Disney has been pissing me off lately. I'm not enjoying the CGI remakes of their old classics. I wanted Maleficent to be the Deadpool of women, she was not. The Jungle Book awkwardly put in 2 songs and I don't think Hermione can sing so I'm really not looking forward to the cinema future.
So instead I watched one of my old favorites, Aladdin. It wasn't as amazing as I remembered but it was still pretty damn good.
Why can't they make more fun musicals with new stories? I miss animation! 2d, 3d, I don't care- I just want a good over-the-top sing-along!
Rant done, I watched Aladdin and remembered it had a series. Amazing how it was stretched. Frozen's exploitation seems less awful when examining the past exploits of Disney merch. Even so, twenty years later, I still enjoy the movie and that's all I need to go to sleep.
Ironically I stayed up writing a fanfic based off 90's Disney Afternoon Toon marathon.
Two years or so had passed since Jasmine and Aladdin had gotten married. The Sultan adored his son-in-law, he respected his daughter as a wise, strong adult. He had not given them his throne yet.
Jasmine had no reason to insist her father given up his position. Granted he might've enjoyed more time with his toys than sitting in with the royal couple during diplomatic callings.
"I like having him around. He's been at this game for longer than we've been alive, we can learn a lot from him." Aladdin said, holding his wife's feet in his hands.
"Yes, father is a fine teacher. However a teacher should let his students try on their own. I doubt we'll start a war." Jasmine said, she let her head tilt as her husband relieved her aggravation.
"That feels good." The princess said, her brown eyes looking very warmly at her husband.
Aladdin loved when his wife looked at him, happy or mad he loved when she was looking at him." Yeah?"
"Yeah." Jasmine said, she put her fingers behind his ear. She twirled Aladdin's hair in her nails.
A month or so passed without much change in the palace. Aladdin was far from a middle age man but he still found a little peace in the routine of Genie waking him up. The wakeup call by a strange invention made from Genie's limitless imagination was never the same but the Genie always played at day break. Aladdin remembered when he and Abu were woken up by guards or angry shopkeepers who were upset with them sleeping on their property. Having his own home was a great pleasure but a part of him missed the excitement of unpredictability and trouble.
Genie played his wild three-dumb-piece instrument. Carpet danced to the music and Abu laid lazily on a pillow. Boring but my friends deserve ease, Aladdin thought as he drank his hot coffee.
"Good morning all," Jasmine said sweetly. Aladdin was apprehensive.
He knew she was anxious to become queen and not getting what she wanted put in her sour spirits. She had been short with him, not her father or their friends or servants or the people. Aladdin absorbed her aggravation; it was mercy for everyone else. I get all of her, bad with the good, it's more than I deserve Aladdin thought. I love her, but she still scares and bothers me once in a while.
"Morning, Jasmine." Aladdin said, he smiled in relief as she looked genuinely calm.
Genie held a plate of syrupy, fruity pastry food. "Here you are, princess, you're glowing like the sun. Except, you know, not so dangerously. Unless you count all the bad attention it attracts from naughty suitors."
"Thank you, Genie, would you mind adding that red sauce you showed us last week?" Jasmine asked as her father walked in.
The Sultan sat on the widest pillow and stroked the hair of his wooden horse toy.
Aladdin raised an eyebrow to his wife's odd breakfast. "Did I forget some crazy holiday that called for extreme heartburn?"
"I do have heartbreak but it's not a holiday, Aladdin." Jasmine said, smiling wickedly with a spoon in her lips.
Aladdin looked at the open window, the range past the city was boundless. "Alright, enjoy and feel better."
"We will." Jasmine said, taking a large bite of the dripping pastry.
"'We'? You and Abu?" Aladdin guessed, wondering if Carpet would like flexing his tassels for a long flight out. Check the schedule first, Aladdin sighed in his head.
"No, silly. 'We' as in me and the child." Jasmine said, putting a hand to her stomach which was covered by a transparent teal gown.
Aladdin's head almost snapped off as he turned it so quickly. Genie dropped his instruments and his jaw hit the floor, literally.
"Jasmine." Aladdin said adoringly.
She smiled, radiantly and welcoming for a hug.
Before Aladdin stood up Genie had his arms around her, crying in her hair.
"This is the greatest thing to ever happen to me!" Genie blubbered, under him Carpet and Abu hugged Jasmine as well.
Aladdin waked around the table and put a hand on his best friend's blue shoulder.
"Congrats Genie." Aladdin said, sarcastic but very happy. Genie's eyes poured past his huge grin. His hug took Aladdin off the ground.
"Oh Al, this is better than any wish I could've done!" The cosmic being said through his tears, which were running down Aladdin's clothes.
"Totally agree, kind of want to hug Jasmine now." Aladdin said, Genie let him down. He then floated to the ceiling, thoughtlessly bumping against the dome.
Aladdin got a hug from Carpet and Abu kissed his face. The love was appreciated but he really wanted to get closer to Jasmine. He noticed she was hugging her father.
"Dear Allah, I do hope you have daughters. I hope they're as lovely as you are, my dearest." The Sultan said joyfully, "I'm grandfather! She'll need new toys!"
"Thank you, father." Jasmine said. She looked at Aladdin, terrified and thrilled at the same time. The Sultan back away, nodding at Aladdin.
Aladdin kneeled next to her, he put one hand around her shoulders and another to her stomach.
"Wow." Aladdin wanted to say something more impressive and clever, he didn't care because everything else was more important just then.
"I know." His wife said, close to tears.
"This is going to be our greatest adventure." Aladdin said, his face in her hair. Behind her ear was a secret oasis that no one would ever realize except him.
"You know how to lay it on thick," Jasmine chuckled as their foreheads touched. They were aware that Genie set off fireworks inside the room. They barely minded.
Jasmine refused the wheelchair and Carpet even when she became as round as a plum. She continued her duties and her husband doted on her only when they were alone. He forgot sometimes and helped her stand or sit with visitors and meetings. Pride aside Jasmine was very grateful for her husband's care.
Genie and her father were preparing to epically spoil the child coming. The Sultan always left figures around the personal rooms, now they were shinning new ones and in fine satin packaging. Genie was more about planning travels around the universe and teaching the child everything his million years education could offer.
I love my family, Jasmine thought as she laid against Raja's beautiful fur.
"Dates covered in whipped cream and barbeque sauce?" Aladdin offered on a gold plate.
Jasmine put her hands on her globe-size torso. "The huge princess is full to the brim."
Aladdin sat next to her; he didn't put his weight on Raja. He stared at the gift that was Jasmine and the extra incredible mystery tucked inside.
"I love you guys so much. It almost hurts." Aladdin admitted, he felt it was safer to tell her at night.
"I love you too, and so does he. She. I want to see what we're dealing with soon. Why didn't you let Genie tell us?" Jasmine asked, though she was eager to know she still also liked the surprise.
Aladdin put his face to her ear. "I don't know. I guess I feel like I need to do a lot more before I wrap my head around this… being real."
Jasmine rolled her eyes, "I'm over the moon happy but sore all over, believe me it's real."
She waited for him to respond. "Aladdin, we'll be there for him, this entire kingdom and our amazing family will be there every minute. "
Him, no thanks, I want a daughter. A little girl that drive me crazy as Jasmine does. A princess….Aladdin took Jasmine's hand.
"Jas, I need you to agree to do something for me." Aladdin started, very serious and it worried her a bit. Not too much because she believed there was a short list of things she couldn't do for him.
"What is it?" She asked, I suppose we could name him Cassim but father may be jealous.
"I need you to promise we'll never tell our kid about my past." Aladdin asked, looking into her shocked eyes.
"What?" She pronounced quietly.
"The hero stuff will be told, no shame in that, but before that, before you and Genie, I don't want her to ever know about that. I guess we'll finally retire Razoul."
"No, I don't agree to that." Jasmine said, shaking her head.
"Jasmine-"
"I would never let anyone speak badly of my husband, what makes you think you're allowed?" Jasmine demanded, pushing his shoulder.
"You don't understand, princess." Aladdin said, he was becoming defensive but didn't want to fight with her condition.
"Do not go there!" Jasmine hotly said, "We are not lying to our child, she-he is going to love you unconditionally-"
Aladdin put a finger on Jasmine's lips. Rajah raised his head in curiosity,
"Kill me if you want but we aren't fighting with our kid in the room." Aladdin told his pregnant wife.
Jasmine sighed and took his hand to her face. "I have never been ashamed of you. I will never agree to lie about how amazing you are."
Jasmine's husband was upset at her disagreement. He put his head between her neck and shoulder. Aladdin put his hand over her belly, he flexed his fingers as he soaked in how much of her there was and how big the child was going to be.
He didn't tell Jasmine he was terrified of being a bad influence on their child The thin line between fun and dangerous Aladdin would trek to enrich his child.