The World on the other Side

Hanako would pause as she glanced back at Alibaba and soon shook her head, "no...the king just told me if my magic got out of control again...I should tell him, after all I am guarding you its only natural he would be concerned that one of his sons guardian posed a threat to his safety" she stated smiling. "Its nothing horrible I promise, thank you for your help cooking earlier you did a real good job. If we ever get the right ingredients I want to try making cookies for you all...."

"It is better you tell him then my mother. Venus speaks about him with the same fondness that she talks about you. I think if you ever need an adult friend that's not Jango you should talk to my Dad."Alibaba said "I know he was there when Barcyl banned Norunde and while he looks young he's actually really, really old since Fairies were born at the beginning of time and he's of the royal bloodline."he said "But don't worry, even though you use your powers I still feel completely safe around you"he smiled "The sun is starting to go down. I am going to find a place for the carriage to park overnight so we may set up camp."he said moving off to the front of the carriage taking the reins

Hanako nodded her head watching him with a faint smile, when he left to go and park the carriage for the night she would take a moment to collect herself. They all had a point, she wasn't alone to face this and she had so many people ready to be there incase she did faulter. Brushing her hair from her face she moved back towards the kitchen, "Jango! you better not be touching that pie at all!" she called as it was near ready to be eaten for dinner tonight.

"Or we are having fried cat for dinner" she taunted him with a laugh as she rounded the corner as she stepped back into the kitchen, after all she needed to get their meal for tonight ready. She looked over to see Venus was still present as she smiled, "Venus care to help me? we had some great looking meat pieces that I was thinking a nice thick beef stew would be perfect, plus it keeps really well so we can save on how much we cook of our supplies."

Jango sat on the counter as his tail wagged back and forth before he transformed pushing off the counter "You are lucky, a couple more seconds and that pie would have been mine"he commented before he nodded his head in agreement "Beef stew sounds perfectly fine to me."he said as he saw Alibaba return as the carriage came to a stop under a tall tree in the middle of some woods they had been passing through "We should reach Java Mountain sometime tomorrow and begin our trek upwards."he said "This carriage has made great time across the Endless Plains.

"and its the reason why im chasing you out now" Hanako stated looking at him with a shake of her head then, would glance back towards Alibaba as he came in to tell them the progress. "well thats good, seems everything is going rather smoothly. Now either of you two care to help me with dinner or shall it just be Venus and I?" she asked.

She would notice Venus had already gathered at least the beef needed for the stew, so Hanako would move around to gather the rest of the ingredients needed. "This is going to be pretty quick, normally beef stew takes all day just to get it to be cooked right....but I think with a bit of magic that will easily be knocked down." she said happily

"I can handle that"Jango said as he transformed back into a person once again as he moved into the kitchen standing next to Hanako as he elbowed her gently and motioned over with his head where Alibaba was gently resting on his favorite large cushion "Little guy tuckered himself out fueling the carriage all day. I'm sure this stew will fill him right up."he said though looked out of the window off into the distance "Java Mountain huh.....man does that place bring back some memories."he said nostalgically

Hanako looked over at him as she then peeked out the window to look at the mountain before speaking, "what sort of memories does it bring back?" she had to ask, after all he left the question wide open to be asked. Though she would let her attention go back to their dinner as she gathered up a pot and began to place the ingredients inside of it, making sure it was at least laid out perfectly before she would blast it with magic in hopes to speed up the cooking process.

"Java Mountain is actually a part of the Dark Elf Kingdom. The Dark Elves live in this mountain range and the seat of the Elf King is in the heart of the same volcano I suspect the djinn is. My father was the former Elf King.....now the dark elves are all rouge because the throne remains unclaimed since my Father's death."Jango said as his face hardened and a frown graced his features "They've tried to get my to take up his mantle...but I am no Elf King, I didnt even grow up in the mountains, I lived in the castle just like the rest of my siblings. But their laws state that only the royal bloodline can rule and after my father, I'm it."

She listened as she stood there, moving over the preparations as she did and would soon after she got the fire going and cast a small spell to help cook the stew faster she moved over to him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "Even if you weren't raised in one place doesn't mean you don't belong in another" she stated more so just going off what she herself had gone through. Coming from a world of non-magic were all this was just a fantasy realm...now here she was casting spells, living basically a 'fantasy-adventures' dream.

"I think maybe if you get the chance learn who they are, regardless of who or where you grew up they still in a sense are your people....your family."

"No"Jango said shaking his head as he motioned over to Alibaba "That's my family. I wouldn't want to be any other place in the world then at that kids side."he said with a smile "Actually the first time we came to Java Mountain for a reason similar to what you just said, baby Alibaba saved my life. I was a teenager when Alibaba was born and I was assigned as his royal bodyguard. As such I was escorting him and mother to Java Mountain to the Dark Elves as is tradition...but at the time they still blamed my mother for my Father's death and in an ambush by some rouge elves they caused a mudslide that sent our carriage flying off a cliff, but Ali's magic went off when he started crying during all the chaos and he carried us over to the top of the mountain just before we hit the bottom of the ravine. After seeing what the kid can do I promised that I would do anything I could to make sure Alibaba lived his life to the fullest, because if it wasn't for him mine would have been done already."

"So you almost make it sound like your paying back a life debt, but you've have to have saved his life several times already Jango, i mean...your his guard and his brother" she stated simply as she stood beside him. Though her eyes soon drifted to the mountain and she spoke "do you think they'll welcome us...considering your their 'prince' but refuse the mantle"

"Probably not. But we aren't here for them, and I have no plans of interacting with them. Our job is to get to the top of the volcano and see about sealing up this djinn."Jango said "And I haven't really protected Ali by the way. The kid is way stronger than I am, so if it is a "debt" it defintely hasn't been repaid yet. Not to me."he said leaning back against the counter taking a deep breath smelling her stew cooking "Delicious."he said as he pulled her against him looking over at Venus briefly who disappeared into her blade "IF we do manage to run into them...don't mention that I am here. There is more than one reason I usually dawn the appearence of a cat"

Before she could respond about the debt part she felt him pull her to him as she looked up, her hands resting against his chest as she rolled her eyes. "Ya ya, but a cat with a pipe tends to still draw attention so unless you plan on riding on my shoulder and 'meowing' at people to fool them a new look might not be bad" she stated with a small grin. "Like one of those annoying parrots that talk and say things randomly, fits you to a T" she was teasing him of course as she leaned up and kissed his cheek before pulling back. "The stew's gotta sit for a while maybe by the time Ali' wakes up it will be ready, till then I may go take a bath a nice soak sounds great" she stated happily as she stretched out her arms.

"Maybe I'll join you, playing with those bandits got me pretty worked up and i could use a good relaxing"Jango said "A talking cat isn't too unusual in certain parts of these lands there are cat people you know? But you're right I probably shouldn't smoke my pipe when out in my cat form, though I"ll still take you up for that ride on your shoulders."he said looking at her "I ever mention how good you look when you're being all womanly?"he said "Cooking, taking care of the kid, it's really brought out this different glow in you"

Hanako turned to head towards the bathroom "I take it for the relaxing we will be doing that together and it wont be so much 'relaxing' considering someone can't keep his hands to himself" the last part was of course teasing him. Though at his next statement she couldn't help but pause with what she heard and she slowly turned to look back at him with a raise brow "Thanks?" she stated a bit confused and not really sure how to take the compliment, figuring that was how she always was. "I...did this for my little brother when my parents had to work late...so..I never heard anyone state it that way before..." she said.

She stood int he doorway glancing at him as she then wondered if she looked different now than she did just a bit ago, "do I...really look that different?"

"You do to me"Jango said off handedly as he followed her into the bathroom closing the door behind them as he stripped off his clothes "Is it bad that I said that? It's not like it's a bad thing, you look fantastic, it's no mystery WHY I can't keep my hands to myself"he said simply "I can call you hideous if it helps your self esteem"

"And I can blue ball you for this whole trip" she said firmly as she looked back at him, "and sorry...just even the guys I've dated before never...treated me the way you do....its nice don't get me wrong...just something I'm not used to...even if its been a year but you've been the only guy here that's taken an interest in me...Ali is far to young to consider having a mate yet or what that entails" Hanako said with a small smile as she moved over to a bench while he undressed and began to slid out of her own clothing, then she grabbed her hair and began to brush it out.

"Question how good are you with haircuts? I...'ve been thinking of cutting my hair since its gotten so long now I can practically step on it."

"Well, I'm not just some simple human from the modern era you know. I know since you live in the castle your number of options when it comes to finding a guy to date is limited, so I understand if you want to explore your options. But I like being around you, and you are the first woman I've actually grown close to and actually care about besides my sister Sheera and my mother."Jango said as he settled into the tub letting out a deep sigh "And actually, Ali isn't too young to be betrothed to someone. My mother was just a bit older when she was betrothed to the my father. It's important for the Disciple to be wed to another race with an affinity for magic. To ensure another is born. That is why my Mother is a half nymph, why my siblings and I are half dark elves and why Ali is half fairy. It's rare that humans marry Disciples because a Disciple is essentially the apex of human magics. So only a human, like yourself who displays high magic prowess, could marry a Disciple. That goes for those of us who don't have the blue eyes as well. Being half, there is a chance our offspring could be chosen in the event the bloodline is ever thinned again, a fail safe to make sure it doesn't die out" he said though his eyes hungrily watched her undress "And to answer your question, yes, I'm pretty good, I'm the one who cuts Ali's hair, all the royal guards are trained to be able to care for someone hand and foot in case of an emergency."

She looked back at him as he spoke her hand moving the brush through her almost silver hair now, it was rather interesting to learn about his family let alone just what went into caring or dealing with a disciplie. "So...say we had a child there's....a high chance that they could basicly be the next disciple?" she asked setting the brush down and started to twist her hair into a bun before moving towards the bath. The hot water felt good against her skin as she started to sink into it with a sigh of her own. "Though as for betrothals go...nothing like that has happened in my world in many years I mean it...is a rare thing to see it happen if it does but...most people choose their own 'partners' not the parents."

It was a whole different world she was currently living in, fair different from hers but she would close her eyes leaning back against the tub as the water soothed her skin. Though hearing his statement about Ali's hair she chuckled "well you do a good job...may need you to do mine sometime I think its gotten whiter over the past year....not sure how I should react of if thats just part of the whole magic thing.."

"Probably. Looks like you're truly adapting to being here. Blonde hair is definitely a rarity. Besides Kerun I don't know anyone else with blonde hair. Maybe that's why he likes you, you probably remind him of himself. The King is an interesting man."Jango said "And if we had a kid, there isn't a high chance it'll be the next Disciple, because Ali's still alive. But there is a high chance it would be able to use magic with the same proficiency as Alibaba."he said as she joined him in the tub "And regular people don't have arranged marriages around here either. Just the special ones."he commented "You and I are free to do as we please."

"Seems everything about me is rare" she stated as she would look at him with a small laugh, "My eye color, my ability for magic, my hair color....as well as..." she paused not sure if that was something to bring up. After all Kerun did tell her that if her 'black mana' use continued to get out of control he'd have her killed in order to protect Ali. Though she let her mind skip over that thought quickly as Jango brought up children, her eyes looking up at him and she would speak "Well I don't plan on a child any time soon, I have to take care of Ali and having a new born is not easy....I was 8 when my brother was born...it was a lot of pressure and I did give up a bit of my childhood to help my parents..."

Though as she talked about her family, it was a bit hard having them 'gone' and she closed her eyes as she leaned further against the tub letting the water sooth her skin. "I do hope I can...visit them some day...." she said softly having not once really been able to visit their graves.

"Why don't you just go then? Ali will be fine for a couple days while you take the trip to the other side. The peace dealings have been stalled by the international governments on the other side and you have dual citizenship so I see no reason why you can't take a trip when we return to the castle."Jango said off handedly as he continued relaxing in the hot water with his eyes closed

"If things stay calm maybe, I still have my duties and I can't just drop them cause I want to go on a small vacation..." she stated shifting some in the water, as she would then look at him "want me to wash your back?" she asked as she soon reached over to grab a cloth and some soap that had some scented oil mixed in it.

"If it gives you closure, I don't think it's just some small vacation"Jango commented as he turned his back for her dropping the subject as he stretched slightly "Going back to an earlier subject, I've been wondering what species of girl Alibaba's gonna end up marrying...there are definitely a couple different choices out there."he said "A fairy, a dark elf, a nymph, a human mage, wizard or witch, an elf, there might even be a dwarfess or two that has an affinity for magic"he laughed

Hanako shook her head some before she would move up to him as she pressed the cloth to his back and began to wash him, though she did smirk as she listened to him list off the other races. "What about a dragon? They have to be full of magic plus they are pretty powerful." she stated simply as she moved to his shoulders, "you've listed off every other race I could think of as well so that was the only one you missed."