Benladdin

Chapter 1: Pink Peddler introduces the story

Flames were shown and smoke formed to show this title "Benladdin". The scene faded to a desert and a figure riding a camel. During this song, there was a town called Ag-toon-bah. As the camera zoomed, it passed by a fire-eater and stopped by a nearby marketplace.

Oh, I come from a land from a faraway place

Where the caravan camels roam

Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense

It's barbaric but hey, it's home

Where the wind's from the east

And the sun's in the west and the sand in the glass is right

Come on down, stop on by

Hop a carpet and fly to another Arabian night

Arabian nights like Arabian days

More often than not are hotter than hot

In a lot of good ways

Arabian nights 'neath Arabian moons

A fool and his guard could fall and fall hard

Out there in the dunes

The figure in the shadow revealed a pink panther riding a camel and the camel was so exhausted it dropped on the floor to rest while the Pink Panther slid down. He wore an Arabian purple shirt and a turban.

Pink Panther: "Ah, salaam, and good evening to you, worthy friend. Please, please come closer."

The camera zoomed in too close to Pink's face.

Pink Panther: "Too close. A little too close."

The camera zoomed back a little bit.

Pink Panther: "There. Welcome to Ag-toon-bah, city of mystery, of enchantment, and the finest merchandise this side of the river Jor-toon, on sale today! Come on down!"

Pink pulled out a booth loaded with pottery. He brought out a hookah.

Pink Panther: "Look at this. Yes. Combination hookah and coffee maker. Also makes julienne fries. It will not break. It will-"

Unfortunately, one part of the hookah broke, revealing a spring. Pink frowned.

Pink Panther: "It broke. Oh, look at this."

He got out a box.

Pink Panther: "I've never seen of one these intact before. This is the famous Dead Sea Tupperware. Listen. Ah, still good."

The camera moved until the Pink Panther came.

Pink Panther: "Wait! Don't go. I can see that you're only interested in the exceptionally rare. I think, then, you would be most rewarded to consider this."

From his sleeve, Pink pulled out a magic lamp.

Pink Panther: "Do not be fooled by its commonplace appearance. Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts.

The camera moved until Pink caught up with it.

Pink Panther: "This is no ordinary lamp! It once changed the course of a young man's life. A young man who, like this lamp, was no more than what he seemed. Perhaps you would like to hear the tale? It begins on a dark night…

He poured a bit of sparkles from the lamp to his hand and sent it up the sky, where the scene went up to the sky and moved to a person riding a horse.

Pink Panther: "…where a dark man waits with a dark purpose."

A rat thief named Roderick showed up to meet the dark man. This dark man had skull face paint, a red hood, red vest, and black pants. His name was Hex. On his perch was a red-feathered parrot with blue tail feathers and black hair on his head named Cash.

Hex: "You are late."

Roderick: "A thousand apologies, O Patient One."

Hex: "You have it then?"

From one side inside his shirt, Roderick pulled out what was half a golden beetle.

Roderick: "I had to slit a few throats, but I got it."

Hex reached out his hand to take the piece but Roderick pulled his hand back and shook his finger.

Roderick: "Ah-ah-ahhh. The treasure."

Suddenly, Cash squawked as he flew up, snatched the piece from Roderick's hand, and gave it to Hex while getting back on his shoulder.

Hex: "Trust me, my pungent friend. You'll get what's coming to you."

Cash: "What's coming to you. Awk!"

Roderick looked in awe as Hex placed two pieces of the gold beetle together and it started flying off.

Hex: "Quickly! Follow the trail!"

Using their horses, Cash and Roderick went after the flying gold beetle while Cash flew with them.

Hex: "Faster!"

On a lump of sand ahead, two pieces of the beetle were separate. It caused what looked like a dinosaur made of sand to emerge. The cave opened its mouth.

Hex: "At last! After all my years of searching, the Cave of Wonders!"

Cash: "Awk! Cave of Wonders!"

Roderick: "By Allah."

Hex grabbed Roderick by his shirt.

Hex: " Now remember. Bring me the lamp! The rest of the treasure is yours but the lamp is mine!"

Roderick chuckled as he got ready to enter the cave.

Cash: "Awk, the lamp! Awk, the lamp!"

He then turned to Hex.

Cash: "Geez, where'd you dig this bozo up?"

Hex shushed him and they watched Roderick get closer to the cave. Roderick looked as the sand formed to make a set of stairs. Something startled him out of the cave.

Blargg: "Who disturbs my slumber?"

Roderick: "It is I, Roderick, a humble thief."

Blargg: "Know this. Only one may enter here, one whose worth lies far within. A diamond in the rough."

Roderick turned to Hex until he spoke.

Hex: "What are you waiting for? Go on!"

Roderick felt scared to enter at first as he took one step in. At first, nothing happened until the cave roared. A frightened Roderick tried to flee but the cave ate him.

Hex: "No!"

Blargg: "Seek thee out, the diamond in the rough."

Its voice echoed as the pieces of the beetle came off.

Cash emerged from the sand and coughed as he tried the rest of it off of him.

Cash: "I can't believe it! I just don't believe it! We're never gonna get a hold of that stupid lamp! Just forget it! Look at this! Look at this! I'm so ticked off that I'm molting!"

While griping, he picked up the pieces of the beetle, and gave them to Hex as he flew to him.

Hex: "Patience, Cash. Patience. Roderick was obviously less than worthy."

Cash: "Oh, there's a big surprise! That's an incredi- I think I'm gonna have a heart attack and die from that surprise! What are we gonna do? We got a big problem here! A big-"

Hex grabbed Cash's beak to shut him up.

Hex: "Yes. Only one may enter. I must find this one, this diamond in the rough."

Who could this "diamond in the rough" be? Keep reading to find out.