Magi x Reader One Shots

Second Chance | Alibaba Saluja x Spirit!Reader

All he saw was gold.

The vast room was devoid of everything besides that bright color. His body felt light as if he wasn't truly there; as if his mind was separated from his body. He couldn't quite remember how he ended up in such a place. The last he could recall was fighting in battle with Aladdin and the others before sustaining a blow to the chest.

He didn't even have time to contemplate what became of him when you appeared. There you stood before him, adorned in a silky white dress which only made your complexion appear even paler. An aura of gold radiated off of you and a massive amount of white rukh surrounded you. Alibaba was so stunned by your beauty that he couldn't even speak.

He slowly stood up, his gaze never leaving your soft, [eye color] hues. A smile appeared on your face in greeting the young man.

"Welcome, young Alibaba Saluja," you said, your voice soft and sweet. You opened your arms wide.

"Who are you...?" he asked warily. As alluring as you were, he knew from his travels that even the sweetest of faces could be deadly. His hand moved down to touch his sword only to realize it was missing.

"Fret not, you will not be in need of your metal vessel. I am [name], a spirit of the rukh."

His body slowly began to relax. He knew deep down that it was foolish to let his guard down, but he could hear the truth behind your words. You meant no harm, yet that still didn't explain how he managed to get to this place. Even so, he could only imagine what took place.

"Am I... dead?" he inquired, his voice full of disbelief.

You hummed softly, not immediately answering the question. You gradually approached him and he stayed still, gazing at you with curious - almost nervous - eyes as he waited for the response he so desperately needed to hear. You circled around him, your fingers trailing across his body as you did so. He gulped and waited to hear the dreadful news.

"Are you dead, you ask? No, my young friend, you aren't," you said, stopping before him to stare up into his golden eyes. "Although, you aren't necessarily alive either."

"What do you mean?"

"Look around you, Alibaba Saluja. What do you see?"

Obeying your wish, he averted his eyes away from you and looked around the room once again. This time, he could make out something in the distance; something that appeared to be a fountain spurting out not water, but white rukh.

"That is the world's ever-flowing supply of rukh," you explained, your eyes gleaming. "When a person dies, the rukh within them returns to the fountain and is dispersed to a new lifeform. Where we stand now is the in between. It is here where it's decided if you are to continue living as you are now, or move on to your reincarnation."

"Then... What's your decision?" he asked slowly, almost regretfully.

You merely laughed. "Oh, that decision isn't up to me. This is the one time humans are granted to freely control their fate. Choose wisely, though, for this cannot be reversed until the next time we meet."

"Why even give us an option? Anybody in their right minds would choose to keep living as they are!"

You smiled at the statement and ran your fingers across his chest, causing shivers to run up his spine. He could feel your touch, yet it still felt absent at the same time as if you were a ghost.

"You'd be surprised by the answers of others, young hero. Many people who have passed here have lived fulfilling lives that they were proud of. Do you feel that way? Do you believe you've lived a fulfilling life?"

He shook his head, his face revealing his determination to continue living as he is. "No, I haven't. Not yet, at least. There are still so many things I haven't done yet-"

"Hardly anyone accomplishes all their goals in their lifetime."

"That's not the point! I still need to protect my friends and any other person in danger."

"You can't save everyone. I understand it's a cruel thing to say, but it's true. I can look into your entire life and I see all the good deeds you've committed and see all the pain you've gone through... More pain than most people ever feel in one lifetime. Do you truly not believe it is time for you to move on; to be born again in a new life; a life possibly free of suffering?"

He hesitated. Forgetting everything and moving on was such a tempting offer no matter how hard he tried to deny it. Even so, he couldn't imagine himself willingly abandoning his friends amongst the haze of battle and risking their lives. As long as there were still people to be saved, he knew he needed to stay alive at least until he was no longer able to fight.

"I want to continue living as Alibaba Saluja," he told you, his mind finally made up.

To his surprise, you smiled, obviously pleased with his response. "Your determination to help people is heart moving, young hero. This must be why the rukh loves you so dearly."

You took another step closer to him so your chest was now pressed against his. His heart rate quickened at the close quarters, but you showed no signs of noticing that.

"Kiss me," you whispered.

A blush spread across his face like wildfire and he couldn't help but stammer, "W-what?"

"By kissing me, your soul will be transported back to the world of the living. That is where you still wish to go, correct?"

Alibaba slowly nodded. He wasn't necessarily against this method, it just wasn't something he was exactly used to. Placing his hand on your cheek, he closed the distance between the two of you and kissed you. He barely had time to register how soft and warm your lips were for a spirit before he found himself beginning to levitate off the ground. He gradually moved higher and higher up until you and he had lost skin-to-skin contact.

"Farewell, Alibaba Saluja," you said as you waved goodbye, your voice echoing throughout the room. "May we meet once again."