حرص حافة العنف

Keen Edge of Violence

One, I'm going to follow Luffy's example in living my life to the fullest and without regret so that means actually finishing all of my stories.

Two, I will stop feeling guilty when writing fictions for some stupid reason that it's not profitable because I didn't enter fandom to be rich, it happened to make me very happy every second I indulged my addiction to reading.

Tag: Transgender Aladdin, but it is not because of a superficial desire to write a male character as a female character just for that tiny detail change with no thought for how that tiny detail change may actually change the entire story but for a reason only those who read Magi from the start of Aladdin's journey can guess.

Note: Let's all pretend the unnamed 5 princesses and Kourin never existed in the first place. I do not like OCs no matter how vital they are in fanfictions (I know they're necessary a lot of the times so don't flame me when my stories happen to feature OCs) not because of their characters or typical portrayals but because I went into fandom to read the canon characters of said fandom, not new characters. So there are only 4 Kou members; En, Mei, Ha, and Gyoku. Oh, and the Emperor.

Born from the thought: Had Aladdin went to Kou Empire when Hakuei offered after the skirmish with the Kouga Tribe... Pretty sure her first impression of the Ren Family will be different. The Ren family, crazy as they were, are observant—and they noticed something's wrong with Aladdin.

الفصل 1

The End of a Dream

After his talk with Paimon-chan, if that can be called a conversation – since it only left Aladdin with more questions – Hakuei-neesan ordered several of her troops who had survived the fight to bind Ryosai. Hakuei-neesan hadn't held back much when she fought the renegades, so a lot of people were heavily injured. A lot of people were killed too.

Aladdin felt bad for having Ugo-kun kill the renegade army. There had to have been a hundred men or more.

But Ugo-kun said they were traitors. They were soldiers who swore on their lives to protect their nation, Kou Empire, yet they gladly betrayed their own leader. Sometimes Aladdin wondered what were in their minds. All those trouble for something as vague as 'slighted honor'?

Alibaba-kun didn't force his honor on others. He had reigned in his temper to please that Budel man. 'Because I needed the money' he said. Aladdin believed him. But then he punched Budel for offering to triple his pay if he save the cargo instead of Mina. Mina was already eaten by the desert Hyacinth but Alibaba-kun chose her over the cargo he had been taking care of since the start of the journey through the desert. And then he talked about the glory of what money can bring and how wonderful they are.

The point is Alibaba-kun's confusing.

Dorji-niisan and Touya-neesan and some of the people of Kouga (Aladdin forgot to ask their names. How rude of him) came on their horses shortly. Dorji-niisan said he had noticed Aladdin missing after Granny died and he saw Ugo-kun's large footprints so he gathered everyone and followed the footprints.

The journey to this point had been different from his adventure through the desert Aladdin had found himself in. That time it was hot and he was very thirsty. This time it was windy and there were a bunch of flowers on the way. Except Aladdin didn't enjoy the journey much like before in the desert because there was an urgency to get as fast as he can to Hakuei-neesan.

It was quite strange. Aladdin has always only wandered. He had never felt pressured to get from point A to somewhere that might be point B. It's one of those things that came when one have friends, Aladdin supposed.

"Aladdin?" Aladdin's ears perked at the call and turned around. It was Hakuei-neesan. "Aladdin, how... how are you feeling?" Her smile didn't quite seem happy, more like... placating?

Aladdin blinked. "I'm fine."

The older female shook her head ferociously. "No, no, that's not what I meant. You... you did take – ehm, take out a lot of them."

"Them?"

"My soldiers," she pursed her lips. "Ryosai's soldiers. I mean to ask you, how do you feel for, uhm, k-killing them?" Her eyes were confused and she frowned. "You're very young, Aladdin. This has to be your first time taking lives, right?"

"I didn't take anything."

"Yes, I thought so – wait, pardon?"

Aladdin repeated. "I didn't take anything."

Hakuei-neesan frowned. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off when Seisyun-niisan came over, his hand wrapped in white bandages. Touya-neesan came beside him and the two fretted over Hakuei-neesan to treat her injuries.

Oh, she didn't take out the bow on her thigh. Aladdin hadn't noticed. How can she not notice?! Maybe it was because Hakuei-neesan didn't even grimace at the wound. She must be very tough. Or maybe it's her skin that was tough. Aladdin would surely cry if he has an arrow digging into his knees.

Touya-neesan was rubbing some yellowish cream on the wound after Seisyun-niisan carefully pulled the bow out. Aladdin didn't do much besides watching after he was stopped from questioning Touya-neesan about what cream it was and what it was made of and what why where.

But Hakuei-neesan was still weak from her wounds. Touya-neesan insisted both of them to stay in the village and rest for at least one night. At first Hakuei-neesan declined because she didn't want to be a burden but Seisyun Ri-niisan is worried so she agreed. She sent the troops back to their camp after swearing them not to betray her again (she gave this really good and thoroughly inspiring speech) and they would not let Ryosai go. She's a good leader, Aladdin thought, he can see why Paimon-chan supported her to be king.

Ah, yes. The 'king' thing. Ugo-kun...? Aladdin pouted to himself. Ugo-kun wouldn't answer anything about his talk with Paimon-chan.

Aladdin spent some time talking to Seisyun-niisan about his Household Vessel thing (he said his sougetsuken [double moon swords] were named so because of irony though he didn't understand) and Hakuei-neesan's Metal Vessel and were wrapped up in his recount about how the princess had been chased by giant purple butterflies that flashed all sorts of bright colors during her dungeon capturing when said princess called Aladdin over.

"Aladdin-kun?"

"Hm?" Aladdin swallowed the meat he has been eating while chatting with Seisyun-niisan and faced her, and he was a bit surprised she bowed to him, "Aladdin, I would like for you to know that you have Kou Empire's and my deepest gratitude for aiding me and my companion for the arrest of Ryosai. And I would like to return the favor for you."

"But I didn't do it for a favor. I wanted to help, Hakuei-neesan!"

"I know, and it makes me happy. But I cannot just leave without rewarding you. It's not only impolite, but would also look bad to anyone else who might hear the story."

"Why would it be bad?"

"It's something called politics, Aladdin."

"Oh." Aladdin decided he should find some books about politics. "You don't have to, but okay."

Hakuei-neesan put a finger on her chin. "You are a traveller, correct? I can give you a set of proper travelling equipment?"

Aladdin thought about taking care of a caravan. "No thanks. I'm fine on my own."

"I can supply you with some food."

Would he want to bring heavy bags? "Noooo."

The princess pouted. "I dislike the idea of simply giving you a bag of money."

"Hey, hey, Aladdin!" Dorji-niisan spoke up. "Why don't you ask her about Qishan?"

"Qishan…" Hakuei's mind perused her mental world map. "One of the marketing towns?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm heading to Qishan. There's someone I want to meet."

"Ah, are they a friend of yours?"

"Um." Alibaba-kun's certainly his friend. He's not sure if Alibaba thinks Aladdin is his friend. He remembered him asking to be introduced to Ugo-kun and wanting to learn lots from him, and playing in through that bright, bright blue portal heading to that beautiful blue green orb he knows it's called Earth.

Isn't this Earth? If the platform thing was heading to this place, then, where had they been in that space?

He's been thinking about Alibaba-kun a lot he forgot about that. It had felt surreal, like an extension of their bizarre adventure in the dungeon that that last step seems so unimportant. Now that he thought about it properly, he can't imagine forgetting it again. Where had they been in? "Yeah," he said. He doesn't want to imagine saying no. "His name is Alibaba."

Dorji-niisan ruffled his hair into a mess. His magic turban had been washed by Touya-neesan earlier and now he's just waiting for it to dry. There were stains of Granny's blood. "The little kid almost cried when he found out that Qishan's about a couple of years away if he walks."

"Well, Qishan is west from here, if I recall. Oh! You can come to my nation with me and go there with my cousin, Kougyoku Ren. She's heading to Balbadd in a few weeks. We can drop you off on Qishan after the trip."

"It's alright, Hakuei-oneesan. I wasn't expecting any favour. I cared about Granny and everyone, that's why I helped. Besides, I'll just ride along in one of the caravans next spring bazaar."

"You'll be crossing the desert! And it's miles away. That's not counting this meadow as well!" Seisyun-niisan protested.

"And man eating plants and bandits," Dorji-niisan chipped in.

"I can handle it. I had had handled it."

"You can meet my nation's magi."

Now that captured Aladdin's interest. Amon-kun called him with that word. Paimon-chan called him that too. And if he's not wrong, Hakuei-neesan's under the impression he knows that word.

Well, he didn't know. What's a magi, he wanted to ask. But Amon-kun was cryptic. Paimon-chan hadn't been very clear. Ugo-kun was very tight lipped about the issue. Meeting the person himself would solve this puzzle.

And maybe Aladdin can ask them about what that place is—the end of the other tunnel or that portal.

"Okay," Aladdin said. "Yeah!" He repeated.

. o . 0 . o .

Hakuei decided to do the required paperwork in one of the tents rather than crossing the grass field to her encampment. The soldiers left, led by Seisyun—save for a dozen for her protection. Not that she needed to be protected all the time, but, she was a princess, and she can't keep her guard up constantly.

Thankfully, it was a smooth acceptance for her to use the main tent. No one had kicked up a fuss about her staying at their Elder Baba's home. She didn't mind the less than comfortable bed set up for her. She had insisted Aladdin should be the one to use the main bed, because he was the one who had been using it before and she couldn't possibly sleep on it. It would be disrespectful to the diseased leader.

Not to mention the magi. Accidentally offending a magi would be a total nightmare.

So now she was staying up late writing and editing and improving the plans for integrating the Kouga tribe and their land into Kou Empire. She was relieved when Touya came in to deliver some milk. Granted, horse milk is just yuck compared to a cow's milk, but she was thirsty and tired.

"Aladdin will be leaving with you tomorrow, yes, Princess?" Touya asks after they had some relaxing non-sense chat.

"Yes. We'll leave after breakfast. There will be plenty of time to say goodbyes." Hakuei guessed the reason why Touya brought up the subject of Aladdin. "I promise we'll take care of him."

"Oh, I know you will, thank you. You are of Kou Empire, the strongest one there is. I am worried about how long Aladdin will be staying with you. He seems to be the type to get attached very easily, so I'm not sure if he'll actually leave Kou, or if he'll choose to stay."

If he stays, that would be wonderful. Two magi. The Kou Empire can have an easier time integrating more lands. They can possess more king vessels. Maybe her little brother will find a friend in Aladdin and capture a dungeon. "Why would that be something to be worried about? He's a wandering child, wouldn't it be wonderful if he finds a home in the Empire?"

"Well, forgive me if I'm full of assumption, Princess, but I think you're going to be involved with him personally?" Touya waited so Hakuei nodded in affirmation. "I should tell you something about him. He wouldn't mind, we all know, but you should also know if you'll be taking care of him for an indefinite amount of time."

Hakuei turned her head to see Aladdin who is still sleeping soundly at the other side of the tent. "He's not suffering any kinds of condition, is he?"

"Oh, no!" Touya denied in a quick whisper. "He's not sick. But he's a, um, a girl."

Hakuei digested the new information and her skin paled. "I… I must have offended him…her? A lot."

"I'm positive you haven't. He's a girl. We know because we took care of his wound when we found him battered and unconscious under the sun. But he's insistent he's a boy. He really seems to believe himself to be a boy. We're not sure why he thinks so, but we just accepted it. We thought he might be running some kind of joke, but he's not. He really doesn't act or even think like a girl, despite being a girl, physically."

It didn't really make sense to the Princess. As Touya kept talking, she thought that maybe Aladdin was a very tomboyish girl. But it seems like she really believes herself to be a 'he'.

"I suppose I understand. Though, it doesn't change anything. Why is this important?"

"He's a child! He's…" Touya raised an eyebrow in thought. None of them had asked for Aladdin's age now that she thought about it. "Maybe nine. Or ten. Certainly not more than thirteen... I think." Aladdin shows very adult interests for being a kid though, Touya blushed a little at the thought of the things he did. "I fear how he'll react when he gets his period."

It was so strange to discuss a girl's period while referring her as a boy. But… well, it is a different land, Hakuei reasoned, so different culture? "I see. That could be a problem. I… I am at a lost, to be honest. I believe I will deal with it when we cross that bridge, or perhaps I'll talk to him about it when we get to know each other better. Thank you for telling me."

Touya nodded furiously. "Thank you for accepting this, Princess. Please don't call him out as a girl. He got upset when we did."

Why would he be upset? Curious. Hakuei gave her a nod and picked up her mug again. It was empty. "Touya-san, may I ask another question?"

"Oh, oh sure."

"Today's skirmish. Many people died," Hakuei said in a soft voice, careful not to open a fresh wound harshly and Touya nodded in a 'go on' manner. "The soldiers that betrayed me, Aladdin killed a lot of them. Granted, his Djinn was the one who dealt the blow, but Vessel Djinns don't act on their own unless their master agrees with it. Like you said, he's young. I don't believe he has taken lives before, but when I tried to console him about it, he said something strange." Aladdin hadn't acted strange, but his words were… callous. "I told him he killed a lot of people. He told me that he hadn't taken anything."

The two tried to make sense of it, but none of them were very close on the boy they were talking about to truly deduce what he meant.

Aladdin's feet kicked off his covers, and Touya excused herself.

◯０o。(ー。ー)y~~

"... Thanks to Aladdin-kun, Ryosai has been confined. He will be dealt properly, I assure you. And do not worry, currently the constructions of your new home is undergoing. After you all have done packing and completing any unfinished business here you may come to the Kou Empire. Here is the scroll for your permission to enter, there is a map that would show you the way to Kou Empire's eastern region if by any means you got lost in the way. We'll discuss the territorial borders and things you might want to add to your new home." Hakuei-neesan announced the next morning and handed Dorji-niisan the mentioned scroll.

Everyone had agreed that Dorji-niisan should take up Baba-baachan's position now since Touya-neesan is still not in the appropriate age to take up the whole clan's responsibility. Some are still a bit miffed at the fact they are joining ('giving themselves up to') another nation but begrudgingly agreed at the prospect of a new home. A real home, not just a made up giant tent that would be moved a few weeks later and so on.

And the bathroom... It's been a long time…

That's when they all finally noticed Aladdin's fidgeting.

"Niisan... these clothes are heavy... I can't move..."

"What are you talking about? Your journey will be tough right? Those are needed."

"Neesan..." Aladdin whined but Hakuei-neesan took Dorji-niisan's side on the matter, "Dorji-san is correct Aladdin. You need those," she said, making Aladdin pout. But the third princess of the first emperor pinched his cheek and voiced her opinion, "Aww... you're so cute. Well, I guess this is it then! Do you want to say your goodbyes?"

It was a short but thankfully not a teary goodbye.

Throughout the journey to Kou Empire, Aladdin kept asking about this Kougyoku person.

She's shorter than Hakuei-neesan, but Hakuei-neesan thinks her hair is prettier. She has a long deep pink hair (which makes Aladdin wonder if Morgiana-neesan might be related to her) like her other siblings. That prompted Aladdin asking how many cousins Hakuei-neesan has but then she said that they were actually her siblings, but step siblings, and there are also some of her siblings who are actually her siblings and it all made Aladdin's head hurt so he switched the topic.

"So… what's your magi like?"

"Horrid." Hakuei-neesan quipped immediately. "He's the youngest—or at least, we thought he was the youngest—of the three magi on Earth. The other magi is someone from another land, the Great Priestess of Reim Empire. Our magi is our priest too, but he doesn't take his title seriously. He jokes a lot, and often takes it too far. Honestly, he's taxing. But he takes care of us."

"He sounds complicated." Aladdin comments. "Three magi? There are only three?"

Hakuei-neesan looked up from her paperwork to eye him. He was sitting with his chin on his knees, his eyes full of curiosity about something she thought she was sure he has already known. "Yes. It's been like this for millenniums. There are only three magi in one lifetime, never more. When one passed on, another magi reincarnates in their place." Ah, of course. Aladdin must be newly reincarnated, it's understandable he doesn't know a lot about what they know about magi. "That's how we found our priest. A young baby was reported to hold an obscene amount of rukh, too strong to be considered just a very powerful magician. Other than him, we know of a magi who rules an empire, and one who was rumored to wander around the lands. We haven't heard of him for years now. He must have passed on, and then you took his place."

But I'm three centuries old, Aladdin thought. Truthfully, probably even longer than that. He only started counting his age when he understood the concept of 'Earth's year' from the various books he had read in that dark room. That wandering magi must be only secluding himself. Aladdin wasn't born as a baby on Earth. He grew up alone in that dark room, with a silent blue giant guarding a big door. Aladdin doesn't even know what a magi actually means. He can't be one.

If he was one—considering the apparent fact that only three magi can exist in one lifetime—he must be an outsider.

Aladdin hummed, shrugging his shoulders. He doesn't know enough to agree or disagree with Hakuei-neesan's opinion. "Say, what are their names?"

"Reim's priestess is called Scheherazade. We don't know of the wandering magi's name. Only one person has ever spoken to him, other than magi, and he's currently an enemy of ours," the princess signed a pretty spidery scripted paper with a flourish and began furling it into scrolls. "Our priest called him an old man, though. Our magi is named Judar."

Scheherazade. Judar. And someone else.

Aladdin wonders if they have their own Djinn friends. Maybe after meeting all of them, Ugo-kun would answer his questions.

He hopes one of them knows what that other place is.

It's name kept dangling at the tip of tongue.