is created by the rukh."

"It is?" Aladdin asked, amazed as some rukh fluttered by.

"Hold up," Alozza said. "You mean you know about the rukh, too?"

"Of course, I do," Sinbad said. "They exist all around us, in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and in all living creatures, great and small. Normal people can only use the magoi created by the rukh inside them, but Magi can use the rukh inside and outside, too! In other words, they have access to limitless amounts of magoi!"

"Whoa…!" Aladdin whispered in awe. "Amazing!"

"That's right," Sinbad said. "Magi are special. They're loved by the rukh."

Aladdin looked down at the ground, blushing sheepishly and tugging at his pants. To think…he was one of these amazing people known as Magi.

'Mother…is this what you meant?' he thought. 'When you told me I was one of a kind…did you mean that you knew that I'm a Magi? If that's so…why didn't you tell me in the first place?'

"Aladdin?"

Aladdin looked up at Sinbad, who smiled at him.

"Now that that's out of the way, I have a favor to ask you," he said.

"Oh!" Aladdin said. "S-sure! What is it?"

"Well, I'm preparing for a bit of a fight tonight," Sinbad answered, "but…there's one problem: I lost all my Djinn Metal Vessels."

"To a group of lowly thieves," Ja'Far muttered in irritation.

"Don't rub it in!" Sinbad shouted. "Anyway, Aladdin…as a Magi, will you lend me your power…to put a stop to the Fog Troop?"

Hearing this caused Aladdin's group to gasp.

"Say what now?!" Alozza questioned.

"You wanna stop the Fog Troop?!" Aladdin asked.

"That's right," Sinbad answered. "They're the ones causing turmoil in this country."

"Now hold on a second!" Ja'Far shouted. "Sin, are you daft?! Surely, you are not going to involve these children, are you?! It's far too dangerous!"

"I'm gonna have to agree with him," Alozza said. "Magi or not, Aladdin's still a little boy! Albeit a perverted little boy, but still!"

Shahra growled in agreement.

"I understand your concern," Sinbad said, "but age doesn't matter. All we can truly rely on is strength."

Ja'Far groaned and shook his head.

"Someone, shoot me…!" he murmured.

"Aladdin may be a young, but a Magi is a Magi, nonetheless," Sinbad said. "As you can see, despite his size, he's still quite powerful."

"Hehehe…gee, thanks!" Aladdin laughed, sheepishly.

"When I was 14, I captured my first dungeon," Sinbad said. "10,000 adults died in Dungeon No. 1...my weapon in my countless adventures, voyages, and battles…it wasn't age…it was talent. A talent greater than anyone else's for entering new worlds, and that's just what Aladdin has! You can see it, too…can't you?"

Ja'Far just looked at Sinbad, seeming unsure.

"Morg," Aladdin said. "What do you think?"

A pause…but then Morgiana looked up to the sky.

"…Let's do it," she said.

"Wait, are you serious?" Alozza asked in surprise.

"Yes," Morgiana answered. "I want to stop them. It's because of them I can't go home to the Dark Continent. If we defeat them, then ships will be able to sail, again. As a plus, Mister Sinbad knows the king of this land. If we solve the problem, the government might be able to help us find Alibaba."

"Oh! I see!" Aladdin exclaimed. "What about you, Alozza? Will you help?"

"Look, I only agreed to guide you guys here," Alozza said. "As of now, I don't see any point in sticking around."

"If that's what you think, why didn't you part ways with us yesterday?" Morgiana asked.

"Err…well," Alozza stammered, "it's because-"

"You've grown attached to them, haven't you?"

"Eh?" Alozza muttered as she looked at Sinbad, who gave her a knowing smile. "H-hey! Don't you go making any crazy assumptions!"

"It's okay to admit it," Sinbad said. "Perhaps you think it's fate that you brought you back to this country, no?"

"It's nothing like that at all!" Alozza barked. "I mean…I used to live on these mean streets! Without me around, these two here are more than likely to get themselves in trouble the moment they entered the city! So…I'll stay…but only until this Fog Troop mess is cleared up, and then I'm outta here, got that?!"

Aladdin just giggled.

"Sure, Alozza," he said. "What about you, Shahra? Are you gonna help us, too?"

Shahra let out a powerful roar in agreement.

"That settles it then!" Aladdin exclaimed. "We'll help you vanquish the thieves!"

"That's what I like to hear," Sinbad said as he shook the boy's hand. "Let's go back and discuss a plan, Aladdin, and as for you ladies…you're going to wait at the hotel."

"Huh?" Morgiana muttered in surprise.

"Now you wait just a damn minute, Mr. Ponytail!" Alozza shouted. "I thought you wanted our help!"

"I said I wanted Aladdin's help," Sinbad corrected as he turned the girls around and gently pushed them forward. "I didn't say anything about you two. I'm sorry, but I just can't let two beautiful girls like you fight a battle like this."

Suddenly, he was stopped when he heard a loud stomping sound, and following after was a golden-white glow. Sinbad looked up to see Alozza, glaring at him in the form of a harpy, while Morgiana stamped her foot so hard into the ground, she caused a small crater to form.

"…We're going to fight with you," Morgiana said with her usual pout.

"And if you think we're just gonna sit here and let tell us what to do," Alozza started, "buddy, you've got another thing coming."

"…I say we let them help," Masrur said. "Especially the shape-shifter."

"See~?" Alozza smirked. "Big guy's got the right idea."

"…Yes, ma'am…!" Sinbad squeaked with a comically scared look on his face while Ja'Far and Shahra snickered.

XXX

A while later, Aladdin and the gang are in Sinbad's hotel room, discussing a strategy. They all sat around a table, which had a map of Balbadd on it. Shahra sat on the floor, also watching.

"All right, then," Ja'Far said, holding the map. "Let's get underway. Here's some information I gathered from the military and citizens about the Fog Troop's activities. No. 1: they always operate on a foggy night, and Balbadd is a foggy country. The fog forms when the sea breezes reach the hills, and the thieves use that to their advantage. No. 2: they only target government storehouses and noblemen mansions. They move in groups of about a dozen to nearly 100 hundred, and steal metal items, foodstuffs, and weapons. No. 3…is something most disturbing."

"And that would be?" Alozza asked while Aladdin munched on apple.

"They always manage to attack where the military is weakest," Ja'Far continued. "Most likely, they have a spy on their side. What's worse is that the citizens cooperate with them. Once they enter the city, the thieves just seem to vanish."

"People cooperate with thieves?" Aladdin asked as he pet Shahra. "Why?"

"Because the thieves give what they steal to the poor," Ja'Far answered. "Thus, the people view the Fog Troop as chivalrous. Recently, there's one thief who is especially popular above all: Alibaba the Wondrous, the leader of the Fog Troop."

Aladdin's eyes went wide and a bead of sweat raced down his brow.

"Alibaba the Wondrous…"

"Chivalrous thieves…"

"…He may not be the same Alibaba you know."

Aladdin then shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.

'It's a different Alibaba…' he thought. 'It has to be! I mean…Alibaba would never join up with some thieves…would he?'

Alozza looked at Aladdin in concern before she gently placed a hand on his head, causing him to look up at her. She smiled, as if to reassure him, causing him to smile back.

"I'm not so sure about this," Morgiana spoke up. "The people support the Fog Troop, don't they? We'll probably be seen as the bad guys in all this."

"I think we should put a stop this," Sinbad said. "The people say they are chivalrous, so they must be doing what they think is right. They give to the citizens and in return are aided by them…but I think…that's only to justify being thieves."

Alozza looked away, thinking about her old life as a bandit. Sure, she only stole from other bandits, but…was Sinbad right about his theory? Was she just stealing from rogues only to justify being one herself?

"I'll give you some time to think about it," Sinbad said. "When you've thought it through, act upon the answer only you believe in. That's how I've forged new paths…how about you?"

Ja'Far smiled at Sinbad, while the others remained quiet.

"…I'll think about it for a bit," Aladdin said.

"Same here," Morgiana answered.

"Me, too," added Alozza.

"Good," Sinbad said.

XXX

Later that night, as the full moon rose into the starry night sky and the fog rolled into town, the atmosphere was thick with tension. At a rich merchant's manor, military soldiers stood guard outside the gates. Also with them are Aladdin, Morgiana, Shahra, and Ja'Far.

"How's the main gate?"

"Nothing to report."

"Hey…why is there a kid here?"

"According to Sinbad, he's gonna be helping us deal with the Fog Troop."

"That scrawny runt?"

Aladdin looked around, feeling a bit on edge. Shahra walked up to him, purring as she nuzzled his face.

"Thanks, Shahra," Aladdin said. "I'm a bit worried, too."

"There are so little guards here," Morgiana noted.

"Well, this place and one another place is a bit shorthanded, I'm afraid," Ja'Far answered. "Overall, the thieves are more than likely to appear here."

"What about that other place?" asked Aladdin.

"Sin, Masrur, and Miss Alozza are guarding it," Ja'Far replied.

"I see," Morgiana said. "Will Mister Sinbad be all right? The thieves have stranger powers, and yet he doesn't have his Metal Vessels?"

"He'll be fine, I'm sure," Ja'Far assured with a small smile. "He is Sinbad of the Seven Seas, you know…Metal Vessels or none, he's not to be taken lightly. You learn that after you've known him as long as I've had."

"…I can tell that even though he annoys you," Aladdin began, "you respect Mister Sinbad very much, don't you, Mister Ja'Far?"

"Of course," Ja'Far answered, and as he spoke…the image of a young boy, garbed in ragged cloaks, his face wrapped up in bandages, and glowing orange eyes filled with killer intent. "After all…it's because of him I'm the man I am, today."

XXX

At an aristocrat's mansion…

"ACHOO!"

"Solomon bless you."

"Thanks."

Sinbad sniffled as he rubbed his arms for warmth.

"You know," Alozza began, "they say when you sneeze out of nowhere, someone's talking about you behind your back."

"Don't be silly," said Sinbad. "It's just really cold, that's all. Here in the southeast of Balbadd, foggy nights are chilly."

"Yes," Masrur concurred, holding an oil lantern.

"Wait! Don't move!" Sinbad cried as he ran to him and hid behind his back.

"Don't use me as a windbreaker!" Masrur exclaimed, but then, they heard the sound of a window opening, prompting to look up and see a fat man, eating a roasted chicken leg while being held by two voluptuous women.

"Hey, you three!" the man barked. "Keep a sharp eye out! The military's so short-handed, they only gave me three guards! I'm so worried about the Fog Troop looting my house, I can't even enjoy my dinner in peace!"

"And yet he's eating anyway, the fat slob," Alozza murmured.

"You took the words out of my mouth," Masrur added, causing Alozza to smile at him.

"A nice, warm room and warm food," Sinbad said, looking up at the fat aristocrat with envy. "Must be nice."

Just then, Alozza spotted something out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey," she said. "Look alive. Someone's coming this way."

The three turned…and saw that it was just a woman, about Sinbad's age, staggering towards them, holding a bundle in her arms.

"It's a woman," Masrur noted, and not long after, the woman nearly collapsed, prompting Sinbad and Alozza to go help her.

"Whoa!" Sinbad cried. "Take it easy!"

"Are you okay?" Alozza asked…but then she and Sinbad gasped as the woman drew a dagger and tried to stab them with it!

"What in the name of Solomon-" Alozza started, but when she turned, she saw that they were all surrounded by shadowy figures. "Crap."

"Do you think it might be the Fog Troop?" Masrur asked.

"I can't tell with all this mist in the air," Sinbad answered.

"In that case…" Masrur started before he went up…and uprooted a tree from the ground, to Alozza's surprise.

"Holy smokes…!" she whispered, and not long after, Masrur swung the tree, fanning the fog away. As soon as it dissipated, the three soon saw it was nothing but a bunch of raggedy looking people…there were even some young children!

"What the hell?!" Alozza questioned.

"This can't be the Fog Troop," Sinbad said.

"Get out of our way," said the woman from earlier. "If you try and stop us, we'll kill you! If I don't feed my daughter today, she'll die!"

Alozza looked…and gasped in horror upon seeing a tiny, skinny arm, dangling out of the bundle the woman was holding. As she did…she felt her own stomach clench with nausea and distress. Even Sinbad and Masrur looked horrified.

"This is third child I've lost!" the woman shouted. "They tax us and kill our poor children!"

Sinbad gasped as he remembered Abhmad's words from yesterday.

"Stealing from the royal treasury only raises taxes."

"Mongrels from the slums, huh?!" the aristocrat barked. "Shoo! Take this and don't come back!"

He then tossed the half-eaten chicken leg onto the cold, dirty ground, causing the people to gasp before the mother ran to grab it, but just when she was about to, Sinbad grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"W…what are you-" she started.

"You don't need this," Sinbad told her. "If you want food, then all you want in the mansion…but don't take any lives. Understand?"

A pause…but then people all put on serious faces before they nodded their heads and headed inside.

"Wait a minute!" the fat slob cried. "You damned guards! You're supposed to guard me from trash like this!"

"Are you sure about this, Sinbad?" Masrur asked.

"We only promised to capture the Fog Troop," Sinbad said. "However…I'm afraid this country might be a lost cause."

Alozza looked at Sinbad worriedly before she looked up at the sky.

XXX

With Ja'Far's group, the fog was getting thicker, and the guards were discussing what happened at the aristocrat's manor.

"The aristocrat's mansion fell under attack just now."

"If that's the case, that means they won't come here."

"Still, it might be the Fog Troop. We should go and investigate."

Not too far away, Morgiana is running through the fog with Shahra following behind her. For some reason…the fog seemed to be turning red.

"The fog is really thick here," the Fanalis girl said. "Aladdin! Sinbad was attack! We should probably- huh?"

She braked to a halt when she saw that Aladdin was gone.

"A…Aladdin?" Morgiana called. "Aladdin?!"

Nearby, some guards are seen, staggering around in the fog, chuckling and smiling. Among them is Aladdin.

"What the heck are you smiling for?" asked one guard.

"I'm just so happy for some reason," said the other, snickering.

"It's so nice and poofy here!" Aladdin exclaimed. "It's like I'm walking around in clouds! I sure wish Mother, Ugo, and Alibaba were here to see this!"

"Aladdin…Aladdin…!"

Aladdin gasped before he turned around…and spotted Alibaba approaching him, smiling broadly.

"Hey, little buddy!" Alibaba greeted.

"Alibaba!" Aladdin exclaimed. "It's you! It's been so long! I really, really missed you, you know?!"

Morgiana coughed and Shahra shook her head, disoriented. As they looked, they soon saw Aladdin's shape in the midst of the fog.

'A…Aladdin…?!' Morgiana thought. 'Who is he talking to?!'

In the fog…Aladdin is grinning and talking to nothing but air.

'There's nobody there!' Morgiana thought before she hoisted Shahra over her head.

"Shahra!" she cried. "Something's wrong with this fog!"

With that, the Fanalis jumped up onto the rooftops, taking the big cat with her before they both landed. When they looked down, they saw the guards, panicking about something.

"Stay back! Get away from me!"

"It's a monster!"

"There's a horde of thieves over here!"

"What in the world?!" Morgiana questioned. "There's no one there! Who are they fighting?!"

"No one."

Morgiana and Shahra turned to see Ja'Far, also standing on the roof.

"Your heightened sense of smell helped you and Shahra remain unaffected by it," said Ja'Far. "This fog is slightly red with an odor suggesting some type of hallucinogenic plant. This is no human trick. It's this strange power we've heard about." He then pointed to the west…where the fog was coming from. "We'll find the Fog Troop at the source of that red fog!"

XXX

Closing in one on the merchant's mansion are a group of men, leading by a bigger, muscular man wearing a scarf over his scarred eye and his hair braided in a long ponytail, and a woman with a lip piercing and her hair in dreadlocks.

"Remember," the woman said. "Don't breathe in the fog. Use a mask, if necessary."

"Hehe!" laughed the man. "Your fog truly is nasty, Zaynab!"

"The Magic Tool, Red Illusion Fog Sword," said Zaynab, holding up some strange-looking blade attached to her wrist like a glove. "It generates a red fog that cause anyone who inhales it to see illusions of their hopes and fears."

She then looked down at the unconscious guards.

"But it can't affect those who remain calm inside," she quipped. "The military are a bunch of fools. They fall for it every time!"

Soon, they reached the mansion wall.

"Here's the place," said Zaynab. "Get to work, Hassan!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill," Hassan said as held up a blame that looked just like the one Zaynab has, only this one released a yellow fog. As he cut the wall with the blade, the wall began to melt away!

"My Yellow Corrosion Fog Sword can cut through anything with this acidic fog!" Hassan exclaimed. "It opens holes in the hardest walls!"

BAM! The wall easily broke away once the men began to bang on it with gigantic hammers.

"Okay, Fog Troop!" shouted Hassan. "Start stealing whatever you can! It's all our taxes, anyway!"

As the Fog Troop began to move in, some of them were suddenly snagged by red ropes tied to metal darts.

"Hey! What the hell?!"

"I can't move!"

"Me neither!"

"What is this?! A military attack!"

"No…I don't work for them!"

The thieves looked up to see Ja'Far, holding them back with red rope darts.

"However, I do have a reason to capture you!" he exclaimed.

"Who the hell are you!?" questioned Hassan. "I'll cut you to pieces, you freckled freak!"

"Hold it!" Zaynab shouted. "Don't be so damn hasty, dumb-ass! Let Cassim handle this guy!"

Not long after she said this, a black, ominous-looking fog appeared, and it seemed to wrap around Ja'Far, binding him, pinning him down to the ground!

"W-what the?!" Ja'Far questioned. "What's going on?!"

"My Magic Tool…the Black Bonding Fog Sword!"

The Fog Troop turned to see a young man appeared out of the fog, holding a sword, just like Zaynab and Hassan. Like most of the men in the troop, he had his black hair in dreadlocks and he had these vicious-looking golden yellow eyes, as well as a pair of red earrings. Following behind him is someone whose face is wrapped up in a scarf.

"You don't look like you're one of the military, you bastard," said the man. "Let my comrades go!"

"All right!" Zaynab exclaimed. "It's Cassim!"

"The main force is here!" Hassan added. "Cassim's Black Binding Fog is heavier than lead! Once it grabs you, you're completely immobilized!"

"HYAAA!" Morgiana roared as she kicked down one of the thieves while Shahra viciously bit down on another's arm. Then, they both charged at Cassim.

"Boss! Look out!" shouted one of the Fog Troops. "Here come two more!"

"Dammit!" Cassim cursed before he swung his blade, causing Morgiana and Shahra to be bound by the black fog, as well!

"Urgh!" Morgiana grunted, struggling. "I can't move!"

Shahra roared as she struggled, as well.

"A girl and a tiger?!" Cassim questioned.

"It doesn't matter!" shouted Zaynab. "Anyone who hurts is the enemy! They're both strong, so be careful!"

Morgiana growled as she kept struggling. It was clear that the fog wasn't fully binding her. Still, with her legs pinned down, she couldn't kick.

"Looks like this one's gonna need more than one blast!" Cassim said before he released more Black Binding Fog. "I'll handle these two! Get moving!"

"Right, boss!" the Fog Troop shouted as they ran off.

For some reason, the one who had his face wrapped his scarves seemed worried.

"What's wrong, partner?" Cassim asked.

"Uh…nothing!" the figure answered.

'Morgiana and Shahra…?!' he thought as he tried to cover his face with his scarf. 'Why are they here?!'

XXX

Not too far away, Aladdin is still trapped in the red fog. He was lying down, smiling, his eyes closed…but the eight-point star seal on his flute shined bright.

Inside Aladdin's mind

Aladdin smiled as he and Alibaba sat together in a white void, laughing like no tomorrow, but then…

"Aladdin!"

"Aladdin…"

Aladdin gasped before he turned and saw Sheba…as well as a family blue-skinned giant whose face was concealed by his long, navy hair.

"Mother!" Aladdin exclaimed. "And…Ugo?! Hey! You've got your head again!"

He went to hug them…but he just phased through them.

"Huh?" he muttered, confused.

"Aladdin…what you're seeing isn't real," Sheba said.

"Your mother is right, Aladdin," Ugo agreed. "I'm sorry."

Aladdin looked down, feeling dismal…but then Sheba walked up and gently cupped his chin, causing him to lift his head up and look at her face, which had an expression of seriousness.

"Don't let this dream fool you," she told him. "It's been half a year, now, and you've changed quite a lot during that time. That woman, Alozza, told you that your friend, Alibaba, might have changed, as well. He may not be the same man you know."

"Mother…" Aladdin muttered, sadly.

"Go look for him, Aladdin," Ugo said. "Look for you real friend. Is this boy sitting next to you…really the one you're looking for?"

"Aladdin…Aladdin…!"

Dream end

"ALADDIN!"

Aladdin gasped as he woke up from his dream.

"ALADDIN!" Ja'Far shouted, still bound by the fog. "THE THIEVES ARE HEADED YOUR WAY! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

Aladdin looked back to see the Fog Troop, charging right towards him.

"The Fog Troop…!" he gasped before he held up his flute. "Let's go, Ugo!"

FWEEEEEEEET! Aladdin blew into the flute, causing Ugo to appear, towering over the thieves, who gasped in shock and fright.

"GREAT SPIRIT OF SOLOMON!" Zaynab cried.

"IT'S A MONSTER!" Hassan shouted.

'…Thank you…Ugo…Mother,' Aladdin thought. 'I was looking for Alibaba…and I was ready for a fight!'

"None of you are going anywhere!" the boy shouted. "I won't let you pass me!"

"Dammit! So the military's sent a kid and a monster to do their dirty work for them, huh?!" Cassim questioned.

'That's right,' Aladdin thought. 'I have to find Alibaba…he's the reason I came all the way here! I wanna see him…and if we catch these thieves, I'll be able to see him again! He's my friend!'

Jus then, the hooded individual gently pushed Cassim away.

"What is it, partner?" Cassim asked.

"Leave this kid to me," his comrade told him.

Aladdin glared down at the one wearing the scarf around his face…who looked back up at him with a single golden eye.

'…Wait a minute…!' Aladdin thought. 'That eye…could it be?'

The boy's heart was pounding in his ears as he watched the man tug and pull at his scarf…which soon fell to the ground. The figure looked up…revealing himself to be none other than…Alibaba, who glared at the shocked Aladdin.

"A…Alibaba…it's you…!"

Until Next Night…

Review, please!