The Prophet Motive Part 2
"Admit it. You're dying to know why I stole your tassled friend." Abis stated, leering at us. We were tied to chairs being forced to listen to him talk.
"Obviously so he can fly your stupid ship." Jaz retorted and I snickered quietly. She was definitely worked up.
"Ah, but why do I want him to fly my stupid ship?" Abis questioned. "That's what you should be asking."
"So you admit your ship is stupid?" I asked with smirked and he faltered.
"Err….um, hey! Don't distract me!" He suddenly slapped his face when a fly buzzed near his face.
"Not yet." I heard Al whisper and looked over to him. I spotted the fly on his nose and realized that it was Genie. "I want to hear his plan." I turned my head in Abis' direction.
"Beg all you want," He began. "I'll never tell you my plan. Haha! Go ahead! Beg! Beg me!" Everyone yawned.
"Couldn't care less actually." Al commented.
"Nope, I don't want to hear." I added and Abis Mal poked me.
"Okay! You dragged it out of me."
"Don't touch me, fatso." I muttered, but he ignored me.
"I'm going to steal the treasure of Fashoom." He told us, pulling up a chair to sit in our circle.
"Fashoom?" Al laughed.
"He's just a myth." Jasmine giggled.
"Myth? It's just a cover-up and I have learned the secret location of his secret castle."
"That doesn't explain why you need Carpet." Jasmine scowled and I frowned.
"It's in the sky, isn't it?" I stated and Abis looked at me. He opened his mouth to respond when we heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Uh, approaching the castle, sir." Haroud stated, coming down the stairs to stand nearby.
"Well, you are correct." Abis told me and pointed out the window. "Fashoom's castle is a little off the beaten path."
"Obviously." I rolled my eyes and Al's foot hit my leg. "Ow! What?"
"Stop it." He hissed.
"You're just mad I guessed it before you did." I said teasingly and Jasmine giggled.
"One more thing, sir." Haroud droned and showed us a bottle. All of us stiffened. "I found this buzzing about the garbage pail. Seems to be a jinni of some sort. Absolutely powerless when confined."
"Genie!" I said and he smiled at me sheepishly from inside the bottle.
Abis Mal did a happy dance next to me and I tried to kick him. "This is great!" He turned to Al and grinned smugly. "First I steal your carpet, then your jinni! What else have you got for me to take, I wonder?" He turned to Jasmine and put a finger under her chin
"Gross!" I blurted and he glared at me. When he looked at me, Jaz tried to bite him.
"Ah, ah, ah!" He warned her, pulling his fingers back and made a face.
"You're a sick fatso!"
"Shut up!" Abis stated and then he grinned evilly. "Haroud, let's toss 'em in the brig."
"Let go of me!" I shouted as Haroud hauled me off the chair and towards a large wooden door. Haroud opened the door and tossed me in without much effort. That was how strong his grip on me was. I groaned from the floor and slowly looked up.
"Al!" I yelped, face to face with a human skeleton.
"Alaric!" Al yelled and I backed away from the skeletons. I felt something slam into me and I shrieked as the bones rattled over me. Abis had tossed Al in and my brother clumsily scrammed to get off me.
"Now play nice." Abis crooned from the doorway and I whirled to face him. "You guys will be rooming together for the next few centuries." He slammed the door shut when I tried to jump at him and then gripped the bars in the tiny door window, pulling myself up to be heard.
"You just wait until we get out of here!" I shouted and Al pushed me away from the bars. I frowned at him but decided not to yell at him for it. He was probably going to ask about Jaz.
"What about Jasmine!?" He demanded and I nodded to myself. Yep. "Where are you taking her?"
"Don't worry, she's going with us. Somebody has to check for booby traps." Abis Mal stated and I frowned.
"Aladdin!" Jasmine cried as Haroud hauled her up the steps and Al reached out.
"Jasmine!" He frowned and then glared at the skeleton lying on the floor behind us.
"What are you grinning at?" He asked sarcastically and I groaned.
"Don't talk to the dead people, Al. It's creepy." I said and then watched with curiously as he crouched near the skeleton. "You don't….know them do you?" I asked nervously and Al looked over at me.
"Nah." He shook his head. "Don't be afraid, Rick."
"I am not scared!" I snapped and then grinned awkwardly. "….I just think it's creepy." Al rolled his eyes and went back to examining the bones. "What exactly are you looking for? His wallet?"
"Shut up, Rick." Al muttered. "I'm trying to get us out of here."
"Yeah, well maybe they can be useful."
"Well, in case you haven't noticed. They are dead." Al lifted a bone off of one of the skeleton and went over to the window, slipping his hand with the bone out. After a moment I heard the lock on the door shifting. Suddenly I understood what he had been doing with the skeleton.
"Huh! Now that's what I call a skeleton key." Al announced as the door swung open. I rolled my eyes
"Very funny, now let's get out of here." I said and pushed past him, eager to get to the upper deck.
"A pick you'll find among the bones…" The voice of Mamoon-Ra spoke and I froze on the steps.
"You hear that?" Al whispered and I nodded, turning to him.
"Yeah…uh, I guess we know what's left! 'Then meet your doom upon the stones!'"
"Don't worry, Rick. I'll be okay." Al said trying to sound calm and I started to say something to him when the ship gave a lurch.
"What was that?"
"I don't know, but I have a feeling it wasn't good." We ran up on deck and I looked around to find out what was happening before scrambling to the side of the ship. My eyes searched around until I looked up and I suddenly gaped. Iago and Abu were in the process of freeing a frantic Carpet!
"No, leave Carpet there!" I shouted, but I knew they couldn't hear me over Iago's loud mouth shouting at the rug to simmer down.
"What's goin' on?" Al called from behind me and the ship lurched again.
"Al! We're going to-ahh!" I was cut off when the ship began to fall and I went over the edge of the railing. "Aladdin!"
"Alaric!" I heard Al cry as I free fell through the air. The wind whipping my face made it hard to see, but I could barely make out the land down below me. Suddenly I was jerked to a stop and pulled back up. Al set me upright on Carpet and I sighed with relief patting the rug.
"Thanks Carpet." Al laughed.
"Huh! You weren't worried, were you, Abu?"
'Who me? Hah!' I looked over at the chattering monkey who suddenly fainted.
"Well, I was! Let's not do that again!" I said looking back at Al who nodded.
"I agree with that." We flew back up the large castle floating in the sky and I saw Iago pacing on the steps, leading up to the castle.
"Iago, up here!" I called and the parrot looked up.
"Take a little longer next time!" He snapped at Carpet, but I knew he had been worried. "Oh, why don't you just go for some espresso?"
"We're okay, Iago." I assured him and he glanced at me once before eyeing Al's hand.
"Wait a minute, what, praytell, have we here?"
"Just the bone I used to pick the lock of our cell!" Al said proudly and the parrot gaped.
"You mean you found…?"
"The pick among the bones? Yep!" I finished for him and he groaned.
"Eh, that's it. Prophesy, fulfilled your dead." I rolled my eyes, before glancing at Al.
"Gee, thanks, Iago."
"What? It's the prophesy!?" He hollered.
"Forget the prophesy, guys!" Al said and we looked at him.
"Forget it? Um, Al, everything that guy said has come true so far!"
"Hey who's in charge of my destiny, anyway? I am, that's who! Not some back-alley fortune teller!"
'Uh-huh!' Abu agreed, but I shook my head.
"I don't know…that guy seemed pretty legit."
Iago nodded his head. "Yeah, we are talking some serious denial here." Al sighed, but didn't comment to us about it.
"Let's go, Carpet!" He shouted and Carpet flew us up the steps and towards the open doors. We flew in and I saw Abis Mal holding something in his hands.
"There's the fatso! What's that he's got?"
"The eye of Fashoom." Iago said, looking worried, and I tapped him.
"Okay, who is this guy anyway? What's the legend?"
"Well, a long time ago-"
"No time for a story, guys!" Al hissed and Iago and I grinned sheepishly.
"Right. Sorry." I said and Al rolled his eyes. A blast came from below and we looked down to see a smoldering pile of rubble behind Jaz.
"Let's get that eye, Carpet." Al murmured. Carpet dove down quickly and Al snatched the red ruby eye from the fat thief's grip before he could fire again.
"Huh? What?" Abis shouted looking down at his hand in confusion.
"Maybe you should do it again, Al. He missed it the first time." I snickered.
"Aladdin!" Jasmine cheered.
"Now you'll do as I command!" Al stated as we loomed above the thief. Unfortunately Jaz was still down below.
"Go ahead! Use it to turn your princess to cinders!" Abis shouted, holding Jaz captive. Suddenly something large began to move behind us and the large ugly statue came to life, snarling as it moved.
"Who has Fashoom's eye?!" It growled, and blindly it swung its hand out and knocked us off of Carpet. Al was sent sprawling off into a large coin pile, while I landed with the eye at Fashoom's feet.
"Uh-oh." I mumbled from the ground. Suddenly something gripped my vest and I was dangled up in the air. "Oh no!"
"Ah, yes. No one steals from Fashoom!" The giant stated and I struggled.
"I didn't do it!"
"Told you we shouldn't steal from Fashoom!" Abis' voice whimpered from the other side of the room and I smirked at him.
"So, you stole Fashoom's eye!" The giant said and I nodded.
"Yes, he did! Now zap him! Zap him!" Suddenly the giant raised his hand that held me. "Er…What are you-No wait!" I yelped as I soared through the air and Jasmine screamed.
"Alaric!"
"I'm good!" I called back, sitting up and flashing her a smile. "I landed on something to break my fall!"
"Get off me!" Abis Mal snapped, his voice muffled from where I was pushing his face into the ground. Haroud pulled me off his boss and then we proceeded to back up quite a bit as the one eyed monster loomed over us.
"Stole is a very strong word!" Abis shouted and I looked at him.
"Are you trying to tick him off more!?" Before he could reply we had to scramble away from the giant foot that almost stomped us. Although I was not part of the thieving duo, Fashoom wasn't taking any chances in letting me go over to check on the lifeless form of my brother. I just had to hope that he would be all right and that the prophesy was wrong.
"You stole Fashoom's eye!" Fashoom bellowed and used his eye beam to zap at us causing two pillars to collapse right at faces, blocking our exit.
"Why are you using me as a shield? Stop it!" I snapped when the fat thief shoved me forward.
Abis Mal began to shriek. "It was him!"
"What!" I turned to look at him. "No, it wasn't! It was you!"
"Oh, yes it was!"
"No, it was you!"
"Was not!"
"All who steal from Fashoom must pay!" Fashoom snarled and that broke up our argument.
"Did so." I said quickly to get the last word in.
"Oh, please! Spare me!" The fat thief wailed, dragging himself on the ground to bow at the giant's feet. "Do what you want with them, but leave me alone! Please!"
"Your loyalty is touching, O great one." Haroud said sarcastically and I arched an eyebrow.
"How the heck do you put up with him?" I wondered and Haroud shrugged.
"Foolish mortal! Fashoom spares no one!"
"Well that plan backfired!" I shouted at Abis Mal who stuck his tongue out at me.
"Fashoom! We're warning you to stop or else!" Jasmine shouted and we peered at her from around Fashoom's leg.
"What are you doing Jaz?" I muttered.
"You cannot stop Fashoom!" The giant laughed at her. "Fashoom will once again rain destruction upon the land! And he begins with you!" His eye lit up and I panicked.
"Jaz!" I shouted and she dodged aside, showing someone behind her. It was Al! Al held up a silver shield in time to block the blast and send it back towards its owner.
"What! Ahh!" Fashoom snarled. Giant rocks began to fall onto his head and Abis, Haroud, and I ran to get out of the way as rocks covered the giant up completely and knocking him unconscious.
"Way to go Al!" I celebrated, before I remembered that I had to thieves behind me. Haroud grabbed me and I struggled to get away from him.
"Ha! He won't bother anyone again!" Al said to Jaz and Abis Mal laughed.
"Forgetting something, Aladdin?" He boasted and Al looked over. "I've got your little brother and your jinni! Until I let him out, then he'll be my jinni."
"Oh, that can't be right. Can it?" Iago asked and I frowned. No way could that be true! I looked at Al who rubbed the back of his neck
"Uh, I-I don't know! Well, it's never come up before!"
"Well, let's just pop her open and see." Abis said smugly and I growled as he fished out Genie's bottle and pulled out the cork. "Destroy them!" he shouted and I gasped as large moths came flying out. I thought they were headed for Al when I saw them doubling back! I acted quickly stomping his foot and then dodging out of the way as the moths. Good thing I did or I would have lost part of my clothing like the two unfortunate thieves just did.
"Wrong bottle, sir." Haroud groaned and I snickered as he and Abis had to run away from the cloth eating moths that were not finished with them.
"See you, fatso!" I waved at their backs and then turned to Al. "So…where's Genie's bottle then?" Suddenly Abu pulled out something from his vest. "Way to go, Abu!" I said running over to see Genie's bottle.
"Ha! Abu, you little thief!" Al laughed.
"Oh, it's great to be back, guys. Uh, now how about letting me out? I've got such a cramp in my leg." Genie groaned and Al uncorked him. He came out with a relieved sigh and started stretching.
"You okay, Genie?" I asked and he winked at me.
"Sure, shorty, just dandy!" I smiled at him and then Carpet motioned that he was ready to go. I smiled.
"I think Carpet wants to go home."
"Yeah, me too." Al grinned and we got onto Carpet.
"Aladdin, what about Abis Mal and Haroud? We can't just leave them there?" Jasmine said.
"Why not?" I pouted and she giggled. Al smirked.
"Eh, we'll come back for them…after we stock up on mothballs." Everyone laughed at that and then jasmine cocked her head thoughtfully.
"I'd like that fortune teller to read my future. Do you think you could find him again?"
"I don't know. Somehow, I think he's the one who'll find us." Al murmured and for some reason his sentence felt right.
"Yeah me too."
"He gave Alaric a glimpse into his future." Iago piped up and Jasmine looked at me curiously.
"What did you see?" I fidgeted, fighting the heat that I could feel rising to my face.
"Er…nothing of importance." I muttered and Iago pouted, huffing and turning away from me.
"Fine, keep your secrets from your best friend." He said in an almost hurt tone.
"It's not like that, Iago. It's…Well, it's not something I'd like to talk about." Everyone was now looking extremely curious and I had to think fast to save myself. "What does it matter?" I laughed. "Like Al, said I'm in charge of my own fate!" I covered up the awkwardness and Al grinned at me approvingly.
"That's right, Rick." The others eyed me once before shrugging and I sighed with relief before looking at Genie.
"Hey, Genie?"
"Hm?"
"What Abis said back there about the bottle…it's not true it is?" I asked nervously and he shook his head.
"Of course not. It's just a myth." I hugged him.
"Good." I said and he laughed, hugging me back.
"I still want to know what he showed you."
"Just give it a rest, Iago."
Review? Next chapter is Sneeze the Day!
