Magi: The Tale of Faith and Hope

Maharajan

All around, the moray's meat was prepared and cooked—grilled, cut up and put into a soup, skewered—every way you could think of.

Large sea monsters, known as 'southern creatures' inhabited the waters were Sindria was situated. A few times a year they would get past the lookout and come to attack to island. It is the duty of the overwhelming, powerful king and his elite subordinates, the Eight Generals, to fight them off whenever they attack. As Sinbad turned the attacking of the threatening creature into a performance, it calmed people's fears, and at the same time, earned them tourists. The southern creature that was killed is an abundant source of protein and it was distributed throughout the country to be feasted on. Sindria referred to this harvest festival as 'Maharajan'. And tonight too, the magnificent feast would begin!

Bonfires blazed, musicians played, and beautiful women served the food. The festival was already in full swing.

"To King Sinbad and the blessings of the southern sea!!" the people toasted with big smiles, holding their drinks high in the air. Up on a balcony of the palace, Sinbad and his Eight Generals raised their glasses too. Alibaba stared in amazement.

"T-This is an incredible festival!" Alibaba exclaimed.

"Yeah," Sinbad agreed. "There are a lot of guests watching and enjoying the Maharajan. And the citizens are looking forward to it as well. They are really lively! Come on, Alibaba, you should enjoy the festival as much as you can!"

Alibaba wasted no time in following this advice. He was running down among the people, taking in all the sights and sounds, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, hey!" Aladdin said, calling him over. Alibaba turned to look and found himself staring into the face of a monster. "Bam!"

"Owaah!?" Alibaba gasped, flinching in shock.

"Hehehe, did I surprise you?" Aladdin asked him, removing the mask he was wearing.

"What, it's just you, Aladdin!" Alibaba said, blushing a little and laughing too.

"The men of this island told me to wear this mask of the 'god of the Southern Sea'. I have one for you, too!" Aladdin said, holding it out.

"Really?" Alibaba said happily, taking it.

"Even the girls have exotic outfits for today," Aladdin said, pointing with a very happy expression on his face.

"That's true!" Alibaba agreed, blushing and smiling when he saw a lot of them were wearing revealing costumes that made them look like dancers.

"There you are!" the twins said, walking up with a group of other women in matching outfits of light green in the same style as the natives. They were easy to recognize because they weren't wearing masks. Alibaba stared. He knew they were attractive, but wow. However... "Uh... which of you is which?" Not only were they wearing identical outfits, they had ditched their initialed necklaces for the evening. The different designs on the necklaces were what helped him tell them apart.

"I'm Hope," Hope said.

"And I'm Faith," Faith said.

"You both look so pretty~!" Aladdin told them.

"This is going to be a long night..." Alibaba said, sweat-dropping. The twins still looked just as hard to tell apart as ever to him.

"Aladdin can tell us apart," Hope said.

"That's because the way the rukh flutter around you is a little different," Aladdin said, with a smile.

"Normal people can't see that!" Alibaba pointed out.