A/N: It's amazing what one thinks up when watching an old series.
The marketplace, an ever busy section of any large kingdom. And the one in Agrabah was no different. Always full of people browsing the stalls run by ever eager shopkeeps hoping to sell their wares. Among those people were Aladdin, a street rat that has saved Agrabah many times, a parrot name Iago, and a kleptomaniac of a monkey named Abu. Today, they were browsing the stalls in search of a wealthy travelling merchant, who was rumored to have one-of-a-kind items and artifacts.
"You sure about this guy, Iago?" Aladding asked the parrot as they wandered through the marketplace.
"Al, if there's one thing I know, it's treasure. And this guy's got it in bulk!" Iago informed him with a grin on his beak before pointing ahead. "Look! There's the building he set up shop!" The group walked up to the building, the entrance covered by a lavish tarp, with two muscular guards standing on each side.
"Those two don't look too friendly." Aladdin said as he looked at the guards, who were staring hard at him through narrowed eyes.
"Come on, Al. Nothing screams 'priceless treasure' more than tight security. Besides, I saw them moving a few items inside yesterday." Iago explained, with Abu chittering on Aladdin's shoulder, telling him to go on in.
"Okay, okay." Aladdin relented before approaching the door, only for the two guards to move in front of him.
"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Iago yelled to the guards, prompting one to grab him and bring them close to his face.
"Zahir's shop is closed to animals, and that includes street rats!" the guard grunted before throwing Iago into the dirt. "Begone!" he yelled as Iago spat the sand out of his mouth before glaring up at them.
"I ain't leaving until I see some of that treasure!" Iago declared, only to duck behind Aladdin when they drew their swords. "Then again, there's tons of treasure at the Palace that I can admire! Let's go Al!"
"Palace?" the other guard said in confusion. "You three have connections to the Sultan of Agrabah?" Sensing an opportunity, Iago flew out from behind Aladdin and landed on the guard's shoulder.
"Of course we do! In fact, this kid here's engaged to the Sultan's daughter!" Iago boasted, earning surprised looks from the guards.
"Iago!" Aladdin scolded.
"What? I'm just telling these guards the truth. After all, a merchant of high standards like Zahir wouldn't mind letting the fiance of Princess Jasmine admire his wares, would he?" Iago asked, his eyes glancing over towards the guards, who were now staring back at each other before huddling near each other.
"This common street rat? Engaged to Princess Jasmine?" one whispered to the other. "Sounds fishy to me."
"Fishy or not, it may be worth it." the other whispered before disappearing behind the cloth of the building.
"My associate is informing our master." the remaining guard explained as he stood in front of the entrance.
"Hello, priceless treasure!" Iago whispered gleefully while rubbing his wings together alongside Abu, much ot the annoyance of Aladdin. A few moments passed before the guard came back, followed by a fat man dressed in extravagant clothing, a thin moustache under his tiny nose. He gave a wide grin towards Aladdin when he saw him before shaking his hand.
"Welcome! I am Zahir! Collector of the rare! Hoarder of the priceless!" he boasted before ushering Aladdin and Abu into his shop, with the guards stopping Iago. "Sorry. I can't stand birds."
"OH, COME ON!" Iago yelled as the others entered the building. Their eyes widened at the massive amount of goods around the shop. Jewel encrusted statues. Multiple cuts of cloth with unique colors. Strange items and trinkets that could only be found in far away lands.
"Would you look at all this?" he said in awe while Abu looked ready to drool. "Almost feels like I'm back in the Cave of Wonders."
"You like? Zahir asked with a grin. "I only ever deal in the unusual and rare."
"Iago wasn't kidding. This stuff looks...amazing!" Aladdin exclaimed as they walked further into the room.
"Before we continue, I'd like to apologize for the rotten way my men treated you." Zahir apologized. "Your clothing told them that you were nothing but common folks. The kind that usually try to shop using a five-finger discount. Can't be too careful, am I right?"
"Heh. Yeah. Agrabah's got plenty like that." Aladdin agreed as Zahir turned before scowling.
"Hey!" Zahir yelled at Abu, who was holding different rings and such in his paws. "Don't touch the goods! Put those back, now!"
"Sorry about that. Abu can't help himself sometimes." Aladdin sighed before shooting a glare at the his friend, who shrugged with an innocent smile.
"Well, no damage was done." Zahir said before calming down and turning to Aladdin. "Now, I hear that you have connections to the royal family?" he asked as he lead Aladdin deeper inside. While Aladdin and Zahir spoke, Abu scampered off to look around the shop, his urge to steal very hard to resist. He wondered about on the shelfs, careful not to knock things off and possibly breaking them. He glanced around before his eyes caught sight of another tarp leading to another room, with a lone guard standing in front of it to prevent entry. The guards eyes were forward and focused, ready to repel anyone other than Zahir. Too bad his gaze wasn't wide enough to see Abu hugging the wall before slipping past him and inside the room.
"This is just perfect!" Iago said to himself as he paced back and forth in front of the guards. "All that treasure out of reach! And all because that guy can't stand birds?! WELL, NOT EVERYONE LIKES FAT MERCHANTS!" he yelled as loud as he could, causing a few angry stares from a few overweight shopkeeps. "I bet that monkey's already fawning over the those goodies!" he groaned as he flew to the side of the building, hoping to find a window or back entrance. "I've gotta get in there somehow." he said as he stared at the building. He was pondering how to he was going to get in, not noticing immediately when a shadow fell over him. "Huh?" Without warning, a pair of hands grabbed him before shuffling towards an nearby alley, with Iago struggling the whole way. The figure stopped near the entryway to one of the buildings before releasing Iago. "If one more person grabs me today, I'm gonna-" he started before turning to the figure. "What's the big idea?!"
"Shhh!" the figure shushed the parrot from under his hood. "I heard that you wish to enter that merchant's shop. Is that true?" the man asked in a raspy voice.
"What's it to ya?" Iago asked the man. "There something in there that interests you?"
"Indeed. An item that cannot be obtained anywhere else in the world." the man explained before he held his hands up, which slowly clenched into fists. "I must acquire it, no matter the cost."
"Well, good luck with that." Iago told him before he started to fly away.
"Wait!" the man called out, only to fall over himself and groan in pain. Iago stopped in time to see the man go into a bad coughing fit as he clutched his chest.
"Hey, you don't sound so good." Iago told him as he landed back on the ground.
"Do not worry." the man said as he slowly got back to his feet. "As for the item, I wish for your help in acquiring it."
"Hmm. What kind of item is it?" Iago asked the man.
"The item in question that I seek originally belong to me, but I lost it." the man explained. "Zahir refuses to give it back, no matter what I say. Now I must resort to stealing it."
"Is that right? And, what's in it for me?
"If you help me, I'll help you steal whatever you can get your wings on it that building." the man offered. A huge grin was plastered to Iago's face before he held a wing up to the man.
"You've got a deal!"
Abu was looking around inside the second room, which was dimly lit by a single latern with a low flame. He could only make out vague shapes here and there, just enough for him to navigate without bumping into anything a lot.
"I wonder what's in here?" he said in a low chittering voice. "I bet it's where he keeps the better stuff!" He stopped to look around, a smile on his face, before hearing something from the far end of the room. 'Is someone...crying?' he thought as he wandered towards the back. He didn't see anyone in the back. Just more shapes in the dim lighting of the room. The crying sound was a little louder, but it sounded like it was coming from above. He looked up to see what looked like a cage covered in a tarp being hung up by some rope. Abu stared at the cage as he listened to the sound. 'That sounds like...another monkey!' he thought in surprise before he climbed onto the cage, causing it to swing.
"Ah! Who's there?! Zahir?!" came a shrill chittering from the cage.
"Shh! Be queit!" Abu whispered as the cage slowly stopped swinging.
"Y...You're not Zahir." the voice said. It sounded like a monkey, but slightly slightly different from Abu.
"Nope. Name's Abu." Abu chittered. "What's your name?"
"Bahira." the voice replied. "What are you doing here? Did Zahir capture you?"
"Nah. My best pal Aladdin's talking to Zahir. I just came back here to see if there was anything else as nice as the stuff out front."
"Oh...just shopping, huh?" she asked, her voice sounding a little sad.
"Nah. We couldn't afford any of that stuff. And even if we could, I...usually don't try to pay." Abu explained with a nervous laugh.
"So, you're thieves?" she asked.
"Former. We haven't really needed to steal since we became friends with Princess Jasmine and the Sultan." said Abu.
"What?!" she shrieked a little loudly. "You're friends with royalty?!"
"What are you shrieking about?" came the guards voice, causing both to gasp as Abu jumped behind a random crate. "Hmm. Nothing here." he said before glancing at the cage. "Stupid monkey." he growled before leaving the room. Abu sighed before he jumped back onto the cage, causing her to shriek again.
"It's still me!" Abu whispered, hoping she'd stop yelling.
"Stop jumping on the cage! I can't see anything in this dark!" she snapped.
"Sorry about that." he apologized. "So, what are you doing back here in the dark?" Bahira didn't say a word as the cage slowed to a stop again. "Bahira?"
"I'm Zahir's most treasured possession...and prisoner." she sniffled. Abu's eyes widened as she continued. "If I'm not being put on display for rich customers, I'm left in the dark." she explained. "I can't even remember the last time I was out in the sun."
"Why that rotten..." Abu snarled before moving around on the cage.
"What are you doing?" Bahira asked as his movement shook the cage a little.
"I'm looking for the hatch." he answered. "If I can find the lock, then I can pick it and get you out of there."
"Really?" she asked in a hopeful voice. Abu was about to answer, but froze when they heard Zahir's voice.
"Stand aside!" he ordered before walking in a moment later. Abu gasped before jumping into another hiding spot just as Zahir lit the lantern, illuminating the room. Abu watched as the merchant walked over and took Bahira's cage into his hand. "Seems it's my lucky day!" he said, almost squeeling with glee. "I had requested to meet with the Sultan to show off my collection. And now, thanks to this Aladdin, I'll be allowed in with ease." he laughed before walking towards the doorway. "Just wait until those royals get a look at you. Haha!" Abu could only watch as Zahir disappeared into the other room, where his voice could be heard giving orders to his men.
"I gotta help her!" he chittered. "I need Aladdin's help!"
A/N: Just to clear this up, Abu and Bahira are talking in monkey. I just didn't want to type out "OH EE EE AA AAH!" and such. Tell me what you thought.