The Genie's Curse

Before it reached nightfall Keme had managed to reach the airport and got the tickets that left the earliest. However, even then he had to book the hotel and stay overnight to leave first thing in the morning. Taking up one room when Tsuru refused to go anywhere alone because of superstition.

"So the Philippines? Never even heard of them..." Tsuru looked though the pictured Keme provided her of the place. Every picture was taken near or by a water area, giving off a relaxing vibe, some pictures felt like she could just jump right into it.

Keme grabbed her bag pushing it to the wall of the room, "Really? Well, there's a first time for everything. I'm sure you'd enjoy it if you took the time."

"Hm." She continued scrolling through the pictures understanding how it worked after the hundredth time Keme and Allon explained it.

"So Tsuru, where would you like to go after the Philippines?" Allon brought up the question he had been wondering for a while. Curious as to what she would do after fulfilling her plan.

She thought about it for a while, "Home maybe." Playing with her fingers as she said it as if a sacred subject she looked down an didn't meet their gaze.

Allon smirked mischievously his eyes slightly glancing over at Keme, "Special man in your life?" He did not notice the shift in her form, disgust clearly in her expression.

Keme glared at him, turning to look at Tsuru expecting her response as he had neither taken notice. Having been caught up in a stare with Allon ready to pounce on him on any given opportunity.

She shook her head, "No, I mean home, as in Arabia."

Allon was still and silent feeling guilty at even asking now. Seeing the shift in her gaze and the now trembling hands near her chest.

Keme's head fell, thinking she perhaps didn't know about the state the place was in, "Those places are gone, they were taken apart centuries ago Tsuru, not a trace left."

"I KNOW!" She didn't notice herself raising her own voice, "I just want to go there, it's the ONLY HOME I've ever known...I just." It was like a stab to her heart which pounded the same spot repeatedly, the reminder that the past would not turn around.

Yet home's a place where beautiful memories unfold, but a place which was taken from her centuries ago...

He looked down at her hands, "It's pretty right?"

"Yes, very. If only there were more..." she looked back at the spot where she plucked it from seeing only a few others of its kind.

"Say no more." He smiled at her, "I wish there where more." With those words, she had the good to go. Snapping her fingers once the once gloomy-looking patch of dirt was overflowing with the flowers. Every corner you looked at a flower poked out.

"I love our moments like these." she grabbed a bunch of the flowers making a small bouquet of them, "Such a shame they'll die."

"Take care of them then." He grabbed a cup from his pouch and passed it to her, "You like them don't you?"

her lips curled up into a smile taking the cup and placing the tips of the flowers inside filling it to the brim with water brought out of thin air, "Yeah I do."

"Always take care of what you love Tsuru, never know when it won't around anymore."

Such a sweet and sour memory, like hard candy.

Keme saw her shaking hands and lost gaze, "Just wanna see it one last time...? I'll take you, I promise."

"No, I want to get there on my own, it's something I have to do." She sighed coming completely back to reality and trying to shake off the feelings of the past. She looked at Allon who looked towards her but not at her. Like he could look through her but wasn't a dark aura around his eyes, "Are you alright?"

Keme stared at the boy wondering just what was going through his head to give him such an angry glare. However, he said nothing and waited for the boy to answer himself and come back from his trance.

He snapped back to reality and noticed Tsuru talking, "Sure... sure. Tell me about it... Arabia I mean. I don't really remember much of it. I was too young when it all started."

"Arabia." The smile was brought back to her cheeks like old times and she turned to look at Keme, "Do you remember the streets?"

"How to forget!" Keme smiled back at her feeling his cheeks heat up at her stare, having to look away, "I even remembered the smells, the people, the night sky... it's the oddest of things that one seems to never forget."

"I agree, it was just so perfect, so beautiful. Everything was so simple." Her words continued on in company with his and tales they both remembered. But as he's had a start and finish hers seemed to drift off. A somewhat start with a rickety ending, so fragile could it really be called a tale?

Keme stood up from his spot spreading his hands wide, "The sea in its full unknown glory. The highest mountain with a thousand legends and a hundred lies." He chuckled, "Those were my favorite."

Allon took in on all his fun, "Well my favorite times were the adventures. The truth-seeking journeys with despair on every corner. The near-death experience but they amazing traveled all for treasures or rumors untold."

It was her turn to watch in silence, seeing as they didn't seem to be at each other's throats for once. They cheered and laughed together almost like friends but all in all it came to an end. The laughter ceased and the cheers stopped, no more story's, no more tales. The silence was all there was...