A/N: Welcome, you who have made it to the 2nd chapter! I really appreciate it, because it means you either, A) Like this story or B) Are a curious person! Whatever it is, I'm happy it brought you here because I honestly forgot how much time and effort it takes into composing something passable for other people to read, haha...anyway, a little change from the previous chapter. Beleth is the spirit of Courage and Fidelity, because I'm an idiot and totally disregarded loyal/pure Zaganastic or whatever. Also I'm pretty 99.9% sure this will be a Jafar x OC x Sinbad fic. I've been considering a lot of the potential chemistry and drama and I. Am. Lovin' it. Of course, there won't be anything that comes between Ja'far and Sinbad because that's just impossible. We'll see :)

maybe [I'm going to grow blind from staring at a screen this long]

Disclaimer: I don't own Magi but, if I could own anything it would be...Barbatos!Muu. Come on, guys, that shit is hot. Actually, screw the previous disclaimer, BARBATOS!MUU over FOCALOR!SINBAD. YEAH, BITE ME. ALL OVER. I WANT YOU TO. ONLY ONE MINUTE? NO PROBLEM. k done fangirling no offense sinbad i just don't like older men

Serendipity
Book 2: High Seas

'you see all but know nothing'

...

A newborn child's rukh is as pure as the newest snow; so clear, a normal human couldn't even see it. That innocence is malleable enough to bend and taint, and harder enough to keep it in check. A child was just that, something to be groomed; whether into a king or a pauper didn't matter. All it required were the right tools and the right faith.

All she needed was faith and even Solomon's harshest lies spoke the truth to her. Just like that, she could become like a puppet that danced on its own strings.

"It is a dance shrouded in melancholy and isolation, because you are blinded by what you believe most in."

.

.

.

...

"Mmmmnyaaaaa…"

"You're starting to sound like me now, nya."

Sleep kept trying to draw her deeper within the barrel but she yawned it off, eyes battling between open and close. Through her fluttering lashes she found she was nose to nose with a peering individual, but she threw him out the moment she found the strength to. A mere throw was just an understatement, as she had sent the light cat sailing through the air.

"What the…how rude!" Beleth whined, sputtering as a crumpled heap against the ship wall.

Yuuna, purged of her demons, now hugged her knees against her chest and began to nod off again. The fact that her sighs were filled with a peaceful sense of ease annoyed her djinn, "I'm recovering…"

"Recovering from what? Your three course meal? I'm still pissed you didn't share any of that. Geez, you pretend to be frugal but the moment you make some cash you blow it."

"Beleth, return."

"Awaaah, I'm sorry, so please~" the feline begged for forgiveness, pressing his muzzle between his paws.

The pair of travelers were currently on board a merchant ship to Balbadd, just a single stop of many other places she wanted to go to. For what reasoning did she need to travel so much? Well, the things she had been searching for were not present in Reim, and considering her options, the other major countries available to her were Magnostadt or Balbadd, and hell if she was going to go to the former. No offense to the mystical wonders of Magnostadt, but she didn't want to put in effort to go to a place she wasn't welcome. Otherwise, there was no relaxing way to travel than traveling by sea and one should just enjoy the experience!

The blonde rose her head from the barrel, her drowsy eyes glaring daggers at the cat djinn, "You're not even supposed to have a corporeal form. What are people going to think of a three eyed cat?" Normally, his true form was depicted as a tiger or a grown male, but whenever he was like this he was just an annoying fur ball. That and completely useless. Only magi were capable of calling upon the djinn, but this form was nothing more than a small portion of her materialized magoi and his spirit, a feat of his powers. His original essence and main body of strength resided in the metal vessel on Yuuna's neck; though without the djinn's consciousness, the vessel was nothing more than a piece of jewelry. There came advantages and disadvantages with this separation of his form and so it was best for the two to always be together, cat, necklace, and all.

"I just keep the third one closed. What would the merchants think of a girl hiding in their wine barrels?"

"That is that and this is this…"

"I feel like you're just avoiding the problem here…"

Yuuna's bare shoulders shrugged and a large shameless smirk reached her face, "Lesson! Hitching a ride is free and you get food. I love traveling on ships! Nobody comes in here and messes with the merchandise!" She swung her arms dramatically, hanging them over the edge of the barrel. Unless they counted inventory, but she was usually lucky in that regard. The few times someone came in to check on storage she was able to talk her way out of it, and subsequently escorted out of the premises. The only burden that plagued her was the lightness of her wallet and the slight feeling of humiliation and disdain the worker would shoot at her; otherwise, she was as happy as a bee.

"…Sorry, did I mishear you? Hello? Are you Yuuna?"

"Well duh, hahaha!" her laughter was borderline crazy, possibly due to being both sleep deprived and…the cat's nostrils twitched uncomfortably. Was that the smell of alcohol? Did she actually drink from one of those kegs? It was now Beleth's turn to curl his lips in disgust, seeing his king bathed in an entirely different kind of light, but she was just as hostile, making a less than attractive face as she squinted at him, "Who else would handle you? Such a disobedient djinn...not cute at all!"

Beleth's striped ears twitched at her words, the familiarity of daggers lining his spine bothered him. No, it was her words that bothered him; he was just tingly. HE, the Spirit of Courage and Fidelity was disobedient?! This girl... how dare she! No amount of alcohol could mask the darkest truths that linger within a person's heart, because that's when the real honesty comes out. With small teeth curling into a trembling grin he was just about to teach his king that his claws were more than just for show. Then, the ship began to shake suddenly, throwing his feet in disarray. Helpless and light, the feline began to slide with the sway of the wood floor, Yuuna's laughter following him.

"Ahaha," the girl hiccuped, leaning against the curve of the barrel interior, "Are we in Balbadd yet? No way, I didn't even sleep that long…"

The cat djinn slammed face first into a crate, a flurry of fish pelting his body. He stared dumbfounded at the goofy look on his master's face, but reminded himself that even though she was tipsy, she was still his King. He had an obligation to respect her even at her worst.

"Guess you better check it out…" the cat, shaking himself loose of the slimy fish, seethed. Yuuna then began to sluggishly remove herself from the empty barrel, fixing her wrinkled dress as she wobbled around. He could tell she was only slightly intoxicated, and a little elbow room and ocean air would do some good. Besides, if he had to handle a single more of her false accusations he was going to give her a berating lesson of his own, king vessel or not.

Leaving Beleth behind in the storage room, the girl emerged from below deck. Her eyes burned at the bright rays of afternoon sun, but she shielded them with her arms. Before she could yawn or readjust herself, a solid form slammed into her, apparently too busy to apologize even when she almost hurdled back down the stairwell. Rattled, Yuuna's thoughts slowly began to return to her, and she moved onto the deck in a more cautious manner.

She wished she hadn't ever left the safety of her wine barrel, as the sight that played before her was not one she wanted any part in. That is, the sight of another ship, worn and rickety in comparison of her own, with their planks and ropes snared onto their target. Ship hands and crew members were thrust into a corner like a herd of sheep, their aggressors dressed in ragged and thuggish clothing. A group of pirates, absolutely fantastic.

Her slurred mental process wasn't quick enough to think before one of them noticed her, "My god...Is that a girl?"

"Catch her!"

"N-no, thanks!" Yuuna immediately yelped and ran as quickly as her legs could carry her, barely dodging the grabby hands of a pirate on her flank. She teetered away from his grasp, climbing up a flight of stairs to the steering wheel. Brandishing their cutlasses and threatening to skewer her through the wheel, she not so gracefully danced around it to avoid them. Just as she was able to slip away, a few more pirates appeared from their adjacent ship, grinning at her through missing and golden teeth.

"Nowhere to run."

Just like the time with the Maurenian tiger, she couldn't think to act quick enough, even when her instincts and adrenaline were fire. She was caught between a rock and a hard place, the bound crew members also concerned for her predicament. Even if she could think, it wasn't as if she were fast or experienced enough to escape. Of course, dipping into the sea might have been an option, or an invitation to death. If she were captured by the pirates, they'd probably kill her, or enslave her, or even worse than that. As the group began to surround her, she gripped the rim of the ship with trembling fingers.

Death might have been a better option, but maybe she was only being pessimistic because of the alcohol in her system. After all, Beleth was below deck, if she could only get to him…

"Come here, girlie…" the nearest pirate to her extended his hands out, and Yuuna could only pinch her eyes shut and pray.

"Giving up again?" with familiar cold harshness, that voice murmured.

'It's supposed to happen, isn't that what you would say?'

"If you desire help, if fate would have it, it will come."

'In that case, Orobas, will you help me again?'

"No."

The girl's eyes shot open just as the pirate's hand clasped against her shoulder, yanking her towards him. His fellow companions also cheered in unison, before sheathing their weapons and beginning to organize themselves. The grisly middle-aged man that began to guide her along soon began to shout, "Start moving supplies to the ship! You three, check down below!" Once his peons received their orders, he urged Yuuna towards the tied group of sailors, "They say it's bad luck to have a woman on board a ship. But it's lead me to a pretty penny like you, darling."

Even though she could still feel a light fluttering in her stomach from the alcohol, it didn't do any less to dampen her growing irritation. She cursed the stale breath of this man, of her own powerlessness, and maybe Orobas a little. He was so fickle, so unreliable, so, in Beleth's words, "useless"! The girl couldn't help but sigh, shoulders lying limp with defeat.

Maybe she was the useless one. No, she knew she was. A vessel that had grown too dependent on the powers of spirits was nothing but a shell without them. There was a reason she could never be king, and yet, despite that, Beleth chose her. Though she could hardly remember the reasoning why...or when that had even happened.

Perhaps growing more bold with his crew's victory, the older man's calloused hand slowly stroked her smooth face, which was devoid of any readable emotion. Lost in her thoughts, it was hard to snap her out of it, even with a vulgar old man touching one's face. That lost look only made his smirk grow deeper, believing her to have completely given up. She had sea-green eyes that reminded him of the ocean he loved, and pale, soft skin like a mythical siren. Beautiful, harmless, and right within his grasp.

That feeling of enthrallment was washed out with a sinking pain that consumed those selfish thoughts. An image of a helpless maiden contorted into something a bit more twisted, like a small child bearing a knife. Even a child could kill a person with the right intentions, and her intentions were purely murderous. Within the heat of the moment a dagger slipped into his neck when he had leaned in too close, causing his throat to seep with a vibrant red. The pirate's eyes dilated at the sight of her, and found his words caught within a bleeding throat. The group of crew members behind Yuuna were caught unaware by the change of hands. The girl in question had her eyes glued to his glazing ones, never looking away even as he slowly fell to his knees. She merely smiled down at him, a deprecating smile that laughed at one's misfortunes. Laughed at his life and all the suffering and time it took for him to reach that far. That mocking look was all he could see, until there came nothing at all.

The sound of their captain falling caught the attention of the pirates, who took a few moments to process the blood on the girl's hands or the crumpled body on the floor. Only when the first yelled out his name did she come to her senses and quickly move, taking advantage of their trauma to create distance. Cries of anger and intuition reached out for the woman as she descended down the flight of stairs below deck, snaking through the ship while gathering her thoughts. When she ran her heart pumped with both the feeling of fear and fatigue, rattled by her previous actions.

The dagger was something she kept hidden on her person, but until just a few moments ago she barely remembered having one nor using one. Yet in that moment, when despair lingered dangerously close to her, wielding such a thing felt so familiar in her hands. Taking the life of a human was almost as easy as reading a book, and she found herself just as surprised as the faces of the crew. At the same time, a corrosive feeling of fear overwhelmed her.

'What came over me?'

Unexpectedly, she felt the softness of fabric yet a firmness of human form. Though her face was pressed into a human chest, terror kept her from looking or screaming. Yet curiosity claimed even the wisest, and she looked up anyway, despite her own doubts. It was a man that didn't look like a pirate nor anyone that belonged in that area. She blinked again, in case trickery played a part on her mind. Staring up at his tan face, the words formed on their own, "A Heliohapt—?!"

The hand that wrapped around her shoulder was much gentler than the one from before, softly maneuvering her behind him. He was interestingly dressed, not bothering to hide his skin nor his stark white hair. Something about him screamed he was simply more than a commoner from Heliohapt, especially in the form of that grin that seemed misplaced in the situation there.

"Were you the one making all that noise up there? I'm impressed!"

"Sharrkan, how can you touch her so casually? What if she's another pirate?"

Yuuna couldn't help but glance behind the one called Sharrkan, at a calm looking face with a single eye peering back at her. That hairstyle and blue armor was reminiscent of a country called Sasan. They were two very different people and yet she had the mis/fortune of running into them at a pivotal moment. Where even were they while all their crew members were getting captured? Drinking? Then again, she wasn't any better so maybe she should just shut up.

"What?! NO way she's a pirate!" The darker man held her at arm's length, peering at her face again, before he gasped in abrupt shock, removing both his hands, "Gah!"

The Sasan knight treaded up to his cringing companion, a rather ominous looking lance bearing ill will, "You saw it too, right? There's blood on her hands. Let's leave her in one of the rooms and then take care of the rest of them."

"It's pirate blood, I swear!" Yuuna, feeling threatened by that bloodied lance, shielded herself with her hands.

Sharrkan held his own against his face, eyes shut so tightly one would think he was having an episode, "No, Spartos, it's not that…it's…the way she's dressed!" the man pointed an accusing finger at the woman's exposed midriff, guiding all eyes to see.

Red seeped in against the contours of her face and she rolled her eyes, just counting down the seconds before they were all massacred by a horde of pirates. Even the one called Spartos had to avert his eyes, as he was trying his very best to avoid looking at her in the first place. When Sharrkan mustered his courage, he returned to her with newfound fearlessness, starting with a cleared throat.

"A-ahem. O-okay, you wait here and we'll go take care of the pirates. You can tell us allll about your story later!" From his belt he drew a black shamshir, and Sharrkan winked at his companion to signal the two forward. Spartos' motivation was already beginning to dwindle, but relied on his sense of duty to push forward.

"Don't move from here," were the Sasan knight's words of offering.

The girl stood there for about 2 minutes, listening to the sounds of shouting both excitable and terrified before she ventured off, seeking the solace of her hiding hole. It took her a bit to remember where it was, as the beginnings of a headache plagued her, but eventually found her way. Upon opening the door her lip curled in disgust at the curvaceous frame of an overstuffed figure.

A blue cat was lying amidst scattered (and empty) barrels, his legs much too stubby to sustain his new weight. Beleth, lying on his back, peered up at his king with adoration, "Master! You're back! I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for earlier…you were right, traveling by sea is the best! This food is delicious and I've never tasted anything like them before!"

As much as she wanted to laugh at the way Beleth tried to adjust himself so he could walk properly, her shock and anger was too much to replace, "Beleth…what did you do?! How can you even eat this much?!"

"Well, spirits aren't supposed to eat, but…whenever I'm in this materialized form, I have to follow my five senses to function…anyway, it's been so long since I've tasted anything like this!"

She had to suppress the urge to tear her hair out in frustration. Djinn were powerful, intellectual beings, right? They probably existed for centuries, enduring the most bloody of histories, right? So why was it that the one djinn that chose her lacked common sense? Or perhaps, deep down inside, he was a very sadistic entity that got pleasure from acting innocent and seeing her frustrated? The latter thought somehow seemed the most prospective but now wasn't the time to ask questions.

"You're an idiot. It's okay if you eat a few, but not like this! You realize these were their trading goods, right?! I know you did, don't lie! You did this to annoy me!" Dear Solomon, it would take at least 100 colosseum matches to cover these costs and not to mention a surplus of magoi that she couldn't muster.

"I don't know what you're talking about, nya," his words withdrew into meek meows at the feeling of the woman's hands tightening around him, threatening to spill more than just apologies from his body.

"Don't nya me, insolent—!"

There was no time to channel her anger when the sounds of footsteps trampled ever so near. Yuuna, whose heart began to beat erratically within her chest, immediately released Beleth; meanwhile her brain struggled to come up with an excuse. Anything to sway the odds in her favor! Whenever the men were upon the scene, Sharrkan was the first to speak, slowing down to a skid beside her, "Hey, we told you not to move, what the—!?"

Spartos stood on her other side, body also stiff with confusion, "What happened?! All our goods!"

"Gone? Stolen?!" the Heliohaptian looked towards Yuuna for confirmation, whilst his companion stared at her with the slightest hint of suspicion.

Beleth somehow found a way to maneuver himself by rolling around, brushing the softness of his fur and skin against her shins, because he was large enough to reach there now. With adoring eyes seeking attention the cat purred and mewled against her, and with that all was clear. Yuuna couldn't think of a single excuse to tell those men, and she only laughed humorlessly, perhaps in self pity.

"I don't suppose you guys can forgive me for this…?"

. . .

...

She never imagined she might be in this situation, nor did she have any type of memory to compare it to. It wasn't exactly a situation one might find favorable, but if this was what fate would have her suffer through, then she'd take the heat of anyone's glare. Be it the spiteful glares of the battered and imprisoned pirates no more than a few feet away from her or the looks of betrayal from Sharrkan. She didn't even know him for more than fifteen minutes and yet the shattered look on his face was as if she screw a dagger into his back following a relationship of fifteen years. Yes, he looked that exaggerated, and she was more than inclined to seek help from Spartos: the more calm of the two.

He was a being a bit cold to her but that was only expected treatment towards suspicious people, "So, um, where are you taking us?"

The Sasan knight had his arms crossed, leaning against their only means of escape. His lance was positioned in a similar way, almost like an obnoxious twin, "We'll decide what to do with you back in our kingdom. Since you insist you are no pirate...I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

Yuuna wore a smile of relief, Beleth perking up as he listened to the conversation. He might have held some remorse for how she was taken in for suspicion due to his reckless actions, but she just had to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, it was she who hammered that mindset into him, no matter how intoxicated she was. She was only playing the role of the responsible pet owner.

"If only because of the murderous looks those brigands are giving you. In any other situation, I'd still think you were a thief."

"I-it was my cat!"

Sharrkan couldn't help but fail to cover his laughter, to which Beleth hissed at, "Yeah, okay. That was a whole month's supply of food from our countries, ravaged. It's clear to me that since we found you here and I don't recall seeing you onboard like ever, you're a stowaway."

"Which, in itself, is a crime." For once, both the Sasan knight and the Heliohaptian nodded in unison.

"W-well that's..." their looks which dared her to argue shut her down, and she pursed her lips sheepishly. Until, a thought hit her, and the girl instantly piped up, "Wait, where are we going? I thought this was the ship to Balbadd!"

The two males shared another look with each other and even Sharrkan couldn't find the words to say, "...Hey, uh, exactly how much of our booze did you have to drink, miss...?"

"Call me Yuuna. A-and I don't remember! But I can't handle alcohol, so it was probably just a bit...my cat didn't touch your alcohol, right?!"

"Hahaha, if he did you'd probably be in more trouble than you realize. His Majesty, King Sinbad, is an alcoholic, so..."

"Should you really be referring to him like that?"

"But it's...true...?"

"Yeah...it's just a little rude..."

Just as the two men were beginning to throw themselves in a restrained discussion regarding the integrity of their king's actions, the girl in suspicion couldn't help but stare blankly at the two of them. They kept trading with indecisiveness and uncertainty lining their faces, but she was lost in their argument the moment it began. Grabbing the girth of Beleth's body resulted in an elongated yowl, echoing loudly in the room. When Spartos and Sharrkan looked at her in reflex she stuttered.

"W-who is Sinbad?"

She didn't need to explain the look of horror and bewilderment that overcame their somewhat handsome features. Even Spartos' standard calm expression was perverted with a staggering gape, and his companion at his side looked ready for another episode. The latter threw his hands out first, making Yuuna flinch at his passionate words, "Who is King Sinbad? Who is King Sinbad?! He's probably the greatest king a country could ask for! One, he's good with the ladies, two, he uses a sword, and three, he loves alcohol! What more could you want?!"

"Why do I feel like you just described yourself?" Spartos shot the younger male a tired look.

"But it's true...? I mean...everything he does is for Sindria and his people, even before himself. I don't know...words can't describe how amazing his Majesty is."

"I agree with Sharrkan. If you really don't know who King Sinbad is...you should see for yourself firsthand," the male averted his eyes from meeting hers, voice dropping a bit, "You're probably going to have to pay for all the food your cat ate, by the way."

"Yup, and meet the wrath of Ja'far!"

Vacancy was the only look the woman had to offer their excitement.

"...Sindria...?"

. . .

...

It's entirely possible to miss out on a mere fraction of the world. She was but a single person whose eyesight wasn't the sharpest in the first place. No amount of apologies nor evaded questions could dull the looks and thoughts of judgement upon her. Her only escape from their eyes was the piteous offer of a book. Yuuna's fingers brushed across the thick pages, feeling for the first time the familiarity of such an item. Even when her thoughts and memories abandoned her, something about this embodiment of parchment felt so right in her hands. It didn't take but a moment before she was nose deep within the sea-smelling pages, eyes and mind focused on the refined ink print. She had quickly read through the first few chapters before an odd feeling took hold of her, expression growing more confused by the second.

A half hour had passed before she gagged audibly at the accused thing, sparing her gaze from the pretty paper, "What is this...blasphemy?!"

The sudden outburst of disappointment woke the feline from her lap, golden eyes searching around for an explanation, "W-what is it...?"

"See for yourself," Yuuna placed the book before her, and Beleth's drowsiness drifted away with every paragraph he skimmed. A look unbefitting a spirit or a cat overtook him, face scrunched up with disdain.

"Ugh! What is this?! No, no, this isn't right...," pressing a paw against the page his voice dropped a tad, "When facing the 41st dungeon of Focalor, the revered Sinbad took to the skies, sprouting from his back a pair of ebony wings..."

"...In order to pass the insatiable spirit's trial, he had to prove himself worthy. Worth, in Focalor's eyes, was a man who was unparalleled in both willpower and...wait, what the hell is this...does this say...in bed?" Yuuna's teal eyes blinked in hopes that perhaps they were malfunctioning. Beleth leaned in closer with her, his own golden optics sparkling with curiosity.

"It does...huh...maybe the book is more accurate than I gave it credit for."

"Are you serious? Do you really think this 'Sinbad' is an angelic flying man with an entourage of manic beasts? It says here that 'Masrur' can transform into an ox on command, with enough strength to tear down cities! Here, the vizier 'Ja'far' is described as a horned creature that breathes fire from his sleeves..." any sounds that left her lips from that point was pretty much word vomit.

"Well, not that...I meant Focalor. They pretty much described Focalor to a tee. Yuuna...if this book is true and he's already been captured, I'm grateful you don't ever have to meet that guy, haha!"

The woman's face only met Beleth's with blankness, before quickly sifting back through the pages, taking every bit in, "Whatever. I'm not interested in capturing djinn...I'm more interested in who the publisher and editor of this book is...if it's directed towards children, I can understand, but Sharrkan told me this was an accurate biography of Mr. Sinbad's trials."

"Maybe he's an incredibly egotistical guy..."

"He must be, because it says here that the editor and publisher is Sinbad himself," Yuuna's lips pursed, feeling slight annoyance but relief in that the mystery had been solved, "Well, a king of a country can write a book whenever. Unfortunately for Sharrkan and Spartos, I don't know whether I'm looking forward to or against meeting this man..." she paused, a thought crossing her mind, "Will he even meet a stowaway like me? No...more importantly...is it okay if we meet?"

Not even Beleth's boisterous laughter or infectious smile could give her an answer. The male only looked softly at her, with such reminiscent vacant eyes, reminding her of someone who always told her what to do. She could no longer see that person anymore, and even the image of them seemed to become more lost with every moment that passed. Only those cold eyes remained within her memory, leaving upon her body both a blessing and a curse, to which this day, she remembers as a blessing. Yuuna shook her head slightly; she hadn't spoken to him since the death of that pirate. That moment when she had no thought of what was happening, she could only remember the light leaving a human's eyes. Maybe if she begged, he would hear her.

She would only hear the sounds of sailers overhead screaming bloody murder, or perhaps land was more accurate. Her body ached with both anxiety and excitement; for the first time this life would lay eyes upon the legendary kingdom of Sindria. If Sharrkan's words were true, it was a kingdom of festivals and parties, and she'd be lying if she said she weren't interested in such things. Even with a role as empty as hers, she would dream of a life of nothing but laughter and pretty baubles. Enough money to purchase the silkiest of robes, the tenderest of lambs and, and...

"Yo, Yuuna, we're here!" came a rapturous voice along with a slammed door. To which Yuuna and Beleth only shot skeptical looks at the uninvited Heliohaptian, "Ahem, pardon me, miss stowaway, but we have arrived. Spartos is going to take care of handling the...remaining merchandise and I'll be taking both you and the pirates into custody."

She almost forgot that she was strapped in the same room with those pilfering mongrels, who sent her unacknowledged death glares at her back. If it weren't for the armed guards in the room, she might have made a scene with Beleth. The willingness to be rid of that place and the anticipation of a new land inspired her to her feet, and with bouncy steps she followed Sharrkan out of the hold and onto deck once more. The moment her eyes lifted she was met with a bright, sandy shore and a rock wall. In the distance she could spot faraway fields of green and more importantly, the beginnings of a clustered and eventful city. Just as a bell reverberated, signaling the ship's harbor, Yuuna followed Sharrkan closely, stopping just short of the port.

The woman met familiar eyes with a certain red-haired lancer, who for some reason greeted her with a smile, "Well, how are your first impressions?"

Yuuna couldn't help but blink blankly at his awaiting stare, causing the male to lose courage every second, until she laughed, swinging a book in her hands, "Um, judging by this book I'm expecting sea serpents to collapse onto the shore for you and Sharrkan to singlehandedly slice into mincemeat."

A red blush began to flare onto the male's face and he looked ready to snatch the book from her hands, "W-where did you get that? I thought you never heard of Sindria!"

His male companion butt shoulders with him, chiding into his ear, "Hahaha, I gave it to her for reference. Isn't it awesome? I also gave her the one about our old adventures just to give her an idea of us and King Sinbad."

"That one is..." the look of horror on Spartos' face made her believe he was sensible unlike his partner. Or perhaps he was an avid reader, because anyone that was would be able to decipher the idiocies written in that book. It was a good children's book for entertainment, but the theatrics and exaggerations made her cringe nonstop at the pages. Especially whenever she looked at Spartos and Sharrkan, she couldn't see anything other than two men wielding pointy weapons; not the man-like monsters described in the book.

"Whatever, whatever. I'm going to report in real quick and we can start to get settled. Whew, I need a break from all that sailing!" a single whistle had a few blue-armored men rile up the pirates behind them before parading them away, leaving the blonde woman with the humming swordsman. He only began to walk with a confidence in his stride, making the smaller woman look awkward as she followed behind him. To be honest, she was surprised she wasn't being strung up with those brigands considering her previous treatment, but Sharrkan didn't mention anything about her presence at his side.

She just listened to his soft humming, which was surprisingly melodic considering his obnoxious voice, following the male as he began to walk through the sandy streets. It was worth mentioning how busy the harbor was, as the ship from Reim was not the only one being docked and unloaded. There were a few others, lining a long harbor, and on shore many differently colored and dressed people began walking and mingling around. It helped her discover just how diverse this country was, like different breeds of flowers blending together in a harmony. Even without her power she could read the content on their faces, so much it seemed unnatural how so many people could be happy in one place.

"Sharrkan...um, am I going to prison or something?"

"I could drop by if you want. I just thought maybe we could take a detour and let you take in the sights of Sindria."

"...You mean, before you haul me into a dungeon?"

Her curt comment stole a rise of laughter from him, perhaps because he wasn't expecting her to say something so pessimistic, "Hehe, you must really want to get locked up. Well, it depends on what his majesty and Ja'far decides, but to be honest, your case is..." his green eyes glanced at the cat riding her shoulders, "...weird, so I think it's worth reporting."

"Let me ask you this: do you really believe me when I say my cat ate most of your cargo?"

Sharrkan spun around and leaned closer to her cat, residing a few inches away from her face. Her heart jumped a bit at his swift movement, as well as the close proximity. She wasn't someone who really liked having someone unfamiliar so close to her, and the fact that he was a male made her extra aware. Then, his hand rose towards Beleth and, abiding by her hopes and dreams, the blue cat leaned into Sharrkan's touch, purring with satisfaction. She couldn't help but feel her heart crack a bit at how convincing he was being (if he was acting, that is).

"I'm basically open to believing anything these days. Um, so, I wanted to ask this before but...this is a really oddly colored cat...where did you get him from?"

"I found him."

"Cool, where?"

"The Dark Continent." She had to be honest, she never really planned out a backstory to tell people. She couldn't exactly go off mouthing about how her cat was actually a djinn. One, djinn are not supposed to show their physical forms and two, she had no business owning Beleth in the first place. She didn't want to be seen as a king vessel nor did she want the attention that came with it. Her actual upbringing with Beleth was a complicated one that she didn't like to remember, and he knew better than to bring it up.

The look on the Heliohaptian's face looked less than convinced, but he smirked anyway, shrugging his shoulders, "Dark Continent, huh? I've been there before. Strange that you'd find a cat in a barren place."

"I just so happened to find him whenever I was visiting Reim."

"So you're from Reim?"

"I'm from somewhere."

"...Seriously?"

"Seriously...what?"

"Pfft...okay, I get it, you don't want me prying into your business. I won't bother then, but...I can't promise that his Majesty will be as generous."

"He can ask whatever he wants, because I have nothing to hide," Yuuna shut her eyes and spoke firmly, finally convincing the swordsman in front of her to press onwards without further comment.

The only escape from the awkward silence between the two was the fact that everyone else around them was so active. The homes were fit like tightly knit cubicles, and the open markets exposed various fruits and garments. It was a very vibrant kingdom based off of first looks, hidden behind a thick mountain wall. One would hardly believe a kingdom could fit so many people and land within a single enclosed island, but if the book in her hands was true, it was that Sinbad was a man that could get almost anything done. If he was truly as worthy as he was written, perhaps he could believe that the laws of Solomon could be broken and a djinn could procure a corporeal form without the aid of a magi. Maybe he could believe that a normal woman wasn't so normal and could somehow wrap her hands around a powerful spirit.

Even if he was a person that could believe anything didn't mean that she would open up to him. That was just the person she was. She can try to hide things that will get revealed but even then that didn't matter. Everyone and everything would be shut out. The role she played didn't allow one to be selfish.

"Because you were born so I could exist."

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We done. Um, sorry the second half of the chapter was awkward. I started the first half, left it for a long time, and then started again, so it's not written as well. BUT if I wait any longer to write it, motivation will slip away from my fingers! LOL I'm trying to find a right balance of being secretive/foreshadowing and then just focusing on the present. LIKE how much should I reveal, should I reveal anything at all...etc. I wouldn't say Yuuna is a girl with many secrets, so don't expect that. It's more like...she embodies secrets...LOL, are you confused? GOOD.

I also had a lot of issues on how to close this chapter. Like, I want to write long chapters but I thought that if I started the whole Yuuna/everyone else meeting it would make this chapter too, too long and TBH meeting chapters are a pain in the butt for me because I'll get bored of writing dialogue/describing dialogue. BUT I HAVE TO FIND A WAY. FOR THE STORY!

So author issues aside, more about the story. What should we have learned this chapter?

1. Yuuna is an awkward person, she's only honest around Beleth. So, if she seemed like her personality (DOES SHE HAVE ONE LOL) changed in front of Spartos/Sharrkan it was because she's uneasy around strangers. Her real personality is the one she shows with Beleth :D

2. Beleth is not as cute as he seems?! NO, he's cuter?! or just annoying?

3. The author sucks at getting character personalities right! (UH EXCUSE YOU I AM OFFENDED)

Thanks for the reviews and thank you so much for taking the time to read this story! Let me know if you have any questions, i love talking to you guys please save me from college. btw changed beleth's appearance and stay tuned on my deviantart for more fan fiction art; Aagggh i can't stop drawing these guys tbh DESIGNING DJINN AND THEIR EQUIPS ARE SO FUN!

Next Chapter Sneak Peek?: time for more awkward first impressions and hopefully a better written chapter?!