I would like to send a big thanks to the Internet – for without it's vast knowledge this chapter wouldn't be as awesome…because I was forced to look each and every 'Aladdin' villain and it wasn't fun because there sure are a helluva lot. – Zerosoul
All's fair in love and sorcery; chapter ten: "VENASG"
When Sadira was a little girl – she had always hoped and dreamed that she would marry a handsome prince that would cart her away from the lowly and cold life of an orphan wretch and bathe her in happiness and jewelry and anything else she could think of. Of course, years had demolished this dream and soon a new dream of being a powerful sorceress was erected in its place, but still, the dream remained even though reality had sunk it.
Sadira knew the facts: She was a peasant. She was aggressive and always took what she wanted and didn't bother waiting like a proper lady should. She had been a street-rat and still acted like it. She had no magic blue genie, no monkey, no parrot, no magic carpet that was her friend, and no Cave of Wonders. All she had was her spells, a wit to survive, and schooling from the academy of hard knocks.
'He was blushing,' Sadira realized and this was what brought up her thoughts and her dreams.
It was barely dusk. Mozenrath and her were sitting by a fire. They had found a rocky valley – which was cooler than the dry, hot desert – and set up camp for the night in there. Low winds blew in it, but there was nothing to shield them since all they had was a carpet. Mozenrath and Sadira sat on the carpet – next to each other but distance between them.
'It was hot though,' Sadira thought, 'he was probably flushed from the heat,'
And with that thought, Sadira ruled out the idea of Mozenrath being attracted to her.
"This place is a wasteland," Mozenrath finally commented, "There's nothing out here. No villages, no homes, no civilization–"
"No food…" whined Xerxes.
"You're an animal. You can gohunt for food," Sadira said.
"Xerxes never hunts," Mozenrath said, "Animals see him as prey more than predator,"
Sadira's stomach growled. She eyed Xerxes – times of starving in the streets of Agrabah caused her to not be choosy about what she ate as long as it was food and not poisonous. Xerxes whimpered when he saw Sadira and hid behind Mozenrath.
"Don't even think about it," Mozenrath growled, "This is my only lackey. Go eat something else,"
"What else?" Sadira grumbled, "There's nothing out here,"
"I'm sure there's a lizard or a scorpion somewhere," Mozenrath commented. He was feeling hunger pains too, but he could wait out longer. Unlike Sadira, he was a picky eater.
Sadira concentrated on the fire. She yawned and looked at Mozenrath, "Let me use your cape,"
"My cape?" Mozenrath asked.
"Yeah, your cape. You're not using it," Sadira said.
"I am using it," Mozenrath said. It was getting cold – minute by minute – as it always did in the desert after the sun was down. Extreme heat and extreme cold – that was desert life. He was wrapped up in his cloak, trying to keep warm, and he wasn't about to share.
"Well, we can share! It's big enough for the two of us!" Sadira said.
"I don't think so," Mozenrath said, "and you have your own cape. Why not use yours?"
"Because mine isn't warm and as big as yours! Mine is more…you know…decorative,"
The idea of Sadira being close to him…as they shared the cape as a blanket…being so close…so warm…so soft…and…so…He felt blood rush back to his face and looked away from Sadira as he could feel his heart starting to quicken in pace.
"I don't like being touched," Mozenrath murmured.
'Is he blushing again…?' Sadira thought. She couldn't see well, because Mozenrath was hiding his face and the lighting was poor. She folded her arms, "Oh, don't start that again! I'm giving you free transportation! The least you could do is offer me your cape! Didn't anyone ever teach you how treat a lady?"
Mozenrath looked Sadira up and down, "What lady?"
Five miles away, a man in the shadows stated to his companions that he had heard shouting come from the valley. His companions ignored him.
Five miles back, Mozenrath was nursing a black eye and Sadira was happily snuggled in his cape (which she took from him after she punched him in the eye).
'What ever possessed me to say that?' Mozenrath thought.
Times like this make him wish he had learned about that time travelling spell so that he could prevent problems like this. He tugged at his cape and sat next to Sadira, feeling to cold coming on, but he couldn't sleep. Sadira was too close and it was hard to distance himself from her when they had to share the space of the cape.
'Note to self: bigger cape,' Mozenrath thought.
He was still red-faced and this situation was making the blushing worse. Not only that but now he was nervous to add onto it. Soon, the fire died out and Sadira and him were left in the dark. Sadira had apparently fallen asleep.
'That girl could sleep through Armageddon,' he thought. He was a light sleeper.
After some hours of staring in the dark, counting sheep backwards and forwards, and other stupid attempts to try and focus on other things besides his beating heart and the touch of Sadira's skin against his own, although her back was turned to him.
A twig snapped and something moved in the bushes.
Mozenrath stirred – fully awake again just when drowsiness had begun to settle in. He heard light footsteps coming towards them. He braced himself for a fight when Sadira began to wake up, muttering something to herself. She sat up and looked around and – like Mozenrath – realized they weren't alone.
"Why does this always happen when I'm sleeping?" Sadira grumbled.
Mozenrath scoffed and murmured a fire spell. The dead fire flared up with light and the intruders were bathed in an orange-red glow. The intruders hissed and drew back like something out of a H.G. Wells novel. They were ragged, strange looking figures.
"What are they?" whispered Sadira, "They look like mole people,"
"I don't think so," said Mozenrath, "They look more like homeless men…" Upon further inspection, he recognized some of them. "Abis Mal? Mechanicles?"
"You know the mole people?" asked Sadira.
"They're not mole-people," Mozenrath said, "they're men who attacked Agrabah,"
"Gods! It's Mozenrath!" said Abis Mal. He hadn't changed over the years. Still short, ugly, and dumb as he ever was, but ragged like the rest of them. He peered over; "…with…some prostitute apparently…"
Sadira chose this moment to zap the man with lightning. Abis Mal laid on the ground, his body twitching every few minutes.
"That's madam sorceress, you blundering idiot," Sadira huffed. She folded her arms, "Now somebody better tell me what's going on before I decide to cast that spell again,"
"Fear not!" stated Mechanicles; "We are nothing but a humble group of homeless men,"
"Obviously," said Mozenrath.
"But our saviors have come!" said Mechanicles. He turned to the other men, "Rejoice!"
"Huzzah!" chanted the man in cult-fashion.
"Saviors…?" said Xerxes.
"Yes, you ugly little eel-thing – our saviors!" said Mechanicles, turning to Mozenrath and Sadira.
"Since when were we saviors?" asked Sadira.
"Why, you've done what we couldn't do!" said Mechanicles.
"You've destroyed Agrabah at last!" said one.
"Conquered Aladdin and left him for dead!" said another.
"Killed the annoying Genie!" said one more.
"Well, it's wasn't like that," said Sadira.
"Come and revel with us in the spoils of victory!" said Mechanicles, "We have food, drink, wine, water, entertainment – anything for our saviors!"
Mozenrath and Sadira looked at each other.
"What kind of food?" Mozenrath asked.
Mechanicles and Abis Mal (who soon recovered from the electric shock) led their two saviors deep into the rocky valley to reveal a secret passageway underground. It was a series of caverns and it had been dug away and chipped to make a small city. There were even little shops and homes. Sadira and Mozenrath both looked around.
"What is this place?" Sadira asked.
"Why it's the place for all members of VENASG!" said Abis Mal.
"Vensnag?" asked Xerxes.
"What's a 'vensnag'?" asked Mozenrath.
"Sounds like some sort of animal or fruit…" Sadira speculated.
"No, no, no!" said Mechanicles, "Not 'vensnag', 'VENASG'! It's an acronym for Villains, Enemies, and/or Nemeses of Agrabah Support Group. After Aladdin finished defeating all of us – we had no place to go, so I started this place up to help fellow villains and villainesses,"
There was a lot of old enemies of Agrabah down in the caves. Although Sadira didn't recognize most of them, Mozenrath did. There was Frajhid the Ice Efreet (melted and hopping around in a bucket of water), Haroud (who was peeling the dead skin off of Abis Mal), various Imps, Caliph Kapok (who was still just a head), and various others.
"I am pleased at our savior's presence but I have one question for you, Mozenrath," said Mechanicles, "I heard you lost your powers and your citadel collapsed years ago…so what are you still doing here?"
Mozenrath glared at him. "…none of your business," He said in a poisonous tone.
Sadira, in the meantime, had found food and water and was enjoying herself.
"Who's the chick?" asked Abis Mal.
"An annoyance," said Mozenrath.
"Well, we have rooms and anything else our saviors want!" interrupted Mechanicles. He smiled, "Just tell me again – how did you destroy Agrabah?"
"In truth, it was an accident…" Mozenrath said.
Sadira settled down into the soft bed. After spending time sleeping on nothing but a thin carpet, it was a nice change.
"I still don't see why we have to share a room," Mozenrath said.
Sadira and Mozenrath were sharing a small room. Their beds were across from each other. There was a small window in the upper corner of the room letting in dull moonlight.
"You think I'm thrilled about it either?" answered Sadira. She looked at him, "I would rather gag than have to spend another night with you but there's only so much space in an underground cavern!"
"The feeling is mutual, midget," said Mozenrath.
At hearing this, Sadira jumped from her bed to Mozenrath's and whacked him with a pillow. Mozenrath, who was expecting the attack, received it.
"I am not a midget! I am petite, you stupid pretty boy!" Sadira yelled, standing on the bed.
"Stop calling me that!" Mozenrath said, whacking her right back with his pillow, "Everyone already has the wrong idea about us!"
"What wrong idea?" asked Sadira, smacking him again. She gagged, "Oh gods…they can't possibly think I'm attracted to you!"
"And they can't think I'm attracted to you either!" Mozenrath said, smacking her again, "I would rather die than sleep with you!"
"I would rather have a black plague than sleep with you either!" Sadira answered.
The argument shifted from a very violent pillow fight to "I-can-top-that" challenge. In the room next door, a villainess named Fatima was plucking her eyebrow and thinking, 'What an abusive relationship…' Back in the room, Mozenrath and Sadira were still arguing.
"Why do you insist on arguing with me day and night?" Mozenrath demanded.
"WHAT! You started it!" Sadira said.
"I am tired of bickering with you like a child," Mozenrath answered, "so get off of my bed so that I can sleep!" Sadira snorted and stuck out her tongue at Mozenrath. "Oh, that's mature…" he grumbled.
"I may not be mature but I know how to have fun, Mr. Sourpuss!" Sadira replied and laid down on her bed.
Mozenrath would have protested but that would have started a whole new argument and he didn't have the energy at the moment. He laid down and soon feel asleep.
"Hey, buddy!" said the Inner Teenager, "How's the hottie going?"
Mozenrath turned to see the Inner Teenager floating around in the blank-space of the dream he was in. Mozenrath grumbled something and sat down in the mist.
"That woman irritates me," Mozenrath said, "and she drains me of all my energy,"
"Love will do that to you," answered the Inner Teenager. He was humming a happy tune. Mozenrath hated happy tunes. He also hated the Inner Teenager and those pictures of Mirage that were blackmailing him. He hated the whole situation.
"We are complete opposites," said Mozenrath, "we'll never get along,"
"Don't be glum!" said the Inner Teenager; "All you need to do is find something you have in common! C'mon! Name at least one thing!"
"There is nothing," Mozenrath answered.
"Aw, don't be pathetic!" said the Inner Teenager. He sighed and began the list: "You're both into magic, for one thing. You both know Aladdin…"
"Used to know him," Mozenrath corrected.
"…and you destroyed Agrabah together! You two make quite a team! Maybe if you guys should pair up and destroy some more civilizations!" said the Inner Teenager, "Not to mention that you're being worshipped for desturction right in this cozy spot! Why not throw a party, drink some wine, sleep with her –"
"I will do no such thing!" Mozenrath yelled.
"Hey, buddy, it's your funeral," said the Inner Teenager. He looked serious, "Just remember who's got the pictures,"
Mozenrath growled, "…I…hate…you!"
Mozenrath woke up and it was dawn again. He grumbled and squeezed his eyes shut – he could sense a headache coming on.
Will Mozenrath talk to Sadira? Will the Inner Teenager force him to relive the horror of the naked Mirage pictures? Will he ever get laid? Why am I asking you this? - Zerosoul