Night 32- Smile

Magi © Shinobu Ohtaka

Shahra © Me

Alozza © Darkdarling98

Alibaba and Cassim stood before each other, their rukh swelling, pushing against each other. Whatever differences they had had to be settled, right here and now. There was no other way.

"Cassim," Alibaba said, "what do you mean, 'the only one to be born scum'?"

"You just wouldn't understand," Cassim hissed. "We're just too different, you and I!"

"Different?!" Alibaba repeated.

"That's right," Cassim answered. "Ever since we were born in the backstreets, you and I have been completely different! Even after your mother died, you continued to be a good kid! But why?! We were born in the same hellhole! But then…I learned you were the son of the old king…and it made sense! Your blood came from royalty and a loving mother…but my blood…my blood came from a bastard father who wasn't worth shit! DO YOU THINK THAT'S FAIR?! THAT MY FUTURE WAS SET AT BIRTH?!"

Alibaba gasped in shock.

"So…I made a decision," Cassim started, "if that was to be my fate…then I would curse it!"

As he said this, the black rukh swelled more and more around Cassim until it completely surrounded Alibaba. Then, giant spears emerged from the darkness and stabbed into Alibaba's flesh.

"AGH!" Alibaba cried before he gasped. "What the…what's going on?!"

He then saw memories of himself, growing up in Balbadd, from his childhood in the backstreets, to living in the palace, to his teenage years.

"You always continued to shine," Cassim growled. "Always…always…ALWAYS!"

Alibaba gasped, but then growled as he clenched his fist and slugged Cassim right across the face.

"NO!" he shouted. "I am NOT above circumstances! I didn't know about my blood, back then! Everyday was a struggle for me! I was miserable! I did awful things! How often do you think I felt like scum, too?!"

As he spoke, his white rukh burst forth.

"But you don't get to decide who I am, JUST TO ABSOLVE YOURSELF! YOU HEAR ME, CASSIIIIIIIIIM?!"

Cassim just glared at Alibaba hatefully.

XXX

Outside, Aladdin and Judar continued their battle. The ground was speared with Judar's ice spears, but Aladdin either dodged them or used his dragon borg to block them.

"Urgh…!" Judar growled. "I'm getting tired of your little tricks, kid!"

He then sent a ball of thunder at Aladdin, who tried to defend himself, but his borg ended up shattering. Luckily, a soldier caught him as he fell down.

"Are you all right?!" he asked.

"Y-yeah," Aladdin answered. "I'm fine."

He then glanced at the Dark Djinn, which just stood on the ground, unmoving.

XXX

Alibaba held up the Sword of Amon, preparing to attack Cassim with it.

"No, Alibaba! Don't use your sword! Use your rukh!"

"Aladdin?" Alibaba asked.

"It's a clash of spirits, Alibaba! You've got to find someway to get through to him! I know you can!"

Alibaba gasped silently before he put down the Sword of Amon, and then lunged at Cassim, who roared as he tried to push him back with his black rukh. Alibaba tried to do the same with his own.

"I can't STAND losing to you!" Cassim shouted.

"Stop this!" Alibaba barked. "There's no winning or losing! At least not between us!"

A brief flashback showed him shouting at Sinbad about how he was the same as the rest of the Fog Troop.

"…You said we were the same," Cassim said, "and I admit, I did like that…but pretty words aren't enough. People are all different, Alibaba! We're all born in this world as separate individuals…different in ability, appearance, personality, race, blood, and social status! To those below…those above shine brightly…and all we can do from the shadows of the backstreets is gaze up at the light…and then curse our fate as we're left to rot! It's the way the world works, and you know it!"

"C…Cassim…!" Alibaba whispered.

"So I wanted to prove that it could change," Cassim continued. "I wanted to prove that we're all the same! That anyone, even scum like me…COULD BE SOMETHING NOBLE!"

As he spoke…an image appeared behind him…and it looked like Alibaba, wearing royal garbs, a crown on his head, and holding a royal scepter!

"Huh?!" Alibaba questioned.

'Is that…me?!'

"AM I RIGHT, ALIBABA~?!" Cassim asked as he threw a spear of darkness at Alibaba…stabbing him through the stomach! Cassim grinned, thinking he had won…but then, to his surprise, Alibaba was still standing. Not just that, but his rukh began to flow over him.

"What the…?" Cassim whispered. "What's happening?!"

"…Such hatred, frustration, and wretchedness…I can't believe I never knew!"

Cassim looked up…and saw Alibaba, who had tears falling out of his eyes.

"…Alibaba?" he asked.

"No," Alibaba muttered. "Maybe…I actually did know, but I was trying hard to avoid anything that would make Cassim say that! It's true…every person is different…but just knowing that makes me sad! What can I do…? What can I do so that everyone lives happily?!"

He stood there, sobbing…and not long after, Cassim found himself tearing up, as well.

'He was worried about how to overcome those differences,' he thought. 'All this time…he was sad about it. Maybe…maybe I should have reacted that way, too…? No matter how much I reached out…we'll always be different people. We can never be the same. If only…if only I had accepted that…maybe we could have gone on, living different lives.'

He thought himself, saying a peaceful goodbye to Alibaba when he left to live in the palace while Cassim himself went on to live with his little sister, growing up in their respective places, with Alibaba living and learning in the palace and Cassim working hard in the backstreets, and maybe finding himself a beautiful wife and raising a family of his own. He could've also had a happier reunion with Alibaba, who could've been king…but no. It was impossible, now that Cassim had made all those decisions.

"But…I forced it!" Cassim sobbed, his tears falling at full force. "I tried too hard to be in the same place as you!"

As his tears fell…the darkness fled, and the sky became bright.

XXX

Outside, Aladdin gasped as he saw the Dark Djinn beginning to crumble.

'Alibaba…did he do it?!' he thought.

Soon, white rukh began to burst from the Dark Djinn's body.

XXX

A crack of light suddenly formed behind Cassim.

"What's happening?!" Alibaba asked.

"…The Djinn is breaking up," Cassim answered as his body began to glow. "And it looks like I'm going with it. I guess…this is goodbye, Alibaba."

"What?!" Alibaba questioned. "But…Cassim! I came here to save you!"

"Don't worry," Cassim said. "You've already done that. I only wish…I could apologize to all the people I dragged into this mess with me. I'm sorry. Even now…I don't have the right words to say."

"Cassim!" Alibaba cried.

"I…probably should've talked to you, more, huh?" Cassim inquired, sadly, causing Alibaba to gasp as tears formed in his eyes. Then, Cassim found himself being pulled towards the light.

"Cassim!" Alibaba cried as he tried to follow, and yet, he found himself being forced back, somehow. "Cassim, wait!"

"…Hey, Alibaba," Cassim started. "You and I…we're…"

"What is it, Cassim?!" Alibaba asked.

"…Sorry," Cassim apologized. "I don't have time to ask."

"What are you talking about!?" Alibaba asked, when suddenly, a bit of Cassim's rukh flowed towards him and hit him in the chest. Soon, he saw all of Cassim's memories: when they were kids, playing in the garbage heap, when Cassim's father would beat him, Mariam's sweet smile, Anise sticking up for Cassim, when he met Hassan and Zaynab, and when Alibaba left the palace. Alibaba experienced everything his adopted brother had went through. The days of Cassim's life, all his sadness and disappointed…and even things Alibaba never knew about…like when Cassim's father came back to the slums.

It was a rainy night. Young Cassim was on his way back to Alibaba and Mariam after another day of stealing…when suddenly, a shadowy figure lurked behind him and grabbed him by the back of his shirt.

"AH!" Cassim cried as he turned around, only to gasp upon seeing his father.

"So I hear you've been causing trouble again, huh?" Cassim's father asked. "You've been wasting your time, making a big ruckus, when you could've been getting me my wine!"

"What?!" Cassim questioned. "You weren't even here!"

BAP! His father punched him in the face, sending him to the ground.

"Can't you ever do what your father tells you?!" the alcoholic brute asked.

"Don't you think it's too late for you to be acting like a Dad?!" Cassim questioned.

"Hmph! Worthless brat…wait, where's my little Mariam?"

"Huh?"

"She should be just about old enough to bring in some customers. Perfect…now I can finally get my booze!"

Cassim gasped in horror at what his father planned to do with his own beloved sister.

"No…" he hissed as he grabbed his dagger. "No way am I gonna let you sell off Mariam for your goddamn booze! I WON'T LET YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!"

SHUNK! Cassim stabbed the blade of his dagger right into his father's chest, causing him to fall down to the ground, gasping as blood pooled under his body. When the adrenaline subsided, Cassim gasped in horror, realizing what he had just done.

"…Oh, my god…!" he whispered.

"C…Cassim…!" his father rasped. "You…you take after me…you and I…are both scum…!"

The following day, Cassim threw the knife into a canal, and then began to wipe his arms of the blood…and yet, it could not wish away the guilt.

"Dammit!" he cursed as he punched the water in frustration. "Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT ALL!"

Following that, another memory appeared: the day the backstreets were struck by a plague…and when Mariam died.

"B…Big Brother…!" Mariam whispered, a drop of blood falling from her mouth.

"Hang on, Mariam!" Cassim begged. "Please, hang on!"

"…I feel…cold…"

Then…Mariam went limp…and she breathed her last.

"M-Mariam?" Cassim called, horrified. "Mariam?! MARIAAAAAAAAAAAM!"

Around him, Zaynab was sobbing over the death of hers and Hassan's son, and Hassan himself was holding the corpse of his dear old mother.

"MOTHER!" Hassan sobbed. "OPEN YOUR EYES, PLEASE!"

"Baby, please…look at me!" Zaynab pleaded as she held her dead son. "Open your eyes! Sweetie, talk to Mommy, please! PLEASE, SAY SOMETHING!"

"…It's over…!" Cassim whispered as he looked up at the sky, hatefully. "We have nothing else left!"

"…Is that what you really think?"

Everyone turned to see…a mysterious man, wearing a veil over his face.

"Everything isn't gone," he told them. "The royalty, the nobility, the bureaucrats…they all stole it."

"Who are you?" Cassim asked.

"A friend," the man answered. "Now, listen to me…all over the world, those above take from those below. How hateful it must be…the workings of fate."

Cassim glared down at the ground, holding Mariam's corpse.

"However," thee man continued, "if you have the stomach to curse that fate…then we will lend you our power."

"…I'm in," Cassim said with a toothy grin.

'I can't believe it…' Alibaba thought. 'All his life…all Cassim ever knew was suffering! But…what's this? This memory that shines?'

As he looked up…he saw a younger Cassim, preparing to go out to commit more thievery again, when Alibaba stood behind him, asking if he could help, but Cassim said no, saying he didn't need to get involved.

"…Hey, Alibaba?" Cassim asked. "You and I…we're…"

Alibaba gasped, realizing what Cassim was trying to say.

"YOU IDIOT!" he shouted as he ran after Cassim, who grinned at him and held out his hand. "WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME THAT, AGAIN?! YOU AND I…WE'RE FRIENDS…AREN'T WE?!"

Alibaba went to hug Cassim…but when he did, the latter shattered into bits of light.

XXX

The Dark Djinn exploded into a giant white light!

"No!" Markkio cried. "The white rukh…they're overwhelming the black ones!"

"AGH!" Judar cried as he fell down to the ground. "I'm…losing power…!"

"Judar!" Markkio cried as he held out his staff, causing black rukh to swarm around the Dark Magi and lift him into the air. "We will meet again, young Magi!"

Aladdin only glared as Markkio and Judar disappeared. Then, the eight-pointed star on his forehead disappeared as white lights rained down around him. Then, he looked back…and saw Alibaba, sobbing as he held Cassim…whose body was limp and black as coal.

"…Welcome back…Alibaba…!" Aladdin said, tears falling from his eyes, as well.

XXX

In the city, a little boy is seen crying over his mother's dead body.

"Mom!" he cried. "Why do we always have to suffer?!"

He then glared at the sword that had been stabbed in his mother's chest, and pulled it out.

"I'll kill them!" he shouted. "I'll kill everyone last one of them!"

But then…a woman, bathed in radiant white light appeared behind him and hugged him, causing him to gasp quietly as he dropped the sword.

"M…Mom…?!" he whispered as the woman kissed him on the cheek.

All around the city, people could see the ones that they loved and lost during the rebellion Cassim had led, from dear friends to lost relatives. Soon, everyone began to break down in tears.

"What's going on?!"

"I thought I saw…my little sister!"

"And my Dad!"

"What's happening?!"

XXX

Up in the sky, Markkio is watching everything from his magic carpet.

"…Curses," he muttered. "The sadness is driving away their hatred! If it weren't for Solomon's Proxy, this country could have become a magnificent locus of darkness!" He then smirked as he held up a Fog Sword. "No matter. We only lost one Holy Warrior and a Household Vessel. The main Dark Metal Vessel is right here, and I can always find more."

He then pulled back his veil, revealing a more handsome face with three dots on his forehead.

"Manipulated hatred is easy!" Markkio exclaimed.

"That's not gonna happen, pal."

Markkio turned…only be kicked by Masrur, who unleashed a huge bolt of lightning that sent him flying towards the coast.

"Household Vessel: Bararaq Kauza!"

As Markkio went flying, he looked back and saw Ja'Far, holding his rope darts, which are crackling with lightning bolts.

"Household Vessel: Bararaq Sei!"

Markkio gasped as Ja'Far sent his darts at him, and as he did, the darts took on the shape of two giant snakes. Markkio erected a borg in order to protect himself, but the snakes bit down on it, causing it to shatter!

"AGH!" he cried as he fell towards the ground. "No…I don't believe this!"

He turned around and saw a bunch of thunderbolts gathering on one spot.

"Curse you!" Markkio shouted. "Why must someone like you exist in this world?! Conqueror of the Seven Seas…SINBAD!"

Down below, Sinbad is holding up a sword…only, now, he seemed to take on the form of a half-man, half-dragon being with golden accessories, and even a third eye in the middle of his forehead.

"Bararaq…SAIQA~!"

BAKOOM! A humongous bolt of lightning struck Markkio, completely obliterating him!

As quickly as it started, it was over. Sinbad's sword returned to a normal broadsword, and he soon began to stagger.

"Whoa!" Ja'Far cried as he ran to his side, along with Masrur. "Take it easy, Sin! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Sinbad answered. "I managed to remove the shadow from them."

He then looked up at the sky as the dark clouds began to part, letting the sunlight shine through.

"No one is left to sow discontent here," Sinbad answered. "It's all right now." He then turned to three familiar figures. "Although, I wish you three had returned my Metal Vessels sooner."

It is revealed to be the SML Nando brothers.

"We knew all along that you have incredible skill, Mister Sinbad, sir!" S Nando claimed.

"It's your fault for letting them steal your Metal Vessels in the first place, Sin!" Ja'Far barked.

"Looks like we're penniless again," M Nando sighed.

"Don't worry about it," S Nando said. "Treasure and Metal Vessels are too much trouble, anyway. Besides, we can't leave now…"

"Why not?" L Nando asked, but before S Nando could answer, two small objects fell from the sky. They looked like two little dolls, both of them with Marrkio's and the arms dealer's faces.

"…Sin," Ja'Far said, worriedly.

"I know," Sinbad said. "Our battle with them isn't over yet."

A pause…but then the dolls began to dissipate into black rukh, which fluttered away into the distance.

XXX

Meanwhile, in a distant place, far away, a bunch of mysterious figures are seen, sitting around an unconscious Judar, glowering at him.

"…It's gone," one spoke.

"Yes, gone," said another.

"One our Metal Vessels," added one more. "It was too soon to attempt Djinn Formation in that land."

"No, it was inevitable," said a fourth. "After all…another Magi has appeared: the little boy that Sheba had tried to hide from us: Aladdin Jehoahaz Abraham."

"He has Solomon's Wisdom," said a fifth person, "and his King's Candidate has disrupted our reverse flow in Balbadd. What's more, the two appear to have joined forces with a most singular man."

Soon, they all started to speak at once.

"They interfere."

"Yes, they interfere."

"Nonetheless," said a woman in a belly-dancer outfit with a veil over her face said, "this is more of Solomon's arrogant meddling. It occurs every few centuries. We must stand against him."

"Yes, indeed," said a large number of people as they put their hands together, their fingers crossed in an odd gesture. "We will create darkness and chaos throughout this world that last for all eternity. Our Father created us to be the true community of the people. Continue the agenda…of Al-Tharmen!"

XXX

Later, at the palace, everyone is starting to relax after the fight.

"Is it over?" asked a soldier. "Did we protect Balbadd?"

"Yes…that monster is gone," answered another soldier.

Alibaba sat on the ground, holding Cassim's dead body.

"…You may've protected something," he said, "but I didn't…!"

"Prince Alibaba," said one of the soldiers, sadly.

"People are dead," Alibaba said, tearfully. "I didn't achieve anything. They had dreams for the future…and Cassim…I couldn't save him, either!"

He sobbed quietly, but then Aladdin walked up to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Alibaba," he said, "if you keep crying…your friend won't be able to go back."

"What?" Alibaba asked. "What do you mean, 'go back'?"

Aladdin smiled before he held up his hands, and the eight-point star seal on his forehead appeared.

"Solomon's Wisdom!"

In a flash of light, and the rukh soon came bursting out, flowing through the sky.

"W…what's going on?!" Alibaba questioned. "There's even more of those lights than before!"

"Look there, Alibaba!" Aladdin said as he pointed, and when Alibaba looked…he gasped upon seeing his parents, Anise and King Rashid, both of them smiling proudly as they went to hug him.

"Mom? Dad?!" Alibaba questioned as he embraced them. "But…how?! Why?!"

"Those are the rukh of who they used to be," Aladdin answered, "but now, they're a part of something bigger! An even greater flow!"

"A…flow?" Alibaba asked.

"When people die," Aladdin explained as he looked up a giant stream of light, "they don't just disappear. Instead, their spirits return to the Great Rukh! They're all connected and envelope the world. No matter where you are, they're always beside you, whether you can see them or not. I know it's sad when people died, but we don't say goodbye forever. They're always there, watching you…what you do and how you live…flowing through worlds eternally."

Alibaba gasped as Anise kissed his cheek.

"All right, everybody!" Aladdin exclaimed. "Go to everyone you love and care about!"

Then, more lights rained down, transforming into people before they flew towards thee citizens and soldiers of Balbadd: men, women, and children, some of them even soldiers from the army. Balkirk sobbed as he was reunited with his dead comrades while Rashid glared at his two other sons. However, he seemed disappointed in Abhmad the most. While Sabhmad boweed his head, Abhmad looked away, looking almost guilty.

Zaynab was crying her eyes out as she held her son in her arms again, and Hassan was crying as well, happy to see his mother, but at the same time, a bit frightened of her since she was scolding him for being a "big troublemaker like always", but she soon gave him a big hug.

Out on the city streets, Alozza, who was on her way back to Aladdin and Alibaba was being hugged by a man with hazel eyes, brown hair, and white clothes with red outlines on his sleeves. She sobbed as he kissed her cheek and whispered soothing words in her ears. Nearby, Shahra is seen licking 4 little tiger cubs, one of them with fur, dark brown stripes, and blue eyes, and there was even a baby goat, a baby horse, and even a human child that was about Aladdin's age, too.

Back at the palace grounds, a tiny hand reached out to Alibaba and grabbed his own, gaining his attention. Alibaba looked…and gasped upon seeing that it was Mariam.

"M…Mariam?!" Alibaba asked before he laughed and happily took her into his embrace, making her giggle. Then, the little girl whispered something into his ear, causing him to gasp before he looked up…and saw Cassim, giving him a warm, genuine smile. Alibaba gasped upon seeing his best friend again, and Cassim soon pulled him into a tight hug.

"…Thank you, Alibaba," he whispered.

Alibaba chuckled as he wiped his eyes before he pulled away, and as he turned, he saw Aladdin, crying happily as Sheba held him and smothered him with loving kisses.

Nearby, Sinbad, Ja'Far, and Masrur happened to be watching.

"…Those Magi…are amazing," Sinbad said, smiling.

Aladdin walked up to Alibaba, putting his hand on his back.

"Do you still think you couldn't save him?" Aladdin asked. "The darkness in your friend's heart…has finally given way to the light!"

"…You're right, Aladdin," Alibaba smiled as Cassim, Mariam, Sheba, and everyone else flew up to the Great Rukh in the sky.

"Aladdin! Alibaba!"

The young Magi and the Third Prince of Balbadd turned to see Alozza, Shahra, and Morgiana run up to them.

"Alozza!" Alibaba exclaimed.

"Morg! Shahra!" Aladdin called.

Soon, the girls all tackled the boys in an embrace as the rukh fluttered around them. The darkness of Balbadd had finally disappeared…but this was only the beginning.

Until Next Night…

And that's it! The end of the Balbadd Arc! And after this, I'm gonna take myself a nice break.

Review, please!