So, after finally finishing the Magi series, I decided to at least start the Magi Saga of this story! This will feature heavy crossovers from that series, but the story of Magi is not canon to this story, and most of the characters' backgrounds are rewritten. This should already be obvious with Morgiana.
Magi 1: Djinn Wars
Planet Avalar; 10,000 years ago
The earth lay ravaged by supernatural storms and tsunamis. Bodies of manticores, Gorgon, ogres, and dragons covered the landscape, along with those of humans. Even so, both sides had a cause they were dedicated to, and neither were willing to back down. Two wizards, father and son, stood at the apex of the conflict.
"Solomon… you claim to be 'equal' with these creatures, but you and they both know you're above them." Elder David spoke, smirking arrogantly. "This 'revolution' wouldn't be possible without you or your cohorts. It proves that we mages were meant to rule this planet! And with that child's power, we can extend that rule to the entire universe!"
"And what will the gods have to say about that, Father?"
"The gods blessed us with magic in the first place so we may rise above mortals. Rise above the singular benders… and rise above themselves!"
"The gods don't need a man like you above them, and neither do we!" Solomon cast a spell that directed all the sun's light directly onto David, burning through his artificial chest. "A doll?! Then where is… SHEBA!"
…
She would've liked to be out there with her husband, supporting him with her own powerful magic. What awful timing for the final hours of her pregnancy. Sheba was a beautiful mage with flowing magenta hair, a wide hooped braid in the back of it, along with a thin white top and skirt. Her eyes were red and she had an eye symbol painted on her forehead.
Sheba gasped for breath, relieved as the baby was finally born. "It's a boy!" her best friend, Arba cheered, raising the infant above her.
"All right!" Hoopa clapped his little hands. "You did it, Scheherazade!"
"Hm hm hm!" Sheba giggled. In her many generations of rebirth, she never thought she would fall in love… let alone produce a child. She extended her arms to be handed the adorable crying youth. "There there… it's okay, little guy. Don't cry."
"Blaaaaah." Hoopa stretched his mouth by the cheeks. "Beeeeee!" He stuck his tongue out through his teeth. "Hahaha! It's like a little brother!"
"When he's all grown up, you'll be the little brother, Hoopa."
"Ohhhhh…" Hoopa drooped, downtrodden.
"LADY SHEBA, ARBA!" Ugo, a tall, spectacled man, burst into the room. "It's David! He's here! In the temple!"
"D-David?!"
The wizard struck down any mages and manticores in his path. Agares, leader of the manticores, was able to hold him back better using his Aquamarine Ring of Pleasure to trap David inside of tomes, but the wizard would fight his way out eventually. Astaroth, leader of the Gorgons, burned David with his Red Ring of Rage, but David's powerful magic produced below zero temperatures that would cool Astaroth's rage. "I smell… another fresh source of power." David smirked. "Besides Hoopa… and his guardians. Heh heh heh…perhaps I've found a different heir."
"He'll be here any moment!" Ugo said. "What do we do?!"
"Why're you asking us, you're the one with the Knowledge Ring!" Arba shouted. "And what about the baby?! We need to hide him or something!"
"Yeah… I suppose we do." Sheba said while in deep thought. She feared if she would survive this battle… but they still needed to reseal the Universe Book back into her. And besides, she was still determined to stand up and fight. She wanted to show her child a beautiful world… but even after they won, the world would still be in shambles. There may still be conflict and misunderstanding between the mages and other races. This world was too chaotic for her precious child… she wanted him to wake up someplace better.
"Arba… I'd like to make a wish."
"A wish?" Arba gasped.
"Yeah. It shouldn't result in any severe repercussions. I wish… for this baby to be banished to the annals of time."
The wish struck her off guard… but as the holder of the White Ring of Wishes, she couldn't refute. "Okay." With a wave of her hand, the newborn vanished.
Finally, David burst into the room. Arba was forced to teleport away before she felt the urge to pick a target for her questions, leaving Ugo and Sheba to protect their selves with Borgs (barrier spells). "I sensed another force of chi in here! Where did it go?! Where is my grandchild?!"
"You're too late, Elder David. I sent him someplace you will never find-"
"In the annals of time." Ugo answered. "Agh!" He flinched. "I'm sorry, it just works on its own!"
"Annals of time? So, I need to learn how to breach time to have him back!"
Sheba unleashed a storm of giant golden spears to blast David out of the temple, the wizard crashing through dozens of buildings. He rose from the rubble, angered as Sheba levitated toward him, surrounded by golden butterflies. "You'll never find him." Her looped braid shaped a golden ring. "He and I will meet again… in an era long after your rule is finished. An era where we can have many friends!"
Solomon appeared above David. "And because of you, Father… I may never get to meet my son. Oh well. Maybe someday. Let's finish this, Sheba."
"Yes!"
David grinned in spite. "Let's just see what destiny has planned for you." So, he rose once more to battle the rebellious son and his former, rebellious slave.
Chronicler's Domain; 9,989 years later
"They were the darkest days of Avalar." Chronicler said as he reread the tale. "When bonds between the races were frail. But one great wizard united them all… and now, that history is forgotten by many. Some of those races no longer live there… and now interracial relations are a simple given."
"Uhhh…yeah?" Jagar King, the Ghost of Time, repeated in confusion. "I was just wondering if you knew anything about this baby I found in the timestream."
"Took you a while to find it, didn't you?" the old dragon asked. "I guess now is the time Scheherazade hoped for."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just take it to an orphanage on Avalar or something. Unless you want to raise it yourself?"
"I'm… not sure about that. I already have two mouths to feed. But should I give the orphanage a name?"
"Scheherazade thought of one, actually. She told me his name would be…"
Present; Kou Imperial Palace
"Aladdin?"
"Huh?" The blue-haired youth looked up from his melon bowl.
"You're just staring at your food." Alibaba said. "Is something on your mind?"
"N…Not really. Just zoned out a little, that's all." Aladdin smiled.
"I thought you'd be more excited that she's coming back." Dende teased.
"Of course I'm excited! Why wouldn't I be?"
"I dunno. Maybe she fell in love with that captain."
"S-So what if she did?" Aladdin blushed.
"Ah, don't worry, Aladdin." Alibaba smiled. "I'm sure she really missed you, too."
"Haha…yeah!"
Aladdin lived in an orphanage until the age of 7, when he was met by a visiting magic professor, Yamraiha. After seeing Aladdin's great magic potential, she would admit him to Magnostadt Academy, and a couple years later, he would join the Kids Next Door. The adventures and battles he'd share with his best friend Alibaba, the Namekian Dende and Artemyran Pisti are ones he would never replace. But somehow, Aladdin always felt different from his friends… well, he was different from them in lots of ways, but some more particular than others.
"Do you know those shiny butterflies I sometimes see?"
"Yeah?" Alibaba replied.
"I've been seeing them a lot more lately… almost as many as I did during that incident where the planets scattered. But what does it all mean…?" Aladdin raised a finger, allowing one of said butterflies to land.
He stared longingly as its gentle flapping, the light of the balcony window beyond it. Alibaba and Dende, unable to see the spirit, could only question his gaze. "…?!" A shadow appeared beyond the balcony, quickly growing larger in a bird shape. "Caaaaaww!" A huge, red bird with bladed wings that had rainbow bases landed on the balcony, the teammates jumping from the table in shock. Alibaba was on the verge of drawing his sword before seeing who was riding the horse-sized bird.
"Hahahaha! Hey, guys!" She was about 11 years old, with blonde hair and a small braid on the right, along with a red feather in her ear and a matching headband. She wore a loose, pale-pink top with a slit down to her naval and matching puffy shorts. She had golden leg wraps above her bare feet, along with white-feathered wings protruding from the outer sides of her legs. "This is Dyana, a Dyna Blade from Planet Popstar!"
"PISTIIIII!" Aladdin skipped over the table and sprung toward his special friend.
"Aladdiiiiin!" The Artemyran princess leapt off Dyana, locked hands with Aladdin, and danced in circles with her lightweight legs uplifted off the floor.
"I missed you so much!" Aladdin said with a goofy smile.
"I missed you, too!"
"Tehehehe!" Aladdin's sole brushed Pisti's feather mid-dance, sparking a giggle in the mage. "I missed your tickly wings."
"So, did you get bored of your Marzipan adventure or what?" Alibaba asked with a light chuckle.
"No, I had a lot of fun! I shared a room with Tama, Suika, and the other kids, we played every night, I got to kick a few heads," she flipped a leg up, "and the food was so delicious! I brought home a few samples!" She took some bags down from Dyana and opened them.
"Woooooow!" Her three friends were already drooling! There was a small box of cosmic-looking cereal in some out-of-this-world milk, a piece of fish that glistened like a fairy's wings, a marshmallow grenade with chocolate veins throughout it… "This is incredible!" Dende said.
"I hope you're saving some for me!" Kougyoku Ren announced, showing herself into the guestroom. The empress of Kou wore a rather extravagant, traditional Chinese dress of pink and green segments with light-yellow sleeves and under-blouse. It covered her whole body save for the head. Her dark-pink hair had two bangs the length of her body, as well as a ribbon-shaped knot with a gold braid to tie it, with a matching gold needle to stick through it. Said needle had a hilt of a unique shape and purple gem.
"Even you don't get food like this every day." Alibaba said, watching as some tofu jiggled painfully in some hot sauce.
"If I did, I'd be as fat as Big Mom." Kougyoku picked a piece of the tofu off with some chopsticks and ate. "Mmph!" She flushed. "Hototototot! Hototot!" She bent up some water to dowse her tongue.
Alibaba picked his own piece and chewed spritely. "Doesn't bother me!" The empress shot him a glare.
"So… are you going back to them?" Aladdin asked, frowning.
"I hope to soon. But I'll probably stick around a little while, maybe help with a mission or two. It was just a little refreshing, getting away from all this… really getting to spread my wings."
"Hmmmm…"
Pisti took his hands again, bringing his chin up to her vibrant smile. "But no matter how fun the Marzipans are, they'll never replace the best friends on all of Avalar!"
Aladdin's spirits were restored! "Well, second-best now." Alibaba corrected. "LN passed us, remember?"
"Not the point!" Dende stated.
They weren't as famous as legendary operatives Banjo-Kazooie, but Sector SD had painted their selves in the hearts of many Avalaran children, the four colorful kids gracing the sky against the sparkling stars on Aladdin's magic carpet. Avalar was the origin of many classic fairytales and they were one in the making. Their career began when Alibaba and Aladdin saved a wine carriage from the pit of a monstrous plant, followed by a venture into a dangerous dungeon the boys undertook as a bonding adventure. Not only did they get rich out of the deal, they defeated a corrupt lord who ruled over the region.
During that time, Pisti and Dende undertook their first bonding mission of escorting a trade caravan across a desert. They wound up attacked and captured by slave traders, who hoped to make a profit off the rare Namekian and small, "helpless" Artemyran. They were able to escape, and Pisti used her magic flute to turn the slavers' beasts against them. But their most remarkable endeavor was stopping the spreading rule of the corrupt Kou Empire. Princess Kougyoku, on the run from her own family, found sanctuary in the KND and befriended Sector SD. She confided the ambitions of her family and they vowed to help her stop them. They would never forget Aladdin's fantastical battle with the royal dark mage, Judar, and how he blasted him straight out of the planet's atmosphere. They put Kougyoku on the throne as the 5th empress, and marked her place as an honorary Sector SD member.
She would even help them in the Pirate War, where they went after a special officer in the Big Mom Pirates, Madaura, infamous for kidnapping orphaned children from several worlds. She brainwashed them with her Mom-Mom Fruit into convincing them she was their mother, compelling them to fight for her. Madaura was guarded by some of the crew's toughest lieutenants: Alibaba's firebending made him a good match for Oven's Heat-Heat Fruit; Aladdin's Genie Lamp wand helped him counter Daifuku's genie from the Lamp-Lamp Fruit; Kougyoku's waterbending watered down Cracker's self-conjured Biscuit Soldiers; Pisti kicked the stuffing out of the rotting wizard Lord Moldybread; and Dende KO'ed most of the brainwashed orphans with his stretched punches. However, Sector LN had the honor of defeating the Big Mom Emperor herself, and along with their other recent feats, they had bypassed SD in the rankings.
"On the bright side, we've been making some great progress." Alibaba assured.
"Yeah, I've been keeping up." Pisti smiled. "But I won't be happy until the job is finished completely."
"I couldn't agree more." Kougyoku said. "'Cause then you can move out of my house!"
"Haha, just because we beat Mickey doesn't mean Sinbad will let us move back in." Alibaba grinned, propping his boots up on the table. "You might have ta get used to me living here!"
"A-As if!" Kougyoku stamped his legs off with her high-heel. "Can't your KND set up a treehouse somewhere else?!"
"I didn't mean my whole team. It's kinda nice crashing at this place."
"W…What?!" Kougyoku flushed a deeper red than the outside of her palace.
"Oh, please…" Dende sighed. "…? Hey, what's happening out there?!"
Clouds of dark magic began to poof around the city. "We better go take care of it." Alibaba said.
Skies of Magia Continent
"Sector MG," Index began as their two ships entered the atmosphere, "why don't you go rendevous with Sector LN? We're gonna meet up with Sector SD."
"We are?" Nagisa asked, cocking a brow. "How come?"
"Well, because… they're another one of the top sectors. Our chances will be better working with them."
"Okay…" Nagisa noticed the gap in her sentence and felt suspicious.
"Yaaaaaaay, we get to see Akko again!" Kiki cheered. "I wonder how much her broom-riding's improved?"
"Students are only as good as their teachers, y'know." Phil remarked.
"And you're only as good as your mouth, Phil." Kiki narrowed her gaze at him snidely.
"EEEEEEEK, we're going to an actual magic planet!" squealed Shino, Sector SA's newest addition. "We'll see dragons and fairies and unicorns and centaurs! Will I get turned into a frog?!"
"Sometimes, I forget how little the average cadet knows." Goombella said.
"I mean, I grew up in a tiny apartment that nearly caved from Morgiana walking in it. How much do you think I know?"
"Umm…" The Fanalis blushed. She knew she was hefty, but she tried to be gentle…
"Let us know how it goes, SA." Wendy said. "We'll contact you soon!"
The ships parted as Sector SA steered toward the Magia Continent. "Where is SD based again?" Goombella asked.
"Normally, Sindria." Index answered. "But complications happened, so now they relocated to Kou. According to my intel, at least."
"Okay… You seem unusually privy on them, Index. Any actual reason?"
"Hmmmm…" Index closed her eyes. The thought of that precious baby warmed her heart. "I'll tell you after we get there."
Her teammates looked to her curiously.
Within minutes, they could see the Kou Imperial Palace and its capital city of Rakushou. "A lot more Chinese than I expected." Shino took note of its traditional architecture. "What's going on down there?" She noticed the puffs of dark smoke around the city.
"Maybe it's a festival?" Goombella assumed.
"Doubt it…" Index brought up a digital display and zoomed in. The citizens were retreating into buildings as spirits were attacking them: they came in various colors, but had angry faces, skin designs with gold rims (including their lips and slanted eyes), and ghostly tails. "The Djinns?!"
"Djinns? Like, evil genies?"
"That isn't culturally accurate here at all!" Shino said.
"Have you seen them before, Index?" Nagisa asked.
"Yes… and I'm actually very worried. For now, we have people to save! I'll land the ship, you guys get started!"
"You know what's best!" Nagisa opened the airlock as he and his teammates dove out! (Play "Sand Oasis" from Sonic Secret Rings!)
Invasion ?: Magia Continent
Mission: Stop the Djinn invasion!
Act 1: Rakushou
Nagisa was surrounded by five black and blue Djinns just after landing. Goombella, riding in his backpack, identified them as "Lakma Djinn," which simply meant Punch Djinn; this would become obvious as they all conjured large boxing gloves to pummel Nagisa from every direction. His Iron Body was able to withstand them (as was Goombella's noggin), and Nagisa would return the favor with a storm of Finger Pistols. Since the Djinn were spirits, he had no qualms about puncturing them into smoke.
Nagisa saw some red Nar Djinn setting flames to the roof of a three-story building. Using Moon Walk, he jumped his way up the front of the building. The Djinn noticed his ascent and created a vertical maze of flaming bars that Nagisa would need to navigate. It was rather tricky as he needed to consider the height of his Moon Walk bounces. "Ouch!" As a result, his pigtail briefly caught fire before he patted it out. Once Nagisa finally reached the roof, he extinguished the Nar Djinns with Tempest Kicks. Afterwards, Nagisa proceeded to leap across a series of next-door roofs. White Wind Djinn tried to blow him off into the debris below. Nagisa had to switch to Iron Body as soon as he was close to the roofs, falling onto them and remaining stable. Once the Wind Djinn were out of breath, he would destroy them. "Wait, if the other Djinn have Arabic-named elements, why don't the Wind Djinn?"
"Because 'wind' rhymes with 'Djinn'! Duh!" Goombella stated.
"The other names don't—ugh, whatever."
From here, Nagisa could Moon Walk to a sky garden… which was actually a rooftop magically designed to float around the city. The garden attendants were being strangled in the vines of Wara-Djinn, whom were large pink and angry flowers. The Waradas spat seeds with bullet speed. As Nagisa dodged them, he jabbed Finger Pistols at their stems… except he opened his conjoined fingers and snipped the stems like scissors. The beheaded Djinns shriveled up and vanished. "Hey, I just invented the Finger Scissor technique!"
"I'll still take my haircuts from Aeincha, thanks."
Nagisa found a thick stalk that spanned over part of the city and decided to grind down it. Nar Djinn appeared and spat fireballs that he would have to jump, afterwards reducing them to smoke. Nagisa landed on a crowded city street, where it seemed dragon snakes were flying between portals and terrorizing the people. There was a Munafa Djinn at the heart of it. Nagisa made his way up the street to stop it; whenever he crossed the dragon's paths, he used Paper Art to safely evade them. He reached the Munafa Djinn and destroyed it, making the street safe at last!
Nagisa would then have to travel up a wide stairway to an elevated part of town. However, as soon as he was one-third of the way up, "WHOA!" the stairs became a slide, bringing him back down. An Alshariha Djinn snickered at him from the top. And worse, a pair of Ardi Djinn were keeping him grounded, so he couldn't use Moon Walk. The Slide Djinn would only change the stairs in intervals, so Nagisa would run up a little at a time, then splay his body down and use Iron Body to keep from going down the slide. Eventually, he could end the Slide Djinn's pranks and its life. As for the Ardi Djinn, Shino would snipe them using a Gilligan-brand plasma rifle.
Nagisa and Goombella had a clear path to the palace… or at least it would be if three Ma' Djinn weren't conjuring massive water spouts. Even his Iron Body wasn't strong enough to force its way through. "Need some help?" The street quaked as Morgiana dropped in.
"Hey, Morg! Yeah, just give me a good throw!" Nagisa ironed himself as his girlfriend picked him up. She tremendously leapt above each waterspout and threw Nagisa down the center of them, his weight combined with her force strong enough to press through and crush the Djinn.
"You guys could do a better job at cleaning up." Index said as she proceeded to cross the dense puddle left behind by the spirits.
"I've defeated 50 Djinn." Morgiana said. "There don't seem to be that many left."
"Shino can shoot down any stragglers." Nagisa said. "You guys ready to intrude on private property?"
"That's what we do best!" Goombella chirped.
The palace grounds were unusually empty under the situation… however, it seemed a squad of guards were limping across. "Are they… okay?" Morgiana wondered.
Index gasped: auras of darkness were engulfing the soldiers. "They're not! Get back!"
The guards burst into dark magic, morphing into massive, animalistic Djinn. A purple scorpion, a black lion with few strands of mane, a green King Cobra, and a red and sapphire boar. "So, Sector SA, decided to join in on the fun?" A mass of green flames spawned in the air, giving shape to a thin woman with malicious green eyes and a black robe. She had streaks of black eyeliner, pointed ears, and the sides of her dark-red hair were done up in curls. "I've never paid you back for your interference in Superbia."
"Superbia?" Nagisa repeated. "I don't remember you."
"Wuya!" Index shouted. "Are you the one who awakened the Djinn?!"
"Gruntilda was the orchestrator of this project. And it's about to turn the tides in this war!"
"Wait, that's Wuya?!" Nagisa only pictured the purple, masked ghost. "She's got her flesh back?!"
"Yes. We finally got around to conducting the ritual. But YOUR time in the flesh is just about over!" Wuya summoned an army of Golems with emerald eyes and mouths.
"Whatever, Wuya. It's just another day in the life for us."
The Boar Djinn threatened to puncture them with its tusks—until a slash of fire deterred it. "Hey. Our guests just wanted a nice trip to the empire." A blonde teen propped his long black sword over his shoulder. He wore white Arab clothes and black boots. "Can't we be more civil about this?" Alibaba smirked, a twinkle in his golden eyes.
Strokes of water slashed the scorpion's tail as Kougyoku Ren surfed down from Aladdin's magic carpet. "It's too late for that. Fiends who trample on my empire will be punished!"
"Sector SD!" Wuya hissed.
"Who else were you expecting?" Pisti remarked, summoning an army of birds with the notes of her flute. They swarmed and distracted the lion while her Dyana pierced its eyes with her talons.
"Whoa, is that a Dyna Blade?!" Goombella jumped onto Nagisa's head. "Where'd you get that?!"
"I'll tell you later! Wanna ride?"
"Yeah!"
"Say, aren't you Sector SA from Earth?" Alibaba approached Nagisa. "Don't tell me you're visiting 'cause we had similar names?"
"Uh, not really, but…"
"Well, it's nice to be working with you, anyway!" Alibaba extended a hand. "I'm Numbuh 1,001! Call me Alibaba."
"Haha! Nagisa!" The SA leader shook his hand.
"What's up?" Goombella bounced up to Pisti's bird. "Name's Goombella! I see we have similar taste in color."
"Hehe, we do!" Pisti noted Goombella's pink skin and blonde hair. "I'm Pisti! Numbuh Sing!"
"And I'm Aladdin!" Aladdin jovially landed beside Index and offered a hand. "Numbuh 3 Wishes! Happy to work with you!"
Index merely stared at him. Her teammates once more looked in confusion. "…" Wondering why his hand was unaccepted, Aladdin opened his eyes. A tear leaked from Index's green iris. "Uh…I'm sorry, did I… do something?"
"…You did." Index smiled. "You've made us very proud."
"… … …" Aladdin could only respond with an awkward smile. "Okay."
"QUIT STARING, YOU FOOLS!" Wuya kicked the cobra's jaw. "MAIM THEM!" (Play "Battlefield" from Smash Brawl!)
Nagisa shared a smirk with Alibaba. Morgiana with Empress Kougyoku. And Goombella shared a ride with Pisti! Each pair picked a monster and split!
The flaming strikes of Alibaba's Amol Saiqa were in rhythm with Nagisa's Tempest Kicks. Their dance pushed the Boar Djinn's bladed tusks until they severed. However, the boar mustered strength in its legs and dashed with ferocious speed, making roundabouts in several attempts to stampede the boys. However, Nagisa's Paper Art evaded with the wind, while Alibaba's sharp Observation Haki knew exactly where to step. When the beast began to slow down, Nagisa leapt and Iron Bodied onto its forehead. He jumped off as Alibaba roasted the beast with a fiery vortex. "AMOL DHERRSAIQA!"
Morgiana gripped the cobra's head between her powerful legs and hoisted her weight to slam it into the ground. This wasn't the first time she's had to fight a cobra during this war. "Vainel Al-Salos!" Kougyoku molded a storm of water spears and pierced the serpent. The cobra shook Morgiana off and gnashed the empress, but she cleanly dodged backward. The cobra reeled back and prepared to lung at her again, but by the time it did, she molded her own watery serpent to intercept it. Morgiana dashed underneath and bent the snake skyward with a solid kick to the jaw. "Vainel Arros!" With the snake in that position, Kougyoku stirred a giant spear-shaped cyclone and impaled the cobra's skull. The aftermath was a rain shower that made their magenta hair droop.
Kougyoku smiled at Morgiana through the rain. "Look at those legs! You'll have to teach me your training regimen!"
"Hmhm." Morg smiled. "If you'd like."
Carrying Goombella, Pisti tread the very air evading the lion's ashen claws. "Are you sure it won't hurt?"
"Just get on with it!"
"Okay!" Pisti tossed Goombella upward and flipped to catch her between her ankles. As her feet fell to aim at the lion, she spun like a drill and shot downward. Goombella's sturdy noggin combined with Pisti's speed bashed the lion's skull into unconsciousness.
Index threw spears of light into the scorpion's eyes; there was one in its center, four claws, and even the middle of its tail. "Aladdin!" She turned to him. "I can help you cure them of their dark magic."
"Y-You can?"
Index put her hand over the one holding Aladdin's wand. She closed her eyes and sung: "(Return the hearts to where they go… Ancient evil, begone…)"
Aladdin closed his eyes and uttered the incantation. Index's lightbending mixed with his magic as holy light rose from his wand. The Djinn were warmed by the light as their cursed bodies dissolved. The soldiers trapped inside collapsed on the ground. "W-Wait!" Nagisa gasped. "They're already dead!"
"Their lives were already taken by these Djinn." Index said. "But now their souls are free… thanks to you."
"Hmm…" Aladdin looked to the heavens with hope.
"Well, we've got some refunds to sort out with these useless genies." Wuya sneered. "Golems, looks like it's up to you!"
She channeled her powerful magic into the Golems. Their jaws gaped as they threatened to bellow blazing beams. "GUYS! TOGETHER!" Aladdin ushered them all to reunite as he conjured a Borg, where they remained perfectly safe. Once the beams dispelled, the team divided and mowed the Golems down with ease. Wuya struck Aladdin with a curse that forced thousands of fire ants to crawl through his skin. However, Aladdin spread his own magic over his body that would shrink all the ants to microscopic size, allowing his white blood cells to consume them. In turn, he cast a spell at Wuya, causing bubbles to rise out of every orifice on her head.
"What is this nonsense?!" The sudsy feeling was both nauseating and ticklish. "SNORT! COUGH! You little snot!"
"Look who's calling who a snot." Aladdin said with a teasing smile.
"UGH!" Wuya snapped her fingers and popped the spell. She glanced up at Aladdin's flying carpet and cast a spell, turning it into a sheet of shiny glass. Aladdin quickly cast a spell to change it back before it hit the ground—his distraction allowed Wuya to shoot out shards of conjured glass, cutting the youth in his arms, waist, and feet. Aladdin growled up at the witch… and thought of a counter-move. He struck Wuya with a Gravity Spell, forcing her to fall. "Is that the best you can…ew, what is that taste?! WHAT?!" Aladdin had also turned her feet into tongues. "AH! DISGUSTING! EW, EW, EW!" She tried to fly, but was unable to, stepping around the pavement and forced to suffer its taste. "That's it… you've asked for it."
Wuya dug her nails into the earth and pulled open a gaping chunk of it. She had opened an endless pit crawling with nasty spiders. She then willed the cave to suck downward like a vacuum, drawing in all of her enemies. "HEY, PISTI, does your flute work on spiders?!" Kougyoku screamed.
"But these look like magic spiders!"
"Sorry, Star, I'll have to steal one of your spells!" Aladdin mustered a large sum of magic and washed it over the entire chasm. "SPIDERS WITH TOP HATS!" All the creepy-crawlies transformed into tap-dancing spiders with canes and top-hats. A bunch of them strung webs together and saved the falling group. The web pressed far downward from their force before SPRINGING them back to the surface. "How would YOU like a taste, Wuya?!" Aladdin flicked his wand and used a Hair-Pulling Spell to yank Wuya over the chasm, causing her to fall in.
"Why, you…!" The witch was wrapped in the spiders' webs. They all donned fighting gloves and closed in on her. "This isn't the end! You hear me?!"
Aladdin sealed the sub-dimension. "Sigh…" He sat down in exhaust. (End song.)
"That magic was brilliant!" Index beamed. "You handled Wuya like a pro! I guess her old magic wasn't able to keep up."
"Yeah, I guess so. …" Aladdin looked up at her curiously. "So, do you… know me from somewhere?"
"Um…yeah…" Index knelt to his level. She embraced him in a hug. "You're kind of… my son."
"…Oh." Aladdin drew a blank face. So did Nagisa. And Morg. Goombella. Sector SD.
"WHUUUUUUUUHHHH?!"
"How is she a mom?!" Pisti gawked. "She doesn't look much older than you!"
"Wait! Wait-wait-wait, I get it, I get it." Goombella shook her head to readjust her thoughts. "Your past life. Your past life was his mom. Because you remember all your past lives, don't you?"
"Yeah… except I was actually his mom a few thousand past lives ago."
They all fell blank again. ". . . . . . . HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH?!"
"Okay, okay," Alibaba blinked, "before we get lost in this, we need to check up on Dende. He was still treating people in town."
"Y-Yeah… we gotta check on Shino, too." Nagisa said.
…
His antennas glowing, Dende had just finished healing a toddler's legs. "She's alright." He told her mother. "You better get home."
"B-Behind you!" She pointed.
A Munafa Djinn opened a portal, threatening to ram them with a dragon snake. Fortunately, a laser rifle shot the Djinn, immediately breaking its spell. They looked to the rooftop where the laser came from. "Everything okay down there?!" Shino called down.
"Y-Yeah! Thanks again!"
"I don't see any more! I'm gonna go look for my team!"
"I will, too!"
Their destinations would be one in the same after returning to the palace grounds. The teams shared brief recaps and, "WHAAAT?!" Shino and Dende were equally dumbstruck.
"In fact, now that we're safe…" Index pulled out Hoopa's Spirit Ball, "there's someone else who'd like to see you." She popped it open as the genie-like Firstborn stretched awake.
"Yaaaaawn… Scheherazade, you should see how cozy it is in there! Hey, who're these guys?"
"Hoopa…" Index put an arm around Aladdin, "do you recognize him?"
Hoopa lowered and gazed directly into Aladdin's eyes. "…IT'S HIM!" Hoopa grabbed his cheeks, stretched, and pinched them. "It's my little brother! ALADDIN!"
"Wh…whuh?"
"It's that Firstborn!" Kougyoku recognized. "Even HE knows you?!"
"I'm so confused!" Aladdin shook free and rubbed his head. "I…I…I'm hungry!"
Both his and Index's stomachs rumbled. "Boy, I am, too. Got any tasty food in that palace?"
"Now I believe they're related." Morgiana remarked.
Palace Dining Room
Since SD already had their fill on the food Pisti brought, Kougyoku had her cooks prepare a feast of fine Kou cooking! Or should she say, fine Kouking, ha ha ha! Morgiana stuffed herself with the sweetest sushi from their coast, Nagisa slurped up crimson ramen that briefly turned his hair red, Index and Aladdin dove into the fruits bowl, and Hoopa was eating his fill of raspberry-filled onigiri and chocolate-covered dough rolls.
"We're barely here for an hour and we're already eating at a princess' table?!" Shino muttered as she pondered what to eat first.
"Empress." Kougyoku corrected.
"KHORK!" Shino held in a cough. "God, my classmates would freak if they found out about this. I'M freaking about this! I never practiced etiquette."
"Then quit making a fool of yourself and eat." Goombella said.
"So, Aladdin… is really 10,000 years old?!" Alibaba was still trying to process the story.
"He always was more mature than you were." Kougyoku snickered.
Nagisa swallowed his current mouthful. "But how come you never wanted to meet him before?"
"Because I didn't have my full memories back until the World Rings incident." Index answered. "When I get reborn, even though I preserve my identity as Scheherazade… each and every life that I live has to be unique. I'm born as a new person with new parents… so, I need to balance between being that person and being Scheherazade. But it was only after I remembered this time… after I remembered seeing Aladdin's name in a Top Sectors list… then did additional research… I realized…" Index faced him with emotional eyes, "you really are King Solomon's son."
"Solomon…"
"Solomon the Wise…" Alibaba thought aloud. "The legendary king who saved the world… He's actually real? And he's Aladdin's dad?!"
"All myths hold facts." Goombella winked. "Index, I'm mad that you never taught me all this, yet."
"I mean, we were kind of swamped with a bazillion crises. But Solomon…" Index folded hands over her heart. "He was a great man. I… I mean, Sheba would've done anything for him. So handsome and tender…" The group cringed slightly at the idea. "…Sigh, but what'm I saying? You're Sheba's son, not mine. I guess I just wanted you to know… it really broke her heart to have to send you away."
"…" Aladdin stared at his reflection in the melon juice. "Sometimes, I have dreams about my mom… On nights after I scrape my knees or get pushed around by classmates, I dream about my mom holding me. Even happened when that Madaura lady…hu-u-u-u-u." He shuddered from the thought of that creep. "…I don't know what to think about any of this."
"You know," Shino began, "if I walked up to a stranger and told them I was their reborn mom, I'd probably get sent to an insane asylum."
"Yeah." Everyone else chorused.
"Ulp…" Index melted in her seat. "'Guess I just have… bad people skills."
"Hahahahahaha!" But seeing Aladdin's giggling face brightened her spirits. "I guess… all I can say is… Thank you. For conveying my mom's feelings."
Index smiled. "…And besides, it's not the only time Scheherazade's had kids. Mason and Haruka are also my great-great-grandchildren."
"WHAAAAAT?!" her teammates screamed.
"But that was a forced courtship with Hannibal Bean… back when I was Meg Linlin."
"You're definitely not my mom…" Aladdin replied awkwardly.
"Anyway, there's another reason I shared this story." Index pushed herself up, adapting a serious demeanor. "Those Djinn. They were the creations of our enemy from back then. And I fear… that enemy has returned."
Sealed Palace
"Ya 'abana, 'unqidhna 'iilaa almujda." Hundreds of wizards surrounded the palace gates. As their magic flowed, they awaited the good word of their representative.
There it stood… untouched for millenniums. A black lamp of intricate design. The first to touch this relic were a pair of green, wart-covered hands with filthy long nails. Gruntilda cackled and rubbed the lamp excitedly. What happened next came as quickly as expected.
The lamp turned red and burst into magical smoke. "Hahahahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Thousands of Djinns lined the walls, surrounding Grunty like a tornado. Looming above the center of the room, the smoke gave shape to a man with thick, golden earrings and black hair in the shape of lightning bolts. For the first time in eons, he opened his narrow dark-magenta eyes and stretched his strong arms. "Ahhhh…10,000 years can give you such a crick in the pants." He looked toward the small, round subject beneath him. "Who dares to wake me from my slumber?"
"It is I, David Jehoahaz Abraham. Your servants await you on foot and hand. I am Gruntilda, she chosen to lead them. Your magnificence surpasses the legend."
"Heh heh heh… What has humankind devolved to after all these years?"
"What?! You should know I'm a sight! No mortal can look at me and not die of fright!"
"Heh heh…humor me, then." David rested his head on his fist and propped the elbow on the ground. "You, who hold my lamp… What is it that you wish?"
"To devise the end of the KND who threaten us at every bend! Then, should you serve our needs, my acquaintances will see fit to set you free."
"Humorous, indeed. But my freedom does not come without a price. After all, this prison… was of my own making."
David's wrists and ankles were impaled against the ground by Sheba's spears of light. The once High Priest of the Orthodox Church could only laugh at this development. "Perhaps you will be reborn as well, Father." Solomon said. "And you will share in the happiness of our descendants.
"No, my boy… my ideals will live on… along with my soul. Astidea'a, misbahi!"
The lamp magically appeared above his head. Solomon and Sheba were horrified as his soul began to flow from his flesh into the lamp. "You…You've cursed yourself with the seal of the genie?!"
"Yes… and try as you might, this lamp is unbreakable. My followers will find me… and use me to accomplish our mission. Or perhaps you will use me to spread your own ideals across the world… but how long can you keep me out of their hands?"
Solomon growled and drew a complex rune in the air with his staff. "Alqiama!"
The magic began to shatter his father's body and the part of his soul that didn't make it into the lamp. "Hahahahaha… The Resurrection Spell? Then perhaps… I may be at odds with myself someday. Is that what you hope? We'll see… if your decision was wise…"
Lord David was gone. Solomon and Sheba calmly approached the lamp and raised it. "If we summon the soul in this lamp… perhaps we can wish it to be reborn as well?" Sheba said.
"No… I feel a powerful will around this lamp. His soul is firmly attached to it… as are his desires." Solomon could feel the presence of the Djinn culminating around the lamp. "We need to seal this evil away from the world."
"A severed soul? I think I know the feeling." Grunty said. "But it must be ancient. It's too late for healing."
"No, my young witch. I can feel it… My other half is somewhere in this very world… and should you rejoin me with it… you will have all that you desire."
"Then your wish is my command… Lord Abraham! Rakakakakakakakaka!"
Kou
"You really think… David is back?!" Hoopa said in shock.
"I do. I only wanted to visit this sector out of desire… but I guess it was destiny."
"You did say the World Rings incident happened one other time." Goombella recalled. "Maybe we shouldn't have brought Hoopa here."
"Hmmmm…" The Firstborn drooped in sadness.
"If David really has returned," Alibaba propped his boot on the table, "we'll just have to kick his butt in this era! We have experience with dark wizards, so it'll be a cynch."
"Then for this mission," Nagisa joined him on the table, "Sectors SA and SD are as one!"
"Yeah! We are… Sector SAD!"
Their declaration was met with blank expressions. "That doesn't set a good impression for us." Dende said.
"No, I kind of like it." Nagisa replied. "From an ironic standpoint. Plus, we're making our enemies sad."
"Sector SAD we are then." Morg smiled.
"Hah hall right!" Alibaba plopped in the seat between Nagisa and Morg. "Oh, and hey… Morgiana, right? You look really familiar."
"I…" she blinked, "I do?"
"Yeah…" Alibaba studied her magenta hair and strong build. "Almost like… we know each other… in a parallel universe…" Their friends exchanged befuddled glances. "That's it! You're Kougyoku's Negative!" Then they all gawked at the wild assumption. "It makes sense! You both have similar hair, but you're exact opposites of each other! Kougyoku's almost completely covered, but you show a lot more skin! You got a lot more meat on your bones," he rubbed Morg's hamstrings, "and you're definitely more of a wild girl type. It all makes sense!"
". . . . . ." Dark gazes fell over Morg and Kougyoku.
The "Home-Run" music from Smash Bros. cued up as Alibaba flew across the capital with the dexterity of a sandbag. The magenta-haired girls in question had a leg outstretched. "That was a good technique." Morg told the empress. "But you need to stretch your leg out with a quicker snap."
"I'll keep practicing!"
"Oh, brother…" Shino shared a disbelieved glare with Dende. It was clear that etiquette wasn't necessary here.
Sindria Palace
Sindria Trading Company was the center of commerce in Magia and one of the biggest companies on Avalar. The revolutionary King Sinbad was practically the ruler of the continent with how his trade helped the kingdoms flourish. He was a true symbol of his people; broad, muscular, decorated with gold, silver, jewels, and pure regal clothes, complimented by his violet hair and golden eyes.
"Lord Sinbad." The king looked up from his paperwork at his draconic general, Drakon. "King Mickey requests an audience with you."
The king smiled and rose from his seat. "I barely have time to brush my teeth these days."
I've always considered the Magi crew very equivalent with Avatar's main Gaang. Alibaba is the Sokka, the "ladies' man" and the butt of every joke while still acting as the group's leader. Aladdin is Aang, being a powerful reincarnation in the form of a fun-loving boy. Morgiana would be Toph, being the tough barefoot girl. And Hakuryuu (though he isn't in this story) is Zuko, a scarred prince from a Chinese-inspired nation. That's why I played the "Battlefield" music, because I played the same music back in Firstborn when we first met the Gaang!
But before we go on, let's take a look at another dimension… where my fifth grade reading class is reading this story!
"'Lord David was gone.'" The teacher read. "'Solomon and Sheba calmly approached the lamp and raised it. 'If we-'"
"Um, excuse me? Mr. D?" My best friend from grade school, David raised his hand.
"Yes, David?"
"Every time you mention David, Leslie and Brianna look at me." The girls in question stared at David with dimwitted expressions.
"Ah. Well, maybe this will teach them to follow along better. You two better submit a 500-page book report BY TOMORROW!"
"BUT MR. DEEEEEE!" the girls whined.
"YOU HEARD ME! And if you don't, I'm dropping you all the way back to preschool! Didn't you read the warning at the start of this book?! That the characters in this story are fictional?! They have no connection to anyone in real life?! REMEMBER THAT NEXT TIME!"