I'll admit that this story's first chapter is kind of a depressing start to a story with Genie listed as the main character, but we'll have some of his usual magic antics in this chapter (which are harder to do since they tend to be more visual in nature). This chapter will also be drawing on more elements from the television show, including two characters (only one who will be named right now). Other characters and events from the show will be mentioned, so it helps if you've seen the television show. I'll also be drawing upon information provided by the television show concerning the time line. Events in the show suggests that there were several years between "Return of Jafar" and "King of Thieves," during which the show occurred, so that is what I am working with
Beyond a couple characters from the last chapter (like Djinn and the poor little girl, Nada), the individuals that appear in this are not my property. In fact, I do not have plans currently to include any more of my characters beyond those already shown. I am not connected to Disney in any (beyond loving the movies). And any references that Genie makes are the property of wherever they actually come from and not me. There, disclaimer finished. Back to the story.
Two figures, traveling across the sand dunes under the moon's illumination, barely reacted to a third presence's arrival. The steed was trained to ignore unimportant details as long as they remained out of his way. Its rider simply wasn't going to give the new arrival the benefit of a reaction.
"Do not pretend to be a simple old man," he hissed at the stranger. "There is plenty of magic around you."
The blindfolded man smiled slightly, "I wouldn't try to deceive someone of your abilities. I came with a task for you, should you choose to accept it."
"I do not work for free," he remarked, his voice low and hissing. "Nor do I work for strange men with magic."
"You may call me Phasir. And you have worked for men with magic in the past, only to betray him after the deal was complete," reminded the blindfolded man. "Your people were once a proud and noble race who hunted your targets for glory and honor. Now, your people are little more than a myth and you are just another mercenary for hire."
"There is not much coin in glory and honor. One has to make a living out here. I suspect, however, you have more in mind than just scolding me on my life choices. Tell me what you want."
"I have a challenging hunt and an opportunity to aid a friend in need. A very unusual friend for your kind to make, I might add," he described.
The stranger glared over the cloth drawn across his lower face and hissed, "I am a mercenary for hire of a nearly extinct race. My loyalty belongs to whoever pays me and it lasts only as long as the job does. I have no fr…" He stopped, his yellow eyes noticing the bemused smile on the old man and knew that denying the truth was pointless. "We should not be friends, but we are. The old traditions of my people are fading and the long-standing rivalry might deserve to be forgotten. At least between us. Tell me, Ancient One, what trouble threatens him and what is the target of this hunt?"
Phasir sighed, "There must always be a balance with power. The greater a being's power, the more they must be restrained by rules and limitations so they cannot abuse their abilities. Otherwise, mortals would be long since destroyed by stronger creatures and entities. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Someone has broken their bonds, but retained his powers and even extended his abilities by using a child's innocence and compassion to release him. He could cause extensive harm and already abuses his new freedom, rewarding his faithful assistant with death. He will be the most dangerous target you, or any of your people, have ever faced. Unfortunately, there is no gold for this job. Only the knowledge that you could save both the world from destruction at his hands and your friend's life with your actions."
"And the honor of defeating this powerful foe," he reminded. "I need no coin this time. He would assist me should I ask. I shall be no less honorable and will help my friend against this threat. My payment will be his safety and the opportunity to become a legend. What must I do?"
The blindfolded may stretched out his finger and pointed towards the distant horizon, "Ride towards Agrabah. When you draw near, follow your instincts. You must bind the enemy before he can turn his power against you."
He nodded to Phasir before turning his attention to his steed, "Come, Saurus. To Agrabah."
His strange beast of burden squawked briefly before breaking into a run. They traveled swiftly over the palely-lit dunes, raising a cloud of sand behind them and leaving the old man in the middle of the desert. Phasir seemed to watch their vanishing forms with his concealed eyes before turning away.
"Why do I always end up flying across the desert for help?" Iago panted. "Like the time Sa'luk took you hostage. At least then we were just a few hours from the palace. Cassim, why'd you get in trouble so far away this time? This isn't easy, by the way. You can take the long way with the oasis and rest stops. I'm taking the shorter way in order to warn everyone before you arrive. The shorter way that has nothing but sand and sun. This just proves that madness is contagious."
The red parrot glared at the blazing sun directly overhead. He'd flown all night, savoring the cool air while he could. Unfortunately, he was still in the middle of the desert when dawn broke. But he couldn't stop. There was no shade, food, or water for leagues. Survival depended on reaching civilization as quickly as possible. That meant he had to keep flying towards Agrabah. The only thing in his favor was the fact that their travels hadn't been in a straight line and that he and Cassim had wandered to a point closer to Agrabah than they had been in a long time. Otherwise, he wouldn't stand a chance of flying directly there in a reasonable amount of time.
While he'd traveled across most of the Seven Deserts with Aladdin in the past, he'd rode on Carpet with everyone else for most of the distance. He wasn't made for constant flight over great distances. He was tired. His wings ached from his alternations between flapping and gliding on the hot air rising off the burning sands below. And since resting wouldn't help him with his growing thirst and he'd probably be too tired to take off again afterwards, he decided to distract himself by complaining.
"I mean, is everyone up there out to get me?" he asked, his glare still directed skywards. "I never wanted to be a hero. If I wanted to go around defending the weak and helping the needy, I'd have… Well, I wouldn't have spent all that time with Abu sneaking around the thieves' den for spare change. I'm a greedy, self-serving coward. Jafar bought me at a bazaar to be his little, spying helper. No one ever suspects the parrot, after all. They just stuff him full of stale, moldy crackers while babbling gibberish. I worked with one of the evilest guys on the planet. How does that qualify me for rescue missions? Okay, I risked my neck to kill Jafar. And I did fly around with the 'good guy group' for a while. That doesn't mean I want to be a hero. Why do I keep ending up in these situations?"
He paused for a moment, noticing he was sinking towards the ground swiftly. The tired bird flapped his wings, trying to regain his lost altitude. Once he was at a suitable height again, Iago returned to his earlier rant at any higher power who would listen.
"Why is it I was the only one who could kick that lamp into the lava? Why was I the one who released that ancient evil and had to defeat it that one time? Why did everyone but me and Genie get stuck in that time loop, leaving us to break the cycle? And I end up tricking Malcho, the scary flying snake, and then he comes back for revenge because I played hero. I swear, being nice is going to get me killed." He took a deep breath and shouted, "I don't have to be doing this. I could have flown to some nice little town, far from anything dangerous, opened a casino, and spent the rest of my life in luxary. Just because I'm the only one who can do anything doesn't mean I have to." He closed his eyes for a moment before muttering, "I just wouldn't be able to live with myself afterwards. My conscience is a real jerk sometimes."
He stared out at the sandy dunes that ran as far as he could see in all directions. It would have been too easy to wander this wasteland for days, unable to find a way to salvation. They could simply travel in circles until they die from the heat or dehydration. This is why travelers would take well-established trade routes instead of risking the uncertain, shifting, unexplored sands of the desert.
"I hope all of you appreciate this," grumbled Iago. "Parrots are meant for tropical rainforests, not flying forever over a desert. If you don't rescue Cassim and stop the psycho genie, I'm moving to Thundra's nice rainforest and never setting foot in a desert again. And Genie better have done something drastic to tick that jerk off. If this is over something like the blue-boy beat him at checkers, I give up." The bird frowned for a moment. "What in the world did he do? What could he have done that would put him on top of that guy's hit list? Since Genie's was stuck in his lamp for around ten thousand years, that means the yellow jerk would have met him before then. He can really hold a grudge. This means he's had millennia to plan his revenge and we're all about to get stuck in the middle of it. Sounds like another fun day for us." He flapped his wings again, wincing as he struggled to rise higher. The parrot finished with a snarl, "There better be some food and water waiting too. And caviar, a manicure, and a reclining chair that vibrates. I don't do this 'hero' thing for nothing."
The palace of Agrabah was a beautiful sight that could be viewed from almost any point of the city. The white walls and golden domes seemed so elegant and magnificent. The place appeared unapproachable by the common people and only those born into power and wealth could enter. Of course, the people of Agrabah knew this was far from true.
The marriage of their princess wasn't an easy occurrence, though the question of whom she would eventually wed needed to be made before her eighteenth birthday. Untold numbers of suitors came to the palace, but the final decision wasn't made until near the deadline of her birthday when she met her true love. Her engagement lasted for several years. During that time, she'd been traveling across the Seven Deserts, gaining powerful allies from other kingdoms, and facing threats to the safety of her people. Princess Jasmine might have been born into royalty, but she'd demonstrated countless times that she cared about the well-being of those she would someday rule and that she would never look down on a person because of their lack of rank or wealth. This was proved further by her choice of husband.
Beginning his life as a street rat, he managed to rise above his humble origins to gain true love. He never actively sought the power and responsibility that his marriage would bring, like many of the princess' suitors, and that helped him gain her love in return. His marriage placed him in line for the throne. But he never forgot his earlier life. He went out of his way to help people in need, regardless of the danger or the fact it wouldn't benefit him. He traveled the Seven Deserts, fighting monsters and vanquishing evil. Though Aladdin's wedding came long after the initial engagement, he was already considered part of the royal family by some.
Those two individuals, polar opposites in their origins, learned to live in one another's world and to see life from a new point of view. Together, they had faced more danger than they did separately. They would someday rule Agrabah and many of the people saw this as a positive thing. A few, like many of the Royal Guard under Razoul's command, felt that nothing good could ever come from having a "street rat" rule, but they were the minority. Both the rich and poor, powerful and weak, influential and ignored, and people everywhere in between would have their perspective represented. Aladdin would know how a decision might burden those without the social standing to defend themselves, but Jasmine would see the political effects of the choice. The people who had the foresight to consider their future ruling predicted their reign might become the most prosperous one that would ever occur. And all of this would be because of a single entity's existence.
Currently, this being was floating on his back, staring at the high ceiling of the empty throne room, and sighing dramatically. He was bright blue, humanoid, and the most magical person in the city. On his head was a small, black ponytail of hair and his lower body faded into a smoky tail. Once bound to a lamp and hidden in the Cave of Wonders, he now hung around the palace between adventures with his best friend and former master, Aladdin.
A series of familiar chattering caught his attention. Racing into the room was a purple and gold carpet carrying a small, brown monkey. The flying, sentient piece of woven fabric wove around the columns of the room, obvious having fun. The primate, riding him wore a small vest and fez, chittered excitedly. They came to a stop directly in front of the blue being.
His bored expression shifted instantly to cheerful, his face forming a giant grin, "Hey, Rug-man, want to play checkers? Chess? Go Fish? Old Maid? Clue? Monopoly? Scrabble? Yahtzee? Jinga? Dominoes? Risk? Parcheesi?"
With each game he suggested, he sprouted an arm balancing the named activity. In a matter of seconds, he was nearly hidden by the boxes and limbs. As he collapsed under the weight of board games and cards, dice and pawns scattered across the ground with a clatter. With a puff of smoke, the games vanished and he stood upright again.
"Maybe we'd be better off with a simple game of 'Charades'?" he muttered. After a second, he shook his head sharply, "No. Probably not a good idea to try that again. I think we've played everything else though. Twice."
"Bored, Genie?" a young man asked, walking into the room. Once, he would have worn a very plain set of sturdy clothes. Now, he wore the more formal outfit befitting the future sultan of Agrabah, minus a fancy hat. He might look like the royal type, but he still moved like the confident, agile, street-wise, diamond-in-the-rough he was when the met. "Can't say that I blame you. After all those monsters and other adventures, these last months have seemed too quiet. And with the Sultan and Jasmine trying to teach me some of the political responsibilities, I'm beginning to miss the occasional rampaging Minotaur." He smiled at his friend, "Maybe you should visit Eden. I'm sure she would love to see you."
Genie gained a goofy grin at the thought of the green genie of the bottle he ended up falling in love with on sight. Finding another genie at all, let alone one as beautiful, funny, spontaneous, and sweet-hearted as the one he found, was so astronomically unbelievable that he had to wonder if there was such a thing as fate. There were so many strange forces in the world; it was entirely possible that Aladdin finding the lamp, the princess falling for the street rat, and two genies ending up in the same general area might have been arranged by a giant cosmic matchmaker.
Technically, Eden wasn't a free genie. Still, she was so close to being one, it hardly mattered. Dhandi, the optimistic young orphan who lacked a single greedy bone in her body, wanted to use her final wish to set her free, but accidentally wished to be with Eden always before she could. Immediately afterwards, the girl tried to take back her mistake. It was too late by that point and the genie would be with the orphan until the day she died. Still, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. She wasn't stuck in a bottle all the time, no one could use her bottle to make wishes since they couldn't separate the pair, and Dhandi encouraged the green genie to have fun and visit friends. As a bonus, she had her full power since she wasn't technically a freed genie. Sure, she would end up back in her bottle when Dhandi grew old and died, but they had plenty of time to figure out what to do then. Until then, the two immortal beings could see each other in their spare time.
His grin slowly shifted to a frown, "I can't. She and Dhandi went on a 'girls only' trip. Eden thought they might enjoy seeing the world together."
Without missing a beat, Genie created a large cruise ship populated by several versions of 'him' wearing colorful Hawaiian shirts. Bright pieces of confetti floated down as the individuals in crowd on deck waved at Aladdin, Carpet, and Abu. With some cheerful and tropical music, the ship set sail and floated across the throne room. A couple of the 'Genie clones' shouted out phrases like "I'll bring back a souvenir," "Where's the shuffleboard tournament," and "I hear the buffet is to die for." A moment later, he poofed back to his normal self.
"They'll have a great time," he continued. "See the sights. Snap some photos. Maybe pick up a cheap snow globe with a palm tree inside it. But who knows how long they'll take? Until then, I'm just sitting around getting beaten at every game ever created by Carpet and wondering when Abis Mal will actually try actually try another crazy scheme."
Aladdin, used to his friend's magical stunt and thus barely batting an eye about the earlier cruise ship, sighed, "Things change. Fewer monsters have shown up, we haven't traveled as much lately, and even Abu hasn't been causing as much trouble."
The kleptomaniac monkey glared at the young man and gave an indignant chatter, as if the idea that he was generally a troublemaker was an insult. Carpet gently slid the primate off before landing himself.
"Probably because a certain parrot isn't around to talk him into helping out with some sort of money-making operation," Genie suggested.
Abu, apparently feeling that suggesting that he'd been Iago's pawn was even more insulting, waved a fist angrily at the blue being and screeching loudly. Then, still upset, he crossed his arms and turned his back on the magical entity.
Laughing slightly, Aladdin urged his oldest friend, "Don't be like that. You know he's just teasing. But even you have to admit that you miss Iago. You haven't been yourself since he left."
Refusing to turn around, the brown-furred monkey shook his head sharply. No one believed his firm denial. Carpet even crossed his tassels and tilted his 'head,' clearly asking who Abu thought he was fooling.
Ever since Iago became part of their group, the bird and monkey shared a common interest that continuously brought them together during their adventures. Specifically, they both were attracted to the idea of riches. It would be impossible to count the number of times those two ended up pulling the entire team into a mess because of their greed. On the other hand, it was equally innumerable the times that the two ended end up rescuing each other during dangerous events. Iago would always end up flying the primate out of trouble or Abu would yank the parrot out of the line of fire.
Trying to change the subject, Aladdin suggested, "Why don't we try a vacation ourselves? Just us and Jasmine flying somewhere away from the palace. We could visit some of our friends or simply travel. I'm sure all of us could use a break."
Apparently this idea was enough to break Abu out of his sulking. The monkey scrambled up to the young man's shoulder, chattering happily and nodding. Carpet flew into the air, spinning in a quick set of loops. The magical cloth seemed equally excited about the idea of another trip.
"Al, you're a genius," declared Genie. "That should shake off this slump we're in. Let's see…" He created a brown suitcase floating in midair. He opened it and began stuffing objects he yanked out of thin air. "I'll need my swimming trunks, my sunglasses, my surfboard, my inflatable raft, my parachute, my collection of lucky bottle caps, my baseball cap, my snorkel, my harpoon, my video game system." Each item, however colorful or strange, was stuffed into his suitcase. By now, the edges of a few items were still sticking out, but Genie wasn't finished yet. "My GPS, my MP3, my NBC," he announced, tossing two small objects inside before trying to shove a desk with two news anchor people inside. For this last one, he had to jump up and down on the desk a few times to make it fit. Taking a breath, he continued, "My umbrella, my golf clubs, my ventriloquist dummy, my Bat-signal." This time, he held up a large spotlight that produced a dark shadow on the ceiling of a bat. A minute of theme music played before he tossed it in with a crash. "My flux capacitor, my stock portfolio, my Ming vase, my rocket launcher, my paddle-ball, my kitchen sink," he listed, adding a flashing piece of technology, a handful of papers, a decorative vase that shattered when thrown in, a deadly-looking weapon, a wooden-shape with a rubber ball tied to it, and a metallic sink to the growing pile. "And, of course, my favorite t-shirt."
He laid the piece of clothing on top and proceeded to try shutting his suitcase. Unfortunately, his items crammed inside prevented it from closing properly. When his first attempt to close his suitcase failed, Genie frowned and scratched his head. Aladdin, Abu, and Carpet, not liking where this was going, crept behind one of the large columns in the throne room. The blue being squeezed the two halves of the suitcase together and climbed on top, trying to use his weight to force the suitcase to shut. For a moment, it seemed to be working. Then, the suitcase sprang open. All the packed items and Genie scattered across the room.
Sitting up and shaking his head to clear it, he quietly suggested, "Maybe I should pack lighter."
The sun was beginning to turn red and the air was cooling. He barely noticed the change. He was too tired to notice much anymore. He'd been flying since last evening and he wasn't used to the distances or time spans. He hadn't eaten, drank, or rested since that orangish-yellow genie showed up. The fact he was still air-borne at all was a miracle.
He'd stopped talking a few hours ago. It was too much effort by this point. He couldn't even tell if he was still flapping. Everything was on autopilot. He just wanted to sleep…
Iago snapped his eyes open and pulled up right before he landed face-first into the sand. That was the third time he fell asleep flying and almost crashed. The part of his mind still capable of rational thought screamed at him about the insanity of his plan. There was no profit, no treasure, and almost certain death either now or whenever they inevitably ran into the crazy genie. His basic instincts of self-preservation and self-benefit, trained by the years spent with Jafar and listening to one plan after another concerning either a way to gain more magical power through the use of artifacts or to gain more political power by manipulation of the Sultan, told Iago that he shouldn't be doing this. The idea of giving up and just staying out of all this heroic stuff made more and more sense. But one, small, annoyingly insistent voice whispered that he couldn't abandon and betray his friends. That one thought, usually hiding beneath rationalizations about Aladdin being his connection to the perks of the palace or that he wouldn't find as many potential treasure-hunts if they were dead, kept him from running away in the past and even risking his neck at times where there was no clear monetary profit. It made him side with them against Jafar in the end, even if it was smarter to remain with the one in power. That tiny voice, the one he continuously denied existed, kept him flying towards his goal now.
A slight glimmer on the horizon captured his attention. On the one hand, it could simply be a mirage of some sort. On the other, it could be what he'd been hoping to see for some time: the fading sunlight reflecting off the golden domes of the palace of Agrabah.
Jasmine sat in front of her mirror, brushing her hair in a seemingly calm fashion. Inside, she was nearly bursting with excitement. Her father and Aladdin were currently discussing the last details needed for the trip to occur. She would have stayed, but since it was mostly just the matter of who would tell Razoul and how, she decided to let them handle it. The leader of the Royal Guard, stubbornly loyal to the royal family even when it means now accepting Aladdin as part of it (no matter how much it hurts to admit it) and obedient to the rules to a fault, would want to send an armed escort on the journey with them. He'd been unhappy enough when she used to accompany Aladdin on adventures in the past, but now they were both considered royalty and his sense of duty would insist on a protection detail (even while imagining her husband being eaten by a giant monster). Hopefully, they would be able to convince him that the group would be fine on their own. He was already lightening up from the days when he first learned that she intended to marry a "street rat," and he might someday completely accept Aladdin. Though, Genie predicted that wouldn't happen before Razoul died of old age.
Before she ran away to the marketplace and met Aladdin, her days had been monotonous and lonely. Servants, guards, suitors, her father, and Rajah were the only people she would see. She would have lessons in skills she would need in order to someday help her future husband rule, sometimes given by Jafar since he'd been her father's vizier. She would meet the various princes who sought the throne by marrying her. Overall, her life had been dull and she didn't even know how dull since she had nothing to compare it to.
Now, she missed the excitement and freedom that life outside the palace walls offered. After the chaotic events of their wedding and the events immediately following, neither she nor her husband had been able to leave the palace. While Aladdin had picked up a few things concerning politics over the years, he still lacked he experience needed to rule over the people. Her days had been filled with attempts by her and her father to fix that problem. They were making swift progress, but it wasn't enjoyable for anyone. A vacation, a chance to escape from all of this with her husband and friends, would help everyone. They could go back to those days where they had fun and saw the world.
A movement in the mirror's reflection caught her attention, her hand freezing in the act of brushing her hair. Rajah was sleeping next to the balcony and the movement was too high off the ground to be the tiger. No one else should be able to get in without her or the guards undoubtedly right outside the door. She slowly turned, preparing to face whoever might have snuck into her room. Her mind was naming possibilities from Mirage to Mozenrath, but she planned to deal with them as best as she could anyway.
Her chamber appeared empty at first. In fact, she almost decided that it was all in her mind. But she saw that Rajah was awake and alert now. A second later, there was a metallic clatter.
On a small table, one of the servants had left a dish of fresh fruit, an empty goblet, and a pitcher filled with water. Someone or something was over there now, moving. She narrowed her eyes, surprised that someone would come into her room simply to get some food and water. The small figure was trying to tilt the pitcher, but didn't quite seem to have the energy. As she came closer, she was able to see the intruder better. Though still partially hidden behind some grapes, she could recognize his red feathers and curved beak.
"Iago?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"
His eyes glanced at her tiredly and his voice came out breathlessly, "Trying to get a drink. Want to lend a hand? I've had a long day."
Nodding slowly, she took the pitcher from him and poured it into a goblet. Normally she would have given the bird an annoyed look, assuming he was trying to get the "royal treatment" like he always seemed to want. But he looked completely exhausted and she didn't know if he could actually lift the pitcher currently.
"I meant, what are you doing at the palace? I thought you went with Cassim. What happened?" she clarified.
"I just flew all day in the desert without stopping. I'm not telling this story twice," he informed her, taking an unsteady grip on the goblet. "Let's just say we have trouble. Of the magical kind. And it is after someone specifically instead of just Agrabah in general."
Another good sized chapter. I hope it turned out as good as I wanted it to. There should be some history in the next chapter that should explain why Djinn is after Genie. As stated, the updates may be erratic and spacious at times, but the story will not be abandoned.
Reviews are a nice incentive for more updates, however. Let me know what you think. Questions and comments are always welcome.