Chapter Two

Iago didn't have many opportunities to spend in Jafar's lab when he was with his friends. The others were almost always keeping tabs on him, and he usually didn't think about coming to this place. However, as much as memories of his old master unnerved him, Iago knew that this lab housed many useful spells and incantations. Jafar had possessed the means of obtaining knowledge, power, and wealth, so Iago knew a lot from his years on the sorcerer's shoulders.

In the past several months, when the others would still be sleeping, Iago would steal away in the early hours of the morning. While spending the night at the palace made it easier, Iago could just as easily leave and be back in time for sunrise when they were at Aladdin's hovel. On those days, he had been especially cranky.

The books Iago was interested in were all stacked together: the ones about gold and other riches. He sneezed as he dusted off old maps and set them aside, going for the top book in the pile.

"Golden Aspirations," Iago read the title with unsuppressed glee. "Oh, yes, you'll do nicely…"

He flipped through the pages, most of which contained stories of legendary buried treasures across the Seven Deserts. Without the help of Aladdin et al., Iago knew he couldn't obtain any of them. In fact, he had already tried a few treasures: the Forbidden Oasis, for example, and what a disaster that had been!

What was the point of leading an unsuspecting treasure hunter on a quest for riches when the gold was "forbidden?"

This time, Iago wished for a spell. He wanted something quick and easy in his desperation, and with almost unbelievable luck, he stumbled across the seemingly perfect spell: The Fool's Fortune.

Iago snorted at the title.

"Fool's Fortune, indeed," he muttered. "They just don't want anyone actually trying it; that's why they call them a fool. Why'd they bother writin' it down in here if it doesn't work?"

Too many means of getting rich had proven too difficult and complicated for Iago over the past year. If this spell would guarantee him gold and jewels by the mere utterance of words, he would try it.

"It's just words, right?" Iago reasoned with himself. "If it's not a real spell, it won't work, but if it is and I don't try it, then I'm a fool. Okay, here goes:

"Fool's fortune be found

Not underground,

But with the heart's desire,

Gold is set afire.

Beware what you wish for,

Lest you close the door."

Iago finished and looked around. He didn't feel any different. Thinking the spell had failed, Iago slammed the book shut.

"Stupid spell," he complained. "I shoulda known nothing would be that easy. 'Heart's desire?' 'Close the door?' I mean, what's that supposed to mean, anyway?"

Growing tired and feeling defeated, Iago flapped out the door, returning to Jafar's old bed chambers. Iago spotted his perch next to the bed, surprised the sultan hadn't yet changed the room. He shivered, remembering a decade of darkness with Jafar and shook his head at himself.

"Who was I fooling?" he muttered, landing in the hall just outside the door. "Just fooling myself."

Abu came around the corner and saw Iago, screeching excitedly.

Iago groaned and waved the monkey away with his wing. "Lemme guess. The rescue squad sent you on a mission to find me. Well, mission accomplished, chimp. You can report back that the parrot isn't doing anything that would endanger the lives of any of the palace's precious inhabitants."

Abu grabbed a protesting Iago by the wing and pulled him down the hall.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Iago asked indignantly. "Let me go!"

Iago yanked his wing free and flew high enough above Abu, so the monkey couldn't reach him.

"You happy? I'm going back to our esteemed bunch of weirdos."

Abu chittered happily and ran beneath Iago. When Iago returned to the dining hall, the table was empty of food, even though the people were still seated around it.

"Aw, c'mon," Iago said with a frown. "I didn't even get to eat anything."

"Not a problem, right, Sultan?" Aladdin asked.

"Of course," Sultan replied, clapping his hands. The kitchen staff entered the room, and Sultan said, "Please bring a bowl of fruit."

"Hey, no hard feelings about before, right?" Genie asked. "I guess I don't know my own strength," he added, changing into a body builder and lifting a ton weight in the air like it was nothing.

"Are you okay, Iago?" Jasmine added.

Iago, taken aback by the kindness that greeted him, settled on the table where he previously had.

"Uh, yeah, sure… thanks," he mumbled, feeling suddenly exhausted. He picked up a banana when the fruit arrived and took two bites before he couldn't focus anymore on eating. "Can we just go to bed? I'm really tired."

Aladdin nodded. "If that's what you want. You're sure you're okay?"

Iago not eating was unusual, and considering the terrible mood he had been in earlier, Aladdin was surprised to find the parrot oddly calm, to the point of falling asleep on the table.

Iago didn't answer. He was snoring, passed out on the uncomfortable wooden surface of the table. Aladdin picked him up and asked about sleeping at the palace for the night. Given Sultan's approval, Aladdin wished Jasmine goodnight and went to his usual room with his friends. He gingerly placed Iago on some pillows, not sure what to make of Iago's behavior.

Genie poofed into his pajamas and nightcap, a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth as he surveyed Iago. "Some day, eh? Bird's right worn out. Strange for him to not put up a fight longer."

Aladdin shrugged, yawning. "Well, now that he's sleeping, it seems like a good idea. He'll be fine in the morning."

The electric toothbrush vibrated Genie's whole mouth, toothpaste foaming down his chin. After a minute, he pulled the toothbrush out of his mouth and zapped it away, along with the mess on his face. "Hmm, might need to look into a different brand. Methinks I don't need something quite that powerful. Iago, on the other hand, is going to bed without brushing his teeth, and he might need my handy-dandy Brush-o-matic 10,000 in the morning." Genie gazed quizzically at Iago and added, "Since when do birds have teeth, anyway?"

Aladdin and Abu chuckled. "Iago's not exactly your typical bird, though, is he?" Aladdin joked. "How many birds do you know who would rather have gold than crackers?"

"Don't tell that one to Iago," Genie said with mock-outrage. Leaning into his friends, he whispered conspiratorially, "Between you and me, I think the parrot is done up on crackers after years of cracker-shoving-down-the-gullet."

Aladdin laughed harder. "All right, Genie," he said soberly after a few moments. "That's enough joking at Iago's expense. He's not even awake to defend himself."

"Aw, party pooper!" Genie razzed Aladdin. "All right, goodnight!" With that, Genie disappeared into his lamp and promptly started snoring.

Abu settled down on some pillows and drew a blanket over himself, closing his eyes in contentment, and Carpet sprawled himself out on the floor next to Aladdin's bed and went still. Before Aladdin extinguished the candle on the bedside table, he gazed one last time at Iago. From what he could discern, Iago was sleeping peacefully.

"Sleep well, Iago," Aladdin said softly. "I hope you're happier in the morning."

Aladdin blew out the candle and fell back onto the pillow in relief, slumber soon overtaking him.