The once perfectly manicured grass had patches that were blown to bits placed randomly throughout his courtyard. Demolished archways, rubble everywhere, out of place dirt, and his now dead garden of beautiful, exotic, and poisonous flowers… Mozenrath had his back to his revisiting prisoners, surveying the damage. He was going to have to hire a few labourers, and gardeners to fix his courtyard. He would probably have the courtyard revived in maybe a month? It was a pity it had to come to that.

While Aladdin scowled at Mozenrath's back, and tested his binds. Tight. Too tight. He could hardly move his wrists around, and he felt himself losing circulation in his arms. "Think about this carefully, Moze. In what way will killing me help you when I could help you with an even bigger threat? Y'know… the kind of threat that even you're afraid of."

Mozenrath turned to face Aladdin. "Afraid?" He asked incredulously, placing a hand over his heart. "Me?"

Aladdin sighed. "Alright, I'll bite. What are you planning, Mozenrath?" He asked tiredly, and monotonously.

Mozenrath opened his mouth to answer. That was until he noticed the tone. He folded his arms at him, and frowned down at him, his gauntleted fingers tapping against his arm. "The very least you can do is act like you're concerned for the wellbeing of countless citizens who'll undoubtedly suffer because you failed."

"Oh, no! The citizens! Woe is me!" He used the same monotonous voice. Mozenrath never did enact a successful plan to either capture or destroy Agrabah. There were a few times where he came close, but even then, he failed. What reason did he have to believe this time will be any different?

"Alright, fine. I won't tell you my plan," Mozenrath pointedly turned his back to Aladdin.

"Aww… you made the Wiz-kid sulk, Al…" Genie mocked.

Mozenrath glared over his shoulder at Genie, resulting in a 'meep!'Genie shrunk under his gaze. Only for the force-field he was contained in to zap him. Genie yelled in pain. While Mozenrath, satisfied with the djinni's pain, welcomed Xerxes back around his shoulders

"Master too good! Genie annoying!"

Mozenrath smiled at Xerxes' praise, and went back to petting him. "Truly, Aladdin, you should've stayed in Agrabah." He walked a short distance away from his prisoners, and commanded the majority of his mamluks to patrol the land. And they did. He'll need to continue their training some other time.

"Hero shoulda stayed home!"

"Wait… That's why we ended up fighting!? Cause I came here wanting to exchange information, and you lost your patience!?"

Yes. "Of course not. Don't be ridiculous."

"Master has all patience!"

"Uh huh…" Aladdin rolled his eyes. He didn't believe him, or Xerxes. "Well, I suppose you got it all figured out haven't you, Genius Mozenrath? You got a foolproof, AND a street rat-proof plan on how to either raise Agrabah to the ground, or capture it. Whichever comes first, right? ALONG WITH how to keep it from whoever or whatever controls the sand, and the artefacts!"

"I'm not going to even indulge that with a response."

"That's right. Cause you can't indulge it with a response!"

"Uh… Al…" Aladdin could see Genie out of the corner of his eye trying to urge him to be quiet by zipping his mouth shut. Only to be zapped by the force-field again. Genie yelled in pain. Again.

Mozenrath turned to glare at Aladdin, and stormed towards him. "Do you really think it's a smart idea to sass the one who you're at the mercy of?"

Aladdin met Mozenrath's gaze with a glare of his own. He knew how much Mozenrath hated being looked in the eyes. "I do. Cause I know that I have the power now. You're gonna lose either way, Mozenrath. It just depends on how epically you choose to fail." Aladdin knew if Mozenrath were to kill him when the issue with the black sand, and artefacts were unresolved, that he was most likely to die as well. Possibly even suffer a fate worse than death. "Like it or not, you need me."

Mozenrath was fixated on glaring at Aladdin, that he didn't even notice the black-blue flames at his fingertips until he saw Aladdin eyeing it. He smirked. Deciding to take advantage of it. "Is that so?" He edged the gauntlet closer to Aladdin's face, and Aladdin recoiled from the heat. "If I truly do need you like you say I do, then what's stopping me from permanently marking you as mine?" What's stopping him from just taking him inside his citadel, and transforming him into a mamluk right then? Both his Genie, and Carpet are trapped. He could literally just do that. Though Mozenrath would prefer for that kind of situation to be more… grandiose. Extravagant. Pretentious, even. He'd have him at his side, and there would be no more heroics, no more master plan thwarting, and he'd be one step closer to ruling the Seven Deserts.

"What's stopping you? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But like I said, you're going to lose no matter what you choose. Keeping me alive will be a less painful of a defeat. A defeat that you'll be able to survive."

Mozenrath narrowed his eyes at him. He held Aladdin in place with his left hand, while he moved his gauntlet even closer. The flames getting closer, and closer to his face. Aladdin closed his eyes tightly, trying his best to avoid the searing heat. And… nothing. Nothing but cold air. Confused, he opened his eyes to see Mozenrath nowhere in sight.

It took a while for Aladdin to notice his wrists weren't bound anymore, and stood up, wet grass stains on his pants. He brushed himself off, and looked over to Genie, and Carpet. "You guys ok?"

"Yep!" Genie answered. Neither Genie or Carpet were trapped under Mozenrath's force field, while Genie sat in a rocking chair, knitting Carpet whole again.

"Good," he sighed in relief. He glanced around, seeing that Mozenrath was indeed gone.

The only thing was… He didn't know if he managed to convince him, or if Mozenrath had something planned for them.