Chapter Eighteen: A "Brotherly" Interrogation

Aladdin saw Dhandi off with Jephtha. The man apologized profusely, suspecting that she had somehow managed to sneak away with them when he had gone to fetch Bartholomew. Aladdin had assured him it was alright and just make sure that Dhandi was safely reunited with Eden.

Now, the prince and Khaleel returned to their rooms. Upon entering, Aladdin stared in confusion as Genie and a dark-haired boy pounded two boards with their thumbs and two metal beings battled it out between them. As one being fell down in defeat, the boy whooped.

Genie tossed his board aside. "Can't believe it," he said. "Beaten by a kid barely in his teens."

"You've got nothing on Yama," the boy said with a smirk.

"Don't tell me you've been bot-fighting this whole time," Khaleel said, walking over to the serving table for a drink, ruffling the kid's hair as he passed. The kid scowled after him.

"No," Genie said. "He's just the last in a lineup. I've been sailing with Moana and Maui. Painting with Rapunzel. Man, that girl's got talent. Making flurries with Jack Frost. Training dragons with Hiccup. Learning to use the Force with Yoda. Helped Ironman figure out a formula. Oh, and I also helped Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat an akuma."

"Well, you have certainly been busy," Khaleel said with a chuckle.

"And just about none of that made sense," Aladdin said, taking in the boy's foreign clothes.

"Ah," Genie said with a shrug, waving the boy out of existence. "That's the joy of seeing into the future. You get to meet a whole lot of friends that you wouldn't have otherwise."

"That's kinda sad," Aladdin said.

"But, that's all one has when they're trapped for centuries and millennia at a time," Khaleel said, offering Genie a glass.

"This is non-alcoholic, right?" Genie asked. "Wouldn't want to disappoint Princess."

Khaleel grew confused before understanding crossed his face. "Oh, the aspiring writer of fairytales with a twist and dozens of fan stories on the side."

"Mm-hm," Genie said. "She's been popping in a couple times too. Trying to get her creative juices flowing again. Only a few more thousand words and she'll beat the NaNo challenge."

"Well, that's good news," Khaleel said with a grin. "But enough of breaking the fourth wall. Aside to say that for her sake, all alcohol has been removed from the premises."

"Good," Genie said, accepting the glass.

"And I'm not going to ask," Aladdin said, "because I'm sure I'll only get more confused."

"Probably for the best," Khaleel said. A knock came to the door. "I'll get that. Genie?"

Genie threw a quick salute before zipping under the bed.

Khaleel opened the door as Aladdin headed for the balcony. "Ah, Mozenrath. I thought you would be enjoying the party."

"I only attend when my brother is present or when I need something from one," Mozenrath said. "At the moment, neither apply." He shouldered past. "And I need an explanation from him. Now!"

"Okay, Mozenrath," Aladdin said. "Just calm down and–"

"When were you going to tell me a genie was mixed up in this?" the wizard demanded.

Aladdin startled. "Uh."

"Where did you find it? And more importantly, is Jafar the reason you found it? Do you just run into trouble? Or do you just beg it to come and find you?"

"Hey, I was hoping that this would just be a simple courtship visit," Aladdin said. "But I can't stand by when a power-hungry vizier is intent on taking over all of Agrabah."

"Power hungry?"

"'You're either the most powerful man in the room or you are nothing,'" Aladdin quoted. "If that doesn't indicate a hunger for power–"

"Alright, fine, I get it," Mozenrath snapped. He took a deep breath and released it through his nose, as he pressed his thumb and pointer fingers of his folded hands to his nose and forehead as if in prayer. "Just tell me how you got into this mess."

"I met Jasmine in the marketplace the day before Khaleel was supposed to get me," Aladdin said. "I had to return a bracelet so I snuck into the palace."

"You snuck into Agrabah's palace," Mozenrath groaned. "You are fortunate you are not rotting in the dungeons. Check that, you're lucky to still have your head on your shoulders if you proceed to tell me you were in the princess's chambers."

"I managed to return her bracelet, yes," Aladdin said. "It was only on my way out that I got caught. I know, I wasn't being as careful as I should have been."

"Or that parrot of Jafar's was too observant," Mozenrath said.

"Either way," Aladdin said. "I soon found myself in the desert, being faced with the choice of help Jafar get a lamp from a cave or risk being murdered upon the sand dune we were sitting on."

"Okay, no choice but to help him at that point," Mozenrath conceded. "Continue."

"The cave he wanted me to enter was the Cave of Wonders," Aladdin said.

Mozenrath looked up. "Which Cave of Wonders?"

"You mean there's more than one?" Aladdin asked. While surprised, he honestly felt as though he shouldn't have been.

"There are several," Mozenrath answered, as if it was common knowledge. "Khaleel's lamp was from the lion's Cave of Wonders. There are a couple other great cats, a bear or two, at least one snake, and a minotaur."

"It looked like a tiger," Aladdin said.

Mozenrath stilled. "The last Cave rumored to have a surviving Magic Carpet," he whispered in awe. He whirled from his half-turned position to Aladdin again. "Did you manage to find–?"

"Yes, and he has accepted my offer of making Ababwa his home if he so desires," Aladdin said.

"I would love to see if that magic could be recreated," Mozenrath murmured in quiet excitement. "So many were destroyed out of fear. It would be a pity if we completely lost them without a chance of reviving them. Is it in the weave of the threads themselves? Or was a spell cast upon them? What sort of spell? And are they just enchanted to appear living, or are they actually alive?"

He then straightened, glaring sharply at Aladdin. "There's a reason you have the genie and Jafar doesn't."

Aladdin shrugged helplessly. "I couldn't let him take over Agrabah, especially with Jasmine being–" He stopped himself. How could he really explain it to Mozenrath? He could barely explain it to Khaleel.

"They are bound by 'Desert Moon,'" Khaleel said. "One of your mother's final wishes."

Mozenrath silently formed an "oh." He looked down at something beside Aladdin's feet, not really surprised as much as finally understanding. Finally he looked back up. "So, what did you do?"

"I allowed myself to get trapped," Aladdin said. "I met Genie, he got us out of the Cave and to Khaleel. We traveled to Agrabah, made our grand entrance, and now we're here."

"And Jafar knows you originally as a street rat and frankly it's a miracle that he hasn't recognized you already," Mozenrath said.

"Precisely," Khaleel said. "And it's a blessing that he managed to heal so fast or he'd still be sporting a bandage around his head."

"What?!"

Aladdin would have stumbled back if Mozenrath hadn't grabbed his upper arm in addition to roughly brushing his hair away from either side of his face. "Moz, I'm fine," he said. Yes, he had started to suspect that his older brother actually cared for him, but thinking it was possible and actually seeing it were two completely different things. Before, the only time Mozenrath moved toward him that fast was either when a dagger was in his hand or he was trying to capture him. So it was a bit disconcerting to see Mozenrath reacting with that same speed to ensure that he was unharmed.

"A light healing magic," Mozenrath murmured. He glared at Aladdin. "Please tell me you at least had that idiot monkey with you to make sure you got the lamp and that you didn't wrestle that vizier for it."

"Abu was with me," Aladdin said, "like he always is when I'm playing a street rat."

"I'd hate to try searching out an incomplete harm spell that sorcerer wannabe would have tried casting on you," Mozenrath said, finally stepping back.

"The only way he touched me was grinding his metal-soled boots onto my fingers," Aladdin said. "And he tried to hypnotize me just before we went into the festival."

"'Tried'?" Khaleel said incredulously. "He had you completely enthralled if I hadn't interrupted him."

"Not completely," Aladdin protested. "I knew what was happening and I was trying to fight it."

"But you couldn't break it," Khaleel returned, "and that's what scares me about this. You are diving headlong into this and we are clearly in over our heads."

"And that's why I'm going to be staying around to help," Mozenrath said.

Aladdin turned to him in surprise. "You will?"

"You obviously need a magic expert on your team," Mozenrath said. "As I said, as far as magic goes, Jafar is an incompetent wannabe. But he has one spell that is almost second nature to him: the Power of the Cobra. Whether he realizes it or not, he has a connection to those slithering reptiles and it lends that power to him."

"How do you know that?" Aladdin asked.

Mozenrath hesitated. "I can see animals that are connected to different people. My own is an eel who I call Xerxes. Most real magic users can see these creatures. There are some worlds where everyone can see these animals and call them 'daemons.' I don't know why some don't seem to have them, Khaleel being one such mystery. Anyway. Jafar's animal is a large cobra, I'd even dare to say a King Cobra."

Aladdin blinked. "Okay. Didn't expect that, but I guess it makes sense." He glanced down where Mozenrath had looked earlier. "I guess that there is something about my own animal?"

"A desert dog," Mozenrath said. "Noble in its own right, but also brave and loyal to a fault. It just seemed to fit that a desert moon would guide you to your soulmate. And before you ask, I wasn't able to see Jasmine's animal. The only way I was able to figure out Jafar's animal in that crowded space was because it was coiled round his ankles."

Aladdin nodded. "It would probably just start to make me worry if our animals weren't compatible."

"It would work out somehow," Khaleel said.

"Yeah, Princess wouldn't let it be otherwise," Genie piped up.

Aladdin stiffened. He wasn't sure how Mozenrath would react to a genie.

Actually pretty well it turned out. "You were the one to apply the healing magic," Mozenrath said.

"Yeah," Genie said with a shrug. "Carpet wished that I would make sure Al would be okay. So, I did what I could."

"Good job," Mozenrath said. "And many thanks. I'd rather not lose my baby brother after finally making peace with him."

"Okay," Aladdin said. "If you two are going to be civil and friendly, I am needing to figure out how to get Jasmine to talk to me again."

"Amazing performance by the way," Mozenrath said.

"Thank you," Aladdin said. He turned to the balcony again, looking out to see that he was in view of Jasmine's balcony. A plan started to form in his mind. "I need to get over there," he said. "If Carpet is willing, he can fly me over there. But if I want to talk to her alone, someone will have to distract Dalia."

"Oh, I am your man for that," Khaleel said.

Aladdin turned to Genie and Mozenrath. "Promise to behave yourselves?"

"Of course," Genie said.

"We'll discuss magic and how best to use it," Mozenrath said. Whether he was serious or joking was unclear.

"Okay, Khaleel and I are off then," Aladdin said. He paused. "I guess if I were to lose my 'daemon' I would have lost him a long time ago."

"From what I've heard about what you get into, that would be an accurate assumption," Mozenrath said.

"Right then," Aladdin said. "Carpet?"

Carpet perked up from the divan.

"Can you give us a lift?" he asked.

Carpet swooped over so that Aladdin and Khaleel could climb on.

"I know the perfect place where you're past most of the guards and can get to the princess's room easy," Aladdin said.

"But first, flowers," Khaleel said. "I need flowers for my girl."

"And my girl won't be so easily pacified," Aladdin said. But hopefully an explanation and maybe even a fanciful ride on a magic carpet might help.

Author's Note: So, yeah, I had some fun off-screen with Genie. References to Big Hero 6, Tangled, Moana, Rise of the Guardians, How to Train Your Dragons, Star Wars, Marvel, and Miraculous Ladybug. I did not expect Genie to break the fourth wall on me. Well, at least they didn't keep it going to long.

And Mozenrath is apparently entering protective mode. About time, really. I also didn't realize that he could be a potential nerdy researcher sort of guy. But when one works with magic and for years hoped to gain more powers, you just pick up lots of information.

I had some fun with the multiple Cave of Wonders idea. Then I ended up having some fun with "daemons," partially in connection to the Chinese zodiac. An unintentional nod to the original origin of Aladdin's tale. With those clues, care to take a guess as to Jasmine's daemon?

Okay, next holds at least the start of a famous romantic evening. Any theories about how things go? What Aladdin will tell Jasmine? Anything at all? :-)

For those interested: I officially have 39,343 words and am poised to take on chapter twelve in my project. I'm just a little over halfway through the episode and a little more than 10,000 words away from my goal. Those familiar with this episode, this means that I have gotten John past Dr. Louise Mortimer and the sabotaging Dr. Bob Frankland. Although, things just might have gone different for that scene. ;-)

Until next time.