Hello, everyone please enjoy!

Genie Hunt part 1

"Rajah, stop!" I yelped as the great tiger ran along the palace floor. I clung onto the rope we had used to get him into the room we had just left, and he was dragging me down the hallway! The cat was supposed be getting a bath, but he was like house cats in that he disliked getting a bath. Don't get me wrong he likes to swim, it's getting washed and having his teeth brushed that he hated. And now he was on the run.

"Rajah! Whoa! Stop!" I cried again as I slid left and right, trying to keep hold of the rope. Rajah skidded down the hall and the rope made a popping noise as it whipped to the side. I hit the wall and Rajah took off again. "Al! Genie!" No one answered and I kept getting pulled along my stomach. Rajah's claws scrapped along the ground and we slid into another room. Suddenly Rajah came to a halt and I slid up under him and back out again until I was at someone's feet.

"Alaric, are you okay?" I looked up from the feet and glared at the speaker. Al was beaming at me a scrub brush in one hand behind his back. He didn't look too concerned at all.

"No! Why didn't you help me?" I demanded

"I was waiting for him to come running in here. Now go shut the door."

"I always have to do everything." I muttered and getting up from the ground went over to the door and shut it. Rajah heard the click and growled lowering himself to the ground and I grinned at Al's suddenly not so smug expression.

"I can handle this, guys…I think." Carpet shook a tassel behind him and I agreed with the rug.

"Where's Genie?"

"I can do it." Al said crossly and I rolled my eyes. Carpet tapped a 'foot' impatiently. "Come on, Rajah, you gotta take a bath. You reek." The tiger looked offended and then growled low. Suddenly there was puff of smoke and there was Genie. And he was clad in protective gear which consisted of all kinds of sport gear.

"Stand aside, mortal." He said to Al. "Let a fearless professional handle this."

"A fearless professional what?" Al laughed aloud and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, you're a riot, Al." Genie stated dryly as he pushed down the protective hockey face mask. "Now, listen, Raj-man." Genie stated to the tiger who was eyeing him warily. "I know what you're going through, water and cats don't mix." He grabbed Rajah's head and looked at him as he spoke, trying to calm the tiger. As Rajah eyed him, he disappeared leaving his suit there. Genie reappeared near him, leaving Rajah to smell curiously of the outfit that was left.

"Soap is your friend." Genie said calmly. "And I'm your friend. So I won't need this." He made the safety objects go away and then grabbed Rajah around het middle. "Got ya!" He carried him over quickly, dropping him into the soapy watered tub. Rajah landed with a splash and Al and I had to shield ourselves from getting wet. Quickly Genie scrubbed Rajah was many brushes cleaning him thoroughly and Al and I snickered at the wet tiger. To retaliate to mine and Al's laughing Rajah sat up and shook like a dog spraying us with water.

Genie magically lifted Rajah from the tub and then turning into a large hairdryer he aimed at the cat. The force of the wind had Rajah's fur blowing almost off his bones and finally he was finished.

"C'est, fini." Genie told us and Al and I clapped. Rajah just looked at us with his puffed out fur.

"Bravo!" Al cheered and I grinned at Genie.

"Way to go!" I called and he beamed at us before zapping himself into a chair and half-moon spectacles.

"For more information on the care, feeding, and bathing of tigers, check your local library." He informed us and I laughed.

"Well done, Genie. Thanks." Al said as we came up to him. Genie grinned sheepishly at us.

"Ah, shucks. T'weren't nothin'." He rubbed the back of his neck and I patted him.

"You did great!"

"He still has to brush his teeth." Al stated and Genie slapped a hand to his face.

"You just want everything don't you?" He asked with a playful frown. Al just nodded. Genie went up to Rajah, who by now had caught on to what was going to happen to him and he looked warily at Genie as he approached.

"Say 'ahh'." Genie told him as he opened his mouth with one hand and with the other held a spinning machine. Rajah snarled loudly instead and Genie let go in a flash. "Ahh!" He screamed and his eyes bugged out before he went flying up into the ceiling, getting stuck. Al you could see were his legs dangling out. Al laughed loudly beside me, clutching at his sides.

"Ooh, some fearless professional." Al teased and I couldn't help but snicker.

"I was not scared!" Genie replied, though his voice was muffled by the ceiling. Al laughed again and Genie got himself down from the ceiling to stand before us. He glared at Al, peering over my head.

"Oh, come on, admit it!" Al scoffed. "You're eyes were this big!" Al showed Genie, by stretching his lids. Genie frowned deeper. "You were scared."

"Was not." Genie countered as he turned and folded his arms across his chest and I face palmed knowing what was coming.

"Were too."

"Was not."

"Were too."

"Was not."

"Was not." Al spoke quickly.

"Were too." Genie stated before he could realize his mistake. "Doh!" Al walked away still snickering and Rajah followed, obviously not wanting to stick around. Carpet flew by and patted Genie and me before following Al.

"I'm not scared of anything!" Genie called after Al, but he got no response.

"I know you're not scared Genie." I told him. "You're brave." He only grumbled at the door in response and I heaved a sigh.

"Genie! 'Laric!" I knew that voice without having to look and turned around in time get attacked by both Abu and Iago. "Genie, there's a muktaar in Agrabah!" Iago screamed and I arched an eyebrow. A what? I turned to Genie to see what he thought of this and I was suprised to see him look frightened.

"Ahh!" He screamed and I blinked at him. "A muktaar!" Genie dove under the rug in the floor and I turned to Iago and Abu who were eyeing Genie with skepticism. Both obviously thought he was going handle it better.

"Oh, man! muktaars are bad news! I thought they didn't exist anymore!"

"Yeah? Well, there's at least one left, pal, and he's looking for you!" Iago stated as

"Do you even know what a muktaar is?" Genie asked in a panicked tone and I shook my head.

"No."muktaar

"Yes!" Iago screeched. "They're creepy! And they…sniff you…"

"It smelled you?"

"Oh, sure, it's really fun. You should try it sometime." Iago snapped and I shrugged.

"Well, excuse me." I muttered and then turned to Genie. "Um, what is a muktaar?"

"They live to wipe out genies! They eat, sleep and breathe the extinction of genies! They're genie exterminators! Oh, why couldn't it be a seven-headed, fire breathing hydra! Those I can do. They confuse easily. Hand-eye coordination problems."

"It'll be okay, Genie." I said putting a hand on him.

"Oh, why me, what did I do?!" He wailed and I jumped, startled by his cry. "Why couldn't it be you, or you, or you?" He pointed at me, Abu, and Iago each. "I know you be a genie!" He dunked Iago into a bucket of blue paint and then tried to jam him into his lamp. Abu and I snickered.

"No way!" Iago screeched. "Ol' blue eyes isn't sniffin' my feathers twice!" He got out of the lamp and shook off the paint. "I'm tellin' Al. He'll protect us!" Iago pulled Abu towards the door. "Hey, move it, kid!" He shouted at me. "We ain't got all day!"

"Okay, okay!" I rolled my eyes.

"Great idea!" Genie shouted and then his smile faltered as I turned to him. "What am I saying? Al will think I'm a coward."

"No, he won't." I said, but Genie wasn't listening. Instead he blocked Iago and Abu from moving. "Guys," He started in light carefree tone. "Al and I have a relationship based upon a mutual respect." Iago and Abu exchanged looks. "Look, Aladdin won't respect me anymore if you tell him I'm afraid of a genie-hunting Muktaar. Trust me I can handle this."

"Oh, Al!" Iago called tugging Abu along again, definitely not believing him. Genie sighed.

"Okay, you force me to do this." He raised his hands and zapped Iago and Abu. I gaped at their disappearance.

"Genie! What did you do?"

"They were going to tell, Al. So I put them in the dudgeon." Genie stated and then he turned to me. "You won't go tell will you?" My eyes widened and I took an involuntary step back.

"Um, no, no, no. Of course not." I said quickly. I don't want him sending me down there! He started gathering all the furniture in the room as soon as I had spoken and I arched an eyebrow.

"Um, Genie?" I called, but he didn't hear him. In fact he was in such a hurry that he mistakenly grabbed me and tried to put me in the pile he had against the door! "Genie!" I hollered. He paused and blinked at me, before a sheepish look came to his face.

"Oops, sorry, short man." He set me down and patted his arm.

"Don't be afraid, Genie. I'll help you."He grinned at me and ruffled my hair. He tossed few more things and then stepped back to view his handiwork. The doorway was now blocked pretty high.

"Yup that oughta do it." Genie announced and with a nod at me we both turned. Genie gave a scream at what was behind us and I backed into him in shock. An odd creature stood before us and since Genie was shaking behind me, I was sure it was a muktaar. To me he looked like a lizard in people clothes, but he also looked really, dangerous. The muktaar beamed at us, smiling a bit like a reptile and I shivered in slight fear.

"Just the genie I've been searching for." He said in a smooth low, hissing voice.

"You leave Genie alone." I said and the creature barely gave me a glance. Genie grabbed me around the middle and started us backwards. The muktaar crouched low to the ground and my eyes widened as I realized it was planning on pouncing on us! It leap high in the air, higher than a man and I shrieked. I shut my eyes expecting to get slammed into, but when I opened my eyes I was facing a brick wall. I looked up at Genie and he was gulping at the wall. I turned to see a small window with thick bars and Genie leaned towards it to see if he could find the Muktaar.

"Ahhh!" I screeched as the muktaar stretched his arm through the bar in trying to grab at us as it hissed and snarled. Genie pulled us back out of reach of the thin fingers and I could see now why Genie was so afraid of these things. They were creepy!

"Genie, it can't get us can it?" I asked as he backed us all the way until out backs hit the wall of furniture. Genie looked down at me.

"No." He said quickly and then he looked up. "Ahh!" At his scream, I looked up in time to see two snapping little green things flying out from between the bars of the small window.

"What are those?" Genie and I cried at the same time and he quickly hauled me up the pile of furniture. We got to the top and then scrambled down the other side as the chomping creatures followed us down the hallway. We paused for a moment and Genie tried to ward them off with a plant. It didn't work. The creatures devoured the plant, so Genie and I kept running.

I turned to see if the creatures were still behind us and suddenly felt something around my middle. I yelped as Genie tossed me into the back of a red car he popped up had popped up with magic. I didn't have time to ask him what he was doing, as I scrambled to get upright in the seat, for his attention was on starting the car. Hearing a noise behind me I panicked.

"Genie!" I yelped as the chomping things moved even closer and turned to him. "Get going!"

"It won't start!" Genie shrieked in a panicked tone and truth is it scared me. If Genie was this scared there was no telling what was going to happen if that muktaar caught him. Suddenly he shrieked as the things showed up right behind us and abandoning the car, he took off with me again in tow.

"Have to hide, have to hide!" He chanted and I blinked as he made us teleport. I landed beside him on the Sultan's throne in the throne room and we paused for a second.

"I think we lost them." Genie gasped for air and I was about to nod with agreement when something caught my attention.

"Um, Genie?"

"Yeah?"

"You might want to reconsider what you just said." He looked up and instantly scrambled away, again keeping a grip on me, and he flew us through the hall. The chase was on. We went around the Sultan's toy room, the dining room (stopping once to hide under the table), and then through the dudgeon where I caught a glimpse of Iago and Abu. All the while we were dodging the muktaar's chomping creatures.

"No, get away!" Genie screamed at the things as we flew into Jafar's lab. We flew around the room and then he flew up a long winding flight of stairs. We burst into a room and he tossed me back on the load of pillows near the door as he started to block off the door with a bunch of locks. I looked over upside down to see Al, Rajah and Carpet eyeing us with confused looks and I raised a hand to them in greeting. Al arched an eyebrow at me and I grimaced.

"Phew." He murmured and started to back away from the door. Genie backed into Al and shrieked, once again getting trapped in the ceiling above.

"Something wrong, Fearless?" Al teased, finishing brushing Rajah's teeth. Genie popped out of the ceiling.

"Nooo. I was just, uh, checking for leaks!" He put a doctor's stethoscope on the ceiling and then nodded. "Oh, there's one now!" Genie floated down towards us then. "Yep, gotta report this to the Agrabanian counsel for Safer Ceilings." He saluted Al, who gave me a small glance. I knew what that look meant. It meant spill the facts now.

"Stay." Genie said to me and then he flew out the window and out of sight.

"Something's wrong. Let's check it out." Al stated and he went to the door to open it. Only to find that it was impossible to open. There was no handle. Al turned to me then.

"Alright. Spill. What's going on?"

"Okay, there is a muktaar after Genie and it wants to-"

"A what?"

"A muktaar and it wants to eliminate, Genie!" Al's eyes widened and we looked at Carpet. He was instantly at our sides.

"Let's go, Carpet!" Al yelled and the rug took no time in ship us off out the high window. But we got to the roof in time to see the muktaar jump off, Genie trapped in a lantern on its side.

"No, Genie!" I yelled and Al sighed irritably.

"We gotta find Genie and that… that thing."

"A muktaar." I muttered gloomy. "A genie-hunting muktaar." Al put a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, we'll get him back, okay?" I nodded and he smiled a bit.

"Hey!" We looked to see Iago and Abu come towards us and they got on Carpet. "Are we going after the muktaar?"

"Yep." I said and Iago shivered.

"Okay, just as long as it doesn't sniff me again. Ugh, what a creepy guy!" Abu chattered too and Al nodded.

"Carpet? After that muktaar." Al stated and Carpet flew us off into the dark.

"So where have you two been?" I asked Iago and Abu as we flew away from the palace. Both animals looked sheepish.

"Abu, Iago." Al warned and they gulped. "You two weren't stealing again were you?"

"No, we were, uh, just making a profit." Iago gulped again and Al started in on them. As he fussed at them, I got an idea looking at Abu.

"Hey, Al, I've got an idea." I said slyly and he turned to me.

Minutes later, I was running across the desert towards the muktaar. I almost doubled back towards Al once I caught a glimpse of its ride. It was a grotesque thing with a chicken/goat-like head and a lizard-like body that ran upright on two legs. It freaked me out, but I kept running determined to keep to my plan of distraction.

"Look out, Mister! Beware! There are bandits all over the place!" I cried in my innocent little boy voice. Genie beamed at me from inside the lantern and I tried not to look at him. The muktaar narrowed his eyes at me as it leapt from its ride.

"Bandits do not concern me, boy." It hissed and I shifted. As soon as I saw Carpet out of the corner of my eye, I regained the nerve to start again with the distraction.

"Oh, but these are ruthless bandits! They'll steal anything!" I cried again, as Abu reached for muktaar's lantern. "You have to be careful!" The Muktaar hissed at me again, not liking my argument.

"Hello!" Genie said to Abu and I slapped a hand to forehead as the muktaar turned to hiss at the little monkey as Aladdin pulled him and Genie back onto Carpet. The muktaar however grabbed the lantern and Abu was still holding on!

'Hello.' Abu chattered back to the muktaar.

"Hello!" Genie waved at the muktaar.

"Hello!" Iago called and he slipped the muktaar's cap over its head. At that moment Abu yanked Genie free and Iago lifted him and Genie by the handle of Genie's lantern. Al swooped down on Carpet to lift me off the ground as we started our getaway. We flew across the sands as the muktaar raced below us. Al grabbed the lantern from Iago and we kept going, flying past him as Carpet sped up.

"Aw, gee! Go! It's right behind me!" Iago screamed and I turned and pulled on towards us, turning to shove him up near Abu. A tightening on my ankle had me looking down before something jerked me backwards.

"Aladdin!" I cried as the muktaar jerked on the rope, making me slip further off of Carpet.

"Alaric, hang on!" Al turned and grabbed my arms and a tug of war started.

"Aah! It's going to smell him! I just know it!" Iago screeched.

"Let go! Let go you ugly thing!" I yelled trying to dislodge the monster. Luckily all my twisting and turning made my foot slip free from the rope and Carpet lurch forward, no longer being held back and we took off. Al clung to me until we left the muktaar far, far behind us and we both relaxed. However the muktaar gave a cry and we both shivered at the sound. It was eerie.

"Phew that was a close one!" I said and Iago nodded.

"Yeah, no kidding! I've got an idea, let's not do it again!"

"Agreed." Al and I said at the same time and I took hold of the lantern. I opened it and Genie popped out hugging us all.

"Thank you, thank you!" Genie exclaimed and then he sighed heavily. "I suppose you want to know why he was after me." We nodded and he launched into explanation.