Okay, so this is the first of the episodes that I will do and it into two parts since it was so long and I added a bit. I hope you guys enjoy it!
*Takes place a month after Return of Jafar...just so you know!*
Air Feathered Friends part 1
"Stop cheating!" I shouted, tossing my cards across the table.
"I'm not!" Iago shouted back.
"Yes you are! There are cards missing!" I screeched and then reached across the table toward Iago. I lifted him by the tail off the pillow before he could hide the cards. "Aha!" I announced at the stack of cards that he had hidden.
"What?" he asked innocently. "I couldn't reach the table!" I snorted and dropped him back onto the pillow.
"Yeah, right."
"You don't believe me?"
"Um, let me think…no." Iago stuck his tongue out and I blew a raspberry at him. Then he held up the cards he had hidden.
"I win." He set them down, smugly and then I launched myself at him. As I struggled to hold him, Al came into the room.
"Hey, guys…" he paused and we paused too as he looked from Iago to me. Shaking his head he continued to speak (He had gotten used to us fighting. We did it often enough.): "Have either of you seen Abu?"
"Nope." We said at the same time and Aladdin sighed.
"I have a feeling he is getting into trouble again. Will you guys come help me look in the marketplace?"
"Sure, Al." I jumped up ready to go. Anything was better than better stuck inside. Iago sighed and landed on my shoulder. "And don't think that this is over." I warned him. "I won't play if you cheat."
"Fine." Iago muttered and I ended up laughing at his pout. I then turned and followed Al out of the palace.
It had been a month since the Jafar incident and things were starting to become a normal routine now. Iago and I spent a lot of time together and Rasoul still thinks that it's a bad idea. However he thinks that Al and I living in the palace is a bad idea too. So his opinion doesn't really matter to me. (Or to anyone one else for that matter.) Jasmine and the Sultan were busy with a meeting so there was literally nothing to do. Going to marketplace was at least something to do.
We discovered that it was very windy when we came outside of the palace gates and Iago pretended to cough from dust in the air. Al shoved him playfully and the parrot stuck his tongue out. As a result he got sand in his mouth and I laughed loudly as he spit about.
"Where is Abu?" Al asked as we looked around. A loud yell came from further in the market so we went down towards the sound.
"Not to sound negative, but I think your monkey is shop lifting." Iago muttered and then we spotted him. Abu was running from Fazal, one of Rasoul's men, and the date vendor. He slammed into Al's feet and looked up at us with a wide grin.
"In trouble again, Abu?" Al asked folding his arms across his chest. Abu gave us a cheesy grin.
"He's got banana on his breath!" Iago accused pointing at the monkey.
"There he is!" The date vendor shouted. Abu jumped in fear and climbed up to hide behind Al's back, peering over his shoulder cautiously.
"Always saving your tail." Al sighed. On my shoulder Iago snorted.
"Could've swiped some for the rest of us." I sniggered as Al rolled his eyes and then we faced the angry vendor and the panting guard behind him.
"Good morning, Omar." Al greeted. Then he addressed Fazal. "Ohh, cut yourself shaving, Fazal?" I stifled a snigger at the ripe tomato sliding down the overweight guards face. Angrily he wiped the tomato off.
"That little master of a thousand fleas has stolen my fruit!" he snarled pointing at the cowering monkey. While he had ranted, Al slid a few coins behind his back into the Abu's open palm.
"He was just shopping for me." Al told them and Abu, with a flourish, gave the vendor the coins. And then blew him a raspberry. "If Abu were hungry he'd climb a tree and eat dates for free." I could see the wheels turning slowly in the guards head as he considered Al's words.
"Hm, free dates." He rubbed his stomach as he spoke and I stifled another snigger. Suddenly the wind picked up and Al and I shielded our faces as the wind blew fiercely.
"Well what kind of wind-ahhh!" Iago screamed as he got blown off my shoulder. I tried to get a grip on him.
"Iago!" I yelled but the parrot was out of reach and he blew away.
"Get those gates closed!" I heard Rasoul shout and we watched as two of the other guards shut the city gates. The two guards sighed with relief as it slammed shut and were leaning against the doors when they burst open, flinging the guards in different directions.
"Al, what are those?" I asked over the wind as I pointed at the three spinning whirlwinds in the gateway.
"I don't know." He said and he pulled me towards him as the wind picked up faster.
"Wind demons! Run!" Fazal shouted from behind us. Al and I watched as the whirlwinds chased people around. A man lying on a bed of nails was almost speared on a wall with his own bed as the wind tossed him about. Another man I saw got pummeled by watermelons. I finally spotted Iago and he, I saw, was being chased by one of the whirlwinds.
"Go on get! Go on shoo!" he told it but he ended up flying into another one and getting smashed by two of them and then he got tossed somewhere. I couldn't help him, because I was too busy hanging on to a stand to avoid being tossed like he had been.
"Al!" I yelped as I began to slip. He grabbed my arm and with the other hand, he held on to a pole as the wind jerked us about.
"Alaric, look." He said and I looked to where he had been and watched with wide eyes as the whirlwinds suddenly acquired hands snatching things off the stands and not just anything, gold and people's jewelry.
"My gold!" one man shouted as the whirlwind got him. Then it came back. "My jewels!" next it took his clothing. "My goodness!" The whirlwind left the man in his white boxers with hearts on them.
"Stand firm men!" Rasoul shouted and he and the guards had their swords out ready to attack the mini cyclones. But they were no match for the swirling winds. They were being tossed about and left in the sand as the three winds left through the gates and into the desert. The wind died down long enough for Al and I to run over and peer out the gate as the cyclones made their escape.
"Don't just sit there!"Al yelled at the fallen guards. "They're getting away!"
"Good!" Fazal said childishly. "Let the wind demon's leave!" I stuck my tongue out at him.
"They weren't demons! They were thieves!" Al informed him. "They stole everything!" Rasoul stood up and I had to fight back laughter at his appearance. His turban, usually so neat, was now wrapped around him from his shoulders down.
"And how do you explain thieves that hide in the wind?" he challenged with a growl.
"I dunno but I bet a sand gnat could figure it out with a little bit of effort." I snickered loudly as Rasoul turned tomato red with anger. I jumped as he got really close and burst free of the turban.
"Well then it is a bet!" he snarled and he lifted Al off his feet by the vest. "Sand gnat!"
"Hairy ape!" I shot back under my breath and he sneered at me.
"Now, what shall be the stakes?" Fazal took the opportunity to show up.
"I want his pet!" Al and I gasped and Abu looked afraid as the guard leaned down toward him. "Hee, hee, hee, that little beast will bring me none but the juiciest of dates. For freeeee." I rolled my eyes. Always thinking of his stomach that one.
"Abu isn't my pet!" Al shouted and he picked the monkey up off the ground. "He's my friend." By then a crowd had gathered around us. Rasoul roared with laughter.
"So, Aladdin won't back up his boast!"
"What? I-I didn't say that." Al said glancing around at the crowd around us.
"Or maybe he's no smarter than a sand gnat, after all?" They started to laugh instantly and I launched myself at the burly guard but Al held me back.
"You take that back!" I yelled struggling to get out of Al's grip. "Take that back you big gorilla!"
"Then tell your brother to accept the bet." Rasoul smirked at Al.
"Fine. It's a bet! I'll prove to you that they aren't wind demons!" Al declared and then I got an idea.
"And when he does!" I shouted gaining their attention. "Then Fazal will be fetching dates for Abu!" The little monkey shook his head, he liked to pick his own I knew, but I couldn't resist seeing that fat guard climb a tree much less pick a date.
"Fine, but I will want to see this 'proof' when you return or your friend is ours." Rasoul stated leering at Abu. By that time Iago had found his way back to me and Al.
"Are you okay?" I whispered. He nodded and then fell off my shoulder into my arms.
"Call me later mother." I blinked at the statement and then shrugged it off. Finally he recovered and sat up his feathers sticking up in odd places.
"So, what'd I miss?"
"A lot." I informed him of what was going on as we went to get Carpet and Genie.
A little later we started out across the desert trying to spot the wind demons. Genie's lamp was on the edge of Carpet and Genie was inside doing who knows what. He sometimes stayed in there a lot. Abu frowned from his place beside Iago. He didn't like this plan and now that I thought about it I didn't like it either. What if we can't get proof?
"Keep your eyes peeled guys." Al told us, snapping me out of my thoughts. "The sooner we catch those demons, the sooner we win a bet." He rubbed Abu on the head, but the monkey only scowled more.
"Hold it!" Genie shouted coming up from the lamp. "Stop everything!" He held his hands out in front of him. Carpet stopped to avoid ramming into him but I lurched forward and Al pulled me back up by the vest. "Did you risk Abu on a bet?" He then poofed into a large monkey with a fancy suit and he spoke to us in a strange accent.
"You must show respect to the simian family." He bent down and changing Abu into a black suit he held him in his palm. "You must be good to Abulio. Or wind up sleeping with the fishes." In his other hand he held up a fish with a hat on and it was snoring. I sniggered
"Hey, proving the whirlwinds are thieves will be a cinch, Abu's not going anywhere." Al said smugly.
"Oh, forget what I said then." Genie sat Abu back down beside Iago and poofed back to normal.
"I hope you like picking dates for a living." Iago jabbed Abu in the gut with his elbow. The monkey scowled at him and then turned and blew a really wet raspberry at him, soaking his feathers. I snickered and then patted Abu.
"Don't worry, Al knows what he's doing." I assured him. "Don't you?" I suddenly asked Al and he nodded.
"Of course!" Al encouraged. "I won't let you down, Abu." The monkey relaxed then and Iago muttered under his breath.
"Don't pretend you're not worried about him too." I poked at Iago.
"Me, worry about him? Are you kidding?"
"Uh-huh yeah right." Iago scowled then and I grinned.
"Could you tell us which way they went Genie?" Al asked and Genie saluted him and turned into a strange-looking metal thing in shape of a rooster standing on an arrow. After turning a little he finally pointed in a direction.
"I got a fix on them, due North!" We grinned and then he made himself normal but with a rocket where his legs should be. "Buckle up and let's jet!" He got behind Carpet and took off really fast, steering the rug. I fell back against Al as Abu and Iago slammed into me and Al held us as Genie started faster.
"There they are!" Al yelled as we passed over the swirling winds. "Stop!" Genie let go and flew past us as Carpet stopped and crashed head first into the sand.
"Genie, are you alright?" I asked when Carpet had let us off.
"Smooth flight but the landing could use a little work." He muttered and I knew he was alright. Al rolled his eyes before looking at the whirlwinds.
"What are we going to do, Al? They will plow right through us like they did the guards."
"We can trip them up with some rope." He said determinedly.
"Ah, right away." Genie popped up then wearing a red shirt and hat, glasses and a yellow apron. In his hands he held a pencil and clipboard. "Now will that be hemp, nylon, or cotton blend?" I smacked my forehead as Al shrugged.
"Uh, hemp."
"Twist, weave or Indian spiral?"
"Twist."
"Now what about size?" The whirlwinds were coming closer and I tapped Al furiously. Genie now had many arms and was holding out many ropes. "I've got a specialty on-"
"Genie!" Al and I shouted at the same time and he jumped becoming covered with ropes.
"I guess we can skip the layaway option." Still tied with rope he gave one end to Al and I held on to Al as we held the rope straight out to trip the winds. As they plowed into the rope, it slipped from Al's hands and we stumbled forward. He landed head first the sand and I landed on his back. Genie got the bad end of the deal too. He was down in the sand up to his neck. With a growl of frustration Al tossed me off his back and spit sand out angrily from his mouth.
"Go ahead and run you cowards!" Al shouted and to my surprise the whirlwinds paused and started back. They were spinning faster and they were holding swords!
"Nice going, mister death wish." Iago stated and Abu gulped.
"Yeah, that probably wasn't the best idea." I muttered and Al laughed nervously. "Genie, we could use some help." I looked over to see him looking around dizzily.
"Is that you Auntie Em?" Carpet tried to pull him from the ground but it was no use. "I had the strangest dream about a four sped blender." We ducked as the whirlwinds came at us. Iago screeched and tried to out fly one but it got his back-end feathers and with a plop he landed in the sand. Carpet managed to stand Genie up.
"Genie!" I hollered as the whirlwinds surrounded me and Al. Genie got bigger and blew at the whirlwinds sending them flying away from us. Al clutched at me and Abu as the wind started to blow at us. When they had gone away we all sighed with relief.
"Alright!" Al high-fived Abu and I, but Abu turned away remembering he was still mad. The winds stopped swirling and suddenly dropped revealing three thieves loaded with gold and jewels.
"Those are Abis Mal's thugs!" I glared at the three stunned men on the ground.
"That fatso." I muttered. "What is he up to this time?"
"Abis Mal scourge of the desert. Not a nice guy." Genie muttered at me and Abu.
"Hey, hold it right there!" Al shouted moving towards them. They panicked and holding something in their hands started the swirling around themselves again. Within seconds they headed far from us.
"Oh, perfect!" Iago snarled and I looked down and snickered at his naked bottom. "Could we leave the bird a little dignity?" He then heard my snickering. "Oh, shut up!" I looked away pretending to not laugh at him.
"Wind demons my camel! I told you they were thieves." Al told Abu and the monkey only scoffed. "What's with him?" I jumped as Rasoul's head appeared on Genie's shoulders.
"I want to see this proof when you return." He spoke in a flawless Rasoul voice and I then looked at Al.
"Oh, right. Proof."
"Yeah, where's the proof? We can't go back without it." I said and then we heard Iago walking towards us and looked down to see a single golden feather sticking out of his rear.
"Funny, Iago," Al started. "I never noticed you wearing gold before." I snickered as he grinned over at me.
"Must be that new cream rinse I've been using." He started to back away slowly and I bit my lip to hide my laugher as Al grinned wider at him. "Now back off!" Abu plucked the feather out and he whirled around angrily. He grumbled at him before making a mocking face and stated: "I hope Al loses the bet!"
"Iago!" I said and he winced. Though he wouldn't admit it, I knew that he would feel bad if something happened to Abu.
"Wow." Al said and we all watched as Abu swirled the feather and a small whirlwind appeared underneath him and lifted him up. But when he stopped moving it he dropped to the ground again landing on Iago's back.
"I hope you pick dates better than you fly!" I laughed and plopped down beside him and Abu.
"So that's how they did it." I muttered. "But what is it?" A loud pinging noise got our attention and we turned to see Genie standing behind a platform.
"What is a Roc's feather?" He reappeared in the same outfit he wore when changing Abu into an elephant. "What is a Roc's feather is…Correct!"
"Rocks have feathers?" Al asked me and I shrugged.
"Ohhh, he must have had some bad fish!" Iago stated beside me and then he leaned towards me. "Stay back he could get violent." I laughed and Genie gripped Iago lifting him into the air.
"Not like rocks in your head!" Genie yelled giving the parrot a shake. "Roc! Like the legendary giant bird!" He then dropped Iago in my lap and appeared as a giant sun. "I mean giant! So big they can blot out the sun!" Suddenly it was black everywhere. Iago muttered under his breath but I couldn't hear what he said. Next thing we knew we were back in the sun and there was a giant blue egg in front of Al. Iago and I shrieked as Genie popped out of the egg in with a baby hat.
"Baby birds are protected by those wind feathers until they can fly!"
"That feather is proof of Abis Mal's scheme." Al said and Abu grinned. Carpet got near Abu and the monkey jumped on him and motioned for us to go.
"What's the rush? Imagine the look on Rasoul's face when we return with the proof and the stolen loot." Al snatched the feather from Abu who looked on with an open mouth.
"Uh, Al?"
"And imagine the look on my face when Abis Mal fries my gizzard!" Iago shouted. With a frown I turned to Al.
"Al? Maybe we should settle that bet first." Abu snatched the feather from Al's grip. Al snatched it back.
"Relax guys, we've got this!" He swirled the feather and made a small whirlwind. "It will be a breeze." Abu got that look in his eyes and I knew that this wouldn't end well. He jumped up and grabbed the end of the feather. Of course a game of tug-of-war started. And the end result? The feather broke. Al grinned apologetically.
"Sorry." Poor Abu grew flabbergasted and his mouth opened ajar.
"Hello, Abis Mal." Genie muttered and Al made a pathetic face.
"I promise Abu," Al said as we stood outside the thief's hideout hours later. "Just one feather and its back to Agrabah." We started to sneak inside and Iago clung to my shoulder. I patted him reassuringly and he moved closer to me. Genie poked me on the arm and I looked over to see his hand shadow on the wall. It started out a bunny and then something came up and ate it. I sniggered when his hands ended up getting tangled and Al shushed us.
"Sir, I believe that we should use are magical resources to get rid of Aladdin…" Abis Mal's right hand man, Haroud Hazi Bin, could be heard close by and we ran and hid in a room. Soon he and Abis Mal appeared. Peering around the door we watched as they walked by.
"…But may I suggest working on your aim?" The right hand man spoke to Abis Mal. "Thanks to your little misdirected deep sleep spell I dozed off for all that…" they disappeared around the corner and we sighed with relief. Haroud was the exact opposite of Abis. Whereas he was dark-skinned, tall, skinny and smart, Abis was tanned, short, fat and stupid. In my opinion Haroud should have been in charge but at least Abis is easy to get away from and defeat.
"I bet they have feathers!" Genie whispered loudly. "Be back in a flash!"
"Genie, no!" Al hissed but he disappeared before we could stop him.
"I don't know about you guys," Iago started as Al shut the door. "But I don't look good inside out." I patted him reassuringly and then we all jumped when Genie appeared seconds later, very tiny.
"Sorry, Al, no luck with the feathers, but I found some keys and this neat whistle." Before he could blow it and give our place away Al took it. Genie gave a disappointed 'Aww'.
"Keep it down they are still out there." Al said and I tried not to laugh at Genie's pouting look. A loud screech had us turning around and we saw a large baby bird in a cage. When I say its big I mean that its huge.
"Told you the feathers were from a baby Roc." Genie murmured and the baby bird started to leak tears out of its eyes.
"It's okay, little guy." I stuck my hand through the bars and stroked its feathers.
"Poor bird." Al whispered behind us Genie sniffed.
"I bet it misses its mother."
"There has to be some way we can help it to escape." Al said and Iago landed on his shoulder.
"Yeah, Al, it is a killer, but we promised the monkey just-one-feather. I mean me, I'm here but it wouldn't be fair to Abu if we didn't leave right this very second!"
'Aww, poor birdie.' Abu said sadly and I picked him up.
"You'd risk your freedom to save the baby?" I asked and he nodded. I hugged him and then he leapt away to the cage. Getting up at the lock he quickly picked it open.
"Just because you've got nothing to live for but picking dates, I want my internal organs to STAY INTERNAL!" Iago screamed and Genie quickly slammed his beak closed.
"Shh! Someone, will hear you!" Naturally the doors banged opened and Abis and Haroud stood in the doorway. "See?"
