Hello all! I hope ya'll are doing okay! Please enjoy this chap!

xxxMadameMysteryxxx: Hope you like this chapter! :)

Bookworm Gal: Thank you! Yeah, I agree that he wouldn't show up like that, but he's not off my list of people to appear sometime!

rollingbell: Thanks! I'm working on that one shot and I saw where you put that contest up, I'm going to try that too. It sounds fun! Yes, that counts, but he might be making an appearance sometime later!

Nasira: Oh, that would shake things up wouldn't it? Actually, I plan on putting her in another story I'll do after this one. Her, Jafar, and a certain flame-headed god...

MysteryGirl7Freak: I already answered you, but I just wanted to thank you for the review! :)

Disclaimer: I only own Alaric and anyone you don't recognize!

Chapter 3: Trouble

Thieves were everywhere now! Literally, everyplace you looked had a thief or two snatching things from the guests. Rasoul ordered his men from the door before heading into the fray himself and I braced myself to go and help out.

A familiar laugh caught my attention before I could take a step towards one of the many thieves, and I turned to see Mechanicles crash into the remaining pillars, sending thieves and guests flying. Coughing from the dust that he stirred up, I stalked over to the thin, Greek annoyance and eyed him as he stepped off his latest invention. Nothing had changed about him I saw. He was the same as usual and I heard him clicking his tongue as I approached.

"No, no, no. Note to me Fix landing mechanism… after I destroy Aladdin and his gang of goodies."

"Really?" I scoffed aloud and he jumped, turning to face me with a scowl as his quill and scroll flew to the ground. "Do you have to do that all the time?"

"If I don't make a list then I won't know what to do next!" He snapped in his nasally tone, bending down to pick up the fallen objects. I winced at the sound before smirking a bit.

"You know I think the last time I saw you, you were complaining of rust stains on your tunic, weren't you?" He eyed me, wondering what I was getting at.

"Hmm…Yes. What about it?"

"I think you missed a spot."

"What?!"He shrieked and started trying to turn in a circle to find the nonexistent stain. I couldn't contain my laughter then and he stopped circling like a dog chasing his tail. He straightened and seethed angrily.

"That wasn't funny, you filthy little brat!" He snarled and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, it was." I smiled at him teasingly. He growled at me and then turned and jumped back into the large golden crab. Uh-oh!

Mechanicles laughed wickedly and jabbed a button he made the creature turn in my direction. "Let's see how funny you find this!" He shrieked and I yelped as large claws clamped extremely close to me. I dodged as he attempted to smash me into the floor and I ran into Rasoul on the last dodge.

"What is he doing here?" Rasoul snarled, not bothering to hide the accusation in his voice. Did he seriously think Al and I had planned this!? I rolled my eyes.

"I don't know! Why don't you ask him!?" I snapped and I had to shove him aside before he could be caught in the iron grip. I wasn't so luckily. I gasped and the claw squeezed me, pinning my arms to my sides.

"Put me down!" I yelled at him and he grinned, pulling back a lever. The arm rose. Oh, no! I realized what he was going to do and started squirming faster. He was going to toss me across the room!

"Any last words, brother of Aladdin?" He taunted and I glared at him.

"Yeah." He looked surprised and I….spit at him. He screamed and scrambled away from the spot where I aimed for and his elbow hit something behind him.

"Ahhh!" I yelped as the arm began to circle around. I saw everything as blurs. "I think I'm gonna throw up." I groaned. No sooner had the words come out of my mouth then I saw a blur of red. Bud slammed into Mechanicles and sent him flying across the room, and somehow turning off his stupid crab. I cheered as the man smacked the wall.

"Way to go, Bud! You show him!" I laughed and Bud beamed.

"Am I good basher?" He asked excitedly.

"You bet." He grinned at me and ran off to punch someone else's lights out.

"Need a hand, friend Rick?" I looked down to see Uncouthma eyeing me and I nodded.

"I would appreciate it. Thanks." He smiled and gave me a small bow. "Then I am happy to be of service." He pulled me out of the crab claw without much effort and then eyed the machine as he set me to my feet.

"What is this odd contraption?"

"An annoyance." I answered and Uncouthma rubbed his chin.

"Should I rid us of this then?" I smiled and waved hand at it.

"By all means." He smiled happy to get to smash something and I left him to it only watching as he crumbled it into a ball. I was stopped on my way towards Rasoul by a really tall, muscled thief. I scowled.

"You know that's really not fair. You're way taller than me." I countered and heard a dark chuckled behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned to face my new adversary. He was tall, grey-skinned and bald. Oh, and he had a three-clawed bronze knuckleduster on one hand.

"Then allow me to even it up, boy." He smirked and I raised an eyebrow. Sadira was behind him, arms raised and I tried not to smirk as she nodded at me.

"Listen, baldy, as much fun as that would be…I have to decline." I stated and he gave me a growl before being blasted away. Sadira smiled at me before running off elsewhere and I turned at a yelp from Fazal.

"It is the forty thieves!" He cried and my eyes widened. No, wonder the entire room was filled!

Something caught my eye and I watched as a dark blue figure disappeared into the gift room. I frowned and started forward.

"Iago?" I called over the fray but he couldn't hear me and I couldn't see into the present room from where I was. I darted forward through the crowd towards the room, wondering who was terrorizing my parrot. I didn't have time to see because someone walked in front of me and the sight made me pause. It a short woman with a green dress on and she held a wrap around her mouth.

"Excuse me." She said to someone and gave a laugh. Her voice was awful and very familiar. I started thinking back, trying to figure out who the person was and watched as a thin woman followed the short one rather quickly. I frowned. It couldn't be….it had to be….. I ran after the pair of 'women' as they practically fled towards the gift room. I made it there as they did. It was there was no doubt now, it had to be….

"Abis Mal!" I shouted and the thief jumped and whirled around.

"How did you know?" He whined and glared at him, folding my arms across my chest.

"What are you doing in here?" I demanded and he jerked off the false outfit, revealing his usual garb. Beside him Haroud did the same and I took note of where he was standing.

"Meet you're match, Zorro!" Iago screamed suddenly and we all jumped. I looked around Abis Mal and watched Iago swing one of the golden scepters at a blue cloaked figure. I recognized him as the same man I had run into before the wedding and was sure it was him when he spoke.

"Good birdie. Polly want a little-"

"Say 'cracker' and I'll let you have it on principal!" Iago snarled. Before he could react the figure lifted Iago and plucked him off the scepter.

"You have a lot of spirit," The man stated and taking Iago shoved him down in a golden vase. "-And a lot of mouth."

"Hey!" I shouted and the thief looked up at me. "That's my parrot!" The man looked at me and I spotted out of the corner of my eye, Abis making his way over to a table.

"Sorry, boy." The deep voiced man stated and then he narrowed his eyes at something behind me. I yelped as someone grabbed the back of my shirt and lifted me off the ground.

"I thought it was you." A voice breathed and I froze. "I wasn't sure before...But I should have known you'd survive." I could see that Abis, Haroud, and the hooded man were eyeing me, wondering why my eyes were wide with terror. I suddenly wished that I had stayed in the other room with Al and Genie. It was a voice that I had tried to forget. Tried to remove from my mind and it still filled me with dread. My world spun and I was faced with my worst nightmare. The man my mother ran off with. Husam.

"Well, it really is the little jinx." He stated coolly and I gulped loudly. He hadn't changed since the last time I had seen him. His dark brown eyes still held the same coldness as before and his long black hair framed his face and came to his stubble covered chin. the only big difference I saw were the streaks of grey in his hair.

"What's the matter?" He mocked. "Don't you remember me?"

"Y-yes." I spoke and then tried to get out of his grip. "Let me go." He ignored my struggles and chuckled.

"Looks like you're doing well." He grinned and he looked at me closely. "I do wonder how you lived. I was sure you'd die in the streets like the little rat you are."

"Husam." The hooded man spoke. "How do you know this boy?"

"You took my mother!" I shouted at him, drawing Husam's face back to me "You took her away from me! You made everyone hate me!"

"You did that yourself!" Husam snarled back. "Everyone already thought it! I just made it official." He frowned a moment and then his eyes lit up. "Are some nobleman's adopted son? You're dressed like one. I bet we could get gold for this little brat." I glared and started to kick out at him.

"Ala-" I yelled and he quickly pulled me back against him, his hand covering my mouth. Abis Mal and Haroud were gone and I could see where they had taken treasure. Husam then spoke to the hooded man. "What do you say, your highness?" Your highness? Oh, it's the King Thieves!

"We're not here for that." He replied, looking at me with slight curiosity. "We cannot afford to take him in case this doesn't go over well."

"He could be what we could use if this fails. How do we even know the oracle is here?" I had no idea what he was talking about, but I didn't like being this close to the man who literally ruined my life.

"I know it is." The man replied and he frowned. "Do you doubt me?" Husam didn't answer and the King continued.

"You better let the boy go, Husam. We can't take him with us. You know I don't allow unnecessary risks." I heard loud scuffing outside the room and the man frowned. "The others are pulling out." He stated and then sighed. "Let the boy go. We'll tie him up so that he doesn't go running." I punched Husam the first chance I got and he cursed letting me go. I rolled out of the way of both him and the King and took off at a run toward the pile of gold in the corner. I snatched a golden sword and turned in time to hold it out at my pursuers.

"You're sure that's wise, boy?" The King of Thieves asked, his eyes twinkling. "Crossing blades with the King of Thieves?"

"I can handle it." I stated and he arched an eyebrow amusedly.

"Is that a fact?"

"You get away from me." I snarled as Husam stepped closer to my left. The King eyed the man and frowned.

"Go and see about the others. Leave the boy be." He said in a commanding tone and Husam cast me a glare before leaving. I watched the man leave and once he was gone, I relaxed slightly. The King cocked his head to one side.

"How do you know, Husam?"

"Let's just say that my life turned out the way it started because of him." He nodded and then said:

"You can put that sword down now, boy." The King stated kindly. "He's gone."

"You're still here." I pointed out. "And you attacked my best friend."

"My apologies. I had no idea, he was yours."

"Yeah, well…hey!" I shouted as he wandered away from me to go back to digging through the treasure. He finally stopped digging and lifted something.

"At last." He murmured, looking at the object in his hands in wonderment, and I saw movement from the corner of my eye. I had been wrong in assuming that Abis left. The fat, bumbling thief was still sifting through treasure his already full bag waiting at the door. I should have realized that he wouldn't leave so early. Greedy thief. I looked from the King to Abis Mal trying to consider what I was going to do about the two of them. Haroud was waiting around for his boss, digging through a few gifts himself and I spotted the Odiferian bag of cheese. I grinned wickedly as I saw that the cheese bag looked the same as Abis Mal's gold filled one. I left the King to reminisce on the wedding object and made my way over to the thief.

"Phew! At least he didn't get this bag!" I said loudly gaining everyone's attention. "If Abis had gotten this one, he would have become richer than the Sultan."

"Give me that!" He shouted and I faked a gasp.

"What are you doing here? No, don't touch that!" He snatched the bag from me and grinned.

"Ha ha! Now I, Abis Mal, will become the ruler of Agrabah!" He tugged on the bag and started toward the door, the smell having not hit him yet. I could tell that Haroud was suspicious but when he heard Al calling my name, he high-tailed it towards the door. The King watched me with amusement and once the two were gone, leaving behind the real bag of gold, he chuckled.

"That was clever boy." He praised and I shrugged.

"Well, it was Abis Mal. There really isn't any challenge."

"Alaric! Where are you?" I heard my name being called and the King eyed me.

"Alaric? That's an odd name. But it suits you." He said and then something knocked him to the ground.

"Alaric!"

Review? Did you like who I added in?