Sorry, it's been so long! I've struggled with this chapter for a while and I hope I did okay! Please enjoy!

Bookworm Gal: Thanks for the review and yes, those two would be the most likely to make contact. Thank you again!

Disney owns everyone but Alaric. This chap is based somewhat on the video game Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge.

Chapter 21: Hourglass part 1

Nasira had given him instructions on where to go. His problem however, was that the 'small' oasis she described was actually more like a wild jungle that was in front of the pyramid. Alaric stumbled through the blushes and lush grass that grew way above his head and he frowned at his green surroundings. Finding a key in this mess would be harder than it looked. A golden key in the shape of a scarab beetle was somewhere out there and that was what he needed to get into the pyramid. Alaric gulped at the sight of something shifting in the grass ahead and a small whimper came from him as a long snake slithered past.

"Ahh!" Alaric screamed as it lifted its head to hiss at him and within seconds he was gone from the spot, running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Jafar chuckled as Alaric ran from him and he slowly moved back into his normal form. Standing completely upright, he strode towards a pool of water that was just beyond a few palm trees and waved a hand at the water.

"Jafar." Nasira's voice came through in a sharp tone. "You seem to have scared off our little friend." Jafar feigned innocence.

"Did I? How dreadful." Nasira's eyes flashed.

"Do not forget that we need the boy to keep Aladdin and his friends in line. He must bring the hourglass to me, for he is the only one who can touch it, other than those wretched fools." Jafar frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"I do not forget, dear sister." He snapped. "I was merely shooing the boy in the right direction, it's a wonder that he made it this far in."

"Are you not the one who told me not to underestimate the street rat?" She mocked and her brother bristled. "Remember the plan."

"Yes, yes." Jafar snapped impatiently. "I will make sure the boy gets the key." He made the image of his sister disappear and then disappeared in a puff of red smoke to follow where Alaric had fled too.

Carpet took his many passengers across the desert and he lowered them down into the oasis like jungle at the edge of the great pyramid. Alaric, who was running from the reptile at the moment, ran by them and the boy whipped his head around to see them.

"Alaric!" Aladdin called and the boy's eyes widened before dodging into the bushes behind him. "No, Alaric, wait!"

"Well so much for sneakin' up on the kid." Iago drawled and Aladdin frowned.

"What are we going to do now, Al?" Genie asked flying near Carpet as he wrung his hands nervously. "Shorty went on in there." Aladdin sighed.

"We have to follow him." He stated and Jasmine took his hand.

"Its okay, Aladdin. We'll get Alaric back."

"Well, first we have to actually sneak up on him." Iago muttered and Genie shifted.

"Err, how exactly are we going to do this?"

"I-I don't know yet." Aladdin murmured and Rasoul snorted. "Do you have an idea Rasoul?"

"Like don't call his name out?" Iago stated before Rasoul could and Aladdin rolled his eyes.

"I had too. He looked….scared…"

"I'm sure he was only startled by us." The Sultan offered, but his voice wavered a bit in uncertainty. "Maybe?"

"You're probably right, Sultan." Aladdin told him and the ruler smiled a bit.

"Do you really think so?" He asked and Jasmine hugged him.

"Yeah," Aladdin agreed. "Which is why Iago and Carpet should go to him." Abu pouted at being left out, but Aladdin pointed out that Alaric had seen him before. The little monkey sighed and Iago gazed at Aladdin.

"What if the kid doesn't want to talk to me?"

"Just keep him still long enough for us to find him then." Genie patted Iago. "The kid might like you. He already likes Rug-man." Iago shrugged.

"I suppose it's worth a try, but I ain't gonna lie, Al. I don't think it was us the kid was runnin' from." Al heaved a sigh.

"Everyone just keep on their toes…just in case."

"Yes, sir!" Genie shouted and dressed in a pink tutu, he danced about the sand, pirouetting on the tips of his toes and leaping with grace, until he tripped. The group rolled their eyes at the same time; although the Sultan and Jasmine giggled a bit. Aladdin sighed with a head shake at Genie. The odd things he did….

"Alright, rug move it!" Iago snapped. "We've got a kid to find!" Carpet saluted him and before the parrot could protest he was grabbed and taken into the trees.

"What the heck is wrong with that Aladdin guy?" Alaric muttered to himself. "Can't he take a hint?" He took a flying leap on a large rock that was just off the side of the bank he stood on and climbed up to the top. There he spotted the other large stones in the water that would take him from one side to the next. "Jafar was right about that persistent guy." Alaric made another leapt and clutched at the smooth stone as he began to slip backwards towards the water. He had never learned to swim and so, he was deathly afraid of water just as he was with the reptiles. He scrambled up finally, red-cheeked from the heat of the dying sun and the strain of climbing up the rock. He stood up shakily, tired from all the running and jumping, but he wasn't about to give up yet.

He took yet another jump and yelped as he barely missed the rock. His fingers slid down the rock surface as he desperately dug to find a way to keep from hitting the water below.

"No!" Alaric yelped and he shut his eyes as he waited for the cool impact of water. It never came. He opened an eye to find that he was being flown to the other side of the large pool of water. He was set down gently and the boy turned to see who had caught him. "Carpet!" He cried, his eyes dancing with happiness. "It's you!" He hugged the rug closely and Carpet patted him back.

"I knew you wouldn't leave me!" Guilt coursed through Carpet as Alaric clung to him nervously. "Carpet this place is awful! I've run into snakes, sticky mud, and those slippery rocks!"

"Snakes!?" A voice cried out in horror and Alaric whipped his tousled head around to see a red and blue parrot sitting on the top of a small palm tree. Alaric pulled from Carpet and turned his head to the side.

"Did you just talk?" He asked with slight curiosity and excitement. Iago had to remind himself very quickly that Alaric didn't remember him; otherwise he would have been very rude.

"Yes, I did." He answered back and Alaric beamed at him.

"Wow, a real talking parrot! This is amazing!" He turned to Carpet only to find that the rug wasn't as amazed as he was. He frowned. "Do you know him, Carpet?" The rug nodded. Alaric looked back at Iago with sad eyes.

"Are you running from those people too?" He asked quietly and Iago shifted. How in the world did he answer that without scaring off the kid?

"Err, um, yeah, yeah I am." He said quickly and Alaric nodded.

"They'd do anything for a quick buck, wouldn't they? I hate them." Oh, no, Iago thought, here comes the hate word again… Alaric kicked some sand with his bare toes and scowled at the ground. "But don't worry," he looked back up at Iago and Carpet. "I won't let them take you. You're safe with me." Iago groaned under his breath. Now what did he do? If Aladdin came right then, Alaric might attack him! In fact the boy was already wound up, crouching on the ground with a savage look on his face. Carpet looked at the parrot and mimicked flying away. Iago shook his head. It wouldn't do good to leave now.

"What's your name?" The boy asked suddenly, losing his angry and wild look. "I'm Alaric." Iago sighed.

"Iago." He heaved a sigh as he spoke and Alaric gave him a look that wasn't at all unlike that night he came back to the palace from saving Aladdin in the marketplace.

"Do you want to be my friend too?"

"Yeah, sure." Iago stated, feeling slightly guilty as Alaric grinned excitedly.

"Wow two friends in one day! I must be the luckiest kid in the world!" He exclaimed before his mood slipped again and he was now looking despairingly at the ground. "Unless my bad luck comes back….then you'll both leave me." Iago could hear and see the loneliness that Alaric was feeling and Iago and Carpet both wished that the boy would just remember them.

The trio made their way into the small sand dunes past where they had stood moments ago and came to a large hole in the ground. A thin web stretched across the surface of it covering the entire hole. Iago got a bad feeling as he usually did about spider webs and shivered.

"I don't like this place." He stated instantly, and Alaric frowned at the web.

"I don't either, but I have to find the key and I think it might be around here." Iago sighed.

"I knew you were going to say that."

Alaric walked up to the web, looking at it in curiosity. Iago and Carpet hung back nervously, both looking around the seemingly empty area.

"Where's Al?" The parrot asked. "He should have found us by now." Carpet shook his head wildly and Iago fell off him. "Calm down! I'm sure he's around here someplace!" Iago shouted and then grumbled under his breath. "At least he better be…"

"I found it! I found the key!" Alaric called and the parrot and Iago and Carpet turned back to him. He was pointing down at the hole and the two flyers flew over to see. The hole was not as deep as they first thought it was and only went down a foot or two and lying at the bottom was a shiny golden key half-buried in the sand. The web was not as flimsy as it had appeared either for it was thicker than any they had seen before. Iago's eyes widened at the sight of the golden key and he practically drooled over it, while Carpet watched Alaric to see what he would do. Iago felt Carpet tapping him wildly on the shoulder and frowned as he looked up.

"What?" He snapped and then gasped. Alaric was attempting to walk across the web! "No, kid, don't!" He hollered and Alaric looked at him.

"I have to. It's the only way to get it." Alaric continued to tightrope walk the web towards the center of it and then reached the middle. Alaric got on his hands and knees preparing to reach down for the key. However, he found that he was now stuck on all fours.

"Hurry up, kid!" Iago called and Alaric growled.

"I can't!"

"Why not?" Iago asked, dreading what he'd say.

"…I'm stuck…" Iago groaned and he flew up.

"Let's get him loose." Carpet flew after him and they came to a stop over Alaric. "Can you get a hand loose or somethin'?"

"No, I can't move at all." Carpet panicked and started tugging on the back of Alaric's vest. The rug pulled and pulled, but it was going to take more hands to get him free. Iago was about to go and get Aladdin when something caught his attention. Looking up, he saw with horror as the sand dune directly in front of them shifted slowly. Sand fell as the sands moved and Iago gaped as something moved up and up from the pile of sand. Twelve black eyes glittered and Iago bit back a scream of terror as an enormous green and black spider emerged fully, standing at least seven feet tall. So the parrot instead, fainted. Iago fell onto Alaric's back and the boy and rug both looked up in terror.

"AHHH!"

Aladdin was the first to hear the cry from Alaric and once the screaming continued, this time with Iago, so did everyone else. Worried and fearful they ran off in the direction of the sound and came out from the tall grass to see a giant spider, Alaric trapped on a web, Iago cowering on Alaric's back, and Carpet tugging on the boy. Jasmine gasped as did the Sultan, but Rasoul only narrowed his eyes. He was suspicious of where the giant arachnid had come from. Genie and Aladdin looked at one another and then each nodded.

"I'll get shorty." Genie stated.

"I'll take care of the spider." Aladdin answered and without a word to the others near him, he ran out of the grass, sword at his side with Genie trailing behind him. Jasmine and Abu frowned at being left behind, but at the moment no one what to do. Rasoul grumbled under his breath and stalked from the bushes to help Aladdin.

Genie flew over to where Alaric, Iago, and Carpet were and immediately Carpet sprung up and pointed at the boy.

"Don't worry, I'll get him."

"That's what worries us!" Iago squawked. "Where's Al?"

"Here, Iago." The bird looked to him and sighed with relief before scowling.

"It's about time!" Aladdin just rolled his eyes at Iago.

"You!" Alaric yelled. "Go away!" The boy yelled at Genie who looked rather upset now. Carpet shook a tassel at Alaric and pointed at Genie. Alaric frowned. "I know you're friends with him, Carpet. But I don't trust him. Jafar said he and that Aladdin guy were trouble." Aladdin frowned at being called 'that Aladdin guy' but he couldn't do anything about it at the moment. The spider was still getting rid of sand.

"No, no, short man. We're the good guys." Genie stated in a soothing voice, keeping a gaze on the spider that was now starting to move forward. "But we'll talk about that later, right now I need to get you out of here." He came forward again and Alaric flinched as Genie took hold of him. The spider hissed loudly and attempted to snap its large purple mandibles at Genie, making the jinni jump back out-of-the-way.

"Hang on, Genie!" Aladdin called and he and Rasoul exchanged head nods. Each went on either side of the web covered pit and they started towards the spider, weapons at the ready. The spider hissed and screeched as it had to dodge back from the pointy objects. While it was busy with Aladdin and Rasoul, Genie tried again and Carpet pulled Iago to safety. Genie put his hands under Alaric's arms and hefted him up. However, the web was stickier than he anticipated and only succeeded in bouncing Alaric.

"Now what you need is a bit of a trimming." Genie stated and taking a large pair of scissors he cut Alaric free. The boy was about to fall into the small hole and reached out to take the key, but Genie caught him and tugged him up.

"Wait!" He cried as Genie toted him far above the scene. "The key! I have to get it!" Genie sighed as Alaric flailed against him.

"We'll get the key after the spider goes away, okay short man?"

"Why do you call me that?" Alaric asked turning to look at Genie. "It…seems…familiar." Genie smiled sadly. "Do I know you?"

"Well, actually y-"

"Genie, look out!" Aladdin yelled and he looked up in time to get hit with a flying web. He dropped Alaric as he flew back into the sand below and Alaric fell towards the ground with a yelp. Carpet tried to fly up and catch him, but the spider slung Aladdin and Rasoul on top of him and Iago.

"Ahh!" Iago squawked as everyone slammed into him. Aladdin rolled off and turned around.

"Alaric!" He cried as Alaric fell down into the pit. The web snapped when he landed on it and everyone went silent except the spider that was making its way towards the fallen humans. Aladdin shook his head in shock as Alaric never moved and everyone gasped. "No!" He yelled. "Alaric!" The spider jumped at them and in a rage of anger, Aladdin jumped up and stabbed the giant arachnid in the gut with a loud cry. With a loud squeal it went down and hit the ground with a thud and it disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

Rasoul meanwhile was cutting the web from Genie and when that was done the jinni popped up beside Aladdin. Jasmine, Abu, and the Sultan came out from the grass and ran over to stand near Aladdin, who hadn't taken his eyes off the spot Alaric had landed.

"Is he…"Jasmine trailed off and Aladdin started shaking his head.

"I-I don't know…"

"I got it!" A voice shouted and everyone jumped. Alaric popped up from the hole and held up the key triumphantly. "I got the key!" Iago glared at him.

"What the heck! We thought you were dead!" Alaric climbed out of the hole and looked at them in shock.

"You-you thought I was…"He trailed off and then scowled. "Why do you care?" He was defensive now, anger emitting from him. "Why are you following me?"

"Calm down, Rick. Let me explain-" Aladdin began but Alaric frowned.

"Don't call me that! Who do you think you are?" He demanded and Aladdin took a step forward.

"Alaric-"

"No! You don't know me!"

"I do! And so do they!" Aladdin shouted back, angry at both the interruptions and the fact that Alaric wasn't remembering them. Alaric narrowed his eyes and backed in the hole. Aladdin mentally slapped himself for scaring Alaric off and tried to call him back, but he refused so with a 'don't come closer.' Jasmine walked forward.

"Don't be afraid." She started soothingly. "We only want to help you." Alaric, having never seen Jasmine before, stopped backing away and his face flushed.

"Err, you're talking to me?" He asked and she giggled.

"Of course I am."

"But, but you're…"

"But I'm what?"

"Pretty." Alaric muttered, face flustered and Jasmine smiled.

"Thank you," She giggled and Iago rolled his eyes.

"Oh, jeez." Iago muttered and Genie shushed him.

"Won't you come closer?" Jasmine asked, holding her hand out to him. Alaric shifted. "I won't hurt you."

"I don't think you should." The boy murmured and Jasmine sighed sadly.

"I guess you won't help me then." She turned away from Alaric and put her back to him. Alaric faltered. "I was hoping you would." Aladdin arched an eyebrow at her, but she smirked and held up a finger.

"Help you?" Alaric repeated and Aladdin smiled as he took a step closer to them. "You need my help?"

"If you would…."

"With what? I-I could help." Jasmine turned to him.

"Would you help us?"

"I'll help you. But not them." He pointed at Aladdin and Genie. "Jafar says they're dangerous." Aladdin's face fell slightly as did Genie's, but Alaric took no notice. Jasmine only smiled grimly.

"What do you need help with?" Alaric asked curiously and Jasmine motioned for him to come closer. Alaric obeyed, but stayed out of reach from all of them.

"We need to get inside the pyramid and find the hourglass."

"Oh…Well…See I've already promised someone else that I'd bring her the hourglass. She'd be disappointed if I don't come through with it." Alaric stated, shifting his foot in the sand. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

"Don't you see?" Jasmine asked. "She won't help you, Alaric. She's not good."

"Of course she is. At least she was to me." He looked away and his voice grew smaller. "The first person to be nice to me." Jasmine bit her lip.

"Alaric, please listen to me. We are your friends. She's only using you."

"No, that's not true." Alaric stated, backing up again. "I'm sorry, but I can't…" He turned and fled into the bushes before anyone could call out.

"Well, that worked out well." Iago grumbled aloud and of course was ignored.

"There's only one last chance to get to him." Aladdin murmured.

"Then let's catch up." Rasoul growled and they all ran after Alaric each hoping that eventually he'd remember them.

Onward to the pyramid! Please read and review! It's much appreciated!